“Oh my God, Carol, there he is,” Charlene whispered to her best friend. “I didn’t even know they were in town!” She could recognize that face anywhere; the blue eyes, the soft skin, the golden hair. Taylor Hanson was walking right towards her, and all she could do was stare.

“Don’t stare, Char, he’ll think you’re stupid or something.”

“You think I should bump into him or something? I’d actually get to touch him.” Charlene noticed that he was getting closer and immediately grabbed Carol’s hand. “He’s even hotter in person than on TV!”

“Shut up!” Carol whispered. “Don’t bump into him, that’ll be too obvious! There could be hundreds of other girls in this mall that considered bumping into him, do you know many times he’s probably been pushed around? For all we know he might have internal injuries.”

“You’re too pessimistic, Carol. I’m going to bump into him. He might say something.”

“Yeah, he’ll call you a bitch and walk off.” Charlene stopped. “What? I don’t want you making a fool out of yourself to just get a few seconds of Taylor Hanson’s time. Leave him alone.”

“What if it was Isaac walking down here? Would that change your mind?”

“Maybe, but it’s not, so just keep walking, Charlene. Leave the poor kid alone, he can’t go anywhere without getting bothered.” Carol turned to walk again, and bumped into Taylor. “Sorry,” she said, not even realizing whom she was talking to. Charlene watched in awe and Taylor just walked off, not saying anything.

“Oh my God! You just bumped into Taylor Hanson!” Charlene smacked her arm. “Why didn’t you let me do it?”

“I didn’t even realize it, Char. I was going on my own sweet way, I didn’t even know it.” Charlene rolled her eyes, but turned around to walk in the direction Taylor was going. “No, don’t tell me you’re going to stalk him until he leaves, are you?”

“He might go into Structure,” she said, smiling. Before she could lose Taylor, she started walking quickly. “My uncle’s working there now.”

“I know, we just spent fifteen minutes in there talking to him. Don’t you think it’d be a little weird when two girls walk into a man’s store for the second time in fifteen minutes.”

“No, there’s girls in there all the time. I’ll just say I forgot to tell him something.” She looked around, making sure to see where Taylor was going. “Quick, think of something for me to tell him.”

“How about Taylor Hanson is in the mall and you’re stalking him?” Carol retorted. “God knows why I’m following you around.”

“You’re following just in case Isaac is around.” Carol shrugged, readjusting the bags that hung from her fingers. “You don’t think he’ll notice, will you?”

“Not us. We’re completely different than the other five hundred people here that are following him!”

“There’s no one else following him…” Carol pointed to the flock of teenage girls behind them, all talking amongst themselves. “Okay, maybe there is, but we’re better cause we’re closer and not in a flock of three hundred.”

“You know I barely recognized him with the normal clothes he’s wearing. They’re actually baggy, not the skin tight shit he wears on camera.”

“Why don’t you go up to him and tell him that he looks good in them?” Charlene asked. Carol shook her brunette head. “I’ll give you fifty bucks if you do it.”

“No. Then it’ll look like I’m stalking him! I’m just walking with you. I don’t think so. If you weren’t my ride home I would have left by now.”

“I think Isaac just joined him!” Carol immediately looked ahead.

“Oh my God! Where?” She looked around as Charlene started laughing. “There’s no one with him! Charlene, I am going to kill you.”

“It was too easy. Look, he’s going into Structure. I knew it! All the girls here will fan out and I know none of them will actually go in there. It’ll look too suspicious if more than the two of us walk in there.” She quickly ran into Structure and kept her eye on Taylor as she found her uncle.

“Weren’t you two just in here?” Charlene’s uncle David said. “What happened?” Charlene pulled her closer so no one else could hear.

“Taylor Hanson is in this mall! Actually, he’s in this store! That’s why we’re back in here. I hope he buys something. Don’t leave until he does, you’re working the register.”

“Actually, I was about to take off…”

“No! Don’t leave. I wanna be here if he buys something.” Carol sat idly as Charlene chatted away with David about some family issue that was happening or whatever, and watched Taylor. After forty-five minutes even Charlene was running out of things to say. Damn, that boy can shop! He takes as long as Char and me in a store!

