A GIRL

"I'm sorry..You looked were begging to have one thrown at you, just standing there." a girls voice said to me.

Shocked, I didn't know exactly how to reply. I turned to face her, wiping slushy snow of my face.

"Its okay. I would have done the same thing." I replied. When I finished wiping the snow off, I really got a look at her.

She was shadowy, except for the parts of her that the moonlight and a streetlight across the lot hit. She looked my age, about 15. Her hair was long, but mostly hidden under a hood. She was bundled up in a navy blue jacket, but wearing jeans and sneakers besides that. Like me.

"What are you doing here anyway? You're a girl, and its late in a busy city. And your throwing snowballs at complete strangers." I asked her. She seemed a bit taken aback.

"I wanted the privilege of throwing a snowball at Zac Hanson. My name's Anna. I just finished watching your concert. And you just didn't seem like the rapist type, " she kidded with me.

I smiled. She was neat. A fan, but not crazy.

"Well, congratulations, Anna, because for a parting gift on tonights show...." I bent down, "...you win a free snowball in the face from Zac Hanson!" I threw it half gently at her face. She turned her head before I could get her as good as she got me though. She still laughed.

"You come from Oklahoma! Little Hanson boys don't know how to have snowball fights!" She teased me. Picking up more snow, she threw it aiming for my face. I attempted to dodge it, and she hit my shoulder.

"You wanna bet!" I accepted her challenge.

"Bring it!"

She started running. Forgetting I was in a strange city, and running after a girl I didn't know, I went on in pursuit. I chased her around the arena, and when I turned a corner I faced the main street. I threw a snowball, and hit her back.

I heard her faint laugh, and she bent down to pack some snow. I did the same, smiling all the while.

I ran up behind her, and got ready to rub the snow in my hand all over her face, ending the fight. With my opposite hand, I grabbed her wrist so she couldn't run.

"Ohh, no!" She said. Suddenly, she pulled out of my grip, and tossed a snowball right up in my face, half of it going right into my mouth.

She laughed at me again. "That sucks," she commented.

Spitting up snow, the only thing I could think of to say was, "Touche."

"Thank You. You're not bad for a little Oklahoma kid."

I got up and brushed myself off, since this seemed to be the end of the brief snowball fight. I wish was had snow in Tulsa. I decided to change the topic from my humiliating defeat in the fight.

"Enjoy the show?" I asked her. She was a fan, after all.

"Was pretty cool. Kinda sucky seats, but definitely was a decent show."

"Good," I said. Puzzled why she was alone, I asked her if she brought anyone to go with her to the concert.

"I went with my friend Sara. But, she got a ride home from her boyfriend. And here I am."

"Nice friend. With a nice boyfriend, offering you a ride home and all." I replied.

"No, I hate her boyfriend. He's a real asshole. I'd much rather walk. I live in an apartment that's not far from here. Maybe a 15 minute walk."

"Oh." Was all I could think to say. "Do you live in like...the ghetto?"

Immediately after I said it, I regretted it, realizing that not everyone was as financially lucky as me. She laughed off my comment though, and didn't seem offended at all.

"Not really. My apartments in North Buffalo. We're in downtown right now."

There was a short silence between us. It was hard to think of things to say that didn't seem to cheezy. I didn't want to say something like, 'nice weather we've been having' or something like my dad would say to her. I'm kinda weird with girls. So, I waited for her to talk.

"Down the street from here, there's a place called Spot Coffee. They're open till 1. Wanna get some hot chocolate with me?"

I really did want to go with her. Just because it seemed like such a better idea than going back to the hotel and going to bed. It was a Friday night, and the city was alive...

But, I knew I'd have to say no because she was a fan, and I wasn't supposed to go out in public places alone, blah blah...

"I want to, but I can't." Even in the darkness, I could feel her disapointment without seeing it. I hoped she could sense mine. She took one step closer to me.

"What hotel are you stayin at?" she asked me.

"Raddison Hotel." I replied.

"We can get coffee and walk there after. I'll have you back by...1:30 at the very latest. Come on.." she begged, but didn't whine.

"I-- I can't, I really--" I stuttered. How I wanted to go. She took another step closer.

"Don't you want to be a 15 year old for an hour and a half?"

She looked at me right in the eye. She had pretty green eyes, I just noticed. I couldn't exactly say no to the new proposition. So I ran into the door, and told Isaac I'd be back around 2. Before he could even ask where I was going, I bolted back outside and told Anna to run as fast as she could with me to this place.

