Chapter 16: Truth Or Dare And Sleepovers

Ding Dong

Mrs. Hanson answered the door,"Hi Erica, when your mother said you'd be over soon I didn't think she meant this soon."

"Yeah, they had to get on the road, they have a long drive ahead of them. My mother says thank you again for taking me on such short notice."

"Oh we love to have you around it's no problem. We are a little cramped for space but we could put you on the sofabed if you don't mind. I'm sure we have clean sheets and I see you have your pillow." she said pointing towards Erica's pillow.

Mackie came into the room,"Mommy?"

"Yes sweetie?" she asked smoothing his hair.

"Do you have to eat food on the table?" he asked.

"Yes honey. That's where people eat, and then there is no mess." she explained.

Mackie stared at him other wide-eyed,"Mommy..."

"Yes?" she asked.

"I made a mess." he stated.

"Oh,"she scooped him and started carrying him towards the kitchen,"Erica you know you're way. You can go and put your stuff in the boys' room." she called over her shoulder.

"Okay." she called back as she headed upstairs. She knocked on the door right when Avery came walking down the hall.

"Taybear's in the shower Erica." she said passing her.

"Oh thank you Avery." she said.

"Welcome." she said as she went along her way.

Erica let herself in the room and plopped her book bag and duffel bag in the corner. She surveyed the room,"What little piglets." she muttered to herself. She kicked at a pair of cords lying on the floor. She walked across the room to the unmade beds,"What are they? Helpless?" she muttered as she began to make the beds.

After she made the beds she flopped onto Taylor's. She heard the bathroom door open and footsteps coming down the hall. Taylor walked in the room, in only a towel. She was shocked, she thought he would get dressed in the bathroom. He didn't even see her. He just hummed away.

"Mmmbop ba dubba dop ba du bop..." he made his way to the dresser.

Erica proped herself on her elbow. Taylor sang a little nonsense song,"Which boxers do I want to wear? Stripes or solids or happy faces?" he sang going through the drawer.

Erica spoke up,"I've always been partial to happy faces myself." she said giggling.

Taylor whirled around about a mile a minute. He turned beet red,"What are you doing here?" he asked.

She pointed to her bags. He looked at them and then back at her. She waved,"Hi roomie!"

"I don't get it." he said confused.

"I'd love to explain but the fact that you're standing wet and in a towel, in your room, picking out boxers, creeps me out so get dressed and I'll explain." she said getting up and making her way to the door. She started to leave and then ducked her head back in,"Oh, and I would definatley go with the happy face boxers."

Erica sat outside the room while Taylor threw some clothes on. He went over and sat on his bed while he was putting on his Doc Martens. He realized something, his bed was made, and so were Ike's and Zac's.

"Erica!" Taylor called.

She walked in,"Yeah?"

He stared at her and pointed to the beds.

"What are you pointing at?" she asked.

"You made the beds." he said in disbelief.

"Yeah, I did." she said slowly.

"But, why?" he asked.

"Because you didn't."

"I never do." he said.

"I know, in fact," she said reaching down and picking up a pair of cords,"this look likes it needs to be washed." She started picking up clothing off of the floor.

"Erica, what in God's name are you doing?" Taylor asked.

"Well, I'm just helping your mom out a little by taking all of the dirty laundry out of the room. It's my way of saying thanks." she said.

Isaac walked in the room,"Hey Erica," he watched her for a minute,"whatcha' doin'?" he asked.

"Laundry." she relpied.

"Oh, could you take these?" he asked handing her a pair of brown cords and a green sweater.

"Sure." she said grabbing them.

"ISAAC!" Taylor yelled.

"What Tay?"

"She's my girlfriend, not your maid!" Taylor yelled.

"It's alright Tay," Erica said,"rather than have him throw them on the floor I'll take them."

"No you won't," Taylor grabbed the clothes Isaac handed her and threw them at Ike,"and you won't take these either." he said grabbing the other clothes and tossing them to the floor,"Guests don't do laundry."

"Tay, how considerate, but I am not going to stay here without showing your mother at least some appreciation for her taking me in." Erica replied.

"Well, you are not doing the laundry." Taylor said crossing his arms.

"Okay, I'm not, we are. You and me and Ike." she said.

Isaac looked at her,"Umm...I don't clean." he said.

"I don't even know how the washing machine works." Taylor said.

"I'll show you."

"I don't clean." Isaac repeated.

"Look, all you have to do is bring the clothes downstairs, sort them and throw them in the machine with a little detergant, okay?" she explained.

