Chapter 23: A Dating Service



"Isaac?" I asked as I entered the large basement.

"Yeah," he asked gruffly as he strummed a minor chord on his guitar.

"What's wrong? Why are you so worked up?" I asked quietly, taking a seat beside him on the couch he occupied. He looked into my eyes and suddenly, the anger turned into something else. I didn't know what? Relief? Thankfulness? Love? I wasn't sure.

"It's just. I don't know. I told my girlfriend of two weeks, Sonya, that we were leaving soon. She dumped me on the spot, claiming she couldn't handle my schedule anymore," he sighed. His voice became strained and frustrated. "It just, I don't know, it made me mad that I can't keep a girlfriend. I mean, look at you and Taylor. I haven't seen one fight between you two since you got together. Sure, you guys were all confused at first but that's kind of hard to avoid in a new relationship. I can't believe that two of my younger brothers are able to sway the girls easier than I am. Before I know it, Mackie will be dating-uh, I don't know-Cindy Crawford, maybe!"

"Isaac, you're carrying this too far, you know. It's not like Taylor and I have the perfect relationship or anything. We have our share of obstacles and problems, it's just that we are so good for each other that we know how to handle them a little easier. It's just a matter of finding the right person. A person that will know you," I smiled slightly. "A person that can see that wondeful Isaac Hanson; that hopeless romantic that likes moonlit walks along the beach and poetry."

"You're beginning to sound like a dating service, Joey," Isaac joked. "Hey, I practically am. I could fix you up with a few girls and maybe help you find someone you like," I offered.

"Nah, I like to have those 'meet by chance' things. I don't like to have planned meetings or," Isaac scrunched up his face and closed his eyes, "blinddates. Yuck. I feel dirty just saying those words."

I laughed, playfully pushing him in the shoulder. "I get the point, Ike. Anyway, I know you're just venting a lot of pent up anger right now, but, really, watch where it ends up. I don't want the little kids to have to experience the wrath of the Ike-monster, ya know? If you have a problem, and you're really pressured or stressed or angry, call me or come see me and take it out on me, cuz I can take it. I'm fully ready to accept the abuse."

"That means a lot. I mean, I know Tay and Zac are there for me, but they're brothers. They sometimes only seem to be more annoying. You have this knack for really calming me down and making me realize what a pain in the ass I'm being," Isaac smiled. He leaned over and hugged me, with the guitar pushed aside for the moment. I held him in the hug, glad that I could help him this way.

"Isaac, you're friendship means a lot to me. I know you can be there for me, and I just want to be there for you. You were the one that helped pressure Taylor into asking me out in the first place, and look how good that turned out. You better do that for yourself, bud," I winked at him.

"I'll try. Hey, you better go back to Tay before he has to come get you," Isaac smiled, pushing me off the couch. I smiled and left the room, ecstatic that I could help Isaac so easily. I felt special for having a talent as I did.



I had been crying for the last two days. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, all I could think about was Zac, leaving me. A million times I pictured him walking into a black, thick mist, not turning around, not saying goodbye, just leaving. He just disappeared until he was beyond visibility. Every time I pictured that, I cried, knowing that if I went after him, in the thick of the mist, I would see millions of girls in a stadium. They would all be calling out, calling out to my Zac. "ZAC! ZAC! ZAC! ZAC! ZAC! ZAC! ZAC!" The echos of the ghastly voices in my head made me scream.

"KATHRYN WAKE UP!" I awoke to my mother's persistant shaking. "Honey, you have to stop this. I understand you are upset. Yes, you are losing Zac, but he'll be back. It's not like he's going to meet some girl and know she's the one. You have to slow down. Even if he does meet someone, if it was meant to be, you'll get him back. Believe me, I know." She stared at me. I broke down into her arms crying, and I whispered Zac's name between each breath. "Oh, baby. Please don't cry anymore. He'll be back, I promise he'll be back." she shushed me. She craddled me like a small child even though I was well past those days. She rocked me and I fell asleep. It was a dark, dreamless sleep, and it was filled with a blackness so thick, I could have cut it with a knife. The thick mist was very familiar. Suddenly a white figure burst from the darkness. It was Zac.

"Kat, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." it was the repetitious line that seemed to go on forever. Zac kept apologizing profusely until my eyelids fluttered opened. I was sincerely tired of repetition in my dreams and figured the only way to stop it, was to forgive Zac.?

