“So, Taylor…how did you get all my friends out here?”
“Simple…I called your mom and she gave me some of your friends numbers and I called them and told them my idea, and had them call some more of your friends, and I reserved two jets in Grand Rapids, and in Detroit, so they could get down here, and somehow it all worked out.”
“And Bon Jovi?”
“They were in town, and pretty good friends of ours.”
“Tay…you really did not have to do this for me.”
“I know…but I wanted to. I mean…I know you wanted all your friends to meet each other, and I know they wanted to meet each other. And I know you wanted to see all of them…”
I smiled and kissed him. We were sitting out on the front porch of my house. He was getting ready to go back home. All the girls that showed up were already asleep somewhere in my house, and all the guys were over at Tay’s house. I hoped Tony wouldn’t try anything. But, from what I could tell, everyone ended up really liking the Hanson family…except Tony. ‘God, why does he have to be such a dick?’
“Tiff, don’t worry about it…” He knew what was going through my mind.
I smiled at him, “I’ll try not to.” He smiled back and wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed his lips against mine. The kisses started out soft and gentle, then they got deeper and deeper. Shivers went up and down my spine.
He slowly pulled away and said, “I gotta get going.”
I nodded and replied, “Yeah…I better get inside too.”
He smiled and kissed me again. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He gently took my hand in his and kissed it, and then turned and walked away.
I sighed and watched him all the way too his house. ‘How did I get so lucky? I must have good karma or something.’ I smiled and walked inside.
“So, Tiff, how did you two end up getting together?” Asked Dreea, curiosity filled her face.
I laughed. “I don’t really know! It just sorta happened.”
Nicole gave me the look of death as she took a sip out of our 2-liter of Dr Pepper. “Tiff, something like that does not just happen! I mean…geez, you’ve had a thing for Tay ever since I’ve known you! And I mean…it’s not every day that dreams come true!”
“I know…but…” I sighed.
“Don’t go to lollipop land now!” We all laughed. We were the only 3 still awake. Everyone else in the house had been asleep for awhile.
“Well…I wished on a star that night we met…he was with me. I wished that he would kiss me…And he did. Then everything happened from there.”
“Wow, Tiff…you wished on a star and it came true! That doesn’t happen! When are my wishes going to come true!” Nicole laughed.
“Yeah, really!” Dreea said. “But, you and Taylor look really good together.”
“Tiff, you and Tay are perfect for each other. I can tell that he really cares about you, and I already know you really care about him.”
I smiled. “Hand over the Dr Pepper!” I said and turned on my Hanson CD on the stereo.
“Okay, Tiff…Hanson is pretty cool…but, I still don’t like their music!” Dreea said, smiling.
I smiled back, “Well, too damn bad! You’re gonna get used to it!” We all laughed and we talked for the rest of the night.
****
Back at Tay’s house…
There was a knock on the door.
“Come in!” Taylor said, laying on his bed looking at the ceiling thinking about the day. Mike quietly walked in.
“Hey, Mike! What’s up?”
“Nothing. I just wanted to see what you were up to. Tony and Josh are in the other room fighting about Tiffany and I really don’t want to get involved.”
“Oh,” Tay frowned, “Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to get Tony out here was it?”
“Well…maybe. But, Tiffany finally bitched at him. She never bitches at anyone, and he really deserved it. So maybe it was good. And either way, I know Tiff had a really great time today thanks to you.”
Tay smiled and sat up. “You can sit down if you want.”
Mike took the invitation and sat next to Taylor. “So…do you really love her?” Mike asked.
“Yeah…I do.”
“Good, because she loves you too, and I really don’t want to see her get hurt again. And it would especially be hard if it was you that broke her heart. She probably wouldn’t be able to come out of the depression.”
“I probably wouldn’t be able to get out of depression if I lost her, too. God. I don’t want to go on tour and leave her behind. I don’t want to be away from her.”
Mike smiled. “I can tell. Why don’t you see if she can go on tour with you?”
Taylor’s eyes lit up. “That’s a good idea! I can’t believe I didn’t think of it!”
“As much as I’d miss her…I know she wants to be with you. And I really don’t want to hear her whining when you’re gone!” Mike laughed. “But I don’t want to see her go either.’
“I think I’ll ask my parents about it tomorrow morning. Thanks for the idea, Mike!”
“Yeah, no problem!” ‘Tiff better thank me!’ “Well…I’m gonna go see if the guys are done fighting yet so I can get some sleep.”