Taylor sighed,"Fine. Let's clean."

"I don't," Isaac started.

Taylor shot him a look.

"think it's fair for Zac to miss out on this, I'll get him." Isaac said realizing that he wasn't getting out of it. He headed out of the room to find Zac. Taylor turned to Erica.

"Why are you staying here anyway?" he asked.

"Becuase my uncle, who is my mothers' sisters' husband, well his aunt died..."

"I'm sorry." Taylor interrupted.

"It's okay. I didn't even know her. But anyway they had to go for five days and this was the only place I could stay."

"Oh, you couldn't stay with Stacie?" Taylor asked.

"So eager to get rid of me huh?" Erica asked as she started picking up clothes again.

"No." Taylor said joining her.

"Well it would kind of interrupt her punushment if I did."

"Punishment?" Taylor asked.

"Didn't Ike tell you?" she asked.

"No." Taylor said.

"Oh," she paused,"well I'm not going to butt in so you can ask him."

"Erica..."

"Sorry it's not my place to tell you." she said,"Where are Ike and Zac?"

As if on cue, Ike came walking in with the laundry basket and Zac dawdled behind.

"First I have to put up with you for five days and now I have to do the laundry?! What's next Erica?" Zac joked.

"Aww, sorry Zac. You know you really want me around for five days." Erica joked.

"No I don't want you around." he said back.

"But Zac you know you want me. You know I'd leave Tay for you." she laughed.

Taylor laughed nervously.

"Get away!" Zac screamed,"Stop undressing me with your eyes!"

"But Zac," Erica said dropping the clothes in her arms into the laundry basket,"don't you care about me anymore you big studly Hanson drummer?" she sniffed.

"What are you smoking?" Zac asked backing away.

Erica stepped closer to him,"Come on baby. Don't hide it. Tell Taylor about our love affair!" she said reaching her arms out to him.

Taylor and Isaac snickered and tried to hide it.

"What are you talking about?" he yelled stepping back.

Erica threw her arms around him,"Tell him Zac! Be a man! You know we love each other!" she said.

"Stop hugging me! You're a girl!" he yelled.

"Zac, you know you want me." she said kissing his cheek.

"Yuck!" he yelled pushing her away and wiping his cheek,"Ugh, I can't believe you did that."

Taylor stepped forward jumping into the whole dramatic scene,"Zac! You stole my girlfriend!" he yelled.

"What?" Zac cried in disbelief.

"I'm going to end you!" he said grabbing Zac's arm.

"I did not! She's lying!" he cried.

Taylor raised his arm. Zac braced himself for the hit. Instead he felt about six hands start tickling him. He collapsed to the floor in laughter,"You guys!" he yelled through giggles.

After dinner that night Erica helped Mrs. Hanson with the dishes while Taylor and Zac went with their father to rent a movie. After Erica finished helping she went to the boys' room.

"Hey Ike, what's going on?" Erica asked.

Isaac looked up from his guitar,"Nothing much."

"Are you writing a song?" she asked sitting down on the bed next to him.

"No, I'm just dinkin around." he said.

"Oh." she said nodding.

He started plucking away again. Erica sat there watching for about five minutes before she couldn't stand to be quiet any longer,"So, Taylor told me about you guys going away." she said.

Isaac stopped playing again and sighed,"Yeah."

"Speaking of Taylor," Erica continued,"did you tell him about you and Stacie?"

"Yeah." Ike replied.

"Oh, that's good. I mean it's good that you told him, but bad about what you did." she clarified.

"What I did?" he asked.

"Oops, I meant," she stuttered.

"Don't bother. It's none of your business anyway." Isaac said putting his guitar away.

"None of my business? My cousin?" she asked him.

"No, she is your business, but not what her nad I do." he said staring her down.

"When it involves you hurting my cousin..." she began.

"Hurting?" Isaac cut off,"How am I hurting her?"

"Well, I mean..." Erica stuttered.

"Exactly!" he shouted.

"For Pete's sake keep your voice down! I was just saying..."

"Look Erica, you obviously know nothing about this so why don't you keep your mouth shut!" he wailed.

Erica looked at him startled,"Geez, I'm..."

"Shut-up!" he screamed,"Don't you understand the meaning of shut-up? I know you're blonde but try to understand." he said bitterley.

"I...you...I..." she stammmered.

"A duh, duh, duh..." he mocked as she tripped over her words.

"Look Isaac," she said harshly,"I'm sorry for caring okay? I'm sorry if I ever cared!" she yelled jumping to her feet.

