note: "wifebeater" as in "tank top"

“You look like an ass in leather, Zac,” Taylor retorted as his brother walked into the room, clad in colourful clothes.

Zac ignored him, instead walking over and standing with Isaac as he sipped on water from the machine. “Sorry about the things I said in the car before.”

“Zac, you didn’t say anything to me. Perhaps it’s not me you should be apologising to.”

“I’m never speaking to Taylor again.” Zac said as he and Isaac eyed him at the other end of the room, standing by himself, fumbling his hands in his pockets for something to do.

“How could you say that after looking at him?” Isaac grinned and looked at Taylor, standing next to the window. “He looks useless without anyone to talk to.”

“He called Margo a pregnant slut.”

“No, he didn’t.”

“He was going to,” Zac sighed, looking over at Taylor.

“Zac, you said really, really harsh words about Keryn and she was in the car. Taylor and Britney Spears? Keryn having tonnes of children while Taylor has tonnes of affairs?” Isaac shook his head and put his water down. “Zac,” his voice was pleading. “She was in the car.”

“Oh,” Zac slipped, as if he hadn’t realised the effect his words could have had on others. “She’ll forgive me. Keryn and I are the best.”

“Zac, you can’t just treat people like that.” Isaac walked away, allowing Zac to feel dejected and upset over the turn of events.

“Sorry Taylor.”

Taylor spun around and stared sultrily into the camera.

“Taylor, I’m sorry...”

Zac gave the camera a pleading look, Taylor pouted, living from the flash.

“Please, just answer me.”

Isaac gave a hearty smile as the camera burst to life again.

“What? So you’ll feel better?”

Taylor sat his hands on his hips and smiled.

“No, because you look really hot in that wifebeater.”

Zac grinned. Taylor burst out a stream of loud laughter.

“That’s it!” The photographer screamed. “Happy! Act brotherly!”

“Zac, I’m never going to forgive you,” Taylor then muttered under his breath, smiling widely.

“You know you will.” Zac spun around, placing his elbow on Taylor’s shirt and leaning heavily.

“Come on Ike! Get in on this action!” Isaac groaned as he listened to the demands of the photographer.

Soon, the brothers were practically in a group hug, living off the flash.

Keryn held the coffee firmly in her hands as she waited for Taylor to change and get up to the hotel room. She was standing in a small foyer just outside the function area where the photo shoot was taking place. She really didn’t feel like doing anything special tonight. The constant emotional blows were really beginning to have an affect on her and she needed to do nothing but lay down under the comfort of a clean hotel bed.

Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea, she thought. When she agreed, she thought that being on tour with the boys would be fun. She didn’t think the first day would prove restless with tensions being let out about every subject imaginable. Did Zac really feel this way?

She had never really had a serious conversation with the little brother; most of them ended up being fun. She never knew he felt this way. She never thought he would be this tense. What if he was right? I’m not marrying Taylor, she silently promised herself, moving around to sit on a chair.

“I’m sorry.” Keryn heard a small, crackling voice echoing through the room. “I’m so unbelievably sorry.”

She looked up to see Zac, edging over and crawling into the seat next to her.

Keryn pursed her lips and looked at him, moving his legs in her direction so he was facing her properly. “Will you ever forgive me?”

The way he pouted his lips and flickered his eyes reminded her of a small puppy, waiting to be fed. “How can I not?” She asked, scratching at the foam coffee cup.

“I knew I was irresistible.” He leant in and rested his head on her shoulder. “Thanks hun. What I said was really, really bad and I promise never to do it again. Not a word of it was true, I just hope you know that.”

“Well, I’m sorry for annoying you like that.” Keryn smiled, bashing her head on top of his. “I thought about it, and I suppose I was treating you like a child. And Zac, you aren’t immature.”

Isaac walked through the corridors, desperately trying to find a telephone to stare at and contemplate his life. His feet etched into the carpet as he traveled along the hallway, toward the lobby. Finally, a payphone came into view.

Dialing the digits of his former girlfriend would be hard. So hard that it could possibly ache his fingers and leave him desperate not to touch a telephone for the rest of his life. So, he stared, hoping that perhaps something would happen and the phone would magically disappear.

He didn’t know how he could’ve done it. He had drunk things before, but he’d never been absolutely blinded by liquor. He never thought that a substance floating down his throat would end up causing such anguish and terror ripping through his system.

