Analise

Chapter Twenty-one

"I still can't believe you did that. You're just so...you." He says sitting on the ground bumping Taylor's shoulder.

"Clearly she was just being rude and instead of others getting mad, I just told her to go. It's not that big of a deal." She smiles with a slight blush.

"Coming from you it was. I just stared." He says and Taylor laughs.

"Yeah, I know." She says and he smiles. They sit watching people begin to leave as it gets dark. The waves continue to crash on the sand and the last people that were out in the water are coming out.

Taylor sees Chloe walking towards them, but she's swaying. "Taayloorrr." She slurs and both Taylor and Austin stand up.

"Chloe, I think you're a little drunk." He says and she shakes her head wildly.

"I'm fine, but I need to do one thing before I go to bed." She turns to Taylor and kisses her. Taylor stands there with wide eyes. Chloe pulls back with a smile. "Just had to do that once." She says and then begins walking. Taylor stares as she sways away from them. Layla comes running up to her and helps stabilize her. She looks back and waves. Austin waves back and looks at Taylor's frozen face.

"Wha-what just happened?" She asks and wipes her mouth from the alcohol that was on Chloe's lips.

"Chloe's a lesbian," Austin says and she blinks, once, twice, and then laughs.

"Chloe likes me?" She asks and Austin nods his head a little. "Well, ok then." She says and Austin gives her a weird look. "Kinda funny the only person that likes me is a girl and I just don't go for that." She says and Austin rubs his neck. She looks up at him waiting for a remark, but he doesn't say anything. "Are you-"

"Jack finally asked me out." Analyze yells interrupting her question.

"Wait he actually asked out?" Austin asks eyes wide and glad to be changin the conversation.

"Yup, he's a little drunk, but he still asked." She says with a beaming smile on her face.

"Thanks, great, where is he?" Taylor asks. She turns around and points. He's with Carson and Julia talking.

"He was all nervous too, it was kinda amusing. Him not being so cocky for once." She says looking back at him.

"That is a first," Austin says.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm gonna go get some sleep. Well, I'm going to get Jack first so he doesn't end up naked and in the ocean." She says and shakes her head. Taylor sits back down on the sand again and stares out at the ocean.

"It's so beautiful, yet so destructive." She says not really to anyone, just say what came to her mind.

"Yes, but it's only destructive everyone once and awhile." He says softly. Taylor doesn't say anything in response, just continues to stare out.

"You guys should come in soon. It's getting cold." Leland says stopping in front of them. Taylor doesn't move, just looks past him at the ocean.

"We will," Austin says. Leland nods looking down at his sister, but she doesn't look up. He looks back to Austin confused. He waves him off saying he's got it and Layla pulls Leland along. Austin looks over at Taylor. She's pulled her knees to her chest and is slightly rocking. "Taylor?" He questions. "Taylor?" He asks again moving closer to her.

She turns her head to him. "Why can't everything just go away? The noises and thoughts, why can't they just disappear." She asks and he looks at her confused.

"What noises and thoughts?" He asks and she turns her head back to the ocean.

"The ones that make me scared, tell me that others are angry, or that I'm going to hurt someone else. The loud noises that never seem to still. Why can't it just all disappear?" She asks and he doesn't know what to say. He watches her concerned but doesn't know what to do about his concern.