Happy Birthday Nichole
Remember this?
Three guys, two girls, and a jamaican island
"What? What are you doing?" Taylor shrieked, leaning over the arm rest of the plane's uncomfortable seat to glance at Zac and his laptop.
"uh.. nothing.." Zac grinned, closing the web browser he was on and snapping the lid shut.
"I don't believe you..."
"Believe what you will.. here have your precious computer."
He heaved the computer into the air and practically threw it onto Tay's lap.
"AHHH!"
"heh heh.."
Zac ignored Tay and leaned out into the isle to flag down the stewardess.
"hello? hellloo??" He waved his arms around frantically.
"Zac, you can like.. beep them or whatever with that button over your head.." Isaac said from behind his absent minded brother.
"Oh..oh yeah.. duh."
Zac punched the button and the stewardess appeared.
"Hi, can you show me where the exits are again, I like what you did with your arms."
Zac pulled off the most serious face he could manage and sat there looking up at her.
"Your one of those Hanson kids aren't you?" the lady asked.
"If you want me to be." Zac replied, winking. She smiled at him.
"Do you need anything?"
"Yeah, I have really bad diarrhea and I need some pepto bismal."
He grinned. The stewardess raised an eyebrow and walked off.
Isaac started to laugh hysterically and Taylor pulled of the headphones he had just put on.
"What?"
He asked, a little confused.
"Nothing." Zac grinned.
"That was great zac!"
Isaac laughed and gave him a high-five.
"That's a true Hanson for you." he added.
"Yes yes, I know. the Hanson charm pasted down from centu-"
His babbling was interrupted by the captain coming over the loud speaker.
"We have now begun our descent into San-weeco national Airport, in the Jamaican islands. Please be sure to turn off all on-board electrical devices and note that the fasten seat belt sign is on. Thank you for flying delta and be sure to enjoy your trip" and out.
"Um.. could they be any more boring?" Zac mumbled, glancing over at Tay who was rocking out to some unknown CD.
"Hey dude, you have to turn that off. Didn't you hear? No 'electrical devices'? Snap snap. get to it," He motioned to the walkman, but Taylor ignored him and started mouthing the words. A grin washed over Zac's face as he got an idea.
"TAY!" he shouted.
Taylor blinked.
"WHAT?" he shouted back.
"THE PLANES CRASHING, TURN THAT OFF!" Zac screamed, just loud enough so the people in front of them could hear them.
"The planes crashing, what?"
"the planes going down!"
"OH MY GOD!!!"
Panic erupted from the 1st class passengers.
"What the hell is happening?" Isaac questioned. "The plane is crashing?" Taylor asked worriedly.
"Yeah! And they need three volunteers to dance around on the wing of the plane!"
"What?" Taylor questioned. Zac just grinned.
"Your such an idiot! NO THE PLANE ISN'T CRASHING!" Zac cried.
Suddenly, the captains angry voice filled the cabin.
"Everyone calm down! The plane is not crashing! We are in descent to the airport. The plane will LAND SAFELY at the AIRPORT in a few moments. so please stay seated."
Everything went quiet and Zac ducked behind the seat in front of him. 'maybe they wont see me..' he thought, pulling his long blonde hair over his face.
"Cousin It? Uh.. you're in big ass trouble, so don't even try to hide." Taylor whispered, shoving his walkman into his carry on. Zac sat up and sighed.. "Totally.."
Chapter Two
Zac walked off of the plane a little slowly, trying to avoid the punishment that lay ahead. His Dad was already in Jamaica, waiting safely inside the airport for his boys, but Zac was sure he knew about what happened on the plane. Walker was just like that.
"Zac? Gosh, hurry up. Your walking as slow as an old lady and I'm carrying a huge bag, SO GO FASTER!"
Taylor complained, pushing the hard bag he was carrying into Zac's back.
Ignoring Tay, Zac went even slower down the rusty terminal connecting the plane to the airport. 'You can just wait,' He thought, throwing Taylor a grin over his shoulder.
"Out of my way," Isaac called, rushing past Zac and disappearing at the entrance of the terminal where Walker was presumably standing.
"Out of my way, out of my daay," Zac started to sing Metallica's, "Ain't my bitch," really loud. The other passengers that had been walking and pulsing around him the whole time started to get nervous. I mean, the kid said the plane was going to crash, and now he was singing some weird hard rock song at the top of his lungs. Who wouldn't be a little nervous?
They were inches away from the entrance into the airport. Zac slowed down, almost completely stopping, and started to sing as loud as he could.
"YOU AIN'T MY BIIIIITCCCCHHHAAAHH!!"
"HEY! SHUT UP AND WALK FASTER!" Taylor yelled suddenly, slamming what must have been his hard suitcase into Zac with full force. Not good. Zac went tumbling over, finally landing inside the airport- and at his angry Father's feet.
"I just got a page from the pilot John Ackerman" He growled, shoving his pager in Zacs' face.
"It seems you caused some difficulties on the plane, and now you are banned from Delta airlines."
"So.. hello i'm a hanson."
"Hello, this is the only airline that takes us from the islands!" Isaac cried, a distressed look crossing his face.
"Um...so?" Zac said, standing up and wiping off his pants.
"We can take a boat," he added. Walkers veins were bulging out of his forehead, like they always do when he gets angry.
"Taylor gets sea sick."
"What?" Taylor said, as he stopped checking this one girl out.
"Zac wants to take a boat back home."
"No way, last time I was on a boat, I thought I barfed up a cat."
"Maybe you did.." Zac whispered to himself, glancing up at a distressed Taylor. Walker sighed and shoved his pager back into his belt loop.
"Well, Boys, I don't know what to do. We'll just have to figure out how to get back to the states when that time rolls around.. but right now, you guys have a concert to get to."
***A FEW HOURS LATER***
It was hot. Really hot. Zac breathed deeply and wiped his fore head with the back of his hand. It took about an hour to get all of their stuff rounded up at the airport. Strangely enough, all of Zac's baggage turned up missing.
"Oh like that was an accident," He laughed, throwing a glance at the pile of luggage next to the small stage. The concert they were putting on was at the beach, about 20 feet away from the pulsing ocean, and under the burning hot sun. Zac was kneeling in the sand digging through the bag that had his drum sticks and stuff in it.
"Damn, where are my earplugs???"He cried.
"Uh.. maybe there in here Zac, I have two pairs." Taylor said, looking through his equipment bag, and pulling out another pair beside the ones he had in his hands.
"Which ones don't have your ear crap on them?" Zac lifted his eyebrow. Taylor glared.
"What's your problem?"
"Nothing, get out of my face." Zac said and pushed past Tay.
"Zac, get your ass back here, we have a show to do."
"Do it yourself, I don't even fucking sing!" He yelled over his shoulder and ran down the beach with his older brother gawking at him in disbelief.
Chapter three
What am I doing? zac thought to himself. He couldn't believe what he had just done. All he knew was he needed time and he wished he had someone to talk to - out of the family.
*Meanwhile*
Liberty Rutherford sat on her tree swing that hung over a large hill of sand. She could see the ocean from where she sat. Liberty was fifteen, she had flowing light brown hair and soft brown eyes. She was a quiet person and felt quite at home at her house at the beach. She didn't have many friends, just her friends from school and her younger sister, Dakota.
As she thought, she noticed someone walking down the beach with blonde hair. She studied the person and since she wasn't too extremely far away, determined it was a guy. A pretty hot guy too. She smiled to herself.
"Liberty, do you want to help me build a sandcastle?"
Dakota said, as she walked up to her carrying a bucket and a shovel. Liberty shrugged. There was nothing better to do.
She followed her 10 year old sister out onto the beach. She could see the footprints that the hot guy had left. Big Feet. She smiled again.
"OK...now you get the water and I will dig the moat." Dakota ordered.
Liberty grabbed the bucket and walked to the water. Liberty was ordered around for another hour or so and she had lost hope in seeing the hot guy again. Dakota finally got pissed that the sand wouldn't stick and marched into the house. Liberty continued work on the castle until a deep voice coming from behind her, made her drop what she was doing.
"Need any help?" She spun around to face the "hot guy."
"Hey, I'm zac." he smiled, and held out his hand. "Um.. I'm Liberty, nice to meet you." she said shaking his hand. They just sat there staring for a while. "Uh, yeah, you can help." she said, shaking her head.
"Sorry"
"That's ok." he said, sitting down next to her and patting some of the sand. "Do you live here?" He asked.
"Um, yeah. We just moved here," Liberty answered.
"You?"
"Um, I live in Oklahoma, you know, the US?"
"Yeah, that's where I used to live, not Oklahoma but the US. I lived in Maine."
"Cool, I've been there."
"Really? I've never been to Oklahoma."
"I travel alot." Zac said, burying his hand in the sand.
"I wish I could travel, but my parents hate airplanes. We took a boat when we moved here." she
smiled.
"Weird. I always fly. I'm in a band."
"Cool, which one, I don't really know music that well."
"Hanson?"
Liberty gasped, then covered her mouth. Zac grinned and laughed a little.
"I can't believe I just did that. Gasp, I mean. I'm not a teenybopper, I swear!" she blushed.
"Its alright, I'm used to it."
"My cousin loves you, I can't believe I didn't recognize you."
"That was the cool part. I love not being recognized."
"Really? I think it'd be cool."
"I guess."
"LIBERTY!! DINNERTIME"
"Oh, um thats my dad, I have to go."
"Oh, ok."
"Well, I gotta go."
"Yeah, well maybe we could see each other tomorrow or something."
"O.k. that be great." "Meet you here tomorrow at noon?"
"O.k." Liberty smiled and he smiled back and they both walked away.
Chapter Four
"Zac?? Zaac? Gosh! where the frick are you?"
The sounds of Taylor's yelling echoed across the deserted beach. It was 2 hours till the concert, and they hadn't even set up their instruments yet. All because of Zac. Taylor had been walking around the beach for over and hour now, without finding Zac, or any hot girls he could admire. Which really sucked for him.
"ZAC?!" he yelled again, tripping up and over a large sand dune. 'oh.. when I find you..' Taylor trudged along, thinking up ways to get back at Zac, without watching where he was going. 'now.. there's Chinese water torture.. or i could
starve him to death instead. heh.. ye-' something hit his foot as he was bringing it forward and he went sailing into the air, landing face first into the sand.
"Shit, watch where you're going!" A girl cried from behind him, pushing Taylor's tangled legs off of her.
A strangled sound came out of Taylor's sand filled mouth and he rolled over awkwardly, trying to survey the scene.
