The three elsest Hanson siblings were sitting in the family room of their Los Angeles "home-away-from-home", watching "The Simpsons". It had been awhile since they were last able to actually sit down and watch this show.
Zac laughed, "Man, I love this show."
Tay agreed, "Yeah, I know. These kinda cartoons are the type that turn into classics thirty years later."
Both Zac and Isaac agreed with Tay. "The Simpsons" was a fantastic show, and its creator was a genius. Isaac, Taylor, and Zac just wished that they had more time to watch it before and after recording times. That was impossible, though. the boys were always dead tired when they got home, and didn't both watch the TV.
"Hey, Ike?" Tay spoke to his older brother while keeping his eyes glued to the screen.
"Yeah?"
"Kat's birthday is in like, 4 weeks just about, isn't it?" asked Tay, curiously.
Ike nodded, "Yeah, her birthday is September 22nd, why?"
"Well," started Taylor, "do you know what you are going to get her for her birthday? I mean, she's turning 18 this year."
"Yeah," Ike sighed, heavily, "I know. I don't know what I'm going to get her. I was thinking about getting her a CD, but that's too informal for her 18th birthday, ya know? I was thinking along the lines of a bracelet or a necklace."
"That would deinitely be a good idea, Ike. Girls love that kind of stuff. I'm sure she'd be really happy if you got her a necklace or bracelet," Tay assured his older brother, Isaac.
"One problem, though..." Ike reminded Tay that there was still a slight flaw in this brillant plan.
"What's that?"
"I'm horrible at picking that stuff out!" Isaac seemed frantic.
Taylor rolled his eyes, "Then, take someone with you!"
"Like who?"
Isaac had Tay on that one, but he tried anyway, "Um, I dunno! Take Mom or something! Mom loves shopping for that kind of stuff."
"Yeah..." Ike answered, slowly, "I guess I could take Mom."
"Will you guys be quiet!?" Zac hushed his two older brothers. "I'm trying to watch this!"
"Sheesh!" Ike exclaimed. "Blow you top why don't ya?"
"I'm sorry," he apologized, "I'm just trying to watch this and the two of you just keep going on and on and on and on and on..."
Tay laughed, slightly, "Sorry about that, lil' bro."
"It's alright," Zac assured them.
"That's cool," Tay stated, as the three brother went back to watching TV. -------------------------------------------------------
Back in Tulsa, Chrissy was literally going insane because of the separation between her and Zac. They had been separated for a little more than 3 months now and it was killing her. Or was it?
"Hallie!" little Chrissy yelled for her older sister, who was upstairs in her room, sleeping. "Can you come here a sec?"
"I'm sleeping, Chrissy!" moaned Hallie, as audible as she could with her face smashed into a pillow.
"PLEASE!?!" begged Chrissy. "It's really important!"
Slowly, yet steadily Hallie stumbled down the stairs of her house. She could hardly believe that Chrissy had woken her up. Chrissy knew that Hallie was up until three A.M. writing in her poetry book. All Hallie wanted was an hour nap, and she couldn't even get that because now her younger sister wanted to talk to her.
"What is it?" Hallie complained.
Chrissy averted her eyes from her older sister, "It's Zac."
"Zac?" Hallie raised her eyebrows.
Chrissy and Zac never had problems, and Hallie knew that. What could have Zac one, or worse yet, what could have Chrissy done to upset Chrissy so much? It seemed as if they had the perfect relationship. How could the two of them disappoint each other, even if there was over a thousand miles between them?
"Yeah," repeated Chrissy, "Zac."
"Well, what's wrong?" questioned Hallie, who was waiting impatiently for the reason she was awakened from her beauty sleep.
"He's so far away, Hallie. I just don't know what to do," explained Chrissy.
"You miss him?" asked Hallie. "That's normal to miss someone who's been away for such a long time."
"Not like this, Hallie," Chrissy was shaking her head at her older sister, Hallie.
"What do you mean?"
Ashamed, Chrissy averted her eyes from her sister, "I'm finding myself attracted to other guys. Especially this one guy named, Eric. He's really sweet and nice, pretty cute, and he barely travels!"
"Oh, I see," Hallie was smiling at her sister's confession. "you can't take the distance anymore, and you aren't sure whether to break up with Zac or not?"
Chrissy said nothing. She couldn't believe she was feeling this way. She had wanted to be a part of Zac's life ever since "Middle Of Nowhere" came out. Now that she was a part of it, she wanted to turn back. It didn't make any sense to poor, young Chrissy at all.
"What do I do?" she finally looked up at her sister.
