"Where ya goin’ lil’ bro?" Taylor Hanson asked his younger brother Zac.

"I’m meeting Annie," he replied. "We’re going to the movies. Her mom’s driving us…actually, Annie’s driving, but she’s only got her learners so her mom’s gotta be there."

"What movie you seeing?" he asked.

"I dunno," he replied thoughtfully. "We haven’t thought that far ahead!"

Taylor rolled his eyes. Zac and Annie never could plan ahead!

"Where are you going?" Zac asked Taylor.

"Jennifer and I are going to the mall," he answered. "She wants to get a new CD then go out to eat."

"Ok. Cool," Zac replied. "See ya later."

Taylor watched as Zac left the house and down the street. Annie only lived a couple blocks away.

"Zac! You’re here!" Annie exclaimed as she opened the door. She pushed her bark brown curls out of her face and gave him an excited hug.

"Woah! Hyper much?" he asked, hugging back.

"Sorry! I just had a big bowl of Lucky Charms, and a chocolate sprinkled doughnut, and a big glass of milk!"

"Ok, no more sugar for you!" Zac said with a laugh.

"Nope! I’m buying a medium popcorn and a medium pop at the movie!" she replied happily. Annie could eat anything—and she did—and never gain weight! She said it was her fast metabolism.

Zac laughed.

"Oh, good," Annie’s mother, Nancy, said. "Zac’s here. We can go."

"Yep!" Annie said.

They left the house and got in the car. Annie in the drivers seat. Nancy in the front passenger seat, and Zac buckled up tight in the back.

Annie drove them to the movies. Except for running over the curb while leaving the driveway, she did fine.

They were stopped at a red light about a block from Maplewood Mall where the theater was located, when Zac saw her. He was gazing out the window when he noticed a girl with dark brown hair so dark it was actually black. She was staring at him. Her eyes were so captivating. He couldn’t turn away. He finally did manage to when the light turned green and Annie hit the gas petal a little too hard and caused him to jerk forward.

"What movie do ya wanna see?" Annie asked. They were standing in line to get their tickets. "Zac?"

"Hmm?" he asked. He had been thinking of the girl. She was probably just some fan who recognized him, but still, he got an uneasy feeling when he thought of her. The way her gaze had held him like that. "Oh! What movie?" he looked at the list of movies above the ticket booth. He would forget about her for now.

"How about Sleepy Hallow?" he asked.

"Sounds good! I really wanna see that! Johnny Depp is so cool!" she said.

Zac smiled. He loved it when she was hyper. He wouldn’t think about the mysterious girl. He had his perfect girl right here. He loved every part of her. Her explosive personality, her dark curls, her big pouty brown eyes, her cleft chin, her full sultry lips…he loved everything about her! So why couldn’t he get the other girl out of his mind?

"Zac?" she asked. "Zac?"

"What?" he asked, snapping away from his thoughts. "Oh!" he got out the money to pay for their tickets. "Sorry."

"Zac," Annie said after they had gotten their snacks and were sitting in the theater.

"Yeah, Annie?" he asked.

"Are you ok?" she asked, concern showing in her voice.

"Yeah, why?" he asked.

"You seem…I don’t know…distant," she said, her lips looking all big and pouty.

"I’m ok," he said. "I was just thinking of something that was bothering me."

"What?" she asked. She was one of those people who just had to know everything. She didn’t take ‘it’s nothing’ for an answer.

"Just work," he said.

"You guys work too hard," she said, leaning her head on his shoulder. "You really need this break your on."

"Yeah," he said softly.