I stood in front of the sink, hoping I wasn't going to chuck. I had never felt this way before a date in my life. I think Jessie was as shocked or amused by this whole thing, she just had twice passed the door and looked in with a bemused grin, then shaking her head and walked off.
"Where you taking her?" Taylors voice made me open my eyes.
" Looks like to the college for a Shakespere performance, then some dinner somewhere" I got a thumbs up.
"That's perfect, Lacey loves Shakespere doesn't she?...oh yeah, you like it too" he reached out and squeezed my shoulder.
"You're not nervous are you?--you look a little pale." Great! if he could tell, she sure would be able to.
"I feel like I'm gonna chuck, man, why am I so nervous with a good friend?" I was hoping he had been through this and could give me some answers, but then again this was Taylor. He was choosey about who he took out, well, I couldn't blame him, he was the one with the highest teenie population after him. It had been amazing over the years what some of them had done to get near him, let alone date him.
"Sorry dude, never was crazy enough to try and start something with a friend" whole lotta help he was. I heard him head downstairs.

Why was I doing this? We never really were like friends, friends, that hung out together, but she was here, and I was there constantly because of Kate and Ike's relationship. Funny, I had never seen that poster she told me about. The waves of nausea that threatened, passed and after putting my hair back and then down, oh, probably ten times, I decided it was now or never and headed out. The play started in an hour.

I walked through the kitchen, grabbing my keys and jacket that were sitting on the table, and smiled tightly at mom.
"I heard Lacey and you were going somewhere tonight?" she had that 'tell me more' look.
"Yeah, were just going to a thing at school, then grab some dinner." I tried to sound casual, I didn't want anywhere near the same scene that was played out when she found out Ike and Kate were back together....and she didn't even know the half of it. He bought her a ring...... a freaking engagement ring!
She would have a happy attack we call it-- sort of like a heart attack, but she starts pinching cheeks and hugging, and if it's big enough news, which this would be....she starts crying and saying how her babies are growing up so fast. The ring thing was secret, just Tay and I knew. Ike swore us to secrecy, he was waiting for the right time to give it to her.

"Not sure when I'll be back," I left it open, in case things went well. "Don't wait up"
I stood on the porch a minute to gain my composure, glanced at my watch and rolled the car down the drive and into hers.

It took time, but before long, things were just as comfortable as they had been that nite of Kate's birthday. We talked and laughed, but there was just a nagging feeling behind our usual friendly banter. I had reached out at one point and put my arm around her at the play, she just looked at me and smiled, so I guess it was okay. I just had this underlying urge to touch her all nite, not in any other way, than just to hold her hand, or feel her hair on my arm that was around her shoulder.

Her hair had always been beautiful, I thought, much like Kates in the fact that it was real thick and straight, but it a darker brunette than hers. It wasn't black, but it was very close. I'm not sure whether it was perfume or her shampoo, or mix of the two, but she had this fragrance about her that was just unbelievable. Had she always been this attractive and I just missed it?

Chapter 22

I had to rush in order to get ready after school. We had talked a couple of time this week and deided that both of us wanted to see the Shakespere comedy that the drama department at UOT was putting on. The shows were at weird times, though, and we chose to go to the earlier one, rather than the late show, thinking it might get cold later since it was outside.

The Zac that had showed himself earlier in the week, was the one that picked me up, barely looking at me from under his hair, and just generally nervous. It wasn't long though, and things were normal, it felt like I was out with Zac, my friend. I just wished he hadn't worn that cologne, well, yes I did. I didn't know what it was, but that cologne, I'm sure it was that, made me just have a different take on him all evening. It also could have been that he was a little more affectionate with me than he normally was. Nothing much, just touching my hair, an arm around my shoulders, or just a look in a certain way. I was used to it from the whole family, they were a very touchy group, even when the boys were teens, normally a time when a hug or kiss from mom was shunned, affection was a normal part of life in that house. I loved the attention, I found my self with that strange feeling on and off through the evening, like I was a girl. Now I know I am, but a big guy like Zac, treating you like such a lady, just makes you feel it so much more.

The play was great, we laughed, alot. We both had read all of Shakesperes works, and this was a comedy medley of all of them put together. We still had not talked about dinner, and I figured he had something planned. He did, but they were laid to rest when we found the entire area out of power, The only place staying open was a small deli-so out of necessity rather than choice, we took sandwiches to the overlook at the golfcourse. We ate, we talked, and we even got out and took a walk, finding stray golf balls and playing 'stick golf' as Zac called it. The thought in the back of my head the whole night, well, almost the whole night was the end of the date. But my hopes were partially dashed when a hug and a small peck on the cheek was all I recieved at the door, along with plans for the next nite. Well, maybe then....

