chapter twenty ~"moody"~

Zac and Ike sat on the porch and watched the sun appear from behind the houses. "He really did that? And you really felt that way?" Ike was shocked. "Man, that's harsh."

"I know." Zac let out a sigh. "I didn't really know that was how I felt until it all kind of happened in front of me."

"I hear ya." The brothers got up and started to walk into the house. Ike didn't really know what to think. He had witnessed something going on the day before with Keryn, and with what Zac had just confessed. Taylor had a serious problem. Or an addiction for that matter.

Zac and Taylor went to a party that they had been invited to the previous afternoon. Zac said that during a game, Taylor took Gillian and they shared a passionate kiss. A very passionate kiss. Taylor and Gillian had been so taken back by it that the two of them left Zac at the party, standing in a corner, by himself. Zac was furious. Zac had no idea where they went. But they left together.

"Zac, where are you going?"

"I am going to wake up that stupid brother of mine, or better still, make sure he is not on the couch with your girlfriend, if you know what I am getting at."

Ike knew that Taylor wouldn't do that to him, but his eyes did wander into the loungeroom to see if there was any truth in Zac's statement. No, Kayla was sound asleep on the couch.

"Zac, do you think this is wise? The sun just came up and there are still people sleeping you know?"

"I am not going to be shouting." That'll be the day Ike thought. "I am simply going to ask him what the hell he was doing."

"Ike, he didn't really know that you liked Gillian. Like you said, you didn't even know."

"IKE?! Yesterday he kissed Keryn, not to mention all the other times."

"How did you know about yesterday?"

Zac just rolled his eyes, "I am not stupid Ike."

Zac rushed into the boys bedroom, despite Ike's human shield, he still got in.

"Keep voice down." Ike gave his warning.

Zac walked over and leaned over Taylor, being careful not to wake him. He saw the hair, messed, nicely staring him in the face. He took one strand. And pulled. Another, and pulled. Another. Another. Another. Pull. Pull. Pull.

"Fuuuuu.... Shit.. Arrrrrrr. ZAC?!?!" Ike could feel the entire street raise in their beds as Taylor screamed his head off.

Zac stood there laughing.

"Tay, shhhh...." Taylor looked at his older brother, breathing deeply.

"Ike. You know how that hurt? Ouch. You wanna be woken up like that? Do you?" Ike rolled his eyes and sat on the chair, settling in for the fight.

"Okay, you... you... bastard." Taylor looked up at Zac, dumbfounded.

"Zac? Explain." Taylor laid back down on the bed, perhaps he could get himself into a position where he could drift off.

"Oh, no you don't" Zac grabbed a handful of Taylor's golden locks and pulled him up.

Taylor got up. "Stop now. You have been a little shit all morning. If you don't explain now, you are going to be a little shit for the rest of your life."

"You really don't know do you?" Zac shouted. Ike cringed. Taylor raised his eye brows.

"No?"

"I don't believe you Taylor Hanson. You are such a pathetic person. I can't believe it. Who next, should Ike have to lock up Kayla or something?"

"Oh my God." Taylor seemed to be catching on. "You like Keryn?"

Zac collapsed onto the floor and buried his head in his face. "He is so freakin' dumb." He looked at Ike and shook his head.

"Well, what then?" Taylor demanded.

"You kissed Gillian, you kissed her!"

"Zac!"

"What Tay? Wasn't it the slightest bit obvious that I was interested in her? Didn't you know? You are my brother. Why did you do it to me?"

"I don't have feelings for Gillian, Zac."

"Oh yeah? Oh yeah? OH YEAH!?" Zac was raising his voice every few seconds.

"Yes Zac. There is nothing there."

"I find that extremely hard to believe, if you don't like someone, you don't stick your tongue down their throat for no particular reason."

"Zac! Stop shouting at me!" Taylor yelled. "It was a game! You know who I like!" A game? Taylor calls this a game? Weird obsession problem. I am locking Kayla up, just in case he gets bored. Ike thought. "I like Keryn."

