-/-Chapter 2-/-
He continued his intimate conversation with himself, "I'm just a fake! I need to find someone who isn't looking for someone called `animal'- I need someone who can just not freak out when I'm not making jokes or doing impersonations. I need someone who wants ZAC." He was satisfied with the conclusions he was coming to all by himself. Usually, Ike or his mom had to help him reach these points; but he was drawing conclusions on his own.
"I'm just Zac Hanson, not the eleven year old whack I WAS- but the fourteen year old I AM. I need a girlfriend. Amy, Katie, and Jamie were just practices for girlfriends, I didn't really ever like them.
I need to find someone who doesn't care I'm famous…someone who just acts like I'm a drummer in a garage band." Zac was pacing the floor talking aloud with suddenly a giggle from the doorway interrupted his thoughts.
"What is it Avery?" Zac used a kind of annoyed tone that someone was disturbing his progressive thought process.
"You were talking to yourself," She told him.
"And your point?" Zac said getting impatient.
"It was funny," Avery giggled again.
"Avery I don't have time for a 9 year old lecture on how funny I am right now," Zac replied in a frustrated tone.
"I'm sorry Zac," Avery looked down at the ground. "Mommy just told me to tell you dinner was ready." Avery looked back up at Zac with scared eyes.
`Okay,' Zac thought to himself, `I am scaring my damn little sister now because I was talking to myself- UGH! Like Taylor…'
"I'm sorry Ave, I'll be down in a sec." Zac told her.
"Okay," She sighed running away.
Zac ran his hand through his hair as he looked into a mirror, "I like my hair longer," he complimented himself posing in the mirror.
"UGH! What am I doing?! I'm turning into Taylor," Zac had pure disgust in his voice when he realized he was posing in the mirror.
Zac ran down to the dining room where the rest of his family was sitting waiting for him except for Ike.
"Where's Ike?" Zac asked sitting down.
"He's still over at his new friend's house," Mr. Hanson said.
"Boy, he's been over at his new friend's house A LOT," Jessica commented ready to start some trouble.
"Well, we can start dinner without him," Diana said holding out her hands ready for prayer.
"I wonder who this new friend is," Taylor wondered aloud.
"I bet he has a new girlfriend," Zac sighed still thinking of girlfriends.
"Nah, I heard he's a new neighbor," Jessica disagreed.
"I heard SHE is a girl," Taylor raised an eyebrow.
"I heard it's a boy!" Avery said.
"I heard if we ask Ike he will tell us!" Isaac laughed walking in setting his keys on the key hook.
"Nice of you to join us," Mr. Hanson replied sarcastically.
Ike nodded taking off his jacket and sitting in his spot for dinner.
"Okay, let's pray." Diana said holding out her hands.
"So Ike, is she hot?" Zac sighed looking at him with disappointed eyes.
"Who?" Ike asked.
"Your new girlfriend," Zac replied looking at his empty plate.
"I'm still single," Ike said with his tone of voice getting a little higher.
"Told you it was a boy," Avery said sticking out her tongue at Taylor who was sitting across from her.
"Can we pray now?" Diana asked desperately. She was getting very hungry- especially when the steaming mashed potatoes were sitting right in front of her.
None of her children really heard her though, "Yeah, it's a guy, he's really cool. They just moved in like a month ago onto 75th street." Ike answered.
"Uh oh- Ike you aren't turning homosexual on us are you?" Tay laughed.
"TAYLOR!" Walker and Diana Hanson both scolded him for using that kind of language in front of his younger siblings.
"What?! Wouldn't you like to know if your son is gay?!" Taylor questioned.
"TAYLOR!" They both yelled.
"Mommy what's hobo-x-e-al mean?" Avery asked.
Mackenzie laughed at this.
"Mackie thinks I'm funny!" Avery laughed forgetting her question.
"ANYWAY, Jake has a sister your age Zac," Ike said.
At this remark Zac's eyes lit up and grew wide.
"Is she nice? Is she pretty? What kind of music does she like? Is she a snob? Does she play any sports?" The questioned flooded from Zac's mouth so fast Ike couldn't have possibly answered a question without being cut off by another.
"We can talk about this girl LATER we need to pray and eat!" Diana raised her voice to get her family's attention.
Diana rarely raised her voice (she figured with having 5 kids - if she DID raise her voice...she would lose it in a week) so of course when she did she got everyone's attention.
"Okay kids, your mother's right let's pray and eat…" Her husband agreed with her whole-heartedly.
They prayed and ate dinner that night just like any other night Hanson was off.