"TAYLOR! Get your lazy ass outta bed!"
16 year-old Jordan Taylor Hanson groaned as he rolled over, pulling a pillow over his head, trying to block out his eldest brother's attempts to wake him up. Moments later, heavy footsteps could be heard, travelling up the stairs, through the hall, and stopping at the door of the room Taylor shared with two of his brothers: Clarke Isaac (Ike), 18; and Zachary Walker (Zac) 13.
"Taylor, are you up yet??" Isaac asked impatiently, stepping into the room. Taylor, now wide awake, remained silent as his brother shook his shoulder.
"C'mon, Tay! Jayden is here!" Ike groweled, obviously not having the best of mornings. Jayden was Taylor's girlfriend of 11 months, the first steady relationship he'd ever had. Still, he resisted the urge to run and greet Jayden and continued to show no signs of life. Tay merely burrowed deeper inside the tangled mass of blankets. He knew that when Isaac realized he was just playing around, wasting his time, it would be best to be out of easy reach for one simple reason:much smaller chance of receiving the dreaded death-wedgie or being trapped in a head-lock... Suffice it to say, it didn't always smell shower-fresh under there.
Isaac was getting suspicious of Tay. Sure, he and Zac teased Taylor about being able to sleep through a tornado, or as was more common now, a horde of screaming fans, but at 11:45am on a rare day off in Tulsa,with Jayden? Not a chance!
"Ok then,"Ike said with a shrug,"I guess i'll just tell your precious little Jayden that you're too busy talking on the phone with Mindy to go out with her..."
"You wouldn't dare!!" Taylor said, sitting up so fast it was amazing he didn't get whip-lash. Mindy Crissin was a 'family friend' who had depised Taylor, calling him a 'whiny brat'until he became famous. Now she practically stalked him, begging for a date. She was repeatedly turned down, much to her surprise and disbelief, being the daughter of a rich and powerful banker.
Ike smiled smugly, reaching for the door handle,"Try me."
That was all it took. Taylor was off and out the door, flying down the stairs.
"Jerk," Isaac grumbled, rubbing his shoulder which Tay had slammed into the door frame in his stampede. Seconds later, he heard a small shriek coming from the living room and quickly ran downstairs. There stood Taylor, wearing a pair of boxers shorts covered with small red polka dots...Correction:Wearing only a pair of boxer shorts covered with small red polka dots... His face was a vibrant fuschia, and Isaac soon found out why.
"Why didn't you tell me Jayden and her older brother were here?" Taylor hissed at his brother, who was trying unsuccessfully to hold in his laughter.
"Um, memory lapse?" Isaac said innocently, before letting loose with laughter, along with Jayden and her brother,Regan.
Taylor was not impressed,"Memory lapse? More like common idiot occurance for you,Ike."
"Ohhhh, that hurts Tay, that really hurts,"Ike said in mock sadness,"Better hope it doesn't run in the family."
Jayden watched Ike and Tay with amusement. She knew by now that if you were ever bored, just head over to the Hanson house, where comedic sibling-spats were a never-ending event.
"Uh, Tay, sweetie?" she spoke up, looking at her watch,"We really should be going.Regan has to have the car home in a few minutes,and we'll never make it to the movies on time if we walk."
Taylor, who was noticeably relieved for a subject change, quickly grabbed his coat and headed for the door, taking Jayden's hand in his.
Jayden stopped and released Taylor's hand,"Just one more thing..."
"Yeah?" Taylor prompted.
"Well, the theatre management might let the 'no shirts' and 'no shoes' policy slide since you're famous, but...'no pants'??"
The fuschia color returned to Taylor's cheeks,"Back in a minute."
The remaining trio watched as he dashed upstairs, quiet for a few minutes. Isaac, still thoroughly amused, broke the silence,"Now THAT is some good blackmail material!"
Regan grinned and nodded in agreement,"Just like that picture of Jayd taking a bath when she was 3! She just loved her rubber ducky!"
"What was that about a rubber ducky?" Taylor asked mischieviously as he bounced down the stairs, now fully dressed.
Now it was Jayden's turn to blush,"Um,nothing,nothing at all..."
This was followed by a stern and pleading glare at Regan to stay quiet.
"Yeah, it was nothing... in comparison to the videotape of you taking your first 'wee-wee' in the grown-up toilet!!!"Regan cried, watching as Jayden gasped in embarassment.
"Wee-wee?" Ike managed to say in between laughing fits.
Taylor, too, was laughing,"Awwww! I'm so proud of you! You used the grown-up toilet!"
"Ugh, come on,you guys! Quit it already!" Jayden explained,"Taylor, we have exactly 15 minutes before the matinee starts!"
As Taylor, Jayden, and Regan headed out the door, Isaac headed for the kitchen in search of his other siblings, still chuckling quietly.