Obviously, He tripped over some girl stretched out on a towel, sunbathing. She sat up, pulled off her headphones that were blasting some hard rock song, and glared at him. "Are you okay?" She asked harshly, staring at the trickle of
blood dribbling from the edge of Taylor's mouth.
"Huh? Uh.. yeah.." He spit out some sand and sat up.
"Sorry.. I was um.. Have you seen a guy about this tall and this wide with.." Trailing off, he stared down at the sand, realizing the girl was grinning at him.
"Naw, sorry dude. Been basking in the sun, ignoring the rest of the world. Haven't seen him.. But hey.. Aren't you that.. Jaylor Hanson guy or whatever?"
'Jaylor? uh.. no, I'm Taylor,' he was going to say, but stopped, noticing how odd the girl looked.
She was tan, with short dyed silver hair that was full of tiny braids. Her face was sort of round, but off-set by an eyebrow ring on her right eyebrow, and a lip ring.
"Hi um.. welcome to earth," She said, trying to get his attention.
"Uh.. oh.. what?"
"Are you a Hanson?"
"Yeah.. I'm Taylor," he couldn't tear his eyes away from the glimmering lip ring.
"Cool. Nice to meet ya, I'm Cloey,"
"Cool..."
Cloey raised and eyebrow and grinned at him.
"You're staring at my lip ring, aren't you?"
'What?' Taylor thought frantically, suddenly looking off into the distance.
"No it's okay, heheh, people always want to stare at it.. here.. I'll take it out."
Taylor watched in silence as she reached up and slowly slid it out, putting it into a purse laying next to her.
"There.. All better."
He smiled gingerly and then looked down at the sand. 'What do i say now..'
"So, is this your first time visiting Jamaica? Dude wait, before you answer, lemme put this in my jeep- or wait, do you have to go or something? your brother.." She trailed, standing up and motioning around with her hands.
"Well.. uh.. yeah-"
"Wanna hop in my jeep with me and like.. drive around and try to find him? C'mon, it would be fun."
Cloey grabbed Taylor's wrist and pulled him to his feet. He was dazed. Normally a girl would swoon allover him and not be able to talk- let alone boss him around.
"Yeah i guess."
He agreed, but Cloey was already pulling him along, telling him to 'grab her towel' and stuff.
'this is going to be a long day...'
Chapter Five
Zac walked slowly back to the place where he had stomped off from. He was beginning to feel guilty about the way he had talked to Taylor. Oh well, he couldn't change what he had done. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked on. He starting to sing *NSYNC's "Bye Bye Bye" dance moves and all. He had this weird love for *Nsync and no one knew why.
"Bye Bye Bye!" He shouted and thrust his fist in the air. He grinned to himself. He felt oddly happy, even though he was still pissed at himself for saying that stuff to Taylor. He wondered why and then remembered Liberty. What a cool name he
thought. He grinned again. Then he cursed at himself for being happy. He was supposed to be angry.
'What I said was wrong and...and...I shouldn't come home grinning and talking about a girl named Liberty.'
He knew he would never hear the end of it if he told Ike the girl he was "hot for" as the Hanson brothers liked to say, well if her name was Liberty.
'Enough about her....how am I gonna walk into the house? Happy...sad....angry still? I DON'T KNOW! The whole family probably knows by now...' Zac's eyebrows knitted in thought. He sighed. It felt like he had a big load of armor on his chest. All of a sudden he heard two sharp honks and a bunch of sand hit his face as a jeep roared by him. It suddenely made a sharp stop and the whole jeep rocked back and forth, music blasting from inside.
"Aw crap" Zac muttered. "Damn teenyboppers"
"He-ey MA-AAN!!!"A voice cried form the abyss of the jeep and all of a sudden, Taylor fell
out of the window. A girl jumped out of the drivers seat and rushed to where Tay was laying face down in the
sand. Zac ran as fast as he could over to Tay and the strange silver haired girl.
"Um, hi." Zac said.
"I didn't give it to him, I swear! He found it under my seat!"
"Hey, baby turn it uuuuppp!!!" Taylor mumbled, awkwardly trying to roll over.
"Let's get him to his feet, we don't need him passing out." The girl said as she bent over to grab Tay's flailing arms.
"Uhh ahahah.. you got nice boobs."
Zac tried not to laugh as he helped the girl get Tay up, but it was hard not to. I mean, he had never heard his brother.. ramble.
"Hahahaha.. yesterday you guys- no no, listen to me- Cloey.. do you remember when you were with me yesterday-"
"I wasn't with you yesterday honey... He's delirious.." She whispered, rolling her eyes.
"Dude- no, but yesterday, i met this guy.. named.. Bob.. and like he told me.. um... he told me.. NOT TO ANGER THE CLOWNS!! AHHH CLOWNS!!!!" Taylor shook the two off of him and clumsily started to run to the ocean, ranting about Bob and clowns the whole way.
Cloey (Zac assumed that was her name) and Zac went running after him. Cloey caught him first and they dragged him to the jeep.
"Lets lay him down in the back so then he doesn't, like, puke all over me." She told Zac, even though he wasn't
really listening.
"Yooo....baby...put that lip ring back in..ah think its sssexy.."
Zac practically choked at the smell of Taylor's alcohol stained breath.
"What'd he drink?" he gagged, climbing into the front seat and buckeling his seatbelt. Cloey joined him in front and slammed her foot on the gas pedal, not even bothering to answer Zac's question.
"What did you say earlier, babe?" Cloey asked, over the pulsating bass of her awesome stereo.
"WHAT DID YOU GIVE HIM?" He shouted again.
"VODKA" she shouted back, glancing at him, and totally looking him up.
"Hey, your hot, you got a girlfriend? Cuz, I'm single.."
"Heeey...put da lip ring in!" Taylor said, hanging over Cloey, which made her swerve a little.
"Good god, woman! Get a grip!" Zac cried, his heart racing. She made him uncomfortable, but at the same time he couldn't help but like her.
"Zac.. don't call me a wooo-man.. heh heh.. that's a weeeird woorrd.. wwoooo-maan.."
Cloey batted Taylor back into the back seat.
"Hey hon, i'm driving," She called, glancing up at Tay in the rear veiw mirror.
"Wooo-maaan.. hahah.. yooo woooman.. put in da RING!"
"Which ring Babe?"
"Lip.. ring.. lipp.. huh.. ugh.. hehehe."
Cloey stole another look at Zac and announced: "Damn, he's totally wasted."
"Yeah like i didn't- TAY!! GET IN THE BACK!!" Zac screeched as Tay launched himself into the front.
"LIP RING!!!!!" Was all Taylor said. He frantically snatched at the steering wheel in an attempt to get Cloey's attention.
"Okay Okay! God! Get back there and i will!"
Taylor rolled his eyes and smiled like a shy little kid. "uh.. heheh okay.."
Oh what a mess.. Zac assumed Cloey was going to pull over for a sec to put in her 'supposed' lip ring.. but he assumed wrong. Now she was asking him to..
"Hold the wheel for a sec. Dude, gotta rummage for the lip ring."
He felt his heart stop.
"What?" he cried, giving her a look that said, 'you're crazy.'
She smiled wildly and motion from Zac to the steering wheel.
"You, Wheel, now, hold," And with that, she released her grip from the wheel.
"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" The jeep went swerving in and out of the ocean and suddenly Zac realized that Liberty was standing 50 feet away from the out of control vehicle.
"FUCK THE RING!!! MY GIRL IS ABOUT TO BE-"
"AHHHH CLOWNS!!!'
"WAIT A MINUTE IT'S ALMOST IN!"
Zac groaned loudly and flew on top of Cloey, trying to get down to the brakes.
"Whoa! getting a little happy there-"
"HIT THE GOD DAMNED BRAKES!!" He yelled from his position under the steering wheel. He felt her pound on the breaks and was slammed up against her feet.
"Um ow.." he said, as Cloey turned down her music.
"Saaaayy...guys I don feel too-*BLEGHHHH*"
"Please, God no...no.."
"Zac don't move, he gotcha good."
"No.."
"Dude...I just ralphed all up mahhnn...that felt good." Taylor breathed.
"Baby...please, lay down, let me clean zac up."
"Duuude...don touch my brutheeer...hes blood and dat is sicko."
"I think he's getting worse, babe." Cloey said.
Zac moaned. "Help me up!"
"I can't you have puke all over you!"
"Hello?" A shy voice asked. "Are you all alright?"
Liberty, during all this, had walked up to the drivers seat window.
"NOOOOO...woah i sound like a cow....y*know MOOOO," Taylor rambled from the backseat.
"Liberty?" Zac mumbled.
"Zac?Is that you?"
"Yep...I have puke all over me and I can't get up!" He heard her giggle.
"Can you help us..uh Liberty? I'm Cloey... and I think your boyfriend just got ralphed on."
Liberty, brushing aside the 'boyfriend' comment, said ok and she told Cloey to open her door.
"PUT THE LIP RING IN!" Taylor commanded, sitting up in the backseat.
"Taylor, I'M SO GONNA KILL YOU WHEN WE GET HOME!!!" Zac screamed.
Chapter six
Um I think I need to lay down." Taylor said the next morning as he went to get up from his bed. "Mmmph.." Zac replied, rolling over in the bed next to him. Isaac had his own room, and you could here him softly strumming the cords of "Love Song" through the thin walls of the Hotel. The day before, the show had to be canceled (obviously). But Zac had made up this lame excuse that Tay had puked to the point of hallucinating, because that was the only way to describe Tay's sudden fear of "Clowns". They had all come back to the motel and tried to calm Tay down, but were unsuccessful. Isaac finally found them and all together they strapped Tay to his bed. Then Cloey and Liberty went home while Zac took the longest shower Ever...
"HEY ZAC! Why am I strapped to the bed? ZACHARY WALKER HANSON WAKE UP!!!"Tay screamed.
Zac only put his pillow over his head as he mumbled "screw you."
"MAYBE I COULD IF I WASN'T STRAPPED TO THE BED!!" Taylor's head throbbed as he screamed but he really had a bad itch and he needed to scratch. He wiggled around trying to itch but he just couldn't.
"What the hell, Tay, your gonna wake up the whole hotel if you keep screaming!" Ike said walking into the room.
"I HAVE AN ITCH!!"
"where?" Isaac asked.
"If I had asked you to itch it, I would have already so BACK OFF!" Taylor said.
"all I want is to be untied, ok? is that alright with you?"
"mmppphhhhh..ughpna hmiph" Zac mumbled from under his pillow.
"huh?" Isaac said, peeking under the pillow.
"uggghh.. just UNTIE HIM AND LET ME SLEEP!"
"what's with you guys this morning?" Ike mumbled, untying tay.
