Taylor woke up and looked around. Zac and Misty were making out in the corner of the room (as usual), but he couldn�t find Kris. The bathroom light wasn�t on, so she wasn�t in there. He looked in the mirror and evened out his hair before heading to the door.
�She went out for ice cream,� Zac said, seeing Taylor up. �She should be back soon.�
�Ice Cream?�
�She wanted ice cream, so she went out and got it.�
�Alright. I swear that girl�s insane.�
As Taylor walked away from the door, it opened and Kris fell in. �It�s hell out there! I knew it was a mistake telling that group of girls that you guys were staying here��
�What?� Zac and Taylor yelled, starting to panic.
�They were all chanting �Isaac! Isaac!� �
�Oh, now I know you�re lying,� Taylor said. Kris laughed and got off the floor.
�You�re so bad! No, my trek from here to the store was rather uneventful, besides the fact that the door hit me.� She ran up to Taylor and showed him the gash on the side of her face. �Look at it!�
�The door actually hit you?�
�Yes!! I�m not lying cause I have no reason anymore, but the door hit me. It hurt too.�
�What to you want me to do?�
�Fix it?�
�How?�
�I don�t know.�
�How about some ice cream? Ice cream will fix everything.� He grabbed the bag from her hands. �But we don�t have any bowls.� She looked in the bag.
�I bought spoons, but I didn�t even think about bowls.� She pulled out the spoons and threw them on the bed. �Okay, I got the peanut butter cup for Zac and Misty. So Taylor, you best like mint chocolate chip or you�re screwed. They don�t share.�
�Yeah, it�s fine.� She took out the peanut butter cup and grabbed two spoons.
�Here you go.� Kris gave them their ice cream and let them fend for themselves. �Now share, Misty.� Kris knew her obsession with peanut butter cup ice cream. �Let Zac have some.�
�No, he doesn�t need any.� She turned away from Zac. �You don�t.�
�I want some too!� Zac yelled, trying to get to the ice cream.
�No you don�t!�
�Yes I do. I�ll gag you with my spoon.� Kris laughed as Zac tried to attack Misty with his spoon. Kris sat on the bed and pulled out her ice cream.
�Unlike Misty, I�ll actually share with you.� She opened up the ice cream, and smiled when she found out it was green. Green was always the best kind.
�It�s green.�
�It�s supposed to be.�
�Alright��
�If you don�t know that this is supposed to be green, then you really need to get out more. I thought you were deprived before; now I know you are.�
�Shut up,� he said, and took a scoop. She�d gotten the best kind, Edy�s green Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. �It�s good; you�ve got that.�
�I can pick my ice cream.�
�Yes you can.� She laid her head against his shoulder and they ate their ice cream quietly. They knew they were back together yet again, but it didn�t feel any different. Why can�t we just go out when she�s not dating someone else? Taylor thought. She was still with Brian, again, which hurt him to no end. Didn�t she learn the first time? Obviously not.
It was funny how Zac and Misty were still going strong, ever since the night of the accident. Her scars weren�t as prominent as they were before, and Taylor even admitted he forgot what she looked like without them. He glanced at his left hand, completely covered in scars. He didn�t like camera shots of him playing the keyboards (which sparked rumors) because of the unsightly scars. He�d relearned his keyboards, after having to find a way to make it less painful. Zac and his drums were a trip; it took him forever to give his rhythm back.
Kris was just horrible now. Her wounds had just healed, and she had to get them all back. Taylor didn�t know how any of this affected her.
�I wanna go blading,� Zac announced. �We haven�t been in a really long time. Just around the roof or something.�
�We can�t,� Kris said. �Me and Misty don�t have our blades.�
�We know Misty fits into Jessie�s. We could probably stop by your house and pick up your skates.�
�No�we�re just going to be staying in the hotel. I don�t want to be a bother.�
�How long will it take you to realize that there is nothing that bothers us when it comes to you?� Taylor asked, getting up. �Come on, let�s go.�
�I can�t.�
�Why not? I know you know how to rollerblade.�
�No�I can�t. I can�t anymore. When we got into the accident, the brain damage I got affected my balance. That�s why I was in the hospital for so long while everyone else was up and walking. It took me weeks to learn how to walk again.�
�Oh, then we can do something else.�
�I feel bad now. You guys go, I�ll watch.�
�Kris, we�re not going to do this without you. We don�t just throw people aside. Come on, we�re gonna find something for you.�
�What? I can�t do anything? I can sit there and look pretty.�
�There you go,� Zac said.
