I was awoken by the sound of loud music pounding in my ears. I squinted and saw Mackenzie watching cartoons. I sat up on the couch and rub the sleep from my eyes.
"Hey Kaitlin," Jessica came into the room and sat in a chair beside me. She was dressed in jean capris and a pink tank top. Her long blonde hair (which is almost as long as her mother's), was pull back with a barette. "Wanna go shopping?"
"Shopping? What time is it?"
"It's 10:30. You almost slept the day away. Ike and Zac are gonna take Avie and I to the mall and they are going to the movies. You can come with us or go with them."
My mind was trying to comprehend what she was saying with the loud cartoon action on the tv screen.
"Uh...yeah give me a minute," I said and got up off the couch. I went upstairs and passed the guest room that Tay and Nat had shared the night before. The bed was neatly made and my bags were just as I left them.
"Morning Kaitlin," Ike said from behind me, which made me jump. "Want to go to the movies? We're gonna see Mr. Deeds with Adam Sandler."
"Yeah Jessi already invited me. I just need to take a shower" I said and tossed my suitcase on the bed. I got my stuff ready for a shower and went into the bathroom.
After a quick shower (that included shaving my legs and washing my hair), I went down stairs with a pair of jeans and a yellow t-shirt. I found Ike, Zac, Jessi and Avery waiting for me in the kitchen.
"You guys gotta go pick up Amber right?" Mrs. Diana asked and gave Zoe a glass of milk.
"Yeah, we need to get going, cause we need to eat before the movie," Ike said and put the car keys in his pocket. "So. Let's go,"
We piled into the navy blue SUV and headed to the neighborhood of Jenks. We had to pick up a cousin named Amber who was also going shopping with Jessi and Avery. She was 15 and seemed old enough to handle the girls on her own.
We pulled up in front of a light brick house and a skinny brown headed girl came out. She carried a green pocket book that matched Jessica's red one.
"Hey Amber," Jessica said and moved over for her cousin to get in. I was sitting beside the window next to Avery and Ike was driving. Zac was actually acting calm with me and trying to make conversation.
"Kaitlin, this is our cousin Amber Stewart. Amber, this is Kaitlin. She's a family friend," Zac introduced us and gave me a slight smile.
I looked at Amber and saw that her wavy hair had a slight red hint to it, almost the same shade as mine. Her eyes were a greyish-blue color and she had frickles on her nose.
"How old are you?" Amber asked and caught me off guard.
"Im 18," I answered and tried to give her a smile. She was talking with Jessi and they didn't seem to hear me.
"Im 18," I said a little louder and they stopped their conversation.
"What?" Amber asked and she and Jessi both looked at me.
"I said Im 18," I stammered and felt self-conscious. Amber seemed to be studying my face and she gave me a strange look.
"So Zac, when are you guys gonna go out on the road again?" She asked him and pulled his pony-tail up over the head rest.
"Uh I think in a few weeks. My dad talked to Chris last night and we're supposed to go to L.A next week. I can't wait to start playing again," He said and pulled his pony-tail back down.
"We're thinking about touring in Australia in September but the plans are final. We just want to get the music out to the fans right now," Ike chipped in as we turned into the parking lot of Tulsa-Regional Mall.
We all piled out of the SUV and headed into the mall. At one end of the mall was a small movie theater that played a few movies each afternoon. The food court was beside it with restaurants like Chick-fil-A, Wendy's and a newly added Arby's.
"Where do you guys wanna eat?" Ike asked as we went into the food court.
"I want Wendy's," Jessi and Amber said in unison and laughed. I could tell that they were very close to be cousins.
"Arby's!" Zac said and Avery and I agreed on Chick-fil-A. We all got our own food and sat down at some tables.
"What time does the movie start? You are going shopping with us right Kaitlin?" Jessi asked me as I sipped my Coke.
"Uh...I kinda wanted to see the movie too. Maybe we all could see the movie and then go shopping afterward," I interjected and saw Amber make a weird face at Jessi.
"Well we could go shopping without her Jess. We don't need a babysitter," Amber said and took a bite of her caesar salad. She looked awfully skinny to be going on a diet but you can't tell that to strangers.
"Yeah your right, we don't need a babysitter," Jessi repeated as the girls got up and threw their trash away. I could tell that Jessi was going to take Amber's said in everything, and that Avery really didn't have a say.
"The movie starts at 1:15 so that will give you a little time to shop afterward. I need to go to the music store anyway," Ike said as he took the last few sips of his Dr. Pepper.
"Well, we're are gonna go shopping. Come on Avie," Jessi replied as she and Amber were walking off. Avery quickly disguarded her food and ran off to catch up with them.
"Um..your cousin Amber is kinda snobby," I told Ike as we stood up to leave.
"Yeah she can be rude sometime. Especailly around new people. Her parents just got devorced last year and she's hurt about that too. She likes to take it out on strangers," He said as we walked toward the theater.
"What do you have to buy at the music store?" Zac asked as we bought our tickets.
"Don't we need more sheet music and I need to find some more pics. My other ones are wearing out," Ike answered his brother as we made our way into the theater. The lights were turned off and we snuck in a back row. I was suprised when Zac sat beside me and Ike sat on the other side of him.
The movie was hilarious and Zac kept making funny comments in my ear the whole time. I really didn't mind that we were sitting beside one another, just as long as he didn't try anything (which fortunatly he didn't).
After the movie, we found the girls at Abercrombie & Fitch and they had a couple bags each. I was suprised that we ran into Tay and Natalie on our way out of the mall. I hadn't thought about him since our talk the night before. I hope he would keep his promise and not tell anyone about what I told him. Luckily he didn't bring it up.
"So how was the movie?" Tay asked me as we all stood on the sidewalk. I was suprised that he was talking to me but I managed to find my voice.
"It was hilarious, you should see it," I answered and the girls went off to put their bags in the SUV. We talked a little more to them and then we parted ways.
Jessi had decided to spend the night with her friend Krysta, so we dropped her off and took Amber home. As I walked into the Hanson house, Mrs Hanson was standing in the kitchen. She had the phone in her hand.
"Kaitlin, can I talk with you honey?" She asked and I went into the kitchen.
"Sure what's up?"
"That was your mother on the phone. She said that you ran away from home?"
"Uh...no. I just came here for college, to stay with you guys for a little while." I stammered trying to think of what to say. I knew that Taylor hadn't told her. (Or had he?)
"Honey please don't lie to me. I know the truth but apparently you don't," Her voice was thick with emotion and I could tell she was serious.
"Don't know what? Im not lying,"
"Kaitlin. Your mother called me and said she's been looking for you for about a week now. This was the last place she thought you'd be but thank God she found you when she did." Mrs. Hanson stopped talking and took a deep breath before going on.
"Your mother told me that you and her husband haven't been getting along to well. She says that you yell and threaten to run away. Fortunatly your fights don't get physical, with the baby and all."
That last sentence nearly made me break down. I forced the tears not the start rolling and put my hand under my chin. I couldn't look her in the eye and she sat right across from me.
"Kaitlin I don't guess you know this but...honey...you know your different right?" She asked and I had no idea where she was going with this. I honesly hate it when people ramble on and don't get to the point of things.
"Know Im different about what? Yeah, I got contacts and my braces are off but,"
"Honey...I always thought you knew this but,...your adopted."