Two weeks later, things were back to normal for the Hanson family, well, as normal as it could be for a family with three pop superstars. Recording was going well, they were a little behind schedule, as usual, but what they had so far sounded good. The tenative release date for the new album was May 2000, over nine months away. They were having some problems with their record company, Mercury, being bought by Island/ Def Jam and with some of the producers that were working on the album, but that was to be expected with the music industry, right?
"This was not to be expected!" Zac said frustratedly.
"Zac, chill out," said Taylor, always the peace-maker. "We're never going to get this record out!" yelled Ike, voicing his concern.
"Ike, relax," Taylor said to him.
"SHUT UP!" shouted Zac and Ike together.
"Geez, you guys are so sensitive," Tay said defensively.
"Tay, it's a touchy subject. Try and don't mention it," said Ike. He got up and paced around the room. "We've been in California for a month now and all we have is half the chorus of "If Only" and a guitar riff for "This Time Around"!"
"So, we're doing our best," Tay reasoned. "We don't want to rush things..."
"Taylor, for once in your LI-fe, freak out about something!" Zac screeched. "This is your career! What if people forget about you! You'll have to go to college in Tulsa and become a potato farmer!"
Taylor froze in place. "I don't want to be a potato farmer!"
"And I don't want an uncle named Bob!" said Ike. "And this cheese smells like my old pants!"
"Waaahhh!" cried Zac. "I hate my pants!"
The three brothers were in the midst of panic mania and bawling their eyes out when Christopher Sabec walked in the studio and slapped the three of them across their faces.
"Thanks, Chris, I needed that," said Zac, coming back to earth.
"I was getting a little worried there," said Ike.
"I wasn't," said Taylor, trying to act cool.
"Yeah right, potato farmer," sneered Zac. Tay glared at him and Chris broke things up.
"I know you guys are feeling pressured right now, so we've decided to give you the next couple days off. You can do whatever you want and you don't have to come to the studio."
"What?!" yelled Zac. "What's going on?!"
"You're getting a break," said Chris.
"What's a break?" asked Zac, pretending to faint.
"It's one of those things when you don't have to go to work and you can do absolutley nothing if you want to," explained Tay.
"Oh! I'd forgotten what those things were," Zac said.
"Ha ha, I get it," said Chris. "So we'll give you the next four days to chill and then we'll really get to work."
"Okay!" said the three brothers in unison. They practically ran out the door to the pink, rented El Camino waiting in the alley and jumped inside.
"I know this sounds bad, but I'm really glad we don't have to record for a couple days," said Zac. "My voice is starting to sound wEI-urd!"
"Zac, you're voice has been sounding weird since we left Tulsa, on account of your puberty spurt," laughed Ike, starting the car.
They drove down the road and got onto the L.A Turnpike. It was another sunny California day, so Ike decided to put down the convertible top on the car.
"You know, this car isn't as nice as mine back home, but at least it's a convertible," he said.
"I can't believe we rented this stupid El Camino instead of that silver Eclipse," groaned Taylor, slumping down in the cow covered seats.
"Hey, this car's a beaut," said Zac. "Watch me!" he said, standing up and waving at the other cars on the freeway. A huge tractor-trailer drove by and honked his horn at Zac, causing him to lose his balance and fall back onto his seat. His brothers laughed at him and Zac just grinned as he buckled his seatbelt back up.
"You're retarded," laughed Taylor. "You're a nerd!"
"I know! But it makes me just as loveable and enjoyable as always," Zac said.
"Hey guys," said Ike. "Think I can pass this car up there?"
"That red Mustang convertible up there?" asked Taylor. "Yeah, go for it, except our exit is coming up soon."
"Who says we have to go home right away," Ike asked slyly. "Let's go into the city for a couple of hours. We'll just call Mom and Dad and say we had to stay at the studio late."
"Oooh! Sneaky!" exclaimed Zac. "I like the way you think!"
"Well, I guess so," Tay said uncertaintly. "But you better pass that car before we crash into the railing!" Ike switced lanes quickly and speeded up till he was side by side to the red Mustang. The Hanson's all looked over to the Mustang at the same time and saw three faces staring back at them. Ike almost lost control of the car.
"Whoa, look at them!" he shouted to Taylor. The three girls in the Mustang smiled and waved the the Hanson's and suddenly speeded up ahead of them.
"Not too bad, eh?" grinned Ike to his brothers. "I think they want us to follow them!"
"I don't think that's such a good idea..." Taylor started to stay.
"Wow! That one girl was hot!" yelled Zac. Taylor turned around to look at his brother in surprise.
"But Zac! What about Holly!" Taylor asked.
"What?" Zac said slyly. "We're in different zip codes! Besides, you're the last one who should yell at me about checking out girls, Taylor. Sierra, Tamara, Haley, shall I go on?"
"Okay, okay," Taylor protested. "Fine, you guys go do your thing, just don't expect me to join in the fun."
Ike looked at him with a skeptical expression on his face. "Whatever you say, Tay," he said, speeding up the El Camino to catch up with the girls in the Mustang. They reached the car and Zac and Ike waved to the girls in the car. They laughed and zipped away down to the next exit and got off on it, waving for the El Camino to follow them.
"Shall we?" asked Ike.
"Yeah! Let's have some fun!" Zac said.
"I don't think we should do..." Taylor said as Ike put the pedal to the metal and followed the girls in the Mustang. They followed the girls down to center city Los Angeles, where the lights were just starting to come on and the music was getting louder. The Mustang pulled over to the side of the road and Ike followed suit.
Ike and Zac hopped out of the car, Taylor following miserably behind. The girls got out of their car and started heading over to them. They met halfway.