Deciding against calling Belinda, he turned and found his way back up the corridor.

“Hey, Ike. What’s up?” He recognised the voice.

“Hey, Kayla. Nothing much. Just cursing the world. What about you?” Isaac looked at her, still analysing whether or not there was a glimmer of hope for their relationship. He wondered what would have happened if it had have been her and not Belinda there the other night.

“Just going for a walk down the beach. Don’t curse the world. Come with me.”

Isaac smiled and retrieved a hat from his back pocket. “Let me put on my trusty disguise!”

“Ike, a hat isn’t going to do that much.” They walked along the tiled floor to the hotel exit. The sun was setting over the row of buildings out on the street and the ocean could be seen through the trees.

“At least it will disguise the horrid shine of anguish coming from my eyes.”

“What?” Asked Kayla.

“Nothing.”

“Sun has fallen... Another day gone with-outtt yoou!”

“Shut up!”

“......my heart keeps callin’ - oh yeah! And I just don’t know what to do, oh!”

“Shut UP!”

“No, man,” Zac danced through the bathroom in boxer shorts as he brushed his teeth. “This is my song.”

“...and you make me feel... won’t you take me when you’re-”

“Next time remind me that double hotel rooms suck.” Keryn said as she and Isaac pushed through the door together. “The sun hasn’t even come up yet and I wake up to him singing at himself in the mirror.”

Zac grinned, spitting white foam from his mouth and rinsing his face under the sink. “This time of the morning is beautiful. I already wrote one song.”

“What?” Asked Isaac, choosing to brush his teeth despite the need to use the toilet. Keryn was in the room.

“It’s about toothpaste,” Zac grinned, flapping the toilet lid down and using it as a seat.

Ike began to speak, “I, I. Ar-nut eee in a piffy ood dis orning?” Translated in non-toothpaste language: My, my. Aren’t we in a spiffy mood this morning?

“Yes, of course. I have my best bud back. I’m fine.” Zac started to fold at the toilet paper, ripping and rolling it into different shapes.

Keryn smiled. “Hey, do you think I should be intimidated?”

“Eye?” Translation: Why?

“I’m surrounded by shirtless Hanson boys. I am the envy of everyone.”

“Anson oys that eed the oilet, I ight add!” Translation: Hanson boys that need the toilet, I might add. Isaac spat the last of the toothpaste into the sink. “I’m busting, damn it.”

“I don’t want to hear,” Keryn edged toward the door. “Don’t be long, I need to have a shower.”

An hour and forty-five minutes later, they sat on a plane, waiting for the economy class passengers to board so they could make their way back to Tulsa.

This time, Keryn was in between Zac and Taylor in the back row. Taylor was asleep. Zac was awake and thriving.

“You ready for tonight?” Keryn asked Zac about the first concert they would be doing.

“I want to get back and start rehearsing. There are still a few things I need to work out. Then I’ll be okay.”

Keryn nodded, looking at Taylor. “Is he ready for tonight?”

“He needs all the sleep he can get. He jumps around too much.” Zac grinned. “I’m hungry.”

“Me, too-” Keryn’s train of thought was interrupted as she noticed a group of fans, clad in Hanson shirts, entering the doors, possibly on their way to Tulsa for tonight. “Oh... God...”

“Cool,” Zac grinned again.

Keryn spun around and looked at him. “You’ve changed your tune.”

Zac unbuckled his seatbelt and sat up. “Hey girls, coming for the concert?”

A teenage girl gasped and another smiled. “Wow.”

Zac laughed, reaching out to shake their hands. The girl that smiled put her hand out, “Hello, Zac. It’s nice to meet you.”

He appreciated the lack of screaming and pulled out the airport magazine, ripping pages out so he could autograph them. “What if they don’t want your autographs, Zac?” Taylor yawned and smiled up at the fans.

“Oh, we’ll have them,” gasping-girl said.

Smiling-girl smiled again. “Is Isaac here?”

Taylor looked over at Isaac’s seat. “I don’t know where he is.” Taylor pulled the piece of paper from Zac and started signing. “Have a nice flight.”

“You sound like a stewardess,” Zac laughed, handing the girls their papers.

Keryn just sunk further into her seat and tried to remain unnoticed, not even making eye contact with the girls. She thought it would be nice to get to know some of the mature fans sometimes. She shrugged and rested her head back on the seat, ready to start the This Time Around tour.

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