�Zac, you�re stupid.�
�Duh,� Zac said. Kris threw her pillow at him, smacking him in the face. �Hey!�
�You�re not stupid; you�re a fricken genius.�
�Oh, okay Kris. Whatever you say.� Zac gave her a look. �Wherever you get that from.�
�You�re a musical genius. Don�t you see that?�
�No.�
�You�re weird then.�
�Okay�so what are we going to do?�
�How bout we go somewhere?� Taylor suggested. �It�s boring in here.�
�We can�t go anywhere, Brian�s going to be turning this town upside down looking for me. Anywhere we go, he�ll be looking for me.�
�How about Johnny�s?�
�That�s the first place he�ll look!!�
�The last time we were there we stayed in the back room, does Brian know about that?�
�No, he doesn�t. I guess we can go there,� Kris said. �But we�ll have to take your car, Misty. He knows both of ours.�
�He knows my car?� Taylor asked.
�Yup. I actually think we should drop my car off at home, just in case he stops by and sees mine in the lot.�
�Won�t he be at your place?�
�He was there at six. It�s seven thirty now.�
�So we�re leaving now?� Zac asked.
�You wanted to do something, let�s go now.� Kris stopped. �You�ve never been to Johnny�s, have you?� Zac shook his head. �That�s it. We have to go now. And anyway, we have to get to my place and drop off my car.�
�Okay�let�s go.� They got up and left the room. Taylor stopped off by his father�s room.
�Hey dad, we�re going to Johnny�s. We�ll be back later,� he said.
�Okay. Just not too late. We have to be somewhere tomorrow.�
�Okay. Bye.� Taylor shut the door. Isaac turned to his father.
�What�s Johnny�s?�
�Just a place Kris and Taylor go to all the time.� Then Walker remembered something. He poked his head out of the door and saw the four waiting for the elevator. �Watch out for Brian.�
�We�re going to be in the back room. He doesn�t know about it.�
�Okay.� The elevator doors opened and the four went inside. �Be careful!�
�Shut up, Dad!� Walker rolled his eyes and went back in his room.
After a quick stop at Kris�s house, the group found themselves in the back room of Johnny�s. It was a small room with a table, once used for poker games when the place had been in its prime. The room had been uninhabited for years until Brian had come by when Taylor and Kris were there. They�d scurried behind the counter, and the clerk showed them the room.
�I�m hungry,� Zac said, after plopping in a chair.
�What else is new?� Taylor asked. He looked out the door. �Hey Matt!� The clerk walked in.
�What?�
�I�m hungry.�
�Best do something about it, then.� Matt walked away. Zac and Misty exchanged glances. Matt walked back in. �I�m just kidding. Who�re the newcomers?�
�That�s my brother Zac, and his girlfriend Misty.� Matt made a face.
�Oh God, two of you boys? I�m sorry; go home. We don�t have enough food for the both of you.�
�Of course you do!� Kris said. �Taylor won�t eat that much today; we�ll leave it all to Zac.� Zac smiled.
�So whaddya want? And hurry up! I got more important customers waiting.�
�Yeah, the rats,� Taylor said. Kris laughed.
�Hey!� Matt said, pointing his pen at Taylor. �They�re mice! It�s a big difference, drama queen.�
�Drama queen?�
�You look like a queen to me��
�Shut up!�
�Do you want your food or not?�
�Me and Kris will have the usual, give them the same.�
�Okay. I�ll be back in a jiffy.� He walked out, screaming, �Hey loser! I need two of Kris and Taylor�s usuals! And make it snappy!�
�Fuck you!�
�You first!�
�Aren�t you worried that Brian is here and would have heard that?�
�He wouldn�t do it if Brian was here. He knows everything. He followed Kris and Brian�s relationship since before it started,� Taylor said.
