"Is it cool if Drew comes?" Zac asked. Mira and Taylor had decided to go bowling one night with Isaac, Amy, and Zac.
"Sure," Taylor said slipping a t-shirt over her head.
"Hey sexy boys," Mira greeted coming into their bedroom.
"Hey," they both said.
"So are you bringing a date, Zachary?" Mira asked sitting on Taylor’s bed.
"Yeah right," he laughed sitting next to her. "That wouldn’t be too embarrassing."
"I’ll be your date," she said resting her head on his shoulder.
"Hey now," Tayor said tying his shoes.
"Mira, you tease me. I can’t take it," Zac said.
"We’ll find you a hot girl at the bowling alley," she said.
"Thanks," Zac laughed.
"Oh, mom would be proud," Taylor said.
"I mean, could Taylor take any longer to get ready?" Mira smiled.
"No joke," Zac said. "I’m gonna take a nap."
"Shut up," Taylor laughed while he fixed the hoop in the top of his left ear.
"Babe, you are naturally beautiful. Let’s go," Mira said.
"Yes!" Mira and Taylor cheered after she made her second spare. Mira gave Taylor a high five and sat in his lap.
"Very nice," Zac said standing up. "Looks like you have oh, about 17 more points until you’re tied with us." He went to pick up his red ball and made his way to the lane.
"Yeah, kiss my ass, Zac," Taylor said.
Mira turned her head to look at her boyfriend. "Good one."
"Oh!" Zac shouted and raised his arms after making another strike. "When’s it gonna stop?" He went back to his seat getting a high five from his partner Drew.
"I think Zac secretly comes here every weekend," Mira said.
"I know," Isaac laughed standing up for his turn. "He’s in a league and everything." He picked up his ball and positioned himself at the beginning of the lane.
"I so wanna steal these bowling shoes," Mira said at the end of the game - which Zac and Drew had won.
"Do it," Taylor said.
"Alright," Mira said tying her shoes and standing up. "Zac, lemme see your keys." Zac handed her the keys to his car and she picked up the bowling shoes. "Shh," she laughed. "I’ll be back." She innocently walked past the preoccupied man at the counter and out the door as everyone watched her. She came back in after putting the shoes in the car and made her way back to their seats.
"She’s retarded," Zac laughed.
"I know," Taylor said.
"Oh my God. You guys are so getting married this weekend," Mira said.
"I know," Amy smiled.
Zac dropped Mira and Taylor back off at the house and drove back over to Drew’s to stay the night.
"Hey," Mira said opening the door to Taylor’s room later that night.
"Hey you," he said taking his shirt off and throwing it in the closet.
"You going to bed?" She asked.
"Mm hmm," he said throwing the covers back to his bed. "You wanna come with me?" He smiled.
"Hm, tempting," she smiled back standing in the doorway dressed in little navy blue cotton shorts and a gray tank top.
"Please," Taylor pouted. "Zac’s not coming home tonight."
"Too temping," Mira said walking over to his bed.
"You know what I think?" Taylor asked.
"Hmm?" Mira crawled on top of Taylor on her knees. She sat on his stomach with her knees on either side.
"I think," he started as he ran his hands up her thighs. "That just seeing you, all day, in the house is tempting."
"Really?" She smiled.
"Mm hmm," he nodded. "Cause you’re sexy. And you make me wanna do things."
Mira leaned her head back. "Do things?" She laughed.
"Lots of things," he said quietly.
"Hmm," she said before leaning down to kiss him. "Like these things?" She kissed his chin and down his neck gently sucking on his skin.
"Mm hmm," Taylor sighed as she trailed her lips down his neck.
"Tay?" A girl’s voice called from outside his door. Mira instinctively rolled over on her side beside Taylor as the door opened.
"Yeah Jess?" Taylor said.
"Oh, sorry," she blushed noticing what had been going on. "Um, Zac’s got one of my CD’s." She walked through the dark room over to the stereo and pushing the eject button on the CD player. "Goodnight guys," she said as she left the room.
"Goodnight," they said.
"Oh my God," Mira moaned into Taylor’s shoulder. "I’m sorry."
"It’s okay," Taylor laughed. "She’s seen worse when Isaac used to live here." He wrapped his arms around her body.
"No, that’s terrible," Mira said sitting up. "I’m gonna sleep in Zac’s bed."
