Chapter Eleven - Leila.

And I just can't look its killing me
And taking control
Jealousy, turning saints into the sea
Swimming through sick lullabies
Choking on your alibis
But it's just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes
'Cause I'm Mr Brightside
It’s hard to believe that Taylor had known Robyn for over 4 and a half years now. Their relationship was incredibly rocky, but like every couple out there, they worked through it. Robyn felt as though nothing could get in the way of her and Taylor’s love for each other. Zac and Mia were amazing together, the two couples even managed a few double dates. After a hell of a lot of vodka obviously. It was perfect. Until Leila Clover-Vogue walked into all of their lives.

‘Tell me about your ex girlfriends Tay?’ said Robyn lying naked next to her lover.

‘Well there is the shortest story ever told’ Taylor laughed and turned to his girlfriend. ‘Well there was one girl. Back home. Her name was Leila Clover-Vogue.’

‘The presenter of Grammy Awards?..wow, really? But she’s so...’ Robyn was shocked.

‘I know, i know. Let’s just say she wasn’t good for me. Every time we are at one of those award things I pray she does not call our band to the stage. I hate to be anywhere near her’ Tay said looking ahead.

‘Did she hurt you? What did she do babe?’ Robyn said intrigued.

****SIX YEARS EARLIER****

“How do you feel?” said Leila looking over at Taylor
“I dunno. Different. Like a man.” He said smiling and staring at the ceiling “Shouldn’t we, like, smoke a cigarette or something?”
“Is that what you’re supposed to do?”she said confused and smiling slightly
“Yeah, I think so. That’s what my brother says.”
“Yeah, and you’re supposed to have a towel or something, to wipe off the sweat.” Leila stood up and checked herself in the mirror.
A slight pause.
“Do you need a towel?” he said looking at her naked body leave his side.
“No. Do you?”
“Nah.”
“So....now what do we do?” Leila said awkwardly.
“Umm...I dunno. Let me take this thing off.”
A slight rustling noise and a padding of feet as Taylor walked over to the trash can to take the condom off his still erect penis. He quickly got back in the warmth of the bed.
“So was I good? It was my first time.” Said Tay as he got comfortable.
“Yeah.I thought you were.”
“You were great too.”  He kissed her lips slightly but she did not respond.
“You know what Taylor?”
“Hmmm?”
“Isaac was better.”

