Chapter Four

"There's Not Enough Room, Zac. It's A Small Bed."

"Wow, that was a great movie, Ike," purred Honey, resting her head on Isaac's shoulder.

"Yeah, it was good, huh?"

"Scary!" Honey shivered. "I seriously thought the blond chick was gonna get it!"

"Honey, the blond chick did get it. In the first five minutes."

"Oh. I must've missed that bit," murmured Honey.

"You've honestly never seen that before?" Isaac asked, referring to 'Scream', which had been showing as a special at the Odeon.

"No. It was horrible! Especially the cat flap bit." She shuddered, slipping underneath Isaac's arm.

"That was so funny!" Isaac swerved to avoid a speeding maniac in a pickup. "Asshole!" he muttered under his breath.

"Ike, chill, sweetie!" Honey giggled, leaning back and smiling.

Sweetie? Isaac smiled to himself in the semi-darkness. This was their first official date, not counting the make out session in the closet at Martin and Katie's, and she was calling him sweetie already. This was a good sign. During the course of the evening, Isaac had found out that Honey was not - as Rhia had implied - a bimbo, although he had to admit that she was acting like one now. She was a nice girl. A little self-obsessed, but nice all the same. Isaac turned left onto Pickett Road, where Honey lived.

"Ike?" she spoke up.

"Hmm?"

"I had a really, really good time tonight."

"Really?" Isaac careered to a stop outside Honey's house.

"Really," whispered Honey, bringing her hand up to Isaac's cheek. She leaned in and kissed him - hard. She pulled away, leaving Isaac breathless.

"Honey, I-"

"Don't talk, just kiss…" Honey sang, moving in closer.

Isaac didn't have any problem with that. He obliged, leaning in and showering her face with kisses. Honey groaned, running her hands up and down his chest. She tilted her face up to his, pressing her lips against his warm, moist ones. Leaving him breathless once again, she pulled back. "I have to go in."

Isaac groaned.

"My mom, when she flashes the lights, that means stop." Honey gestured to the lights in the house, which were indeed blinking on and off. "I'll call you, okay?"

"Yeah. Come here." Isaac wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed her on the forehead.

"Night, Ike." Honey kissed him on the cheek, and then, she vanished into the house.

***

Zac got off the bed, located the laptop, then sprawled back out. Libby had gone home long ago, and, to be frank, Zac was sick of thinking about her. She'd definitely left an impression on him anyway. Zac was kind of scared. He'd never had any feelings for girls in any way before. Mind you, he wasn't exactly sure what he did feel for Libby. It didn't bear thinking about. He grabbed the sandwich he'd made earlier and took a bite. He clicked on the AOL icon, and watched as it loaded on. He didn't want to go on as Mmmbop; he didn't feel like being bugged by screaming teenyboppers. He signed on in the fake name used by all three of them, HITZdaUSA. He figured it was time to have a little fun. He logged on, typing in the password, then entering the Arts and Entertainment: TuLsA, ToKyO & MON chat room.

His eyes scanned the screen, taking in what everyone was writing.


JTH4MenotU: Aah! I love Taylor!
Hansonbaby: age/sex/loc?
HITZmebaby: Anyone know Hanson's address?
Hansonsux: You guys have no taste in music whatsoever. Hanson are gay!
LilMissRed: 15/f /Cali, no more a/s/ls!!!
JTH4MenotU: Aah! I love Taylor! I want to stroke his you know wut!!
Hansonbaby: Why you in here then? This is a Hanson chat. Haters not welcome!

Zac grimaced. That was disgusting. This was his brother they were discussing in great detail. He decided to get into it a bit more. This could be fun…

He brought up an Instant Message box, and typed :

I'm a Tay fan too!!! Wanna chat??!!!

Overuse of punctuation was an important part of posing as a teenybopper. He clicked send and waited for his reply. Sure enough, it came up.

JTH4MenotU: Yeah, sure! You love Taylor?
HITZdaUSA: You could say that, yeah.
JTH4MenotU: Do you think he's gorgeous?

Zac made a face. This wasn't something he usually did… Oh well, he figured, all's fair in love and teenybopping.

HITZdaUSA: Yeah, a complete and utter sex god.
JTH4MenotU: Don't you wish you could see him naked?

Been there, done that, didn't want to do it again, but Zac wasn't gonna say so, was he?

HITZdaUSA: Oh, totally!!! He has such a great body, but don'tcha think he's a little skinny?
JTH4MenotU: Nah, he's perfect! Oh, wow, I am just so in love with him! Have you ever met Hanson? I haven’t.

Lucky for us, thought Zac.

