Chapter One


      "Hey Taylor!! Where are my white socks that I pulled out of the dresser just a minute ago?" Isaac asked, his newly cut hair staying in place. It was different from saying it curly and frizzy most of the time. Very different.

      "You're sitting on them, Ike." I answered.

      "Oh. So I am." My big brother laughed at his own mistake and bent down to put his socks on his feet.

      I smiled slightly before returning to reading my book. I turned the page and found myself visualising everything as I read about it. I could see Sherlock and Watson running down the muggy London allys after a murderer in the early 1900's. Dr. Watson would turn to Sherlock later in the evening and ask, "However did you know he was the murderer, Holmes?". And Sherlock would answer, "Elementary my dear Watson. Elementary."

      I turned the page to read the next case out of the compendium of the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle but didn't get a chance to start it.

      Zac burst into the room, throwing his docs across the room as soon as he got them off.

      I looked up quickly. Wonder what happened this time. Zac's temper seemed to be getting shorter and shorter as Mom and Dad got stricter and stricter. In one way, it was kind of funny to watch him make a mountain out of an anthill, but at the same time, I sympathised.

       Ike looked at him slightly alarmed. From the look of things, the heavy black boot had missed his head by about 2 inches, max.

      Zac's face was red with anger but I hadn't heard him shouting fromdownstairs so I suppose he kept it quietand followed Mom and Dad's orders.

      "Wassup, Zac-Attack?" Ike asked bravely. I certainly wouldn't have had the guts to ask. Leastaways, not from the expression that contorted my younger brother's features.

      "Mom and Dad won't let me go to the party." The anger seethed in Zac's voice.

      Isaac was silent for a moment, thinking about what to say next to Zac.

      "Why do you want to go so bad?" I interrupted. Sure, it wasn't the wisest choice of words, but it was worth a try.

      "I don't know. Just because." He answered, shrugging. The anger was fading a bit but it wasn't completely gone.

      "Is it worth getting this upset about?" Isaac asked in a soothing voice. I swear, that man could have been a therapist if he wasn't in a band called Hanson!

      "It's not why I want to go that is important. It's the priority of the thing. Mom and Dad are too restricting when it comes to things like this. You and Taylor got to go out more when you were my age!" Zac argued.

      Isaac nodded.

      "Yeah, I'll admit that Mom and Dad DID let Taylor and I go out more often. But you forget Zac. When I was 14, we weren't famous. And when Taylor was 14, we were just getting started. You're in different shoes. But if it makes ya feel better, I'll talk to Mom and Dad about letting you go. Okay?" Ike offered.

      "Sure. Whatever. Just don't say that I wanted to know, k? Then it'll make me look even stupider in front of them. They probably already think I'm immature for whining about it." Zac observed.

      "I know that they don't think that. Everyone does that at some point or another. Okay?" Isaac reassured before leaving the room and heading downstairs towards the kitchen to speak with Mom and Dad.

      I returned to my book but I wasn't really paying attention to what I was reading. In the back of my mind, I knew that Zac was gonna say something so I might as well be ready for it.

      I was right.

      "Taylor, do you think the fans mean it?"

      "Mean what?" I put down my book and turned my whole attention to Zac.

      "That they love us."

      I gave Zac a comical look.

      "I don't know. It's really hard to say. I think....I think that they love us, but not in that way. Not in a marriage way. But in a way that you love your car or you love your hair. You know what I'm saying?"

      Zac nodded.

      "I see."

      "Why do you ask?"

      "No reason. Just saw a web site and it made me wonder. If they devote that much time to us and that much effort, how deep is their love?"

      I nodded. He had a point. Our serious conversation was interrupted by Ike standing in the doorway and singing in a high pitched vioce 'How Deep Is Your Love For Me' by Dru Hill.

      Zac and I smiled and rolled our eyes at the imbesel as he sat back down on the trundel bed.

      "Well?" Zac asked, rather anxiously for someone who had previously just said "whatever." when Ike made the offer to persuade the 'rents.

      Isaac seemed to notice that as well. The look on his face clearly stated it.

      Zac wasn't immune to his expressions.

      His attitude immediatly changed to seem cooler.

      "I mean, if you care or anything. How did the convo go?" Zac tried to play off his eagerness. Ike smiled at his efforts and answered nonchalantly,"Well, if you're interested in that kind of thing..."

      He paused, leaving Zac hanging there. He definately had his attention.

      "They said it was fine with them."

      Zac's face lit up.

      "As long as you stay within my sight."

      It immediatly fell.

      "Gee...the leash doesn't stretch after all." He observed sarcastically.

      Ike and I laughed.

      "Be glad your going at all, Squirt." Isaac put him in a head lock and gave him a noogie. (An: NOT nookie people.)

      "AHH!! Ike! Cut it out!" Zac commanded, flailing his arms in desperation to remove himself from Chewie's grasp.

      Ike shook his head no.

      "Not a chance, Wonderboy."

      A couple seconds later, Isaac released his hold so that Zac could get ready for the pre-Christmas party. It was about 2 weeks away and everyone was going to be there before they went on vacation.

      Zac hustled around, getting ready and Ike turned to me.

      "You sure you don't want to go, buddy?"

      "Nah. You two go. I don't feel like mingling with hormonal teenagers under the influence of spiked punch." I responded.

      Ike laughed and Zac just rolled his eyes.

      "Yeah right. We all know that you just want to go out to the tree house and meet that girl again." He taunted.

      I ignored his sly comments and glanced at my wrist watch.

      "You guys better get going if you want to make it on time." I informed them.

      They both mumbled their laters and headed out the door.

      I shook my head in disbelief and laughed to myself.

      My brothers were absolute morons.

      I couldn't help but laugh at the thought of two drunk Hanson brothers coming home at 4 in the morning to a VERY pissed Mom and Dad. It happened every year. Only this time Zac was in my place. hehehehe.. I just LOVED Christmas.


[Two] [Index] [Stories]
Green Eggs And Hanson

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