"I don't think I did so good,"Brittany commented as the scores started coming up on the screen. None of them had been on the red team but it placed second. Next it showed the blue team that Jennifer and Zac had been on. They won first of course and Jen and Zac tied with the highest score. Next was the green team. Isaac, Hope, Taylor and Brittany had been on that one. They placed last. Brittanys score was -4820. They all laughed.
"Oh of course! Who else would have the lowest score but me?!"she complained.
"I tried to help you,"Taylor told her laughing.
"I know and I still came in last,"she sighed.
"It's ok that you suck,"Jennifer told her smiling.
"Oh gee thanx Jen. You've made me feel so much better,"she told her sarcastically. Jennifer smiled.
"Let's go to the arcade now,"Hope suggested.
Brittany smiled brightly. The arcade rocked. Especially air hockey! They walked down to the arcade and got tokens. Brittany ran over to the air hockey table.
"Who wants to play against me?"she asked expectantly.
Zac and Jennifer declined saying they wanted to play a race car game and Ike and Hope were playing some Mortal Combat game. She stuck her tongue out at them and smiled sweetly at Taylor.
"Tay? Please?"she asked in a sweet little voice. He laughed.
"Ok I'll play."
She smiled and put the tokens in.
Taylor smiled indulgently at her enthusiasm for the game. He figured he'd go easy on her since she liked it so much.
She got the puck first. She placed it carefully on the table and hit it quickly. It slid cleanly into the slot.
"Alright!"she cheered. Taylor couldn't believe it. Somebody who sucked that bad at laser tag couldn't be that good at air hockey.
He put the puck on the table and hit it. She blocked his shot and made her own shot, getting it in once again.
He frowned at her big smile. Well maybe he wouldn't be so easy on her from now on he thought to himself.
5 minutes later.
"I don't believe it! How could you be that good?!"he demanded.
She grinned impishly. He'd only got 2 points.
"Wanna play again?"she asked smiling.
"NO,"he refused emphatically.
"Sore loser,"she accused.
"Sore winner,"he shot back. She rolled her eyes but didn't deny it. They walked over to where the other four were.
Isaac was telling Hope that it wasn't fair to hit your oponents buttons and Jennifer was saying cheater over and over again while Zac yelled am not.
Taylor and Brittany laughed.
"Ok. We're not that bad,"Taylor stated.
"Nope,"Brittany agreed.
Hope, Isaac, Zac and Jennifer decided to play again but Taylor still refused so they decided to go off on their and meet back there in an hour.
They walked to a music store or two then went and got Dippin' Dots. <*Authors note* Dippin' Dots are little dots of ice cream! They are just the best!> They sat down on a bench in the food court to eat them. A guy with long blond hair caught her eye. He turned sideways and she squinted at him. It couldn't be who she thought it was. She got up.
"Taylor get up and come over here with me,"she told him.
He licked a dot off his mouth and followed her over there.
THe guy finally turned around and she saw it was who she thought it was.
"Josh!"she yelled waving her arms. He looked around and spotted her.
"Brittany?"he questioned walking over.
"Yeah!"she cried happily.
Taylor frowned. What was it with her and blond guys? Geez. He watched them blab about Jennifer and Hope and how they used to be best friends and quietly ate his dots. A few minutes later the others came up.
"Josh?"Jennifer asked incredulously.
"Yep! Brittany found me first!"he informed her.
"Don't state the obvious or anything,"Taylor muttered under his breath.
Isaac and Zac snickered. He had stated the obvious.
"So who's he?"Isaac asked. Taylor shrugged.
"This is our old friend Josh! He's the greatest but he moved and we didn't keep in touch! So this is sooooooo awesome!"Hope exclaimed.
"It sure is!"Jennifer agreed fervently. Brittany nodded. Isaac rolled his eyes.
"I wish I had my cam,"Hope said frowning regretfully.
"Wanna go get it?"Isaac asked.
"Yeah!"
"Ok let's go,"he said. They walked off.
Taylor and Zac frowned at Jennifer, Brittany and Josh.
"Guess it's just us,"Taylor told Zac while eating the dots that had melted. Jennifer walked up.
"Zac wanna go to Spencers with me?"she asked. He nodded and they walked off.
Taylor sighed. Brittany and Josh started walking off.
He gave a little ugh of disbelief.
"Fine!"he exclaimed,"i'm Taylor Hanson! I can get a girl!"he announced stomping off in search of lady love.
