chaptertwentyeight

I was determined to have fun at Brady�s tonight, no matter what. When Elle, Maddie and I arrived, I found that this was not going to be a hard task.

�Killer�� Maddie said.

�Yep. I need a drink,� I said, heading immediately for the coolers full of bottles and cans. I found myself a Mike�s lemonade and rejoined my friends.

�Brady�s parents are like psycho-rich,� Elle said. �Look at this place. The pool is like bigger than my house.�

I looked at the pool and sure enough, it really was just about as big as Elle�s house (which is definitely saying something). There were actually people in the water. Lots of people. I was completely surprised at how many people were just letting loose and having fun. The Taylor rock still lay heavy on my chest, but I promised myself it wasn�t gonna get me down.

�Hey there ladies,� Brady said as he approached us.

�Hey Brady,� Elle and Maddie said together.

�Hi,� I said.

�There�s a bedroom upstairs where everyone�s leaving their stuff. Go ahead and change and take a swim�the water�s great,� he said as he sauntered off to greet more guests.

�Such a babe�� Madison whispered.

�Took the words right out of my mouth,� Elle said.

�You�re both cracked. Let�s go upstairs---I want to swim.�

The girls followed me upstairs and we found an empty corner to drop our stuff. I tossed my sweater on the pile and slipped out of my jeans. In a few short minutes, Madison, Elle, and I were ready to go back down.

�Nat?� Elle said before we left the room.

�Yeah?� I replied, finishing off my drink.

�If you want to leave at ANY point in the night, tell us, OK? We�ll leave right then.�

�Thanks,� I said. �But I�m here to have a good time. So as long as the good times keep coming, I�m staying.�

�That�s the spirit!� Madison cheered.

********************

Hanson was playing �Runaway Run� for the fourth time that night. The first time, Zac kept screwing up the rhythm. The second time, Isaac found a cute blonde in the back to wink at fucked up a chord. The third time, Taylor�s voice decided not to blend with Zac�s like it�s supposed to and the result was a five-second stretch that sounded like someone had stomped on a cat. Thankfully, they got through it without incident this time. Not that the crowd minded all the repetition. They were loud as ever.

�I love you Taylor!� some girl up front yelled. He smiled.

�Ike�s hot!� a fan somewhere in the mess of people shouted. He winked again.

�TAY�S SEXY!� another female voice cried.

�ZAC�S A GREAT KISSER!� someone belted out. The other fans took to giggling and all Zac could do was grin. There in the front row with her hands around her mouth to make a megaphone was Mara, smiling from ear to ear.

***************

�If looks could kill, I think the girl next to me with your name painted on her face would have been my cause of death,� Mara told Zac later when they were sitting in his hotel room.

�Yeah, well you know the one who yelled �Ike�s hot�?� Zac asked her.

�Yeah?�

�She waited after the show�and is in Isaac�s room right now.�

�You�re joking!� Mara squealed. �Does he do this often?�

�On occasion. This one was cute though.�

�Do you know her name even? Even better, does he know her name?�

�I�m sure he does�I think it was Kiki or something�something with a K.�

�Lovely�you Hanson boys really are just a pack of hoes, aren�t you?�

�You know it,� Zac said sarcastically.