Chapter 23

We had spent the morning going to some tree farms in the mountains, we must have been to 6 before she found the perfect tree...I thought it looked the same as the first one. It was just a week and a Half till christmas, and now, I sat in Kate's living room, going over my papers that we had been given to study for the final in Poly Sci. I knew it all, but just was double checking to make sure that I'd pass with a high grade to keep my A in the class. This was it, I graduated from college after this, and I had more serious plans to make in the future. I was hearing some low tones from the kitchen from who I assumed was Lacey. Being the nosey boyfriend I am, I went to get in on the quiet conversation.

"I can't believe its been 5 weeks..." Lacey was fiercly whispering to her, then turned around and realized I was standing in the doorway. She stood and left, almost looking a bit mad. I hoped I wasn't the cause of it.
"She mad at me?" I looked at Kate, she looked so cute, still in her warm clothes from the mountains.
"Hehe, no, I think she's had it with Zac...." She looked a bit amused.
"What he do now?" They had been seeing each other quite regularly for the past month or so, and in all appearances, they had hit it off, though no 'declarations' had been made to my knowledge yet. I assumed this was what she was miffed at.
"She wants to officially be 'Zac Hanson's girl' huh?" She laughed a little more this time...
"Uh, I think she'd settle for just a kiss from him first..." she shook her head and took the lunch dishes to the sink. I was shocked.
"He hasn't even kissed her yet?" I had to laugh, this was Zac, the only one of us ever caught with a Playboy under our mattress.
"Hugs, hand holding, a kiss on the cheek here and there, but nope, no real kiss yet..." I was thinking how Zac must have some awesome self control, unless he really was just stringing her along.
"She thinks he's just playin her, and she's mad cause a guy she really use to like, asked her out a few weeks ago and she turned him down because of Zac" Guess it was time for a pool nite with him.
"She'd be really upset if she knew I told you, let alone Zac finding out, so be cool about it." I just pulled her close and told her I'd be smooth about it.

I hadn't ever talked to Zac about the fact of Lacey and him going out, he actually kind of avoided the issue of it with me. I was going to be pissed if he was just playing with her feelings. Walking home, I reached in my pocket and felt the small velvet box that I had picked up from the Phil that afternoon after getting it engraved. A little shiver ran down my spine.

"Zac" he looked up from his books he had spread over the whole coffee table. He wasn't feeling as prepared for his finals this week as I was. "How 'bout a break for awhile, come play some pool with me." He looked at me, a little worried or shocked, I'm not sure, he knew that was where we went when there was a guy discussion needed.
"Uh....." he looked at Tay "....Yeah, I guess, but just a couple of hours, K? I really need some more time on this." He had all day tommorrow to study, so I figured a few hours wasn't going to hurt. Taylor looked at me with curiosity, I just waved him off.

The ride there was nearly silent, and he kept switching radio stations, out of bordom or nervousness, I'm not sure which.
"What's up, Ike?" I guess he decided not to wait till we got there.
"Nothing really, I just haven't had a chance to talk to you about Lacey and stuff, I thought maybe you'd want to talk to someone. How's things going with her?" He let a out a big sigh and looked out the window as we pulled in the lot. I didn't get any answer until we were inside and the game was underway.
"Was that no answer or an avoided answer" I looked at him as he was chalking his stick and looking for a shot. He stopped and leaned against the table. He hesitated and it looked like he was searching for the right words.
"She kills me, Ike, she is just so....smart, and beautiful, and.......I just feel like I'm gonna do something stupid and mess it up" All the sudden, it became much clearer. He had been involved some with a girl last year, and he adored her. She broke up with him because we weren't around enough and she didn't get enough attention. That made me all the more curious though, as I remembered him getting it from dad one night after being caught making out with her.
"What makes you think you're gonna mess it up?' the game had stopped, luckily there was no time limits here. "Were home, you're always together, you guys get along?" Prying wasn't my strong point, maybe I should have brought Taylor.
"It's like.....it would be even worse to mess it up with her, cause she's Kate's sister, and I've known her forever." Okay, I was sure he wasn't just playing with her now, he was even worried about the underlying circumstances.
"Are you attracted to her?" I went fishing deeper, hoping to get somewhere,"I mean like...." Hook, line and sinker.
"Ike, man, I'm even too afraid to kiss her. She must think I'm a total wuss." I was glad we came to talk, he was really tied up over this.
"You haven't kissed her yet?" I tried to act as surprised as I could. "How many times have you gone out with her?"
"Quite a few... I can tell she want's me to, I just feel like if I do, that's just the final step, and I can't turn back. I know about how you and Kate messed things up with that, and I guess I'm trying so hard to avoid all these past mistakes that I'm making a whole bunch of new ones." That hadn't been a problem so far with us this time, but we had been very careful, and anytime we felt like it might be, one of us left the house.
"That's why you wanted to talk, huh, she's gonna dump me ..." poor kid, I felt for him, how many years had I spent torn up over a Ketterman girl?
"No, no, no, she didn't say a thing, she was kind of upset over something this morning, and I wondered if you guys might be having problems." I had a feeling that if he didn't get his butt in gear that his prediction might not be too far off.

