Make Love, Make War (Tayley) |

DATING

Two days later, both Taylor and Hayley hopped into Taylors car, heading to a remote waterfall area. They didn't need to bring anything other than food and clothes, they decided just to sleep in the car.

Neither of them were completely sure what to do. Both of hem had something to tell the other, and they tried to bottle it up, going swimming in the waterfall and playing cards.

When the sun set and they ate some food they brought, they laid on the roof of the car and looked up.

"Hayley, I need to tell you something important."

"Me too."

Taylor turned his head to face Hayley, who was still looking up. "You first, then."

Hayley fumbled around and grabbed Taylor's hand, turning her full body to look at him, smiling slightly. "The wounded must be healed," she confessed, "I'm going enter in as a nurse in the war."

Taylor fully turned to her, surprised. "Why the change of heart? I thought you wanted nothing to do with Vietnam."

"You. You're the change in heart. Past relations had me thinking for a long time, and now you're in my life, it seems like the right choice."

"Hayley, I want you to tell me your whole story. I think you need to let it out. It's messing with your head," Taylor protested quietly, "I know you now. Tell me everything that's wrong."

"Don't you have something to tell me, too?"

"It can wait a few minutes."

Hayley sat up on the roof, watching Taylor as he got up too, separating their hands. She just gave it to him limply, telling him to look at her ring finger.

"Tell me all you know about all the fingers connotations." She starts, not sure what to say.

Taylor looks up, still holding her hand, answering, "Thumb is approval, like with thumbs up and stuff, I don't know. Index is for... Pointing stuff out? Middle is vulgar, I got that, pinky is politeness, and ring is marriage."

She pulled her hand away, awkwardly moving closer to Taylor.

"I met Zac in high school at a football game, and we became friends immediately, even though I was a sophomore and he was in 8th grade watching his brother play. We hung out together a lot, and then once he invited me over.

She took a deep breath, looking at Taylor. He signaled for her to continue.

"His brother was there. Josh. He was only a year older than me so we met again at school and started going steady. Josh was so much different from Zac, he had a badass personality and he did whatever he wanted to. I loved him."

Taylor looked at the ring and back up at Hayley, starting to make the connection.

"And he went into the army. And the day before he left he proposed. I was 17, he was 18." Hayley stifled a whimper, wiping her eyes. "So he would be engaged and when the war was done he'd come back to Franklin and we'd get married."

Taylor hugged Hayley tightly, wiping her eyes when she's said enough.

The two held for a long time until they connected their gazes and connected their lips together softly, for as long as they could.

They let go of each other, both smiling, until Hayley asked, "So, Taylor York, what did you want to say?"

"I can't say it now."

"Go ahead, I'm a big girl."

Taylor brushed her hair aside and kissed her again for a few seconds, letting go as he hesitatingly said, "This is my last week in Franklin before I go into training. I'm not gonna be back for at least a few months if I'm not fit. If I am, I'm sorry."