"I say, break up with him. Those Hanson boys are trouble," you could tell that Hallie was still angry with Tay. She assumed that if Tay would pull that kind of stunt, why wouldn't Zac?
"But, I still love him," whine Chrissy. "Then again, Eric has this unbelieveable effect on me."
"Then, forget about Eric," suggested Hallie. "But, really, Chrissy if you loved Zac, you wouldn't want Eric. See my point?"
"Yeah, I guess."
This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't. Zac and Chrissy were almost together for a year. She just couldn't blow that all in one day, could she? The times they spent together meant something to him...and to her. The distance was the only trouble they had ever had. She just didn't know what to do.
"Well, you could do this," started Hallie, again. "You could always just ride it out and see what happens. Maybe these feelings you have for Eric aren't real."
"Maybe," shrugged Chrissy.'
"Look," Hallie put a comforting hand on her sister, Chrissy, "I'm going back to sleep before dinner. Wake me up when we have to leave. And, Chrissy?"
Chrissy looked at her older sister with little hope in her eyes, "Yeah, sis?"
"I'm more than positive everything will work out the way you want it to," Hallie persisted. "Why don't you give Zac a call and see how you feel on the phone with him?"
"Oh, thanks," Chrissy said as her sister headed back up the stairs.
After her sisters' footsteps faded, Chrissy reached for the phone to call Zac. -------------------------------------------------------
"Hey, girl!" Zac greeted Chrissy, cheerful. "How are you?"
"Never been better," she lied. "How about you?"
He sighed, "I'm alright, I guess. I really tired, though."
Chrissy switched the phone to her other ear so she could hear Zac more clearly, "Are you comin' home anytime soon?"
"Actually, yeah," he was happy to say, "we are coming home around late September. I can't wait to see you! It's been way too long, and I miss you!"
"Yeah, it has been too long...," Chrissy's voice faded. but quickly picked up again. "I'm so lonely here! I miss you so much! I wish you could come sooner!"
"Me too," Zac assured. "Anyway, what have you been upto lately? Get in any trouble?"
"Oh yeah, Zac you know me! I'm Miss Mischeivous!" Chrissy joked, trying to act as enthusiastic as she possibly could at this time. "Nah, it's actually been quite boring. Right now, the extent of the my events is calling Hallie from my mom's cell phone reminding her to take an umbrella when she goes out because there is supposed to be a thunderstorm...or something of that sort."
"Sounds intriguing," laughed Zac.
"Oh yes, it's very intriguing."
Chrissy didn't think she could actually break up with him.` The chemistry that the two of them had was something special. It was obvious that he liked her a lot. Could she really break his heart like that? She still had feelings for him, but Eric still lingered in the back of her mind. This longing for Eric was practically calling out to her. Poor Chrissy didn't know what to do. Should she break up with him, or no?
"Anyway," Zac continued, "we're hoping to be home like late January, early February, alright?"
Zac shrugged disappointedly, "Well, remember when Ike got sick? It pushed the recording and the release date later a couple of weeks."
Zac's girlfriend, Chrissy didn't speak for quite a while. She was starting to reconsider her thoughts about dumping him and going out with Eric. Chrissy felt so confused that it was practically nauseating.
"Zac?" spoke Chrissy finally.
"Yeah, Chrissy?" he answered, the both of them were practically whispering. The phone was extremely quiet.
"Do you love me?" she asked, shakily.
"Of course, I do! What kind of question is that?" Zac voiced.
"Well, I was just thinking," Chrissy told him. "You could have any girl on this Earth, why'd you pick me?"
"Because, I think you're special. No girl could compare to you!"
"Oh," she said, montonously, "that's sweet of you, Zac."
Zac noticed her change in her voice. She had suddenly become conservative and quiet. He felt that something was wrong, but didn't know what. Zac wasn't going to ask her, though. Tay's advice still rang in the back of his mind.
"If she wants to tell you, she will. Don't ever force her to say anything," Zac reminded himself.
"Anyway...," he started.
Chrissy interupted him, "Hey, Zac I gotta go."
"Alright," he seemed disappointed. "I love you, bye-bye."
"Bye, Zac," she concluded, with slowly adding, "I love you, too."
When both of the lines hung up, Chrissy started to softly cry. ` She didn't want to feel like this, so why was she? It wasn't fair. She loved Zac; Eric wasn't supposed to enter her life. Zac hadn't done anything so wrong to hurt her, why was she going to hurt him? Or would she? She just didn't know. She just...didn't know.
Main Page
Chapter 14-What Matters Most
Chapter 16-Blow Out The Candles, Make A Wish...
Tulsa's Long Road Home
I Thought I Could Trust You