"Aahh.." Taylor said, scratching himself in an unspeakable place.
"ouch, if I knew it was there, I would have come in sooner. Sorry man."
"Its ok.. oh man...I have the worst hangover.. I think I'm gonna hurl,"
"mmmph dhngi fosdsak sodhd fkfai sifaoi"
"ZAC WE CANT HEAR YOU!"
"JUST NOT ON ME THIS TIME OK NOW LEAVE ME ALLLOOOONNNE!"
"Hey, your the one that's talking."
Zac groaned and wriggled into the covers of his bed a little deeper.
"I don't need this" he thought, closing his eyes as tight as they could shut. His dad was going to kill him.. Taylor had the worst hangover.. the show was canceled- and last but not least, the Hanson family was stranded in Jamaica.. well, unless they wanted to risk being washed overboard the deck of some Godforsaken boat...
"Ahh this is the life," Zac heard Isaac say from across the room. What? WHAT? This is the LIFE? Zac, enraged to the point of insanity, shot up out of bed, ran across the room to where Isaac was sitting in front of a large bay window and plowed into him.
"THIS IS THE LIFE??? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?"
"GET THE F*CK OFF ME ZAC!!" They both fell to the floor, struggling with each other inches away from the huge glass window. Taylor stood back, silently watching the tumble.
'maybe I should pry them off each other..' he thought and then shrugged. 'naw.' Still, the fight went on. Closer and closer to the window with every angry hair pull or punch. Zac, being the more aggressive one, pinned Isaac down and punched him right in the...
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Ahaha," Zac breathed, slowly standing up to observe his cowering brother.
"I'm never going to be able to have kids.. ahhh..owwww," Isaac moaned, curling up into a ball.
"I'll help you brother!" Taylor called, stumbling over to Isaac, his hand outstretched.
"Help me what? Have kids? get away.. ugghhh.."
Zac stuck his foot out in an attempt to stop Taylor from getting to close to the window, but instead of Tay stopping he continued to walk, tripping over Zac's foot and sailing into the huge glass window. Just before Taylor hit the glass, Zac grabbed for him and caught his pant leg.
"AAAAHHH..." Taylor shrieked and fell to the ground below the window.
"Oh mmannn.. My head is throbbing, I am so gonna tell dad."
"What? That you got drunk with this weird girl and were driving promiscuously up and down the beach with her? huh? How would Dad react to THAT story?!?"Zac said, still smirking at his cowering older brother.
"Urg.. What is with you lately, man?"
"MY BALLLSSS!!" Isaac suddenly cried, tears in his eyes.
"Zac, I hereby BAN you from this hotel room!" he continued. Taylor smirked.
"Ha ha, right, Ike man, you can't ban me, I'm your brother." Zac said, laughing.
"URG-GET OUT!" Isaac screamed, and pointed to the door.
"Hey Ike, I don't kn-"
"OUT, Zachary. Until we both cool off.." Isaac said, turning this back to him.
"Jeez, what's your problem?"
"Out!"
"Ok..ok.." Zac walked to the door slowly and glanced back at them as he cautiously shut the door. What do I do now?
Chapter Seven
Cloey crept along the outside of the Hanson's hotel room, pressing herself close against the wall of the building.
'they're going to think this is weird,' She thought, peering up and over a ledge to see into a window. Nope.. not their room.. unless they have a naked dancing fat man living with them.
"Gross," she laughed, the warm Jamaican breeze caressing her face. It was about 10am. The day before, she had picked up all three of the Hanson guys and accidentally gotten one of them drunk. But hey, that wasn't unusual for her. She always seemed to get guys drunk. Why? she didn't know. This time though, she had to apologize. It was just the right thing to do.
Cloey wandered around the outside of the hotel for a while, peeking into windows. It was a slow and boring process. Until she saw an OPEN window. Smiling evilly, she scaled the odd orange walls of the hotel and pulled herself into the room through the window. It was empty, she assumed. There were no lights on and the room was in shambles. Picking her way through the mess, she made it to the door- and then she hear a noise. someone was.. groaning. Glancing down at the floor she saw.. The fat man.
"Hey uh.. baby," He mumbled, reaching out to grab her foot.
"Um ew! uhh.. i'm sorry dude.. but.. gotta go!" Cloey, not knowing what else to do, jumped over the naked fat guy and fled out the door, and into the hallway. Cloey walked down the many halls not knowing exactly where she was, but finally she stumbled upon something.
"Zac?!?"
"uh?...Cloey?"
"Zac, why are you out here?"
"I punched Ike in the nuts and now I'm banned from the room. I didn't have anywhere to go so I just curled up out here." He said, peering up at her with his big innocent eyes.
"Your such a goofball." Cloey grinned.
"Why are you here?" He said, making room for her to sit down next to him.
"Uh, well," Cloey sat down
"I wanted to apologize for getting Tay drunk last night."
"Umm.. ok. I accept, but your gonna have to do my dirty laundry for a month since you've put me through so much pain and agony." He grinned. Cloey smiled and messed up his hair.
"Hey, I worked for a minute and a half getting all the grease in place this morning, watch it!"
"Your sick." Cloey mused.
"I know. Hey can you like tell Tay you'll have sex with him if he convinces Ike to let me back in?"
"Hmm...no? I'm not as shallow as you think. I have morals you know."
"Are you a virgin?"
"Why are you asking me this, little boy?"
"I'm not little and I'm just asking." Zac replied, picking at his shirt sleeve.
"That's for me to know and no one to find out."
"Witch." Zac hissed. Cloey smiled.
"Well, I'm gonna go talk to your brothers and see if I can persuade them to let you back in alright?"
"That sounds good."
Cloey stood up, giving one last glance at Zac who was sprawled out on the hotel's floor and turned to the door, gingerly knocking it.
"Hello?" She called, biting her lip.
"Ughh.. hello?" a weak sounding Ike said as he peered through the eyehole.
"who is this?"
"I'm Cloey and I just came to tell Tay.. and Zac.. and well, you, that I'm really sorry for all the trouble I've caused." There. She said it.
"I don't know what your-"
"Ike, who is it?"
"Some girl named.. Moe.. or is it.."
"Cloey?"
"Yeah, do you know her?"
"Yeah, let her in." A second later, the door swung open revealing a worn looking Taylor standing in his boxers, and Ike who was.. touching his..
"Ow.." He moaned, wiping the tears away from his face.
"Uh.. hey Cloey.. come in." Taylor motioned, throwing an evil glare at his brother. "Don't mind him," Tay whispered as he pushed Cloey into his room.
"Oh well.. I'd be in pain too if my brother punched me in the nuts.." she thought quizzically. "If I had nuts..."
Taylor laughed.
"Why are you here?...I mean not that I don't want you here-"
"Shut up Tay your just blabbering...anyways I came here to apologize for yesterdays incident and to say that-"
"That's ok.. I was the one who drank the stuff....wasn't I?" Taylor grinned. Cloey smiled back.
"I was also told to ask if you would kindly let your cute little brother in. He looks like he's starving."
"He's only been out there for ten minutes," Taylor raised an eyebrow. She pursed her lips to keep from smiling.
"Ha ..ha yeah right Tay he looks like he's been out there for five days."
"I swear...he's only been out there for ten minutes at that.." Taylor said, blushing as he realized he was standing in his boxers.
"Um...can you hold on for a sec?"
"Onto what?" She grinned, licking her lips for affect. Taylor was extremely red now. It looked as though he suddenly received a harsh sunburn.
"Uh.. I'm gonna- just over here- change.." He drifted, grabbing a pile of clothes off the floor and disappearing into the bathroom. Cloey shrugged and decided it was okay if Zac came back into the room. "Zac?" She called, opening the door.
"Yeah?" he was still curled up in a ball.
"You can come in now, I guess," Cloey said.
"Cool, thanks man," he grinned at her and getting up he cried, "OH MY GOD WHAT TIME IS IT?"
"Mm..around noon."
"Oh my god... I was supposed to be at Liberty's now...oh man.. I have to go!" Zac bounded away, and Cloey laughed as she watched him slam into the corner of the wall as he went around it. She
walked back into the hotel room and shut the door. A freshly dressed Tay (or at least as freshly dressed as someone could be who'd grabbed a pile of clothes off the floor) appeared.
"Where's Zac?"
"Some chicks house."
He scratched his greasy hair in thought and then shrugged. Awkward. This was awkward. Cloey could feel it too, so, to break the ice, she stepped closer for a hug.
"Good Ice breaker," She laughed, letting her eyes creep up to his. "Hugs, the international language."
Taylor smiled back and leaned down closer to give her a hug. When he thinks back.. it was the way she smelled that really attracted him. She smelled like pineapple.. or.. flowers drifting in a sweet summers breeze. Never the less, he had the incredible urge to play "tonsil hockey" so he let one fly. Their lips were almost touching. It was the most intense thing either of them had experienced in a while- and then the phone rang.
"I'll get it!!!" Isaac cried from the bathroom. Whoa. Taylor had totally forgot
that Isaac was even there.
"Uh.. no um.. I'll get it," He mumbled, shaking his head and turning away from Cloey. Taylor grabbed the phone and clumsily put it up to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Taylor?"
"Dad? Where are you?"
"I'm at a conference, and I just found out that all of your Jamaican shows have been canceled and since your brilliant little brother got us kicked off the plane until the end of next week-"
"But I thought we were kicked off forever." Taylor questioned. Cloey nervously picked at the edge of one of the bed sheets, and Isaac stood in the doorframe of the bathroom, listening.
"No, no, no, remember? He said until further notice and I got a call yesterday that we would
be able to board the flight next weekend."
"Um.. Ok. That's cool. So were not trapped?"
"No, son. We never were."
"Haha.. Where was I?" Taylor said half heartedly. Cloey gave him a look that said 'I'm leaving'. He waved his hand at her.
"Don't leave!" he hissed. She sighed.
"Huh? What dad?"
"I was just saying that I'm in town so it'll take me a little while to get back to the hotel and I'd like to enjoy this a little bit more."
"Are you gonna stay in town, or what?" Tay asked.
"Probably. But I'll be back this weekend, so you tell your brothers to behave."
"Uh.. ok dad. I will."
"Bye."
"Later."
Taylor hung up the phone.
"Well?" Isaac walked up to Tay.
"Behave." Taylor said.
"Yeah Right," Isaac rolled his eyes and fell onto the hotel bed. Trying to hold back a smile, Cloey grabbed Taylor's arm.
"So, what ya wanna do?" She inquired.
