I woke up to the bright sun light beaming through the window. I rubbed the fuzziness out of my still contact worn eyes and looked around. I was still in Taylor’s apartment. And Taylor was asleep beside me. His head nozzled into
my neck and arms around my waist. We must have fallen asleep during the movie. The TV was giving out a black snowy screen. I settle back down into the covers again and stared at Tay. He looked so cute. His lips were slightly open and his long eyelashes accented his eyes. That made me smile. Taylor
shifted and then his eyes open.
“Morning beautiful.” He said smiling.
“Morning.” I bent down and kissed his lips.
“How long have you been awake?” He asked when we parted.
“Oh, maybe two minutes. Your so cute when you sleep.” I said giggling. He just smiled.
Taylor streched then looked down at his watch. “Well, It’s 9:45. Do you want to go out and get some breakfast?” He asked, bringing me into a warm snuggle.
“Yeah that sounds good.” I kissed him again. I sat up and Tay slid off the couch and into the bedroom bathroom. My hair was now halfway out of the sloppy pony tail I had put it into last night. I fixed it and walked into the small kitchen to get a drink. I was still in the clothes from the night before.
After getting some water I walked into Tay’s room when I heard the
restroom door open. Tay had changed clothes and pulled his long blonde hair back into a loose tail.
“Let me wash my face real quick then we can head out.” I said. A couple minutes later we were off.

Taylor and I had eaten at a small coffee shop that made breakfast a couple blocks away. Then we headed off to our classes after a kiss goodbye. I had a late lab tonight that ran till about six o’clock so Taylor said he would
call me. The rest of the week went fairly fast. Soon enough it was Friday.
Katie was coming in today. I was so happy. Taylor and I skipped our classes to get ready for her. She was coming in at Three and I was bouncing off the walls. Taylor and I had went to the grocery store that morning and down the candy Isle I spotted the one thing Katie and I lived on when we were younger. PIXI STIX! I grabbed a couple packs and threw them in the cart. Tay just gave me a sour look.
“What??” I asked laughing.
“Pixi Six? God! I hate those things!” He said laughing also.
“Are you serious! Why?”
“Well considering my brother was a addict, they started getting nasty after a while!.” He said.
“Hahaha! I remember that! Zac would always have a handful whenever you guys were leaving your hotel!” I started busting up. Remembering how one time at their hotel in New York City Zac had told Katie and I that he was out
of Blue Pixi’s. So..the ‘wonderful’ people that we were ran down to a candy shop and picked out over 300 Blue pixi’s for him. Oh man! the look on his
face when he saw what we did was SO worth it.
Soon Taylor and I had finished up our shopping and were headed back to my place. Katie was expected in about an hour. I tided up the apartment and got out the futon I had brought down here from my room back home. It was Katie’s futon. She slept in it every time she was at my house. My mom and I went out and bought it two summers ago so that we wouldn’t have to share
my bed anymore. Finally Tay and I had put all the groceries away and we settled down onto the couch to watch TV. It was well past the time that Katie should be here. The door bell that rang into our ears a couple minutes later made me jump. Taylor unwrapped his arms from around my waist and I slid
off the couch and over to the door. I motioned for Taylor to leave out the deck door like we planned. Taylor wasn’t going to show his face to Katie quite yet. I turned the knob once Tay was out of site across the back lawn area.
“Katie!!!” I screamed bringing my friend into a huge hug.
“Ab! I missed you SO much!” She squealed back.
“Come in Hun.” I said while grabbing one of her backpacks from her.
“Oh man Ab! I want an apartment. Look how much space you got!” Katie
looked around in awe. “I have like this much area!” She said, holding her hands out to the length of a table.
“Haha, Are you serious?” I said laughing.
“Yeah...” She trailing off. Then she looked over at me. “God I missed you. Abby, we were only away from each other a little over a week. THIS IS CRAZY!” Katie walked back over and gave me another hug.
“I know, but everything will work out okay I think. Right now we have to get ready.” I said, taking Katie’s things into the bedroom.
“Ready? ready for what?” Katie asked.
“We’re going out tonight. I want you to meet someone.” I turned from the bed, the look on Katie’s face was too funny. It was a suprised kinda ‘Ohmigod Abby’s met a guy without me’ look.
“AHHHHH! It’s this guy you were telling me about isn’t it!” Katie burst into a huge grin.
“You’ll see.”
I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be able to keep the name of this ‘guy’ from her. Right about now I just wanted to shout. ‘IT’S TAYLOR HANSON!’ but I couldn’t. She would just have to wait till dinner tonight. Tay and I decided that we would meet him at La Marietta, a small Spanish looking restaurant on the strip. Then totally suprise her. This was going to be great.

