Chapter
two: If Only
"Wake up, wake up wake up!" I heard as
someone was jumping on my bed. I opened my eyes and looked up at who was on my
bed. ZAC!
"ZAC!" I smiled as I threw my arms around
him, "It’s SO nice to see you!"
Zac put his arms around me as I kissed him on the cheek,
"How have you been?!" he exclaimed.
"Okay I guess…how about you?" I didn’t
want to say I have been great, because truth of the matter was, I had been doing
horrible!
"Awesome!
Anyway, your mom wanted me to get you
up! Get ready for dinner! And dress nicely, we’re going to a place called
‘Saltwaters"
Wow, saltwaters huh? That was my favorite place! It
wasn’t to dressy and it wasn’t to casual, they have a karaoke and dance
floor too!
"Okay cool!" I got up and got into my
suitcase as Zac sat on my bed watching me. I looked back at him, "Zac, what
are you doing?" I asked.
Zac sighed and shook his head, "Nothing" he
said forcing a smile and walking out of my room.
I watched the door for a while in thought, I sighed,
looked back to my suitcase, I found what I was looking for. Although it’s
winter in Florida, it doesn’t seem it, it’s a pretty cool night.
I took out my favorite light blue skirt that had this
silvery silky stuff over it, a white strapless top and a baby blue cardigan, the
skirt came down to my knees.
I had a shower and changed into my clothes, and decided
to leave my hair out, I put lip balm on and grabbed my purse. Walking down the
stairs I was greeted by everyone! They all gave me hugs the Hanson family that
is. And then I saw the one person I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle looking
in the eye…Taylor. I looked at him then I looked away quickly, my body filling
with emotions. I looked around and saw my younger 13-year-old brother Kyle,
standing with Jessica Hanson, the oldest Hanson girl. They were holding hands,
whispering things into each other’s ears and giggling, are they together? I
asked myself, I made a mental note to find out later. My older 18-year-old
brother Scott, had Avery Hanson, the next girl down from Jessica on his back as
she giggled and had fun. I smiled a little, then I saw Zac playing with Zoë,
the youngest Hanson, and Ike had Mackenzie, the second youngest Hanson. in his
arms. Her parents and The Hanson parents were all talking on the way to the
door.
(Narrator ~ POV)
Taylor and Mandy dawdled behind everyone else, but
stayed away from each other as best possible.
Taylor took a glance over at Mandy, ‘still as
beautiful as ever’ he thought to himself. He put his hands in his pockets and
kept walking, he wanted to reach out and grab her, and tell her how much he
loved her…but he couldn’t.
His eyes were starting to fill with tears. ‘No!’ he
told himself, ‘Not here!’
Mandy looked over at Taylor, it looked like his eyes
were starting to tear. She felt her own starting to water. She mentally begged
herself not to start crying. She couldn’t take it, she ran forward and next to
her mother, taking her hand. Taylor kept walking behind everyone.
They were all traveling in three vehicles, Walker
Hanson had his van which held, Diana, Zoe, Avery, Jessica, Kyle, Mackenzie, and
Mandy’s parents. Isaac Hanson had rented a silver corvette convertible, which
only held two people, Scott was with him, and that was left with Mandy, Mandy
had recently gotten her license and bought the green VW Bug that appeared in her
‘Candy’ video clip. Zac and Taylor were put into her car because there was
no where else to go, Zac didn’t mind, but both Mandy and Taylor were a little
uneasy.
They all got into their cars and took off. Ike was the
one in front, trust him to take off with a corvette! Everyone thought.
Walker and the van were next off, and Mandy was last.
Taylor was in the back, Zac was in the front with Mandy. He turned on the radio
excitedly.
"So! How are the girls here in Orlando?!" Zac
asked Mandy, she laughed half-heartedly and shrugged,
"I can’t really say Zaccy, I can’t judge girls
like that" Zac laughed and sat back. Just then the song on the radio
finished and the DJ guy came on.
"Okay guys, as we all know, our beloved Mandy
Moore is back in town!" Mandy groaned and Zac laughed, Taylor just sat back
quietly listening. "So we have a special song for her, this song is
dedicated to her from a young man called Mark, he picked this song because he
doesn’t know how else he can tell her this *laughs* okay, here we are, Mandy,
this is for you"
Zac was anxious to hear what song it was, and almost
choked when a harmonica took over the radio, then he started laughing so hard
you could have sworn he’d pass out.
Well every single time I see you
I start to feel this way
Makes me wonder if I’m ever
Gonna feel this way again,
There’s a picture that’s hanging in the back of my
head
I see it over and over
I want to hold you love you
In my arms and then
I want to need you ‘cause I need to
Be with you till the end
Then I hear myself reply you’ve got to hold it in
This time tonight…
Zac was still laughing, Mandy didn’t know what to do
so she kept driving with hurt written all over her face, and Taylor sat in the
back, his eyes watery, looking out the window and thinking, ‘it’s true’.
If only I had the guts to feel this way
If only you’d look at me and want to stay
If only I’d take you in my arms and say
"I won’t go, ‘cause I need you"
I sit here waiting, wondering, hoping
That I’ll make this right
‘cause all I think about is your
hands your face and all these lonely nights
there’s a feeling that’s screaming in the back of
my head
Saying over and over..
I want to hold you love you
In my arms and then
I want to need you ‘cause I need to
Be with you till the end
Then I hear myself reply she’ll never let you in
This time tonight…
If only I had the guts to feel this way
If only you’d look at me and want to stay
If only I’d take you in my arms and say
"I won’t go, ‘cause I need you
please don’t go, ‘cause I need you"
I want to hear you say
It’ll always be this way
We will be hand in hand for every night and every day
I want to scream and shout
‘Cause I’m losing any doubt
and all I care about is you and me and us and now.
If only I had the guts to feel this way
If only you’d look at me and want to stay
If only I’d take you in my arms and say
"I won’t go, ‘cause I need you
please don’t go, ‘cause I need you now"
A lone tear ran down Taylor’s cheek as the song
finished. ‘If Only…"
"And there we had Hanson requested by Mark,
dedicated to the one and only Mandy Moore, we have another song in line
dedicated to Mandy, it’s a Backstreet song, "Larger Than Life"
requested my Alana. Here it is…"
Mandy turned into the parking lot of ‘Saltwaters’
and parked next to Walker’s van. Everyone got out and she locked the doors.
Zac walked over to Ike and Scott to tell them about the fan dedications, Taylor
went and took Zoë from his mother to play with her and Mandy went to her
mother.
"Did you have the radio on sweetie?" Mrs.
Moore asked. Mandy nodded and stayed silent, they walked inside. Mr. Hanson and
Mr. Moore talked to the counter lady and told them about their reservations. The
lady nodded and smiled brightly when she saw the Hanson brothers. She led them
to the rather long table in the corner.
"Here you go, I’ll be back in 10 minutes to find
out what you’re ordering okay, my name is Linda, when you need me just wave me
down" she smiled and winked at Isaac. Ike blushed and Scott started
laughing when she walked away.
Musical credit goes to Hanson-If Only.