Chapter 1...Birthday Party Blues and an Insight from Taylor
Chapter One....Birthday Party Blues and an Insight from Taylor
"My BIRTHDAY is Sunday!" 15, soon to be 16, Taylor Hanson reminded his brothers , 13 year old Zachary and 18 year old Isaac.
"Don't worry Taylor. No one is going to forget your birthday." Ike rolled his eyes.
"Yeah? Well, I'm just making sure." Taylor said. "Also mom's informed my all the relatives are coming down on Friday.
"What makes you think we're giving you gifts anyway?" Zac asked raising an eyebrow. Taylor stared at him.
"Well who gave you that great gift on your birthday, hmmmm young man?" Taylor gave Zac the same look back to him.
"Tay, man, a poster of YOU with your autograph on it barely make's it a GREAT birthday." Zac said.
"Well I thought it was a very thoughtful idea, thank you very much." Taylor said
smugly admiring the poster that was hung on the wall.
"Yeah. Whatever." Zac rolled over off his bed and got up.
"Where are you going?" Ike looked at his kid brother's outfit.
"A party." Zac gave his brothers a "What are you an idiot?" looks.
"Black tie, eh?" Taylor flicked Zac's black Mickey tie.
"Shut up. It said come formal." Zac told them.
"Than who's the lucky girl? Lucy?" Isaac gave his brother a once over.
"No, she's out of town for the weekend. I'm going alone." Zac gave them an innocent look.
"Oooo so you're a bachelor for the weekend, huh?" Isaac grinned.
"So what?"
"So...." Taylor and Isaac looked at each other and shrugged.
"Have fun." Taylor patted his brother on the back and "helped" him through the door.
"Ha ha. Stupid kid. Well where are you going today?" Taylor asked Isaac
"Nowhere. Just going to hang around here." Isaac shrugged. Taylor turned suddenly pale.
"You're staying here. As in this house?" Taylor squeaked. "But Faith's coming over...." he whined.
"Ohhhhh....well that's great! We could hang out together all three of us, just like old times." Isaac smiled. Taylor stared at him, Isaac was obviously not getting it.
"But I thought you were going to the movies with Claire." Taylor tried.
"Taylor, Claire moved to Alaska over two weeks ago, how many times do I have to
remind you that?" Isaac frowned and got up to get a soda from the kitchen.
"Hey stranger." Faith appeared at the doorway of the boys' bedroom.
"Hey." Taylor smiled back.
"So what do you want to do today?" she asked. She sat down next to him on the bed.
"Oh you know what I want to do." Taylor grinned.
"You're sick, not right now." Faith pushed Taylor away from her.
"Hi Faith." Isaac opened the door of the bedroom.
"Wha..what are you doing here?" Taylor stammered.
"What do you think I'm doing, I live here." Isaac said grimily.
"Well can't you pay someone to be your friend for the day?" Taylor said, annoyed.
"Taylor you're horrible, Ike you're welcome to hang with us today." Faith said ignoring Taylor.
"But..but..." Taylor's eyes widened. Faith put her finger to his lips.
"Shh. Come on. We can ALL go to the movies." she smiled at Isaac and turned around to give Taylor a "You best be quiet if you want your sorry ass to live" looks.
"Sure that's cool with me." Isaac said and turned to change in the bathroom.
"Faaaiiiittthhhhh..." Taylor whined.
"Now you listen and you listen good. This your brother and you know if you don't invite him you will have that little pang of guilt on your conscious all day. That would be all you would be thinking about."
"I'd be thinking of you.." Taylor said innocently.
"Wonderful but now you'll be thinking of us." she smiled.
"Okay, I'm ready." Isaac reentered the bedroom and threw his brush on his bed.
"Great." Faith smiled and put her arms around Isaac and Tay." My two main men.".
"Great." Taylor faked a smile. Faith and Ike chatted.
It's just likely for me, I was attracted to my brother's best friend, who also is 3 soon to be 2 years older. Just my luck. Man does she look hot. I think I need a phycolagist, Taylor thought as Ike started the car and drove out of the driveway. Or perhaps I should be cool with this, I mean it's better then if Isaac hated Faith. I mean then it'd go into this whole way to cliche Romeo and Juliet crap. So not believable. I wish Ike would just get over Claire and hook up with that chick that moved down the street. I've seen her going around the neighborhood, her and her sister seem nice enough. Just one of them, God there's two of them, can't he just pick one and leave me alone??? I think mom is going to use them as baby-sitters. Then Ike can get it together with that girl and I can have a love life again.
Wait what am I complaining about. Here I am going to the movies with a girl I've been waiting my whole life, well just about, to get attention from. But then again here I am going to the movies with this girl and my brother. At least it's Ike not Zac. Little spaziod I'll bet that was my tie he was wearing.
Okay we're getting out of the car. Chill Tay, right foot left foot right foot, very good you can walk. Dammit Ike get out of my way. MY girlfriend. Okay dry your hand first you hormonal freak. Okay dry hand, wet shirt that's okay, I can live with that. Okay now hold her hand. Okay good, hand held, check. Hey she's smiling. Alllllright! A score for Taylor!
