Chapter 7

"Hey Ike." Madison called happily as she walked into the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee. She sat down beside him and kicked him playfully in the shin. He looked up and smiled slowly.

"I am going to miss seeing your smiling face in the morning." He whispered before taking a sip of the brown liquid that sat before him.

"Oh, sentimental aren’t we Ike? Besides, I’m not going anywhere…unless you want me to…" she said, looking at him quizzically.

"No, I don’t want you to leave." He said softly. "Hey, Madison?"

"Yeah?"

"What happened between you and Zac last night? I don’t mean to pry, but you seem so happy and he did too. You seem…closer too." Isaac raised his eyebrows at his companion at the table and took another sip of his coffee. Madison blushed and concentrated on stirring the cup before her. She sighed.

"I don’t know…we just…bonded. And I don’t know. Ike, Zac understands me like no one else can. It’s weird, and exciting, and frightening all at the same time. And uh…hekissedme."

Isaac smiled. "What was that last part? I didn’t quite catch it."

"I said, hekissedme."

"What?"

"He kissed me, Ike! God! I think you should get your hearing checked." Madison laughed and tucked a piece of brown hair behind her ear.

"Oh…WHAT? Still didn’t get it!" Isaac grinned as Madison stuck her tongue out at him.

"Was it a good kiss?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Was it?"

"He’s your brother! You don’t want to hear about stuff like this…"

"Hear about what?" Taylor meandered into the room and took a seat beside Madison. He looked from Ike to Madison and back to Ike. "What did I miss?"

"Zachary and Madison up in a tree…k-i-s-s-i-n-g…." Isaac sang.

"Ah…I see. So you guys finally did it, huh?" Taylor grinned and punched Madison in the arm.

"Can’t you guys just leave me alone?"

"What do you mean finally?" Isaac asked, confused.

"See, when I got to the beach…they were about to lock lips…but I stopped ‘em."

"Taylor…"

"I see…and uh, when did you guys kiss?" Isaac asked, fully intrigued.

"Stop it…" Madison whined leaning her head down on the cool surface of the table.

"No, really, when? I wanna know!" Taylor pressed.

"It’s none of your business."

"Please?"

"Yeah, please?" Isaac grinned.

"In the car…happy now?" Madison asked angrily.

"Oh, yeah."

"Don’t you wish you had brothers?" Taylor asked happily.

"Oh, this makes me long for some. How does Zac put up with you?"

"Zac put up with us? It’s more like how do we put up with Zac?" Isaac laughed. A door clicked shut and all three pairs of eyes turned to see a deflated looking Zac enter the kitchen. Isaac’s face fell and he stared down at what was remaining of his coffee. Taylor cleared his throat and closed his eyes.

"Mad…uh…can I talk to you for a sec?" he asked, eyes downcast.

"Sure, Zac. What’s up?"

"Alone?"

"Uh…Zac…why don’t you just do it here?" Isaac suggested softly, looking up to see a tear fall from Zac’s face.

"What? What’s going on guys?" Madison asked, sounding so confused and so innocent that Zac buried his face in his hands.

"Please don’t hate me for what I’m about to do, Mad…please…" he pleaded, his brown eyes filling up with tears once more.

"What is it Zac?" she asked softly, a knot forming in her stomach.

"I…I…well…."he stuttered. "They…they saw him on the News, and uh…"

"Saw who?" Madison asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Your father…" he whispered, his eyes never leaving the floor.

Chapter Eight
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