Finally, Taylor came to the register with some clothes. Charlene looked quickly over them. Cargo pants, a few shirts, boxers…Hey, he gets his boxers at Structure! I thought he’d wear Tommy or something. That’s one ugly shirt he’s getting…where the hell does he get his fashion sense? I give him props for shopping at Structure, but come on, that shirt is just gaudy.

Carol put her hand over her face when she realized what her best friend was doing. She was actually looking over the boy’s clothes. He had boxers in there; she shouldn’t be looking at that! If it was Isaac, that would be a different story, but come on! David had a genuine smile on his face, mostly because he knew he was touching Taylor’s clothes and Charlene couldn’t do a thing about it.

“$205.15.” Charlene’s eyes grew, and looked to Carol. She was only shaking her head. Taylor whipped out a credit card, which amused Carol. Hmm, he has a Visa Platinum card.

Taylor walked out of Structure with his bag, and a few seconds later, Carol and Charlene walked out, a bit surprised. “How much money can you spend in one sitting?” Charlene asked. “Two hundred and five dollars…I want money.”

“You have money.”

“Yeah but I want the ability to spend two hundred dollars in one store.”

“You did. Two hours ago in the Body Shop.”

“Okay, shut up. I had gift certificates. He whipped out a Visa card and took it like he does that wherever he goes. I was screaming in my head when I had a large bill. I want a Visa Platinum card.”

“You have a Discover card.”

“Haven’t you seen the commercials? Visa’s everywhere you wanna be. Visa Platinum is everywhere you wanna be with benefits and first class.” They continued to follow Taylor around. He went into the food court, and stepped up to A&W. “Come on, I’m hungry.”

“You don’t even like A&W!” Carol yelled.

“I do now.” They stepped into line directly behind Taylor. Charlene punctuated with her hands, a bit upset. “He’s just right there,” she mouthed to Carol, reaching out and stopping before she grabbed him. There he stood, a mere six inches away from him. She was directly in line with his shoulders. “He’s big!”

“Six feet is not that big, Charlene,” Carol mouthed back, and then actually spoke. “But we live in Munchkin land, so I understand.” Taylor laughed. Carol stopped and looked at him. Charlene put her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming.

“Are you listening in on our conversation?” Carol asked, a bit annoyed. Taylor turned around.

“Since you’ve been following me all day, I might as well listen to what you’re saying.”

“How did you—” Charlene started, but Carol cut her off.

“Charlene, shut up. If we spend forty-five minutes in a guy’s store for no apparent reason, obviously there’s something up.”

“Is there something you want?” Taylor asked. “An autograph or something, or are you just going to stalk me until I leave. Which will be very soon.”

“Well we can’t exactly stalk you now that you know we’re around, so I suggest we leave,” Carol said. “I told you it was a bad idea in the first place.”

“No, I’m hungry. We can get something to eat and then leave.”

“Well then I suggest going somewhere that actually serves food you like,” Carol said, crossing her arms in front of her. “Leave the poor guy alone. You got your ten seconds of conversation.”

“Yeah,” Taylor added.

“You shut up, this doesn’t involve you.” He gave her a strange look. “Okay, maybe it does but you shut up anyway.” Taylor rolled his eyes and turned around. “Charlene, are you going to ask for an autograph or sit there and drool until we’re gone.”

“Shut up.”

“Well?”

“Nevermind…let’s just leave.” Charlene walked off. Carol stood behind, with Taylor.

“You might as well give me an autograph, she’ll freak out if she ever gets out of her attitude.” Taylor shrugged and scribbled a note and his name on a piece of paper that Carol gave him. “Thanks. I’m sorry for her.”

“It happens all the time.” As Charlene walked away, he stepped out of line and stopped her. “Hey, why are you so nonchalant about this whole thing?” he asked.

“I’m an Isaac fan.” He smiled.

Carol walked off with a small smile on her face, and caught up with Charlene in the parking lot. “I got you an autograph,” she said. “I hope you don’t bite my head off too.” Carol handed her the piece of paper.

Charlene, next time if you really want an autograph, ask for one. Not everyone is as nice as me. Taylor

Charlene looked at Carol and screamed. "I met Taylor Hanson!" The two drove home to tell everyone they knew.

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