"Hello?" I greeted, picking up the ringing phone.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Hey Zac! Guess what!" I exclaimed, sounding just a bit like a cheerleader.

"You invented a way to teleport yourself from one place to another so we can see each other more?!"

"No." I giggled, "I wish.. you remember that guy in my history class I told you about?"

"The one you never shut up about?"

"Yeah well, I finally talked to him and you'll never guess what happened!"

"He's gay and his boyfriend sits behind you?" I laughed.

"N-o-o-o-o. He asked me to Winter Ball!"

"But I thought I was going to Winter Ball with you.."

"You can go with me to the next dance, ok? I really, really want to go with him..." I took on a bit of a whiny voice.

He sighed, "Okay, but you have to promise I can go with you next time. I've never been to a school dance that I wasn't playing at and I really want to go..."

"I promise."

"Okay then, you can go with him." I smiled.

"Thank you, Zac.

"You're very welcome. Anything else new that I should know about?"

"Uh.. nope. How about you? Anything new?"

"Nothing really, just tired as usual." He yawned sort of as emphasis.

"Zac, I'm telling you, you need to take a couple days off and just sleep. You'd feel a lot better and maybe you wouldn't always fall asleep on me all the time."

"I know but tell that to Chris and my brothers. They'd never let me take a break until the tour's over."

"I can't talk to your manager but I can have a chit-chat with Ike and I'd be more then happy to yell at Taylor for you." I smiled to myself.

He laughed, "Not necessary. I'd be able to sleep if my bunk wasn't under Tay's.."

"And why is that?"

"Let's just say it might as well be Tay and Sheila's bunk and since Mom and Dad don't give a shit about what their perfect little Taylor does, I'm usually up half the night listening to them get it on." the remorse in his voice was evident. I felt sorry for him, the poor guy, having to listen to his brother have sex with his girlfriend nightly. I'd have killed myself long ago.

"Well, can't you switch bunks?"

"No one is stupid enough to switch bunks with me and sleep under Tay's bunk. Not even Mac is."

"How much longer is the tour?"

"It ends in two weeks, then we go home for a break."

"Well, you've got your own room at home, so you can sleep during your break.. It's only two weeks."

"The new house is being renovated. We have to stay at the old one until it's done."

"Which will be how long?"

"Two and a half months and by then we'll be in L.A., recording the new album." I could hear the disappointment in his voice and got an idea.

"Well, I have an idea... what would you say to you spending a week or two up here with me? You can sleep. You won't have to deal with Taylor and basically no one in my town knows or cares who �Hanson' is so you wouldn't have to deal with the fans or anything. Just peace and quiet. You can stay in the guest room."

"That sounds like Heaven. Are you sure it would be okay with your parents, though?"

"My mom won't care. She probably won't even notice as long as you're quiet during her headaches. And Dad shouldn't mind. As long as we're �just friends' he usually keeps an open mind about things."

"Then, sure. My parents probably won't care. I mean, they let you sleep in my hotel room, they should know we don't have feelings for each other like that."

"Cool. I'm gonna go ask my dad. I'll call you back when I get an answer. Okay?"

"Okay, bye." We both hung up and I went to my dad's office. He was at his computer.

"Hey Dad, can I ask you something?" I asked, biting my lip. He turned around in his swivel chair and smiled at me.

"Sure Hunny, what's up?"

"Well, I was talking to Zac a few minutes ago and he told me he's been having some trouble sleeping because he's been really busy with touring and family and everything so I suggested hr stay here for a couple of weeks and get some sleep. He could sleep in the guest room and he wouldn't really be a bother to anyone. Would that be okay with you?"

"Zac's that Hanson boy, right?"

"Yep, that's him."

"And you guys are just friends?

"Yes, sir. There is no possible way that we could be anything but friends. He's not my type at all." I smiled at him.

"How long would he be staying?"

"Just a week or two."

"Okay, as long as nothing is going on between you too.. When?"

"Uh.. In a couple of weeks."

"That would be fine then."

"Really?!" I grinned.

"Yeah."

"Cool! Thanks Dad!" I hugged him briefly.

"But, what about school?"

"He'll probably be asleep while I'm at school. I wouldn't worry about it. He wouldn't bother you anyway."

"Really? He must be extremely tired then..."

"Yes, he is. He falls asleep when I'm talking to him on the phone sometimes."

"Gees, why doesn't he get any sleep again?"

"He tours a lot with his band. Plus he constantly fights with his brother which I don't blame him for because his brother's a total jerk. Plus he has all these other things going on so he's really stressed."

"I should say so. A couple of weeks of sleep should feel very good to him then."

"He said it sounded like Heaven to him."

"I bet. Tell him he can stay here as long as he wants as long as his parents are okay with it and he's knows about your mother's headaches."

"Will do. I'm gonna go call him and let him know he can stay."

"Okay, bye sweetie."

"Bye Dad," I left the room and went back to my room and picked up the phone, dialing the number Zac had given me for the bus phone.

"Hello?" a male voice said. I groaned.

"Is Zac there?" I asked in an annoyed voice.