�Yeah, so have the rest of the people who work here,� Kris said. �If Brian comes here, they�ll let us know.�
�Yeah, then we don�t usually scream things out to the clerks.�
�What do I have to do to get a fricken pop here!?!� Kris screamed out the door, then laughed. Matt came in a few moments later with four pops, and placed them on the table. He bowed to Kris, who put out her hand. �Kiss your majesty�s hand.�
�That�s too much for me�bitch.�
�Bastard.� She waved her hand. �Leave us now.�
�I really hate you.�
�I hate you too, don�t worry.� They laughed. �I�ll be back in a jiffy.�
�That�s what you said last time, and I�m still waiting for my food!� Kris yelled.
�Shut up.�
�Kiss my ass.�
�It�ll take me all day.� She gave him a look. �I�d better go before you hurt me.�
�You do that.� Kris took a sip of her pop. She made a face. �Who has my diet? This is regular.� They all took a sip.
�I have it,� Zac said. Kris and Zac traded pops. �So, you call it pop here?�
�How long have you known me? It�s always been pop.�
�Actually, I don�t think I�ve heard you say it before.�
�Me neither,� Taylor agreed.
�It�s always been pop to me,� Misty said. �But then again I�ve lived here in Chicago my entire life.�
�Me too,� Kris said. �But my parents knew Taylor and Zac�s parents before they moved here.�
�How?�
�They went to high school together. Or according to Diana they were the �only spicks in town.� �
�I hate that word,� Taylor said.
�Me too,� Kris said. �But I hate it because I�ve been called it a bunch of times before.�
�People can be so stupid sometimes,� Misty muttered. �Where is our food?� Kris was about the yell again when Matt came back in the room with his food.
�Here�s your food�Kris, Brian is here and he is pissed beyond pissed.�
�Crap.� Kris could feel her knees begin to knock and her hands begin to shake in fear.
�Why�s he so pissed?� Matt asked.
�I�m sure he�ll talk about it, but I�m supposed to be on a date with him. He hasn�t been great to me, and I had to stay with Taylor just to be safe. Whatever you do, don�t say anything about me, or any of us at that. You haven�t seen me.�
�That�s why you�re back here. I won�t say anything.�
�Can you close the door too? Just in case?�
�Sure.� He left, closing the door behind him.
Kris began to shake all over. Taylor grabbed her and held her. �Can we go over there and eat? Just in case he wanted to look in here��
�Kris, he won�t.�
�Please? If he finds me; I don�t know what I�ll do. I�m just so afraid of him.� She shivered and hid behind the door. Taylor joined her, bringing her food.
�It�s alright. We�ll stay over here until. Guys, come over here.� Zac and Misty walked over and sat against the wall next to the door.
�I�m sorry. Once he leaves we can go back to the table. He may not know about this room and I don�t want to take any chances.�
�It�s okay, we understand,� Zac said, and stole one of her fries.
�Hey!�
�Wait a sec, okay?� Taylor said. �I think I can hear him.� Everyone grew silent, listening to the voices outside.
�Sorry dude, I haven�t seen her. What�s going on?� Matt�s distant voice said.
�I was supposed to meet up with her, but of course she wasn�t there.�
�Dude, where you going?�
�What�s up with that door? What do you keep in here?�
�It�s just an old card table. Me and the guys had poker games years ago in there. We don�t do that anymore, so we haven�t been in there in years.�
�Why not?� The doorknob turned, making Kris shake harder than she was before.
�It�s not important to us anymore. Let�s go��
�Lemme just see what the room looks like.� The door opened. Kris closed her eyes, gripping onto Taylor�s hand for dear life, and tried not to even breathe. Brian looked to an empty room. �Nice.�
He closed the door. Kris let out her breath, along with her tears. �Oh God,� she whispered. �Oh God, oh God, oh God��
Taylor put his arm around her. �It�s okay. I won�t let him get to you.� She cried hard, confused and afraid. She was so confused over her and Brian versus her and Taylor. This episode was just proving that Brian was just a bastard.
�I just can�t believe this. I�m crying just because he�s in the same building as me.�
�You have every right to be.� She sighed. She kept thinking he was just going to walk back in and kill her.
A few minutes later, Matt walked back in the room. �Okay, he�s gone. You�re quick thinkers.�
The four moved back to the table, Kris still crying and shaking, �Thanks. He didn�t say anything out of line, did he?� Zac asked.