HITZdaUSA: Yeah, I've met them a few times. Nice guys.
JTH4MenotU: Where do you live?
HITZdaUSA: I live in Tulsa. U?
JTH4MenotU: Tulsa! Oh, wow, do you know Hanson? I'm from Austin, Texas.
HITZdaUSA: No, I don't know them. I wish I did though. Especially Taylor…
JTH4MenotU: His chest!
HITZdaUSA: His smile!
JTH4MenotU: His utter gorgeousness!
HITZdaUSA: Oh, yeah, he's a hottie! What about the other two? What do you think of them? I think Zac's kinda cute…

Nothing wrong with a bit of self-promotion, was there?

JTH4MenotU: I think Ike looks like a demented giraffe, and Zac's sweet, but kinda fat.
HITZdaUSA: He's not fat!!!

JTH4MenotU: Have you seen his gut lately? The guy must be eating like there's no tomorrow!

Zac looked down at his stomach. Just the same, ever so slightly rounded stomach that had always been his. He knew it wasn't particularly skinny, not like Tay's or anything, but it wasn't fat, either. As far as he was concerned, it wasn't any bigger. Hmph. Stupid teenybopper.

HITZdaUSA: So what do you find most attractive about Tay? It's the light shining through from behind his huge sticky-out ears that turns me on.
JTH4MenotU: Lol! For me, it's just all of him. He's soooo perfect.

Zac didn't think he could take much more Taylor worshipping. Sure, he loved his brother, but listening to this was enough to make anyone throw up. He was feeling kinda queasy anyway.

HITZdaUSA: Okay, I gotta go now. Bye.

"Hey, whatcha doin'?" asked Taylor, entering the room.

Zac looked up, surprised to see Taylor, then realized that it was almost eleven thirty. "Hey. I was just talking to some girl who wanted to walk your dog."

Taylor almost choked. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, yeah. I told her everything. Like how big it's not. And how you like to walk it yourself three times a day."

Taylor's eyes widened in horror. "Zac, that's a lie! You did not!"

"No, I didn't." Zac smiled enigmatically. "I just said that it turned me on, the way the light shone through your ears cos they stick out! Oh, yeah, and I called you a hottie, too."

"Thanks," muttered Taylor. "What was your name this time. Zacarina or something less original?"

"We never got to names. She was making me sick!" Zac took another bite of his sandwich.

Taylor frowned. "What's on that?"

"Um…ham, chicken, tuna, lettuce, cream cheese, cucumber, tomato, mayo, ketchup, onion and pickle."

Taylor wrinkled his nose. "Yuck. Are you sure it's not that making you sick?" He pulled his T-shirt off over his head.

"I knew you'd say that. You know, Tay, if you're gonna get naked, you might want to draw the blinds." Zac got up and did it himself anyway. "So how was your date?"

Taylor's eyes got all dreamy. "It was amazing, Zac. She's great."

"What's her name?" asked Zac gently.

"Gabbie." Taylor flopped down on Zac's bed, half-undressed. "She's gorgeous, Zac."

"Uh-huh. I noticed."

"It was kinda scary," Taylor confessed. "I've never felt so strongly about anyone before."

And it was true. He had just spent the most amazing six or so hours of his life with Gabbie. They'd talked and talked. Then kissed and kissed. Then talked and kissed, realizing they could mix the two. And it did scare Taylor. They'd become increasingly close over the night. Not that close yet, but Taylor had wanted to. Part of him had wanted to make love to her right there on the couch, but the other part had been terrified and wanted to run away. In the end, they'd settled for lying together on the couch, making out like there was no tomorrow. But he'd had to go home. Who knew what would have happened if he'd stayed?

"Tay?" Zac was peering at his brother, concern clouding his eyes.

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"Yeah, Zac, I'm fine. Just beat. I'm going to bed."

"I think I'll join you."

"There's not enough room, Zac. It's a small bed."

"Oh, ha, freakin' ha!"

***

Zac sat bolt upright, sweat oozing from every pore in his body. Cold sweat. His head ached and his throat felt like it was on fire. He dizzied for a minute, then, as things swam back into focus, he realized exactly what was going to happen.

Kicking off the sheets, he ran blindly for the bathroom, just making the toilet bowl before everything he'd eaten in the past twelve hours heaved out of his stomach.

In a split second, Taylor was by his side, one arm round his shoulders and the other holding his hair back. "Come on, Zac," he whispered. "It's okay. I'm here."

Zac spent the next five minutes throwing up, tears and sweat pouring down his cheeks. Finally, he pulled back from the toilet bowl, his cheeks flushed and wet. "Oh, God," he croaked. He felt his brother's strong arms go around him and he leant forward onto Taylor's shoulder. "Oh, God, Tay…"

"Zac, it's okay. You're gonna be fine." Taylor smoothed down Zac's damp hair and pulled him closer, getting the sudden urge to protect his brother.

"Tay, I'm gonna-" Zac turned and threw up again.

