Brian sat at home. He was wide awake with some "ill unthrifty thing" (as
Shakespeare would have put it) floating around in his mind.
He moved to his bedroom, disrobing completely and finally laying down to light a joint and let the smoke circle his head. Just as it seemed he had found his aurora, his phone began to ring.
Answering, he said: "This had better be good."
"Brian, something is seriously not right around here. I just saw something so fucked up it makes me wonder..."
"Was it your mom and Horvath screwing in the living room? Shit, how's your vision?-"
"NO! Dammit, Brian! Justin's sister was getting very personal with Chris Hobbs. I told her I wouldn't tell, but... well I lied."
Brian sat up, his good joint gone to waste. "You just ruined a perfectly good high."
"Who the fuck cares about ganja right now? Justin's sister has gone Benedict Arnold on us."
Brian heard Emmett in the background, just having awoken to the news.
"Michael, get your shit, we are going to the Taylor's house."
"Looks like you've got all the backup you need, Mikey. Goodbye."
"B-but... Brian? Hello? Selfish asshole."
Brian hung up the phone, falling back down into his prone position, watching a universe of stars form on his bedroom ceiling. Oh, he intended to help out, but not until after a snack and a short nap.
~/~
Things seemed relatively uneventful at the Taylor house. Kayla's week there had nearly come to an end. She, being left with three days to come through with her plan seemed like hardly enough, but it would do.
Meanwhile, Jennifer began to feel remorse once again toward Chris Hobbs. It had never completely gone, mind, it had adopted a new edge, and now it felt more like born-again ire than remorse.
In another part of the townhouse, Justin sat upstairs with Kayla, telling her all about his adventures at Babylon when suddenly he felt compelled to ask:
"Kayla," Justin began. "What's the matter?"
"That's kind of an odd question. Does it look like something's the matter?"
"You obviously aren't putting your all into hiding it. Even Deb picked up some mixed signals."
"From what I've heard of Debbie, that's not unlikely. Look, I'm just frazzled about the entire Chris Hobbs thing. I need a good night's sleep. That's all." Somehow Kayla knew that Justin saw right through her, but he loved her enough to let her lie.
"Do you want something to help you sleep?" His tone became lightly sprinkled with disappointment.
"No, sweetie. I just need to put some effort into it. I'm sure that once my head hits the pillow I'll pass right out."
"Okay." Justin leaned forward and held her for a moment. "Goodnight, Kayla."
"Goodnight."
Justin was slow and hesitant in leaving her alone. Something about that night made his skin crawl, but eventually he compelled himself to reach the doorway, and he complied and gently shut the door. Kayla stayed dead still, listening to the retreating footsteps go down the stairs. When she heard him begin conversation with Jennifer, she jumped out of bed.
She ran to her bedroom door and locked it, not wanting to be caught sneaking out by either of the two downstairs. She changed into something suitable for walking the strip, and out the window she went, shimmying down the drainpipe and coming safely to her feet on the concrete below.
"Taxi!"
~/~
Brian stood at the entrance of Babylon, his blood pumping after hours upon hours of dancing his mind away with the hottest of the hot.
He lit a cigarette and began to walk the strip, cruising guys as he ventured toward his car. His venture was cut short, however, when he saw a very familiar face in the crowd.
After paying and tipping the cabbie, Kayla stood up, lighting up a cigarette as well, coughing a little, as she had only just begun to smoke. She walked through the crowds, trying to blend, holding her head a little lower than usual, all being of no help. She stopped at the entrance to an alleyway and walked into it, coming to rest by a door, she stood under an exit light and savored her cigarette.
"Since when do you smoke?"
Kayla refused to acknowledge the person behind her, and so, he walked around to her front, giving her no choice other than to face him.
"I don't." She answered shortly. "What do you want?"
"Not so sweet when Jennifer and Justin are around, are you?" Brian toyed. "Ohh... yes... It just came to me. I bet your new boyfriend has toughened you up. Chris would be so proud."
Kayla glared at Brian, seething with anger at this stupid little interrogative conversation. "Tell Michael he can eat shit, hmm?"
"Normally I'm not the one to care, but this is a rare occasion. I am forced to do so. You need to keep your distance from Chris Hobbes."
"You can just take your bullshit opinions and step. You have no right telling me who I can and cannot see."
"You're sadly mistaken." A new voice said.
