"Okay. Is it a good story?"
"Lissa! It's just a story."
"Oh."
"Don't sound so disappointed!"
"Sorry bud."
"S'okay."
"What you been up to lately?"
"Recording a lot, getting ready to release a new single."
"Really? Haven't seen you guys on tv much lately. You guys hiding out or something>"
"Nope, just working. Trying to figure out a new tour schedule."
"That's right! You guys are going on a tour!"
"I think we're going to hold off til the fall though. Wait the summer through. That way we just need to touch up on a new album when we get back."
Lissa grinned.
"You've been busy!"
"Mmmhmm."
"So how's your personal life then?"
"Good."
"Mey?"
"She's good too."
"So Tay, how is good?"
"Good! Man! I mean, we're still together I guess. Sort of."
"Sort of?"
"Well she, I don't know, I don't think she thinks that."
"I'm sure she does."
"Doesn't matter."
"Do you love her?"
"Of course I do!"
She patted him.
"It's cool."
"Yup."
"Told you so."
Taylor gasped, grinning.
"What ever do you mean!"
"Zac! Your too loud!"
"I can't help it! When are we going to then?"
"I don't know!"
"Who'd you get it from?"
"SSSSHHHHHH!"
"Sorry."
"Jem."
"So he is doing it then?"
"What do you think?"
"Okay then when?"
Zac thought for a moment. Yes, it was a bad idea, but he wasn't so sure he shouldn't rebel now.
"This weekend."
Zac Hanson giggled.
An adventure. He smiled at the thought. Broadening his horizons. He could enjoy it!
Taylor had talked to lissa for what seemed like hours, but actually remained a mere 45 minutes.
They had talked about life, love, everything in between.
She was dating some guy, who was a year older then her. She was doing well, hadn't had any serious problems.
Taylor walked from the coffee shop bright and cheery, happy that this had happened.
Waving good bye, he turned to walk away. Making it two blocks, he turned to see her still walking the opposite direction.
Smiling, he turned back around.
"Taylor! What a nice surprise!"
What was this? Time to reunite with everyone he hadn't seen in a while.
Unfortunatly, this one was far worse then Lissa.
"Eric?"
"You know, I was begining to worry that you'd forgotten me."
Taylor stumbled over his words.
"Well, I have, I mean, I gotta, you know, you aren't supposed to be around me."
"So."
A shiver ran through taylor's back.
Eric's eyes were icy, and he scowled down.
"Leave me alone Eric."
"Awww. Little blond girl is scared."
"I'm not a girl, and I'm not afraid of you Eric. Leave me alone."
"You should be."
"Screw you."
Taylor twisted around Eric's mass and continued walking.
He kept his eyes in front of him, trying to block every word Eric yelled to him as he left.
"I'm not through with you sissy!"
Taylor kept walking.
What had he done anyway? There were somethings he would never know.
"Wow! The whole Dentra family for once! Without girlfriends!"
Mercy turned to Josh.
"Ehem."
"And boyfriends."
Turning back to his paperwork, he ruffled through a folder.
"Well, you guys haven't done much lately."
"Like we've had time. School bites man."
"I know."
"Good."
"back on track, I was thinking, next video anytime soon? You guys have been majorly slacking. I think a new video is in order NOW!"
"Oh. Like what?"
"Your turn to think Jem."
"Yeah jem. Think!"
He waved his sister off.
Josh looked at the picture in front of him. A significantly changed family sat in front of him. When he first met them, they were worn down, trashy. They looked good now.
Anyway, he hadn't seen them all together for weeks, a month even. It was good to see the once so close family back together.
"So then, we've had tons of requests for shows, appearances. We need to go to NYC guys."
"Here comes rosie here comes Mtv, here comes letterman and leno."
Mercy smiled at her little brother.
"Funny Zac."
"Well! That's what you had in mind I know!"
"Okay fine. It was. But maybe not like...that close."
"Rosie is live."
"So is letterman, and leno."
"Is Mtv?"
"Zac!"
"D'oh! That's why it's called Mtv live!"
Zac swung at Dorin.
"So!"
"I was thinking, one night show...ie, letterman or leno, and then the other two."
"We can do the other late night later....dude! Ironic!"
We also have Oprah.
"Oprah?"
"But she doesn't want a performance....just an interview."
"Josh, how bout radio?"
Josh was now confused by all the comments from different directions.