"Well.. I haven't eaten in like.. a day.. wanna go-"
"HEY!" Cloey interrupted, smiling. "Can we go like.. get something to eat out of those snack machine things? I love them.. they're so cool.. ahahah B-7.. and like, the candy drops out and-"
"Okay okay," Taylor laughed, inching towards the door. "I get the point, let's go."
As Cloey and Taylor walked out the door Isaac called.. "BEHAVE" after them in an Austin power's accent. oh yeah. they would definitely behave.
Chapter eight
Liberty sighed with relief as she saw zac running towards her.
"I am so sorry!" he cried, when he was within hearing distance.
"Where were you?" Liberty asked.
"Cloey came over after I was kicked out of my hotel room because I punched Ike in the nuts.. long story.. but so we talked and I kinda lost track of time, but I ran all the way here, if it makes you feel any better."
"Prove it.."
"Uh.. ok." Zac lifted his arms to show the oval sweat marks under his armpits.
"Wanna smell?" he grinned.
"Gross, Zac!"
Zac laughed.
"What are we gonna do?" he asked.
"Um...well, I was thinking we could take a walk into town or something.."
"Ok. it's really hot though, isn't it?"
"I guess, but I didn't just run 3/4 of a mile in 4 minutes."
"So what's up?" he asked.
"The sky."
Zac burst out laughing hysterically and almost crumpled to the ground. Liberty giggled but she
didn't find it funny at all.
"Man, you really are deprived from the real world, aren't you?" She grinned.
"Hahah... I guess.. oh man, I have a side ache... ugh.." They grinned at each other in silence and Liberty motioned in the direction of town. As they walked a conversation began. It was easy for them to talk seeing that they were in the middle of nowhere. Also, they just got along naturally. They didn't need to "break the ice," as Cloey would say.
"So," Liberty began, whipping a flailing piece of hair that the wind kept pulling at behind her ear.
"How long are you going to be in Jamaica?"
"I don't know. We were supposedly banned from the only airline out of here and my retarded brother, Tay, can't stand boats. He gets all weird and starts throwing up everywhere."
"Oh.. That's nice to know," She trailed, rolling her eyes and staring down at the sand.
Laughter erupted from Zac again.
"What? What did I say?"
Zac just grinned at her.
"You and me baby ain't nothin but mammals so lets do it like they do on the discovery channel.. da duh dun da dua dada dun dun dada duh da da..."Liberty sang to break the weird
moment.
"sweat baby sweat baby.. sex is the uh.." he stopped, shrugged, and
continued. "and we can do the kinda stuff that only prince would sing about so put your hands down my pants and I bet you'll feel... real ....nice?"
Liberty laughed and pretended to put her hands down his pants.
"Oh yeah!" he exclaimed. "Wait till I tell Tay and Ike! wait.. I'm underage... RAPE!!"
Liberty laughed and Zac grabbed her hand in his. She pretended not to notice and they walked
on, not talking. They both knew the handhold spoke for itself.
A few minutes later they had arrived in town. It wasn't the biggest town on the island, but it was one of them. Cars zipped past, driving on the wrong side of the road. Men with long dreadlocks sat outside an old run-down bar singing and playing bongo drums. Zac was amazed.
"I.. I've always wanted to do that!" He laughed, squeezing Liberty's hand.
"Do what?"
"Sit outside an old run-down bar, have dreadlocks and play bongo drums! ahahah."
"Um.. okay," Liberty was sort of disturbed by his strangeness. She was as normal as normal could be most of the time. But, his odd sense of humor was refreshing.
"Can we go over there? and ya know.. talk to them?" His eyes were eager. Liberty sighed lazily but she couldn't say no. Those eye's just tore at her.
"I suppose..."
After dodging through traffic to the other side of the road, Zac practically pulled Liberty onto the porch of the old, moldy bar.
"This is so cool!" He whispered, watching in wonderment. The guy's playing the bongo's stared up at the two awkward looking teenagers.
"Why you here, mon?" One of them asked. They weren't old enough to be at a bar, so it was a reasonable question.
"I.. I'm a drummer and I've always held bongo drummers high in my opinion.. I
just had to come and watch." Zac blushed, pushing his hair out of his face.
"Ohh I undah-stahnd. Well Mon, you wanna play?"
"Really? that would be so-"
Suddenly, a new voice interrupted their conversation.
"Liberty Anne Rutherford?? What do you think you are doing?"
"Mom??" She spun around, recognizing the stern voice and dropping Zac's hand.
"Who's that boy? And why are you here? You told me you were going to stay home."
Zac frowned as he stared at Liberty's mom. She was mad, really mad. And why was she being so hard on Liberty? I mean, why was Liberty's mom at a bar anyway?
Liberty's mom reached out and grasped her arm.
"Come on, we're going home."
"Wait!" Zac began. "I'm Zac and I-"
But it was too late. She had already started to drag her away. Liberty just stared at Zac in shock. He was going to run after her.. but it was useless. They had quickly disappeared in a large crowd of people.
Meanwhile....
"Tay I want some um.. um, " Cloey leaned closer to the snack machine, pressing her face against the glass. She suddenly felt Taylor's arms wrap around her waist from behind.
"What do you want?" He whispered.
"I want some.. um.. freshly roasted planters nuts."
He laughed and let go of her waist, stepping back to glance at her.
"I don't see those," He said, a hint of slyness in his voice.
"Not yet at least."
"Whoa Nelly," he laughed.
She backed away from the machine and gave him a weird look.
"Uh.. alrighty.. um partner. I guess I can't expect much more from you, seeing that you're from Oklahoma.."
"Ha ha very funny."
It was a lame conversation but sometimes, being around Cloey can do that to you.
They were on the 15th floor, the highest floor of the hotel. Cloey had insisted on going up there, she said she liked the view.
"I hate heights..."
"Really? I don't really mind them." Cloey said, smiling at him as they glanced out the window.
"You don't mind anything, do you?"
"Not really. Ugh except dogs, now those things are evil..."
"Your kidding, right?" Taylor grinned, trying to avoid looking at the view. "Dogs? They are like...cool, I mean sure there's the occasional bad one but.. dogs?"
"Yes, Tay, dogs!"
Cloey shivered. "I hate them sooo much.."
"Why? Some are pretty cute.. like puppies."
"Well, duh puppies are cute, but when they're older.." She shivered again.
"Ok.. how'd we get on this subject, anyways? Who cares about my dog fear?"
"I think it's kind of cute," Taylor said, wrapping his arms around her and resting his nose on hers.
"Really..." She said sarcastically.
"Really, In an odd... I want to kill my grandma way."
"Uh.. ok. I guess that could be cute.." Taylor laughed as Cloey raised an eyebrow.
"Hey lemme see your lip ring." He said, leaning closer to her. Cloey reached to take it out, but Tay stopped her.
"No. I meant like this."
Finally, since the incident in the hotel room, their lips touched. But Tay wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to see the ring. After a moment of being locked together in total harmony, Cloey could feel Taylor's tongue pass over the cold metal of the lip ring. She pulled back, halfway stunned.
"Whoa," She whispered. "What a rush."
He laughed, gave her a brisk kiss on the cheek, and let go of her.
"Um.. sorry.. I just-"
"It's okay. Some things in life just go a little too fast sometimes."
Chapter nine
"What do you think you were doing with that boy?" Liberty's mom cried, throwing her hands up in the air.
"Mom, his name is-"
"I don't care what his name is, I do NOT want to see you with him anymore."
"Mom... you don't even know him! You can't do that!" Liberty shrieked. She couldn't believe her mom would do something like that. She couldn't keep her and Zac apart. They were having such a great time.
"I don't care Liberty, You do NOT lie to me to go hang out with a boy and expect me not to be furious with you! Your behavior was inexcusable... and you KNOW that I do not allow you to be in that part of town! What were you thinking?" Liberty's mom ran her fingers through her short honey blonde hair.
"Mom..." she begged but liberty knew she was right.
"So no more of that boy ..and if I catch you with him.. you will get your butt whipped like you never have before and you will be grounded from everything that gives you life." her mom exaggerated. Liberty knew she meant it though.
"Understand?"
"Yes.. mom." Liberty looked down at the ground and let her hair fall in front of her face so she wouldn't have to look at her.
"Now go up to your room, and no phone for a month."
"Mom!" Liberty cried.
"Go now!"
Liberty tromped up to her room and threw herself down on her bed. She looked at her clock . The glowing numbers in the darkness of her room read 7:46. Some light shone through the curtains but not much. Liberty wanted to cry but she couldn't, she was still in shock. She could see Zac's face of distress as her mom had pulled her into the crowd. It all felt like a bad dream. She rolled over and looked at the ceiling. She had to talk to Zac...She sat up suddenly. She had an idea.
She walked out of her room and jumped over to the hall phone. She grabbed it and dragged it into the bathroom. She dialed Zac's hotel number quickly.
"Hello?" It was Ike.
"Is Zac there?"
"Uh.. yeah.. but he doesn't want to talk to anyone right now."
"Tell him it's Liberty and I have to talk to him!"
"Ok."
She heard Isaac repeat what she had just said and zac picked up the phone.
"Liberty?"
"Zac, I have to talk to you!"
"Ok.."
"But not on the phone.. meet me at the docks at 9:00, ok?"
"Why?"
"Just please come! I have to go!"
"I guess.. bye?"
"Bye!" Liberty hung up quickly and placing the phone back in its place, hurried back to her room. She shut the door and went over to her clock. She set the alarm for 8:50 and crawled into bed. She knew she was going to need some extra sleep.
* * * * * * * *
"You live on a boat." It wasn't really a question, but a statement. Cloey lived on a boat.
"Yeah, is there something wrong with that?" She stressed, giving Taylor the evil eye.
"Oh um.. no I was just saying.."
Cloey and Taylor has long since left the hotel. Now, having no where else to go (they had already combed over the town three times) they stood on the docks, staring down at a bunch of boats.
"So," he started, feeling the warm night breeze caress his face. "Which one is yours?"
There was a twinge of.. something, when Cloey grabbed his hand and started towards an enormous yacht. He still wanted to "see" her lip ring, he knew that, but now, as he peered at her blue eye's in the darkness, he knew he wanted something more.
"This one," She called, letting go of his hand and hopping aboard the awesome yacht.
"This is yours??"
"Yeah, I won it in a poker game, now come on!!"
A strained smile appeared on his face. Boats. He didn't like boats. But maybe docked boats were okay...
"Coming.." and with that, he stumbled from the dock and onto the boat.
"Whoa, careful there," Cloey practically caught him. He didn't have a very good aim when he jumped.. or .. stumbled onto the ship, so they swayed in mid fall. Luckily, Cloey grabbed the railing to steady them.