Yes Ike go get some popcorn, go dammit go now. Okay crap I hope I have money for tickets. Okay 7.50 plus 7.50 is.....er....15.00. Okay I can do that.
Wait!!
What's she doing??? She's doing it again! Oh my lord she bought tickets for all of us. Hellloooo I'M the guy. Okay I have $15.00 now.
I'll never break your heart...I'll never make you cry.....God dammit, damn Backstreet Boys. Okay stop singing in your head Taylor, you could curse yourself all over again.Okay, bye bye daylight, this is hell warmed over.
~*~
"The movie was great." Faith said. She smiled at Taylor who was fiddling around with his keys.
"Yeah, I think I'm going to go home." Isaac said. "What about you? You guys wanna come?"
"Umm Naw..I got some shopping to be done. With OUT Taylor, if you get my drift." she motioned to her boyfriend.
"Okay, I'll take him home." Isaac smiled and winked at Faith. Taylor gave them both a discusted look that neither of them seemed to notice "Come on Tay. Faith has some private shopping to do.". Taylor looked up and followed Ike out. He first leaned over and kissed Faith, but unable to see Isaac frowning disapprovingly above.
"Bye Faith!" They echoed.
"Bye!" she waved and left.
~*~
Faith looked at her watch and sighed a big sigh, "Where is She!?" Faith thought to herself not Knowing about the eyes watching her from behind. She was waiting outside for her friend, Christine, to arrive at her house, they were going to a movie and to buy some party stuff for Taylor for his Birthday. She had told Isaac to keep Taylor away for the day and busy. She walked over to the curb and looked both ways to see if a car was coming, she squinted her eyes to block the sunlight, then she sighed and turned back around to go back to the house, but as soon as she did that someone that had been behind her went, "Boo!" and scared her, Faith Screamed, "Oh My GOSH! TAYLOR!!!!! you scared me!" She slapped his arm, then looked around, Taylor was laughing, she looked at him, "What are you doing here anyway?"
Taylor looked at her and smiled and then took her in his arms, "Because I couldn't stay away, Ike was starting to become protective for who knows what reason and he was getting boring so I snuck out." He smiled and leaned over to give Faith a kiss.
Faith Dodged his kiss and pushed away from his arms and sighed and walked away from him.
Taylor watched her walk away, "what?"
"Look, I can't hang out today, Christine is coming, its my day to hang out with her, sorry Taylor, but you can't always assume that I am free everyday just for you, I can't neglect others, and we need some time apart sometimes, ya know? To be with our other friends? Friends...does the name ring a bell with you?" She looked at him, her eyes wide with question.
Taylor looked at her and sighed, "Sorry, I didn't know."
"Well, You shoulda called." Faith sighed and then crossed her arms.
Taylor looked down, "Ok, well, I'll leave, Call me whenever you feel like it." He turned his back to go with his head slinked down.
Faith sighed, and then shaking her head smiled, "Oh COME ON! Taylor! You are so pathetic," She said chuckling, "Get back over here young man, I can see you until she gets here, and believe me, I WANT to see you." She smiled.
Taylor turned and looked at her shining, smiling face, and then smiled too, "You are so my weakness in life." He said and he walked up to her and took her in his arms and hugged her.
"Your mine." She said quietly and then looked up at him and smiled.
He smiled back at her and then leaned over and kissed her lips softly.
Faith giggled, "Lets go inside."
Taylor smiled, "Ok."
Taylor and Faith were about to walk into the house when they heard a beep outside, Faith turned, and then smiled, "Always happens, we go inside to be together, and someone comes." She smiled and looked at him.
Taylor nodded and smiled, "Yea, well, I'll see ya later and go home and see what Ike wants to do today." He smiled and gave her a quick kiss.
Faith smiled and kissed him back and then turned and walked down the sidewalk and got into the car, she smiled at Taylor and waved.
Taylor waved and watched the car drive away, as soon as that car drove away, another car pulled up, Taylor looked at it and saw Isaac and Zac sitting in it, "THERE YOU ARE!!" Isaac said, "Man Alive! BOY! Come on! We're going to donate to the needy! And then Ice Cream!" he smiled.
Taylor rolled his eyes, "Oh boy." He smiled and then walked to the car and got in.
Isaac parked the car at the building and got out, "Taylor, you are stuck to Faith like glue, what is it with you!? You never struck me as the romantic type." Isaac said smiling and helping Zac with a few big bags of clothes they were bringing to the Tulsa Salvation Army.
"I don't know, she just makes me feel that way." Taylor shrugged smiling.
"I think you guys make a cool couple. " Zac piped up.
"Thank you Zac!" Taylor grinned and walked into the store.
"What? What's wrong with you? You don't seem to agree with my thoughts." Zac said.
Isaac sighed, "maybe I see it differently, thats all." He walked into the Good Will with his white bag of clothes and handed it to the lady.
Zac did the same, "Fine, I can see you not wanting Tay with Faith, its weird having Tay dating your best friend, but you can't stop love, thats what's so beautiful about it."