�Like what?�
�Any kind of threats, even if he sounded like he was completely joking?�
�He mentioned he wanted to kick the living shit out of you.�
�Oh God,� Kris said, and put her head on the table. �He�s going to kill me.�
�Is he the one doing this to you, Kris?� Matt asked. �The bruises and broken bones? Is it Brian?�
�Yes��
�I�m going to kill him.� Kris looked up.
�No! Don�t do anything. If he finds out, he�ll kill me for sure.�
�Kris, you�ve got to get rid of him and get him help.�
�Stop it!! Just stop telling me what to do! It�s not going to help me at all!�
�We�re just trying to help.�
�It�s sounds like you�re telling me what to do, like I�m three years old! You don�t control my life and you never will! If I want to date Brian, I will. When I�ve had enough, I�ll get out of it.� She ran out of the room.
�Kris, no! He could still be out there!� Taylor yelled. The three of them immediately got up and ran after her, afraid Brian was still around.
They found her in the parking lot, trying to run away. �Kris!!� They were both in better shape and better condition than her, so they caught her easily.
�Get away from me! When I get mad, I run. Don�t try to stop me again.� She couldn�t get out of Zac�s grip. �Let me go!�
�Kris, I love you. This is hell for me to watch day in and day out. You can�t just let this happen to you.�
�What the hell are you going to do about it?� Kris yelled. �You don�t own me; you don�t have any control over me whatsoever.�
�I�m able to talk to you right now.�
�That�s because your brother could be a club bouncer. Let me go!!�
�Maybe I could do that after the music biz dies down.�
�Hey! What are you doing with her?� Kris froze in Zac�s arms. It was Brian. He�d been in his car and hadn�t left yet.
�Brian!� Kris squeaked. �Hi!!�
�So you were here. You had Matt lie for you.�
�No�I just got here.�
�That�s why you came from inside and started yelling about me.�
�We�re just telling her what�s right,� Taylor said. Brian turned away from Kris and punched Taylor in the face. Zac immediately let go of Kris and punched Brian.
�That�s not fair, there�s two of you and one of me.�
�It�s not fair that you�re beating Kris when she had no one to defend her. Well now she does,� Taylor said, and punched Brian.
�Stop it!� Kris screamed. �Stop fighting.� Zac stopped and turned to Kris.
�Kris we�re only trying to�� He was cut off when Brian punched him and he fell over. Kris screamed.
�No!!�
Taylor grabbed Brian and started hitting him as hard as he could. Brian was putting up a pretty good fight, he�d knocked out Zac already and was messing up Taylor pretty bad.
�Zac!� Kris yelled. She sat on top of him, trying to wake him up. �Zac! Wake up!� Where was Misty? Didn�t she follow them out?
Taylor finally made Brian fall, just as Misty came out of Johnny�s. �Let�s go! Quick!� The three grabbed Zac and were out of the place before Brian could even stir.
They got back to the hotel quickly, but they had to drag Zac to the room. They all looked absolutely horrible, except for Misty who was wise and stayed inside during the whole ordeal.
Misty tended to trying to wake up Zac while Kris helped Taylor out. He wasn�t liking it, though.
�You know, Kris, you�re lucky I even care enough to put myself through this. I look like shit, and we have to start filming tomorrow! I have to shoot a video, for the entire world to see, and I�ve just been beat up by your boyfriend. I shouldn�t be protecting you.�
�But you are and I�m very grateful.�
�You showed me otherwise at Johnny�s. There you made it very clear that you do what you want. Sorry, but if you don�t want me involved then you can just go home.� Taylor turned to the mirror to wipe off some of the blood off his face.
�Here, let me��
�Don�t! Just don�t. I can do this myself. I�m having enough issues without having you here making everything worse.�
�Fine. Be that way.� She turned and left. Misty wasn�t having luck with Zac. �I think there�s some ammonia inhalants in the cabinet in the bathroom, if you can get past the ogre in there. Try it, and if it doesn�t work, I don�t know what to do. I�m leaving.�
�Where are you going?� Misty asked, getting up.