****BACK IN THE PRESENT****
‘Oh my GOD Tay, what a bitch! She slept with Ike before you? Were you mad?’
‘I was just glad I did it to be honest. I had a lot of feelings for her and it hurt, but you win some you loose some right?’ he said taking his girl in his arms.
‘I swear if I ever see her...’ Tay interrupted Robyn holding a letter in his hand. He read from the note saying..’You and Miss Robyn Dollan have been invited to the 2011 Grammy awards as Hanson has been nominated for the best come back after 10 years’..Taylor looked up and saw Robyn’s face drop.
‘You better hope she’s at home ill or something.’ She scoffed and went to take a shower.
‘This...should be interesting’’ Tay thought to himself and went to go find Ike and Zac to tell them the news.
--
‘Welcome everybody to the 2011 Grammy awards, I’m very pleased to be presenting tonight! Hope we all have a brilliant time! A few new faces here and some familiar...’ Said Leila as she looked over at the table where Robyn and Taylor sat.
‘God she looks up herself’ Robyn said as she analyzed the skinny crooked teeth woman.
‘Yeh..’ Taylor said, but he saw different to Robyn. He thought Leila looked alright. She had grown up quite a lot since they went out. He had a desperate urge to go speak to her, but knew Robyn would actually kill him.
‘And the winner of the best band come-back goes to HANSON!’ said Leila pointing at Taylor from the stage. The whole band went up including Robyn. She was looking forward to flouncing Taylor around Leila. She took a close look at the gargoyle. Clearly caked in makeup with fake eyelashes and her limp lifeless hair needed a good conditioning. She wasn’t unfortunate looking, but still Robyn hated her guts. As Ike was making a speech Robyn stood close to Taylor rubbing his back, close to his arse. Leila clasped eyes with Taylor and winked. He sharply looked away, but was happy about the wink for some reason.  He looked down at his girlfriend who was looking out at the audience with a massive smile on her face. Taylor felt reassured by this and decided to ignore Leila for the rest of the night.
‘No hello then?’ said Leila walking up to Taylor. It was the after party and everyone was getting in the drinks to celebrate.
‘What do you want Leila..?’ said Taylor leaning over the bar waiting for his drink.
‘I’ll have a vodka and tonic please’ Leila said as the barkeep caught her eye. She continued ‘It’s been about 5 years since I last saw you. Just wanted a catch up’ Taylor looked over at her and saw the girl he thought he fell in love with all those years ago. Her manipulative smile and bedroom eyes locked Taylor into a gawping stare.
‘Yeah well, people drift apart don’t they?’ He flashed back to the moment where he last saw her. The Hanson brothers were going on their second tour. Taylor watched from the tour bus windows as Isaac gives Leila a long and meaningful kiss on the lips. He felt hurt. Just as the bus pulls away the two catch each others eyes and Leila gives a little wave to Tay. He remembered how he didn’t respond, instead he put his headphones in and ignored everyone for the next couple of days.
‘That is true. C’mon speak to me, whats this I hear about your new girlfriend. Bit of a fiasco in the paper recently’ said Leila taking the olive out of her drink and biting it off.
‘Yeah that’s all sorted now, nothing to threat about. Her names Robyn...and she’s amazing.’ Taylor said smiling. ‘What about you? Dating anyone that doesn’t have a wife or girlfriend?’ Leila scoffs.
‘Hm, guess the papers have not been kind to me either. As a matter of fact i’m single. And I love it.’ She said smiling and Taylor who surprisingly smiled back at her. All of a sudden the song changed into ‘Mr Brightside’ by the Killers.  Taylor rolled his eyes as he heard the intro then looked down at Leila who was jumping up and down ecstatically.
‘Our song!!! What are the odds eh Tay? Dance with me..’ she said pulling his arm to the dance floor.
‘I really shouldn’t’ said Taylor looking around for Robyn and not being able to pull out of her grip. Before he knew it her arms were wrapped around his neck and she was singing the song into his ear. He didn’t put his arms around her, but slightly swayed back and forth awkwardly.
‘It started out with a Kiss how did it end up like this?’ ....’She’s touching his chest now, he takes of her dress now, let me go’ Leila sang.
Robyn was talking to Nicki Minaj with Mia, who was a MASSIVE fan. They were speaking about the music business and laughing about Drakes music. As Robyn flew her head back in laughter, her eyes caught with Taylor’s body slightly close to another woman’s. She took no notice and smiled at his dance moves, until she saw the face of the woman he was dancing with. Leila. Robyn’s smile dropped and she looked down to the floor. A flood of jealousy fell from her heart all the way down to her toes.
‘What’s wrong doll?’ said Nicki as she took a sip of her sparkling champers.
‘Noth..nothing, excuse me while I go to the ladies, Mia I’ll see you later?’ Mia took no notice and began speaking about what plans she had for the future of Hanson and how Nicki should do a song with the band. Robyn stumbled away. As she walked she fixed her eyes on Taylor’s face which was smiling down at the short and skinny girl clinging onto him. She knew that face he was doing. It’s the one he always gives Robyn when he’s really happy about something. She walked into the bathroom which was empty and splashed her face with water. Was she over-reacting because of the booze? Or was there an actual situation going on outside? She looked at herself in the mirror and compared herself to the stick thin presenter. Robyn was wearing a tight black number which hid her ‘fat’ and was too flattering. She clasped the fat on her belly and shook her head thinking there was something wrong with her. She remembered sly comments Taylor would give her some days. Like ‘Your not pregnant anymore, no reason for you to crave éclairs.’ Or ‘how’s my dumpy dumpling?’ She realised he thought she was fat. A tear ran down her face as she said to herself. ‘If he wants me to look like that tart out there, fine. It’s done.’ She walked into the toilet and made herself sick.
‘You ready to go hamster cheeks’ Taylor said grabbing Robyn’s cheeks and wrapping his arms around her waist.. ‘I think we should get straight into bed when we get home’ This meant he wanted sex tonight. Robyn sighed.
‘Don’t call me hamster cheeks, I’ll be in the car.’ She said this as she saw Leila walking up to Taylor. He looked confused but focused on the seductive woman walking up to him.
‘Was nice seeing you again Tay, if you need anything’...she put her card in his jacket pocket and lifted herself up to his ear..’call me.’ She walked away looking back at him with devilish eyes.
Taylor and Robyn walked into the hotel room and began to undress. Robyn was getting ready for bed but Taylor had other things in mind. He lifted her up as she was brushing her teeth.
‘Argh, your heavier then you look, you..gotta lay off the buffet’ Taylor said jokingly knowing Robyn would take it as a joke. From her straddled position she let go of him and sharply walked away. Taylor shrugged as he got into bed waiting for her to come to him. Robyn spit and opened the medicine cupboard looking for some pain killers. She had a bad headache from the night and wanted some relief. She looked deep in the cupboard and came across a bottle of pills she never saw before. They were diet pills left by the previous owner, not opened yet. She read the instructions and smiled. She took two in her hand and gulped them down.
‘Are you okay babe? You’ve been off with me all night almost’ Taylor said as Robyn crawled into bed.
‘What would you have done that would piss me off?’ said Robyn pretending he had done nothing.
‘I don’t know, dancing with Leila? She kinda forced me into it’ he said putting his hands up to admit defeat.
‘hmm you didn’t look like you were putting up any fight, but its fine, I danced with Ben Barnes tonight and you know how much I fancy him’ said Robyn as she hit Taylor with a pillow, he fought back and soon they were kissing passionately. Taylor whispered ‘I wanted to batter his sexy face though’ Robyn laughed and the two endured in a very long night of sex and fooling around. Before Robyn fell asleep she took another lot of diet pills and smiled at herself in the mirror knowing that everything was going to change for her. Taylor would be so happy to know what she was doing for him. Or so she thought.

INDEX or Chapter 12