Just then Josh came bursting in the door. His face was red from all the screaming he had been doing. “Hey you guys. I had to get away from Tony so I wouldn’t kill him!”
Mike and Taylor looked at each other, alarmed. “What? Why?” Tay asked.
“God, he’s just being a dick. He can’t face the truth that the world does not revolve around him! He was even talking about killing you, Taylor! He wants Tiffany…and I know it’s just so he can use her and break her heart again! God! She deserves so much better than him! She deserves someone like you, Taylor. Don’t ever let her go, okay?” Josh said with a serious look.
Taylor was in a bit of shock. ‘He wants to kill me?’ “Yeah…okay…”
Josh knew what the look on Taylor’s face was for. “Taylor…don’t worry. He is all talk. He wouldn’t do anything to you, and even if he tried, I’m sure that me and Mike could stop him.”
Mike nodded and gulped hard. Somehow he knew that Tony was serious, but he would not let anything happen to Taylor, for Tiffany’s sake.
“Hey, Tiff!” My dad called, “Why don’t you see if Taylor wants to come with us to the beach?”
“Alright.” I replied. It was a scorching hot day, so we decided to go to the beach. All my friends had left last night and I was kinda bored without them. I picked up the phone, just as it rang.
“Hello?”
“Hey, babe.”
“Hey sweetie! I was just gonna call you to see if you wanted to come to the beach with us!”
Taylor laughed. “Man, I was just gonna call you to see if you wanted to go to the beach with us!”
I laughed. “So I guess we’re meeting at the beach then, huh?”
“Yup! When are you leaving?”
“In a couple minutes. Why? Do you wanna ride with us?”
“Yeah, can I?”
“Of course you can, silly!”
“Cool. I’ll be over in like… point 2 seconds.”
“Hanging around Mike too much, I see?”
“Yeah. He’s really cool! I’m gonna have to see him again sometime!”
“I’m glad that you two got along! I actually didn’t even think he’d talk to you cuz he’s so shy and not a Hanson fan.”
Taylor smiled. ‘When should I tell her?’
“So, you’ll be here in point 2 seconds?”
“Yeah.”
“Hurry up then cuz I’m counting!”
“Hey! Ok. See you in a sec!”
“Okay” I smiled and we hung up. I looked out the window and saw Tay bolting across the yard.
When he walked into the house, and kissed my cheek, I told him, “That was like…5.2 seconds.”
“Damn,” he smiled. “I tried!”
I smiled back. “I know you did.”
“Okay you guys! Let’s go!” Said my dad and we all piled into the car and drove to the beach. Tay held my hand the whole way.
****
“Holy crap that water is cold!” Jon yelled. Making Taylor and I laugh.
“Wanna go throw him in?” Tay whispered in my ear.
I grinned at him and nodded. We walked up to Jon, pretending we wanted to feel the water ourselves. Then, before he knew it we had picked him up and threw him into the deeper water.
He began yelling at us about the cold water and both Tay and I ran in and dove in the water so he couldn’t get that satisfying revenge that he would want.
“Tay! Tiff!” a voice yelled from the beach. Both Tay and I turned and saw Ike waving his arms and coming into the water. At first we both thought something was wrong, but then we noticed Ike was smiling.
“Hey, Ike! What’s up?” I asked when he reached us in the water.
“Nothing,” he said with a grin. Then he went under water and wrapped his arms around me, and with all his might, picked me up and threw me 4 feet away from him into the water. We all laughed.
“What was that for!?” I laughed and punched him in the arm.
“It was something to do.”
“Hey, Ike, where is the rest of the family?” Tay asked while scanning the beach.
“They’re coming. I ran all the way from the car to here because I’m so damn hot! I couldn’t stand it anymore!”
“Oh, okay.” Tay said.
“So…what do you guys want to do?” I asked. I noticed that Taylor got really quiet all the sudden. I wasn’t sure if it was because Ike was there or what…but I didn’t have a good feeling about it.
****
After playing Marco Polo for about an hour with Jon, Jessie, Avie, Zac, and Ike, both Taylor and I decided to go take a break on the beach.
When Taylor and I got to the shore, he took my hand and quietly said, “We need to talk.”
My heart dropped. This couldn’t be good. ‘God, what’s going on?’
‘Okay Taylor, you have got to tell her…she has the right to know.’ “Let’s go over there to that dock and sit down.” He said as he pointed to a dock not too far away.
