The hallways were empty by the time we had reached our floor, which was higher than we had wanted, resulting in a longer wait in the elevator. Zac and I quickly headed back into our room. The two of us found Isaac sitting on his bed, reading a book. A second figure entered the room through the back porch entrance.
"Jen! How long have you been in here?" I asked, startled to see here there. Zac nudged me and I quickly hid the bag with her gift behind my back.
"Isaac let me in here a while ago. I came to see if you wanted to go get something quick to eat at the restraunt down in the lobby," she told me.
"Uh... lot's not and say we did," I said quickly.
I saw the confusion in Jen's eyes. "Why not?" she asked.
"We just came from there," Zac added.
At that moment, Ike looked up from his novel. He put a sly grin on his face.
"What did you guys do this time?" The amusement in his voice was obvious.
"Nothing!" Zac protested.
"Except that we just barely missed being tugged in every direction by fans down there," I explained sheepishly.
"Oh, I see," Ike nodded slowly before his straight face slipped and became another vicious grin.
I walked over to where Jennifer was standing. She looked up at me and smiled sweetly. Obviously, she wasn't tired anymore. I handed her the small bag from behind my back. She looked down at what she was now holding in her hands and then back up at me.
"It's something I got for you," I told her with some excitment in my voice.
The look on Jen's face told me that I'd done the right thing. In an instant (***author's note: or in an MMMBop... j/k***) the small paper bag was opened and the little puter stature pulled out.
I watched as the girl in front of me held it up in her hands. Her smile widened as she turned it over once or twice to admire the small object.
"You got me another bird," she giggled.
"Yea, I guess so," I replied.
Jennifer reached out and hugged me tightly. "Thanks Taylor. I love it. I didn't realize you'd noticed that I collect parrots!" she whispered into my ear.
"Actually, Zac was the one who noticed you did," I explained and motioned for Zac to come closer.
My 12-year-old brother shot Jennifer his usual cheesey grin. They both laughed and Jennifer thanked Zac before turning back to me again.
"Really, Tay. That was sweet. Thanks."
"No problem," I mumbled in my shy voice.
"Alright, enough mushy stuff," huffed Zac as he stepped between us.
Only then did I remember that Ike and Zac had been there to watch me hand my gift to her. I blushed deep red at the thought and made a quick mental note to save them the entertainment.
The now satisfied Zac skipped over to our TV set and flipped it on. The menu appeared and he ordered a nintendo game to keep him busy. Isaac moved to the end of the bed to watch the screen over Zac's shoulder.
If only things didn't have to be like this. If only I could just take Jennifer out on a friday night without causing a commotion. I began to wish that I could put the band aside for only a day and be able to relax and hang with Jennifer and my brothers. I watched as Jennifer decided to join the crowd. She sat down on the floor next to Zac.
It hurt me to put her through this. I began wondering if she would eventually get tired of staying secret. Or even us being away from each other for long periods of time.
Zac seemed to be really into whatever he was playing. There were shiny sparks in his eyes as he clicked the keys on his controller with delight.
The figures on the screen bounced up and down and it seemed as if everyone was mesmorized by what was happening. I decided to join in on the fun and jumped over to the TV, claiming the spot next to Jennifer. I nudged her slightly and she turned her head in my direction.
"Who'd you talk to on the phone?" I asked.
She looked confused.
"In your room. You said you were going to call one of your friends," I said, repeating Jennifer's excuse for being left alone.
"Oh, yea. I called up my friends Ross and Amy," she reported back to me.
I nodded. "Cool."
"Yea. Tay, I really miss everyone. Summer's going by back there without me," she sighed dramatically and hugged her legs to her chest while leaning up against the bed.
"Jennifer, you've only been here for, what, a week and a half and already you're getting sick of me?" I whined.
She laughed. "No, it's not that. I'm just feeling like I'm missing out on all the fun my friends are stirring up. Amy said that she already threw a slumber party with the whole gang!"
"Gang?"
"Uh-huh. Basically everyone I know back home," Jen explained.
"Cool."
Zac let out a sudden yelp of frustration at the nintendo game followed by a loud sigh as the words 'Game Over' appeared on the screen.
The small interuption gave me a chance to think of something to say. Once Jennifer had focused her attention on me again, I scooted closer to her while looking her straight in the eye.
"Jennifer, believe me, I know what it's like... you know, missing your friends and all of that. We're in this together, remember? You and me, Jen. You and me. Don't run out on me now!"