Taylor showed up right on time. 7:00. I pulled into the parking lot right next to his jeep. “Do we have reservations? This place is packed!” Katie stated, looking at the groups of people mingling around outside.
“Yep, T-.” I stopped myself before I said his name. “He made them.” I
recovered my faulty without Katie even noticing. I grabbed my purse and climbed out of the car. I had dressed into a pair of neat jean shorts and dressy looking green tank top. Katie had much the same look but white jean shorts. The place was crowded.
“How many in you party tonight ladies?” A gentleman asked with a clipboard in hand.
“Oh, We have reservations.. Dalton.” I said, giving the man a smile.
“Ahh, Yes..Mrs. Dalton, He’s waiting. Right this way please.” The man lead us through the eating area and into a back party room on an outside padio. Only about two other tables were full. There was Tay, leaning forward onto the table and gazing off into a completely oblivious direction. I turned to see Katie looking around not paying attention to where we were headed or who she was about to encounter. The waiter stopped at our table and set the menu’s down Tay turned when he noticed someone’s presence and stood.
Katie turned and looked in his direction.

********

“MOM?!” Zac screamed after walking into the house and slamming the door behind him. “HAS IKE CALLED YET?!”
Zac was late. Isaac was expected to call ten minutes ago and He had just gotten home from Kari’s house. He had left a message in his voicemail to give him a call ASAP.
Zac had met Kari the first day of school. This was Zac’s first year at public school and so far he was loving it. Zac never thought that he would be treated like a ‘normal’ kid again after their career took it’s toll back in 96’.
Kari was the one girl who, to him, seemed half normal that first day. She had first approached him at lunch and from that point on they hit it off. Not only that but she was cute. Kari had a small frame. She was short, only about 5’1. Her brown streaked hair hung almost to her shoulders. Zac liked her
because she had his personality. They had a lot in common, well at least that’s what he thought. The last ‘girly-friend’ Zac had was when he was eleven. Amy. When Hanson got all big with the music she moved away and he never saw her again. Since Zac was on tour Amy and him had stopped talking, they never even wrote back and forth. He felt bad but that was life. People come and go.
Zac liked Kari but didn’t dare say anything right now. They were too good of friends. He didn’t want to ruin that with any stupid moves. If she wanted it, she would be the one to move first.
“No, not yet..” Zac heard his mom’s muffled voice from somewhere upstairs.
“Okay...but when the phone rings I got it.” He said and headed off to the kitchen. Zac had been at Kari’s all afternoon. Monday they had a huge chemistry test so they spent the evening studying. Isaac promised Zac a call at 8:00. Ever since Ike had started college at South West T. U, Zac had been
having a horrible time. Isaac and Zac were always really close. Zac always went to Ike for help when he needed it. Especially now, when it came to Kari. Zac went to Isaac when he needed advice or anything else for that matter. Zac had always looked up to Ike. A good thing?.. Not always. But it sure did help him when he got stuck with a problem that needed some choices to be made. Zac needed Ike now more than ever. Kari had told Zac that she was interested in Wess, one of Zac’s best friends. Zac was heartbroken. He didn’t want Kari to know that but she had noticed him being slumy all day and
asked him continuously what was wrong. Zac couldn’t let her know what he was feeling. He tried to hide it the best way possible: ‘I think I’m coming down with something.’ Zac thought it was a good cover up, but NOT for long.
Kari would start getting suspicious.
“Zac, Phone..It’s Ike.” Zac’s mother called down form the top of the stairs.
“Got it. You can hang up.” Zac said after he had picked up the cordless and pressed the ‘talk’ button.
“Ike?!” Zac said into the receiver.
“Zac, hey bud. What’s up? I got your message on my answering machine.”
“Kari..” Zac trailed off.
“Enough said.” Ike interrupted him with a long sigh. “Zac you got to start handling these things on your own. Start making your own decisions.. I’m not always going to be available every time you need my advice.”

