EPISODE FIVE – Stranded ("Stranded", Lutricia McNeal.)

It was a clear day, even for November, and Taylor was paying a visit to Rob’s music store, it had been quite a while since being there, he decided it was time to go back, besides, he needed some new tabs. He was getting sick of playing the same songs over and over, something different would give him something interesting to pass the time away with.

He walked in, Rob had a TV set on the counter, and was sitting behind the counter, with a bag of chips, Rob barely noticed Taylor walk in, too interested in watching a Star Trek rerun.

"Hey, Rob," Taylor said, walking in, he leaned on the counter and arched his neck around to see the TV, "What ya watchin’?" he asked.

Rob didn’t lift his eyes from the screen, "Star Trek: The Next Generation, the one where Deanna gets pregnant and stuff," he answered.

Taylor opened the jar of M&M’s from the counter and took a few, "can I get some service?" he asked, leaning there, looking at Rob.

"Sure, what?" Rob asked, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"I wassss wondering," Taylor thought for a moment, "got the tabs to ‘Angel’ by Sarah McLachlan?"

Rob motioned to a shelf up against the large windowed wall of the store, "It’s somewhere over there," he said, waving for Taylor to go find it.

"Geez, thanks for all your help," Taylor said sarcastically, then rolled his eyes and laughed and made his way over to the shelf and he looked across the shelf, most of the songs were in Alphabetical order by the artist names, Taylor found S for Sarah McLachlan and picked up a book of her music tabs, he flicked through it finding a lot more than he needed. "Haven’t you just got ‘Angel’, I don’t need to know how to play ‘Ben’s Song,’ or ‘Mary’," Taylor explained.

Rob glanced over, "it’ll be somewhere, keep looking, you freakin’ retard," he rolled his eyes.

"You’re a retard," Taylor shot back, looking across the shelf.

"No, you are," Rob grinned.

This had been a custom with Rob and Taylor to call each other names once in a while – it was never meant, and it was somewhat amusing.

"You suck," Taylor picked up the sheet music for ‘Angel’, smiling, but his smile faded when he raised his eyes to look out of the window and see something very agitating. Lauren and a small blonde guy were standing on the pavement outside the window, and she had her arms around his neck, the guy had his arms around her and they were French-kissing. Taylor felt his blood boil, he hated to see this. He felt like yelling to the guy to demand what the hell he thought he was doing. Taylor sighed and turned away and went to the counter, and put down the exact money for the tabs. "See you later," he said to Rob and he left the store, holding his sheet music. He was standing right next to the couple making out in the street for the world to see, he cleared his throat, but this didn’t reach their ears, finally, Taylor burst out with "LAUREN!!!" as if he’d just seen her for the first time in years and was so happy he could explode.

Lauren jumped out of the guy’s arms and spun around, looking, then relaxed. "Oh, Tay," she smiled, she blushed and bit her lip, "Hi."
"Hi," Taylor smiled, trying to keep himself composed, "what’s up?" he asked casually.

"Not much, just doing a little shopping and stuff," Lauren’s eyes smiled too, she turned sideways and motioned to the guy, "Tay, this is Jon…Jon, this is Tay," she introduced.

Jon looked at Taylor, "You’re that Hanson fag," he muttered.

Taylor’s eyes squinted in anger, "I’m more of a man than you’ll ever be," he loomed over Jon like an adult over a child.

Jon rolled his eyes and he put an arm around Lauren, "C’mon, lets go…" he tried to pull her away.

"No, I wanna stay and talk to Tay," Lauren stated calmly.

Taylor smiled when she said, this, however it was cut short, when Jon swatted Lauren over the back of the head, "I’m already late, c’mon!" Jon said in an agitated tone.

Taylor gaped, okay, so that hit didn’t look like it hurt at all, but that wasn’t the point, you just didn’t treat a girl like that…didn’t treat Lauren like that. "Do that again and you’ll be sorry you ever met me," Taylor hissed.

Lauren spun around to look at Taylor and Jon, feeling her heart suddenly thudding, this wasn’t good, they had a mutual hatred for each other already. "Look, I—" she tried to say to Jon.

"Shut up," Jon told her sternly, and looked at Taylor with cold eyes.

Taylor stepped forward, wanting to take a swing at Jon right then, "don’t tell her to shut up!"

"What you gonna do fag boy?" Jon snorted in laughter.

Lauren turned around and frowned at him, "Stop it," she warned carefully.

"You wanna stay with fag-boy, go ahead," Jon muttered and walked away brooding furiously.

Lauren spun around to look at Taylor, her eyes soft. "I’m sorry," she murmured, and she dashed off after Jon.

Taylor watched Lauren catching up with Jon, and for a moment they were arguing as they walked down the street, and the last thing Taylor saw before they walked around the corner, Jon put his arm around her, seemingly calming down, then they were gone. Taylor stood there on the pavement feeling so suddenly alone.