"Ha, next year your gonna be a teenager" Frankie said, not looking up from the cereal box he was reading. (*Authors Note*: In case u forgot the date, itz September 9th, 1997)
"Aren't I the special one"
"Nope, that'd be me"
"Reject, your the SPECIAL ED one"
"Bite me," Frankie said. Christina sunk her teeth into his shoulder and calmly left the kitchen. She could hear his painful screams. She laughed to herself. That'll teach him... The doorbell rang. She ran to answer it (well, it was running considering she was still half asleep).
"Zac! Your here so early!"
"Early? Itz like 11 o'clock. Someones a little odd..."
"Shut up"
"Happy Birthday"
"Thank You," Stina said, opening the door so Zac could come in. Zac examined what she was wearing. A long blue tshirt that came halfway down her thighs, and that was it. He felt chills go up his spine.
"You and your family are still coming over tonight for dinner right?"
"Yup. Thank god, considering my mom's cooking is exactly what i DIDN'T want for my birthday" Christina said. Zac laughed.
"Speaking of what you want for your birthday, I'll give you your gift tonight. As for now..." Zac kissed her cheek, "That's all i have with me"
Christina blushed. She nervously fiddled with the ring she always wore on her left hand middle finger. She always wore one on her left hand ring finger and thumb, and right hand middle finger, but the left middle seemed to always be the one she'd twist when she was nervous.
"So, is Kelly coming over today?" Zac asked, breaking the silence.
"No. Her grandparents noticed that hickeys, i mean who wouldn't, so she's grounded for the rest of the time she's in Tulsa for this visit. No phone calls, no nothing"
"Wow, that really sucks for her. Oh well, I hope that 30 minutes in the closet was worth it" Zac said shuddering. He still didnt even want to think about what had gone on in there.
"Yeah, well at least I have you for company"
"Aren't you supposed to start school back tomorrow?"
"the teachers went on strike at the last minute. School probably won't start for another couple weeks"
"Awesome!"
"NOT awesome. Now we're gonna have to go to skool until like July"
"Sux for you" Zac said laughing. Christina ignored him and headed for her room to change.
"Wow, look at them all" Dr. Starrdust said, marveling over all the fans that were sitting in front of the Hanson house. There were about 30 today, 'must be a good time for tourists' Christina thought with bitter sarcasm. She was very tired. She and Zac had spent the day rollerblading around her neighborhood, until he left at about 4 o'clock. He had helped improve her skills, so at least now she wouldn't seriously injure herself just putting them on. Though, of course, she had a few nice bruises on her bum as her trophies for the day. It was on 5:30 and she wouldnt have minded going to bed.
Dr. Starrdust parked the car, and everyone started up the walkway. One of the girls recognized Stina from the other day, and began calling her name. Christina ignored her, and got great satisfaction doing so.
Diana was waiting at the door, ready to quickly pull it open for the Starrdust's. The fans screamed as the family walked in.
"Happy Birthday!" Isaac called from the living room.
"Thank You!" Stina called back. Taylor was surprised by her voice. He hadn't hear the doorbell, had he? Or was he just lost in his fantasies about her again...He ran into the front hall where his mother was talking to Dr and Mrs Starrdust and jess and Frankie were glaring at each other. No sign of Zac. Taylor grinned. Stina was standing against the wall, looking half asleep.
"Happy Birthday" Taylor said, as sexy as possible. Christina smiled.
"thank you"
"Sure. Your present is in my pants--i mean room!!! room!! Sorry, i was just admiring your pants and i--i mean, not like i was staring at any spot in particular on your pants--itz just they're very nice jeans and i got a little sidetracked and..."
"Itz ok, I understand" Stina laughed. She figured she better cut him off before he rambled himself into a deeper hole. Taylor had turned as red as the shirt he was wearing. He was afraid to say anything, for fear of what might come out of his mouth. So he just took her hand and led her to his bedroom. He opened the door and told her to close her eyes. Stina obeyed and Taylor led her to the bed. She sat down. Tay reached up and took off one of the chokers around his neck.
"Ok, open your eyes" tay said. Their hadnt been much of a point in her closing them, but it made the moment more special. He put the necklace around her neck
"I'm sorry. I know itz extremely cheap to give you something that I've been wearing for so long, but I had no idea what to get you and i know you love jewelry, and I remembered you complimenting this choker back when i first got it like 3 years ago..."
"Oh Taylor...I can't accept this. i know how much you love your chokers. Taking this from you would be like taking one of your bones or something," Stina said, clutching the necklace that was hanging around her neck. She couldn't believe taylor was giving that to her.
