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Chapter Seven

Zac, Janelle, and Taylor all got off the bus only to find themselves in the parking lot at Glendale Park in Downtown Tulsa. They were going to be filming the first part of the VDO in this park, and film the other parts all over Tulsa. Everyone was beginning to gather around, when Janelle spotted her older brother sitting under a tree listening to his discman.

"Hey big bro, whatcha been up to?" Janelle slapped her bro on the side of his head and sat down next to him. "Don't hit me, " her brother muttered. Janelle giggled and said, "What? Ya got put down by another girl huh? Reject!!" Brenden stood up and put his cap back on his head and said to her, "Shut up. I can't even believe that I let you convince me into being in some stupid music VDO." Janelle stood up next to her brother and said to his face, "Hey, what do ya mean i convinced you? You wanted to yourself! And it ain't no stupid VDO." Brenden muttered under his breath, "Yeah it is..." He started walking away and Janelle slumped down underneath the cool shade of the tree and muttered to herself, "Oh boy, it's gonna be a long day......."

"Okay everybody! Gather around here!" called Tamra Davis as she attempted to get everybody in order. Tamra was going to be directing the music VDO, and seemed really cool. Janelle stood up and walked over to the little group. She covered her eyes against the glaring sun as Tamra told everybody what to do, "Okay people, basically, all you have to do, is have fun. We'll have you guys doing what normal teenagers do.... we'll have you roller-blading around, y'know, hanging out.... the guys checking out the girls." Everybody laughed when she said this, and Janelle knew that her brother wouldn't have any trouble with that. And in the middle of all this, we'll have Isaac, Tay, and Zac playing and doing their stuff in the background....got it?"

***

Janelle was smack in the middle of a fake conversation with "Little Stephie" and her friends as the camera circled them. They were supposed to be looking like they were having a normal "girl talk" in the middle of a park. Janelle couldn't remember the last time she had a conversation with three Barbies, and much less have a conversation in the middle of a park. But, hey, this was a music VDO.... so what the heck. She just couldn't get over the fact that Steph had flicked her hair 4 times in the 7 second time span that the camera had been on them. She rolled her eyes, and Tamra called, "CUT!" She walked over to where Janelle was standing and said quietly, "Hey, you doing okay?" "Yeah, sorry, just forgot there was a camera sticking in my face for a second there." Tamra smiled and said, "Okay, just relax." Janelle thought to herself, "Me? Relax? Look at Barbie, Whitney, and Skipper over there!" Janelle sighed and lip-synched having a conversation with Steph and her friends. Now, she knew it really was gonna be a long day.

***

Not far away, Isaac, Taylor, and Zac were watching the camera film the four girls. "Looks like Janelle's having a lot of fun over there," Isaac noticed. "No kidding... those three girls are scary. This one girl, Steph, no wait, she wanted me to call her Stephie. Anyway, she scared the shit outta me on the bus," Taylor recalled. "Hey, if she does that again, just tell me, and I'll run over and do my Jim Carrey impersonation!" Zac offered. "No thanks.... you'll probably scare me away too," Taylor replied. Isaac stretched his neck and said, "Looks like they're finished. 'Kay guys, it's our turn next. What verse are we gonna be doing again?" "Verse 2!" shouted Zac. Taylor looked at him and said, "No dork, we're doing Verse 3." Just then, Janelle walked up to them and said, "No guys, you're doing the Chorus." "Oh, we knew that," Zac shot back with a cheesy grin on his face. Janelle cheesy-grinned back at him, when Isaac said to her, "Looks like you really enjoyed that shot." Janelle rolled her eyes and said, "Tell me about it. I swear they are the most annoying people I've ever met." "Even more annoying than me?" Zac asked as he batted his angelic eyes toward her. Janelle laughed and said, "Yeah, even more annoying that you."

"Zac! Tay, Ike, c'mere!" called one of the camera men. "Gotta jet!" Zac screeched before saluting and running over to Arwen. "Yeah, see ya later Janelle," chimed Isaac and Taylor. She watched them all run towards the camera as the got in their positions. She knew that they were lip-synching, but they were really playing the music with their instruments. She still couldn't get over the fact that they were so young, yet so talented. A squeaky voice interrupted her thoughts, as she felt someone bump into her. Janelle turned and saw Stephie and co. parading past her so that they could watch the three brothers up close and personal. "He's sooo cute! Just look at him strum the guitar!" called Barbie #2. Barbie #3 chimed in, "Look at Zac! He's sooo adorable! Awww, he's banging the thingy now!" Janelle joined them and informed her, "The thingy's called a drum." "Yeah, like whatever." Janelle cringed as she listened to Steph coo, "Tay! He's playing the keyboard now! MMMBop on Taylor! Yeah! Mmmbop ba dupa dop, ba du bop, dupa dop ba du bop ba dupa dop ba du yeah yee yeah! Whoo, go Tay!" Janelle raised one eyebrow as she watched the amusing sight in front of her. She muttered underneath her breath, "Geez, she's so funny.... please someone get her her own TV show." She glanced over at Taylor who was getting all red again. "CUT!" Tamra called out. "Tay you seem a little red in the face. You want some water or something?" Tay blushed even harder and croaked out, "Uh, no Tamra, thanks, I'm okay now." Janelle heard Zac giggle behind his drums as he attempted to muffle it with his shirt sleeve. Tamra called out to him, "Enough Zac," she picked up her bullhorn again and said, "3-2-1 action!" The boys resumed their playing as Barbie and her friends resumed their idiotic cheering. Janelle decided to go see what her older bro was up to.

