Chapter 8- Stirring Up the Pot

"That's a wrap, guys!"

Zac stood up and got ready to go. He followed Taylor and Isaac out of the building and was ushered to the car.

"Me and Lacey are going to go to the park to go blading," Taylor was saying, "What are you going to do, Ike?"

"Unlike you, Tay, I am stuck babysitting."

"I'll do it, Ike!" Zac cried.

"You?" Isaac asked, raising an eyebrow, "Are you trying to suck up? What do you want?"

" I need to spend more time with Jess, Avie, and Mackie," Zac fibbed. And get some private telephone time without Isaac phoning a friend or Taylor phoning Jake to whine about something.

"Sure, Zac. When did you become such a saint?" Taylor inquired.

Zac choose to ignore the question, "Dad, could you turn on the radio?"

Mr. Hanson flicked on the radio and the van was flooded with the Spice Girls. Jess cheered and Avie began to say "Yay!" over and over.

The knock on the door thundered through the apartment and Jessie jumped.

"I'll get it!" Zac told her and checked the peep hole. It was a girl who Zac supposed was Lacey. He opened the door and let Lacey in.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hi," she said very quietly, "Is Taylor ready?"

Zac lifted an eyebrow at her small voice and lisp before saying, "He's in the bedroom. Hold on, I'll get him."

Lacey nodded and Zac headed for the bedroom. He knocked and went in. Taylor was sitting on the bed putting running shoes on.

"Lacey's here."

"Okay."

"Is she always that quiet?"

"No. She was on the phone for awhile. But once you get to know her, she is more talkative."

"That's good," Zac said, nodding his head.

Taylor pushed Zac out of the way and scooted out of the room, with Zac on his heels.

"Hi Lacey!" Taylor called.

"Hi Tay," Lacey mumbled, not making eye contact.

"You look nice," Taylor commented, grabbing her hand and kissing her on the cheek.

Lacey blushed and looked at Zac.

"Taylor kissed a girl!" Avery giggled.

"Cooties!" Mackie cried.

"Taylor and Lacey sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Lacey with a baby carriage!" Jessie chanted.

Lacey blushed harder and Taylor flushed redder than her, but slipped his arm around her waist anyway.

"Shut up, you guys," Zac ordered, "You'll kiss too. Maybe Aaron Carter, huh, Jess?"

Jessica blushed.

TAYLOR

Quickly, Taylor put on his blades and waited for Lacey to fasten on hers. He had gotten over the temporary embarrassment his siblings had caused, and wanted to blade.

"Come on, Lace," Taylor urged, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet.

Lacey was a better blader than Taylor would've thought she was. She kept up and could do a gazillion different tricks Taylor couldn't do.

Taylor gave up trying to out do Lacey and decided he was hungry.

"Want a hot dog or something?" he asked.

"Sure. I'll race you to the stand," Lacey suggested, "Want a head start?"

"No. Do you?" he asked, sarcastically.

"No! Better not have a sensitive pride, Tay, cause if you do, don't race me! Go!"

Much to Taylor's chagrin, Lacey was faster than he was. Even though he bladed faster than he'd ever bladed, Lacey was quicker and she won! Taylor tripped and stumbled and landed in a heep at her feet.

"Beat you!" she giggled.

Taylor stood up and enveloped Lacey in his arms, making eye contact for once.

"Winner want a kiss?"

Lacey shifted her gaze, so her eyes rested on his shoulder, and she blushed. Taylor had forgotten how shy she was and figured she'd pull away. Instead, she gave him a hug and whispered, "Later." Shrugging, Taylor released her, bought the hot dogs, and followed Lacey to the bench under a tree. They ate in silence and sat hand in hand for awhile longer.

"Winner wants her kiss now," Lacey whispered softly, her lisp becoming more distinctive, "Do winner kisses expire?"

Taylor stared into her blue eyes and whispered, "Nope. Unlimited kisses."

Lacey looked down, but Taylor caught her chin in his hand and stoked her cheek for a moment before kissing her. This time, he was proud.

ISAAC

"So, do you like LA?"

