Chapter 26: Oliver, The Mystical Bunny

"Still fighting with Tay huh?" Stacie asked.

Erica nodded,"Yup."

"Why?" she asked

Erica stared at her. She didn't know why, and even if she did, she couldn't tell Stacie anyway,"Well, he started it." she said.

Stacie rolled her eyes,"You're acting like a two year old."

"Am not!" Erica replied.

"You're gonna regret it, he's leaving in a week and then you'll wish you forgave him." she said knowingly.

Erica shrugged.

"Hey, why don't you come out with all of us today. You didn't come for ice cream yesterday and they're all going out to eat. Isaac did invite you both times, ya know." Stacie said.

"Yeah," Erica agreed,"Isaac invited me, Tay didn't. Don't you find that a little strange?"

"How was he supposed to when you don't even let him near you?" Stacie challenged.

Erica fell silent.

"I thought so." Stacie nodded,"You're too proud to just admit that you were wrong for getting so upset."

"Shut-up Stacie." Erica snapped,"You don't know what he said to me, and you weren't there. He didn't hurt you!"

"Erica," Stacie replied calmly,"you already knew that he wasn't going to be here for those things anyway."

"Yeah well, he didn't tell me like I expected." she said fiddling with a strand of her hair.

Stacie shook her head,"I'm gonna bounce, they should be leaving soon. Just think about what you're doing."

Erica nodded.

"Promise me that you'll really think about it." Stacie insisted.

"I promise."

Taylor watched from the bottom step, his whole family leave. Again they were going out and again he just wasn't "in the mood" to have some Hanson family fun. Zac and Isaac walked out the door first because they were going with the girls in their dads car. Then Jessie and Mackie and his father walked out soon after.

Avery walked up to Taylor,"Taybear?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Are you sad?" she asked him.

"A little." he admitted. He was shocked that he let those words out. He didn't want anyone to know how much Erica could hurt him.

"About Erica?" Avery asked innocently.

A lump formed in Taylor's throat. Was it that obvious? He nodded.

Avery looked down at Oliver and then handed him to Taylor,"Keep Oliver." she said.

"No Avery, he's your bunny." he said trying to hand him back.

"Keep him until you don't feel sad anymore. He listens when you talk, really he does." she nodded.

Taylor was touched by his little sisters gesture,"Thank you." he said quietly.

"Come on Avery." their mother said walking up to her.

"Bye Baby Avie." he said tousling her hair.

She laughed and ran out of the room to get her coat.

"Tay, are you sure you don't want to come out and eat with us? You could call up Erica, we'll all go, it will be fun." she said.

Taylor stood up off the stair,"I'm sure that I don't want to go out to eat. I just want to sleep, I've been really tired." he lied.

"Tired?" his mother asked in disbelief.

Taylor faked a yawn,"I'm so tired, I can barely stand here..." he smiled.

She smoothed his hair and kissed his forehead,"Okay sweetie, get some rest then."

"Mo-om, don't kiss me." he mumbled pushing past her and into the living room.

She laughed,"Well excuse me for being a mother. The emergency numbers are by the phone and don't watch too much T.V and if you are really hungry there are leftovers in the fridge..."

"Why do you insist on treating me like a child? I have a job and I fly around the world and I just want to sleep...wait leftovers?" he paused.

"Yes sweetie, meatloaf and peas and mashed potaoes." she replied, grabbing her keys from the table.

"Ooh mashed potatoes." Tay mumbled and smiled.

"And eat some of the other things because if I come back and all of the mashed potatoes are gone..." his mother warned.

Taylor growled and sat down on the seat of the bay window in the living room.

"Sweetie, one more thing..." his mother paused on her way to the door,"call Erica."

Taylor turned around and stared at his mother in shock. He didn't tell her that they were fighting, how'd she know?

"Bye." she said quietly walking out of the room.

He stared outside and watched as his mother climbed into the van and it pulled out of the driveway and onto the street. He stared at Erica's window for a moment, hoping to catch a glimpse of her shadow walking across the room or something. Nothing. He turned his attention to Avery's bunny Oliver that he was still clutching in his hand. He took a quick survey of the room to make sure that no one else was around and then looked back at the bunny,"I really messed up a great thing." he said aloud,"I don't know how to make everything be okay, how do I do this to myself? Why did I listen that day in the closet and then why did I tell her? Why isn't she here with me now? How could I have made her cry? Why do I feel this bad about?" he stared at the bunny's expressionless face and button eyes,"Yeah right Tay, the bunny is going to answer you." he mumbled tossing it aside.

He leaned his head on the window and closed his eyes,"Why do I hurt so much?" he wondered aloud again.

Because you love her... ran through his head. He shook his head free from that thought.

A noise behind him made his head shoot up,"Mom, what did you..." he stopped when he saw who the person who made the nose was,"Erica?" he asked quietly.

She pointed behind her,"The door was open..." she trailed off.

Isaac, Stacie, Zac and Kerri came tumbling into the house in laughter,"Tay? You home?" Ike called.

