Chapter four: :
Zac woke late the next morning. He turned over to find himself in a strange room. This wasn’t unusual, it happened often. He often would wake up in hotel rooms… but this wasn’t one of them.
He sat up in bed and looked around.
Taylor was no longer in his bed. It was neatly made, but his clothes were spread out across the duvet, like he did every morning when selecting an outfit to wear.
Zac sighed and grabbed a random pair of pants a t-shirt from his bag before heading off to shower.
He opened the door after his shower and wandered down the hall towards the stairs.
“Hey, good morning.” Becky smiled at him warmly as she came from her room.
“Hi.” He cleared the sleep from his voice.
“What have you got planned for today?” She asked, leading the way down the stairs.
“Um, I don’t know. What is everyone else doing?”
“I think we were just going to hang around here. The flight to Tulsa is early tomorrow.”
“Okay.” He nodded.
Becky opened the door to the den where Jenna and Taylor were watching a movie.
Both were sitting with magazines open.
Zac laughed. “Taylor… reading Cosmo now? What’s next? Braided pigtails and pink toenails?” He teased.
“Whatever. I’m just wondering how girls can read this gibberish.” Taylor asked, closing the magazine.
“It’s not that hard. You just take it one word at a time until you get a sentence that makes sense.” Jenna tossed the book at him and selected another.
Taylor gave a fake laugh. “Good one.”
Zac shook his head, “Burned by a girl. I can’t believe you’re my brother.”
Becky sat down next to Jenna. “You know what we should do?”
“What?”
“Make cookies.” Becky said. “I haven’t made cookies in a while.”
“I think I’ll sit this one out. I burn everything anyway.” Jenna turned the page in her magazine.
“Okay. Suit yourself.” Becky stood.
“Well, I’m starving. Can I help?” Zac asked.
“Sure.” Becky smiled.
He followed her from the room.
“What is going on in this place?” Jenna groaned.
“What?” Taylor asked, flipping the channel.
“Oh come on. Don’t tell me you didn’t see it. Isaac and Christy like each other. Zac likes Becky. Becky likes him. This whole world has gone insane.”
“What you don’t believe in love at first sight?” He laughed.
“Are you kidding? That’s the biggest load of bullshit I’ve ever heard in my life. Love doesn’t exist. There’s only sex.”
He laughed harder. “Wow, you’re really bitchy when you’re hung over.”
She picked up the stack of magazines and fired them at him.
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Isaac and Christy were sitting across from each other in the town’s only coffee shop.
She was eagerly leaning forward, hanging on his every word.
“So what do you do again?” She asked with a smile.
“I’m a musician.”
“You are? Have I heard any of your stuff?”
He laughed. “Probably. Do you know Mmmbop?”
Her eyes widened. “Oh my god! I knew I recognized you from somewhere!”
He chuckled. “Our new music is much different.”
“I bet. You look different too… I’d like to hear your music sometime.” She smiled.
“Sure. Any time. Tell me about you, though.” He touched her hand.
Christy nearly jumped. His hands were so warm and gentle.
“Like what?”
“What kind of music do you normally listen to?”
“Um… I don’t really… I was huge into Nirvana, but after Kurt died…”
“Oh…”
“What else do you want to know?”
“Tell me about your past. Where are you from?”
She giggled. “You don’t want to know. It’s a long story, and I don’t tell it to many people.”
He smiled warmly. “Come on, I bet it isn’t that bad.”
“You have no idea.” She tucked her hair behind her ear.
“Come on, tell me. You know my history. We talked about me for hours last night…”
“Are you sure? You won’t freak out?”
“No, of course not.”
She drew in a deep breath. “I’m from here. I’ve lived in this crap-hole town my entire life. I hate it, but no matter how many times I try to get out, I always wind up back here. My mother died when I was 12 of a drug overdose. I found the body myself after school one day. My dad remarried a woman I can’t stand, and when I was 14, I left that house and went from house to house until I ran out of houses… I live on the streets until I was 17 and… I guess… two years later… here I am.”
His jaw dropped. “That’s horrible!”
She pursed her lips.
“You went through all that? My god… I’d love to hear more if you feel like sharing.” He touched her hand.
She reached into her purse and lit up a cigarette with her free hand. “Well…”
“Christy! How can you do something so horrible to your body?”
“Sorry. Did you want some?” She held out the cigarette.
“No, thanks.”
“I’ll quit.” She butted out the cigarette. “I’ve been trying for years anyway.”
“Christy,” He picked up her hand and squeezed it warmly. “I know this is sudden, and maybe a little scary. But I would like you to come with us.”
“What?” She asked in disbelief.
“We’re leaving tomorrow and going to Tulsa and touring all over the US, and I want you to come with us. I don’t know what it is, but I feel this connection…”
“Me too.”
“Will you come with us?”
She hesitated, and finally smiled. “Okay.”
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