`~*~`Jennifer and Zac`~*~`
"Zac! Come look!"Jennifer called laughing. He walked over.
"What?"
"You look like a dork!"she exclaimed holding up a Hanson shirt.
"Do not!"he denied scowling.
"Do too."
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
"Do not!"he argued sticking his tongue out.
"Don't stick it unless you wanna use it,"she challenged.
"I'll use it then,"he replied.
"Then do it."
He blushed and tried to remember what Ike and Tay had said.
"Open your mouth a little."
"She'll guide you..."
He leaned forward and his lips hesitantly brushed hers. He heard a cough. They jumped away from each other and looked guiltily at the man then walked/ran out.
She gave him a big smile when they walked out.
"Well it was a good start,"she told him grining.
He smiled back and they walked off holding hands.
"Your cam is so kewl!"Isaac praised. Hope smiled.
"Thanx,"she replied examining the stickers on her camera. There were tons of them. A gap one, Nike, Adidas, jncos handygirl, rainbows, a lolly pop one, stars, a Hanson one, Metallica, Pantera, Ck and lots of other kinds.
"I'd cry if anything happed to it,"she admitted.
"I don't blame you,"he agreed. He loves his camera too.
She smiled at him.
"So did you leave a guy at home?"he asked trying to sound casual.
"No,"she replied honestly,"Do you have a girlfriend?"
He shook his head no.
"Good,"she murmered.
"Why good?"he questioned.
"Well I dunno. We'll probably be together alot these 2 months,"she commented.
"Yeah probably,"he agreed.
She smiled.
"But I'm glad,"she confided.
"Me too,"he told her picking up her camera, flipping it on then pointing at himself.
"And this is where they kiss,"he intoned turning it off and putting his arms around her.
He smiled then leaned down and kissed her softly. They deepened the kiss at the same time.
She pulled back suddenly.
"What?"he whispered.
"I had to make sure this is really Isaac Hanson,"she replied.
"That's what my underwear say,"he assured her.
Her giggle was cut off by his lips.
"So your moving back?"Brittany asked sadly. She had been looking forward to having a good friend in a place where she didn't know anybody.
"Yeah."
"That sux,"she muttered.
"Yeah you come back too,"he told her smiling.
"Yeah,"she scoffed,"I wish." They were sitting in his black Saturn listening to Metallica. He skipped the cd to "Unforgiven II" and she smiled. That song was her fav.
She turned towards him and frowned. She didn't want him to leave! They'd been best friends since she had poured sand in his hair at the ripe old age of 3 at their neighborhood playground. Their moms had known each other vaguely but after that they had become good friends and so she and Josh had grown up together. She had taken up for him in second grade when his friends were saying she was his girlfriend. She smiled remembering punching Lee Cameron in the arm and then both of them standing in the corner for the rest of the day. He had sat in her backyard when her kitty Cleo had died and gave her his favorite baseball card to make her feel better. When they got in middle school they went to Valentines Day dance together b/c he was too shy to as the girl he liked. Then in 8th grade he'd beat up her boyfriend for cheating on her with another girl. They'd went through the horrors of being a freshmen together and she's made him feel better when he didn't make the soccer team. Then 6 months ago he'd moved and they just hadn't kept in touch.
"What are you thinking about?"he asked observing her thoughtful expression.
"Oh just thinking about how it's always been me and you and we were apart and now we're together again and in a week or 2 we'll be apart again,"she told him sadly.
He smiled and lightly tapped her arm.
"Cheer up Brittany Breigh,"he said using her middle name,"I'll come back to see you. I mean my dad will still be here and I'm coming back and staying for the res of the summer after my mom settles in. We'll always be together cos we love each other."
She smiled mistily. Josh was really affectionate and open so they'd always said they loved each other and stuff. It meant more now tho because they had drifted so far apart and that closed the gap and once again they were 3 years old and throwing sand.
She punched him in the arm.
"Love ya too but enough of this mushy stuff! Let's go back in!"she suggested cheerfully.
He laughed and they got out and started back towards the mall.
"Hi I'm Taylor Hanson,"Taylor introduced smiling at 2 girls. They looked singularly unimpressed.
"So?"one asked.
He blushed.
"Um. So what are your names?"he asked.
They smiled at each other. Two guys were walking that way.
"Not."
"Interested,"they replied walking off towards the guys.
"Yeah well that's a lovely name,"he muttered to himself walking off.