“Okay,” I whispered. ‘Did I do something wrong? God…I don’t like this…’
We slowly walked up to the dock and sat down on the edge next to each other. “What’s going on Tay?” I asked quietly.
Tay sighed and looked down to his hands in his lap. “This is gonna be hard…I don’t know how to say this, Tiff…”
I felt the tears already building up. ‘God, please, no…don’t break up with me…’
“Remember that big party that I had for you? And Tony was like…being a total bitch?”
“Yeah,” I nodded. I was confused now.
“Well, that night, him and Josh got into a huge fight. Mike came to my room and we started talking…and umm…he knows we both hate the idea of being apart from each other…and he suggested that you go on tour with us…and I was wondering if you wanted to?”
‘That was it? That was hard to say?’ “Taylor! Of course I’ll go!!” I said with a smile.
He smiled back at me and hugged me. “Good. But, there’s still more. And this is gonna be the hard part…” He trailed off as he got lost in the memory.
Tay, Mike, and Josh were all in Taylor’s room playing FFVII on PlayStation, when the door burst open and Tony came in.
“Taylor, I’m going to fuckin kill you! First you take my girlfriend, and now my best friend! What the hell is your fucking problem?”
Tay slowly stood up. “Tony, I didn’t take away anything, and I’m pretty sure you know that.”
“Bullshit man!” Tony yelled as he tackled Taylor to the floor and grabbed his throat and started to strangle him.
“Holy SHIT!” Mike screamed. “Get the fuck off of him! “ Mike jumped up and tried to pull Tony off Tay…but all in vain. The only person in the room that was as strong as Tony was Josh, and he was scared shitless. He had never seen Tony so pissed!
Mike still kept trying to pull Tony off Tay as he yelled, “Tony, do you really think that this will get Tiff back? God, the reason she broke up with you was to be with me!” He lied.
This caught Tony off guard, and he let go of Taylor’s throat and stood up to face Mike. Tay rolled onto his side choking and gasping for air. “What did you say?” Tony said, teeth clenched, fists in balls, and eyes glaring at Mike.
“She broke up with you to be with me…and as far as I can tell…she can’t stand the sight of you. And you know what? She is such an awesome kisser! God…sometimes I wonder why in the hell I let her get away!” Mike said using all his courage.
Tony just stood there, glaring for a moment. Then he rose his finger up to Mike’s face, “You…You, are going to die.” And then he walked out of the room.
Mike, then began shaking and sat down. He couldn’t believe what he had just done! Then he shook the thoughts out of his brain and kneeled next to Taylor. “Are you okay, man?”
“Yeah, I think, “ Tay managed to say. Then he looked up at Josh who hadn’t moved from his spot. “All talk, huh?”
“Taylor! YOO-HOO!! Are you in there sweetie?”
Taylor snapped back to reality. “Huh? Oh, yeah…sorry. I got lost in thought there…”
“I noticed. So what do you have to tell me?”
Taylor sighed and then began telling the whole story. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! On one hand, that sounded like something Tony would do, but on the other, Tony would never do that! I was in much shock as Josh had been. I wanted to beat the crap out of Tony! ‘Thank god for Mike…what would I do without that guy?’
It was about 7 PM the night after Taylor told me what happened with Tony. I was watching a special on Hanson on TV when the phone rang. Expecting it to be Tay, I picked up the phone. “Hey babe.” I said into the receiver.
“Wow, you never called me babe before. I think I like it!” a voice said to me. It wasn’t Taylor, but I knew who it was.
“Tony, what do you want now?” I asked impatiently, trying my hardest not to scream at him and hang up.
“I was just wondering if you and Taylor were still together! That’s all! Geez, you don’t have to get all pissy about it!”
I felt my skin grow hot from anger. Anger I had never felt before. That scared me more than anything. “Tony, you know what? Get out of my life. Forget being friends and all that shit. Tay told me what you did the other night, and believe me, I am trying my hardest not to hunt you down and kill you myself!”
I knew that alone hurt Tony more than anything else. I kind of felt bad because I felt this way though. I mean, he was everything to me for years, until I finally realized that there was someone better out there for me. Someone who could make me happy. Someone who didn’t make sure he got his way with me all the time, and take advantage of my feelings. That person wasn’t and never would be Tony. If anything…it was Taylor.
I heard Tony gulp and I could feel his heart stop. “Well…fine then. Just don’t come crawling back.”