She walked down the park trail and saw her brother playing some basketball with the other two guys from the VDO shoot. "Hey Brenden, can I play some b-ball too?" she called out. Her older brother attempted a layup as the ball swept cleanly through the hoop. He turned to her and said, "Yeah, sure, here." He tossed the ball over to her as she caught it safely in her arms. "Hey, you're not mad at me anymore are you?" Janelle asked her older brother. "Nah, I was just acting stupid. Y'know I always do." Brended replied. He started introducing her to the other two. He pointed to a wavy haired taaaall guy and said, "Hey Jan, this here's Aaron and over there, that's Jordan." Jordan must've been at least 6 feet, and hecka fine. She laughed silently to herself. Same name as Taylor, what a coinki-dinky. They were both wearing "cool and slick" practically color coordinated stuff. "Geez, they must have one of those computers that arrange your outfits$B)(J Just like on "Clueless." Never the less, she walked over and greeted them, "Hey Aaron, Jordan." She turned to her brother and called out, okay, let's play some ball!"

***

Taylor had been looking for Janelle all over the place. They had finished the VDO shoot almost 1 hour ago, and it was getting dark and they were going to be leaving in ten minutes and Taylor still couldn't find her. He was beginning to get worried as troubling thoughts ran through his head, "Dang, where the heck is she? What if--" He was interrupted by a loud holler coming from ahead, "Yeah! Another basket!" He hurried forth and saw Janelle playing basketball with her brother and two other 'studly' looking guys. He walked towards the court and called out, "Hey guys, uh, we're gonna be leaving in about ten minutes. You might wanna finish up your game." Aaron walked over to him and shoved the basketball into Taylor's chest and ranted out, "Hey twerp, don't tell me when to finish my game. I'll finish it when I feel like it." Janelle stepped forth, "Hey Aaron, what's your problem?" She walked over to Taylor and asked him, "Hey, you okay Tay?" Taylor felt as if a World War 1 canon had just blown up in his stomach, but he avoided flinching and replied, "Yeah, sure, no problem. Let's go." He turned around and started to walk forward as Jordan called out, "Hey, we didn't say you could leave yet. Get back here." Taylor stopped dead in his tracks and obediently turned around and faced Jordan. "So, Mr. Superstar with his two brothers. You think you're so great with those girls trailing after you, huh?" Taylor stammered, "I, uh, no.... Hey, look guys, I don't want any trouble. Let's just leave, okay?" Janelle muttered through her teeth and looked intently at Aaron and Jordan. "Yo, just leave us alone will you?" She turned away, then looked back at her brother, who was looking at the whole scene in front of him, and said, "You coming?" "Yeah, in a sec. I'll follow you later." She got Taylor by his arm and started walking back towards the parking lot while fuming under her breath. "I can't believe they could be such jerks. Geez, what the hell was their problem?!" Taylor felt kind of embarrassed. He had to let a girl stick up for him..... much less, a girl he seemed to have a major crush on. He muttered, "Yeah, whatever. You know, you didn't have to stick up for me back there. I could've handled the whole thing by myself." Janelle looked over at him in the dark. She guessed that he was kind of embarrassed about what had happened back at the basketball court. She turned to him and said, "Hey Tay, you're real cool, you know that? I mean, you're probably the most laid back guy I know. Even compared to my own dork of a brother. Back there, you didn't even let those guys get to you. Other guys would've acted all tough and crap and pulled off a fight or something." Taylor was glad the park was getting dark because he was blushing all over again. Janelle continued, "And especially with all those girls after you all the time and all this music biz stuff," she smiled, "you and your brothers still keep your head on straight." She shivered as a gust of cold wind blew past them. Taylor noticed this and handed his flannel jacket over to her. "Here, it's getting kinda cold." "Thanks," she replied. They passed the spot where they had filmed the VDO earlier as they approached the parking lot where the bus was parked. They spotted Zac flailing his arms at them. Taylor smiled and said, "We better hurry up. They've been waiting for us. C'mon." He took her hand and raced towards the bus.