"Clumsy boy.."
"I am from Oklahoma." They laughed and broke apart, the sound of the water lapping against the side of the boat was all that was heard for a few moments. Then...
"It's nice up here Tay, but let's go get some food.. I'm starving. You never did get me any nuts." He gave her a persuasive grin, and Cloey rolled her eyes, punching him in a joking way.
"Let's just go."
And with that, Cloey lead Taylor down below.
* * * * * * * *
Zac glanced at his clock in the semi-darkness of the room. Ike and him were watching TV. and he was anxiously waiting for 8:45 so he could leave. He knew where the docks were and they were at least a five minute walk from the hotel. The clock read only 8:30. If he started out now he'd be way too early. He sighed and turned back to the TV.
"Why do you keep looking at the clock?" Isaac asked, turning his face towards Zac.
"I have to meet Liberty at the docks at 9:00."
"Oh.. uh.. do you think Dad would let you?" Ike knew the whole story and understood why zac had to go but he still had to be 'the older brother.'
"No.. but I don't care. He's not here is he?"
Ike looked around.
"Nope. But if anything happens to you its MY fault... so please.. please.. don't do anything stupid."
"I'll try to keep my hands off of her." Zac joked.
"Ha ha you know what I mean."
"Yeah, I'll behave." They watched TV. for a while longer and finally the clock read 8:45.
"See ya"
"Bye."
And zac walked out of the room.
* * * * * * *
"Oh Awesome, you have a laptop?" Taylor marveled, letting a hand trail across the small kitchen counter.
"Yeah, It came with the boat," She replied, her head in the tiny refrigerator. Taylor walked across to the bunk that had the laptop on it and sat down. He looked at it longingly.
"I haven't checked my e-mail in soo lonngg.." he thought. And as if she had read his mind-
"You can use it if you want. It has the internet. I'm going to make dinner anyway."
"Cool," He breathed, opening the top.
Cloey couldn't help but chuckle at him as she pushed things around in the almost empty refrigerator. There was practically nothing to eat.
"Damn," She muttered, her eyes traveling over the few edible things in there. Or, at least what she thought to be edible. "Maybe he'll like sushi," She thought, pulling out a container of left-over sushi. You know what sushi is. That.. raw fish stuff. Shutting the door of the fridge, Cloey walked as steadily as she could to the small kitchen table. The ocean was sort of rough that night. Usually she could walk with out swaying a bit.
Taylor opened his e-mail, browsing over all the junk mail and finding.. one from Zac? When did he do that? He shrugged an double clicked it, waiting for it to load.
"Tay," Cloey called, setting the sushi out on the table. "I hope you like-"
"OH MY GOSH!! GROSS!!"
"I didn't even tell you yet!"
"No.. It's not that.. Zac sent me a pic of.. oh that's disgusting.." Taylor mumbled, quickly shutting the browser and slamming the laptop shut.
"What? Well, we don't have to have sushi.."
He got up from the bunk and stood next to her.
"Um, after seeing a naked 600lb woman, I don't have much of an appetite."
"I saw a naked 300lb man today.. So I feel your pain." Cloey laughed, snatching the sushi back off the table.
"What? Where?"
"In the hotel.. he grabbed my ankle and whispered 'Hey baby'," she recalled, wandering back over to the fridge. Taylor shook his head, deciding he really didn't want to know. He felt that "twinge" again as he watched Cloey open the fridge. Knowing that is was wrong, but not wanting to fight it, he crept up behind her, spun her around, and pressed his lips to hers- again.
"Hey Baby," he whispered after pulling back. And that's how it started.
* * * * * * * * *
"Liberty?" Zac called into the darkness.
"Zac? Is that you?" Liberty called. Zac reached for her and pulled her into a hug.
"I'm so sorry about today, Zac. My mom is such a pain in the ass. I hate her." Liberty whispered into his ear, burying her head in his neck and breathing in the scent of him. He smelled so good and she felt warm and safe in his arms.
"Its not your fault, Lib. You know that." He whispered back. He wrapped his arms tighter around her body.
"My mom doesn't want me to see you anymore."
"What?" Zac cried, pulling away so he could look at her face.
"That's why I wanted to talk to you. I think we should go somewhere."
"What do you mean?"
"Zac.. I think we should runaway together... then she'd know that I really care about you!"
Zac was silent an d he pulled completely away from her, turning toward the water.
"Lib, I don't know. Couldn't we just sneak around? That'd be romantic, too, wouldn't it?" he said, still not facing her. She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and leaned her head on his back.
"I don't want to sneak around, Zac. Please come. My mom hates you. I can't live with that."
"Lib, it only happened today! I think your resorting to this a little drastically, don't you?" He cried, running his fingers through his blonde hair.
"I...I don't know, Lib ... I want to go, but I.. have a life."
"But what about me?" She whispered, pulling away from him. Liberty knew that she sounded like a bitch but he didn't realize what he meant to her. And her mom would never come between them. Zac sighed.
"I think... I think we could try it. But if we can't make it, then we'll come back." He offered, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. He kissed her on the cheek and she whispered: "Thank you, zac. This means so much."
"I know, but I'm not just doing this for you, I'm doing it for us." Liberty smiled in the dark. She felt his hand on her cheek and she just leaned in, welcoming the kiss that they had both waited for. His lips felt soft and warm against hers and they smiled at each other when they finally pulled away.
"How are we going to go about leaving here?"
"Boat, it seems most logical."
"But we don't have a boat, Lib."
"I know. That's the problem. We'll just borrow one, come on!" Liberty dragged him to one of the boats.
"This one looks nice. It's a houseboat, see!"
"But, Lib, that's stealing!" Zac cried.
"No it's not! And where's your sense of adventure?"
Zac sighed as Liberty pulled him onto the boat.
"We'll just untie the rope and float out for a while and then we'll start up the engine."
"Do you know how to work a boat?"
"Duh, Zac...don't you?"
"Uh.. no."
"Don't worry about it.. I'm a pro." Liberty untied the boat and they slowly floated away from the dock.
Chapter ten
"What was that?" Cloey breathed, Taylor didn't say anything, but continued to litter kisses all over her neck. He pushed her against the refrigerator and was tugging at her clothes subconsciously.
"Tay," She cooed, stroking his blonde hair. He slowly looked up at her, although, he didn't look all there- if you know what I mean.
"Yes?"
"Did you hear that? Like.. I thought I heard something up above and-"
"Shh.. It's nothing." He turned his face back to her neck, and Cloey sighed, leaning up against the fridge. Suddenly, a large wave rocked the boat and they both went sailing to the floor, landing hard.
"Oh Ow.. Let's move to the bunk, okay honey?" Cloey said, kissing his forehead. Taylor flashed her an award winning smile and nodded.
"Sounds good,"
"You little perve.. come on."
* * * * * * * *
"You know Lib, this isn't really a house boat. It's more like a yacht," Zac pondered, trying to chase away the awful feeling in his stomach. He had just met Liberty, what, a few days ago? But, in the same way, he loved her. She was the only girl that he could actually talk to. Maybe she had her crazy idea's.. but it was all worth it.
"You're right. But you can live on yachts, that's why I called it a house boat. Anyway.. do you think we're out far enough?"
Zac sighed, peering out into what seemed to be endless black.
"Yeah," he mumbled. "I can't see the lights of town anymore."
"Okay, I'm going to go start it up."
Zac watched Liberty start the boat up and turn the wheel a little bit.
"Got to stay a little on course.." She said. "We shouldn't go too far out because I'm not familiar with allot of places so we'll have to stay at least a mile within land."
"Um.. ok." Zac didn't really care, as long as she didn't get them lost and they could be together.
"It should be ok."
Liberty came over next to him.
"Can we turn on a light or something? It's really dark."
"No, Zac, it's against my religion."
"hahah.. turn on a damn light." Zac commanded.
"Jeez, your pushy, maybe I don't want to be with you.." Liberty grinned, groping for a light switch in the darkness.
"Well.. Your gonna be with me no matter what." Zac's heart pounded as he said those words. He didn't know what he wanted from her exactly. Maybe just someone to talk to maybe just someone to love, he didn't know.
"I guess I just want you." he mumbled aloud.
"What? Did you say something Zac?"
"Uh no..."
"I heard you." Liberty said, searching his eyes in the newly blinding light. Zac looked down at his feet. What was he supposed to do now?
* * * * * * *
"Okay.. can you feel that?"
"Oh yeah.."
"No Tay!"
She had to smile, but still, she was aggravated.
"Can you feel the boat moving.. I .. I hear the engine,"
"Well I knew that I was good-"
"Ughh.. just get off me and go see what it is.. please?" A look passed over her face that Taylor just couldn't resist. "Okay.." He kissed her mouth, touching the lip ring with his tongue again, and then stood up.
"Where are my pants?" He muttered, lurching around, finally finding them laying in the corner. He clumsily put them on, walking up the steps that led to the top deck.
* * * * * * * *
Liberty shook her head, putting a hand on Zac's shoulder.
"Never mind, let's just.. try not to have weird moments like that. We don't need that coming in between us.. you.. you.. bitch," She giggled.
Zac grinned at her and gave her a hug. And that's when..
"Hey?? Who are you??" A familiar voice called from the opening of the stairs. Zac and Liberty, startled, jumped and looked in the direction of the voice. In the darkness it took a moment for Zac to realize who the figure with only one pant leg on was.
"Taylor??" He cried, frowning.
"Zac? What the hell??"
"Why are you here? And why are you half naked?" Zac asked.
"Why are you here? This is Cloey's boat."
"Oh that explains everything.." Zac drifted.
"Were you guys having sex?" Liberty cried, pointing at Tay's pants.
"None of your business, anyways, why are you here?"
"Um.. well.. we kind of just wanted to go out on a boat and here we are," Zac lied.
"Really... I don't believe you."
"That's the truth I swear."
"Zac, your stealing a boat."
"But, we were just borrowing it..."
"Taylor? Who's up there, hun?" Cloey called from downstairs. She wrapped a sheet around her body and climbed up the stairs.
"Its just my brother and his girlfriend," Tay called. Zac and Liberty gave each other sideway smiles.
"Oh my god, you were having sex!" Zac cried, as he noticed what Cloey was "wearing."
"Tay that is soooo against our morals!"
"Obviously not against his dick though..." Liberty whispered to Zac. He laughed.
"Hey, this outfit doesn't mean we were um.. doing it. I could just be sporting a new look.. ya know, the Greek's wore stuff like this all the time," Cloey smiled, wiping a piece of hair out of her face.
"Yeah.. Right Cloe. And the Greek's wore their pants halfway on too. I get it."
