Chapter 21: Katie and Victoria



I had been sitting around all day. Joey was at an optomitrist appointment, Zac was at Kat's, Ike was out seeing a new girl he had picked up the other day, mom was with Zoë, Jessie, Mac, and Avie, and Dad was out getting an oil change for the car. I, was stuck at home, alone. It seemed all my friends were...... .well, gone. All I could think about was who would come over and do something, anything, with me. As long as I wasn't bored; I really hate being bored. Then I remembered one ray of hope.

"I could call Katie." I thought, she would at least keep me busy. I picked up and dialed the number of my ex-girlfriend. It was still drilled into my head. 446-9192. It rang and rang, but right before I was going to hang up, she picked up.

"Hello?" she asked into the phone. Her voice clicked an old, running stream of memories.

"Hey, it's Taylor."

"Oh, hi Taylor!" she said excitedly. From there we had a two hour conversation. We talked about things we did and she confessed that she still liked me.

"So, do you still like me?" she asked carefully. It was almost like, she had been afraid to ask. I didn't want to hurt her feelings, but Joey was all I could think about.

"Well, I'm kinda' seeing someone." I started slowly.

"What's her name?" Katie asked, not missing a beat.

"Joey."

"That's a boy's name!" Then she hung up.

"And they said I had pent up hostility cause I hated Barney. Sheesh!!" I hung up. "I will never understand girls."

"And they will never understand you." my mom laughed.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough."

"Okay."

"Taylor, when I was doing the laundry, I found this." she stopped and held up a bra. "I found it behind a laundry basket, the laundry basket was in the corner. It's not the kids' cause they don't wear them, its not you guys', I hope, it's not mine, cause its only a C-cup, and its certainly is not your fathers. It's from Victoria's Secret. Do you know who's it is?" my mother gave me that gaze. That, if you know and I find out you knew, you are in serious trouble. I flashed back to the day I caught Zac and Kat in the laundry room, Kat had had on an undershirt, but I didn't think she had a bra on. And I bet, in the heat of the moment, she threw it off, and it landed somewhere farther away from the pile of laundry or something. "TAYLOR!" she called loudly. "WHO'S IS IT?" she was now demanding. I then remembered my promise to Zac, I couldn't even hint to my mom that it could be him, she'd die and we'd all be banned from girls forever.

"Nope, never seen it." I was a little disappointed for lying to my mom, but she just said okay and left. I let out my breath and took a sigh of relief. I was also really gonna give it to Zac, makin me get put on the spot like that.

Chapter 22: Gettin' Jiggy Wit It



I decided that I would go visit Kat. It had been awhile since I had, and since my mom was dropping me off from my appointment, I asked her to drop me off in front of Kat's. She agreed, but reminded me to be home before ten since it was a weeknight. I agreed and kissed her goodbye. I ran to Kat's door and knocked. I saw Mom drive off and sighed as she did. I was glad to be rid of her, even if only for a few hours. Kat soon answered the door. I stepped inside before she asked and then closed the door behind me.

"I swear, I'm going to strangle my mother," I sighed.

"What is it this time?" Kat asked, taking a bite of the cookie she held in hand.

"Oh, she's just been nitpicking at every little thing I do lately," I replied. "You think we could invite the guys over? I haven't seen Taylor since two days ago."

"Sure. I was just about to invite Zac over anyway," Kat smiled. She knew that I needed release of stress sometimes and took my little outbursts in stride.

stride.



"So, if you could eat one flavor ice cream for the rest of your life, what would it be?" Zac asked as we sat on the floor of the entertainment room.

"Strawberry," Taylor and I replied simultaneously. Our voices said again, unified, "Who were you asking?"

"You guys are so much alike it's scaring me. Come on Zac. Let's leave them to be alone," Kat took Zac's hand and led him from the room. Taylor and I just snickered as we sat there. Taylor suddenly moved to kiss me. I moved closer to him, allowing his arms to encircle me. We were seated on a large couch, so Taylor laid me back and continued to kiss me. Taylor laid himself on top of me, kissing me more aggressively with every passing moment. Soon, I felt his hands wander up my shirt and on top of my breasts. I slightly moaned at the feeling that penetrated my entire body. Suddenly I felt something new and different. Then I realized it was him hardening against me. I reached down, slowly and placed a hand on the outside of his baggy jeans. His moans came soflty at first and louder with each passing moment. I felt his hands move down the top portion of my pants and rub my abs. I sighed loudly as our kisses became more passionate and our breathing became heavier. For the first time in my life I felt completely comfortable with him being so near to me. I wasn't afraid of flashbacks or what was to come. I was completely and utterly enthralled by the new emotions that ivaded my heart and mind. I never wanted to stop, and I could tell that by the way Taylor was trying to unbutton his pants, neither did he. But I knew this could be a problem. We were in Kat's house with her and a 12 year old. If I didn't stop it now, we would never stop.

"Taylor," I whispered into his ear, "we have to stop."

"Please not now," he rasped.

"No, we have to stop," I told him. He suddenly pulled away.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his look of lust changing to one of concern.

"I'm fine, but we can't do this. Not now," I warned.

A defeated sigh escaped his disappointed face. "You're right," he said, "but I was so close."

"Close to what?" I asked, half smiling.

"To...you know...to coming," Taylor blushed making his ruddy complexion even redder.

"Sorry, but you and I both know where this was heading," I sighed, sitting up.

"Yeah. It was fun while it lasted though, wasn't it?" he joked. Suddenly, Zac and Kat came into the room. Taylor and I jumped away from each other and smoothed out our rumpled clothes. Kat came to me with a devilish look in her eye.