He saw a familiar blond girl walking towards him.
"Hey Tay,"she greeted.
"Ariel?"he questioned never just sure which girl was which.
She smiled.
"Yeah. What're you doing?"she asked.
"Nothing fun,"he answered,"Where are your sisters?"
"I dunno. They're here somewhere."
"Your always with them though!"
She shrugged and he looked at her specualtivly. She was kinda pretty and actually normal when her dumb sisters weren't around. Anyways she was better than nobody! He smiled at her.
"Wanna walk around?"he offered.
"Sure!"she accepted smiling brightly at him.
Finally, he thought to himself, a little attention.
"Well call me ok?"Brittany told Josh.
"Ok I will for sure. We can all do something tomorrow,"he promised.
"Alright! Sounds good!"she enthused hugging him.
Taylor scowled.
"I'll call you when I get home,"he told Ariel. She sighed happily.
"Ok. I'll keep Amber and Ashley off the phone,"she promised.
He smiled at her.
"C'mere."he kissed her lightly then more deeply when he caught Brittany staring at them.
She frowned a little and kissed Josh on the cheek. Two could play at that game!
Jennifer and Zac were sitting on a bench tickling each other and seeing who could be tickled longest without laughing. So far Zac was in the lead with 2 minutes and 18 seconds.
Hope and Isaac were filming them while keeping up a steady commentary to the cameras. Hope nudged Isaac and started filming Taylor, Ariel, Brittany and Josh.
"This is Taylor trying to make Brittany jealous with a stalking, pyschopathic triplet girl,"she whispered.
"And this is Brittany trying to make Tay jealous with her best friend since they were mere tots,"Isaac said whispering also.
"They may never get it all figured out,"Hope mourned.
"It's a sad sad thing,"Ike intoned, deadpan. They both chuckled and turned their cameras off.
Josh was leaving right as Amber and Ashley came outside of the mall. They stared icily at Jennifer and Hope.
They both got really close with Zac and Isaac, smiling sweetly at Amber and Ashley.
"Come on Ariel!"Ashley snapped. Ariel ran over to her sisters. They turned and walked off.
"God how pathetic,"Jennifer muttered. They all nodded except for Taylor. He merely stood there quietly with his hands in his pockets watching them.
Hope giggled.
"Come on Brittany!"she snapped mocking Amber.
"O-o-kay master! I'm sooooo soorry!"Brittany gushed, playing along.
"You better be glad there are two more of us sharing this brain or you wouldn't know what to do with it. Geez,"Hope declared in a mock disgusted tone.
Brittany looked down at the ground sadly.
"I know Ashley,"she whispered.
They both giggled then realized Taylor was scowling at them. Brittany coughed to cover another laugh.
"Well let's go,"Isaac told them. They decided to go home and let Jennifer and Hope unpack their stuff and get settled in. Tomorrow they'd get together again.
"Mom! We're home!"Brittany yelled when they walked in the front door. Jennifer and Hope laughed and hugged Anne at the same time. Hope's dad Robert was and always had been just flat out silly! He always had a funny remark for everything and nicknames for the three girls after silly things they'd done. They talked for a few more minutes then the phone rang. Brittany jumped up to answer it. She hung the phone up then went upstairs where Jennifer and Hope were. Taylor shrugged. The phone rang but they couldn't fine their cordless so they let someone else answer it. A few minutes later their mom stuck her head in the door. He sat there and started tapping his fingers in annoyance. She was singing. He hated when girls sat on the phone just singing. You can sing by yourself! She couldn't sing that great either he noted. She'll stop any second he told himself. Any second now. She kept right on singing. He heard muffled laughter and saw Zac and Isaac laughing into pillows on the floor. He frowned at them. The phone rang sending Isaac and Zac into another fit of laughter. They called and told them then talked for a few minutes. They all agreed it would be fun and decided to go about 6:30. They hung up and Taylor stopped pouting at dinner because their mom had fixed lasagna and he LoVeD her lasagna! Brittany cancelled her plans with Josh to chill with Jen and Hope. He was a really good friend but she wasn't gonna put him before her best friend and cousin. And besides he knew they were best friends! If his feelings were hurt she'd just pour some sand on him!
"How are your mom and dad sweetie?"she asked Hope.
"They're doing good! They said they would probably call sometime soon to see about coming up because they want to see you and grandma and everyone,"she answered.