"Zac, stop reading mom's romance novels." Isaac mumbled, trying to hide that he was jealous that his little brother had such deep touching thoughts.
~*~
Zac sat at the kitchen table drinking a can of Diet Dr.Pepper when the phone rang.
"Hello'?" he answered. He took a sip.
"Hey Zac, it's me." a familiar voice said.
"Luc, hey how's Connecticut?" Zac asked fiddling with the tab of his can of soda.
"Boring, but I think I'll survive." she sighed.
"When are you coming home?"
"Friday night, late, I think, I wasted a week of school here so I think I can manage to waste my weekend hanging around with you."
"Cool, I got a new N64 game, you can practice your loosing up there." Zac laughed.
"Funny, we'll see when I get back who's loosing."
"Okay well I don't want to charge up your phone bill so bye!"
"Bye!" Lucy hung up.
~*~
Zac sat grinning on the couch after his talk with Lucy the day before. He smiled down at the picture he was drawing for her. She's coming home tonight so chill, he told himself.
"No, that's not right." Zac frowned and ripped it out of his sketch pad and threw it into the trash, missing the basket. Then the phone rang.
"Hello?" Zac picked it up.
"Zac, it's Claire." a muffled voice said.
"Um hi, Ike's not home right now." Zac said looking a bit confused.
"Zac, it's horrible, I miss Ike so much, don't you ever get caught up with a girl, it's horrible, I can't eat I can't sleep, love sucks. " Claire cried. Zac looked a little petrified.
"Claire calm down."
"No, Zac, I can't I miss my Ike, If you hear there was a physcotic girl found dead somewhere in the Pacific ocean tell everyone that was me trying to swim my way back home to Oklahoma."
"Right Claire." Zac frowned.
"It's horrible Zac, don't you ever put yourself through this!" Claire cried.
"Okay Claire, bye Claire." Zac hung up. "That's not saying much for my future now is it?" Zac asked the drawing and then crumpled it up and threw it in the basket, and didn't start a new one.
~*~
"Whoa, Hanson family city." Faith said looking around at the ocean of family vans gathered outside the Hanson home.
When she got up the driveway she found Taylor sitting on the front steps, she walked up and smiled, "Well, if it isn't Mr. Antisocial! What are you doing out here?"
"Taking a breather, I have gotten more hugs then I can stand right now!" he got up and smiled and walked to her, "I'm glad you came though." He put his arms around her waist and looked down at her and smiled, embracing her.
Faith smirked, "Thought you said you've had more hugs then you can handle."
"Always have room for hugs from you." He bent down and kissed her.
She pulled away and looked at him and shook her head, "Not now, lets go inside." she walked away from him and then he ran to catch up with her and he took her hand and they both walked into the house.
~*~
Tay sat on the porch thinking about his party. He felt bad that he really wasn't sociable. He had come back out again after Isaac and one of their cousins decided they were going to do some karaoke. Faith was lost inside meeting all his relatives while he was out here by himself. Just as he started feeling guilty like he left Faith to a bunch of wolves she came out to join him.
"I have to go" she said as she bend down and kissed him on the cheek. "My mom just called I have to go to my aunt's house for some reason, but I'll call you when I get back." She waved as she walked to her car.
"You better call me when you get back to make sure I'm still alive" Taylor laughed. Faith smiled, got in her car and left.
Taylor decided to go socialize with his family. When he walked in he was bombarded with hugs. He smiled at all the faces of all the people who meant most to him. Soon they all sang happy birthday and Taylor opened his presents. The last gift was from his parents. It was a night on the town for Isaac, Taylor, Zac and their parents. The boys were aloud to each bring a friend. Of course Tay chose to bring Faith, Isaac decided to go alone, deciding bringing one of his friends to a family trip was not a good idea and Zac thought of Lucy.
~*~
"Luc, Hey, you're home." Zac smiled as he jabbered into the phone.
"Yup, thank God." Lucy laughed.
"So my parents are taking me and my brothers out tonight. I don't want to go alone so would you like to come?" Zac asked, crossing his fingers.
"Sure, I'd love to." Lucy said.
"That's great," Zac gave a sigh of relief.
"When are you guys going?"
"Um...in about an hour." Zac said looking at the clock.
"AN HOUR???" Lucy screamed.
"Yup," Zac said but Lucy had already hung up and was searching for something to wear.
~*~
"Isaac dahlin, can you retrieve the phone book for me?" Diana sat at the island in the kitchen looking through her address book.
"Sure mom." Isaac put down his magazine and went to find the phone book.
"Thousands of people in this city and not one person can baby-sit tonight for us." Diana sighed taking the phone book from him.
"That's too bad mom, I'll stay home and watch them." Isaac suggested.
"Don't you be foolish. Drat, they're not in the phone book. Isaac dahlin can you run down the street and see if one of those nice girls wants to baby-sit for us?"
"Sure mom." Isaac said and grabbed his coat off the hook. Anything to get me out of this hell hole of happiness, he thought bitterly. All day yesterday Taylor spent with Faith, all lovey dovey, and sickening. Isaac was jealous, though he'd never admit it. But maybe this would be his lucky day. New girls are always fun.