"Well Taylor. I was holding off on this one. But I think I should tell you." Due to the extreme loudness of Zac, Taylor was not ready for this blow, even Ike thought his brother would have been slightly more sensitive. "KERYN DOESN'T FREAKIN' LIKE YOU!"

Taylor stared into Zac's eyes. Ike watched his Taylor crumble, with embarrasment and shock. He sat on the bed. "Zac. You are full of it. Far out Zac."

"No shit Tay. Looks like you aren't the lover boy you thought you were." Zac was letting out blows like it was the end of the world.

"But she is, she did."

"Zac, was that nesassary?" Ike softly called to his brother.

"Oh, so now you're on his side." Zac threw his arms into the air. "I am sick of everyone thinking I am just some little kid. At thirteen I have done a lot more and experienced a whole lot more than a lot of other people in the world. But still, everyone treats me like I am five."

"Zac, I don't treat you like you are five." Ike said.

"Do you guys ever tell me anything? NO! Keryn was here for two weeks and no one bothered to tell me what the hell was going on with you all. All I got was some conversations with Keryn, the rest I had to work out for myself, which wasn't all that hard. You are all so obvious, look at peoples eyes, they tell a whole lot. Look at their facial expressions. Keryn doesn't spit love to Tay, she spits confusion. Tay seemed to be in it for the kissing. Take that as a little lesson from your five year old brother. I wish Mac was here, at least I would have someone my own age to hang with, guys." With that Zac got up and stormed out of the room.

"Shit." That was a blow. Ike didn't even realise Zac felt that way. He sat there for a while until he realised that Tay was sitting on the bed, in shock. "Tay, I think he is right."

"Fuck Ike. How does he know how I feel? I know how I feel. You saw it yesterday, you saw me. Didn't you?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Well, I want that. I want that relationship. That is how I feel. Kissing? Who bloody cares. That's not what I want. But she doesn't feel the same way. How could I be so damn stupid?"

"Why did you kiss Gill then Tay, why?"

"Ike. Why is everyone taking it out on me?"

"You did it."

"Ike, it was a game."

"Kissing is not a game Taylor."

"Since when has spin-the-bottle not been a game?"

"Oh shit, what?"

"You didn't know!"

"No!"

"Zac told you it was a kiss? Oh shit, no."

Ike shook his head. "Tay, why did you two leave Zac at the party?"

"I don't know why she left. I went home, a thirteen year old party isn't all that when you are sixteen Ike."

"Oh no. You gotta tell Zac that it was a game. Convince him dude."

"At the moment I need to think Ike. Think"

Ike realised that Taylor had just been hit with something that he really didn't want, a blow from Zac that hurt a lot. "That's cool Tay. Be careful. I am here if you, you know, need to talk or something."

"Thanks Ike."

"No problem Tay." Ike shut the door as he left. He could feel the hurt for Tay. So sad.



Zac stomped down the stairs in major fury. He was still fuming from the fact that Tay had said it was a 'game'. All the memories of the previous night were flooding his brain as he noticed a red, flashing light from the telephone. He forgot to turn the ringer back on.

Zac walked over to the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Zac. Keryn here." There was silence. "Zac?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry Keryn..Hi? How are ya?"

Keryn knew Zac all too well to accept this as a welcome.

"Zac? Whats up..what did Tay do this time."

Zac couldnt help smiling. He knew that Keryn could tell his life story inside out. "Oh, the normal stuff, we'll get over it."

Zac, even in a jealous rage still had enough sense in him not to tell Keryn about that happenings. Because whether she liked Tay or not, him kissing someone else would kill her.

"Oh..well you always do? So what's everyone up to?"

"Well, that evil older brother of mine who thinks he is the world greatest gift is upstairs sulking, the two lovebirds, who by the way slept on the couch last night, are talking in the living room and I am standing here twirling the phone cord around my hand and talking to you. So when you coming back? Have you found out what you want to do yet?"

Keryn laughed at the other end as she imagined the household.

"Well Zac, I havent found myself yet, but I didnt sleep much last night as I thought about it."

"You weren't the only one."

"Oh, so you and Tay fought that bad?"

"Yeah something along those lines."

