Chapter Five

The Hanson’s dealt witht the ecstatic fans by giving them autographs. Kallee noticed some rude stares and nasty looks coming her way. She shrugged them off and continued with dinner. After about 15 minutes into dinner she noticed something had touched her foot. She looked up at Tay, but he made no response. She looked at Ike, but no response either. Then she looked at Zac, but realized he wasn’t there! She looked under the table and found him there scrounging around for his dropped fork.

"Zac?" asked Kallee.

"Yeah?" replied Zac.

"What are you doing down there?" asked Kallee.

"Oh, I’m just trying to get my fork because Jess pushed it out of my hand when we hit elbows, ya know, because she eats with her right hand and I eat with my left," answered Zac while still trying to get back into his seat.

Everyone just laughed and continued eating. After another 10 minutes, they finished dinner and went out and got in the cars.

"Hey!" screamed Zac from inside the van, "I want to sit next to Kallee!"

"Fine, Ike, do you mind driving with Mrs. Johnson, so Kallee can sit next to Zac?" asked Diana.

"No, that’s okay," Ike replied as he got out of the van and motioned for Kallee to go sit in the van.

"Where am I sitting?" asked a very nervous Kallee.

"Zac wants you to sit next to him," answered Taylor as he pointed to the empty space next to Zac.

"Oh, okay," replied Kallee.

Kallee climbed into the van and sat down next to Zac. He just stared at her.

"What is it?" asked Kallee who began getting scared that she had something on her face.

"Nothing, just.............you’re pretty," said Zac.

Kallee blushed, "No I’m not."

"Are too!" shouted Zac.

"Am not," replied Kallee.

"Are too!" shouted Zac again.

Taylor turned around and cut in, "Ya know, you better just let him win this one because he’s right," then he turned around and felt himself blushing.

Kallee felt a flutter in her stomach and wondered if Tay meant it. If he did, then she wondered if his face had become flushed how it always did on tv when he was nervous or embarrassed. She suddenly felt warm inside. It was nice to have some "good friends" again.

Ever since Kallee’s father had died, she had become very withdrawn. She slacked off at dance class and had tried to quit soccer until her mom refused. The only thing she liked was roller skating. She knew Hanson rollerbladed, but she had never tried it.

Hmmm.......I wonder if they’ll ever ask me to go rollerblading with them?

As if on cue, Zac looked at Kallee and said, "Kall, will you come rollerblading with us tomorrow? We don’t know of any good places to go, so maybe you could show us some?"

"Kall? I like that! Okay, sure, I know of one of the best places to rollerblade, except I don’t usually go there because they don’t like rollerskaters there and that’s all I know how to do," answered Kallee.

"Oh, well we can go get you some rollerblades right now and then tomorrow we can go to that place you were talking about and teach you hiw to rollerblade, okay?" asked Taylor.

"Um, is it okay with your mom and dad if we stop now?" asked Kallee.

"Yeah, sure, right mom?" asked Tay somewhat unsure of himself.

"Yes, I guess it’s alright," smiled Diana as she said it, "I think there’s a Toys ‘R’ Us around here isn’t there?"

"Yeah, it’s right there!" pointed Jess.

The Hanson’s van pulled into the parking lot and Taylor, Jessie, Avie, Zac, and Kallee jumped out. Mackie was sleeping on his mom, so she stayed in, but Walker got out and followed the excited kids into the mega-toy store. Just then Mrs. Johnson pulled in with Isaac.

"Why are we here mom?" asked Ike.

"The kids wanted to get some rollerblades for Kallee because she doesn’t have any and they want her to show them a good place to go tomorrow," answered Diana.

Ike smiled and ran into the store knowing exactly how they always acted in a toy store.........WILD!

As Ike ran in through the doors, he screamed, "PARTY!"