~Chapter 24~

"Way to go, braino," Jayden scolded herself,"Way to be firm..."

She paused to take in the conversation she had just had with Zac; Taylor was still missing and his younger brother now knew he had proposed to Jayden and possibly run away. A little heavy coming all at once for the poor guy... she thought.He's probably more mixed up and worried than I am... if that's possible. Okay, just calm down. Don't get so worked up. Besides, he practically deserted you. Yeah, he's the bad guy. Don't feel guilty, it's not your problem. He screwed himself up.

"Ok, so the pep talk didn't work..." she said to herself. It was no use. No matter what angle she viewed the situation from, the guilt always seemed to be placed on her.

She shook her head, gave a huge sigh, and decided that wondering and worrying wouldn't help. Jayden made her way to the basement, where she had a long, hot shower, hoping to clear her head.

But if anything, it made everything worse. It was as though the steam from the shower had also clouded her mind, her reason, and whatever calm she had left. Quickly throwing on a pair of dirty khakis and an old gray cotton sweater in her room, she scribbled a short note to her parents.

Hey Mom & Dad,

Gone to Tay's for awhile. Just left a note

in case you decided to come home early (or

need a little extra sleep, eh Mom?)

Luv ya! jayden

In a flash she was out the door and walking at a very quick paste from 75th Street to 78th. In what must've been a new speed record, she reached the Hanson house.

"Why hello, Jayden. I wasn't expecting you here," Diana said as she emerged from the garage with grocery bags in tow.

"I, uh, just thought I'd come over and see if there was anything I could do..."

Diana gave a tight-lipped smile as she unlocked the front door & ushered Jayden inside,"I appreciate the offer, but there's not much we can do until later tonight, when the police will start looking for him."

"Hey, Mackie," Jayden said, stepping over a pile of his toys,"You really think he won't be home by then?"

Diana sighed as she headed for the kitchen,"I don't know what to think, to be honest."

Jayden reached into a brown paper bag and began putting a few boxes of cereal,"Same here."

Damn it, why shouldn't I just tell her? Jayden thought It might help the police later... or something...

"Earth to Jayden? Jayd?" Isaac said,waving his hand infront of her face as he entered the kitchen.

"Oh, uh, what? Ike, hi," Jayden stumbled. There she had gone, lost in her own little wonderland again...

Ike grabbed a bag of chips which his mother had just been about to put away. Opening the package, he offered some to Jayden.

"No thanks," she said, trying to sound cheery.

"So what brings you to the Hanson household?" Ike asked as the two retreated to the living room.

Jayden looked down,"I was pretty bored at home. My folks are out of town, so I thought I'd come over for some company."

"Plus, you're really worried about Taylor."

"Well, yeah, but not that much," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

But Ike knew better than to believe her. He could tell by her knitted eyebrows and solemn expression that she was anything but content. Rather than pushing the subject anymore, Ike turned on the television. Images of 'N Sync's latest video filled the screen.

"Oh, the horror!" Jayden said, covering her eyes in mock fear,"Change it!"

Isaac laughed,"Well, at least a bit of Taylor's good taste has rubbed off on you..."

Jayden gave a tiny smile,"Oh no, don't get me wrong. I love 'N Sync! It's just Joey's red shirt... and orange pants. Ugh. Bad combo."

"Oh, of course," Ike said in a serious tone,"What was he thinking?!"

"It's just a guess, but I'm thinking he was trying to look as hot as me," Zac said, plopping down next to Jayden.

He gave Jayden a serious, questioning look, which she knew was about their earlier conversation. She returned the look with a pleading, apologetic glance.

"Uh, sorry to interrupt your little game of 'Guess The Face', but what's up with you two?" Ike asked, giving them a strange look of his own.

Jayden and Zac blushed, replying in unison,"Nothing."

"Sure..." Ike said slowly, standing up,"Have an enjoyable afternoon..."

He headed upstairs, leaving Jayden and Zac alone to have another discussion.

"Ok, so refresh my memory," Zac said,"Tay proposed, Tay ran away, and I shouldn't tell my parents because...?"

