Chapter 13 of Love, Pain and Everything In Between
Colleen zipped up her duffel bag and looked around. She didn't think she'd forgotten anything. She picked up her backpack and duffel bag and walked out into the hall. She threw her stuff onto the portable baggage cart the hotel had sent up, then pushed open the boys' half-open door and walked in.
"You guys ready? We have to go soon." She asked, looking around. Wow, clean for once.
Ike walked past her, carrying two suitcases. "I'M done." He called back as he walked out the door.
"So'm I" Taylor said, closing two of the four suitcases still sitting on the bed.
Zac poked his head out of the closet and grinned at Colleen. "Just gotta find some stuff."
"It's always you, isn't it Zac?" Colleen sighed, then laughed and shook her head.
Taylor laughed then walked over to Colleen. He pulled her towards him and gave her a quick kiss before seating her on a chair by the window.
"We have a few things we want to give you." He explained, picking up his backpack and sitting down acroos from her. He reached in and pulled out a smaller bag. "These are from all of us." He pulled out a pager and handed it to her. "This is so we can get in touch with you anytime, anywhere." He grinned at her surprised expression.
"Wow." Colleen turned the pager over in her hands. It was a sparkly silver, very light, obviously the latest in technology. "Aren't these expensive, Tay? I mean, you have to buy the pager and the services, and the monthly fees.."
Taylor ignored her question, and reached again into the little bag. "And this," he said, pulling out a small cellular phone. "Is so we can actually talk to you."
"Taylor, no way, this is too much, I mean, these things are expens-" She was cut off when Taylor placed his hand squarely over her mouth.
"It's all taken care of, don't worry about it."
Colleen laughed. "Thanks." She said, words muffled by Taylor's hand.
"What? What was that? Couldn't hear you!" Taylor teased her.
Colleen laughed and bit his hand. She laughed harder as he jerked his hand away and shook it gentley.
"Ow! Hey!" Taylor silenced her laughing by placing his lips on her open mouth. Colleen stopped laughing as she wrapped her arms around Taylor and returned his kiss.
"Hey!" Taylor yelled, suddenly breaking away. "What the-" He leaned over and picked up the sunglasses that Zac had thrown at his head. Taylor looked at them, then rubbed his head. "Jeez, little man, you have a good arm! Man, Zac!" He threw the sunglasses back.
Zac laughed. "Sorry, but I'm done, it's time to go, and you guys were making me a little nauseous."
Colleen laughed, stood up, then ruffled Zac's head. "Thanks for the phone and pager, li'l dude."
"You're welcome, and I'm not little! Stop calling me that!" Zac frowned up into Colleen's face, then doubled over with laughter as he realized that she was nearly 7 inches taller than him. Colleen raised her eyebrows and walked out into the hall.
They checked out of the hotel and made it to the airport with almost no disturbances, but by the time they had gotten their tickets and baggage check and made it to the terminals, Colleen's plane was ready to board. "Well, guys, it was fun. We should do it again sometime!" Colleen ginned shakily as she hugged Zac and Ike goodbye.
"We'll call you, or page you or whatever." Zac grinned.
"Wait a sec! We almost forgot to give you our numbers!" Ike said, pulling a small book out his backpack and handing it to Colleen. "All of our numbers are under 'H' and your own numbers are right there in the front," He said, showing her.
"Got it." Colleen said. "I'll miss you guys! Just try not to call during school, ok?"
"Right, we'll try." Ike said. He looked from Taylor to Colleen then grabbed Zac's backpack. "C'mon Zac, let's find out when our flight boards."
Taylor turned to Colleen and smiled sadly. "I'll miss you." He said.
"I'll miss you... Tay, listen. I was thinking on the way over, and..." Colleen bit her lip and looked away. She took a deep breath and started again. "You guys travel so much, and we live so far away from each other...we can always talk and stuff...but when will I ever get to see you?" She looked into Taylor's sad blue eyes and tried hard not to cry.
"Don't worry." He said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "We'll figure something out, I promise."
Colleen smiled waveringly as Taylor pulled her close for a long goodbye kiss.
"Flight #314, for Detroit Metro now final boarding at gate 122" The nasal vioce of the flight attendent boomed over the loudspeakers.
"Tay, I have to go." Colleen sighed and leaned her head against Taylor's shoulder.
"No you don't." He breathed, kissing her neck and holding her even tighter.
Colleen laughed slighty. "No Tay, I have to leave." She pullen away and started to walk towards the terminal.
"Just a few more minutes... look there's still people in line, see?" Taylor pulled her backwards into his embrace.
"That's the wrong terminal, Tay." Colleen said. "If I don't leave now, I'll be stuck here for 2 hours."
"So?" Taylor whispered. "Alright, alright, leave if you want to. But wait, I have a present to give you, first." Taylor let go of Colleen and reached behind him. He unfastened his soccer ball choker and gentley tied it around Colleen's neck.
"Thank you, Taylor. I'll miss you so much." Colleen and Taylor kissed one last time before she boarded her flight home.
*The Next Day(Monday)*
Colleen walked up the steps of her school and steeled her self for the barrage of questions she knew she'd get from her friends on her extended abscensy. Man, I wish I was back in New York with them. Colleen sighed and pushed open the door. She walked through the halls, oblivious to the people around her. Over and over her mind played through that final day, in slow motion, remembering every detail. She stoped at her lokcer where, sure enough, her friends were waiting.
"What happened to you?" Liz asked.
"Yeah, where'd ya go?" Sara added.
"Sick" Colleen replied shortly, twirling her combination lock. "Better stay back, I might still be contagious." She smiled wryly to herself as her friends back slowly away, exchanging nervous looks.
"Are you feeling any better?" Sara asked.
"Oh yes.." Colleen sighed, looking at the pic of Hanson hanging in her locker. "Much better now..."
1998 by Hanson Lovers
Chapter 14
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