***

When they got back to Mercury Records Studio, Janelle, Isaac, Taylor, Zac, and Brenden slumped off the bus and headed straight towards their cars. Everyone looked and felt dead, and wanted a good night's sleep. After a couple of muttered 'byes' and 'see ya laters', they piled into their cars and sped off.

***

Taylor Hanson stared out of the car window thinking to himself about the past events of the day. Isaac was rambling on about the cute chicks at the VDO shoot and Zac was saying something about how cool the VDO cameras were. Taylor was confused. No matter what he thought about, it all seemed to link right back to Janelle. He couldn't get his mind off her, it was like she was forever implanted inside of his head. He wasn't so sure if she liked him too......he didn't think so, because someone as nice and pretty as her must have had tons of guys trailing after her. He winced as he remembered the scene back at the basketball court. He remembered that guy Jordan. The big tall scary one. He sighed and leaned back into his seat and closed his eyes. Why would Janelle like him? He was small and scrawny and a must've looked like a major dork in front of her. "What's wrong little brother?" Taylor opened one eye and looked at Isaac and replied, "Nothing." He crossed his arms and faced the window. "Whooo!! Tay's got it bad!! He's got the hots for somebody!" Zac squealed and jumped around in the back seat. "Shut up Zac, " Tay mumbled. He thought to himself, "Geez, was it that obvious?"

***

Janelle was lying in bed. Tomorrow was going to be her first day at Tulsa High. She had no idea how the day was going to turn out. For starters, when she was in California, she had always gone to the same school with the same bunch of kids along the same route everyday, and not only that, there were the little things to worry about. Where would she eat during lunch? What if she couldn't find her class and went to class late? What if she did something real stupid like walk into the boy's locker room instead of the girl's during PE? She couldn't bear to think anymore, so she closed her eyes and fell into a troubled sleep.

***

"Psst! Ike!" Zac called from his top bunk. "What is it?" Isaac grumbled back. "Close the curtains! The street lights are casting scary shadows." Taylor mumbled from the bottom bunk, "The only scary thing in here's you, so shut up already, and go to sleep!" Tay dropped his head back onto his pillow and closed his eyes. He could already hear Zac snoring lightly as he slowly drifted to sleep. Taylor shook his head. The kid had, like, no worries in the world at all. He sighed out loud. He heard a noise coming from his older brother's bed. Isaac turned to him and said, "What's wrong Tay? You've been acting all bummed out since we left the VDO shoot." Taylor muttered back, "I already said nothing, didn't I?" He turned his back to Isaac and pretended to fall asleep. Isaac quietly replied back, "It's about Janelle isn't it?" When he received no answer, he went on, "Hey, look Tay. She seems to have nothing against you, and she seemed to be having a lot of fun today... well, except for that one part where she had to do that scene with Steph, but she seems to really trust in you as a friend. So stop worrying, okay?" Taylor turned back and looked at his brother, "Yeah, but y'know when I went to find her after the VDO shoot? When we were all getting ready to leave?" Ike nodded and Tay continued, "Well, I found her on the Basketball court playing B-ball with her brother and these two other guys. And she seemed to be having a lot of fun." Ike replied, "Well, hey, it's no crime to play basketball. Besides, I think that athletic girls are cool, so what's the problem?" "No, it's not that, it's just that the two guys, Aaron and Jordan," Isaac interrupted him, "Jordan? Hehe, okay go on." Tay rolled his eyes and continued, "Yeah, I know, he even has the same name as me. Anyway, they had this thing against me. I don't even know why, and they were all like, 'Little Superstar and his brothers' and crap. And I thought that they were gonna pick a fight or something, and guess who had to bail me outta this?" Isaac threw his arms up in the air, "I give up, who?" Taylor laid back down onto his pillow, "Janelle. Geez, I must've looked like such a dork--" He was interrupted by Zac, who apparently, still hadn't fallen asleep, "Tay, you ARE a dork." "Shut up Zac!" Taylor hollered. "Shhh! Don't yell, or Mom and Dad are gonna be yellin'" Zac giggled from his top bunk, and Taylor continued, "She'd probably go for cooler guys like those two Dennis Rodmans back there$B)(J Dang they were scary." Isaac laughed and said to his younger brother, "Hey Tay, take some advice, y'know like from an older brother to his younger bro..... Just don't worry about it. From what I see, Janelle's a really cool girl, and I don't think she sees you as a wimp or whatever you just said. So, just chill, okay?" Taylor closed his eyes and replied, "Yeah sure." Isaac turned back to his original position and called out, " 'Night, I'm hecka tired." Taylor replied back, "Yeah, 'night."

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