"What were you guys doing?" she inquired, smiling.

"We were talking about..." I drew a blank.

"Gettin' Jiggy Wid It?" Zac supplied, walking over to Taylor.

"No, God, no. We were just talking about...." Taylor trailed off.

"You guys. By the way, what do you want to do now? We're bored," I supplied quickly, thankful that Taylor and I had stopped when we did. If we hadn't, our personal freedom would have been quickly limited by major blackmail like Zac's and Kat's is.



I tried to ask Joey what happened that day, but she never admitted to anything. I had a feeling something happened, but, being a good friend, I decided not to butt into her personal life. As for me and Zac, we had slowed things down quite a bit. It was a good time to do so because before I knew it, news I didn't want to hear was thrown upon my ears.

Zac and I were in the tree house, sipping water and talking a hot day in August. The gentle breeze cooled the scorching day, but the hot sun still made the sweat appear on our skin. We didn't want to go into the house because Isaac was having major problems and trying to kill everyone in his path. Joey and Taylor were smooching up in the guy's room, and it was almost sickening to walk in there. In fact, it was VERY sickening. Diana was stressed to the max since Zoe's teething had started and Avie got the chicken pox. Walker was trying to get Mackie and Jessie infected with the itchy virus so they wouldn't have to go through it two more separate times in inconvenient countries.

"Kat, we need to talk," I heard Zac say slowly and quietly. Not exactly a phrase I liked to hear much...

"About what?" I asked cheerfully.

"Hanson. We're um......going away," he sighed, setting down his water.

"Away? To where? And for how long?" I asked calmly. Inside I was already bawling. I didn't want to lose Zac already.

"We're going to Europe to work on our new album, do a little touring and film our new video," Zac explained. "That means we'll be there for a few months."

"Months? When-when are you leaving?" I asked, the tears beginning to form.

"In about six weeks. We have plenty of time to be together until then, so we'll have to make the best of it, okay?" Zac scooted over and snuggled me despite the waves of sunrays beating down on our shoulders. I simply nodded, still stunned by the news.



I almost regretted telling her the news so soon, but I knew if I didn't, we wouldn't be able to make the best of our time together. I knew that much of the remaining weeks would be spent in practice and jams, but I wanted every last second possible to be spent with Kat. Her eyes that usually danced before me in amazement and wonder were now in a blank stare towards a worn blanket in the far corner of the tree house.

"Kat? You okay?" I asked as the first few tears slid down her cheeks.

"No...I just got you. Your fans have had you for over a year and a half now. It's my turn. I want to see you! I want to be with you! Why do you have to go?" she asked, crying harder.

"It's my job. My career, Kat. I love what I do and it always has to come first. I have to go or my career is at stake. I love you, too, but I know that if I go away for a few months, you'll still be here when I come home. You'll be ready to welcome me. In the music world, it's not the same. You got to take it while the getting's good as the saying goes. The getting is great right now, Kat, and I'm not just going to give it up. I love you, please don't let this get in the way of our relationship. I want you to be waiting for me when I come back," I whispered.

"Well, you can't always have everything you want," she hissed, getting up.

"Kat! Kat please don't be this way! We only have six weeks! Please!" I screamed as she slowly left the tree house. "Kat I love you, please! Come back here!"

I walked, tears now running down my own cheeks as she got to the bottom of the tree. She looked up at me, sadly and mouthed "I'm sorry." I wanted to jump down there so badly and hug her and tell her I wouldn't go, but I knew that I couldn't do that. I couldn't just say I would forget my career for a relationship that might not last. I just hoped she would forgive me.



I had just sprung the news of our impending trip on Joey. She was taking it quite well, which I didn't expect. We had been laying on the floor, talking in my room, when I had told her. She asked questions about where I'd be and what I'd be doing, and I always answered them as best I could. When she was finished, she laid on the floor, staring at the ceiling for a long time. She finally spoke after a few moments of silence.

"It's not fair you know," she said.

"What isn't?" I asked.

"Well," she propped herself up on one elbow and looked at me as I laid flat. "I finally found someone that I can trust. Someone I can tell the one hidden secret of my past and now he has to go. I mean, none of my brothers or sisters even know that thing I told you. My mother and father are the only people in the world that share that knowledge with you and me. Now that I've found someone that I feel I can completely trust and confide in and feel comfortable with, he has to leave. You career means a lot to you, so I'm not going to cry or complain anymore, but I just had to tell you what was on my mind."

"I appreciate it. Remember, I'm going to write every day and I call when I can. I don't want to leave you, but my career comes first right now," I lifted a hand and twirled a lock of her long, wavy, dark blond hair in my fingers and sighed. "I'm going to miss you so much. We're really going to have to make these last six weeks special."

"I agree with you," she smiled. She leaned down slowly and placed her warm lips on mine to caress me. I placed a hand gently on her hip and enjoyed the feeling I got from her presence. Suddenly, our kisses were interrupted by a rude voice.

"For God sakes, Tay. Quit feeling your girlfriend up on the floor of our room! I mean, come on! You should at least have the decency to go to a motel or something!" Isaac yelled at me and Joey. He then turned around and left the room again and I got up.

"I think I should go talk to-"

"No, let me," Joey interrupted. "I want to see what's up."

"All right. If you need back up, I'll be up here, working on the new song," I smiled. I knew Joey really had a way of calming down anger in people. She didn't let herself get worked up about things or let people get to her, so I knew she'd calm Isaac easily.

Chapters 23-24
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