Chapter 3

Taylor rushed back inside to the party hoping to avoid being alone with Max, she was too freaked out about what she was feeling to simply act on her emotions. She was not that girl, she was not the girl whose knees went weak because a boy liked her, she was not the girl who forgot everything else around her when she was in said boy's arms. So why did it feel like the world simply stopped when she was with Max and all that mattered was the two of them? She never felt like that around Gabe, even when she had feelings for him.

"Taylor, I heard Max took the reigns from you as designated driver, so you're my partner this round." Gabe was standing at the table set up for a game of beer pong. She didn't want to play, especially since she had no clue how to play. She did on the other hand need a distraction, and beer pong would have to be it.

"Sure. What do I do?" Gabe laughed and went over the basics with her and then they started. She was playing against Ofe and Bird who were pretty good. At first Taylor couldn't get the ball in the cups to save her life, but as she kept going she started getting the hang of it. She noticed Max in the background talking to Carter and Crash, Carter's newest boy toy. Taylor didn't know how to feel about Crash he was always nice to her, but he just seemed off somehow and she didn't know how to feel about him with Carter, not that it mattered, Carter was going to do whatever she wanted regardless of what Taylor told her.

"Taylor you have to drink!" Gabe laughed when she stumbled a little picking up the current cup containing the ping pong ball. She was beginning to feel a little off balance, but she was beginning to let herself have fun so she didn't stop, like she knew she should. Her reply surprised Max who was quietly watching from a far.

"Rematch!"

That second game was plenty and made sure Taylor was completely drunk, more so then Carter tonight and so Max knew he was going to have his hands full getting them home and in bed without waking up Elizabeth. She scared him sometimes, although she was always much nicer and more welcoming to him then Carter gave her credit for. She knew Carter was terrified when everything came out about Lori and the kidnapping, so she let Carter bring her friend, male friend no less, with her when she moved into the Wilson home. Carter never cut Elizabeth any slack, she never understood how Elizabeth could take her away from her mom, but Max was trying to let Carter see, slowly as not to spook Carter, what Elizabeth must feel like, knowing Carter was her daughter and finally finding her after so many years.

"Girls, I think it's time we get going, its already almost 2 and Elizabeth is going to kill us if we wake her up." Carter and Taylor were currently debating which twin had the better hair, Taylor was arguing that hers was healthier since she hadn't put so much dye into it like Carter had her whole life. Carter was arguing that hers was healthier because she kept it shorter then Taylor's. Max had to laugh, he was pretty sure both of their hair was fine but he had to admit he liked Taylor's all natural look more then the bright reddish maroon Carter was currently sporting.

"Max we just got here!" Taylor was obviously obliterated, Max should have thought this whole no drinking for him so he could spend the night with Taylor through a little more. She was going to be hurting tomorrow morning and if he hadn't decided to shake things up she would be the sober one driving him home and he'd be able to handle the vast amount of alcohol she had ingested tonight without so much as a headache.

"You can't take my Taylor away yet, who knew my best friend could actually have fun!" Gabe was draping his arm drunkenly around Taylor's shoulders and Max was not feeling the drunk people around him anymore. An hour ago it was cute when Taylor was dancing around and singing along to Taylor Swift, but now with Gabe hanging on her, and her appearing to enjoy every second of it, he just wanted to go home. He was tired of being the responsible one and would never take Taylor driving them to and from parties for granted anymore. Part of him realized his annoyance was less about not drinking and more about what had happened with Taylor earlier. She still even drunk wouldn't make eye contact with him. He knew if he could just get her away from everyone, he could make her see how good they could be together.

"Sorry guys, I hate to be the bad guy, but we need to go." He looked at Carter and gave her the look he knew she'd understand even when she was drinking. Carter was after all his best friend and knew when he had enough of a situation. She disentangled herself from Crash and slowly stood up.

"We should head out Tay, Crash text me okay?" Crash nodded okay and gave Carter a kiss good bye, "Make sure you both take Advil before going to sleep and drink some water. See you guys later." Max shook Crash's hand, they had become somewhat friendly since he began hanging around Carter and Max didn't mind him for now.

Max kept his eyes on Gabe and Taylor who had yet to move off the couch they were occupying. "I've got Taylor, no worries man, I'll bring her home, right Tay?" Gabe was way too drunk to be driving himself home, let alone Taylor.

"No that's cool Taylor's going to come home with us. You should sleep here tonight man, you're pretty wasted. I'd offer to bring you home but my truck barely fits the three of us."

Taylor finally nodded her head and began to stand up. She knew Gabe driving her home was not a good idea, for starters he was just as drunk as she was and the way he kept touching her thigh worried her some. She knew he'd never show interest in her sober, so she wouldn't even in her intoxicated state let him use her now. He was her buddy and she liked flirting with him tonight, but she didn't want her first time hooking up with a guy to be like this. As she stood, wobbly already, Gabe grabbed her arm and she fell back towards the couch.

"Gabe come on! I have to go, Max is going to get mad and no one knows what that looks like so let's not find out tonight." She was giggling still as she knew Gabe was just being Gabe, Max on the other hand was not amused and walked over to the pair.

"Taylor here let me help you, Gabe we're leaving. Sleep it off man, we'll see you tomorrow."

"I said I'd bring Taylor home, she's a big girl, it's her decision. I'm not drunk, Taylor I'm just having fun and don't want it to stop yet." He winked at Taylor and at that moment things started to spin.

Taylor clumsily stood up with the help of Max but soon realized standing was only going to make her feel sicker. She rushed pass the boys into the front yard and lost her stomach contents all over Bird's garden in the front yard. Max had rushed out after her while Carter stayed behind to sooth Gabe's bruised ego.

