"I can't wait to go back, Ike." Taylor said.
"Me too we get to see all our friends again." Ike said.
"I get to see Erica." Tay said smiling profusely.
Isaac was concerned. His little brother was really setting himself up for heartbreak. This girl never even wrote back to one of his letters. Taylor just kept himself busy reading letters from some other girl named Erica. Poor kid, probably pretending it was her. He figured he should step in.
"Look Taylor, don't expect a lot." Ike said.
"Huh?" Taylor looked up from packing, confused.
"From Erica I mean, just keep your head on straight."
"I don't understand what you're saying."Taylor sat down and stared at Ike but Ike kept packing. This wasn't easy on him Taylor could see that.
"She might have changed. I mean we have been gone for a pretty long time." Ike continued.
"Changed? How do you mean?" Taylor was completely confused now. He thought he had his head on straight but now...he wasn't so sure.
"God, Taylor!!! Do I have to spell it out for you?"
"Probably, I'm lost. Maybe you could just write it down so I could read it over and over." Taylor grinned at what he deemed to be a very funny joke.
"This is ser..."
"No Ike! Look she hasn't changed, she is Erica and has always been the same she won't be any different than when we left." Tay declared.
"Just be careful." Ike said. He was getting cautious. Both Isaac and Zac have noticed that Erica is a very touchy subject with Tay. Tay went back to packing and nothing was said for about five minutes. Then Taylor errupted.
"Why can't you just be happy for me Ike?"
"What?"
"I love her! I didn't realize it before but, it is so obvious. Thank God for Zac he showed me what I was too blind to see!!! I love her!!!"
"Whoa Taylor! Love is a pretty strong word. Don't be throwing that baby out to much." Isaac warned.
"And why not? It's what I feel!" Taylor said defiantly.
"Taylor, you don't feel love you are only fourteen years old."
"Oh and you're the expert? You can't just be happy for me?" Taylor was throwing his stuff in his suitcase now and slamming drawers.
Ike looked up from his suitcase with a serious look on his face and got sarcastic,"Fine Tay. I'm "happy" for you. Zippah de do dah. Oh gee let me sing a song and do a little jig." Isaac started doing a very exaggerated hop around the room.
Taylor threw him a disgusted look as Zac walked in.
"I gotta pack." Zac said knocking Taylor over and crawling over Isaac to get to his suitcase when he could have just walked around them both.
"God Zac, can't you just be civilized for one second?" Tay screamed.
"Hmmm...I don't know...let me try." Zac sat down and let out little squeaks to show he was having a hard time then he leapt up on the bed and jumped up and down,rolled to the floor and grasped Tay's ankle.
"Can't do it man, sorry." he said grinning.
Taylor shook him off and closed his suitcase.
"Leave him alone, Zac." Ike said.
Zac stared at Ike and the only thought running through his mind was, This has got to be about Erica. Isaac nodded as if reading Zac's thoughts. Zac leapt up off of the floor.
"Damn it Tay, everything isn't about Erica! All you think about is her! You can't concentrate on anything and it is really starting to get annoying! The world does not revolve around you or Erica!"
Ike was in shock that Zac said that and afraid of what Taylor would do now that Zac said that.
"That's it Zac!!!" Taylor screamed.
Tay picked up Zac by his shirt and flung him into the wall. Zac's eyes were wide open and he looked like a small cat afraid of a big dog.
"She is the best thing that ever happened to me. NO wait! To us! Now I know how everyone feels!"
"Taylor put Zac down don't be stupid." Ike cautioned.
Taylor put his face down right in front of Zac's,"Don't ever say that again or I will hurt you. Now get out of my way."Tay let go of Zac's shirt and let him run away from the wall. Zac ducked right behind Ike.
"I don't get you guys,"Taylor said shaking his head,"you act like she is some stranger and we have known her our whole lives!!! She isn't just some girl. And next time Ike, remind Zac that I have a temper and young kids can be hurt."
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