"Sure. It's so big and busy! We are leaving soon, though, for Quebec and then on to New York. We are going to be on Saturday Night Live, you know."

Sarah's face fell.

"Are you coming back."

"Yeah. For a week or two."

Sarah smiled softly.

"I'm going to a party on Friday. Wanna come?"

"Can't. In Quebec."

"Huh! Lacey won't go then, without Taylor, and I probably won't go without her! She is sooo shy! I don't know how your brother managed to crack her! You do realise how much she likes him, don't you? I mean, he is all she ever talks about!"

Isaac shrugged, not really wanting to discuss Taylor's love life. He and Sarah were so much more interesting than Mr. Perfect. Oblivious to Taylor's Madeline problem, Isaac changed the subject.

" Wanna see a movie or something?"

ZAC

After finishing his school work and helping Avery figure out the mysteries of adding and subtracting, Zac decided to use the phone and catch up on his chatting time.

He dialed Rose's number and waited. Madeline answered on the 7th ring, just before Zac was going to hang up.

"Hello?" she gasped, her breath coming in short and choppy gasps.

"Hey, Mad. This is Zac. Where were you?"

"Caroline is over. We were outside. Alice is over, too."

"Think Rose could tear herself away from her friend to come and talk to me?"

"I'm sure she would. Uh, Zac, how's, uh, Tay and, um, Lacey?"

"Together," Zac said slowly, debating whether or not to tell Madeline about the date Taylor was on.

"That's good, I guess. Hold on, I'll get her."

A moment later, Rose was on the phone.

"Hi Zac!"

"Hi Rose!"

"What's up?"

"Nothing. What's up with you?"

Rose giggled.

"Lots. Emily started to cry after Taylor and Jake stopped talking. I thought Madeline was going to hit her. She told her to stop crying and to grow up. Taylor isn't hers, so get over it. Then Matt phoned, like right after Jake hung up, and Madeline practically hung up on him! She had this two second conversation. Everything is screwed!"

Zac laughed.

"When are you coming home? I miss you."

"Two weeks," Zac said, cracking open a pop can.

"Good. I hate talking on the phone with you!"

"I hate talking on the phone with you too," Zac giggled.

"Who was Ike's little girlfriend with yesterday?"

"Angie?"

"Yeah. I saw her with someone and I was real close. She kept calling him Brent. He was a biker guy. Had an ear ring in his lip. Wait, it wouldn't be an ear ring then, would it?"

"No. His name was Brent? Then he's her brother."

"Oh, I hope not! They were doing more than you and me, if you know what I mean."

"In public?!?! Were they on his bike?"

"Heck no! You little pervert! They weren't doing it!! They were just doing some serious kissing."

Taylor almost toppled onto Zac on the way in.

"Hey, Tay," Zac said.

Lacey came in a minute after Taylor and said a quiet hello to Zac, Avery, Jessie, and Mac.

"Want something to drink, Lacey?" Taylor asked.

"OK. Pop or water please."

"Zac, get us some pop or water," Taylor ordered, pointing to the kitchenette.

Groaning, Zac obeyed. If Taylor was going to keep up this bossy older brother act, Zac would.....well, Zac wouldn't let him keep up this act for much longer. Grumbling about "dumb Taylor and dumb Lacey. Me and Rose'll show them!" Zac chucked a can of pop and Taylor and Lacey and sat on the floor.

"Want to play trucks, Mac?"

"Cool!" Mac exclaimed, going to get his trucks.

After a moment of playing trucks, Zac heard Lacey exclaim, "Taylor!"

Zac spun around just in time to see Taylor let go of Lacey. Feeling grouchy and edgy, Zac snapped, "Gawd! Get a room!"

"What?" Taylor asked, "I just kissed my girlfriend!"

"This hotel room is rated "G", not "R". What would Mom and Dad say?"

Taylor snickered, but scooted away from the red Lacey. He reached over, looking pointedly at Zac, and placed his hand on her thigh. Lacey, still blushing, placed her hand over Taylor's.