"Shut up Zac, this isn't any of your business," Taylor growled, half heartedly pulling at his pants.
"It's okay.. let's not over react. Now little boy, why did you steal my boat?"
"I didn't steal it!"
"Yeah," Liberty spoke up. "We were just borrowing it.."
Cloey Leaned against Taylor, resting her head on his bare shoulder.
"Your views on borrowing are a little distorted.. but, c'mon you guys, let's not talk here, it's freezing," Cloey motioned them down below and she disappeared into the hallway.
Chapter 11
It was dark, and the ocean was rough. The 4 uncomfortable teens stared at each other from across the table, not knowing what to do. There was a small candle lit in the middle of the table. Cloey said she wanted to save some of the boat's electricity. Plus, she just didn't want the lights on.
"So, explain to me, what the hell is going on here?" Zac said slowly, glancing from one illuminated face to the next.
Liberty tried smothering a small smile. The tone of Zac's voice and the way he said "hell" was funny. Cloey caught it and lifted an eyebrow. What was she smiling about?
"Okay, if you really must know," Tay sighed, grabbing Cloey's hand under the table. "Cloey and me got bored and decided to-"
"-Have sex.." Zac grinned.
"Well that wasn't planned," Cloey joked, rolling her eyes.
Tay looked disgruntled so both Cloey and Zac shut up, allowing him to tell his story.
"-just hang out.. and so, we um.." Taylor just gave up. The giggles from around the table were overpowering.
"Yeah..ok Taylor. We get it. "Liberty grinned.
"Anyways.. Why art thou here?" Cloey pondered thoughtfully. "C'mon dude I know you wanted my totally awesome chick-mobile of a boat but, man you shoulda asked me first.."
Liberty and Zac explained what had happened earlier that day and explained why they had decided to take a boat. "It was a painful, hard experience," Zac stressed, interrupting Liberty's story.
Cloey smiled at him in the dim light and twinge of jealousy shot through Liberty as Zac smiled back, almost shyly. Taylor sighed and pushed his hair out of his eyes. He glanced at Cloey and a smile tugged at his lips.
"Why is everyone smiling?" Liberty laughed, looking around the table, skeptically.
"So, anyway. Back to the runaway thing. That's kinda cool. Were you just planning on leaving me and Tay behind, or can we come on this little adventure of yours, I mean, you're on my boat anyway."
Zac and Liberty glanced at each other.
"Well, we weren't exactly planning on-"
"Great! When do we leave?" Cloey said sarcastically.
Suddenly... THE SKY IS FALLING...oops. Where was I? Anyways.. Suddenly the boat took a mean turn to the left, causing the candle to fly off the table and go out. Cloey toppled off her chair, and she could hear the strangled grunts of the others as they landed on the cold wood floor of the boat also.
"Oh CRAP my LEG!" Zac moaned, groping around for the edge of the table in the darkness.
"AHHHH" Taylor screamed, scrambling to stand up. "THERE'S SOMETHING WET, AND COLD, AND GROSS STUCK TO MY FACE!! AHHH"
"WHAT THE HELL TAYLOR? THAT'S MY ASS." Cloey yelled, shooing Tay's hand off of her butt.
"Somebody turn on a light," It was Liberty, she sounded afraid. Zac groped around in the darkness for the fallen candle and his hand fell upon it.
"That's not the candle!" Tay cried, wiggling out of Zac's grip. Zac laughed. "Sorry man...then where is it?"
"Just find it guys..."Liberty cried, feeling clostrophobic.
"Are you ok, Liberty?" Zac asked, trying to find her in the darkness. The thrashing of the boat became more intense, and they were all sliding around the floor, frantically trying to find something to hold onto. Somehow, Liberty and Zac ended up latched together on the floor. Zac had his hands buckled around her waist and his face tangled in her hair. Taylor was holding onto the cupboards of the kitchen, trying hard not to fall over. He was searching for a light switch.
"Tay!!" Cloey screeched over the noise of the waves crashing into the boat. "WHERE ARE YOU??"
"I'm OVER HERE, LOOKING FOR THE- WHOA SHIT!" He slipped on something and went sailing down, hitting his forehead on a counter.
"Ow..." He moaned as he was slammed onto the floor.
"TAYLOR!" Cloey shrieked as the boat was tossed around like a ping-pong ball. Liberty tightened her grip around Zac and whimpered into his ear. Cloey struggled to stand up and was thrown to the other side of the boat. She steadied herself and made a break for where she had heard Taylor's voice last. Unfortunately for Tay, she stumbled over his feet and landed on top of him.
"Ah!....ow.."Taylor moaned, dagger like pain shooting through his head.
"Ugh.. Taylor? Are you ok?" Cloey asked as her and Tay were thrown to the wall. Tay curled up into a ball in the corner so he couldn't move. Cloey wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm ok.." Taylor said hoarsely, snuggling against her. "Cloey...where's your sheet?"
Three guys, two girls, and a jamaican island
"What? What are you doing?" Taylor shrieked, leaning over the arm rest of the plane's uncomfortable seat to glance at Zac and his laptop.
"uh.. nothing.." Zac grinned, closing the web browser he was on and snapping the lid shut.
"I don't believe you..."
"Believe what you will.. here have your precious computer."
He heaved the computer into the air and practically threw it onto Tay's lap.
"AHHH!"
"heh heh.."
Zac ignored Tay and leaned out into the isle to flag down the stewardess.
"hello? hellloo??" He waved his arms around frantically.
"Zac, you can like.. beep them or whatever with that button over your head.." Isaac said from behind his absent minded brother.
"Oh..oh yeah.. duh."
Zac punched the button and the stewardess appeared.
"Hi, can you show me where the exits are again, I like what you did with your arms."
Zac pulled off the most serious face he could manage and sat there looking up at her.
"Your one of those Hanson kids aren't you?" the lady asked.
"If you want me to be." Zac replied, winking. She smiled at him.
"Do you need anything?"
"Yeah, I have really bad diarrhea and I need some pepto bismal."
He grinned. The stewardess raised an eyebrow and walked off.
Isaac started to laugh hysterically and Taylor pulled of the headphones he had just put on.
"What?"
He asked, a little confused.
"Nothing." Zac grinned.
"That was great zac!"
Isaac laughed and gave him a high-five.
"That's a true Hanson for you." he added.
"Yes yes, I know. the Hanson charm pasted down from centu-"
His babbling was interrupted by the captain coming over the loud speaker.
"We have now begun our descent into San-weeco national Airport, in the Jamaican islands. Please be sure to turn off all on-board electrical devices and note that the fasten seat belt sign is on. Thank you for flying delta and be sure to enjoy your trip" and out.
"Um.. could they be any more boring?" Zac mumbled, glancing over at Tay who was rocking out to some unknown CD.
"Hey dude, you have to turn that off. Didn't you hear? No 'electrical devices'? Snap snap. get to it," He motioned to the walkman, but Taylor ignored him and started mouthing the words. A grin washed over Zac's face as he got an idea.
"TAY!" he shouted.
Taylor blinked.
"WHAT?" he shouted back.
"THE PLANES CRASHING, TURN THAT OFF!" Zac screamed, just loud enough so the people in front of them could hear them.
"The planes crashing, what?"
"the planes going down!"
"OH MY GOD!!!"
Panic erupted from the 1st class passengers.
"What the hell is happening?" Isaac questioned. "The plane is crashing?" Taylor asked worriedly.
"Yeah! And they need three volunteers to dance around on the wing of the plane!"
"What?" Taylor questioned. Zac just grinned.
"Your such an idiot! NO THE PLANE ISN'T CRASHING!" Zac cried.
Suddenly, the captains angry voice filled the cabin.
"Everyone calm down! The plane is not crashing! We are in descent to the airport. The plane will LAND SAFELY at the AIRPORT in a few moments. so please stay seated."
Everything went quiet and Zac ducked behind the seat in front of him. 'maybe they wont see me..' he thought, pulling his long blonde hair over his face.
"Cousin It? Uh.. you're in big ass trouble, so don't even try to hide." Taylor whispered, shoving his walkman into his carry on. Zac sat up and sighed.. "Totally.."
Chapter Two
Zac walked off of the plane a little slowly, trying to avoid the punishment that lay ahead. His Dad was already in Jamaica, waiting safely inside the airport for his boys, but Zac was sure he knew about what happened on the plane. Walker was just like that.
"Zac? Gosh, hurry up. Your walking as slow as an old lady and I'm carrying a huge bag, SO GO FASTER!"
Taylor complained, pushing the hard bag he was carrying into Zac's back.
Ignoring Tay, Zac went even slower down the rusty terminal connecting the plane to the airport. 'You can just wait,' He thought, throwing Taylor a grin over his shoulder.
"Out of my way," Isaac called, rushing past Zac and disappearing at the entrance of the terminal where Walker was presumably standing.
"Out of my way, out of my daay," Zac started to sing Metallica's, "Ain't my bitch," really loud. The other passengers that had been walking and pulsing around him the whole time started to get nervous. I mean, the kid said the plane was going to crash, and now he was singing some weird hard rock song at the top of his lungs. Who wouldn't be a little nervous?
They were inches away from the entrance into the airport. Zac slowed down, almost completely stopping, and started to sing as loud as he could.
"YOU AIN'T MY BIIIIITCCCCHHHAAAHH!!"
"HEY! SHUT UP AND WALK FASTER!" Taylor yelled suddenly, slamming what must have been his hard suitcase into Zac with full force. Not good. Zac went tumbling over, finally landing inside the airport- and at his angry Father's feet.
"I just got a page from the pilot John Ackerman" He growled, shoving his pager in Zacs' face.
"It seems you caused some difficulties on the plane, and now you are banned from Delta airlines."
"So.. hello i'm a hanson."
"Hello, this is the only airline that takes us from the islands!" Isaac cried, a distressed look crossing his face.
"Um...so?" Zac said, standing up and wiping off his pants.
"We can take a boat," he added. Walkers veins were bulging out of his forehead, like they always do when he gets angry.
"Taylor gets sea sick."
"What?" Taylor said, as he stopped checking this one girl out.
"Zac wants to take a boat back home."
"No way, last time I was on a boat, I thought I barfed up a cat."
"Maybe you did.." Zac whispered to himself, glancing up at a distressed Taylor. Walker sighed and shoved his pager back into his belt loop.
"Well, Boys, I don't know what to do. We'll just have to figure out how to get back to the states when that time rolls around.. but right now, you guys have a concert to get to."
