“ I bet I'll beat you to the stop sign.” Zac called over his shoulder to his new friend Lisa. The curly-haired, brunette frowned trudging along on her roller blades.
“ Don’t tell me your tired already!” He exclaimed spinning around so he could see her. Lisa skated up to him and wiped off her sweaty brow. She cocked an eyebrow at him.
“ I usually don’t skate 2 miles everyday you know.” The 13-year-old remarked running her hand through her curly hair. Zac laughed, they had only been skating for about 15 minutes, and hadn’t even gone two blocks yet.
“ Well, lets just race to the stop sign, my house is right around the corner then we can hang out there.” Zac offered eyeing the stop sign at the end of the street.
Lisa sighed then gave in. “ Fine but you know you are going to win so I don’t really see the point.” She stood beside him, waiting to be humiliated. She wondered if he did this with his brothers too.
“ Ok, I'll count to three… 1...2...3.” He took off like a bullet his blonde hair flying out behind him. Lisa tried to catch up, but it was useless. They slid to a stop at the stop sign and Zac smiled sympathetically at her. He shrugged. “ Maybe next time.” Lisa rolled her eyes playfully as they rounded the corner to the Hanson’s house.
On the porch sat Tara, Taylor and his friend Dave. Zac smiled and looked to Lisa who was skating along beside him. “That’s my best friend Tara, My brother, and His friend Dave.”
“ I know who your brother is,” she teased playfully, “ everyone does.”
Zac blushed,“ Oh yeah.” he added smiling. They stepped up onto the curb and walked clumsily across the grass and over to the porch where the three were sitting on the stairs.
“ Hey Tara.” Zac said throwing himself onto the steps and acting exhausted. “ This is my new friend Lisa.” He motioned towards Lisa and smiled. She was standing with her hands on her hips smiling warmly. Tara smiled, but when Lisa looked away, Zac thought he saw his best friend frown.
“So where did you meet her?” Tara asked later that afternoon. They were throwing a softball back in forth in the front yard of Zac’s house.
“ At the mall the other day when I went shopping with Ike.” Zac answered.
He threw the ball back lightly. “ How comes you didn’t tell me about her.” Tara asked with a hint of jealousy in her voice.
“ I didn’t think it would be a big deal, I mean I meet new fans all of the time, you know that.” Zac explained. Tara exhaled deeply. She knew, there were always swarms of girls around the guys when they would go out. She watched Zac’s face as she tossed the ball back to him. She remembered the rubber band in her pocket. Watching it stretch and grow. Maybe Zac was just stretching. Maybe he needed more room to live.
“ I guess now that he is a full blown star, He wants to bask in the spot lights for a while.” Tara thought to herself as she caught the softball. She frowned at the thought of her best friend turning conceited and full of himself, running out the door to a group of screaming girls to take pictures and get autographs. She shook the thought out of her head as she threw the ball back a little bit to hard. Zac caught it, but he was taken back.
“ Whoa.” he exclaimed confused. “ Aim for my hands next time not my head ok, I need it. You know to live?”
Tara laughed. “ Sorry.”
Zac walked across the grass to her and grinned. He dropped the ball and put his hands on her shoulders.
“ I bet I can tackle you.” he countered smiling mischievously.
“ I bet you can too, you always get me.” Tara answered standing still infront of the hyper blonde. But before he could tackle her to the ground, Tara watched Taylor sneak off of the porch swing from where he was sitting and jump him from behind, pushing him to the ground.
“ Hey no fair!” screeched Zac laughing.
“ There’s no rules so it is completely fair." Taylor laughed then added. "That was a point for you Tara.” He smiled at her and brushed his hands off.
Lisa Evans picked up the phone and dialed Zac Hanson’s number. She couldn’t wait to ask the cute, and famous, blonde to the movies with her and some friends. She was sure he would say yes.
“ Is Zac there?” Lisa asked nervously.
After a few minutes she heard a mutter and then the sound of the phone being picked up.
“ Hello?” came Zac’s loud voice.
“ Hey, this is Lisa. And whoa…jeez you don’t need to scream.” Lisa joked as she sat down at the kitchen table. “So, uh I was wondering, if you wanted to go to the movies with me and my friends tonight.” she gushed nervously. “ You know, just as friends.” Lisa added playing with a piece of her curly hair. Her green eyes narrowed unsurely hoping that he would say yes.