�Home.�
�How do you plan on getting there?�
�I�ll walk. It�s not like I don�t know the way.� She grabbed Taylor�s leather jacket (which she always had in her possession anyway) and put it on. Now that night was here, it was getting cold outside.
�It�s late. Why don�t you let me take you? Or Taylor?�
�I don�t want to have anything to do with him.�
�Then why are you taking his jacket?�
�Cause I�m cold! That�s why!� She opened the door and stepped outside, just as Walker was about to come over.
�I thought I heard that you guys were back.�
�Well I�m leaving. That bastard son of yours.�
�Taylor?�
�Duh.�
�What�s going on?�
�Ask your son. It seems that he knows everything.� Kris walked off. Walker went into the room.
�Where�s Taylor?�
�In the bathroom,� Misty said. She looked over Zac to see if he had any open cuts or anything she had to take care of.
�Shit,� Taylor muttered from inside the bathroom. That stuff Kris got out for him really burned his open cuts. He wasn�t all that bad, just two forming bruises and a gash on his cheek.
�Would you mind telling me what happened?� Walker asked. Taylor ignored him. �Why is Zac out cold on the bed and why are you beat up?�
�We got into a fight.�
�You and Zac?�
�Me and Zac against Brian. I never the boy was so strong that he could knock Zac out.�
�You do know you have to shoot a video tomorrow.�
�I was thinking instead of just us being in Milani, why don�t we just made it semi-autobiographical and have us in the accident? We can change the story around a bit and have us in the accident at the beginning?�
�How is that going with the song?�
�I don�t know��
�We�ll bring up the idea. Right now we have to focus on getting you stitched up.�
�I�m almost done here.�
�That gash looks pretty bad.�
�It�ll be fine.� Walker went out into the main room. Misty looked at the box of ammonia inhalants and put one near Zac�s nose. Almost immediately he woke up.
�Hi,� Misty said to him. �I didn�t think that was going to work.� He looked around, and saw only Taylor in the bathroom.
�Where�s Kris?�
�On her way home.�
�Home?! You�re letting her go home! Brian is going to find her and kill her!�
�She knows better.�
�No, she doesn�t. She made that very clear to me. We have to find her and bring her back here.� Zac got up, nearly throwing Misty off him. �Now who�s going to take me? If you haven�t noticed, I can�t take myself.�
�I�ll go,� Misty said.
�You�re not picking her up,� Taylor said.
�You choose, Taylor. Be mad at her or let Brian kill her.�
�He�s not going to kill her.�
�Did you not see him today? Taylor, he will if he finds her.�
�Fine, but don�t expect me to like it.�
�You�re going to have to, she�s sleeping in your bed,� Zac said.
�No, she gets your bed.�
�Misty gets my bed.� Walker looked at them.
�So we�ve decided that they�re staying over?� Walker asked.
�Yeah.�
�Alright. Next time ask me.�
�Well they�re coming with us to Milani tomorrow.�
�Oh really?�
�If we�re changing the concept around, they�re going to have to,� Taylor said, shutting off the light in the bathroom and walking out.
�We�re changing the concept?� Zac asked. �Since when?�
�We can talk about it later, after we get Kris,� Misty said, and pushed Zac towards the door. As she opened it, she heard one more remark from Taylor.
�She took my good leather jacket!!!�
Misty drove the route to Kris�s house, Zac paying close attention to the streets. They�d been driving a good half an hour now; she had to be around here somewhere.
�There she is,� he said, and rolled down the window. �Kris!�
�Go away, Zac. I�m not going back there. Not as long as Taylor is there. He made it clear to me that I�m just in the way.�
�He�s just being a bitch. Come back, I�ll get him to be a bit more hospitable.�
�I don�t want you to do anything. I want him to apologize to me. He doesn�t want me there so I might as well go home.�
�Don�t! Just come back with us. We�re worried.� Kris sighed.
�I don�t know what to say to him. He hasn�t been very nice to me.�
�He�s just mad because Brian beat him up. He should be better soon. Just come back. I�d hate it to see you get hurt.�
�Fine.� She climbed into the car. �How are you doing?�
�I�ll be fine,� Zac said. �It�s just a bruise. A cut, maybe.�
�Okay, as long as you�re alright I�ll be happy.� She smiled and hugged him.