"I already miss you guys, I do. Hows Kayla?"

"Fine, she and Ike are fine. They are so gross, the do EVERYTHING together. I am never going to be like that….well actually."

"Oh, got someone in mind hey? Is it Gillian?"

"No! well..I dunno."

Keryn laughed again.

"Well, Zac, call me or e-mail of you want to talk. But I have to go cause I am on a budget and this isnt my phone line."

"Who's is it?"

"Justin's"

"Oh, I'll tell Taylor that, that will get him going."

"I dont think so Zac. Bye."

"Dont be so sure, Bye."

They hung up. Zac walked into the lounge room to report the conversation to Kayla and Ike. Keryn, back in LA stared at the phone. She felt sad, she wanted to be back there. She was also confused. What was Zac and Tay's fight about. And what the hell did Zac mean by that parting comment. She turned and slowly walked in the little dingy den of Justin's place and curled up in a bean bag. Justin, coming down the stairs clad in his tennis gear, caught a glimpse of her on the beanbag.

"Keryn?"

She raised her head.

"Hi."

"I thought you would still be sleeping. Anything wrong?"

He bent down to tie his laces up as he watched her. Keryn just sat there.

"Yeah, I have a lot to think about."

"Sounds like it. Look Kezza I have to go, I have training. This afternoon I expect you to be hear for a heart to heart. Okay?"

Keryn smiled.

"Thanks. I'll need to talk."

"And besides I want to hear about what happened with Dan and this Ike who saved the day."

"This afternoon Justin, this afternoon."



Keryn lugged herself into her maths class. Due to the lack of sleep from the night before, this is something that she really didn't feel like. She sat down and opened her books, the sight of the sums on the page made her think back to the fun time Kayla and the guys would be having back in Tulsa.

Keryn sighed as she remembered the trip she made five minutes ago to the offices to tell them that Kayla was away in Oklahoma with her family and not expected back for a couple of weeks. She secretly wished that it was Kayla in the maths class and Keryn hanging with the Hanson's.

"Ms Keryn? Pay attention please. Now, what is the answer to number four?"

"Eighty-six point three repeater." Keryn sighed.

"Correct. Get your bag off the desk please."

There goes my pillow Keryn said to herself. She sat there for two hours. The clock was just ticking as slowly as possible as she waited to get to her computer class, at least then she could sit there and play solitaire or something.

At last, the bell sounded and everyone was realeased from the class room. The weather was quite cold when she went out into the main quad. Hundreds of teenagers, walking around.

"Keryn!" She heard her name. "Where are you going? We have computers!" Keryn realised that she was walking into the direction of the history rooms. Today was not her day. She rolled her eyes and caught up with Talia.

"Argh, you saved my life. I knew we had computers, gosh knows where I was going." Talia was one of Keryn and Kayla's good friends. She had moved here from Washington last year and was kind of lost, so they took her in.

"That's fine." Talia flicked her dark brown hair out of her eyes, she was about the same height as Keryn. "So, what did you get up to during vacation?"

"Oh, I had a blast. Kayla and I went over to Tulsa. Well, it was a blast, apart from the fact that I had the chicken pox. But still, everyone made that a blast." Talia laughed at Keryn's overuse of the word 'blast'.

"Sounds like you did have some fun! How's your friend, whats his name?"

"Oh, yeah, Taylor. He's cool." Keryn hadn't released to anyone at her school that she regularly crossed the country to visit Hanson. There were a fair few fans there and she knew she would get a bulk of people that would use her to get to them.

"Cool huh?"

"MM hmmm... hee hee." Keryn lost herself in giggles, she couldn't help it.

"I see. I see. It's that whole relationship thing, is it?"

"Oh, no. We had a good time. He didn't really end up wanting anymore, so we just ended it. I don't think there was anything there anyways." Keryn felt a twinge, she knew there used to be something. But, she was starting to accept that there was nothing there anymore.

"Yeah, the whole friendship to love thing never really works in my opinion." Talia stated.

"That is a point Talia."

The two headed into the computer room and took their usual computers at the back of the room. The teacher started putting a list of tasks onto the board.