"Good." he said acting as if he didn't care as he crawled onto his top bunk and collapsed on the pillow.

"I thought we were friends." she said.

Isaac didn't say anything. He just stared at the wall. She was his friend. He didn't get mad often, but it sucked when he did, he was usually too proud to take it back. No matter how much he hurt the other person.

"And," she continued,"I sure as hell thought a whole lot more of you than being just my boyfriends' brother, I thought of you as my brother, but I guess I was wrong." she said.

Isaac winced,"Guess so. I have enough little sisters. I don't need any more."

Erica nodded her head,"That's right Isaac. Cause you know what? I'd be surprised if you gave a damn about anyone besides yourself!" she yelled walking over to the door. She flung it open so hard that it slammed against the wall and then she slammed it shut.

Isaac pulled his pillow over his head as if it had the ability to block out all of his thoughts.

"We're back!" Taylor yelled.

"Great, what movie did you get?" Mrs. Hanson asked.

Zac screamed.

"Oh, Scream." Mrs. Hanson chuckled.

Taylor laughed and pulled his jacket off,"Where's Erica?"

"Outside on the patio." she said.

"At 8:30? Is she by herself?" he asked walking towards the back door.

Mrs. Hanson nodded,"She seemed upset. I think she got in a fight with Ike because I heard doors slamming but she didn't want to talk about it."

Taylor nodded,"Well, maybe she'll talk to me."

He walked back to where he plopped his jacket and he threw it on. Then he got a spare jacket from the closet and headed outside.

Erica was sitting in a lawn chair staring at the sunset. Taylor walked over to her smiling as the sun cast on her making her blonde hair glisten and her tan look even darker. A breeze blew catching pieces of her hair and making them dance.

"Hey." he said handing her the extra jacket.

She slipped it across her shoulders,"How'd you know I didn't already have one?"

Taylor smiled,"I know your tendency to go without one."

She nodded and sat up crossing her legs so Taylor could sit down. He did.

"So why are you out here freezing?" he asked ever being the subtle one.

Erica shrugged,"Just thinking I guess."

"About what?" Taylor pryed.

Erica looked off into the sunset,"It really is beautiful isn't it?" she asked.

Taylor turned his attention to the swirl of oranges and reds and blues and purples in the sky,"It's amazing." he agreed.

Erica nodded,"Everything's beautiful if you look at it the right way."

He turned around to face her again,"You're beautiful."

She smiled and caught his eye before blushing and returning her gaze to the falling sun.

"Why are you blushing?" he asked laughing,"You know you are."

Her smile faded,"Sometimes I wonder."

He turned her face towards his,"Well don't wonder, you are."

She looked away from him again," I got in a fight with Ike." she said hugging her knees to her chest and resting her chin on them.

"Oh really?" he said.

She nodded,"And don't act like you didn't know, cause you did. I knew you did the second you came out here."

Taylor frowned,"How?"

Erica smiled at him,"Taylor I know you so well. You just had this look on your face that you get when you want me to pour out everything to you."

"Oh," he said quietly,"well do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head.

He nodded,"Okay then, how about I ask you questions and you say yes or no?"

"Taylor." she said picking up her head and staring at him.

"Okay then be a dork." he said laughing.

"Fine loser."

He turned and stared at the sunset again. The sun was almost down and the stars were coming out. He felt a nudge on his back.

"Thanks for caring loser." she said quietly.

"No problem dork." he grinned.

"Loser." she laughed.

He turned around,"Well that would make you a loser's girlfriend."

"I guess it would." she nodded.

"Am I really that much of a loser?" he asked smiling.

"No," she said shaking her head,"you're an even bigger one than I let you believe." she joked.

"Hey."

"Oh be quiet." she said pressing her lips to his.

Erica and Taylor walked in the living room where Zac and Isaac were arguing over who got to hold the remote control.

Guys. Why do they figure whoever has the remote control has the power? Look I have the remote so I rule over...the t.v? Yeah that's real balanced. But Isaac won out in the end anyway. Zac insisted it was only because he was taller and he was weak against his horribly bad breath. To which Isaac protested to having bad breath. Taylor and Erica just watched the saga unfold before their very eyes.

"Okay guys!" Taylor yelled out of nowhere,"Enough! Isaac start the movie, you sit through the previews and Zac and I will go and make popcorn."

"I don't want to." Zac huffed.

"C'mon Zac," Taylor cooed," I'll let you hold the popcorn bowl. You know you want to."