"Ok great. I might give them a call later. I miss your daddy and his silliness! It's been too quiet for me!"Anne informed them smiling.
"Well how are your parents?"she asked Jennifer.
"They're ok. Mom just got a new job and she likes it alot,"she replied.
"Well whenever you talk to them tell them I said hello!"she told Jennifer.
"Hello?"
"Hi. Is Brittany there?"
Brittany smiled recognizing Josh's voice.
"This is me."
"Oh. Hey this is Josh."
"Hey! What are you doing?"she asked.
"Not much. Do you wanna get together later?"
She thought for a minute.
"Um sure,"she replied feeling guilty. They were all supposed to just stay home tonight and now she'd be leaving Jennifer and Hope alone.
"Ok. What do you wanna do?"he asked.
"Let's go rollerblading,"she suggested.
"I hate rollerblading."
"Well ok,"she replied,"how about the movies?"
"What movie?"he asked.
"What about 'The Man In The Iron Mask'?"
"I didn't really wanna see that,"he hedged,"what about another movie?"
She shook her head then remembered he couldn't see her.
"I can't think of anything else I wanna see,"she replied,"let's forget the movies."
"Ok I'll just come get you about 7 and we'll decide from there,"he suggested.
"Ok,"she agreed.
"Well bye."
"Bye."
"Who was that?"Jennifer asked.
"Josh. We're gonna do something at 7,"she told them.
Hope stared at her.
"I thought you were staying here with us,"she told her slowly.
Brittany shifted uncomfortably.
"I guess not,"she answered. Hope didn't say anything and went back to unpacking. So did Jennifer. Brittany just shrugged and started looking for something to wear.
"You really like Ariel?"Ike asked incredulously.
Taylor shrugged. "She's ok."
Isaac widened his eyes at Zac.
"She's okay? Her and her sisters chase us and Ariel calls you Tay Tay....no nothing wrong at all!"Isaac agreed sarcastically.
"Phone Taylor,"she told him holding the phone out.
"Thanx mom,"he replied taking the phone.
"Hello?"
"Tay Tay! You never called like you promised,"Ariel's voice told him sulkily.
"Oh sorry. I was talking to my brothers,"he half heartedly apologized.
"What about?"he heard a voice ask in the background.
"Have you got me on speaker phone?"he demanded.
"Yeah..."she answered.
"Well then get me off or I'm hanging up,"he announced. He heard a click.
"Ok your off."
"Good."
Ariel! Stop!"he basically yelled.
"Well you don't have to yell!"she complained.
"Well geez! I hate when girls sing on the phone!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!" They sat there in silence for a few minutes.
"Taylor?"she asked tentativly.
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry,"she apologized.
"You don't have to apologize. You didn't know it gets on my nerves,"he told her. He hated when people apologized all the time just as much as when they sat there singing!
"No I shouldn't have done it. I'm really sorry. Do you forgive me?"she inquired.
You didn't do anything,"he responded.
Taylor! Are you gonna forgive me or not?"she whined anxiously.
"Yes! Damn! Yes I forgive you!"he exploded.
"Your mean to me!"she accused.
"Ahh!"
She was going on and on about how sensitive she was and stuff.
"I really have to go Ariel!"he interruped quickly.
"Why?"she demanded.
He searched his brain for an excuse desperatly.
"Because...uhhhh Mama needs a bath!"he told her quickly referring to his ancient cat who would probably have a heart attack if he tried to put her in water.
"Bye!"he told her hanging up.
"Hello?!"
"Uh...Can I speak to Taylor?"
"This is him."
"Oh hey! This is Kristen. Do you have Brittany's number?"she asked.
"Yeah,"he replied then gave her the number.
"Thanx! Bye!"she said hanging up. Taylor hung up.
"Who was that?"Zac asked.
"Kristen wanting Brittany's number.
"Oh. I think Jennifer likes me!"Zac confided happily.
"Yeah I think Hope likes me too,"he Isaac bragged.
Taylor didn't want to talk about Ariel so he sat there quietly, hoping they wouldn't bring it up.
Isaac and Zac grinned at each other.
"So Tay,"Zac began,"how about you and Ariel?" Zac and Isaac started laughing. Taylor scowled and left the room. They just laughed harder.
"So where are we gonna go tomorrow?"Zac asked.
"I don't know. I thought something fun like bowling or skating,"Isaac answered.
"Yeah! Let's call and tell 'em!"Zac suggested.