Thinkin' Bout Something

001

January 2002

“I can’t believe you’re leaving me again.” I said as I pushed Zac’s shoulder. “Three months without the only dude I can fully trust.”

He pushed me back slightly and leaned up against me. “You’ll get over it. Besides, three months isn’t that long.”

“What he means is he’s going to miss you.” Isaac said pulling me into a hug.

“I think we’re all going to miss you.” Zac admitted.

“I got Ellis and Micha, I should be just fine without you jerkfaces.” I smiled back at the two boys and watched as they pouted slightly to themselves. “So, where does the tour start?”

“We have a show on Friday in Seattle, then in Sacramento, LA, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas, Orlando, Savannah, Richmond, DC, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Albany, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Lexington, Memphis, Atlanta, Mobile, Little Rock, St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, Des Moines, Minneapolis, and then back here in Tulsa.” Clarke (or Walker, which I was told to call him) said as he checked over the piece of paper.

“Awesome.” I said putting my hands in my pocket looking around the living room that was piled high with instruments and suitcases.

There was so much clutter in the Hanson living room, my eyes were drawn everywhere. I watched as Ike bumped into the end table and watched as the small lamp tipped and landed on the floor. He picked it up slowly and assessed the damage, nothing that I noticed but he bit his lip and looked around cautiously before putting it back.

“I wish you could go too.” Zac said leaning up against the wall.

“Yeah, but I have school and everything else. You won’t have time to miss me.” I stuck my tongue out.

“I will so.”

“How many interviews and tv appearances will you have?”

“One a day in every city… of each.” He shrugged

“Between that and playing shows to a million screaming girls, you won’t miss me.”

“You’re 16 chicky, you can find a billion ways to entertain yourself.” Ike stepped in.

“Don’t call me chicky.” I laughed, my eyes scanned the room once again, this time, stopping on Taylor who was trying to move a bunch of bags while carrying his smaller keyboard, a cup of coffee, and holding a piece of toast in his mouth. “Tay, you want some help?” I asked making my way through the labyrinth of suitcases and instruments before taking the bags from the floor.

“Thanks.” he said trying not to spit crumbs too. I set the bags on the other side of the room by the door and leaned against the wall again.

“I think that’s everything boys.” Walker said as he checked over the piles of boxes and bags.

He opened the door and started moving the cargo to the bus. Once all of the stuff was loaded I received a hug from Walker, then Ike, then Zac who was reluctant to let me go. “Don’t make to many more friends that are better than me.” He laughed as he looked me over.

“No one can replace you Zac. No one is on enough drugs to even come close.” I kissed his cheek and gave him another quick hug. He kissed my hand and smile again before he got onto the bus.

“Hey.” Taylor said coming up behind me.

“Hey Mr. Talkative.” I joked.

“Um, I don’t really know what to say or how to say it, but I wrote it down, please don’t read it until I’m out of here.” He shoved the folded up piece of paper into my hand. “I’m going to miss you.” He said as he ran his fingers through his shoulder length hair.

“I’ll miss you too.” I turned the paper over looking at it like it was going to bite me. “Taylor, what is this going to say?”

“Just read it.” He pulled me into a hug one more time. “I’ll see you in three months.” He kissed my forehead and got onto the bus.

Once I got back home I set the piece of paper on my dresser and called Ellis. “Hello?” Micha answered.

“Hey, can you and Ellis come over?”

“Yeah, sure Ave, let me ask.” She out the receiver down for a grand total of two seconds before picking it up again. “We’ll be over in a bit, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I think so.” I said biting the cap of the pen that I found sticking out of my notebook. She hung up and I continued my nervous doodling. I picked up my stereo remote and turned up the CD. Humming along to a mix of songs from 2001 that Ellis and I put together out of boredom the week prior.

In the middle of singing to “ Breathless by The Corrs” Micha and Ellis opened the door to my room and we were then staring blankly at the still folded up note on the dresser.

“So, you haven’t opened it?” Micha asked.

“Nope.”

“Not even peeked?”

“No Micha.”

“Why not?” Ellis questioned picking it up and flipping it over in her hands. “Its not like its going to hurt…” She started to open it. “Well, maybe it could.” I glared at her. “Sorry.”

“Ellis!” I yelled taking it from her hands, “Please, if anyone is actually going to read it, it will be me.” I closed it up again and laid it back on the dresser.

“Avalynne…come on now..” Micha pushed. “You have to read it.”

“Fine.” I picked it up one more time and pulled at the top corner unfolding it 4 times until I could clearly see his amazingly-neat-for-a-guy handwriting. I sat down on my bed again and read the words.

Dear Avalynne,
Zac told me everything. You are an amazing person and if you can wait… I can wait. I don’t want to be without you for these three months, but it will give us both time to decide if the other can handle not being with the other. it’s a little test, I guess… that’s the wrong way to put it.. But, I want you to realize that this is what life is for me. I travel, I perform, I have a million girls falling all over me… That sounds conceited… I told you I don’t know how to say what I mean…

All my heart if you want it,
Taylor.

I folded the paper up again and looked at my two best friends.. “He loves me.” I stammered.
♠ ♠ ♠
ehh bad start... but it will be WAY more interesting I pinky promise