this is tough love ~ a zac fanfiction
this is tough love
Zac Hanson stared at his television screen in his New York hotel room. He and his brothers had just done an interview for MTV News about their new studio album. Zac looked at his television self. Was he really that chubby? He knew the TV put on a few pounds, but it seemed to Zac that he was getting huge. At least compared to his two older brothers, who were stick-thin.
"What's wrong?" Isaac asked, noticing the look of horror on Zac's face.
"N-Nothing." Zac said shaking his head.
Later that evening, alone in the room, Zac stood in front of the full length mirror, shirtless. He pinched his sides and stomach.
"Tay and Ike can't do that." He said sighing.
No sooner had the words left his lips, Taylor, Isaac, and their father Walker rushed into the room.
"You missed out on all the fun, Zac." Taylor said as Zac pulled a baggy T-shirt over his head.
"What were you doing, son?" Asked Walker.
"Just got out of the shower." Zac lied.
"Uh, Zac," Isaac pointed out, "Your hair isn't wet."
"Hey Isaac, ever hear of a blow dryer?!" Zac shot back sarcastically.
"Anyhow, " Walker interrupted before a fight broke out, "Why didn't you join us for dinner tonight?"
"I just didn't feel like going." He shrugged.
"Zac doesn't feel like eating?! Now there's a story for the tabloids!" Isaac cracked, and Taylor laughed with him.
Zac felt sick.
*****
Tulsa was a welcome sight for Zac, who was tired of doing interviews, even if it was promoting their new album.
Diana greeted the guys at the front door. She handed Zoe to Zac.
"Here, " She said, "She's been crying for you ever since you left."
Zoe put her pudgy, sticky arms around Zac's neck and planted a slobbery kiss on his cheek.
"Hi, Zoe." Zac said dully. He then sat her down and ran upstairs to his room.
"That's odd." Diana said to Walker, "What's wrong with him?"
"He's been acting that way ever since the MTV interview." Walker replied.
Zac sat in his room bouncing a rubber ball off the wall and catching it.
Zac was the youngest of his brothers. Taylor weighed 150 lbs, and Isaac weighed 153 lbs. Zac, on the other hand, weighed 165 lbs.
'I'll only stop eating long enough to get down to their weight, at least.' Zac thought.
Ten minutes later, Taylor knocked on the door.
"Dinner's ready!" He called.
"I'm not hungry!" Zac bounced the ball harder on the wall and it went flying across the room, knocking over a model car that Zac built last year.
"Zac, is there something wrong?" Taylor asked, getting concerned. "All jokes aside, if you need to talk to me or if there's something you need to tell, you can tell me."
"There's nothing wrong, " Zac said, "I just think I'm coming down with something."
Zac then faked a cough. It didn't convince Taylor, but it'd have to do.
*****
Three days later, Zac had somehow made it without eating.
Avery was worried about Zac. No one wanted to use the A-word because it was so unlike Zac to worry about something so trivial as weight. There had to be another reason why he wasn't eating. Avery knew there would be something seriously wrong if he rejected his favorite snack, Twinkies. She grabbed a few Twinkies from the kitchen and went upstairs to Zac's room. The door was shut, and he was listening to loud music she didn't recognize. She timidly knocked on the door, not knowing how Zac would react. He'd been angry all day long.
"What?!" Zac yelled from the other side of the door.
"It's just me." She said meekly. "I brought your favorites."
Zac threw open the door and Avery came in, holding up two packs of Twinkies.
"I don't want those! I wish everyone would just leave me alone! I'll eat when I want to!"
He pushed Avery out of his room and slammed the door. He heard Avery crying all the way to her room. Didn't anyone care about him? If they would they wouldn't be trying to shove this garbage down his throat.
Zac weighed himself in the bathroom. He'd lost 12 pounds in four days. That wasn't enough for him. Zac suddenly became blind of his original goal and all he could see was losing more and more weight.
Meanwhile, Diana and Walker were looking up anorexia on the internet in their bedroom. Tears came to Diana's eyes as she read about the eating disorder.
"What are we gonna do, Walk?" She asked, putting her hand over her mouth.
"The only thing we can do." He said, squeezing his wife's shoulders. "It's called tough love."
*****
Diana hummed softly as she prepared dinner with all of Zac's favorites: meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, and corn on the cob. When it was ready, she piled a plate high with food for Zac.
"Okay, honey, I'm taking the food up to Zac." Diana said to Walker. He followed her up the stairs.
"Zac?" Diana knocked on his door.
"Come in!" He called. He was sitting at his desk working on an essay and listening to Radiohead.
"Since you haven't been feeling well, Zac, I brought your dinner to you." Diana set the plate on his desk.
"I'm not hungry." He sniffed.
"But, I made all of your favorites." She said persaudingly.
"I said I'm not hungry."
"Zac, " Walker spoke up, " Your mother and I are very worried about you. You either eat this food now, or we're checking you into the Psychiatric Ward of the hospital for anorexia."
"I am not anorexic!" Zac dropped his pen to the floor.
"Zac! Look at you!" Diana yelled, taking both male Hansons by surprise. "Your eyes and your cheeks are all sunk in! You've been snapping at everyone who cares about you!"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Zac said, fishing for his pen.
"Your mother and I are firm on this. Eat this dinner that your mother spent all this time on to please you, or it's the hospital."
Zac looked at the food and to his parents. He felt faint, then everything went black.
*****
Zac awoke in the hospital bed with crisp white sheets. Tubes and needles ran to his hand. His mom rushed to his side.
"Mom? What happened?"
She grabbed his hand. "It's gonna be okay." She kissed his hand. She knew it'd take awhile, but she had only the best doctors and therapists to work with her son.
"Where is everyone?" He asked.
"There all waiting outside. Everyone was worried." Tears filled her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Mom."
"Zac, it's okay. We understand. We're getting you help."
Zac laid his head back on his pillow. "I'm going to sleep now."
"And I'll be right here when you wake up." Diana said.
*****
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