"Zac! Get off the phone!" Jessica's voice carried from upstairs.
"I'm just hanging up, Jess," Zac yelled back, pushing the Off button on the cordless phone. He'd just ended a conversation with Jayden which had revealed much more than he really wanted to know.
It wasn't the fact that he knew Taylor had proposed to his girlfriend, or even that he might have ran away. The hardest thing, he knew, was going to be trying to not tell anyone. Zac made a silent vow that if there was no word from Taylor in a few days, he would tell his parents. He didn't care if he broke his promise to Jayden, as long it meant Taylor was home, safe and healthy.
"Hey, Zac-Man, better get a start on packing," Walker said, coming up behind his son,"Tour's only a couple days away."
Zac shrugged,"I figured I'd let Ike finish first. He always seems to have this magnetism towards the ugliest clothes we own, which means when I pick out stuff I'm guaranteed to look good."
"Yeah, but if you wait too long, he'll have grabbed your stuff and you'll be left with Tay's..." Walker countered.
Zac's eyes widened,"There's no way I'd be able to sing wearing a shirt of his. Being able to breathe normally's pretty important in music..."
"What are you getting at exactly?"
"Hel-lo, Dad," Zac said, rolling his eyes,"Stick-boy's got to be no bigger than a size -2 shirt!"
Walker smiled,"Uh-huh, sure. Oh, and I take it Jayden hasn't heard anything?"
Zac shook his head,"Uh, no. She doesn't know a thing..." Whew... First lie over with... Zac thought.
"Ok then," Walker said, sighing,"I'm going to pack some of Zoe and Mackenzie's things. I'll be upstairs if you need me, and your mom should be home in a half hour or so."
Zac nodded absentmindedly as his thought travelled back to Taylor. For several minutes, he thought of possible explanations for his 'disappearance'. Maybe he was walking home, saw a goregeous girl, and decided to stalk her until she went out with him... Yeah, right. Like he'd even think of any girl besides Jayden... Hmmm, maybe he was overtaken with a sudden urge for an authentic burrito and is headed for Mexico... Even more ridiculous... Zac thought. Or maybe he slipped on a Slurpee at the 7-11 and is laying unconscious near the drink cooler... Yeah, that's gotta be it...
"Zaaaaac! Have you seen my green shirt with the beige stripes across he chest?" Ike yelled from upstairs.
"Nope!" Zac replied, lying. He knew exactly where it was: In the basement, stuffed at the bottom of a box of old photo albums, where it would be hidden forever and unable to display its hideous, clashing cotton-polyester being.
Zac then heard a rumbling noise coming from the foyer. He got up to find that Mackenzie had gathered every toy automobile he owned and dumped them in a huge pile right inside of the front door. He was now holding two trucks and making them 'crash', sound effects included.
"Hey, buddy. Could you take those toys back upstairs?" Zac asked,"The last thing we need is for Mom to trip over them when she gets home."
Mackie continued to play with his trucks, ignoring Zac's request.
"Mackie?" Zac asked again. Rather than answering, Mackenzie's pudgy hands reach for two different trucks, and began crashing them as he had done before.
Okaaay Zac thought He's never ignored me before... Zac shrugged and turned around, heading for the stairs.
"Where's Taylor?" Mackeznie asked abruptly, causing Zac to stop and retreat to the foyer.
"He's still at the sleepover," Zac lied,"I'm sure he'll be home soon."
Mackenzie gave a huge sigh,"That's what everyone said awhile ago..."
He's got me there...
"Well, this time I promise. Ok?" Zac said, biting his lip.
"Whatever," Mackenzie said, shrugging and returning to his trucks.
Ok Tay, you hear that? I promised him, so you better get your ass home before I become his most-hated brother...
~Chapter 24~
~Chapter 22~
~Home~