"GUYS! One at a time, Zac?"
"we need radio and live appearances."
"Mey?"
"Uh, I'm sticking to a new single and video."
"Jem?"
"Well, we do kind of need to get out there. Mags want us?"
"Door?"
"Anything and everything they said."
Josh continued to jot notes.
"Okay, well, I'm going to start organizing things."
The four siblings stood, pushing in their chairs.
"Later Josh."
Out on the sidewalk, Jeremy playfully punched his brother and tried to ignore Dorin.
"Jem?"
His brother continued to play with Zac.
"JEM!"
Spinning around, Jeremy looked at Dorin.
"I need to talk to you."
"Bout what?"
"Stuff. And I want to do it tommorow."
Jeremy sighed.
"When tommorow."
"I'm thinking about shoving Zac out the door and mey will already be gone."
"After school?"
"Good enough."
Mercy leaned across taylor, who rested his arms over her. He had been thinking, more or less, about all that had happened between them. Lately, Mercy had grown quiet, and somewhat absorbed in what ever task she was doing.
He rubbed her shoulder. He wasn't planning on telling her about his run in with her ex. That would just lead to problems.
But he couldn't help but think.
Where were they going to end up?
"That's beside the point! Wasn't it you..."
"You don't need to yell door."
"You know something! I'm not yelling! And I can't believe you! This is what I'm talking about! You showed up at the hanson's place STONED!"
Jeremy blinked at his brother. Shaking his head he took a deep breath.
"Did not."
"DON'T LIE! YOU ARE NOW!"
Jeremy let his eyes close.
"I don't know what on earth has gotten into you Jeremy, I really don't."
"Nothing."
"Ever since Nikki..."
"What about nikki Dorin? What about her?"
"What has she gotten you into? Don't you remember? you were the one telling Zac he should stay out of this shit and now look at you!"
"What about my girlfriend Dorin."
"She's bad news."
Jeremy scowled at his brother.
"What right do you have! You don't! Leave Nikki Out of this! She has nothing to do with it!"
Jeremy turned around, grabbing for the front door handle and tearing the door open.
"Dorin! Let me be my own person! Let me do what I want, I don't even live here anymore!"
The door slammed behind him.
Sighing, Dorin threw himself on the sofa.
He wasn't that controlling. Maybe it was just rebellion on his siblings part, but he was not too bad.
He hadn't controlled his brother. No, just brought up a subject.
He had a feeling his family was taking a turn for the worst.
One thing Zac Dentra had always been able to do was hide himself. He could, and did. He found it a talent, a hidden one, that he enjoyed frequently.
"Shh! Someone could hear us!"
Of course warehouses were not the best place to play, but Zac found a dull comfort from them. One in particular, had a room in it, still carpeted, and left with a sofa, a few chairs, and a table.
Sometimes after school, he went there, to sit and think. Or just to sit.
"This is a cool place D!!"
They shut the door to the office quietly.
"On the sofa."
Zac hanson threw the backpack he carried with him everywhere into the corner.
Giggling, he jumped to the sofa.
"So Zac, how long does it take?"
"Zac, shut up, unless you want me to change my mind about the whole thing."
Zac hanson zipped his mouth.
"It's warm in here."
"Yeah. Cause we still have heat."
A small heater sat on the floor by the table.
"Puts out a lot of heat huh."
"obviously."
Zac Dentra opened his backpack, pulling out a small ziplock bag, he placed it on the table, then returning to his backpack for a small tin box.
"What's that?"
"Papers."
Zac Hanson watched in awe as his friend opened both carrying containers, and withdrew a paper, then set it on the table.
"What are you doing now?"
"Zac just chill."
He shoved his backpack from the table on to the floor, it made a dull thud as it hit.
Grabbing the paper and the bag, he walked to the sofa, sitting down next to his friend.
"Kay then, what now?"
Zac Dentra looked at his friend.
"Rolling a joint?!"
"Oh. Well Sooorrriiieee."
Zac Frowned.
"You know, Only one..."
"Only one time, I know, you've drilled me."
"And if anyone finds out, we found some in here and were experimenting."
"That's lame."
"Fine then, some one threatened us?"
They frowned at eachother.
Zac finished wrapping the bud, and held it up.
Handing it to his friend, he reached into his pocket for a lighter.
Taking back the smoke, he placed it between his lips.
"Ready?"