Taylor let him go for a minute, watching him slump down over the toilet and fetched a damp washcloth. He returned, supporting Zac again.

Finally, Zac pulled away again, this time a deathly white. Taylor dabbed the washcloth around Zac's face trying to cool him down. "You okay?" he asked.

Zac nodded. "I think so," he croaked.

"You wanna go back to bed?"

"Yeah. Is Ike up?"

"Nah, he's asleep," replied Taylor. "C'mon, let's get you back through." He wrapped one arm tightly round Zac's waist, taking his weight on his body. He practically frog-marched him back through to the room, letting go when Zac was finally on his bed. "You okay?" he asked, sitting down beside him.

"Yeah, I think so," murmured Zac. He still felt a little dizzy.

"What happened?" asked Taylor, pressing his cool hands against Zac's hot cheeks. "There, that'll cool you down. All I know is that one minute, I'm asleep, and the next minute, there's an elephant running through to the bathroom to be sick."

"An elephant?" Zac looked mildly amused.

"You'd be surprised how loud running footsteps are in the middle of the night," stated Taylor. "Then all I hear is the elephant throwing up, and realize that maybe - just maybe - it's not an elephant and it's you."

Zac smiled as best he could, with Taylor's hands restricting his facial movement. "I dunno. I just woke up and then I knew I was gonna hurl. And I did. Big time."

"Tell me about it. Are you feeling okay? You've got a fever…"

"I feel fabulous, Tay. It’s three in the morning and I've just spewed my guts. Yep, I think I'm ready to do a Broadway musical right now."

"Oh, sarcasm. The best tool in the Zac Hanson survival guide, huh?"

Zac rolled his eyes. Taylor was unusually - and irritatingly - perky for this early in the morning. "Yeah," he muttered. "Tay, how come you're so happy?"

Taylor's eyes turned all sparkly and a ridiculously goopy grin invaded his lips.

Zac shook his blonde head. "Tay?"

"Hmm…" Taylor was still in his own little world.

"Go to sleep. Please. You're starting to bug me."

Taylor smiled at Zac. "Not yet."

"Aww, man! Why not?"

"I need to make sure you're okay." Taylor's voice took on a serious tone. "That was some major spewing, Zac."

"I know. But I'm okay now."

"You sure?" Taylor reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind Zac's ear.

Zac smiled. "I'm sure."

"Okay, well, get in to bed." Taylor lifted up the corner of Zac's comforter and Zac slipped into it.

"What're you gonna do now? Kiss me goodnight?" teased Zac as Taylor tucked the duvet around Zac's shoulders. "Sing me a lullaby?"

Taylor leaned forward, as if he really was going to kiss Zac on the forehead.

"Eww! Tay! Gross!" Zac pushed him away and the two boys burst into quiet giggles.

"Gotcha!" whispered Taylor, breaking into a grin and ruffling Zac's hair. "G'night, Zac."

"Night, Tay. See you in the morning."

"You will."

"I know." Zac lay quiet and listened as his brother's breathing evened out into the same steady rhythm as Isaac's, indicating that Zac was now the only one awake in the room. He closed his eyes, rubbing his head against the pillow.

He'd told Tay he was fine. But he wasn't really. His stomach ached and his head was spinning. His chest felt tight and he was unbelievably hot. Kicking off the comforter that Taylor had so expertly tucked around him, he decided to go get a drink of water.

He padded through to the bathroom, locating his blue beaker and filling it up with water from the faucet. Sitting down on the toilet seat, he sipped the water slowly. It wasn't helping much and tasted awful - all warm and strange. He poured it back down the sink then carefully crept back into the bedroom.

He sat down on the edge of his bed, looking at his two older brothers, sleeping soundly in their bunks. Isaac was totally covered by his comforter, only a few strands of blonde hair poking out of the top, but Taylor had his down at his waist. His cheeks were warm and flushed-looking, tainted red and slightly blotchy. His white T-shirt had ridden up, exposing some of his stomach. His hair was matted and frizzy, snaking all over the pillow and there was a steady trail of drool trickling out of the corner of his mouth and onto the pillow.

Zac stifled a giggle. If he took a picture of this and posted it on the Internet, or in a magazine, he had a funny feeling that Taylor would no longer be regarded as one of the best looking guys around. This was a side of his brother that only his family got to see, when he was looking less than perfect. Zac figured that he probably looked just as bad when he was asleep and that it was a good thing he couldn't see himself.

Sighing, he flopped back down onto the bed, wishing that the dizzy, nauseous feeling would relinquish. Pulling the covers up to his neck, he froze. He was sure he had heard a definite noise from outside. He heard it again, a feeling of fear rising from his stomach to his throat. He lay there, trembling and listening for any more noises.

