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Chapter 1
I was at school, talking about Hanson. They were the newest group around, and I was absolutely in love with their song. I found a newspaper clipping on them and I kept it in my pencil case to stare at Taylor, the middle one. I didn't know much about them, but I knew that I wanted to meet them. I was taking my exams, but all I had in my head was the catchy chorus of their song, MMMBop. Of course, I failed all of my exams. Well, the year 9 dance was coming really fast, and my friends told me to write to them. "They might turn up! You never know!!" Chloe said sarcastically. I wrote to them to prove them I had the guts to, but I knew they'd never turn up. They were superstars. Why on earth would they want to come to Stroud to meet someone like me? I put a picture of me in the envelope, and sent off the letter. 'It's only a bit of fun!' I thought…
The dance came. Most of the girls there had boyfriends with them, and I looked like a loner sat in the corner, before the gang walked over. "Have they turned up yet?" Chloe laughed. She said she adored Hanson too, but I sometimes wondered if she did. She was going to get something coming to her. I just wished Hanson would come walking through the door so I could see her face! The door began to open, but Sian walked through. I groaned. "WHAT !?!" She asked. I sat and looked unhappy. I guessed I had to make the most of the time I had there - alone. The dance began to take shape after an hour, and I got up and danced and had a laugh. The curtain on the stage began to move and Everyone wondered what was happening…
Well, behind the curtain, things began to get a bit more tense as the space was limited. "Hold still, Zac!" Isaac whispered. "Which one is she?" Zac said "Shhh! We'll find out in a minute," Taylor said. Zac became extremely restless, and started to move the curtain again.
"What on earth is going on back there?" I asked everyone. "Maybe it's Hanson!" Chloe said then started to laugh, before walking off, wobbling in her platform shoes to the bathroom. Then, Mrs Kingham, our headmistress at the time, came out from behind the curtain. I thought it was her who was ruffling the curtain, and I became very upset. 'I knew they wouldn't come! It was obvious. They're too famous,' I told myself. "Emily Sawyer, 9CG, could you please come to the stage…" Said Mrs Kingham. "NOW, what have I done?" I asked, then walked up to the stage. "Look, I haven't been near Gemma Bullock, just like you said," I began, then I heard a little giggle from behind the curtain. I began to become very curious as to what was going on. "Erm… No, Emily. We have some visitors, and they asked for you…" Things began to go in slow motion, y'know, like in films. While I had 'Hanson? NO WAY!' and some other words, I couldn't tell you, All going through my head, The three blonde brothers walked out from behind the curtain. Except Zac. He ran straight for the dance floor, and Isaac followed him, while Taylor stayed behind. I stood still, in complete and utter shock, and Taylor walked across to me while Mrs Kingham left. "Hi, you must be Emily," He said. I think that was the only time I couldn't talk! "Erm... Yeah..." I stuttered, just managing to string a sentence together! "Do you wanna, erm, y'know dance?" He asked. 'YES! SAY YES YOU FOOL!' I thought. "Erm, yeah, OK." I eventually said. He took my arm and we danced. It was like a fairytale! He was so tall next to me, because I was so small. He talked to me about what he had been doing - promotions and other things for the single, and he said they were going to be releasing an album soon. I felt so relaxed with him after I got over the shock. Chloe eventually decided to leave the bathroom, after applying an inch thick layer of lipstick and foundation. By that time, I was walking in, as she was walking out. "Still no sign of them then?" She laughed and then opened the door to find Taylor. She gasped, and I was so happy to see her face! She deserved what was coming to her! I used the bathroom and came out to find Taylor talking to Chloe, but when I came out, he said he had to go, then we walked outside to talk, and I started to laugh. "What's so funny?" Taylor asked. "Chloe," I replied. "I never thought I would be able to get her back in a million years!" "Back for what? You mean nasty things? She did seem a bit nasty towards you. That's why, as soon as you came I out I left." "What did she say?" "How much she loved the band." "Yep, that sounds about right. She can be nice - when she wants to be..." "Could you keep a secret?" He asked. I could. So many people told me secrets, I forgot them all. So I couldn't really tell could I? I felt so important that he wanted to tell me a secret. ME!?! "Yeah, sure" "It's hard to find the right girl. Most of them only like you because your famous and they're a big fan - Oh, no offence!" He apologised quickly. "Oh, none taken!" I replied. "Well, it's just hard to find someone to talk to, and confide in. But I've been doing music all of my life, and we had fans in Tulsa, but as soon as we released MMMBop, things went through the roof." He said. We then sang a bit of MMMBop, and he told me I was really good. "My mates don't think so. They always put me down, but I get revenge every now and then! Y'know, insult their families. That is the worst thing to do. You can insult them, and get no response, so I say things about their Mums. Things like 'YOU'RE MUM'S SO FAT, SHE SAT ON A RAINBOW AND SKITTLES POPPED OUT'!" Taylor started laughing. "That's funny!" "I know it's really bad, but some things they say can be so upsetting for me." "And what was that about 'Gemma Bullock'?" He said "Luckily she isn't here. I was sat in a History lesson, and the teacher went into the cupboard. She pulled my hair, I punched her, and what else can I say? We ended up in the head's office - after the teacher came out of the cupboard to find a fight going on, on the table..." We talked a little bit longer, but then we went back inside, because it started getting chilly. Isaac was sat down, and Zac was taking a momentary breather! We walked over: Taylor walked up while I followed behind. "Hi!" I said I shook Isaac's hand, then Zac's, before he jumped back up to run around. "So you're Emily?" He asked. "Yep." I replied. "We thought you were going to be some screaming fan! We weren't actually going to come, but we needed the break!" He laughed. "So, what have you two been talking about?" He asked "Hmm, life and stuff mainly. And my friends... Oh, I'll introduce you!" I called my mates over. "This is Sian, Chloe, Keeley, Kathryn, Jane, Siobhan and Abigail." They all shouted 'HI !!!!!!!!!' as loud as they could. We all chatted about school, and everyone had to put in that thing about me, Gemma and the shorts, and then they left after five minutes and I was left to chat to my idols. "What are you guys doing after this is over?" I asked "We're staying in Stroud for the weekend with our Mum, Dad and brother and sisters to learn about the history here. Then we're off around the rest of the world to release our single and album. We'll be back though." I took out the pen and paper I used to write down something a few days ago from the little bag I had to keep junk in. I wrote down my address and phone number and handed it to Taylor and said to them all: "If you're ever around Stroud again, don't be afraid to look me up..."
People began to leave and unfortunately, their parents came to take them to the hotel. I said goodbye to them, watching them as they disappeared through the front door. It was only their Mum and Dad, they must have left the other children with someone. I waved and Taylor waved back. I wished I could've spoken to Zac, and also get to know them all better.
When they left, I had lots of people coming up to me, asking me how I knew Hanson, and why were they there. I was just relieved to get home. I sat on my bed and thought about what happened. 'Dear diary...' I wrote. 'You'll never guess what happened to me this evening...'
I thought I'd never see them again. Saturday morning, I managed to drag myself out of bed to go dancing and tell everyone who I met. They thought I had lost it. I went to my Nan's house and bored everyone there, describing every detail I could remember.
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