We ran together past streets. I was smiling, and I felt so free. It was like that scene in Forest Gump, when he's a kid, and as he's running, his leg braces fly off. That's the best comparison I could think of.

I didn't know how far I ran before we reached Spot Coffee. Not too long, but I was pretty tired when we stopped to go inside. The place was fairly crowded, contrary to what you'd think it'd be like at midnight.

We grabbed a booth, and for the first time I got a decent look at this girl.

She wasn't exactly anything amazing. I've seen better from the fans. But she was far from ugly. Her hair, was a deep brown color, and it fell thickly past her shoulders, curled at the bottoms. Half of her hair was piled in some type of bun on top of her head. It looked cute enough though.

Her eyes were green because of contacts. They had to be anyway. Her face had define features, enhanced by makeup she was wearing. Her body was slender, and tall, but not as tall am myself. Maybe about 5'6. She curves were far more delicate than her features.

When the waitress came by, we both ordered a cuppacino. And then it was back to conversation.

"So, where are you off to next, Mr Hanson?" she asked me.

"Charleston, North Carolina. Oneida Amphitheater."

"Neat. How long you stayin' in Buffalo for?"

"I'm leaving Sunday morning. We're staying all day tomorow just to check out the city. We got here last night."

"None of the stations flagged you down for interviews?"

"Not really," I replied to her. She was not hot, but definitely cute. Or maybe the way that she could just talk to me and not freak out, turned me on.. "So, Anna, what school you go to?"

Lousy question. A classic dad question. I may as well have just asked her her favorite color or something...

"Allentown Central School. I'm in 10th grade. School can suck, but the people aren't so bad. I imagine you get a tutor and stuff, huh?"

"Yeah, my mom," I said, an exaggerated look on my face. She smiled.

"Who forges your notes when you skip class?" Anna joked.

"Taylor," I answered sarcastically. We both laughed. The waitress brought our drinks. It got quiet again.

"Is school...fun?" I asked her out of curiosity. She took a sip of her drink, before replying.

"I don't hate it. But I don't get good grades. I never really look forward to going. Ironically, if someone told me I could never go again, I'd probably be disapointed," she answered thoughtfully.

"Is touring cool?" she asked me, changing the subject.

"I like it. I like seeing the world, and different cultures and all that fun stuff. But, I do miss home. And just being a teenager in general. Fame would be more fun as an adult. Sometimes."

Anna grinned. She leaned forward some.

"So, I betcha get alota booty, huh?" I nearly spat my drink all over the table.

"That's personal!" I defended, shocked at her boldness. She just shrugged.

"Well, you just figure with all the fans of the opposite sex, and teenage guys are supposed to be hormonal and all..."

"Not all teenage guys are walking hormones."

"Most are. Admit it. Have you ever gone 24 hours without thinking of something sexual?"

"I think your the hormonal one!"

"I just asked a question!"

"A very personal one!"

I wasn't really offended or anything. I was just joking with her. After another pause passed, she began once more.

"There was this one girl who told all her friends your brother Taylor took her back to his hotel and showed her a good time."

I bit my tounge. If only Taylor were here. "Where was this girl from?"

"Indianapolis. She's a friend of a friend. Why?"

"No reason."

***

"...So, then this girl comes up to me, and asks for a quarter. I was like, okay, and I hand her a quarter, no biggie. And she gets this cooky smile on her face, and goes 'I told my mother I'd call her when I found the man of my dreams!' She then must've gotten embarrassed and then ran away, but before she started going, she told me she wanted to bear my children."

Anna burst into a laughter. "That's so super scary."

"You ain't kidding!"

"That seriously happened to you?"

"Yeah," I said smiling at the ground. Actually, it happened to Isaac, but what the hell- what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

She walked with me side by side, and we roamed Buffalo on our way back to my hotel. Well, she said it was on her way. I trusted her.

We were getting along really well for people that just met. We kinda clicked. Just joking around and laughing and that our differences in our backgrounds didn't even phase us. Not that it really did in the first place anyway.

"We're almost back to your hotel." Anna told me. Its just past that light there,"

When I squinted, I noticed the "Wildcats" sign hanging out from a building just past a traffic light.

A night club was up on our left. "Mixers". Clever name.