“I’m not planning on it,” I replied and then hung up. I couldn’t believe what I just did! I never ever told anyone off! I always believed people made mistakes, some more than others and they just needed another chance. But, in this case, I had forgiven too many times, and after what Tony did to Taylor…he could never be forgiven. Right now…I had to figure something out.
I picked the phone back up and dialed Nicole’s number. She knew me better than anyone, and she was the smartest person I ever knew when it came to my problems.
The phone rang and someone picked it up. “Hello?” said the voice.
“Hey Kris! Is your sister around?”
“Hey Tiff! Yeah, hold on!”
A few seconds later, Nicole picked up the phone. “What’s wrong now?” she laughed.
I smiled. “I don’t know Nicole! That’s why I’m calling my psychologist!”
“What’s up?”
I told her everything that had happened with Tony and all these weird emotions going through me, and as usual, she listened.
“Tiff…wow…I don’t know what to say! That is just…GRR! I could kill Tony right now!”
I laughed. “You’re not the only one, hun.”
“Well…what about Tay? God…I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that…”
“Umm…well, Tay is just happy to be alive and is so happy Mike was there. And get used to what?”
“Oh, you and Taylor together. Do I have to dump Andrew now and go out with Ike like we planned though?”
“No,” I laughed, “Andrew is a sweetie, and we both know you love him. Anyway, Ike could do so much better than you!” I teased.
“So?”
“Okay, yeah, anyway! What about these damn feelings? I’ve never gotten so pissed before! I mean, yeah, I do get way pissed off…but never to the point where I’m trying not to cry and trying not to kill someone slowly and watch them suffer for hours in pain while I…”
“Tiff, I get your point. I don’t know what to say about that though. I mean, of course you going to get mad at Tony because of what he did, and everyone who knows you knows how much the Hanson boys mean to you…”
“Somehow…I don’t know…could it mean more than that, though? Being mad at Tony, just for that? I mean, yeah, that is a big that….but…”
“Maybe all that anger towards him is finally letting go. Or maybe, well…we all know that you don’t get the chance to be very happy very often, if at all, right?”
“Yeah,” I responded quietly.
“Maybe…maybe you’re just mad that someone who said that they only wanted you to be happy, and that person tried to kill the one thing that could make you smile no matter how depressed you are.”
‘Maybe she’s right. Maybe that’s why I’m so pissed.’ “Nicole…you just might be right on that one.”
“As usual. Dr Nicole…is smart like that.”
I laughed. Then we got quiet for a moment. “Nicole…how do you feel about Andrew?”
“What? Why?”
“Just answer.”
“I love him”
“Yeah, I know…but I mean…how does that feel to you? How do you feel around him?”
“I feel like a pig in mud!” She laughed. “Seriously though…I feel this happiness that just makes my whole body tingle…and I feel like I could do anything, and be anything when he looks in my eyes. And just talking to him, just hearing his voice…it can turn any bad situation around for me, and I can just…smile. I feel like…one big smile…with confidence!”
‘Wow…I feel a lot like that with Taylor. But isn’t love supposed to be different for everyone? This can’t be love already…can it? Wait! What am I saying! Of course I love Taylor! God…but am I ready for love again?’
“Tiff…are you there?”
“Huh? Yeah…I was just thinking.”
“About Taylor?”
“Who else?”
We laughed. “I don’t know!” She replied. “I still…I can’t believe that you got him, girl! He is so awesome! You deserve someone like him! I can already tell he really loves you, and I know you love him.”
“Yeah, I do…but I’m scared Nicole! What if I lose him? What if it doesn’t work out? What if this isn’t really love? What if it’s something else? What if I’m just in love with him…because of…”
“Tiff, quit thinking like that! You are going to be okay! I promise you!”
I sighed and looked down at my hands on the table in front of me. I didn’t like to think like this. I knew in my heart that I loved Taylor…my head was trying to tell me otherwise. Everyone that I had ever really loved had let me down or I had let down, and I didn’t want Taylor to be the next one.
“If you say so Nicole. Listen, I have to go, but I will call you later, and if not call, then I’ll email you and tell you what’s going on, okay?”
“You know me too well!”
“I know.” I smiled.
“Well, then, I’ll let you go. Tell Tay and the family that I said ‘hi’ and be happy! Tiff…you got the guy you have been praying for!”
