Ahavas Chesed Cemetery. Three words that always pulled Tallis' heart into her throat, choking her with memories of the past. She chewed on her bottom lip as she stepped off Jeremy's bike, wrapping her arms around herself as she made her way through the rusted gate. For the first time in a very long time, Tallis was silent. It was almost as if everything was falling apart once more; she could feel her heart breaking in her chest and falling out of her body like broken shards of glass. 

Memories were hitting her like trains, nearly forcing her to her knees.

[i]"You're not allowed to leave me, Taylor!" Her words were badly slurred. She was drunk, had been for days now. Never had she known pain and anger such as this. Anger at him, but mostly herself. The machines that were keeping Taylor alive beeped at her in response, lending no comfort in this time of need. "You can't fucking leave me, you stupid piece of shit. You can't leave me. You're my best friend. You can't leave! I'll hate you forever. I'll hate you. Please don't leave me."

"Honey...he can't hear you. Please stop yelling, you're causing a scene." Her mother placed a shaking hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down the best she could. Tallis had always been overdramatic.

"Don't fucking touch me! This is my fault. He was coming to see me. Me. If I hadn't called him...fuck...if I hadn't called him." Tallis fell to her knees, clutching her chest in agony as Taylor flatlined. "Someone help him! Please. Someone, please help him."

No one came to help him, and Taylor Black died that night along with a piece of his sister's heart.[/i]

Tallis stared down at the marker, plopping down beside it with tears in her eyes. She ran her fingers through her thick curls, searching for all the things she wished she could say to his stupid face. "I should have come visit you before now, but I've just been busy. Fuck, I can hear you telling me that's a shitty excuse, but it's all I've got." She chuckled but there was no joy in the sound. "I've missed you a lot, and I still haven't settled down...mostly because no one lives up to your standards." That was a lie. Taylor had always wanted her to be Tillman's old lady. "I'll bring you pictures of the bikes next time. I really think you'd like what I did to Banshee. Or you'd hate it, you never could tell ith you. You were always a picky bastard." Another chuckle, though this one was followed with a sigh. There was something she needed to get off her chest. "The guy that hit you gets off on parole soon, but don't worry...I'm going to take care of that."

And with that, the truth of why Tallis was back in town had come out. Taylor always had a way of making her truthful.

________________________________

The 20-year-old jumped as her iPhone vibrated on her chest, rousing her from the beginnings of sleep. She winced at the brightness of the phone screen, trying her best to keep the smile from creeping onto her lips. It was Solo. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just playing hard to get." Send. "Are you going to come see me tonight? I've been doing some research, and I think I found some things that you might enjoy ;)" Send. "I heard Tallis was back in town...is this true?" Send.

Kaci had always had a love-hate relationship with Tallis Black. Love, because it was difficult to dislike her. Hate, because she was stringing her brother along like a ragdoll. That, and if Tallis really wanted to...she could steal Solo away just by licking her lips the right way. A groan escaped her lips as she picked up the phone to text Solomon once more. "Do I have anything to worry about with her?"

Typical insecurities, but Tallis liked taken men.