"Nope, he died. What do you want?"

"I need to talk to him."

"What if I don't want to give him the phone?"

"Jordan Taylor.. I'm warning you right now.." I growled in an agitated voice.

"Oh fine MOM." he sighed. I heard fighting and then the phone was handed over to Zac.

"What's the word?" I could tell Zac was anxious from the tone in his voice.

"You can stay."

"Cool. I asked my mom and she said it was cool."

"So, when do you want to come?" I sat down on my bed and petted my cat who was sleeping on my pillow.

"Uh.. the tour ends on the 20th. I'd kind of like to spend some time with my friends back in Tulsa so how about... 27th?"

"Sounds good."

"I'll get the plane reservations and everything. Chris can do that for me."

"Just tell me when we need to pick you up."

"No need, I'll just get a cab or a limo or something.. I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm used to that type of stuff, don't worry."

"Okay.. Well, if you don't mind, I'm going to finish my homework. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Yeah bye." I hung up and got out my English book to begin the reading I was supposed to do before Monday. After about fifteen minutes of not being able to concentrate, I decided to give up and go online. I signed on and clicked on my mailbox. I had a message from [email protected]. Not knowing who t200 was, I clicked on it warily, hoping it wasn't junk-mail.

Hey,

Okay, I'm glad you're taking Zac off my hands for a while. The little shit's annoying as hell. But, forget about that. We have a serious problem. I need you to call me immediately. We're in trouble, g/g.

Taylor

I was immediately alarmed at his use of the word �serious'. I dialed the bus number, praying to God that Zac didn't answer. "Hello?" I heaved a sigh.

"What's our �serious problem'?" I asked, almost mockingly.

"Hold on.." I heard movement as if he were walking somewhere, and the sound of a curtain being closed. "Okay. Now, I don't know how she did but I'm thinking it's that radar of hers but Sheila found out."

"Did she kill you?" I asked calmly.

"No. She was actually pretty calm about it. She said that as long as I stayed with her, she didn't care if I fucked you�-"

"Which won't ever be happening so just keep on dreaming.." I snapped.

"Whatever.. I wouldn't fuck you if I was forced at gun-point to do it. My rep would be destroyed."

"First of all, what rep? Barely anyone even knows you're not a virgin and the few that do would never find out if anything happened between us because if you told anyone I'd murder you myself. And second, nothing is going to happen between us because if you ever even think about touching me in ANY way again, I will personally circumsize you." I growled.

"What if I told you I already was?"

"I didn't need to hear that nor do I care! It doesn't matter if you are or not, if you ever touch me again, you will be either way. Do I make myself clear?" I growled, angrier than ever at him.

"Yes, ma-am."

"Now, how did she find out again?"

"I have no idea and she wouldn't tell me."

"More importantly, is she planing on telling Zac?" I bit my lip, hoping the answer was no.

"Uh.. no.. I don't think so.. I didn't ask..."

"ASK!!" I snapped, angry that he hadn't already done so.

"Fine, hold on." It took him ten minutes to get an answer out of her and I didn't like the answer he produced. "She says that she won't as long as I don't cheat on her anymore."

"That shouldn't be too hard."

He let out a short, nervous laugh. "Easier said than done."

"What are you saying?"

"Let's just say if I'm not with her, I'm cheating on her." I frowned.

"Well, we'll just have to change that now won't we?" He laughed again, making my anger grow. "Taylor, if you screw this up and Zac finds out, I'll make sure you are even more sexually inadequate then I'm sure you already are."

"Whatever bitch.."

"Got to hell."

"Then, I'd have to spend an eternity with you."

"That's nice." I hung up on him and called Sadie.

"Hello?" It was Sadie's father

"Hi Mr. West, how are you?"

"Oh hello, Gya. I'm fine, and you?" I smiled, Mr. West and I get along a lot better than Mrs. West and I do.

"I'm doing great. Is Sadie home?"

"Yes, she is, let me just go get her for you." There was a silence at the other end for a minute before I heard the phones click and Sadie picked up.

"Yel-low?"

"Guess what."

"What?"

"Zac's coming to visit for two weeks."

"Just Zac?" I could hear the disappointment in her voice that Isaac wouldn't be coming also.

"Nope, Isaac's not coming with. Sorry.."

"Oh.. Well, why's Zac coming?"

"He needs sleep."

"Oh.. is he having problems sleeping on the bus?"

"His bunk is under Tay and Sheila's, what do you think?"

"Ouch.. What about the break? Doesn't he have his own room now?"

"They're renovating the new house and they have to stay at the old one until it's done."

"That sucks.. So all he's gonna do is sleep when he's here?"

"No.. We'll probably do stuff.. hang out and stuff, the usual. I want him to meet my friends.. And Kyle..."

"You introduce him to Kyle, Kyle is not going to be a very happy camper.."

"Kyle will just have to get over it then because Zac's my friend and if he doesn't like him then screw him."

"Go girl. Anyway, Ike called today..."

"What'd he say?"

"He's gonna try to come up and see me during the break..."

"Awesome."

"Yep."


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