"Yeah." he called back from the living room.

The four of them walked in there to find Tay slumped down on the couch in front of the T.V with Avery's battered bunny sitting next to him,"Hey guys." he mumbled.

"Geez Tay, you couldn't look more pathetic." Zac said.

Taylor nodded and tried to hide his smile.

"He's right," Ike said,"you are pathetic. Get up and go get Erica."

"I'm pathetic," he agreed slumping down further,"all I have now is this bunny."

Stacie shook her head,"You're a sad sight."

Kerri frowned,"Why don't you all just shut-up?"

Everyone stared at her. Kerri was pretty quiet and an outburst like that didn't come along too often.

"Leave him alone. Who are you guys to pick on him? Things take time," she lectured and then turned to Tay,"don't listen Tay, I understand."

Taylor smiled,"Thanks."

"Excuse me." Erica said pushing past the rest of them to plop down on the couch next to Taylor.

Everyone in the room had to pick their jaws up off the floor.

"Oh," Tay said putting his arm around her,"I must have forgot to tell you guys about us making up." he laughed.

"You asshole!" Ike said putting Taylor in a headlock and laughing,"why don't you tell people things?"

Taylor laughed,"Because I'm pathetic." he joked.

Isaac let him go,"Sorry about that."

"It's okay," he assured him,"now that I know that Kerri is the only one that understands me."

Kerri smiled,"I told you all to leave him alone."

"So," Isaac said changing the subject,"now that everything is back to normal, what do you want to do?"

"LaserQuest!" Zac screamed.

"Not really." Tay said wrapping his arms around Erica and burying his face in her neck.

"The mall?" Kerri suggested.

Isaac titled his head to the side,"Nah."

"You never do what we want to do." Zac pouted.

Isaac rolled his eyes.

"Come on Ike," Stacie said grabbing his hand,"Let's just go to the mall."

Isaac groaned,"Fine," he glanced at Tay and Erica,"you two coming?"

"Geez, get a room." Zac muttered.

"I don't know," Tay said ignoring Zac," you wanna go?" he asked Erica.

She shrugged,"Whatever."

"Nah, we'll skip out." Tay said.

Isaac shrugged,"Whatever floats your boat."

Zac and Kerri walked out the door followed by Isaac and Stacie. Taylor and Erica stood in the front hallway trying to decide what to do.

Zac poked his head back in the house,"Be sure to stay rested and stay hydrated and remember...condoms are your friend." he laughed.

Erica snickered.

"Leave Zac!" Tay yelled as he turned red.

"Well she laughed." Zac mumbled as he closed the door and headed back to the car.

"Geez," Tay said turning back to Erica,"I can't believe he thinks we would..."

"I know I mean, we're too young to..." she agreed.

"Yeah I wouldn't say anything unless you wanted to..."he said.

"Okay." she sighed.

Taylor nodded and let out a sigh,"Good."

Erica nodded,"So what should we..." she started.

She was cut off when Taylor kissed her. He pulled away slowly,"Sorry, I haven't done that in two days."

"You don't have to apologize for kissing me." Erica smiled.

Taylor kissed her again,"Good."

Erica hugged him and sighed,"How come my problems always disappear when I'm in your arms?" she wondered aloud.

Taylor slipped his hands under the back of her shirt and held her close, letting one hand trace lightly up and down her back,"That makes me feel good." he murmured to her.

Erica gently kissed his neck for a minute before connecting her lips onto his. When they pulled away she stared into his blue eyes.

"Do you wanna go upstairs?" he whispered before the words even registered in his mind.

Erica nodded slightly and attatched her finger through his belt loop as she followed him upstairs. He led her into his room and shut the door behind her, He had this funny feeling in the bottom of his stomach. Why did he ask her upstairs? They both just kind of stood there staring at each other waiting for the other to start doing something. Erica walked over and sat on the bed, Taylor followed and sat next to her.

Erica layed down bringing her feet up and resting her head on the pillow. She stared at him with such innocence, almost like she had no idea of what was coming.

Taylor laid on top of her, gently kissing her. His hands tracing over every inch of her body. She grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it over his head. She rolled over on top of him and straddled his body kissing his neck, chest and stomach.

Taylor pulled her shirt off and removed her bra before rolling back onto her. Their kisses getting heavier and more excited. Taylor's hand unbuttoned her jeans in one quick move. He kissed her stomach as he slowly slid down the zipper. He came back to her mouth and kissed her again.

She bent her knees up, positioning Taylor on her. He started to move against her, unsurly, letting his hand trace over her chest. Erica kissed him harder. Taylor's hand traced the edge of her jeans, almost sliding in...

"Taylor, let's play house."

Taylor pulled away from Erica and sat on the edge of the bed,"This is wrong." he shook his head and then placed his head in his hands.

Erica pulled her bra and shirt back on,"I better be going anyway." she mumbled, partially relieved that this whole escapade had stopped.

Taylor walked her to the door in silence,"I'll call you." he said kissing her cheek.

She nodded,"Sure."