Thud-thud-thud.

Zac's eyes widened. There was a shadow at the window.

Thud-thud-thud.

Zac began to panic. What could he do?

Thud-thud-thud.

Zac didn't even bother thinking. He got up and dived into Taylor's bed, disappearing right under the covers.

Thud-thud-thud.

Zac whimpered. The thing was coming to get him. He wrapped his arms around Taylor, clinging on for dear life.

"Zac? What the hell are you doing in my bed?" demanded Taylor, understandably disgruntled, having been jerked out of a deep sleep and finding his little brother in bed with him, hugging him as if his life depended on it.

"There's a thing, Tay…"

"Ooh, a thing. Now, see things, they're really scary," mumbled Taylor. "Go back to bed, Zac."

"I'm in bed," Zac pointed out.

"I mean your own."

"But, Tay, the thing's gonna get me," whined Zac.

"Zac, there's no thing! Let me go!" moaned Taylor, trying to roll over, but finding himself immobilized by Zac's grip.

"But, Tay, I'm scared. It's outside."

Taylor looked Zac in the eye. "You want me to go throw a bucket of water on it?"

Zac punched Taylor in the chest. "Be serious, asshole! Listen…"

Taylor sighed; resigning himself to the fact that he would have to humor Zac and listen.

Thud-thud-thud.

Zac screamed and squeezed Taylor.

Taylor jumped and squeezed Zac.

The screaming woke Isaac up. "Zac? What's wrong?" He looked over the side of the bed, and couldn't see Zac in his own bed. "Tay! Wake up! Zac's gone!"

"No, he isn't, you doofus. He's in here."

Isaac's head appeared, upside down, from the top bunk. His eyes took in the odd picture of his two younger brothers in bed together, with their arms round each other. "When did you two start sleeping together? I had no idea your relationship had progressed this far." He slid himself down, landing heavily on the bottom bunk.

"You're a funny guy, Ike," jibed Taylor dryly.

"Yeah, Ike, not funny," concurred Zac.

"What's going on?" asked Isaac, obviously confused.

"There's a thing out there," explained Zac. "And it's gonna get me."

Isaac stared at him blankly. "What?"

"You heard."

"Zac, that's crazy. What, did it have a chainsaw and a hockey mask? Or maybe it had that Scream mask and was yelling, 'Do you like scary movies, Zac?' Or maybe-"

"Ike, he's serious," interrupted Taylor. "There's something tapping on the window."

"Could it possibly be the tree that's only been outside our window for the past twenty years or so?" Isaac rolled his eyes getting off the bed.

"It was different from that," replied Zac quietly. He hated it when Isaac made him sound stupid.

"Zac, what movie did you watch today?" asked Isaac. "Maybe it's playing tricks on your mind."

"I didn't watch any movies, Ike."

"Okay, well, let's see what it is."

"You're not gonna open the curtains, are you?" asked Zac in a panicky voice.

"Well, it's the only way you're gonna get any more sleep tonight, isn't it?"

"He's right, Zac," spoke up Taylor. "This thing has you freaking out, and I, for one, want some more sleep tonight, okay?" he added gently.

Zac nodded. "Be careful, Ike."

Isaac was about to retort with a smart remark, but one look at Zac's face told him that, for some reason, whatever it was - if it was anything - that was out there was scaring the living daylights out of his little brother.

He tiptoed over to the window and pulled open the curtains. "Aha…"

"Aha what?" asked Taylor.

"I think this is the problem…"

"What?" asked Zac, worry-lines marking his forehead.

"Here. This is the thing, Zac." Isaac pulled something in from outside and turned round, presenting it to his brothers.

"Rope?" Zac's eyebrows lifted, taking in the thick, knotted piece lying before him.

"Why is there rope hanging from our window?" frowned Taylor.

"It must have blown up there," mused Isaac. "I dunno how, but it did."

"I was scared of a bit of rope?" Zac flopped down, leaning against Taylor's pillow.

"Looks like it. Zac, are you okay?" Isaac sat down again on Taylor's bed. "You're really pale."

"He was sick earlier," explained Taylor. "And he's got a fever."

"Is that so, Dr Hanson?" Isaac smirked.

"Yeah," muttered Taylor, wondering why his bed had suddenly become the Hanson gathering place of the early hours.

"Are you okay now?" asked Isaac.

Zac nodded. "Kinda dizzy, my throats sore and my tummy hurts, but yeah, I guess."

"Aww, does little baby Zaccy have a sore Mr Tummy?" cooed Isaac.

"Ike, are those your marbles lying on the floor?" retorted Zac.

"Good one." Taylor nodded in admiration.

"Thanks," grinned Zac. "I've been waiting for a long, long time to use that one."

Chapter Five
Is Yesterday Tomorrow Today INdex
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