Chapter 24

I watched as they left, cleaning up Zac's mess he had left, before mom came home. If curiosity killed the cat, it was going to do much worse to me. Ike looked like he had something pretty big on his mind when he and Zac left, but what? He never even talked to me about it. Hmmm..he had just come home from Kate's, maybe she'd know.

I knocked on the door, and I heard a yell from inside, so I ventured in. She was up to her elbows in some creation. Man-she always put me to work when I was here.
"Hey" I laughed as she shook something off her hands into the sink. "Whatcha making?"
"Ok, Taylor, what do you want" She knew me all too well. I didn't ever just come over to chat.
"Why did Ike take Zac to the pool hall?" I leaned my elbows on the counter waiting for some deep revelation or juicy gossip, one of the two.
"Uh...to play pool?" She looked at me like I was crazy.
"Geez, Kate, you don't go play pool with Ike unless there's something going down." I guess this was a Hanson guys secret.
"HeHe....is that where you guys always run off to?" I still go no answer.
"So what's up, he came from here and took Zac--" My life must really be boring, pumping my brothers girlfriend for gossip.
"Nothing that I know of, Tay" she handed me a bowl of squash."Slice..."
"We had a nice day, got our, uh, my tree" I smiled at her freudian slip. "He said he was going to go hang out with Zac, felt like he hadn't talked to him in a while."
I knew that look, I taught her that look. That was my look. She knew something more than she was telling. I finished slicing her squash, just as Lacey came downstairs.
"Hey, Taylor" She gave me hug "I don't see you around much." She was always so nice, I guess I was really hoping that her and Zac would make something of this thing they had going--she was really good for him. Since they had started spending more time together, Zac had really been....I don't really know, other than just content.
"Taylor, earth to Taylor..." she was laughing waving her hand in front of my face.
"Oh...uh" I was a little embarressed
"I guess that's what Zac calls 'your little Taylor world'.." The doorbell ringing interupted her teasing.
"That's Bon...we're going to practice, then dinner...be back late..." she grabbed her jacket and pack off the table and yanked open the front door. Stunned was too small a word, "Bon" was ...um...a goddess--

Chapter 25

Taylor had left not too long after Lacey, the look on his face when he saw Bonnie was priceless. Bonnie is Lacey's coach, and highly dedicated to the sport. I have to admit though, if I were a guy, I might have looked like Taylor when I saw her too. All 5'9 of her, tan, nearly black hair, and blue eyes to raise the dead. I'll bet she had some sort of foreign blood in her somewhere.

I missed Issac this afternoon terribly for some reason, and was elated when I heard his familiar knock and the door swing open.
"Wow, what a greeting..." He was surprised as I jumped into his arms. I pulled back to look at him, he is so beautiful, just everything about him. Limping over to the couch, we sat as one blob.
"So who won the pool game?" I smirked at him, he looked back with curiosity as to how I knew what he and Zac had done.
"Taylor let me in on a 'Hanson Man' secret" I had to laugh, he was so cute when confused.
"How did...when'd you talk to Taylor?" I guess me kissing his neck wasn't helping his confusion much. "I came in and he was rambling on about some girl he saw..." I stopped to clear up the poor guys confusion.
"You and Zac left, I guess he was curious what you guys went to do, so he came over here to pump me for information, and the girl he was rambling about is Bonnie..." He had met Bonnie on a few occasions, I think we even had dinner with her one nite.
" I just told him where we were, hehe.... he got a look at Bonnie huh?--I'd better tell him about her..." No one was quite sure about Bonnie, she had never dated, as far as Laccey says. When she's not playing ball, she's watching or coaching it. Things were just getting good when Lacey walked in.
"Good thing I'm home, huh?" I sighed, but I guess it was, or one of us would have had to been leaving soon. Bonnie was still with her...Issac looked at her, then smirked at me.
"What's the secret?" I guess she saw the look. We both laughed.
"Nothing..." I didn't want to say anything in front of Bonnie so as not to embarrass her. I'll tell her later. The phone rang, and I had to get off Issac's lap to answer it. I didn't want to, but I had to.