TAYLOR
"One, two, three, four!" Zac called from behind his drumset.
Taylor hit the first note and was almost late four his first "oh" of MMMBop. His eyes were heavy and he could feel a yawn coming on. Hold it back! Can't yawn when you're singing! When he switched to congas, he managed to squeeze on in.
He couldn't wait for 11:30 tonight. Their plane would leave and they would be off to Tulsa. This was the last time they'd play any song in England for awhile!
The song ended and the boys were hustled off to the cars, after thanking the crowd for coming to their promo concert.
"Taylor! It's front desk!" Ike yelled, waving the phone. Taylor grabbed it.
"Hey."
"Mr. Hanson,"a woman's voice said coldly, "there is a postcard here for you."
"Thank you, ma'am, I'll come get it."
In less than five minutes, Taylor was back with his postcard. HE plopped down on his bed to read it.
Dear Taylor, I am sooo bored, so I decided to write to you. I got the address of the hotel from your house sitter.
My cat, Pyscho Cat, did the funniest thing! We let her outside and she caught the mother of all rats! Just HUGE! She came in the kitty door on her own will and put it in Rose's unmade bed. That night, Rose thought it was Pyscho Cat, so she was, you know, cuddling it!! All of a sudden, we heard a shriek and found a hysterical Rose!! It was sooooo funny!!!
See you soon, Madeline.
ZAC
" Are you tired, Zac?" Rose asked.
Zac yawned, "Jet lag."
Zac had bumped into Rose on the way over to Luke's and decided to go for a walk with Rose instead. He smiled to himself. 2 hours home, and already he was happy. Sure, he was off to film Meet Hanson soon, but he was with the BEST girl in all of Tulsa. All of the States and Canada, he was sure.
Rose kicked a rock and smiled. Zac thought she looked very pretty. Her hair had been pulled into a sloppy pony tail, but two curly red tendrils fell on to her rosey cheeks. It was a chilly November afternoon, so she was wearing jeans and a navy blue jacket with a red zipper.
"I missed you guys,"Rose ventured, "and I'm glad you are back. Mad is taking me to the movies tomorrow. Would you and Taylor and Ike want to go?"
"Ike wouldn't want to. He has his heart set on seeing Angie Cook. Would Mad mind if Tay and I tagged along?"
"Nah," Rose drawled, waving her hand, " She is 'dying inside.' Can't wait to see Tay."
Zac giggled.
"Excuse me?" a voice interrupted, "are you Zac Hanson?"
Zac and Rose turned to see the speaker, who was trying to compose herself. She was around Taylor's age.
"Yeah, I am,"Zac greeted, nervously,"and this is my friend, Rose."
"Oh!! Hi Zac!!! Hi Rose!!!" her voice climbed an octave, " I'm Shae Carter."
"Hey, Shae," Zac replied, keeping his voice even and calm. Rose fluttered her hand, and gazed down, shyly.
"Could you please sign this? I just bought it!!! See, you are on the cover."
Zac took her pen and her 16 magazine. He found a picture of himself and scrawled his name. He proceeded to shake her hand. That was too much for Shae and she began to cry. Zac watched her to leave. Rose smiled and threw her arms around Zac, returning to her unshy self, and gave him a hug.
In a goofy voice she said, " Zac, I love you!! Boo-hoo-hoo!"
"Sorry, Rose, usually we don't hug fans. But I can make and exception!"
She pressed her freezing cheek against his. Unable to help to help himself, he turned his head and gave her a shy, hesitant kiss. Rose withdrew her arms at lightning speed and stood rigidly straight. Her eyes had grown very large and her mouth had formed a perfect O. Under her gaze, Zac felt pretty dumb.
Suddenly, she smiled. He loved the way it lit up her whole face. Grinning still, she reached for his hand and leaned in closer to him.
"Thank you, Zac," she whispered.
Feeling oh-so proud, Zac and Rose continued their walk, hand in hand.
TAYLOR
Taylor kicked the soccer ball, sending it at Jessie. She kicked it back and Taylor let it score. Whooping, Jessie did a sequence of ballet steps and tripped into the house. Taylor watch Zac come up the driveway and took a gulp of water from his water bottle.