"Because it's all my fault and if something bad happens to Taylor, it'll be because of me, and i'll never be able to face them again, and they won't let me speak to him ever again, not that he'll want to anyway, and for the rest of my life, I'll be left wondering 'What if?', and end up marrying some dead-beat named Crusher and be miserable the rest of my life!!!"

Zac took a deep breath,"Jayden, come on! You're overreacting-"

"Overreacting? OVERREACTING? Hah! You ain't heard nothing yet!" Jayden cried,"I'll end up with a couple dozen kids with a combined I.Q. of 40, and be living in a 1-bedroom apartment with no running water, while Taylor marries some goregeous woman and they move into a humungous mansion, and have 3 perfect children-"

"Finished yet?"

Jayden sucked in a breath,"Nuh-uh. So anyway, Tay and Little-Miss-Rich-Bimbo will become the world's most beloved couple, and 10 years later when Crusher and I are divorced and I'm shopping at the Thrifty-Cheap store for my 36 kids, they'll walk by and he'll point and laugh, and tell everyone within a 20-mile radius what a screw-up I am!"

Zac sat silent for a moment,"Uh... Yeah."

"Oh gosh, do I sound as ditzy as I think I do?" Jayden asked,"Zac, I'm so sorry, it's just, I-I, don't know what to do and he might never come-"

Zac took the opportunity to place a finger over her mouth,"Don't start."

Jayden heaved a heavy sigh,"Sorry, sorry."

"Why don't we go upstairs?" Zac whispered,"My mom's still in the kitchen & if she hears us, our little secret will be kaput."

Jayden nodded, not realizing how loudly she had been talking. The two bounded upstairs to Ike, Tay, and Zac's room where Ike was zipping up a huge duffel bag.

"Don't tell me you've recruited Jayden to pack your suitcase for you," Ike cracked, as he began dragging his bag into the hall.

Zac smirked,"As a matter of fact, she volunteered!"

"What?!" Jayden cried,"Where'd you come up with that idea?"

"Shhhh!" Zac said, closing the bedroom door began Isaac,"I just wanted him to think I was packing so he wouldn't be suspicious as to why we're in here."

Jayden blushed,"Oops, sorry!"

"...But while we're on the topic, do you wanna help me?" Zac asked, retrieving a duffel bag similar to Ike's from the closet.

Jayden shrugged,"Guess so. Not like I have a lot to do."

She approached the dresser, where she opened the top drawer.

"Oh my, Zac..." she said, holding back giggles as she picked up a pair of socks,"Pink?"

Zac quickly grabbed the socks,"Those are Avery's. Dad must'be put them in here by mistake when he did the laundry yesterday."

"Ok, Zac. I believe ya..."

"Just shut up and pack, will ya?" Zac said, smiling.

Jayden closed the underwear drawer, deciding Zac could at least choose his own 'personal items'. The second drawer was safe, filled with neatly folded stacks of shirts.

"Hey, do you want to bring this one?" she asked, holding up a navy-blue & lime green shirt for Zac's approval.

Zac nodded and placed the shirt in the bag. Jayden flipped through a few more shirts when she felt something slice the tip of her pinky.

"Ouch!" she cried, examining her finger. A small papercut was visible and bleeding slightly.

"What?" Zac asked, ducking out of the closet where he had been sorting through shoes.

Jayden shook her head,"Oh, nothing. Just a little paper cut, that's all."

She resumed her task, only to later find the cause of her tiny injury. Tucked between two red shirts that could only be Tay's was a strip of pictures, the kind that you took for a couple of dollars in the little booth at the mall. She recognized them from the same shopping trip in which Taylor had surprised her with the pair of pink slippers. She examined each image closely. The first was hilarious, with Taylor's tongue sticking out and Jayden standing behind him and holding his hair in make-shift pig-tails. The second was more serious, with Jayden sitting on Taylor's lap, his arms draped over her shoulders. The third and final photo made Jayden's heart flutter. In it, she and Taylor were sitting side-by-side, their heads leaning against one another. Their eyes appeared to be locked together, with a look of pure love.

Oh gawd... I need him so much...

Taylor... I'm begging you... Come home...