"I have to forgive Zac." I said aloud, waking a little more.

"Yeah, well it wasn't his fault, so he shouldn't be sorry." Joey walked in. "I've been calling you like crazy. What is up?"

"Well, I've been having weird, repetitious daydreams and dreams in one, Zac is getting taken away from me by millions of girls, then he returns in another from a thick black mist and begs my forgiveness." I explained. "Hey, what do you think it means?"

"I think it means you're a wacko."

"Thanks." I laughed, then I realized I wasn't crying anymore. "I'm not crying...."

"Is that bad?"

"No, I thought you would have known that I would cry for about 4 days now....counting yesterday.......did they leave yet?" I knew the dreaded answer was to come.

"No, they are staying for about 5 more weeks. In fact, you're mom told me that you refused to see him, Taylor, or even Isaac." she said. I had no clue what she was talking about.

"Hmmm....but seriously, what do you think it means?" We sat there, thinking about it, and this is what she came up with....

"I think the black cloud is fame, yeah, Zac's fame, and the millions of girls are obviously, millions of girls. They take him away for a little while, but in you're other dream, Zac comes out of the black mist, aka, his fame and you have him again. But see, since you two are kinda not together anymore, he is begging you to forgive his career and what has to be done."

"I think that is a great inference Jo." I patted her on the back.

"Oh, crap," she looked at the clock on my bedstand, "I have a date with Taylor in fifteen minutes, gotta go kid." she ruffled my hair and I waved.

"Jo?"

"Yeah." she turned around, before leaving my room.

"Thanks....thanks a lot." I smiled. She smiled and left.

Chapter 24: The Mating Game



I decided to go to the place that Kat had taken me, that one, glorious day. I walked from my house, to the field, crossed the field and stepped in to the wooded area. There was a strange heat in the air that seemed to fill my lungs and strangle me everytime I took a breath. I guessed it was muggy from the sun hitting on the streams and evaporating the water. Anyway, I got to the vine and passed it, walking down to the bridge. Im not in a good enough mood to enjoy the swing, too many memories. I placed my hand on the railing of the bridge and a flashback occured.

"Great. How do we get back across, dippy?" I had asked, noticing how far away the vine was.

"We use the bridge, smart ass," she had replied sarcastically.

"Why didn't you tell me there was a bridge before?"

"Because then you wouldn't have tried the vine, and that's way more fun"

I snapped out of the memory and took my hand off the railing and walked across the small bridge. I got to the familiar clearing and walked through it. I saw the rock we had sat on last time we were here. I walked over to it and sat on it, remebering the kisses. They were deep and way beyond my experiences, but I wasn't going to stop her. I opened my eyes to see a figure over by one of the many trickling streams. I got up and approached the person, realizing that it was Kat. She was sleeping.

"No Zac, don't leave, I'm sorry, I know its not your fault. I just don't wanna' lose you. I can't lose you. You're my life, my love, my protection, please don't leave, don't let them take you away. Please." She mumbled in her sleep. I sat next to her, stroking her head and smiling. Her eyes shot opened and she looked up at me.

"Zac?"



Jo and I had decided to go out and get something to eat. Thank goodness for Ike. He drove us to a little burger joint up the road.

"Yeah, I'll have the #2, tater tots and a large strawberry shake, two straws." I told the waiter.

"And for you miss?" he asked her.

"Same, except for the shake."

"Okay," he scribbled down the order, "I'll be right out with the shake."

"Thanks." We both said. And as soon as the waiter was out of sight, I leaned over the table and kissed Jo.

"I'm glad we decided to make the best of our last weeks," I smiled. "I can't believe all that's up with Zac and Kat," Joey sighed, obviously troubled.

"Joey, can we please spend a day without them? I mean, every time we talk, we always talk about them and you always end up worked up about it, and I end up completely out of any kind of romantic mood. Please, can we just leave them aside for a moment. Just enjoy us for a little while? Just for today?" I pleaded.

"You know, that sounds like a good idea. Forget about their troubles for a day and focus on us. I would like that," Joey smiled. She leaned over the table and pecked me on the cheek just as the waiter brought back our shake. "The rest will be out in a few moments," he said cordially. I thanked him again and opened my straw. Joey did the same and we both stuck them in the tall milkshake and took a long sip.

"You know what?" Joey said thoughtfully after she finished. She looked out the window on her left side and propped her chin up with her hand.

