Their silent reverie was broken due to the front door loudly crashing open and shut.
"What the…" Isaac was the first to react and up heading for the noise.
The girls stayed behind with Randy groggily complaining, while Mackenzie and Taylor followed him.
Zac was stomping up the stairs, his bag swinging wildly behind him.
Isaac looked around to see if anything was around to explain his angry brother. Nothing except a dent in his wall from the doorknob of his door, muddy shoeprints, and a now crooked mirror hanging in the alcove.
"Girl problems?" Taylor suggested slowly, his shoulders shrugging.
Mackenzie shrugged as well, "I thought him and Linz were doing fine with the on and off relationship thing."
Isaac looked back at them; "Before he left he showed me an engagement ring."
"Don't you think mom and dad would have something against the two of you marrying?" Mackenzie asked dryly. "I mean, you are brothers and all."
Taylor chuckled, while Isaac shot him a dirty look. "Ha ha, he was planning on asking Linz from what he told me. Only he was worried about how to ask her."
"Did you give him any advice?" Taylor asked curiously.
"Did I give you any?" He asked back.
Taylor shook his head, "No."
Isaac nodded, "There's your answer."
Mackenzie looked back and forth between them, "Well, I guess someone should go talk to him." His eyes settled on Isaac.
He sighed, "I'm going, I'm going." He muttered, following the dirty footprints, Remember to make new rule, no shoes on in the house. His mind warned him. Herb and Rosie's going to throw a fit.
Reaching Zac's bedroom door, Isaac took in a deep breath and then knocked… nothing happened. He knocked again, louder. Again nothing, again he sighed. "Zac, I know you're in there." Silence, "Trust me," He assured, "I heard you come in. In fact, I think all of Tulsa did." Once more, silence.
He placed his hands on the doorjambs, "Tell me what happened and what's wrong." He spoke through the door, feeling ultimately retarded for doing so.
"Ike, if you don't go away, I swear I'll… doing something bad." Zac warned tiredly.
Isaac didn't like the sound of his voice. It was thick, scratchy, and so not his little brother. He let out a sarcastic laugh, "Zac, my wall has a dent in it from the doorknob when you slammed the door open, and you tracked mud all the way up to your room, you think you haven't done anything bad yet?"
A muffled 'sorry' was his reply.
Groaning, Isaac ran a hand over his face and then through his short hair. "Zac," He returned calmly. "I know that something is up, talk to me, okay?"
It took a few moments, but the door was let open a crack, and Isaac got to see his left eye, "Fine." He responded dryly, "Don't say I didn't try and save you by not talking about it though." He warned gruffly.
Nodding, Isaac entered. His gaze took in everything, the clothes strewn everywhere, his travel bag empty, and shoes kicked up against the walls. Two dark marks on the wall betrayed the spots where Zac had kicked them. "Nice." He murmured wryly.
Rolling his eyes, Zac threw himself on his bed, his hair flying everywhere.
Isaac got a good look at his face. Red and blotchy, and a nice purple bruise shading his right cheek. "Tell me you ran into a door at the airport."
Zac smiled bitterly, "Oh no," He answered, "Not there, and not a door."
"Linz?" He asked carefully, as he took a seat on the edge of his dresser.
Zac's head shook, "No. Linz's brother."
Isaac smirked, "Okay, I'll bite. What happened?"
Another twisted smile graced his brother's lips. "Well, Linz and I had an argument. I don't even know what over anymore." He said waving his hand in agitation. "But I was frustrated about the right time to ask her, took it out on her, made her cry, and evidently made her brother slam his fist in my face."
That did it, the laugh Isaac tried to hold back escaped. "You know damn well we would do the same for our sisters, and you'd do the same for Charm and Angel."
Zac nodded, "Yes, we would." He agreed, "But it does not mean I'm happy about Linz's brother following the same rule."