"You probably chalk your ID and go in these places all the time," I teased her.

"Hell yeah!" she joked back with me, "Me and the staff work on a first name basis."

The music was blasting out of the club. You could hear it clear as a bell from the street where we were. They must have a DJ.

As one dance song wrapped up, a familiar downbeat came over the airwaves. Anna froze.

"What?" I asked her.

"I LOVE this song!" she shouted.

Got you workin with some ass, yeah...<BR>

You bad, yeah...

Juvenile. Back That Azz Up. I heard this song a few times before, even though I'm not big on rap.

Anna, turned around in front of, me and instantly starting mouthing the words. She began dancin around right there, in the front of a bar. I smiled instantly.  A crazy girl.  She moved closer to me, inviting me to dance with her.  Score, I thought.

Hoes clown when you pass, yeah...<BR>

They mad, yeah...

Since it looked like fun, I danced too, trying to remember how Jordan Knight did that cool hips thing..

She grinned, apparently glad that I joined her. Anna then got this weird look in her eye. Just like she did before she asked about booty. She walked right up against me and put her two legs on either side of mine, straddling my left leg.

You gon' ride in a jag, yeah. <BR>

With dad, yeah....

She pressed herself against me, and swung her hips back and forth, but fast, and low on my leg. As if it was second nature, I placed both of my hands on her hips underneath her unzipped coat. It didn't seem right to put them on top of a thick blue ski jacket. She wrapped her hands around my neck, still quickly moving.  She had cold hands.

You could smoke or buy a bag, yeah <BR>

Of grass, yeah...

I held her close to me, simply because it seemed like the right thing to do. I mimicked her, moving her hips sharply back and forth. With each swing we moved lower, until it felt like she was practically sitting on my leg, rather then just dancing. I didn't mind. This felt so right. I moved my hands to her back, embracing her waist.

Apparently though, this was too boring for Anna, and she jolted around, her back to me now. Still close to me, she put my hands on her stomach, and pressed her ass up and down my leg. My eyes got wide. I couldn't believe she was doing this.  The refrain of the song came on.

Girl you looks good, won't you back that ass up<BR>

You's one fine mutherfucker won't you back that ass up<BR>

Call me Big Daddy when you back that ass up<BR>

Hoe who is you playin wit?<BR>

Back that ass up...

Ah, I get it. Back That Azz Up.  This was my new favorite song.

When the refrain ended she returned to what we were doing before. She pulled my neck closer to her. She was about 2 or three inches shorter than I was. She breathed, and I could feel it on my neck. It did feel good.

As the song progressed, I so did the intensity between us. We were so close together you couldn't tell us apart.

Wanna bring it to my house, yeah <BR>

On the couch, yeah...

I never remember dancing feeling this good.

After the next refrain, the DJ mixed in some cheezy dance song, that Anna apparently didn't like that much.  

Damn.

"That was fun!" I sputtered out immediately after she backed off of me.

"Yeah, yeah it was." She said slightly breathlessly. It wasn't tired, but I felt out of breath also. Like I just ran a marathon.

"I love Juvenile," she said, when we started to walk again. We passed the stoplight, and began walking across the parking lot at the Radisson.

"Yeah...me too," I said. I couldn't name two of his songs, but after that, sure I love Juvenile.

We didn't say much as we waked across the parking lot. It was about 2 AM. I was actually pretty tired.

I didn't really want to leave Anna. I felt bad making her walk all by herself all the way home. But I offered to walk her home, and she absolutely refused. I didn't understand why.

"Sure?" I double checked.

"Yeah. I know the streets well. I'll be home in 2 minutes. I wouldn't want you to get lost on your way back to this hotel."

She had a good point.

So here we were standing in front of the door to the lobby. It felt like the end of the date. I guess it was. Concert, Coffee, and Dancing.

"I had alot of fun with you, Anna."

"I had fun also."

"Hey-- wanna get together and do something tomorow? I'm not busy." I asked her.

"Sure," she answered calmly. I loved how she treated me like.. I donno. Normal?

"But not in the afternoon...how about around 7?"

"Sounds great." I didn't care what Taylor or Ike had planned for tomorow. I spent enough time following them two around.

She smiled .

"I can't wait. I'll meet you in the lobby of your hotel at 7 tomorow. Goodnight Zac!"

And, she waved goodbye, and took off in the other direction. Her parents were probably going to kill her for coming in that late.

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