"Umm, Miss Higgins'?" The ageing teacher turned around to face her. Keryn really didn't know how she possibly knew anything about computers, she is from the typewriter age.

"Yes Keryn, dear."

"Well, see that work there?" Keryn pointed to the board. "Haven't we done it?"

"No. This work is for the next week, it is pages forty on in your text."

Keryn threw herself back in her chair and sighed. She turned to Talia and lowered her voice. "I did that when I was in Oklahoma last week, I thought it was an assignment."

"Errr... Good one Keryn" Talia joked.

"Shut up." She laughed. "Now what am I going to do?"

"Don't tell her you finished, just pretend you're working on it."

"Good idea." Keryn opened her folder, she laughed at the small picture of Hanson that she had plastered on the inside. She insisted to Kayla that she must carry it, just incase she forgot what they looked like. Kayla never understood, but I can tell you now, she may very well have an Ike-ized folder when she gets back to California. "Okay," Keryn whispered to no one in particular. She double clicked on 'Internet Explorer' and pretended to do the Internet assignment. She had two windows opened so that she could check her Hotmail, she silently hoped there was something from Zac there. Keryn could still not get over his weirdness this morning. Nothing from Zac, there was one from Kayla though.

Boo, argh!
Hey Keryn, Kayla here. How are ya? Well, I am preeetty much having fun.... Sorry, boast boast boast. Well, I thought that if I wrote to you everyday, then you would just kind of be here in a way. Yeah, you know what I am going on about.
So, this morning. Zac majorly woke me and Ike up this morning. I think I am still feeling the aftermath. So, yeah, him and Ike went to the porch or something, then I could hear massive shouting from upstairs. Zac would'nt tell me what was up, but I gather he told you... You don't have to fill me in if don't want to.
Well, ummm... Oh yeah!!!! Zac told me! You rang from Justin's! Why were you there?! Press reply and tell me now! I will be online for about an hour and will be constantly checking my mail, cause I know you are in computers!
Seeya!
Luv Kayla...

Keryn quickly pressed reply and started to madly type.

Heya,
Me here, I will make this short so you know I am here.
Fight.... No idea what it was about. Zac didn't tell me. Don't worry about it. Them two always sort it out. By the way, keep an eye on Zac, he is a bit down at the moment. Justin.... Well, when I got back from the airport there was about 3 messages on my machine from him, saying that when I got home we should catch up. So, I thought, hey, yeah, this is an opportunity of a lifetime, (lol:) therefore I called a cab and it took me to Justin's. I kinda fell asleep after a while and he didn't wake me up... So, there you have it. By the way... this is important. Jan is moving out. Can you believe it? I am so angry! She never even bothered to ring and tell me, she just left some stupid little note for me this morning. Wanna move in?
Write back...
Luv Keryn

Keryn sat back and tried to think of any Internet sites that she could go to. She thought of nothing, so her attention moved to out the window. She watched the trees wave around in the wind and some drizzle appeared on the window.

"Keryn. What on earth are you doing? I don't think that the Internet assignment has anything to do with Zac and who he woke up this morning!" Everybody in the class sent looks to Keryn. She closed her eyes, silently screaming.

"Miss Higgin's. I am sorry. I checked my mail because I was ahead on the tasks and I was waiting for an urgent letter. I am so sorry." Keryn closed the computer window and started reading the text book. Please, don't shout. Please, don't start.

"Please turn your computer off and work next to it with your notes."

That wasn't too bad. "Thanks Miss Higgins'. I'll never do it again." Keryn smiled and started to scribble words onto the paper as the teacher walked away.

"That was close, she must be in a good mood." Talia whispered.

"I know. Ahh, I can't believe I have to sit here and stare at work that I have already done though."

"Well, at least you have done it." Talia said as she hurridly moved the mouse around the screen.

Keryn put her head down on the desk. This had been a seriously strange day. Her tiredness and boredom was getting the better of her. She had to try and get into a positive thinking mode.

Chapter nineteen HOME Chapter twenty-one
Want to talk to the authors? Join "the backspace key"
Or e-mail us at poodle_face@hotmail.com