"I did it!!!"Zac exclaimed, his face covered in an enormous grin.
"Did what?"Taylor asked, taking another gulp.
" I KISSED ROSE HARRISON!!!"
Taylor spit the water all over Zac and choked on the remainder that didn't leave his mouth.
" Thanks, Tay, I really needed a shower."
Taylor coughed and sputtered. Taking a deep breath, he composed himself.
"You kissed her??"
"YEAH! Smack on the lips!" Zac stated proudly. He jumped up and down. The news was good enough to dwell on on his own, but telling Taylor was ever so much better!
"What did she do?" Taylor asked, still choking.
"She thanked me!"
"Way to go, buddy!" Taylor said, smacking Zac hard on the back.
Zac rocked on his heels and grinned more. " So, you and me are going to the movies tomorrow."
"We are?"
"Yeah, with Mad and Rose."
Taylor's eyebrows shot up. See Mad? Talking to mad was bad enoguh!! But see her? Oh, no, he couldn't do it! He shook his head.
The look on Zac's face crushed Taylor's heart. He had never seen Zac look so upset. Infact, he looked like he was going to cry. Rather than have Zac bawl, Taylor nodded, hating himself.
ISAAC
Frowning, Issac started the car and waited anxiously for Zac and Taylor. He was going to pick up the girls and drive them all to the movies. He didn't want to do it. He wanted to see Angie. The car door slammed as Taylor got in.
"What's wrong?"he asked.
"I want to see Angie! But no, I have to play chauffeur to you guys."
Taylor grinned and said, " Stop on the way and ask if she'd go."
Isaac nodded. Taylor was a damn genious. Why didn't he think of that?
"Where the hell is Zac?" he exclaimed.
As if on que, Zac appeared and got in the car. Isaac started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. He almost broke the speed limit on the way to Angie's. He pulled into her driveway and stopped the car. Leaving Taylor to explain why they were at Angie's, he got out and went to the door. Nervously, he rang the doorbell. Seconds later, a little girl answered it.
"Hi. Is Angela there?" Issac asked.
"Hold on, please."
About 2 minutes later, Angie appeared and giggled, " Hello, Issac. How was England?"
"Just wonderful. Uuum," he stalled, "Taylor, Zac, and their two little friends are going to the movies. Want to come with me?"
Angie smiled, grabbed a coat and a bag filled with stuff and shouted, " Amber, Mother! I'm going to a film!"
Isaac moved out of the way and followed her to the car. Taylor had climbed into the backseat, so Angie let herself into the front.
"'Lo Taylor, 'lo, Zac."
"Hello, Angie," the boys chimed in unison.
Taylor could see why Ike had a thing for her. She was pretty. No, she was beautiful.
Zac was having totally different thoughts. He thought that she looked unnatural and didn't even come close to being even half as beautiful as Rose.
"So," Angie interrupted Taylor and Zac's thoughts, " Where are your 2 friends sitting? There are only two seats up here. How many in the back?"
"3,"Taylor said. Rose and Zac would likely double seatbelt.
"2,"Zac corrected.
"2?"Taylor squeaked.
"We'll have to double seatbelt,"Zac smiled.
A look of sheer horror crossed Taylor's face. Isaac couldn't understand it. Well contemplating this, Isaac went to the Harrisons'. Zac went to the door.
"Have a light?"
Isaac jumped and blinked at Angie, who had a cigarette dangling from her lips.
"Where did you get that?"Taylor asked, a look of awe on his face.
"Here,"Angie replied, waving a pack, "Want one?"
"Sorry, I don't smoke that brand," Taylor lied.
Isaac just stared, shocked into a stupid silence. He couldn't even imagine kissing her. It was all he'd imagined for awhile. But all of those dreams dissapeared.
" Shit, you guys! What does a girl have to do for a light?"
Isaac snapped into shape and lit the cigarette.
TAYLOR
Madeline was repulsed. She opened the door and almost shut it again. Taylor knew she hated smoking. Wiping at the freckles on the bridge of her nose, she climbed in by Taylor.