"Fine, but only because I remember all to well what happened last time Taylor made microwavable popcorn by himself." Zac said getting up.

"What happened?" Erica asked.

"He..." Zac started.

"That's not important." Taylor said covering Zac's mouth,"You stay here with Ike, make sure he doesn't wreck the tape. He has a knack for that."

"Shut-up." Isaac mumbled pressing play.

Erica started to follow Tay,"Tay c'mon. Don't leave me in the same room with him." she said jerking her head towards Ike.

Taylor gave Erica a gentle shove back towards the couch,"Chill out. You don't have to talk just sit there."

Erica stuck her tounge out at Taylor, but nonetheless, sat down.

Isaac looked at Erica. She was staring straight ahead watching the FBI warning that flashed on the T.V. Isaac sighed.

"How long are you going to give me the silent treatment?" he asked.

"I wasn't giving you the silent treatment I just wasn't talking to you." she replied shortly.

Isaac snickered,"Okay, see that would be the same thing." he pointed out.

"I was trying to mind my own business." she said glaring at him.

He stared right back until she broke her gaze to look back at the T.V

"You know," he said getting up off of the loveseat and sitting next to her on the couch,"I always thought of us as friends and you are like a sister to me."

She looked at him.

"I didn't mean it when I told you to mind your own business," he continued,"I was just mad. Mostly at myself. I really care about your cousin and I would never want ot hurt her and by us doing," he blushed,"you know, what we did, and her getting grounded for it...I don't know. It just makes me feel like I did hurt her."

She smiled and looked at the T.V and then back at him,"You didn't hurt her..." she started.

He shrugged and cut her off,"Well it just seemed like I did. And when you said that you'd be surprised if I gave a damn about anyone else it made me feel even worse."

"Oh Ike, you know I didn't mean that." she said.

"Do I?" he asked looking at her,"It seemed like you meant it to me."

"Well I didn't mean that. I know you better than that. C'mon Ike," she nudged him,"you're the kid who gave up his ice cream cone because mine dropped to the floor and I started to cry. Remember that?"

Isaac smiled,"I think I was the one that made you drop it."

She laughed,"Well so what. Not many nine year olds give up ice cream for the sake of not seeing a little girl cry. So you are non-selfish."

"Ok," he agreed,"although that was a really bad example of why I'm great..."

Erica rolled her eyes and laughed.

He continued jokingly,"I guess you'll always have to be my ditzy, younger non-sister."

"So I guess that makes you my freaky, older, non-brother." she joked back.

"Definatley." he laughed.

126 minutes, four bathroom breaks, two screams and a bowl of popcorn later, the movie was over. When Isaac turned on the lights he laughed at Taylor's face,"Dude what's wrong?"

"Erica's nails are digging into my stomach." he sputtered.

"Oops," she pulled her hand away," sorry." she apologized rubbing her hand over his sore stomach.

"Aww, poor baby." Zac teased.

"Shut-up Zac." Taylor muttered.

Erica yawned,"Do you mind if I pull out the sofabed and go to sleep now. I'm really tired you guys."

"Maybe Tay should sleep with you. I mean you just watched a horror movie aren't you scared?" Isaac joked.

"Oh haha," Erica said sarcastically,"your parents would have a cow if they saw him slpeeing in here with me."

"Well," Taylor trailed off,"what if we all sleep down here?"

"Tay, stop thinking." Zac said,"It never does any good to any of us."

"But think about it. They can't yell, I mean me and Erica couldn't do anything with you two in the room now could we?"

"He has a point." Isaac said.

"Of course I do." Tay beamed.

"The sofabed only sleeps three though." Zac pointed out.

"Well Zac," Tay said,"meet the loveseat."

"No fair!" he yelled.

"Shut-up! People are sleeping!" Isaac scolded.

"Come on Zac, be a good brother." Taylor said.

"Fine." he mumbled.

Taylor gave a satisfied smile and he and Erica got up off of the couch so he and Ike could pull out the sofabed.

Zac grabbed some pillows and blankets from the hall closet and plopped a pillow on the loveseat and tossed the rest in a heap on the sofabed.

They all went and got changed for bed. Surprisingly Erica was done first. When the boys came downstairs they found Erica right smack in the middle of the sofabed already half asleep. Taylor walked over and laid down on one side of Erica and Isaac laid on the other. Zac made himself comfortable on the loveseat. Just as Erica, Isaac and Zac were on the verge of sleep Taylor sighed. He kicked off the covers and turned on the light.