"Nooo," Taylor whined grabbing her waist as she crawled over him. "I want you next to me."
"I can’t, baby,’ she bent down by the bed. "I’m trying to set a good example for Jessica while I’m here. So I don’t need to be sleeping in your bed with her right down the hall."
Taylor looked at her. "Alright," he sighed. "I respect that." She leaned down to kiss his forehead and briefly kissed his lips.
"But I don’t know what’s been going on in Zac’s bed," she said throwing the covers back to the bed on the other wall.
"Probably not much," Taylor laughed.
Thursday night, after going out with Mira for a casual dinner, Taylor brought her back up to her room. After a few minutes in her room, various clothes were strewn about including Taylor’s t-shirt, Mira’s shirt, and their shoes.
Taylor continued lavishing Mira’s lips with kisses as his hand grazed up her stomach. He moved his kisses down her neck and to her chest where her tanned skin met the white fabric of her bra. He traced his fingers around the waist of her shorts as she raised one of her knees.
"Taylor," she whispered as he began to unbutton her shorts. "Taylor, stop," she said gently pushing his chest up.
"What is it?" He asked breathlessly.
"Um," she breathed, her chest rising and falling heavily. She turned her head to the side as a tear fell down her cheek.
"Oh my God. What’s wrong?" He asked pushing himself up a little. "Mira? What’d I do?" His face revealing genuine concern.
"Nothing," she said quietly as she covered her face with her hands.
"Mira, why are you crying? What happened?" He gently took her hands off her face and brushed a few stay hairs off her forehead.
She sniffed and looked up into his concerned eyes. "Taylor," she said weakly running her fingers through the hair hanging around his face.
"Why are you crying, Mira?"
"I don’t know," she began crying again turning her head to the side.
"You don’t know?" He asked rolling over onto his side.
She rolled into his body resting against him as she continued to cry. "I’m just...scared."
"Scared of what?" He asked brushing through her hair.
"I know how this will ultimately end...tonight. Or how you want it to end," she said. "But..."
"I thought that...that we were ready. But we don’t have to have sex if you don’t want to," he said lowering his voice when he said sex.
"I want to, Taylor. I really do but... but I don’t know...how you feel," she told him nervously.
"I.." he hesitated. "It’s really hard - no pun intended," he smiled. Mira turned her head to laugh at him. "It’s hard to..not want to be close to you all the time. And you’re so beautiful," he told her before kissing her forehead. "And wonderful," he kissed her cheek. "And I can’t stand seeing you cry. I’m still not sure why you’re crying," he smiled and she smiled back at him. "But I’m sorry if I came off as forceful."
"It’s not that, sweetie. It’s not you. I think I just need to figure some stuff out," she said.
"Yeah, I think I do too," he said.
"Will you sleep here with me tonight?" She asked.
"Of course," he said leaning in to kiss her forehead.
The next morning Mira woke up to an empty spot beside her. She sat up and looked around the room wondering where Taylor went.
After checking his bedroom where no one was there, she went downstairs into the living room.
"Morning," Mira sleepily greeted Diana and Zoe.
"Good morning," Diana smiled.
"Do you know where Taylor ran off to?" Mira asked sitting on the couch.
"Isaac came over and got him and they went somewhere together - I don’t know where. But he said he’d be back later this afternoon," Diana explained.
"Hm, interesting."
"So wait," Isaac said squeaking the straw of his frappachino up and down. "She said she didn’t know how you felt?"
"Yeah. I mean, I think I know what she means," Taylor said. They were taking a break from the three jewelry stores they had been to and sitting outside Starbucks.
"Well do you love her?" Isaac asked.
"Yes I love her," Taylor said leaning back so the front two legs of his chair lifted off the ground.
Isaac raised his eyebrows and he put his drink down. "Wow."
"Oh my God," Taylor said leaning forward so his chair was back on the ground. "I’m totally in love with her," he smiled.
"Well have you told her?" Isaac asked.
"No."
"Well that’s probably why she’s confused. She probably feels the same way but she can’t tell what you’re thinking."
"I have to tell her," Taylor said.
"Yeah you do," Isaac said. "So let’s go finish finding her a present so you can give it to her when you tell her."
"Let’s go," Taylor said standing up and tossing his cup into the trashcan.