The two brothers had been having quite and argument for 10 minutes over Zac's "humiliating and utterly disgusting" behaviour. Mr and Mrs Hanson had arrived home to find their second and third sons not speaking. This didn't please them, so they sent them to their room to discuss their problem.

"I can't hear you! La, la, la, la, la-"

"Cut the crap, Zac!" Taylor ordered, "Next time I see you and Rose, I'll turn that megaphone of yours on you!"

"Taylor, this isn't about Lacey and you. It's about-"

"Your crappy mood!" Taylor said, louder this time.

"No! Will you stop the swearing?"

"Shut the hell up!" Taylor practically hollered.

"Jordan Taylor!" Mrs Hanson called from the living room,"Watch your mouth!"

Taylor rolled his eyes and said in a softer voice, "You embarrassed Lacey beyond forgiveness! Don't you know how shy she is? Or are you to selfish to care?"

"Tay," Zac moaned, "I had things on my mind, OK? BIG things."

Taylor paced back and forth, jamming his hands into his pockets. Zac looked tired and forlorn. Taylor knew he wanted to be asked what the 'BIG things' were.

"What?" Taylor moaned.

"Angie is cheating on Ike."

"Well, isn't Ike cheating on Angie?"

"Hell, Taylor! Ike wants to break up with her!"

"ZACHARY WALKER AND JORDAN TAYLOR!! WOULD YOU KINDLY MIND YOUR MOUTHS?"

It was Zac's turn to roll his eyes.

"So then why would he care?" Taylor asked, the tiny argument already forgotten.

Zac groaned.

"He wanted to break up with her because she is a bad person with a pretty face. But now she is cheating on him."

Taylor nodded and pretended to understand.

ISAAC

"SHE DID WHAT?" Isaac bellowed.

"She is going out with Brent," Zac whispered, regretting ever telling Isaac about this.

"Holy, Ike! Calm down!" Taylor ordered, coming to Zac's defence, "I mean, you were going to dump her anyway!"

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW, TAYLOR? YOU AND LUCY HAVE YOUR FAIRY-TALE ROMANCE!"

"Lacey," Taylor muttered. Great. All he needed was a Lucy to go along with Madeline.

"WHATEVER!" Ike cried in exasperation, "HOW DARE SHE?"

Issac shuddered in anger and caught Taylor's open blue gaze. Ike watched in horror as Taylor held his gaze for a moment before looking away, looking ashamed and disgusted.

"Horrors upon horrors! Taylor, you think I'm cheating on her!"

Taylor nodded, seeing no point in denying it.

"Hell!" Ike swore, trying to control his irrational anger at Taylor, "I don't believe you!"

Don't call him a traitor, cheat, and back stabber. Taylor'll kill me! Kill me! Mom and Dad aren't here. He could hide my body and be safely out of the country before even being suspected.

Isaac gave himself a mental shake. Zac, Taylor, and Ike didn't usually fight, but when they did, they really had it out.

"You dirty traitor!" Ike spat in disgust.

"Me?" Taylor cried.

"No, Zac!"

"Me?"Zac cried.

"I was being sarcastic! I swear, the two of you have brains the size of a peanut!"

"Speak for yourself! I-"

"Shut up, Zac!" Taylor commanded, "All you ever do is talk! I never-"

"Right, Taylor. Leave Zac out of this!"

"OH IKE! DON'T ALWAYS DEFEND HIM! HE IS NOT A BABY AND HE CAN TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF!" Taylor hollered.

"Both of you, I can defend myself!"

Taylor sighed in exasperation, stepping backwards into Zac. That was how it all started. Mr and Mrs Hanson came home to find their sons in a tangled mess, flailing arms and kicking legs.

"Great! Just great! Grounded," Isaac esclimed, examining a bump on his head afflicted by Taylor's fist, and a bruise afflicted by Zac.

"No kidding."

Taylor was sitting topless on the bed so that he could get a better look at the huge bruise Issac had returned. Zac had managed to give him a sore looking scratch across the stomach. It was bleeding a little. Taylor swiped angrily at it.

Zac sat warily in the corner, eyeing his brothers. He was rubbing his knee, which had been at the end of one of Taylor's hardest kicks, and his back which Isaac had punched.