"She's sick Gabe, Tay isn't used to partying like us. We should get her home to sleep it off. I'm sure she'll call you in the morning to ask what the hell happened tonight." She laughed and gave Gabe a hug good night. She found Bird and said their goodbyes, explaining where Taylor and Max had run off to. As she walked outside she was surprised to see Max holding Taylor's hair with one hand and rubbing circles on her back with the other. Sure Max was always a nice guy and he always made sure she made it home safe but she couldn't remember a time he was so gentle with her when she'd drank too much, which she had done with Max plenty of times.

"It's okay sweetheart, I'm sorry I should have said something earlier. You told me all about how much you hate drinking."

Taylor was so embarrassed, she couldn't believe she was throwing up in front of Max. Tonight could not get any worse, why did he have to be so sweet about the whole thing.

"No it's my fault I know better. I just wanted to forget for a little while, I guess I went over board. You can head to the truck I'll be there in a minute I just want another minute to be sure I don't get sick on the ride home." Taylor was beginning to sober up, enough to know how terrible she must look right now, her make up was surely running down her face.

Max threw his keys to Carter who was coming down the steps, "Just start it, we'll be right there."

"Okay, is she okay? I know she drank a lot for Taylor but I didn't think she was that drunk."

"She's okay Carter we'll be right there."

Carter walked towards Max's truck and Max went back to rubbing Taylor's back. "Should we maybe take you to the hospital instead of home, I know you aren't used to drinking but I really don't want something happening because I let you go home and pass out in bed."

"No Max I promise, I'm fine, I'm awake and not passed out on the grass which is a good sign. Thank you." She was finally able to stand up straight again, although she was nauseous she could walk without feeling like heaving all over again so she started heading to the truck with Max.

Carter was standing outside the truck with the door open for Taylor, "You can have the window in case you need the air Tay, I'll sit in the middle." She slid into the truck and waited for them to get in after her. Max knew it was smart for Taylor to have the window seat but he was disappointed he wouldn't be able to sit close to her again. He figured the sooner they got to the house the better. She was too sick to flirt with at the moment anyways. He helped her up into the truck and shut the door, he saw her lean up against the window almost immediately and hoped she was okay.

She managed to fall asleep as soon as the car started heading home and Carter took the opportunity to find out what that little scene she had just witnessed was all about.

"What's going on Max?" She whispered hoping not to disturb poor Taylor.

"Nothing what do you mean?" He did not want to get into this with her, he promised Taylor he wouldn't say anything about them to Carter but he hated lying out right to Carter.

"I saw the way you were taking care of Tay just now, that's not nothing. You also looked like you were going to murder Gabe when he pulled Taylor's hand."

"I just didn't want a drunk guy bringing your sister home, she always drives us and I promised not to drink, how fucked up would it be if I let her go home with Gabe? He was too drunk and who knows what he would have tried."

"Well maybe Taylor would have liked what he tried, I always thought she liked him as more then just a friend." She elbowed his side and laughed. "I'm messing with you I know you couldn't let her leave with him, thank you for sticking up to Gabe, Taylor would kill us both tomorrow if we had let her get in the car with someone who had been drinking. That aside, I saw something just now, you seem to care a lot more about her then as just your friend's sister."

"She's my friend too, I like Taylor she's a sweet girl. What is there some rule now I can't be friends with your relatives, because believe it or not I'd rather play video games with Grant then hang out with Gabe any day."

"Oh shut up you know I love that you're friends with my brother and sister. It just seemed like more then that."

"It's not and even if it was, Taylor isn't interested in me like that. We are just friends. Please leave it alone."

"AHA I knew you liked her! I bet she likes you too Max, let me talk to her, I'll put in a good word for you, I do know you are quite the kisser." She was laughing but Max didn't think she realized just how awkward that conversation would be for poor Taylor. She didn't seem the type to just hook up with different people, let alone talk about hooking up with someone who your sister had already hooked up with. Why did Taylor have to be Carter's twin? This would be so much easier if it was Bird he liked. Bird wasn't the sweet innocent and brilliant girl Taylor was though, so he guessed he would have to deal with the complications, because any girl like Taylor was worth the work he was going to have to put in to win her over.

"Please don't say anything to her Carter, I'm asking you as a favor not to get involved in this okay? Promise me you won't say anything to her."

"You suck! I promise but I don't like it. You two would be so cute, my bestie and my sister. It's perfect!"

Max laughed if only Taylor knew the conversation that was going on inches from her.

When they got to the house Carter went to wake up Taylor but Max told her not to, he'd carry Taylor upstairs it'd be quieter then her bumping into everything and possibly waking up Elizabeth. Taylor was even lighter than he anticipated and he easily was able to get her into the house and upstairs he laid her gently onto her bed and Carter took Taylor's shoes off so she'd be more comfortable as she slept. Max went and got some Advil to leave next to the bed with a glass of water.

"Okay night Max. Thanks for driving tonight. Taylor will be fine now thanks to you of course." She smiled and headed to her room.

"I'm just going to sit in here for a little while make sure she's okay if she wakes up. I'll head down in a few. Night Carter." He sat on the edge of her bed and looked over at Taylor. She looked so peaceful he hoped she didn't feel as sick tomorrow as she did tonight. He hoped he wasn't the reason she decided to get drunk tonight too. He cared a little too much about how she felt and he wasn't sure if it would be smart to act on his feelings. He may be best to just walk away from this one. He knew it was the smart decision, she was too good for him and things were too complicated, but as he leaned back he let himself imagine just how freaking great being with her could be. Those were the last thoughts he had before he drifted off next to Taylor.