Nights like these were usually so peacfull. Zac figured you could either just lay like he was, and do absolutely nothing while a chick continued to weave her hands through your hair, or you could really party, play drinking games, jump off of roofs naked into neighbor swimming pools, or you could have no fun and stay home.
Kristen had him by a leash, and Zac pretty much knew it. He had had about 6 beers already, nothing compared to how the night would end, but he already felt it warming up his body.
"Where's your friends?"
Zac yawned and opened his eyes.
His head was laying in her lap, her legs crossed, and her long blond hair just about to reach his face.
"Upstairs."
She nodded and smiled.
There were three other occupants in this particular room, one sleeping on the bed, the other two chatting about some even that seemed to have happened weeks ago. Each holding a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
Kristen removed her fingers and leaned back, allowing the wall to hold her up.
"Glad you came."
Zac slowly nodded, eyes still shut, he reached above his head and grabbed her hands.
"I don't think anything could ruin this moment."
She leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead.
"I think your right."
It was like a vibe that shot straight through his body and exploded out the top of his head.
"Brent I think we should go."
"Tay! Jesus! Stop being a baby."
Taylor swallowed hard and paused.
"I'm serious Brent, I think we should leave, I just got this bad feeling."
"Tough, unless you see your little brother you have nothing to worry about."
Throwing his arms in the air, Taylor sighed.
Mumbling under his breath he replied.
"Yeah, well we'll see when the shit hits the fan."
She heard the noise from downstairs. The guitar, and Isaac. For the past 15 minutes of course. He was what had woken her up. She was sure he had been down there much longer then 15 minutes.
Rolling over to look at the clock on Isaac's bed stand, she smiled. It was one in the morning. She was surprised to realize that he was downstairs, in Zac's room, still playing a guitar, and risking his younger brother walking in any minute.
Then again Isaac wasn't really worried about that.
She loved the sound of him, he sounded so natural…like he was born with this ability to play beautiful music.
Occasionally she could hear his voice, which made her heart flitter. Sometimes, he would sing to her, only sometimes though, and only when there was no one else around. Tammy loved how it made her feel, like he was sharing this big romantic secret with her that she knew the whole world would want if they only knew about it.
She sat up, leaning her back against the head of the bed, and pulling the covers tight up around her.
Tammy really had wondered what had ever happened between brothers to make them stop singing together.
Her family had been friends of the Hansons for quite some time, she could recall, and she remembered them being quite young, Isaac playing the guitar, Zac on the drums, and Taylor on the keyboard.
That was a long time ago, however, and Isaac had made it very clear to her that if she didn't realize why the three had split up, she would probably never know.
That was all he had said about that, and he had left Tammy a little irritated and all too curious. They had been good she'd thought, and there had been really no reason that was clear to see, or maybe it was one of those personal inside the home of the hansons that had killed the hanson brothers. Who knew.
All Tammy knew was that right then, her Isaac was making beautiful music in her house, probably sounding better then he ever had to her, and he was probably remembering every memory good and bad that he ever had about music.
Sighing, Tammy stood from the bed and walked to the door. Opening it just a crack, she listened more. She could clearly hear his voice now, and her heart picked up and she smiled.
Tip toeing down the stairs to the living room, she made her way to the sofa and stopped for a moment.
He sounded so sad she thought. Like every time he played a chord, he was tearing his heart out.
Continuing her trek to the room, she stood by Zac's door and waited.
It was open, she could see Isaac sitting on the bed, one leg propped up to hold the guitar, his arm drapped across the top, his fingers jumping back and forth across the strings.
"Ike?"
He jumped, startled by her presence and looked at her.
"You weren't supposed to be up."
She nodded.
"I know. I couldn't help it. You woke me."
Isaac shrugged then looked down at the dirty tan carpet.
"Sorry…I didn't mean to."
Tammy smiled and walked to the bed beside him.
"No, it was beautiful. Really, I'm glad I got to hear it."
Isaac nodded.
"Ike? Did you write that on your own? Just now?"
"Nagh. I wrote that a long time ago."
"When you were with your brothers?"
Isaac paused for a moment, picking at a fuzzball that clung to the blanket on Zac's bed.
"Yeah."
"Did you guys ever sing it…together?"
Isaac sighed and looked up at her.
"Yeah."
She nodded.
"I love you Isaac Hanson."
Isaac smiled.
"I love you too."
Searching the already dirty coffee table, he found the television clicker.
"Some party."
He'd been there for 2 hours, no sign of Zac, so it wasn't half as bad as he had pictured it to be, as he had thought, Brent had disappeared to go play a stupid game or whatever, that left Taylor sitting on the sofa doing what he usually did.
Nothing.