"I want to go home," Zac moaned.

Isaac rubbed his aching head and looked at Zac, who despite all his efforts, was on the verge of tears. It wasn't his fault his knee was absolutely killing him or that he was very, very lonely for Rose. It was all too much. Suddenly, high-pitched, giddy laughter filled his ears. Both Zac and Ike turned to look at Taylor.

"Tay?" Zac asked nervously.

Taylor was too busy having spasms of delight to answer. His face was red and his eyes were watering. Taylor laughed so hard, he fell off the bed and continued his giggling on the floor. A bubbly gurgle escaped Zac. And then, Zac was on the floor, gurgling right along with Taylor.

Ike stared in awe at Zac and Tay, who had been trying to kill each other seconds ago and were now laughing uncontrollably. Suddenly, Zac swerved to the left and Taylor to the right, and they smacked heads.

"Oweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!" Taylor bubbled.

"That hurt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Zac giggled.

Isaac couldn't help himself. He began to chuckle.

TAYLOR

The Quebec days and the rest of the days in NY, filming Saturday Night Live whizzed by, bringing the Hansons back to LA and leaving Taylor and Lacey on their last date. After much bartering, begging, whining, and pleading, his parents had lifted his sentence for one day.

He fiddled with his menu and glanced at Lacey. He had taken her to the most expensive restaurant he could afford. Her nose was wrinkled in concentration. Unwillingly, he thought of Madeline's freckles.

"Are you ready to order?" the waitor interrupted. Taylor glanced at his menu, full of expensive dishes.

"Fries, mushroom burger, and a Coke please. Lots of ketchup and gravy, too."

"For the young lady?"

"Uuuh, the chicken burger and fries please. And a Shirley Temple."

The waitor raised an eyebrow, but left.

"We order burgers in some fancy restaraunt!" Lacey giggled.

"Yeah," Taylor smiled.

Gawd, he wanted to stay in LA! Didn't he? Lacey was in LA. Madeline was in Tulsa. Jake was in Tulsa. Tulsa. LA. Tulsa. LA. Tulsa. L-

"Taylor, I feel awful!" Lacey moaned, not meeting his eyes.

"Me too. I'll miss you," Taylor whispered, taking her hand.

"No! I mean, yeah, I will too. But there's this guy."

Taylor sucked in his breath and tugged at his hand, but Lacey tightened her grip. He braced himself.

"Listen, Tay, please," Lacey insisted, "His name is Bradley. We've been friend's forever. And I really started to like him. Then, you came along, and I, uh, liked you more."

Relief flooded Taylor. He was better than this Bradley guy in Lacey's eyes. Good. He knew he was, anyway. Lacey wouldn't cheat on him. Duh! He knew it all along.

" But he likes this girl named Patty. I, uuum, feel like I've been using you. But...."

Lacey looked up. Her eyes were filled with tears, and her cheeks were flushed. Taylor squeezed her hand and stroked her hand with his thumb. Before he knew what he was doing, he was telling her all about Madeline.

"Great," Lacey sighed, "We are using each other."

"I don't think so," Taylor stated simply, feeling his guilty feelings drifting away, "I really like you. And if you really like me, well then, I think that we make a pretty good couple."

"I really, really like you, Tay."

The meal arrived and they ate in silence.

"Well, good bye, Lacey."

"Bye, Tay. You know, you can always phone me. I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to mith you too, Lathey," Taylor said, taking a weak stab at humor.

Lacey's giggle came out as a sob. Taylor placed his hand on her arm.

"Lace, I was going to buy you something, but I was grounded. So, here."

Taylor bent down and came back with his shoelace. Lacey chuckled and took it.

"Now, when you tie your shoe, you can think o' me."

"That is so unromantic! 'Here, Lacey, want my shoe lace?'" She took it and unwound hers, "Same to you, Tay."

The soon to be non-existant couple bent down again to put the other's shoe lace into their shoe.

"Shoe lace lovers," Lacey kidded half-heartedly. Her eyes were misty again, and one tear rolled down her cheek. Taylor swiped at it and kissed her good bye.