She looked cute. Her hair was down and she was wearing a violet shirt and black flared jeans. Taylor register his thoughts and almost gagged.
Madeline squeezed in by him and whispered, "Who's she?"
" Angie. The love of Ike's life," Taylor whispered back.
Madeline nodded. Out of the corner of his eye, Taylor saw Rose give Zac a quick kiss.
After purchasing their tickets, the teenagers made their way to the right room. Angie, starting yet another cigarette, excused herself and went to the washroom. As soon as she was gone, Ike declared, " I didn't know that she smoked."
"Smoking? You call that smoking? How many has she had?"
"Well, it is an hour drive to this theater. I counted 13,"Taylor chimed.
" 13?"Zac asked, " Don't exaggerate! She had 5!"
"Uuum, check that out,"Madeline interrupted.
Taylor did as she commanded. Angie came out of the bathroom in the tightest tummy shower tank top Taylor had ever seen. She had changed into a very, very, very, VERY, mini skirt that clung tightly to her the very top of her thighs. She had loaded on make up and redid her hair. He glanced in awe at Ike.
"Zac, let's get seats," Rose muttered, grabbing his hand and yanking him away from the half naked Angie.
Mad, Rose, Zac, and Tay sat in the middle of the theater. Isaac started to follow, but Angie yanked him into the DARK back row. Rose and Zac launched into a conversation about the movie and Taylor tried his hardest to pretend that Madeline wasn't sitting beside him and that her leg wasn't leaned against his.
"Taylor?" she asked.
"What?"
"Did you hear me?"
"Nope, sorry."
"What do you think of Angie?"
He started to say something rude, but for Ike's sake, settled on, "She might be nice."
"I think that she had ONE thing on her mind when she yanked Ike into the back row."
"I'll give you that, Maddy. She is, uh, just passed the dress code, after all."
The previews started.
After the show, they had to wait 20 minutes while Angie returned to her good girl attire of a long wool skirt and a white blouse, no make up, and her blond hair in two long, low braids.
"How was the movie?" Taylor asked Ike slyly.
"The previews were cool."
Taylor snickered, " Yeah, that's what I thought."
ZAC
" Rose, want to come over?" Zac asked into the phone, the next day.
"Sure! Mad is being a bore, lusting after some old movie star."
"Want to go and play Laser Tag?"
"Laser Tag?"
"Yeah. We are leaving in two weeks. May as wekk make the best of 'em."
"Ok. Cool. I'll be over in like 5 minutes."
Zac hung up and went into the kitchen to get a glass of milk. Taylor was at the table, scribbling something. After getting his milk, Zac joined him at the table.
"What are you doing?"
"Oh, and idea dawned on me for a new song. Just working on it."
"Cool. Can I read it?"
Taylor held out the paper and Zac read it quickly. He raised his eyebrows.
" I though Ike was supposed to be the romantic. Tay, this is disgusting!!"
Taylor blushed and muttered, "Yeah, well."
"Who is it for?"
Taylor's eyes widened and said, "No one." He thought, " Right? Gosh! I can't be writing for her now too? Can I?"
The doorbell rang and he yelled, "Coming!" He golped down his milk and sprinted out.
********************
After three matches of Laser Tag, Zac took Rose out for ice cream. He ordered a chocolate ice cream cone, three scopes, and Rose got a bubble gum flavored ice cream cone, one and a half scoops.
"That was fun!" Rose gushed, " Nobody could beat Flower Child!"
"Sure! If I recall, 'Liscensed to Kill' beat her a couple of times!"
"Flukes! They were flukes!"
"Sure, Rose, keep telling yourself that!"
"Shut up!" Rose giggled, " you are a liar, Zackie!"
"Nu-uh!"
"Uh-huh!"
Zac paused to eat some ice cream and Rose batted her eyelashes.
"Nobody beats Flower Child!" she drawled, clutching his hand.
Feeling daring, he leaned forward and tipped her chin up with his free hand. Gently, he kissed her. Right in the middle, Rose tickled him and he laughed.
"See,"she said as the parted,"Nobody beats me!"
My Favorite Links
Edith's Hanson Eclipse
77th Street