***A FEW HOURS LATER***
It was hot. Really hot. Zac breathed deeply and wiped his fore head with the back of his hand. It took about an hour to get all of their stuff rounded up at the airport. Strangely enough, all of Zac's baggage turned up missing.
"Oh like that was an accident," He laughed, throwing a glance at the pile of luggage next to the small stage. The concert they were putting on was at the beach, about 20 feet away from the pulsing ocean, and under the burning hot sun. Zac was kneeling in the sand digging through the bag that had his drum sticks and stuff in it.
"Damn, where are my earplugs???"He cried.
"Uh.. maybe there in here Zac, I have two pairs." Taylor said, looking through his equipment bag, and pulling out another pair beside the ones he had in his hands.
"Which ones don't have your ear crap on them?" Zac lifted his eyebrow. Taylor glared.
"What's your problem?"
"Nothing, get out of my face." Zac said and pushed past Tay.
"Zac, get your ass back here, we have a show to do."
"Do it yourself, I don't even fucking sing!" He yelled over his shoulder and ran down the beach with his older brother gawking at him in disbelief.
Chapter three
What am I doing? zac thought to himself. He couldn't believe what he had just done. All he knew was he needed time and he wished he had someone to talk to - out of the family.
*Meanwhile*
Liberty Rutherford sat on her tree swing that hung over a large hill of sand. She could see the ocean from where she sat. Liberty was fifteen, she had flowing light brown hair and soft brown eyes. She was a quiet person and felt quite at home at her house at the beach. She didn't have many friends, just her friends from school and her younger sister, Dakota.
As she thought, she noticed someone walking down the beach with blonde hair. She studied the person and since she wasn't too extremely far away, determined it was a guy. A pretty hot guy too. She smiled to herself.
"Liberty, do you want to help me build a sandcastle?"
Dakota said, as she walked up to her carrying a bucket and a shovel. Liberty shrugged. There was nothing better to do.
She followed her 10 year old sister out onto the beach. She could see the footprints that the hot guy had left. Big Feet. She smiled again.
"OK...now you get the water and I will dig the moat." Dakota ordered.
Liberty grabbed the bucket and walked to the water. Liberty was ordered around for another hour or so and she had lost hope in seeing the hot guy again. Dakota finally got pissed that the sand wouldn't stick and marched into the house. Liberty continued work on the castle until a deep voice coming from behind her, made her drop what she was doing.
"Need any help?" She spun around to face the "hot guy."
"Hey, I'm zac." he smiled, and held out his hand. "Um.. I'm Liberty, nice to meet you." she said shaking his hand. They just sat there staring for a while. "Uh, yeah, you can help." she said, shaking her head.
"Sorry"
"That's ok." he said, sitting down next to her and patting some of the sand. "Do you live here?" He asked.
"Um, yeah. We just moved here," Liberty answered.
"You?"
"Um, I live in Oklahoma, you know, the US?"
"Yeah, that's where I used to live, not Oklahoma but the US. I lived in Maine."
"Cool, I've been there."
"Really? I've never been to Oklahoma."
"I travel alot." Zac said, burying his hand in the sand.
"I wish I could travel, but my parents hate airplanes. We took a boat when we moved here." she
smiled.
"Weird. I always fly. I'm in a band."
"Cool, which one, I don't really know music that well."
"Hanson?"
Liberty gasped, then covered her mouth. Zac grinned and laughed a little.
"I can't believe I just did that. Gasp, I mean. I'm not a teenybopper, I swear!" she blushed.
"Its alright, I'm used to it."
"My cousin loves you, I can't believe I didn't recognize you."
"That was the cool part. I love not being recognized."
"Really? I think it'd be cool."
"I guess."
"LIBERTY!! DINNERTIME"
"Oh, um thats my dad, I have to go."
"Oh, ok."
"Well, I gotta go."
"Yeah, well maybe we could see each other tomorrow or something."
"O.k. that be great." "Meet you here tomorrow at noon?"
"O.k." Liberty smiled and he smiled back and they both walked away.
Chapter Four
"Zac?? Zaac? Gosh! where the frick are you?"
The sounds of Taylor's yelling echoed across the deserted beach. It was 2 hours till the concert, and they hadn't even set up their instruments yet. All because of Zac. Taylor had been walking around the beach for over and hour now, without finding Zac, or any hot girls he could admire. Which really sucked for him.
"ZAC?!" he yelled again, tripping up and over a large sand dune. 'oh.. when I find you..' Taylor trudged along, thinking up ways to get back at Zac, without watching where he was going. 'now.. there's Chinese water torture.. or i could
starve him to death instead. heh.. ye-' something hit his foot as he was bringing it forward and he went sailing into the air, landing face first into the sand.
"Shit, watch where you're going!" A girl cried from behind him, pushing Taylor's tangled legs off of her.
A strangled sound came out of Taylor's sand filled mouth and he rolled over awkwardly, trying to survey the scene.
Obviously, He tripped over some girl stretched out on a towel, sunbathing. She sat up, pulled off her headphones that were blasting some hard rock song, and glared at him. "Are you okay?" She asked harshly, staring at the trickle of
blood dribbling from the edge of Taylor's mouth.
"Huh? Uh.. yeah.." He spit out some sand and sat up.
"Sorry.. I was um.. Have you seen a guy about this tall and this wide with.." Trailing off, he stared down at the sand, realizing the girl was grinning at him.
"Naw, sorry dude. Been basking in the sun, ignoring the rest of the world. Haven't seen him.. But hey.. Aren't you that.. Jaylor Hanson guy or whatever?"
'Jaylor? uh.. no, I'm Taylor,' he was going to say, but stopped, noticing how odd the girl looked.
She was tan, with short dyed silver hair that was full of tiny braids. Her face was sort of round, but off-set by an eyebrow ring on her right eyebrow, and a lip ring.
"Hi um.. welcome to earth," She said, trying to get his attention.
"Uh.. oh.. what?"
"Are you a Hanson?"
"Yeah.. I'm Taylor," he couldn't tear his eyes away from the glimmering lip ring.
"Cool. Nice to meet ya, I'm Cloey,"
"Cool..."
Cloey raised and eyebrow and grinned at him.
"You're staring at my lip ring, aren't you?"
'What?' Taylor thought frantically, suddenly looking off into the distance.
"No it's okay, heheh, people always want to stare at it.. here.. I'll take it out."
Taylor watched in silence as she reached up and slowly slid it out, putting it into a purse laying next to her.
"There.. All better."
He smiled gingerly and then looked down at the sand. 'What do i say now..'
"So, is this your first time visiting Jamaica? Dude wait, before you answer, lemme put this in my jeep- or wait, do you have to go or something? your brother.." She trailed, standing up and motioning around with her hands.
"Well.. uh.. yeah-"
"Wanna hop in my jeep with me and like.. drive around and try to find him? C'mon, it would be fun."
Cloey grabbed Taylor's wrist and pulled him to his feet. He was dazed. Normally a girl would swoon allover him and not be able to talk- let alone boss him around.
"Yeah i guess."
He agreed, but Cloey was already pulling him along, telling him to 'grab her towel' and stuff.
'this is going to be a long day...'
Chapter Five
Zac walked slowly back to the place where he had stomped off from. He was beginning to feel guilty about the way he had talked to Taylor. Oh well, he couldn't change what he had done. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked on. He starting to sing *NSYNC's "Bye Bye Bye" dance moves and all. He had this weird love for *Nsync and no one knew why.
"Bye Bye Bye!" He shouted and thrust his fist in the air. He grinned to himself. He felt oddly happy, even though he was still pissed at himself for saying that stuff to Taylor. He wondered why and then remembered Liberty. What a cool name he
thought. He grinned again. Then he cursed at himself for being happy. He was supposed to be angry.
'What I said was wrong and...and...I shouldn't come home grinning and talking about a girl named Liberty.'
He knew he would never hear the end of it if he told Ike the girl he was "hot for" as the Hanson brothers liked to say, well if her name was Liberty.
'Enough about her....how am I gonna walk into the house? Happy...sad....angry still? I DON'T KNOW! The whole family probably knows by now...' Zac's eyebrows knitted in thought. He sighed. It felt like he had a big load of armor on his chest. All of a sudden he heard two sharp honks and a bunch of sand hit his face as a jeep roared by him. It suddenely made a sharp stop and the whole jeep rocked back and forth, music blasting from inside.
"Aw crap" Zac muttered. "Damn teenyboppers"
"He-ey MA-AAN!!!"A voice cried form the abyss of the jeep and all of a sudden, Taylor fell
out of the window. A girl jumped out of the drivers seat and rushed to where Tay was laying face down in the
sand. Zac ran as fast as he could over to Tay and the strange silver haired girl.
"Um, hi." Zac said.
"I didn't give it to him, I swear! He found it under my seat!"
"Hey, baby turn it uuuuppp!!!" Taylor mumbled, awkwardly trying to roll over.
"Let's get him to his feet, we don't need him passing out." The girl said as she bent over to grab Tay's flailing arms.
"Uhh ahahah.. you got nice boobs."
Zac tried not to laugh as he helped the girl get Tay up, but it was hard not to. I mean, he had never heard his brother.. ramble.
"Hahahaha.. yesterday you guys- no no, listen to me- Cloey.. do you remember when you were with me yesterday-"
"I wasn't with you yesterday honey... He's delirious.." She whispered, rolling her eyes.
"Dude- no, but yesterday, i met this guy.. named.. Bob.. and like he told me.. um... he told me.. NOT TO ANGER THE CLOWNS!! AHHH CLOWNS!!!!" Taylor shook the two off of him and clumsily started to run to the ocean, ranting about Bob and clowns the whole way.
Cloey (Zac assumed that was her name) and Zac went running after him. Cloey caught him first and they dragged him to the jeep.
"Lets lay him down in the back so then he doesn't, like, puke all over me." She told Zac, even though he wasn't
really listening.
"Yooo....baby...put that lip ring back in..ah think its sssexy.."
Zac practically choked at the smell of Taylor's alcohol stained breath.
"What'd he drink?" he gagged, climbing into the front seat and buckeling his seatbelt. Cloey joined him in front and slammed her foot on the gas pedal, not even bothering to answer Zac's question.
"What did you say earlier, babe?" Cloey asked, over the pulsating bass of her awesome stereo.
"WHAT DID YOU GIVE HIM?" He shouted again.
"VODKA" she shouted back, glancing at him, and totally looking him up.
"Hey, your hot, you got a girlfriend? Cuz, I'm single.."
"Heeey...put da lip ring in!" Taylor said, hanging over Cloey, which made her swerve a little.
"Good god, woman! Get a grip!" Zac cried, his heart racing. She made him uncomfortable, but at the same time he couldn't help but like her.