"Well, now this way even when I'm away you'll have something around your neck at all times to remind you of me"
"But Tay---"
"No buts. I want you to have it. Just promise me one thing. You can't EVER take it off. At night, in the shower, fancy parties...i don't care what the occasion is. You can't take it off. Never. Promise?"
"I promise," Stina said, finally giving in.
"Good. Happy Birthday" Tay said smiling. He kissed her cheek and sat next to her on the bed. She examined what he was wearing. Black cords and a tight light blue shirt. He looked extremely good. She was wearing her Mudd bells and a lowcut tight gray shirt. She could imagine that the necklace must look really good with her shirt. He put his arm around her and the two sat quietly. Stina twisted her middle ring nervously.
"Taylor?"
"Hmm?"
"Why is it so important to you that I not take this off?"
"Because this way i can feel like i'm close to you even when I'm miles away"
"But since when did you care about how close or far you are from me?" Stina asked, puzzled. She and tay had always playfully flirted, but nothing serious. She had more feelings for Zac than she did for Tay.
"Um, well, um" Taylor stuttered. Damnit, he hadn't realized that this question might come up "There's something I should tell you"
"uh, ok" Stina said
"I--I--I like you. A lot. I've liked you for a while"
"But why didn't you tell me?"
"Because Zac likes you too. Just as much as i do. And I feel bad because some how it seems like your more his than mine, and if i ever asked you out it would be like i was stealing you from him," Taylor said sighing. He looked away from her and stood up. He couldn't believe he had just said all that. Damn nail polish fumes, he never should have stayed in the room while his mother was painting Jessie and Avies nails.
"I'm not quite sure what to say," Christina said, very confused. there was knock at the door.
"Stina? Taylor? Dinner's ready" Isaac called.
"Does anyone know where Zac is?" Mrs. Hanson asked as she plopped some mashed potatoes on Taylors plate.
"Mmmm mashed potatoes. Thanx mom. No, I haven't seen Zac since earlier," Taylor said breathing in the steam coming off the mound of potatoes on his plate.
"I think he's in the bathroom," Isaac said, shoveling potatoes into his mouth. He took a huge bite of the chicken leg he was clutching tightly in his left hand.
"Geez Isaac, slow down. Mind your table manners, we have company" Mrs Hanson scolded.
"Sorry mom. But i gotta pick up Mara and bring her to the mall in like 15 minutes"
"The mall? Do you really think it's smart to go out in a public place? You're gonna be mobbed by fans. You might cause a really chaotic scene" Mr Hanson said, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm not gonna let fame ruin my fun" Ike said, helping himself to another chicken leg. Mr Hanson rolled his eyes. Ike could be so unsensable sometimes. Zac walked into the room and sat down in his spot between Ike and Stina.
"Where were you?" Christina asked.
"Shower"
"Shower? You had one this morning" Mrs. Hanson commented.
"Is there something wrong with having 2 showers in one day? Besides mom, I was out rollerblading all day. i don't think i smelled minty fresh" Zac said.
"Thank you so much for sharing" taylor said, from the other side of Stina. Zac grinned at him. He gazed at Christina. She was poking at her potatoes with her fork, looking kind of scared. they were lumpy tonight, she was afraid they were alive. Zac admired how flattering her shirt was on her. Then he glanced at her necklaces. She was wearing her usual beaded flower one, but what was that other one? it looked oddly like Taylor's favorite choker. Zac chewed on a piece of chicken and looked over at Taylor. he was wearing his usual cluster of chokers, but he wasn't wearing his favorite. Zac couldn't believe Tay had given it to Stina. He was kind of shocked. Tay always got so mad when he had to take it off for photo shoots, he never would have thought he would give it away.
"Is there a reason your staring at me?" Taylor asked, eyeing Zac suspiciously.
"Yeah, where's your favorite choker?" Zac replied. The whole Hanson clan turned and looked at Taylor, and the Starrdusts followed their lead. Tay looked down at his plate and turned slightly pink while Christina stopped in mid bite of her chicken.
"I, um, gave it to Christina for her birthday" Tay said, not looking up.
"Oh" Diana replied, a little startled. Mackie began banging on the table with his fork, so everyones attention was drawn that way. Tay let out a sigh of relief.
"i gotta get going" Isaac said standing up. He walked over to Stina and kissed her on the cheek.
"Happy Birthday Stina, I hope you get everything you want"
"Happy birthday to you, happy Birthday to you, happy Birthday dear Christina, happy Birthday to you" everyone sang (and mackenzie screamed). The flames on the candles danced menacingly and made Christina's face glow. Her eyes were blue even in the dark room with only the orange light of the 12 candles on the cake. Zac stared at her as she smiled.