*********

“T-Taylor?” Katie said barely autiable.
“Suprise.” Taylor stepped out from the table and gave her a hug.
“H-...W-What are you doing here?!” She said, finding her voice again.
“Haha, I’m here for college.”
“Are you serious!”
“Yeah, and I was just suprised as you when I saw Abby on campus last week.”
Tay looked in my direction and winked at me. I smiled. Katie looked from Me to him then spoke again. “I can’t believe you kept this from me Ab!” She wined.
“I’m sorry, we wanted to suprise you.” Taylor walked over and pulled my chair out motioning for me to have a seat. I sat, Katie and then him doing the same.
“Wow, This is weird.” Katie laughed. “So how are you?”
“I’m great, how about yourself.” Tay returned the question.
“I’m not sure right about now. VERY suprised!”
“Sorry... Abby wanted to tell you but I told her not too.” He confessed.
“Oh It’s okay. I’m just still in awe!”
“Well we have a lot more to tell you.” I said. Taylor looked up at me and smiled.
“Yeah, we do.”
Taylor and I wanted to tell Katie about us, us being..together. But as the meal went on we decided not to say anything just yet. Katie was interested in what Taylor had to say about Ike. A little to obvious I thought.
“I’m going to have to call Ike and Zac and have them plan a visit soon. Maybe in October or something.”

*********

“Zac! If you like the girl, call her up...ask her out on a date. Give off hints.” Ike said into the phone towards the end of their conversation.
“But Ike it’s not that easy....” Zac half wined half shot back.
“And you better do it before this Wess guy beats you.” Ike interrupted.
“I thought you were going to give me something to go on here Ike.” Zac said sitting back against his bed board.
Zac had been telling his story about Kari for over twenty minutes now and all Isaac had to say was that! Zac was pissed. Usually Ike would sit down and think everything through with him. ‘He must just be having a bad day.’ Zac
thought.
“I’m sorry Zac, but that’s all I can say. I know how you are. Your ganna to be all stupid about it. Your not going to tell her how you feel then your going to lose her because you didn’t speak up. If everything you told me about her
is true then it looks to me like she’s dropping hints and your just not catching them.
That made Zac think. “What do you mean she’s dropping hints??”
“Goodlord! You Can NOT tell me her asking you to come over almost
everyday after school, and her falling asleep snuggled up in your lap during a movie isn’t enough proof.
“Well..” He trailed off then Ike spoke again.
“Zac, I know what she’s doing.”
“Huh?” He asked confused.
“She’s telling you about this Wess kid to make you jealous. To make you pay more attention to her. Did you think about that?!” At this point Isaac was laughing at his brothers stupidity.
“Oh..OH! DO YOU THINK?!” It just registered what Ike had said. Maybe Kari was dropping hints. Maybe she did like him and wanted to be with him. ‘How could I have been so stupid.’ Zac wanted to hit himself.
“Thanks Ike, I have an idea! Bye!” With that Zac hung up the phone and dialed Kari’s number.

********

Kari was laying sprawled out on her bed talking to her best friend Lissy on the phone. Zac had just left her house a little over an hour ago and she missed him already. Kari had fallen for Zac the first day of school. When she
got the nerve to finally walk up to him and talk that is. In the past month she had really gotten to know him and he was everything she was looking for in a guy. He was sweet, romantic..even though she hadn’t seen him in action,
she knew he had it in him just by the way he looked at her. Kari liked Zac although she didn’t think the feeling was mutual. Sure, they hung out sometimes on school nights and studied together, but Zac never really flirted back with her like other guys did. He went along with the flow. It was weird. As if he didn’t notice. Kari sometimes talked about other guys with him.
Other guys she found attractive in the school. Before she started liking Zac in that way. She noticed he got sort of uncomfortable so she stopped. She
seemed to find something new out about Zac every day. Some things she liked some things didn’t really amuse her. Kari didn’t know what to do. She wanted to be with Zac. Now that Homecoming was coming up...

“So what about Zac?” Lissy asked confused. “I thought you liked him!”
“I do, I really do, but I don’t know. Homecoming is less then a month away and if Zac doesn’t ask me soon then Wess IS!” Kari said.
“Well just give him a little while longer. He will don’t worry.” Lissy helped convince her.
“Yeah I guess. BUT! If Wess asks me before him then I’m going to have to say yes.” Kari stated.
“All right, that’s up to you. If I wouldn’t be going out with Drew then I’d ask the kid!” The two girls laughed.
“I don’t think so hun!” Kari warned. “Zac’s still my boy even if I don’t go to homecoming with him!”
“I know. Anyways. Oh! Do you want to go look for Homecoming dresses
toge-”
Liss, hold on I got a beep.” Kari said, interrupting Lissy mid-sentence. Then clicking over to the other line.
“Ello?” Kari asked into the receiver.
“Kari, Hey it’s Zac, I need to talk to you...” He trailed off. Now that Zac had actually gotten Kari on the phone he didn’t know if he could say what all he wanted to say. ‘Come on Zac, you can’t chicken out!’ He thought.
“Hey! hold on a sec let me get rid of Lissy on the other line.” With that She clicked over for a second then back to Zac.
“Okay, back. What’s up?”