"So how'd you and Zac do today all by your lonesomes?"
Isaac shrugged. Zac had gone for a walk just before Tammy had returned home, and hadn't been home since. Considering it had been 3 hours ago, Isaac was almost a little worried.
"It was alright I guess, but I just think, I think maybe I made him a little angry, like, maybe he's a little pissed at me."
Tammy frowned, understanding a little, but not enough to comprehend what Ike was getting at.
"Why, what happened?"
"Oh well, I mean, not a whole lot, but I think he didn't hear what he wanted to hear, and he's not quite sure what to do about it."
Tammy looked away from her celery chopping.
"Alright then, so to get to the bottom of this, what did you two talk about?"
"Kristin."
"And?"
Isaac looked back at Tammy from the kitchen table.
"I just don't get it Tammy, Zac and I haven't really talked much since I moved out of the house, that was almost a year ago, and now all of a sudden he thinks I can understand his non-commital relationship with some girl I've never even met. I don't know how he can expect me to give a completely honest answer."
"So then what did you say?"
"I told him that maybe he needed to think about what he was doing, in retrospect to her. And that maybe you were the right person to be talking to about this kind of thing instead of me. After all, girls know what girls want."
Laughing, Tammy went back to her vegetables.
"You laugh like this is some sort of joke. I'm really not comfortable with talking to Zac about anything, let alone girls, don't you get that?"
Tammy stopped abruptly, turning and frowing. Walking to Isaac she wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly.
"I'm sorry Ike. I know your a bit hesitant, I get it. But you really don't need to be so anxious around him, if he's willing to look to you, maybe...well just maybe it's time to start re-hashing some of those old wounds...time to patch up a few misunderstandings. He obviously seems to have enough confidence..."
"Tammy it's not just him...It's a two way street here."
Smiling Tammy stood up again, walking back to the sink.
"It was just a suggestion, just think about it would you?"
Kate motioned towards the candy aisle.
"If you want something, you can grab it too."
Tucker grinned and turned abruptly down the aisle, humming as he made his way to the candy and stopped, his eyes wandering over the endless selection.
Turning around, Kate looked at the frozen food section.
"Frozen pizza. It's gross, but it's better then nothing."
Heading down the aisle, she looked up to notice Kristin standing at the end, staring blankly at the vegetables, a note in one hand and a grocery basket in the other.
"Hey Kristin!"
Kristin jumped, faintly startled by the outburst and turned, realizing who it was and smiling.
"Hi Kate."
As Kate walked over to her, she turned back to the vegetables, sighing and grabbing for the glass doors handle.
"So how're things going with you girl?"
Kristin smiled and shrugged.
"Fine I guess."
Frowning, Kate switched her bottle of juice to the opposite hand.
"You don't look too fine, something the matter?"
Shaking her head she grabbed a bag of frozen peas.
"C'mon Kristin, what's the matter? Am I your nemessis, or is it like, Zac or..or what?"
Sighing Kristin placed the peas in her basket and looked at Kate.
"Has Zac always been difficult? I mean, like really difficult? Has he just always been insensitive to everyone else around him? If so, then I don't even know why I fell for it in the first place. You know? I have so much more stuff I could have done rather then chase his juvenile ass all over kingdom come."
"Woah woah! Easy girl, slow down! Now what exactly is going on? Something about Zac and being juvenile?"
Shrugging once more, Kristin shut the glass door.
"I was talking to him on the phone the other night, and he just like, blew me off, and I wanted to ask him if he wanted to do anything with me later, but he cut me off. I just want him to listen to me for a little you know? I want him to really understand me. And it seems like he's wrapped up in all of his own crap."
"Well he is kinda wrapped up in his own little deal. He's got a lot going on right now, I mean, if it makes you feel any better, he's sort of abusing his friends too."
"I just don't get it though. I thought he was serious."
"Cmon Kristin, I just figure he's really pre occupied right now, I'll bet he's stewing over what happened between you two."
"I doubt it."
"Call him?"
"I'll think about it."
Kate smiled.
"He's hard to work with sometimes, maybe he just needs a fierce shove once and a while, and that'll fix him."
Laughing, the two started down the aisle.
"You really shouldn't let these things get in your way. I mean, don't let him get you down like that, sometimes it's hard having a friend that brings you down sometimes, but it's always a cool feeling when they acknowledge you being there for them."
Nodding Kristin looked over at Kate again.
"Is he always unreasonable?"
"He's unreasonable a lot, he's hard to live with a lot, but once you get him to understand a lot of it, he's always reasonable when it comes right down to it."
The two looked up as Tucker rounded the corner, three bags of candy in tow.
"Oh hey Kristin!"
Laughing, the two girls stopped.
"Tucker man, you are too funny!"
"Isaac! Your starting to sound worse then me, either way, I wouldn't be too worried."
"Wouldn't be too worried?"
"I thought you didn't care anyway, sit back and relax, I'm sure he'll be in any minute now."
Isaac sat back in his chair and started popping his knuckles.
Closing her book and setting it on the table, Tammy glared at Isaac.
"Isaac Hanson! Stop that!"
"I can't help it."
Tammy sighed, she was just getting ready to go into a spiel about how unrational Isaac was being when the front door swung open.
"Where have you been?!"
Isaac stood up, waiting for a response.
"I took a walk?"
"A 5 hour walk? Zac I was...we were worried!"
"I know!"
"Where did you go?"
"To a place!"
"That's a little vague don't you think? I mean...a place? no I thought you just dissapeared off the face of the earth."
"It's a place I go to get away, and it's a little ways away! It took me a while to get there!"
"You should have at least told us!"
"Isaac look, it's something that's important to me...can you get over that?"
Zac dropped his jacket on the chair and began walking to his room.
"Zac?"
"I need space away from here just once in a while okay? Can I at least go to my room without you flipping out on me?"
"Hey Tucker, would you grab me a bag of M&M's please, I'm totally craving them."
"Tammy you don't get it...He's been gone for like, 5 hours now!"