"Make a wish!" Mrs. Hanson said. Christina closed her eyes. 'I wish I knew what to do about Zac and Taylor' she silently wished. She blew out the candles. Everyone clapped. Mrs Hanson cut the cake and everyone happily ate it.
"i need to talk to you," Zac whispered to her.
"After I'm done with my cake," Stina said, mouth full.
"You can bring it with you. Mom, can Stina and I be excused?"
"Sure sweetheart" Mrs hanson said cutting herself a second piece of cake. She loved this pregnancy thing, she could eat as much as she wanted and not feel guilty. All the extra food was for the baby of course...
Zac led Stina through the backyard and to the treehouse. She finished her cake and put her plate on the ground. She followed Zac up the ladder.
"Zac, if this is about Tay's necklace--"
"No, this is about my gift for you. As for Tay's choker, well, I have nothing to say. It was just a birthday present for you, right? A very odd, generous present, but still..."
"Oh! Yeah, just a birthday present" Stina said realizing Zac didn't have any reason to think it was any more than a simple birthday gift. She and Zac were sitting pressed up against each other, and the only light was from the small vanilla scented candle Zac had lit, and from the stars above. Zac reached into his pocket and brought out a small box. The kind expensive rings come in.
"Close your eyes and give me your hand," Zac said. Stina closed her eyes and quickly moved her flowered ring from her left hand to her right hand. She gave him her left hand. She felt a ring being slipped on her ring finger.
"Ok, open them" Zac said smiling. Christina opened her eyes and gazed at her had. It was the most beautiful ring she's ever seen. It was a silver band with 2 small saphires planted in it, and a larger clear stone. Saphire was her birthstone, as well as her favorite stone.
"Oh Zac...This is absolutly beautiful. What's the clear sparkly stone?"
"A diamond"
"A DIAMOND??" Christina shreiked.
"Yeah. You like?" Zac asked smiling.
"Zac!! Why the hell did you spend so much money on me!! i don't deserve this!!" Christina screeched. She had been ring shopping with her cousin Erica before Erica got married, and she had seen that anything with even the smallest diamond in it was worth a good amount of money. Zac grinned.
"Because you're well worth it. Besides, I didn't know what else to get you"
"I would have been happy with a $2 bottle of nail polish from Afterthoughts or Claires!"
"Yeah, but you deserve more than that. You deserve stuff like this," Zac said. Christina clutched the ring on her finger. First she felt incredibly guilty about accepting tay's fave choker, and now she felt even more guilty about Zac spending so much money on her. Christina embraced him in a long hug.
"But where did you get the money for this? I mean, i know you have the money but there's no way your parents would let you spend so much money on me" She asked confused.
"Fans throw a LOT of money up on stage during concerts, and I'm the only one smart enough to go and pick it all up after the show is over. Plus i get a $10 allowance a week. So in New York when my mom was admiring the earrings in Tiffany's, I wandered to the front and looked and the rings and this baby caught my eye. And i thought of you and saphires. I have a credit card ya know. So I just charged it, and i have plenty of money to pay for it with when the bill comes" Zac explained.
"Awww Zac. i wish there was some way I could thank you," Stina said. 'Fuck me! Fuck me now! Fuck me long and hard!' Zac silently thought. He scolded the voices in his head for using such fowl language and thinking such perverted thoughts. He suddenly smiled.
"Well, there is one way..." He said. She immidiatly knew what he meant. Zac began leaning forward to kiss her. Their lips became closer...and closer...and closer
"Zac!" Jessica called popping her head into the treehouse. Zac and Stina quickly pulled away from each other. Zac sliently cursed Jess off. His lips hadnt even touched Christina's.
"oh god! Mom really has to quit sending me up here to find you people when your in the treehouse. First Tay in boxers the other day and now this..." Jessica said rolling her eyes.
"Maybe you should knock first," Zac snapped.
"Maybe i would if there was a door. Asshole. Anyway, Dr Starrdust got called into the hospital to take care of some dieing person. Christina has to go. But Mrs Starrdust and mommy say you can sleep over at Stina's house if you want. Taylors going to"
"Taylor is?" Stina said, turning pale. She hoped Zac couldn't tell in the dim light.
"Ok, I just gotta throw some clothes in my bag and I'll be ready"
Back to Chapter 8
Back to Forever Together table o' contents
Back to *~Christina's Hanson Cloud~*
On To Chapter 10--->