"What should I do, Phoebe? Why is this happening to me?" Tamara cried to her best friend later that night. Tamara was still in shock from the TRL surprise with Haley Adiela and had gone over to Phoebe's house down the street from the Hanson's and the Souder's.
"Maybe that girl was just making it up," Phoebe suggested hopefully. "I mean, she just wants attention and..."
"Yeah right, I wish. No, she doesn't need Taylor to get to the top. Look, you can't turn on the radio without hearing her song. Watch," Tamara leaned over and turned on the radio next to the bed.
...beat of my heart beats for you
Every day and night I say your name
Every beat of my heart says I love you
Time may take us apart but I'll still care...
Tamara groaned. "See? She's everywhere...plus she's goreogous...Taylor!" She burst into sobs again. Phoebe gave her a hug.
"I think you should call Taylor."
"And say what? Taylor, are you cheating on me? Because I was watching TRL and this bisotch was on and said she was dating you!"
"Well, when's the tour over?"
"In about a week and a half. I can't see him, I'll just die. Why...!"
"Let's go to a club tonight downtown," said Phoebe. "It'll help get your mind off of things and maybe you'll meet someone even better that Taylor."
"Not possible. But maybe I will go...fine, let's go."
Taylor lay on his bed in the privacy of his bunk in the tour bus. So far, no one had seen him and he hoped he wouldn't have to see anyone for a very long time. He was dreading the show that night, he knew the fans would be pissed. He also was very worried that Tamara had see TRL, but he knew she probably had. She was a devoted follower of Carson Daly and almost never missed an episode. He shoved his face in his pillow, trying to suffocate and die. He couldn't face his brothers, his parents, the management and escpecially Haley. He couldn't believe that she had announced it on cable television for all his fans to hear. And they weren't even officiallly "going out" either. She had no right. Taylor decided to go outside to find her and give her a piece of his mind.
He found her before he had a chance to think about what he was going to say. She was inside the press room, helping herself to some fruit and a soda. He drew in his breath when he saw what she was wearing. She had on a pair of tight white shorts and a silver tank top that revealed her stomach. Her hair was up in a messy bun and ringlets hung around her face. She glanced up as he came into the room and then turned back to the table.
"Oh, hi Taylor," she said nonchalontly.
"Thanks a lot," Taylor said coldly.
"What does that mean?" she said as she turned to face him.
"Thanks for ruining my life!"
"Taylor, you sure enjoyed ruining your life. You were head over heels for me! Besides, you never even told me you had a girlfriend..."
"How do you know I have a girlfriend?"
"Zac told me. You obviously don't care about her at all, you were so caught up with me."
"Do you know what you've done? You might have ruined my career...my family is going to be so disappointed in me and I've wrecked my relationship with Tamara...and all for a skank like you!"
"What? How dare you call me that! Taylor, I don't give two craps about you and Zac was the only one to see that from the beginning. I could get any guy I want...don't you see I'm just using you? You are so blind..."
Taylor stood there stunned. "What? Then why did you go and tell the world that we're going out?"
"To stir things up. I swear, you Hansons are so boring, you're just a bunch of goody-goodies. I wanted to smear your reputation a little."
"You're going to ruin your own reputation. None of the fans will like you."
"What do I care? I'm not trying to attract your fans...my fans are the ones who like Backstreet Boys and N sync and Britney Spears, not some teenybopper Hanson freaks."
"Don't you dare talk about the fans that way!"
"Oh, get a life Taylor. Are you totally stupid? Any other fool on this tour knows I already have a boyfriend." She held a picture out to him. He grabbed it and almost fainted when he saw who it was. It was Nick Carter.
"Nick Carter? Nick Carter is your boyfriend?"
"Yeah, and he know's this is all a little plot to ruin Hanson. You know you guys are compitition for them and without you in the way, Backstreet will rule once again. With the help of me, of course."
Taylor stared at her in disbelief. "You are not touring with us anymore."
"Not a problem. I was going to leave this pathetic little tour anyway to join up with Christina Aguilera in Boston in two days."