“ I guess, If I can get a ride.” he answered
“ Who is that?” Tara asked circling Zac and the phone like a vulture. She pulled on the cord anxiously waiting for a reply. Zac mouthed 'Lisa'. And this time her frown was extremely noticeable. He shrugged.
Isaac walked past and eyed the two in question. He took a sip out of his soda can and looked at Tara. Tara flashed him a pitiful look then turned and walked out the door.
“ What was that all about Zac?” Ike asked putting his hand in his pocket.
" I dont know." he answered leaning his hands on the table and propping the phone between his ear and his shoulder. Zac covered the receiver with his hand and whispered,"She's just jealous."
Isaac frowned. He sat down on the old love seat in the Hanson's living room. "I'd be jealous if I were her too you know." the 18 year old said to his younger brother.
Zac flashed him a look.
" I mean, what happend to the, I'd rather play on my Playstation, and build my lego's?" Isaac asked playing with the tab on his soda can.
Zac flashed him another look, this time, it was more of a warning.
Isaac shrugged his shoulders.
" Hey I'm just trying to understand where Tara is coming from here. And I do understand it. You two never did anything with anyone else, unless the other one was there."" Can you hold on a second?" Zac commented inpaitently into the phone. He clasped his hand over the reciver and looked to Isaac. Before answering him he rolled his eyes. " If you care so much, why dont you go do something with her. I dont have to do everything with her."
Isaac frowned at his younger brother. "I didn't say you had to do everything with her," he replied, "and you can't go out with her tonight anyway. We have a practice."
Zac suddenly remembered their practice. He muttered something about doing something some other night, then hung up the phone.
Isaac crossed his arms over his chest and looked at his brother.
Zac turned and ran up the stairs leading to his bedroom. "Thanks alot Ike!" he yelled madly over his shoulder.
On his way down the hall he stopped and looked into his younger sisters, Jessie and Avery's bedroom. Jessica, Avery, Mackie and Zoe were all at there grandparents house for a few days to visit. " What a relief." He muttered before going into the room that he and his brothers shared.
Taylor was laying on his bed with arms behind his head. "Hey." Taylor called watching his brother throw clothes off of the bottom bunk of his and Ike's bunk beds and onto the floor.
Zac continued to toss the clothing off left and right so he could sit on the bed.
"Hey!" Taylor shouted. " What the heck are you doing? Mom just washed them, and I just cleaned all of your shit off the floor." The 16 year old sat up and looked at the floor. It was now strewn with a layer of clean clothes.
Zac turned and glared at his brother, "If you have a problem with it, clean it up yourself."
" Jeez, what crawled up your ass?" Taylor muttered picking up his favorite blue shirt out of the pile.
A light knock sounded through the boy's bedroom door.
Both of their blonde heads turned to look. Tara stood in the doorway looking at them, she shoved her hands in the pockets of her short cut off shorts then nervously pulled them back out again.
" Um, Ike called and told me that you guys were going to practice, and that I could come over and listen." she said quietly, not looking at Zac.
"Sure you can listen." Taylor answered balling up the blue shirt that was still in his hands. " Right Zac?" he shot throwing the shirt at his brothers head.
Zac grabbed the shirt and tossed it back on his bed, then bent to pick up the rest of the clothes.
Taylor jumped up playfully and threw his arms around Tara's shoulders. She screeched as he lifted her up off the ground and carried her around the room.
Zac stared at his brother messing around with Tara. He had to admire her. She's hot too Zac thought as Taylor tossed Tara onto his bed. She laughed as he sat on her legs.
Zac watched out of the corner of his eye while he picked up a pair of cords. " You know guys, that looks pretty nasty." He commented. Zac bent down and picked up a pair of khaki shorts and tossed them onto the bed.
Taylor and Tara looked over at him and Tara blushed. Taylor then realized that it did look pretty bad and he laughed. Nervously he stood up and walked over to Zac to help pick up the clothes. Tay watched Tara as she smoothed out her tight red tank top. Zac caught Taylor's eye and elbowed him in the ribs. Taylor blushed as he picked up one last shirt. He then walked over to Tara and pulled her up by her hands. She giggled as he led her out the door.
" Come on Zac, we have to practice." Taylor called as he and Tara bounded down the stairs.
" I guess I just got a taste of my own medcine." Zac muttered to himself as he peered over the hallway railing at Taylor and Tara.
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