"Hey," said Isaac, stepping up to the girl who looked the oldest. "I'm Isaac..."
"We know who you are," said the tallest girl, who had shoulder length brown hair. "I'm Tracie, this is Mindie," she said to pointing to the next oldest girl, who had long blonde hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail. "And this is Sylvie," she said, referring to the youngest looking girl, who had dark brown hair past her chin. "We're sisters."
"Oh! Cool," said Ike. "We're brothers."
"We know," the three of them said at the same time.
"Well, it's really nice to meet you," said Taylor. "But we must really be going..."
"Oh, don't go!" said Mindie, smiling slyly at Taylor, who was looking uncomfortable. "We were just about to go to this really awesome night club called The Vibe. Wanna come with us?"
"Well, I don't know," Taylor started to say.
"Yeah, sure!" said Ike.
"Sounds cool," Zac said.
"Alright, great!" said Tracie. "You guys can watch us perform and tell us what you think."
"Perform?" questioned Ike.
"Sure. We're band too," Mindie said. "Well, not actually a band, cause we don't play the instruments. But we sing."
"And dance," added Sylvie.
"And we'd really like you to come watch us," said Tracie, smiling at Ike.
"Well, how can I say no?" said Ike. "What's your groups name?"
"3-D," said Mindie. "Cause there's three of us and our last name is Detweiler. Cool, huh?"
"Yeah, sure," Taylor muttered. It sounded pretty stupid to him and all he wanted to do was go home and watch The Amanda Show. But his dumb brothers wanted to stay and flirt with these three dancing bimbos.
"So you'll come with us?" asked Tracie.
"Sure," Ike and Zac together.
"Our name is Hanson," said Zac.
"We know," the girls said together.
"Yeah, Zac, we're famous, remember?" Taylor said sarcastically. Zac elbowed him in the stomach and smiled at the girls.
"Well, the club's right around the corner," said Tracie, leading the way. "We have to go in the back entrance though. You can come with us or go in through the front. You have to be 17 to get in, but I don't think you guys will have a problem."
"Yeah, cause we're famous," Taylor said under his breath again. He was pretty sure these girls were just using him and his brothers to help themselves get famous and he was really missing Tulsa and all his friends. "Maybe I'll just take a cab home guys," he said, slowing down.
"Oh no, don't go," Mindie said, grabbing his arm. "It'll be fun!"
"Yeah Tay, it'll be fun!" said Ike. "Besides, you can't go home, Mom and Dad will know we're not at the studio."
"Studio?" said Tracie, her eyes lighting up. "Maybe we could come with you and watch some day?"
"Yeah, that would be cool," said Ike. "Maybe tommorrow?"
"Ike!" hissed Tay, glaring at him. Couldn't he tell that they were just using him?
Ike gave him a funny look. "Shut up, Tay. Yeah, we can give you directions and you could just stop on by."
"Yeah! That would be great," said Tracie, looking at her sisters in a sly way. Zac and Ike didn't seem to notice, but Tay did. "Well, here we are," she said as they reached the back entrance of the club. "So are you just gonna come in here with us?"
Ike and Zac nodded and Tay followed them miserably. The girls went into a room to change. "I would just like everyone to know that I'm missing the first 10 minutes of The Amanda Show and on this one she was going to have dancing lobsters and I'm very disappointed," he said loudly. Everyone turned to look at him strangly and he felt stupid, but he didn't care. "AND my pants smell like cheese," he added for special effect.
"Okay Tay," Ike said smiling between his teeth. "You can stop embarrassing us now."
"No Ike! This isn't right! What about Carmen? And Holly? Am I the only one who's going to stay true?" Tay argued.
"They'll never know, anyway," Ike said. Tay was glad to see that he was looking a little guilty. "Let's just have fun. These girls seem cool and they're musicians too."
"Yeah, musicians who don't write and play their own music," Taylor sneered.
"Fine Tay," Zac said. "You can just sit backstage and be bored. Maybe you can even find a TV and watch The Amanda Show. But WE are going to have fun."
"The Amanda Show's half over anyway," Taylor said, giving up.
"That's a good boy," said Zac, petting his head.
"Get off me, Zac," Taylor growled.
"Down boy!" Zac laughed. Taylor frowned and slumped down into a chair. After about 10 minutes the girls came out of the dressing room, dressed in matching black pants and red halter tops.
"Wow, classy," Taylor muttered. Nobody seemed to hear him.
"Okay! We're ready to do this!" Tracie said excitedly. "Let's do it girls!"
"How about if you guys walk in with us?" asked Mindie. "You know, to make, like, an appearence?"
"Oh brother!" snorted Tay.
"Sure!" said Ike and Zac.
"Okay, cool," said Tracie. "Okay, you guys just, you know, link arms with each of us. Here, Zac and Sylvie go together," she instructed. "And Taylor and Mindie and me and Ike, okay?"
"Wait, I don't think that this is a good..." Taylor protested.
"Okay, we'll go first, right Tracie?" Ike said, putting his arm around her.
"We're next!" Zac said, doing the same to Sylive.
Mindie looked expectantly at Taylor.
"I'm not touching you," he said to her. She pouted and looked at her sister for help.
"Fine, you two just walk next to each other then," Tracie said to them.
"FINE!" yelled Taylor. "Let's just get this over with!" He grabbed Mindie by the arm and shoved her towards the door.
"Gee, what's with your brother?" asked Sylvie.
"He's got bad gas," Zac said seriously.
"Ohhhh," Sylvie said knowingly.
Taylor couldn't believe what was happening. What was going on with his brothers?