He gave her a disgusted look and left the room. On the way out, he bumped into Isaac, who wouldn't even look at him.
"Ike, it's not true..."
"Get out of my way," Ike said as he pushed Taylor away.
Taylor ran out to the buses and ran into his. Zac was in there tying his shoes. He gave Taylor a glance and then turned away. "Listen Zac, it's not what it seems...
"Yeah right Taylor."
"It'll be okay..."
"If you ruined our career, I'll never forgive you," Zac glared at Taylor and then left the bus. Tay turned on the T.V and went to MTV. TRL was on again and Tay glanced at his watch. In fifteen minutes MTV News would be on and they would probably be running the story about Haley and Taylor. If he could get there in time and explain the truth, everything would be okay.
By the time he got to the studio, MTV News had been on the air for five minutes. The traffic in New York had been awful, he wished that they had never left Dallas and come to New York again. He ran into the reception area and asked the lady where the show was taping.
"Studio 5-A. But only authorized personell are allowed to enter. You can sit and wait here..."
"No thanks," Taylor said as he dashed down the hall and got to an elevator. He went to the fifth level and looked at his watch. There was only ten minutes of the show left. He found the room and slipped into it. It looked like they were on a commercial break, because everyone was talking. Taylor ran on the set.
"Please," he gasped. "It's not...true...about me and...Haley Adiela..."
"Why, Taylor Hanson! What a surprise. Sorry, can't chat now, we're back in 10," said the news anchor.
"Just let me quick explain about me and Haley. It won't take long. Please, I have to!"
"Well, I suppose we could take out the piece about Britney Spears' implants. It's old news anyway. Okay, get ready!"
"As an extra bonus, we've arranged for a quick interview with Taylor Hanson. Now as you heard earlier on TRL, Haley Adiela stated that you and here were currently seeing each other. Is this true?"
"NO! It is completley false. I have no relationship with that girl except that she is on tour with me and my brothers. I think it was just a practical joke that she was playing on me."
"So you and her are not seeing each other?"
"No way. I wouldn't touch her with a 10 foot pole."
"We're here live with Taylor Hanson, who has just admitted that he and newcomer Haley Adiela are NOT seeing each other. Apparently what Haley said earlier on TRL was false. Now the question, do you have a girlfriend?"
Taylor looked at the camera and took a breath. "I...yes, I do have a girlfriend. She is wonderful and I think...I think I love you..." Everyone in the studio awwed.
"Well, there you have it...Taylor and Haley are not an item, but to the fans disappointment, Taylor does admit to having a girlfriend. Well, that's all the time we have for today. Next up is Real World..."
Taylor gave a sigh of relief. "Thanks, I really had to do that. Hey, you want some inside info on Haley? She stuffs her bra, lipsyncs at concerts and I heard she's dating Nick Carter. That will be all."
"Thanks Taylor!"
Taylor left the studio and hailed a cab back to the stadium. He felt relieved, but was still worried about what to do with Tamara and the fans at the concert that night. At least Tamara would still be his girlfriend no matter what.
"No matter what, I am not going back to Taylor Hanson," said Tamara.
"Well, you heard him, he said that he wasn't going out with that Haley girl," Phoebe said.
"So what? He could be lying. She sounded pretty sure of herself."
"Tamara! He admitted that he was going out with you! He said that! He loves you and your so lucky...every Hanson fan is gonna hate you now."
Tamara smiled a little. "Yeah...but I think that maybe this is just what me and Tay need, a little shake up to realize that we need a break from each other."
"A break? But you guys hardly ever even see each other! Tamara, you're crazy. He's a great guy."
"Yeah, but I never get to hang out with you anymore. Taylor's taking up too much of my time and energy."
"You have got to be kidding."
"No. I need some space and this whole Haley thing made me realize that I was so attached to him that I almost couldn't live without him. I need to get out of that mind set. I need to date more than one guy. You still up to go clubbing?"
"I will if you really want to," said Phoebe slowly.
"Yeah, I really want to."