EPISODE FOURTEEN – I’d Really Love to be Alone without All The Ache And Pain ("Lifted" The Lighthouse Family)

Lauren was packing her stuff up ready to leave later on that afternoon, and Taylor stood at the threshold of his sisters room, watching her. "You know, you could stay for dinner," he offered.

"Thanks, but no thanks, my parents are gonna be back in a couple of hours and I should at least clean the house before they do. And besides, I wanna be gone when Ike wakes up, the last thing he needs to see is the best friend of the girl who thoroughly humiliated him by rejecting him four or five times," she explained, she blew a lock of hair out of her eyes. "Anyway, you must be getting sick of having me around, seems like I’m never far away from you these days," she added.

He smirked, "That’s ‘cos I can’t keep away from you," he smirked, "Just can’t get enough of your charming company," he rested his back against the skirting of the threshold, "Seriously, though, you know, I like it when we hang out, its better than listening to Ike whine and Zac complain. And lets face it, I think by now we qualify as best friends, right?" he asked.

Lauren smiled, "Yeah, I guess," she shoved yesterdays clothes into her rucksack and she stood up, pulling on her jacket, "Okay, wellll, I should be going now…" she admitted, she pulled her rucksack over her shoulder.

Taylor looked at her, "are you sure you won’t stay for dinner."

"I’d love to but can’t," she smiled, she left the room and he followed her downstairs, she opened the front door, and turned back to Taylor, "I’ll see you sometime during the week."

"I’ll call you."

"Okay," she gave another sweet smile. "Byesy-bye," she waved, and then walked out, and closed the door behind her.

Diana walked out of the kitchen, "Was that Lauren leaving?"

"Yeah, she had to go, her mom and dad are coming back tonight."

Diana looked at her watch, "Is Isaac awake yet?"

Taylor went upstairs, Isaac was still sleeping, it was time to get the lazy sod up. He stood on the edge of his own bed and he grabbed a hold of Isaac’s arm and shook him. "Ike, wake up."
Isaac gave a groan of exhaustion.

"C’mon, Ike, its coming up for three, mom is going nuts that you’re still in bed."
"So?" Isaac pulled the covers over his head.

"Ike, please…get up, c’mon, staying up all night and sleeping all day, it isn’t healthy, you’ll fuck up your body clock and you’ll start sleeping all day and staying up all night," he explained.

Isaac sighed and sat up weakly. "Why should I bother getting out of bed, I have nothing to live for."

"Ike, don’t be so dramatic, you had lots to live for before Ashley even came along."
"Yeah, but that was BEFORE she came along. Now she is my life, and I have to suffer cos she’s not here."
"She’s just a girl," Taylor rolled his eyes, he didn’t understand Isaac’s obsession with Ashley to be honest. Ashley was just a plain ordinary girl.

"She’s not just a girl. She’s the girl I love."

"What do you love about her?" Taylor demanded.

"Her eyes, her voice, her singing, her guitar playing, the way she smiles…" Isaac fell back to his bed dramatically. "This sucks, it sucks I tell you!"

Taylor smirked a little, "So date another girl and you’ll soon be back on your feet."

"How can I even think of dating another girl? I want Ash. I want Ashley-Anne Douglas and no other girl in the world. Don’t you understand that? Or wouldn’t you considering you’re gay and can’t get a catch."

Taylor frowned, "I’m not gay, I’m just terminally single," he explained.

"Terminally gay and loving it, more like," Isaac rolled his eyes.

"I AM NOT GAY!" Taylor burst out.

"Why do you deny it?" Isaac asked in a serious tone, he looked at Tay.

Taylor stared back, "because I’m not," he stated quietly.

"You certainly seem to be," Isaac climbed out of his bed and pulled on some clothes.

"Aren’t you gonna shower?" Taylor asked.

"What’s the point?" Isaac asked.

Taylor was getting sick of this crap Isaac was pulling, this life isn’t worth living if Ashley is isn’t here crap that was beginning to already get annoying. "The point is you’ll stink out this house if you don’t!"

"I showed yesterday!" Isaac rolled his eyes and left the room stubborn. "Now, if you don’t mind, I’d really love to be alone without all the ache and pain of remembering her and also, alone without your annoying voice pestering me to get together," he said and left the room.

Taylor sighed and threw himself down on his on bed. Why couldn’t he get through to Isaac? Why couldn’t he even tell Lauren he liked her? There were so many questions lately.

Taylor looked up at the bottom of Isaac’s bunk. So many questions why. That repeated in his head. Why was he falling in love with his best friend? He didn’t want to fall in love with her. He’d rather remain best friends, that way they both could avoid the hurt of later on. But still…it was intriguing, at a time Taylor had been anxious to keep away from the girl at all costs, now, he was falling head over heels, he didn’t know what to do.

"Damn love," he sighed.