She laughed quietly to herself. "Tay, I didn't say I wanted to go home, did I? It's just, this is the first time I've been away from home the whole summer and, well, I'm just not used to it."
I recognized her expression. She was homesick. Jen was getting homesick already. I lightly leaned towards her, thinking that maybe a small kiss could cheer her up, but a rough hand on my shoulder stopped me.
There was Zac. Spoiling the perfect moment. Jennifer giggled nervously.
"Jordan Taylor Hanson!" he said in disgust. "What did I just tell you about the mushy stuff? Please, spare me my lunch!"
My face grew hot. I looked down at the ground and started playing nervously with my shoelace. I knew Zac was just acting like that to put on a comedy act. I knew that in reality, he was probably thinking about his first mushy moments. The thought made me laugh.
I glanced up at the sound of muffled laughter. There was Isaac, trying to keep a straight face. He saw that I had noticed him and winked. I had nothing to say to that.
Instead, I stood up, walked over to my side of the bed, grabbed the pillow tightly in one hand, and began beating Ike over the head with it. He cried out in protest, but I didn't stop. I could now hear both Jen and Zac laughing out of control.
"Pillow fight!" Zac cried and grabbed his pillow off of the bed.
Jen snatched up the remaining pillow and ran over to the bed. I watched in horror as I saw the sack of goose feathers come flying at my head.
"Noooo!" I yelled! "No Jennifer! Stop it! Stop it now!"
But nothing I said was of any use. I was now being beaten to death by my girlfriend. Ike and I were the targets. The two of us were both in deep trouble. I could barely see anything that was going on around me, but I could barely make out the image of Zac smothering Ike's head with his pillow.
The site was just too funny. My confidence boosted and I spun around and successfully knocked Jen in the head. She fell backwards onto the floor, nearly in tears from laughter. She didn't even seem to notice what I had just done.
Jen quickly got to her feet and was at it again pretty soon. There we all were, as wacky and weird as ever. Zac repeatedly suffocating Ike. Jen and I continuing to wack each other over and over while standing on the bed. It was halarious. And that's how my dad found us when he walked in.
He took one look at what was happeing and smiled. But the coolness of the situation didn't last long!
"Boys! What have I told you a million times about jumping on the beds?" he asked us sternly. "And Jennifer, I'm sure your mother has rules against that as well."
We froze in mid-air, landing on the bed stiffly and almost not noticing that we were standing on the bed once again. Ike pushed Zac and the pillow off of him and quickly got up. Jennifer nodded her head in agreement to what my dad had said about her mother's rules.
The four of us watched cautiously as dad's expression changed from a cold 'you're in trouble' stare to a friendly smirk.
"Just make sure that the sheets aren't messed up," he said cheerfully.
Suddenly the stress and tension we had felt a moment ago, faded away. We smiled and laughed innocently along with my dad. I jumped down off the bed and set my pillow back in its original position.
I watched as Ike lightly shoved Zac and whispered, "Gotcha back!"
Zac just shrugged and walked up to dad. "So, what's your reason for being here at this moment, all-mighty messanger?" he questioned in that little funny accent Zac uses a lot.
"Well, I thought that I'd just tell you that I'm heading down to that little grocery mart not far from here. If you want to come along, you can. I could use some company," he explained.
Jennifer and I exchanged quick glances. She nodded at me and I turned to my dad once again.
"Sure! We'll definitely come along!" I agreed.
I had had my eye on the small shops that surrounded the hotel. There was even a small putt putt course almost right next store. I was going to suggest it, but I guess I had forgotten about its existance. In the next moment or so, Isaac and Zac both nodded along with me.
Only a few minutes later, we were in the car, with dad driving us down the small paved road lining the shops. I tapped Ike quickly on the shoulder and he turned from his view out the window.
I pointed past him at the huge gold sign that said 'Putt-A-Round' in huge letters. After taking a good look at the course, Ike shot me a thumbs-up sign... a sign of complete approvment.
I was about to notify Zac, but he was already jumping up and down in his seat.
"Hey look!" he cried. "Look dad! It's a miature golf course! Can we play a round of putt putt? Can we... please?" he begged and made a sad puupy out in the rearview mirror.
"Well, how about it? Does everyone want to play putt putt?" dad asked us.
A chorus of positive responses shot up from the backseat as the car turned into the entrance. Today will be a fun day!, I told myself. A very fun day!