In two week’s time, the whole Hanson family boarded their plane to LA. I was really excited for them, but upset to be parted from my best friend. Zac kept his promise, he called me once a week. It was so weird talking to him on the phone. We talked on the phone before, but never for that long since we were so close and could just talk in person.

I was glad we could sometimes talk for at least 15 minutes when he called, but seriosuly, it wasn’t enough. I was so lonesome without Zac. There were so many inside jokes and fun games that only him and I knew how to play. I would visit our river on a daily basis. I’d sit there and skip rocks, or hum along with my walkman to MMMBop. I’d also go up to the treehouse. Sometimes I’d even fall asleep up there! I was constantly woken up by my sister, mom, or dad telling me that it was getting time for dinner and to be more aware... They were all pretty understanding of the whole deal, I mean, they never yelled at me about it. They were sympathetic to me. Sometimes, more sympathetic then I wanted. My dad would offer to play sega with me. It wasn’t at all the same, he barely knew how to turn sega on, let alone actually play a game!

I was so overjoyed when I finally got my weekly call from Zac.

He told me that they had just finished their video for their first single. Their first single was going to be “MMMBop” and they had finished the recording of their first album under Mercury Records. They were calling it Middle Of Nowhere. What a clever title, I thought, even before Zac explained to me why they called it that. It was so exhilarating to hear all about their video making experience! How Zac had gotten them kicked off a bus, what it was like to lip sync to your own song. I had always fancied “MMMBop” and it’s great that they picked that song, I always felt that that song described Zac and my friendship. “Hold onto the ones who really care.” I would always care about my best friend since third grade as he would me. Just talking to Zac was making me crave green jello, but when he told me they were coming back to Tulsa! It was sensational! I couldn’t wait to see Zac and the whole family again! I wanted to cry, I was going to finally return to my normal social butterfly and away from my morbidness away from Zac!

“When will you be back!?” I asked in anticipation.

“Next Tuesday,” Zac replied.

“I can’t wait, 8 days!” I beamed.

“Neither can I. This has been a killer experience but I can’t wait to get back to t-town and get to LaserQuest. You know, I can beat you at Laser Tag, even if I can’t at Car Chase.”

“We’ll see...”

“You know I can!”

“Uh huh, sure Zac!” I chuckled.

“Oh man, the funniest thing happened today in the studio! We were all hot and tired, and well, we just jumped into the Dust Brothers pool! With ALL our clothes still on!”

“You’re such a riot!” I laughed. Zac could always make me laugh. I couldn’t stress how good it was in my mind to be talking to him again, and in another eight days I’d be actually with him, in person!

“The weird part about it is that people took pictures of us!”

“Your mom?” I asked, “I can’t wait to see them!”

“Nah-”

“You mean there were girls at the studio taking pictures?? How is that? No one but us T-Towners really know about you guys,” I was confuesed.

“Photographers Sam! From all these magazines! There must have been at least 3 guys there taking pictures,” Zac said, then pondered, “I wonder how they knew it was a picture moment?”

“Oh! That’s so cool! Actual magazine photographers!” I said, sort of amazed, sort of jealous.

“Yeah. Well, I’ve got to go now, we’re going out. See you soon!” Zac said.

“See ya!”

I ran downstairs to tell my family the great news. Then, I called all the neighborhood friends, and told the half of them who didn’t know already, and we arranged a surprise party. The party was going to be at my house. The days passed by slowly in my anticipation. I checked off each box on my calander as we got closer to the day. I had my countdown set. I acted a lot more social because I knew Zac was coming back to me.

When I got the call that they had come home, I asked for all three brothers and any of the rest of the family who wanted to come over to come, so it wasn’t a huge surprise to them that we were throwing them a party. They were still really glad to have all of us there for them. It ended up that only Isaac, Taylor, and Zac came because Jessica, Avery, and Mac were going to bed.

“SURPRISE!” We all shouted in unison as Ike, Tay, and Zac came through the door.

The three of them stood at the door and laughed. “THANK YOU SO MUCH!” Zac said in his funny man voice.

“Wow guys, its great to be back!” Isaac said.

“And Taylor, do you have an outburst?” My sister Jamie asked in a goofy reporter like fashion.

Taylor smiled, then he spoke, we were in shock with Taylor’s news, but was it really his news that shocked us.....?