He clicked through the channels, finding really nothing of interest, except some monty python movie, and shrugged, tossing the remote back onto the mess of a table.
Slouching back into his seat he relaxed.
Taylor had just gotten comfortable, and had reached the best part of the movie (you know…the bridge scene) when he was startled by loud laughter.
It was late, it was almost 2 in the morning, most of the people had left, were passed out, or were peacfully smoking or drinking in some secluded room.
Taylor sat forward, looking in the direction of the hallway.
He heard voices, and patiently awaited for their owners to appear.
They grew louder, and laughter came throughout the conversation.
Taylor sat back, in the conclusion that, at the rate they were moving, they'd probably never get to the living room.
Getting comfortable once more, he continued his movie watching.
Mark had stepped out into the living room but quickly retreated, stepping on Tucker who had stopped Scott.
"Shit Mark! What the hell?"
Mark slammed his fingers to his lips.
"Shut the hell up!"
Scott and Tucker looked at him in perplexity.
"What?"
"Taylor is out there!"
Scott stifled a laugh and started to walk forward.
Mark placed an arm in front of him and shoved him back.
"Taylor Hanson, you know Zac's brother, he's sitting right out there on the sofa."
Scott peered around the corner.
"Damn!"
Tucker giggled.
"This is gonna be fun."
"Shut up Tucker."
"We gotta find kate."
The three nodded.
Running back up the stairs they walked quickly back to the door they came from.
"Hey Kate."
She frowned.
"I thought you guys were leaving."
"We were, but see, there's this little problem."
"What's that?"
"Zac's brother is downstairs."
She shook her head.
"What the hell is Isaac doing here?"
Tucker laughed again.
"Not Isaac, Taylor."
Kate's face went white.
"Oh shit."
"Yeah, that's what mark said."
"Shut up Tucker your drunk."
Kate stood up from the circle of people.
Lets go then.
Kate's intentions weren't really to get the two in a fight, but she had to admit, she knew Brent just about the best out of all of them, and it was a pretty stupid thing to do to bring Taylor to Mike's place.
Walking down the steps to the room that Zac had last been seen, she pushed the door open.
"Ohh man!"
Mark and Tucker turned away, covering their eyes and whining.
"Zaaaaccc."
Kate smirked and nodded.
"I hate to break up the 'Kristen, Zac Mac fest, I bet it sold hundreds of tickets, but we need your assistance out here."
Kristen frowned as Zac leaned over and kissed her once more.
"Zac…c'mon man..."
Tuckers face was painted like a horror story.
"You DO like her don't you!"
Mark chuckled.
"Zac's gonna hear about this one on the ride home."
Slowly standing up, Zac walked to the door.
"What."
Kate curled her upper lip at him.
"Don't snap at me. Not my fault Brent and Taylor decided to show up."
Zac frowned.
"You shouldn't joke like that."
Tucker shook his head.
"Dude, she's not joking."
Zac's face turned from a frown to a dark scowl.
"So then where is he?"
"In the living room."
Zac sighed.
"God I hate him."
Kate nodded sympathetically.
"I know."
Zac stood in thought.
"Here's the plan. You four go out there and see what he does, I'll wait in here, then Kate can come back and tell me what flys."
They nodded, and Zac watched as the four of them exited the room.
Kristen looked up at him from her spot on the floor.
"While your waiting can we finish?"
His eyes popped open at the sound of loud laughter and play fighting.
When he actually noticed who it was, his heart sank.
"Oh lookie here."
Scott motioned for the screwing around to cease, and the four of them looked down at the sofa.
"Yeah lookie here."
Taylor only occasionally glanced up at the four sets of prying eyes.
"This wouldn't be Taylor hanson would it? Like…Zac's brother? Gosh…that'd be so coincidental."
For a bunch of 15 year olds, they could be pretty intimidating when placed in groups.
"Yeah that's me, so what about it…scott."
Scott grinned and looked back at Mark and Tucker.
"So why would a person like you come to a place where you know you could get into trouble?"
Taylor rolled his eyes.
"Is Zac here."
"I don't know. He might be, might not. You know he got kicked out of his house. By your mom, he's living with your other brother, you know, Isaac."
"I have ears, I can hear things, I'm not dumb…"
"Oh really? Cause that's not what Zac says."
"Fuck Zac!"
"Want me to send him your regards?"
Taylor made a nasty face at Scott and fiddled with the ring on his finger.
"Look, take you and your sorry asses home, I've got nothing to say to any of you."
"Sorry asses?"
Tucker glared at Taylor.
"Yeah. Sorry asses. I don't know what your problem with me is, but you should probably get over it."
By this time Kate had quietly slipped back into the hall, and into the room.
