KISS THE RING ☆ Taylor Hawkins

28. February Stars

Taylor was slowly digging the fingers into the wet sand as he watched his friend dabble in the art of flirting. As tired as the blond was and wanted to go home, he didn't want to ruin that moment for Chad, especially since he was aware of the bad times he had just left, between lawyers and a divorce. After spending the morning trying to fix the mess that had become his house, obviously under the advice of the other drummer and one of his manic episodes that left Taylor more confused than anything else, they managed to go down to the beach to relax a bit in the waves. The last time he'd heard from Diane she was still in the studio with Garbage, he said she'd have to stay until the end of the month to finish their second album. "Hey, T! The girls are coming to celebrate with us tonight!" At a certain point Chad warned him, waving a hand in the air to attract the attention of the blondes he was entertaining on shore, the same ones who greeted the drummer in turn with a malicious wink. Taylor shrugged before wiping his hands on the swimsuit, getting on his feet and then taking his white surfboard under his arm. "Can we go now?" He asked raising his voice to make his friend hear him, receiving as an answer an open hand as a sign of waiting. The blond shrugged, throwing his head back while snorting. "Girls, can you say hello to my friend over there?" Chad pointed to the drummer and immediately afterwards the girls chanted "Hi Taylor!" followed by giggles, including a wide, amused smile from the curly drummer. The blond gave a half smile, raising his hand to return the gesture, and then shouting the name of the friend who was about to reach him in a few seconds. "What the fuck, man?" Taylor rolled his eyes at his friend's complaint, wasting no more time and he began tying their surfboards to the van. "You won't be sulking all evening, will you?" Chad put his hands on the red bodywork, staring at him with a questioning expression on his face. "You don't want to make me look bad with our new friends?" - "Whatever, Chad."

"Dave, shut up!"

"It's not me!"

"Could you shut up?"

"I heard the doors close!"

"Do you do it on purpose!?"

"You will let us all get caught."

As soon as Taylor stepped inside the house he felt that something was wrong. Chad acted casually, placing his bags near the entrance and then heading towards the kitchen, ignoring Dave who waved at him while remaining in the shadow of the lounge they had decorated a few hours earlier. "Do you want a beer?" He asked looking at the fridge before taking two cans and showing them to his friend who nodded, slowly dragging himself towards the living room, the only thing he wanted to do at the moment was lie down on the sofa and laze until the end of the month. Suddenly the hall lights came on as Taylor walked through the door, displaying all of his friends in the room with wide smiles on their faces that screamed "Happy birthday Taylor!" The blond was stunned, with his mouth ajar and his eyes wide open, slightly confused by all that sudden fuss but very relieved not to have to spend his birthday getting bored watching COPS. "What the fuck?" He asked letting Dave hold him in his arms, smiling back at all those present who were waiting their turn to be able to wish him Happy Birthday. "Assholes..." He then added with a chuckle, continuing to look at them with genuine amazement visible in his gaze. When it came time to greet to Pat, the last one left, his smile barely collapsed, in all that muddle he hadn't noticed that he was the last one and that there was no one left. "You won't hold that long snout all evening, will you?" The redhead emerged from the guitarist's shoulders, showing a small smile to the drummer who changed expression within seconds, approaching them to greet the guitarist quickly before throwing himself into Diane's arms. "Cherry..." She put her hands behind his head, hiding her face in his neck without letting her smile fade. "You are tremendous, you know?" After a few seconds they looked into each other's eyes and both burst out laughing just before exchanging a sweet kiss on the lips. "How cute." Dave put his hands on the shoulders of the blond, approaching the two and making the redhear roll her eyes who then smiled amused at the vision of the singer, the lack of mustache on his face was felt. Really. "Can we start drinking now?"