He shut the door and wandered into the living room. Did I almost have sex with my best friend? he thought. No you almost had sex with your girlfriend who just happens to be your best friend.

"Ugh, this is so confusing!" he yelled aloud as he plopped on the couch. Next to him sat the bunny, Oliver,"We meet again." he mumbled staring at the bunny.

Isaac walked into the kitchen at around seven. He dropped his fathers keys on the kitchen table and yawned, pulling off his jacket,"Is Tay here?" Isaac asked his mom.

"He's upstairs, where's Zac?" she asked.

I dropped him off at Kerri's and told him I'd pick him up at eight, is that okay?" he asked grabbing a small bottle of Sunny Delight from the refrigerator.

"Yeah, it's fine." she said tiredly.

Isaac stared at his mom,"You look really tired mom." he observed.

She nodded,"I'm not feeling to good."

"Why don't you lay down then?" he asked.

She shook her head,"The minute I do someone is going to need something."

"I'll keep an eye on everyone here," Isaac offered,"go lay down."

"Well," she hesitated,"okay. But, if there is a real emergency you come and get me."

Isaac nodded,"No problem."

He watched as his mother disappeared up into her room, then he walked into the living room where Jessica, Avery and Mackenzie were watching T.V.

"Listen up," Isaac boomed,"mom doesn't feel good so none of us are going to bother her or get in trouble, are we?"

"Yeah okay." Jessica said waving him away with her hand.

Isaac nodded and went upsatirs to his room where Tay was writing in his notebook,"Hey man." Ike said.

Tay jumped,"Oh, hey Ike."

"What happened to Erica?" he asked, walking across the room to the stereo and flipping it on.

"What do you mean what happened to her? Nothing happened to her." Tay said nervously.

"I meant where is she, but obviously something did happen to her," Isaac said putting two and two together,"so what happened to her?"

Tay closed his notebook,"Ike, if I tell you this, can you promise not to tell anyone else?"

"Sure." Ike said climbing onto the top bunk.

"I almost had sex with Erica." Tay blurted out.

"Are you serious?" Ike asked calmly.

Taylor nodded,"It was pretty close."

"So why didn't you? I mean, besides the fact that you are too young." he asked.

Tay shrugged,"It was weird. I really wanted to at first but then I just didn't cause it seemed wrong or something."

"Well congratulations Tay, you have a conscience." Isaac said making himself comfortable on his pillow.

"That's it?" Tay asked in disbelief,"That's all you have to say to your brother who has become a sex-crazed maniac?"

Isaac laughed,"You're not a sex-crazed maniac Tay, you're just growing up. But, yes I do have something to say, did you at least have something in case you did?"

"No, I wasn't exactly planning on it." Tay relpied.

"Well, now that you've almost done it you should keep a condom on you. Be prepared just incase." he said.

Taylor shook his head,"It isn't going to happen again."

Isaac jumped down from his bed,"You don't know that," he said walking over to his dresser. He rummaged through his sock drawer,"Here." he said shoving three condoms Taylor's way.

"Ike!" Taylor said in shcok,"No! What the hell are you doing with those?" he exclaimed.

"Like I said, just incase. I always keep one or two in my wallet, see." he said pulling out his wallet and showing Tay.

"That's great, really." Tay said sarcastically.

"Take them, if you don't I'll have Stacie give them to Erica." Isaac said.

"Does Stacie know you carry them?" Tay asked cautiously.

"It was her idea," Isaac said,"I bet you that Erica has a couple in her purse because Stacie does."

Tay took them from Ike,"Uh, just out of curiosity, have you and Stacie...?" he trailed off.

Ike shoook his head,"No we haven't, and I'm not expecting it. But I don't see the harm in being prepared."

Tay placed them in his wallet,"Okay."

"Kerri, how'd you know to leave Tay alone today? I mean, how did you know that he was pulling a joke on all of us?" Zac asked.

Kerri took a sip of water and shrugged,"I didn't know. I just knew that you weren't going to gove im any sudden bursts of inspiration by telling him he was pathetic."

"But I meant, it was like he didn't try he just gave up. I wouldn't do that." Zac said.

"Not everybody is exactly like you, Zac. Taylor isn't like you at all. You can shrug stuff off and stick your neck out. Tay just kind of tried to blend." she observed.

Zac shrugged,"I don't get him."

"That's cool though," Kerri said,"you've known him your whole life and you're still learning about him. It keeps it interesting."

Zac pondered that,"Maybe you're right." he said cautiously.

"You know Zac," Kerri said,"you can be serious when you want to. You just proved it to me."

Zac groaned,"Crap, are you going to, like, try to make me engage in stimulating conversation now?"

Kerri shook her head,"Nah, you wouldn't be Zac if you weren't insane."

"I'm not insane," Zac protested,"I'm just full of surprises."

"No you're not. You are so predictable." she said.

"Oh yeah?" he asked.

"Yeah."

He leaned over the table and kissed her on the lips quickly. She stared at him, shocked.

"Surprise!" he yelled.

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