It was Michael, and Kayla lunged at him with screams and flying fists.
He moved to his bedroom, disrobing completely and finally laying down to light a joint and let the smoke circle his head. Just as it seemed he had found his aurora, his phone began to ring.
Answering, he said: "This had better be good."
"Brian, something is seriously not right around here. I just saw something so fucked up it makes me wonder..."
"Was it your mom and Horvath screwing in the living room? Shit, how's your vision?-"
"NO! Dammit, Brian! Justin's sister was getting very personal with Chris Hobbs. I told her I wouldn't tell, but... well I lied."
Brian sat up, his good joint gone to waste. "You just ruined a perfectly good high."
"Who the fuck cares about ganja right now? Justin's sister has gone Benedict Arnold on us."
Brian heard Emmett in the background, just having awoken to the news.
"Michael, get your shit, we are going to the Taylor's house."
"Looks like you've got all the backup you need, Mikey. Goodbye."
"B-but... Brian? Hello? Selfish asshole."
Brian hung up the phone, falling back down into his prone position, watching a universe of stars form on his bedroom ceiling. Oh, he intended to help out, but not until after a snack and a short nap.
~/~
Things seemed relatively uneventful at the Taylor house. Kayla's week there had nearly come to an end. She, being left with three days to come through with her plan seemed like hardly enough, but it would do.
Meanwhile, Jennifer began to feel remorse once again toward Chris Hobbs. It had never completely gone, mind, it had adopted a new edge, and now it felt more like born-again ire than remorse.
In another part of the townhouse, Justin sat upstairs with Kayla, telling her all about his adventures at Babylon when suddenly he felt compelled to ask:
"Kayla," Justin began. "What's the matter?"
"That's kind of an odd question. Does it look like something's the matter?"
"You obviously aren't putting your all into hiding it. Even Deb picked up some mixed signals."
"From what I've heard of Debbie, that's not unlikely. Look, I'm just frazzled about the entire Chris Hobbs thing. I need a good night's sleep. That's all." Somehow Kayla knew that Justin saw right through her, but he loved her enough to let her lie.
"Do you want something to help you sleep?" His tone became lightly sprinkled with disappointment.
"No, sweetie. I just need to put some effort into it. I'm sure that once my head hits the pillow I'll pass right out."
"Okay." Justin leaned forward and held her for a moment. "Goodnight, Kayla."
"Goodnight."
Justin was slow and hesitant in leaving her alone. Something about that night made his skin crawl, but eventually he compelled himself to reach the doorway, and he complied and gently shut the door. Kayla stayed dead still, listening to the retreating footsteps go down the stairs. When she heard him begin conversation with Jennifer, she jumped out of bed.
She ran to her bedroom door and locked it, not wanting to be caught sneaking out by either of the two downstairs. She changed into something suitable for walking the strip, and out the window she went, shimmying down the drainpipe and coming safely to her feet on the concrete below.
"Taxi!"
~/~
Brian stood at the entrance of Babylon, his blood pumping after hours upon hours of dancing his mind away with the hottest of the hot.
He lit a cigarette and began to walk the strip, cruising guys as he ventured toward his car. His venture was cut short, however, when he saw a very familiar face in the crowd.
After paying and tipping the cabbie, Kayla stood up, lighting up a cigarette as well, coughing a little, as she had only just begun to smoke. She walked through the crowds, trying to blend, holding her head a little lower than usual, all being of no help. She stopped at the entrance to an alleyway and walked into it, coming to rest by a door, she stood under an exit light and savored her cigarette.
"Since when do you smoke?"
Kayla refused to acknowledge the person behind her, and so, he walked around to her front, giving her no choice other than to face him.
"I don't." She answered shortly. "What do you want?"
"Not so sweet when Jennifer and Justin are around, are you?" Brian toyed. "Ohh... yes... It just came to me. I bet your new boyfriend has toughened you up. Chris would be so proud."
Kayla glared at Brian, seething with anger at this stupid little interrogative conversation. "Tell Michael he can eat shit, hmm?"
"Normally I'm not the one to care, but this is a rare occasion. I am forced to do so. You need to keep your distance from Chris Hobbes."
"You can just take your bullshit opinions and step. You have no right telling me who I can and cannot see."
"You're sadly mistaken." A new voice said.
It was Michael, and Kayla lunged at him with screams and flying fists.