Flatline

wrath and mercy

Over time, Hayley and Taylor has started talking again. Small sentences, only about music. Hayley's music, really. Things weren't good enough in the band to make an album and tour for it all together, so she decided to take it solo. Zac agreed, and Taylor's only comment on the idea was a simple 'okay'. He wasn't opposed to the idea, he actually would've encouraged it, but he could barely speak to her still. They were on very limited contact, but at the studio one time, they smiled at each other. Of course it caused a rush of sadness through both of them, but it was still progress.

Zac picked Taylor up for the party at the time it was starting. Neither of them cared too much, but Hayley was waiting for this. She didn't know any of his friends or family that were invited, and she felt kind of uncomfortable. Anyone would think she's used to these energetic parties considering she'd been famous for over a decade now, but now she was older, she preferred a calmer atmosphere.

A lot of the people invited he met in the same way he met Hayley — going to concerts and bars every single night, so he didn't know a lot of the people very well. He and Hayley didn't live the same lifestyle in the slightest, so he was very excited for it, and although him and Hayley were not in an official relationship, the media had assumed they were, despite her attempts at keeping his identity concealed.

He was a lovely person, other than those features, but of course that was all due to their differences in lifestyle.

Once Zac and Taylor arrived, they settled in decently well, Zac speaking to people and Taylor sticking beside him and smiling at people. Quite the change in scenery, considering the most exciting place he'd been in months was the studio and Walmart. He didn't mind, though. It was just part of healing from his depression.

Hayley found them after 25 minutes of Lukas introducing her to all his friends, and some recognising her. Some recognised Taylor and Zac too, but everyone was very calm about it.

"Bigger than I expected," Zac laughed to Hayley, moving into the less crowded kitchen.

"Yes, he has loads of friends somehow," she responded. Taylor took a sip from his water and looked around, spotting a guy walking towards them. His eyes glowed blue with a sweet smile plastered across his face.

Taylor wasn't sure how to feel when he saw the person out his arm around Hayley.

"Hi! I'm Lukas, you must be...Zac and you are..." Zac noticed Taylor's change in demeanour.

"This is Taylor," Hayley said quietly, but loud enough to be heard over the music.

"Oh, you're Taylor?" Hayley wanted out of the situation immediately, and she happily took the opportunity to get him away when it presented itself with the sound of a smashed glass. They all looked towards the noise, then Lukas kissed Hayley's forehead and moved towards it with a laugh.

She didn't dislike him. He was actually very sweet, but didn't consider Taylor May feel uncomfortable with Lukas, who loved to act like him and Hayley had already made things official — which they hadn't. Nor did Hayley plan to. She couldn't blame him for his actions though, seeing as she had been acting as if she was in a relationship with him for weeks now. This sparked her memory of waking up with him in her bed, then finding out Taylor was taken to the hospital.

After this interaction, Hayley was too embarrassed at Lukas' very loving actions in front of Taylor to stay with the two, so she hung with Lukas. It wasn't much of a problem, because someone challenged Zac to a game of beer pong a few minutes after Hayley left them.

Lukas pulled Hayley down onto his lap while they all sat and made jokes about him. She allowed him to do so and laughed along with everyone else. It reminded her of the parties she went to when Paramore was younger.

Time passed in a second when they all seemed to be having fun. Zac won 2 games of beer pong but his high tolerance for alcohol kept him only just drunk. Sober enough to stay considerate to Taylor.

Hayley generally had a high tolerance for alcohol too, so she was also just about drunk. Nowhere near blacking out though, so when Lukas brought her upstairs, she assumed he just wanted to talk. He didn't.

He kissed her, taking her by surprise and making her stumble back with a laugh. She kissed him back, then held his face to stop him.

"You've had way too much to drink. Get into bed," she laughed, walking towards the bed. She saw him out the corner of her eye give her an unhappy look, but thought nothing of it.

"Come on," she held his hand and pulled him towards the bed, where he became evidently more pushy. He pulled her down onto the bed, kissing her more. She giggled, trying to push him off of her. "My friends are still here. And you need to sleep this off," she turned her head when he tried to kiss her again,

"Stay," his eyes stared at hers, inches from each other.

"Get into bed," she tried to sit up but he pinned her arms to the bed and began kissing her again. Fear for where the situation was going filled her entire body, and she grew much more serious, pulling against the hands holding her down. "Lukas seriously. Get off of me," her heart jumped into her throat when one of his hands let go of an arm and attempted to push her skirt up.

Hayley twisted and turned but he wouldn't let her up. She pushed at him hard with her free hand but he pinned it down again and crawled completely on top of her so she could no longer escape.