"Tay, not tonight." Zac moaned.

"What the..." Erica said blinking a couple of times to adjust her eyes to the light.

"I can't help it, I'm awake." he said.

Isaac sat up,"Okay, let's humor him."

"Well what do you usually do to fall asleep?" Erica asked.

"Talk." Taylor said.

"About what?" she asked.

Isaac, Taylor and Zac glanced at each other in horror.

"Nevermind." Erica said when she saw their expressions.

"Well what do girls normally do?" Zac asked.

"We play games." she said.

"Like..?" Isaac asked.

"Truth or Dare." she said.

"Let's play." Taylor said, the title of the game intriging him somewhat,"Erica you go first."

"Okay," Erica said,"who is going to be my first victim?" She scanned all of their faces,"Zac," she said,"Truth or Dare?"

"Dare!" he said.

"Okay, I dare you...to stuff tissues in your shirt and stand in front of us and tell us why you should be crowned Miss America."

Taylor and Isaac burst out laughing.

Zac pouted for a second and then went to get tissues. He came back with two wads of tissues and shoved them up his shirt.

Taylor and Isaac exploded in laughter and Erica couldn't help but giggle.

Zac raised his voice and struck a pose,"I should be Miss America because I am so beautiful. I am an awesome drummer and if you vote for me and I win, I will plant a tree."

Isaac, Taylor and Erica were rolling on the bed in fits of laughs, tears and giggles. Zac pulled the tissues out and discarded them on the floor,"Now who do I pick?" Zac wondered aloud.

All three of them shut-up immmediatley and looked at Zac.

"Taylor...Truth or Dare?" Zac asked.

Taylor looked thoughtful for a moment,"Truth."

"Have you ever kissed Erica with your tounge? And if so, what was it like?"

Taylor turned bright red,"I pass."

"You can't pass." Isaac said genuinly interested.

Taylor looked to Erica for help but he saw she too was bright red and picking at a fuzzball on the bed,"Yes I have." he said.

Zac grinned,"And..?"

"It was nice." Taylor mumbled.

Zac and Isaac snickered at how embarassed they were.

Taylor spoke,"I pick Isaac...Truth or Dare?"

"Dare." he said. There was no way he was getting asked a question like that.

Taylor got up,"Follow me." he said walking into the kitchen.

Erica, Isaac and Zac cast curious glances at each other but followed Taylor.

Taylor put a glass on the counter. Along with bottles of root beer, lemon-lime soda, orange soda and Pepsi. Then he placed a bag of cheese curls on the counter. He poured a little bit of each soda in the cup and then cruched some cheese curls into it. He stirred it and handed it to Isaac,"You have to drink this whole thing, but first you have to act like you're selling it in a commercial and after you drink it you have to smile and say 'It tastes good too.'" Taylor explained.

Isaac smelled the drink,"Eew!" he exclaimed.

Taylor crossed his arms and smiled,"You gotta do it."

Zac and Erica watched in interest.

"Here goes..." Isaac said," This is new, uh, root-lime-orange-cheese cola. It is made with carbonated,uh, caffeine and water that had been,um...magnified." Isaac started to gulp it.

Erica crinkled her nose and Zac's eyes widened in disbelief.

When Isaac was finished he twitched for a second then smiled,"It tastes good too."

Zac, Taylor and Erica all cracked up at Isaac's expression.

"Okay, okay," Isaac said,"my turn, Erica, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare" Erica blurted out.

"I dare you to french kiss Taylor in front of me and Zac." Isaac told her.

"I don't think so." Erica said.

"Why? You don't wanna kiss him?" Zac asked her smiling.

"Not with people watching." she said.

"But you have to, you picked dare." Isaac pointed out.

Erica turned red,"For how long?" she asked.

"What?" Isaac asked.

"How long do you want it to last for?" she repeated.

"Oh, uh, I'll tell you when to stop." he said.

Erica sighed and turned to Taylor, he was red. She mumbled to herself that she had to be crazy as she put her hands on Taylor's shoulders. He looked at her and put his hands on her hips. She touched her lips softly to his. Taylor was reluctant at first and then kissed her back. They really started to get into it, practically forgetting all about Isaac and Zac...

"Good enough!" Isaac yelled.

Erica jumped away blushing and Taylor fiddled with his shirt. Zac laughed.

"How do you guys breathe?" Zac asked.

Erica shrugged,"I think we should go to bed now." she said heading out of the kitchen.

They all nodded. They had enough of this game tonight.

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