"No. What?" I smiled. Joey usually gave me a cute little fact or a quote after she said "you know what."

"I don't want you to forget me while you're gone," she sighed, turning her head to look me in the eyes.

"Joey, I could never forget you, even if I was gone for a hundred years," I told her. The large table between us was making it hard for me to be close to Joey, so I got up and got in her side of the four-person booth. I wrapped my arms around her waist and scooted her closer to me. "You have really been a challenge for me. I mean, you and I took forever to hook up, and then we had problems there at the beginning and we're still working some of it out. Trying to forget you would be like trying to say the Titanic never sank. It's impossible to forget someone so....unforgettable. You're just unforgettable; that's the only way I can describe it."

I then kissed her lightly on the lips as the waiter brought up our food. I looked up and noticed it was a different waiter. We now had a young waitress. Her blond hair hung down in her face as she placed our food on the table in front of us.

"You're Taylor Hanson, aren't you?" she asked, looking quite forlorn.

"Yeah," I nodded, my arm still around Joey.

"You-you got a girlfriend?" she sniffled. I could already tell this was going to be bad if I said yes.

"No, this is my best friend, Joey. Why would you think we were together?" I asked, trying to cover up the fact that I had a girlfriend.

"Because, well, I guess because you kissed her," the girl brightened up a bit at my excuse.

"Best friends do that, you know," I smiled, taking my arm from around Joey.

"In that case, will you marry me?" the girl asked.

"I'm afraid my parents won't let me, but I'd be happy to autograph something for you," I offered.

"That would be great! I've got my CD in the back!" the girl then ran off happily.

"Joey, I'm-" I started to apologize.

"Taylor, I totally understand," she smiled and put a finger on my lips to keep me from talking.

"You do?" I asked.

"Yeah, you didn't want to disappoint her, and I'm totally cool with that. This does bring up an interesting question, though," she said thoughtfully.

"What is that?" I asked.

"When are you going to tell your fans that you and I are together?" she asked me.

"Well, you know, I have no clue. I really don't know. I think we should at least wait until after our new CD is out, because I don't want the fact that we have girlfriends affect their thoughts on buying our CD," I said slyly.

"Why you sneaky character. You're going to postpone this so that you'll make more money," her jaw dropped open, in mock surprise.

"Pretty much," I laughed as the waiter came scuttling back. She laid the CD and a Sharpie before me. I picked it up and opened the CD, pulled out the front cover and signed it. I left it laying out so it would dry and then signed the front of her CD. I blew on it for a second, trying to hurry the drying process and then handed it back to her.

"Do-do you mind if I hug you?" she asked timidly, laying the CD back down.

"Why not?" I stood and hugged her. She smelled sweetly of a strawberry lotion or perfume of some sort and her hair was soft against my face. I let her go after a second and she beamed at me.

"My friends will never believe me!" she squealed as she grabbed her CD and ran away.

I laughed and shook my head as I took my seat across from Joey. She just smiled as she ate her burger and tater-tots. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on inside her mind.



I opened my eyes to seem him sitting beside me. At first I thought it was another dream, and I didn't think much of it. Just another apparition taunting the fact that I was the biggest bitch on the face of the planet. When I felt his warm hand on my face, I knew it wasn't a dream. I sat up quickly, putting my hands on his.

"Zac, Zac, I'm so-" I started.

"Sorry, yes I know. You don't have to apologize," he smiled warmly at me.

"But Zac, I was so mean, so inconsiderate, so stupid to do something like that. I was being so selfish. I know I'm going to get you back, but-"

"It's okay, Kat. I know you're sorry. Joey told Taylor about everything you had been doing the past four days, and he relayed it to me. All that I care now, is that you love me and I love you and we're back together," his eyes now glistened with what I assumed was tears.

"You don't even want an apology?" I asked, confused that he'd rather just start again.

"Kat, we've only got five weeks left to have two months worth of good times. We don't have time for apologies," he laughed and pulled me up out of my spot. "Come on, let's go play on the vine!"

"Zac, wait!" I stopped him in his tracks.

"What?" he asked, smiling with a gleam in his eyes.

"Thank you," I whispered, pulling him to me into a hug. I sighed, glad that I had such a boyfriend that would forgive and forget without even having to hear an apology. I couldn't believe the tolerance this kid had for me. I took in the scent of his hair and his soap and his cologne and tried to commit it to memory. I didn't know how I was going to survive two months without it.

Chapters 25-26
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