Make Love, Make War (Tayley) |

PARTYING

The Parading Hippies went to the lake a lot. It was a breezy and cool environment in the summer and a fun skating rink in the winter. It was a barefoot, healthy spring day when Hayley invited Taylor, and she was sitting on a tree stump near the entrance to greet him.

She wanted to invite him without political stamina interrupting them. Hayley knew that she couldn't change the mind of someone so stubborn, but she wanted Taylor to know that they wouldn't need to fight. Zac was opposed, but she was headstrong as well. He budged.

Hayley wouldn't normally go to lengths. But she felt as though Taylor's arguments, his insults, were directed towards her as well as his own stance. She felt, the less conflict the better.

A little after ten minutes later, he arrived, covering himself up from the slight breeze with an old fashioned army jacket he most likely got from his father. Hayley stood up.

"Ms. Williams," Taylor smirked, "How are you?"

Hayley retorted, "I was great until you arrived. Come on, you're here so it's about time you met the rest of the Parading Hippies."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him ahead, a short walk to where a tea colored lake was, surrounded by laughing kids of various ages. Some were swimming, some were laying in the sun through the trees, and Zac was hunched over a book with his back resting on a tree, his mouth occupied by a joint filled with pot.

Jordan looked over from the water at Hayley and Taylor, making a loud, audible gasp. Everyone but Zac turned their heads and did the same thing.

"Hello." Taylor uncomfortably smiled, waving with his free hand over his breast, "I'm Taylor."

Hayley glanced around and saw Jenna mouth to her 'what the fuck?''. She just gripped Taylor's hand tighter. She suddenly felt sick.

"Go." she said to Taylor, pushing him forward. "Mingle with everyone. Don't get hostile no matter what they say, please. I'm gonna go speak to Zac."

She sat down against the tree as well, leaning her head against his shoulder. Zac sighed, "Why did you really invite that imbecile?"

"Hey. I was hoping we would share anecdotes. He tells us why he wants to go, seriously. Maybe warn him about what might happen if things don't go his way."

Zac straightened his posture. He murmured to Hayley, "You were going to tell him about Josh?"

Hayley straightened as well. "Of course not! That's our story. We don't know him at all."

"Then?"

"I'm not sure. I could come up with something. Maybe he won't repulse us in the future. I could tell him. If you think it'd be wise."

"We'll see. He's done talking, go back to him."

Hayley stood up again, going up to Taylor, who was awkwardly standing next to Brendon and Sarah, silent.

She whispered in his ear and led him to a quiet area, where they sat on a large boulder.

"Why did you bring me here?" Taylor asked, breaking the silence, looking straight ahead.

Hayley started to respond, "It's quieter here than with everyone else," and Taylor cut her off. "I meant, why at all? Do you really think you can change my mind about fighting in the army?"

Sighing, Hayley shook her head. "Of course not," she conceded, "But everything is weird now. Literally everything, including you. And I know nothing about you."

"What do you mean, Hayley?"

"I can't tell you why, but the military has turned its back on us when we needed it. They - the Parading Hippies -  aren't, but to be honest, I'm tired of fighting in protest of everything. There's too much shit going on that it hurts me to focus on just one thing. Or all of it."

"I'm sorry, Hayley." Taylor looked back at her with a sympathetic gleam in his placid hazel eyes. "But I still don't understand."

Hayley groaned, leaning back. "You're right. It's impossible to explain. I'm just a little girl hung up on love. I've lost what I'm talking about. I basically invited you here because you're the first person in a long time to actually learn my name in an argument. And I appreciate it."

Taylor looked at Hayley's solemn face in sympathy for a few minutes in silence.

He suddenly stood up off of the rock, grabbing both of Hayley's hands.

"Come on. Let's go get some sugar in our systems. I know a diner that may lift up your spirits."