chaptertwentyseven

�But you�re still coming to Brady�s tonight, right?� Elle asked me.

�Yes Elle, I�m still going,� I told her. She�d rushed over as soon as I called her last night and we had an impromptu �Make Nat Feel Better Night�. She, Maddie, and I were eating popcorn on the living room floor and watching �10 Things I Hate About You� at this very moment.

�You totally rock, � she said as she got up and headed for the kitchen. �Anyone else need something to drink?� she asked.

�Can you get me a Dr. Pepper?� Maddie asked.

�Eww!� I yelled. �Mads, you know we don�t keep that crap in the house. Bleech!�

�Hahaa, sorry Nat. Forgot about the Dr. Pepper thing. Just get me a can of something.�

�Sprite please,� I told Elle.

She disappeared into the kitchen and I shuddered.

�Are you cold Nat?� Madison asked me.

�No�Dr. Pepper is seriously the grossest thing in the world and I hate it. I remember this one time Taylor tried to kiss me with Diet Dr. Pepper breath�I made him go brush his teeth,� I said.

�Oh my god, you didn�t!� Madison cried, laughing hysterically. �That is honestly the funniest thing I�ve ever heard in a long time.�

I smiled weakly. Now, if only Diet. Dr. Pepper breath was my boyfriend worry�.

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

�OK, guys, when we�re filming the interview, I want you seated with Zac left, Taylor in the middle, and Isaac on the right,� the director said.

�Of fucking course you do�� Zac muttered.

�Did you need something, Zachary?� the director asked.

�Actually, I�m really thirsty. I�m gonna run backstage for a minute. Go ahead without me, I�m sure I can catch up,� Zac said quickly before sprinting for the back. He kept walking until he reached the side door of the theater. No fans knew they were gonna be there today, save the select ones with tickets to tonight�s exclusive event and since they weren�t usually the psycho-screaming-grabbing type, he figured he was pretty safe just sitting out there for a bit.

Zac sat on the cement and rested his back against the wall of the building. It was bad enough that Taylor was a shit, a lying, cheating, asshole of a shit, but the fact that Zac was constantly reminded of why the world thought Tay�s shittyness was okay made him fume. �Everyone knows Taylor is the cute one. We all need to get on with our fucking lives,� Zac though to himself.

�Penny for your thoughts,� someone said. Zac looked up and found Mara standing in front of him.

�My thoughts right now are worth way more than a penny, especially if you sell them to some teeny-bopper magazine,� Zac replied.

�Well, tell ya what,� Mara said as she sat in front of him. �I have a dollar and a ticket to this little concert thing going on tonight. Take your pick.�

�You�ve got a ticket? How? I mean, They never went on sale or anything. How�d you manage to get one.�

�I have amazing powers of persuasion�� she started. Zac raised an eyebrow.

�OK�I bought it from someone with an extra ticket like two minutes ago, k?� she confessed. Zac burst out laughing.

�Ahh, the truth comes out. Pretty slick,� he said.

�I like to think so. So why are you sitting out here and not rehearsing or something?�

�Rehearsal sucks. I just wanted some fresh air,� he said.

�Listen, Zac, I want to explain what happened the other night�� Mara started.

�Don�t. Listen, I�m sure I�ve heard it at least five times. So just save it, ok?�

Mara shook her head. �Nope.�

�Excuse me?� Zac said.

�I said no, I won�t just save it. This is something you need to hear.�

Zac�s eyes widened and he shook his head. �I�m impressed�In the many times I�ve had the �you�re great, but Taylor�� discussion, no girl has ever demanded to tell her side. Go for it,� he said.

�That�s the thing�nothing was gonna happen in that hot tub. Honestly, it was fun to make Taylor squirm. But that�s all it was. I think he�s way too proud of himself and just not a nice person. Taylor�s great, but he�s not Zac.�

If it were possible for human eyes to fall out of heads, Zac�s would have done it right then. �You�re not serious,� Zac said simply.

�Why would I lie about something like that? Jesus Zac, for such a cute guy, you have some major self-esteem issues, don�t you?� Mara asked.

�Well�I mean�I�ve never won before��

�Never won before? Won what?�

�Over Taylor�no one�s ever picked me��

�Well, I�m glad I could be here for this milestone,� Mara said.

�You have a smart mouth, you know that?� Zac asked.

�I do indeed. But you love it, Hanson,� she replied.

Zac didn�t say anything. Instead, he leaned forward and kissed her. They both pulled back a few seconds later.

�I�m sorry I assumed things,� Zac said.

�It�s OK. I�m sorry for making Taylor squirm,� she said.

�No no, don�t ever be sorry for making Tay squirm,� Zac said. He stood up and reached for her hand. �Do you wanna come back with me?�

�Will security let me? They�re pretty hardcore at the front.�

�It�ll be ok. Come on.�

Together, they went through the back door and were immediately stopped by a big, burly man who scared the shit outta Mara.

�Hey, Ray. Mara and I are on our way back to soundcheck. Can you give her one of those passes in your pocket, please?� Zac said.

�Sure thing, Mr. Hanson,� Ray said. He reached into an inside pocket of his black coat and pulled out a lanyard. He wrote a number on the card hanging off of it in permanent marker and handed it to her.

�Just keep this around your neck and visible, Miss,� Ray told her.

�OK, thanks,� Mara said, the shock of the whole situation pretty evident in her voice.

As she and Zac continued down the hall, he turned to her.

�You okay?� he asked.

�Oh yeah�it�s just pretty funny to think that two years ago I would have died if I got to speak to your security guard, and now he calls me Miss�Plus the fact that I�m walking to soundchecck and holding your hand��

Zac laughed. �You were a fan. I never even knew.�

�That was the point. And I still am a fan�I just know the band,� she said.

�Yes you do, he said, stealing a little kiss. �You ready to go in?� he asked, nodding toward the double doors.

�Sure. You want me to freak out for effect?� she asked, laughing.

�Funny�come on, let�s do this.