“Not exactly praying…And tell Mike that I said ‘hi’ and ‘thank you’ and that I love him way too much right now because of what he did.”
“I will. Love you hun!”
“Love you too!”
Then we said our good-byes and hung up. I thought about everything she said as I turned back to the TV and saw Taylor and his brothers singing “If Only” live. I sighed, ‘if only I had the guts to feel this way about my Tay Bear. I do love him. But…what if he ends up letting me down and breaking my heart like everyone else?’
“Wake up Tiff! It’s almost noon!”
I groaned. It was still too early for me to be getting up. “Taylor…just a few more minutes…” I opened my eyes and looked up into his.
He sighed. “Okay…a few more minutes.” Then he laid down next to me and wrapped his arms around me. We were going to the Hershey amusement park, and staying out there for the night. Both our families were coming too. We had three joining rooms in the hotel that we were staying at, and our parents were in one room, the boys were in another, and the girls were in another. I already knew that Taylor and me were going to end up crashing in the same room together.
After a few minutes had passed, Tay picked me up off the air mattress that I was sleeping on, and stood me up.
“Tayyyyy…” I whined, “I’m still tired!”
He laughed and held me in his arms. “I can tell! How late were you up last night?”
I smiled, enjoying the smell of him and feel of his arms around me. “I don’t know…I don’t even remember falling asleep.”
“Geez…what were you doing?”
“Nothing really. Just thinking about how great the last few days have been with you around.” I smiled and looked up into his eyes, and he smiled back then gently pressed his lips against mine.
“Okay…now…be awake and get dressed and let’s go!”
I sighed. “Anything for you Tay Bear.”
He smiled at me and climbed down the ladder from the loft. I sighed and picked out the clothes I was going to wear, and changed, then quick put on some makeup and we were out the door on our way to Hershey.
****
“Finally! We’re here! Tiff wake up!” Tay said.
I lifted my head off his shoulder and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. “Finally.” I said with a yawn. I looked out the window and saw tons of roller coasters…half of which I would never get on, but knowing Taylor…he would convince me to go on all of them.
My dad parked the car and we caught the tram to the park. As we were sitting on the tram, I looked to my right at the concert hall, and saw a huge Britney Spears truck. ‘Oh, YAY! I can kill her today!” I thought to myself with a smile. Taylor nudged my shoulder and said, “Be nice.”
‘God, he knows me too well already!’ “Aww…do I have to?” I smiled and rested my head on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around my waist for the last 5 minutes of the ride.
****
We split up from our families and we walked around the park, hand in hand, and people who obviously knew who he was, watched us like hawks. I got a few dirty looks from some girls that came up to him for an autograph and picture.
“Who is that?” one girl asked Taylor, pointing at me.
Taylor smiled and wrapped his arm around me. “My girlfriend. Why?”
“Just wondering.” Then she looked at me and gave me a look of disgust, then turned her attention back to Taylor. “So…what are you doing out here today?”
“Nothing, just spending the day with my girlfriend.”
“Oh,” she said with a disappointed look on her face. “Well…maybe we could hang out at the arcade later?” She added with a hopeful look.
I rolled my eyes. ‘Good grief’ I thought to myself and looked up at Taylor and said, “Come on…we have to get on some rides!”
“Umm…maybe. Well, I gotta go. It’s time for some rides!”
“Can I tag along? I would really like to get to know you Tay.”
“Umm…” He looked at me with the look of a trapped deer.
“Umm…sorry, hun, “ I said, “This is our day out together. I’m sorry.”
She once again looked at me with a look of death. “Whatever.” She mumbled under her breath and walked away.
“God…what’s up her butt?” I wondered aloud.
“Who knows. Anyway…it’s time for some rides!” He smiled and me and we began walking to a roller coaster.
****
After riding almost every ride, including water rides, it was time to go to the hotel. We met back up with my dad and Jon , like we planned at the entrance and walked to the car instead of waiting for the tram.
We walked passed the concert hall and we could hear Britney performing “Oops!…I did it again.” I laughed and started imitating her…lip-syncing and all. Taylor and Jon decided they wanted to be my dancers and they joined me for a minute as my dad taped us.
Just then, there was a loud bang and everything went dark in the hall. “Damn…someone beat me to her! I was supposed to kill her!” I laughed.
Tay smiled and wrapped his arms around me. “There’s always Courtney Love, sweetie.” I smiled back at him and he kissed my cheek and we all continued walking.