"Zac.. don't call me a wooo-man.. heh heh.. that's a weeeird woorrd.. wwoooo-maan.."
Cloey batted Taylor back into the back seat.
"Hey hon, i'm driving," She called, glancing up at Tay in the rear veiw mirror.
"Wooo-maaan.. hahah.. yooo woooman.. put in da RING!"
"Which ring Babe?"
"Lip.. ring.. lipp.. huh.. ugh.. hehehe."
Cloey stole another look at Zac and announced: "Damn, he's totally wasted."
"Yeah like i didn't- TAY!! GET IN THE BACK!!" Zac screeched as Tay launched himself into the front.
"LIP RING!!!!!" Was all Taylor said. He frantically snatched at the steering wheel in an attempt to get Cloey's attention.
"Okay Okay! God! Get back there and i will!"
Taylor rolled his eyes and smiled like a shy little kid. "uh.. heheh okay.."
Oh what a mess.. Zac assumed Cloey was going to pull over for a sec to put in her 'supposed' lip ring.. but he assumed wrong. Now she was asking him to..
"Hold the wheel for a sec. Dude, gotta rummage for the lip ring."
He felt his heart stop.
"What?" he cried, giving her a look that said, 'you're crazy.'
She smiled wildly and motion from Zac to the steering wheel.
"You, Wheel, now, hold," And with that, she released her grip from the wheel.
"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" The jeep went swerving in and out of the ocean and suddenly Zac realized that Liberty was standing 50 feet away from the out of control vehicle.
"FUCK THE RING!!! MY GIRL IS ABOUT TO BE-"
"AHHHH CLOWNS!!!'
"WAIT A MINUTE IT'S ALMOST IN!"
Zac groaned loudly and flew on top of Cloey, trying to get down to the brakes.
"Whoa! getting a little happy there-"
"HIT THE GOD DAMNED BRAKES!!" He yelled from his position under the steering wheel. He felt her pound on the breaks and was slammed up against her feet.
"Um ow.." he said, as Cloey turned down her music.
"Saaaayy...guys I don feel too-*BLEGHHHH*"
"Please, God no...no.."
"Zac don't move, he gotcha good."
"No.."
"Dude...I just ralphed all up mahhnn...that felt good." Taylor breathed.
"Baby...please, lay down, let me clean zac up."
"Duuude...don touch my brutheeer...hes blood and dat is sicko."
"I think he's getting worse, babe." Cloey said.
Zac moaned. "Help me up!"
"I can't you have puke all over you!"
"Hello?" A shy voice asked. "Are you all alright?"
Liberty, during all this, had walked up to the drivers seat window.
"NOOOOO...woah i sound like a cow....y*know MOOOO," Taylor rambled from the backseat.
"Liberty?" Zac mumbled.
"Zac?Is that you?"
"Yep...I have puke all over me and I can't get up!" He heard her giggle.
"Can you help us..uh Liberty? I'm Cloey... and I think your boyfriend just got ralphed on."
Liberty, brushing aside the 'boyfriend' comment, said ok and she told Cloey to open her door.
"PUT THE LIP RING IN!" Taylor commanded, sitting up in the backseat.
"Taylor, I'M SO GONNA KILL YOU WHEN WE GET HOME!!!" Zac screamed.
Chapter six
Um I think I need to lay down." Taylor said the next morning as he went to get up from his bed. "Mmmph.." Zac replied, rolling over in the bed next to him. Isaac had his own room, and you could here him softly strumming the cords of "Love Song" through the thin walls of the Hotel. The day before, the show had to be canceled (obviously). But Zac had made up this lame excuse that Tay had puked to the point of hallucinating, because that was the only way to describe Tay's sudden fear of "Clowns". They had all come back to the motel and tried to calm Tay down, but were unsuccessful. Isaac finally found them and all together they strapped Tay to his bed. Then Cloey and Liberty went home while Zac took the longest shower Ever...
"HEY ZAC! Why am I strapped to the bed? ZACHARY WALKER HANSON WAKE UP!!!"Tay screamed.
Zac only put his pillow over his head as he mumbled "screw you."
"MAYBE I COULD IF I WASN'T STRAPPED TO THE BED!!" Taylor's head throbbed as he screamed but he really had a bad itch and he needed to scratch. He wiggled around trying to itch but he just couldn't.
"What the hell, Tay, your gonna wake up the whole hotel if you keep screaming!" Ike said walking into the room.
"I HAVE AN ITCH!!"
"where?" Isaac asked.
"If I had asked you to itch it, I would have already so BACK OFF!" Taylor said.
"all I want is to be untied, ok? is that alright with you?"
"mmppphhhhh..ughpna hmiph" Zac mumbled from under his pillow.
"huh?" Isaac said, peeking under the pillow.
"uggghh.. just UNTIE HIM AND LET ME SLEEP!"
"what's with you guys this morning?" Ike mumbled, untying tay.
"Aahh.." Taylor said, scratching himself in an unspeakable place.
"ouch, if I knew it was there, I would have come in sooner. Sorry man."
"Its ok.. oh man...I have the worst hangover.. I think I'm gonna hurl,"
"mmmph dhngi fosdsak sodhd fkfai sifaoi"
"ZAC WE CANT HEAR YOU!"
"JUST NOT ON ME THIS TIME OK NOW LEAVE ME ALLLOOOONNNE!"
"Hey, your the one that's talking."
Zac groaned and wriggled into the covers of his bed a little deeper.
"I don't need this" he thought, closing his eyes as tight as they could shut. His dad was going to kill him.. Taylor had the worst hangover.. the show was canceled- and last but not least, the Hanson family was stranded in Jamaica.. well, unless they wanted to risk being washed overboard the deck of some Godforsaken boat...
"Ahh this is the life," Zac heard Isaac say from across the room. What? WHAT? This is the LIFE? Zac, enraged to the point of insanity, shot up out of bed, ran across the room to where Isaac was sitting in front of a large bay window and plowed into him.
"THIS IS THE LIFE??? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?"
"GET THE F*CK OFF ME ZAC!!" They both fell to the floor, struggling with each other inches away from the huge glass window. Taylor stood back, silently watching the tumble.
'maybe I should pry them off each other..' he thought and then shrugged. 'naw.' Still, the fight went on. Closer and closer to the window with every angry hair pull or punch. Zac, being the more aggressive one, pinned Isaac down and punched him right in the...
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Ahaha," Zac breathed, slowly standing up to observe his cowering brother.
"I'm never going to be able to have kids.. ahhh..owwww," Isaac moaned, curling up into a ball.
"I'll help you brother!" Taylor called, stumbling over to Isaac, his hand outstretched.
"Help me what? Have kids? get away.. ugghhh.."
Zac stuck his foot out in an attempt to stop Taylor from getting to close to the window, but instead of Tay stopping he continued to walk, tripping over Zac's foot and sailing into the huge glass window. Just before Taylor hit the glass, Zac grabbed for him and caught his pant leg.
"AAAAHHH..." Taylor shrieked and fell to the ground below the window.
"Oh mmannn.. My head is throbbing, I am so gonna tell dad."
"What? That you got drunk with this weird girl and were driving promiscuously up and down the beach with her? huh? How would Dad react to THAT story?!?"Zac said, still smirking at his cowering older brother.
"Urg.. What is with you lately, man?"
"MY BALLLSSS!!" Isaac suddenly cried, tears in his eyes.
"Zac, I hereby BAN you from this hotel room!" he continued. Taylor smirked.
"Ha ha, right, Ike man, you can't ban me, I'm your brother." Zac said, laughing.
"URG-GET OUT!" Isaac screamed, and pointed to the door.
"Hey Ike, I don't kn-"
"OUT, Zachary. Until we both cool off.." Isaac said, turning this back to him.
"Jeez, what's your problem?"
"Out!"
"Ok..ok.." Zac walked to the door slowly and glanced back at them as he cautiously shut the door. What do I do now?
Chapter Seven
Cloey crept along the outside of the Hanson's hotel room, pressing herself close against the wall of the building.
'they're going to think this is weird,' She thought, peering up and over a ledge to see into a window. Nope.. not their room.. unless they have a naked dancing fat man living with them.
"Gross," she laughed, the warm Jamaican breeze caressing her face. It was about 10am. The day before, she had picked up all three of the Hanson guys and accidentally gotten one of them drunk. But hey, that wasn't unusual for her. She always seemed to get guys drunk. Why? she didn't know. This time though, she had to apologize. It was just the right thing to do.
Cloey wandered around the outside of the hotel for a while, peeking into windows. It was a slow and boring process. Until she saw an OPEN window. Smiling evilly, she scaled the odd orange walls of the hotel and pulled herself into the room through the window. It was empty, she assumed. There were no lights on and the room was in shambles. Picking her way through the mess, she made it to the door- and then she hear a noise. someone was.. groaning. Glancing down at the floor she saw.. The fat man.
"Hey uh.. baby," He mumbled, reaching out to grab her foot.
"Um ew! uhh.. i'm sorry dude.. but.. gotta go!" Cloey, not knowing what else to do, jumped over the naked fat guy and fled out the door, and into the hallway. Cloey walked down the many halls not knowing exactly where she was, but finally she stumbled upon something.
"Zac?!?"
"uh?...Cloey?"
"Zac, why are you out here?"
"I punched Ike in the nuts and now I'm banned from the room. I didn't have anywhere to go so I just curled up out here." He said, peering up at her with his big innocent eyes.
"Your such a goofball." Cloey grinned.
"Why are you here?" He said, making room for her to sit down next to him.
"Uh, well," Cloey sat down
"I wanted to apologize for getting Tay drunk last night."
"Umm.. ok. I accept, but your gonna have to do my dirty laundry for a month since you've put me through so much pain and agony." He grinned. Cloey smiled and messed up his hair.
"Hey, I worked for a minute and a half getting all the grease in place this morning, watch it!"
"Your sick." Cloey mused.
"I know. Hey can you like tell Tay you'll have sex with him if he convinces Ike to let me back in?"
"Hmm...no? I'm not as shallow as you think. I have morals you know."
"Are you a virgin?"
"Why are you asking me this, little boy?"
"I'm not little and I'm just asking." Zac replied, picking at his shirt sleeve.
"That's for me to know and no one to find out."
"Witch." Zac hissed. Cloey smiled.
"Well, I'm gonna go talk to your brothers and see if I can persuade them to let you back in alright?"
"That sounds good."
Cloey stood up, giving one last glance at Zac who was sprawled out on the hotel's floor and turned to the door, gingerly knocking it.
"Hello?" She called, biting her lip.
"Ughh.. hello?" a weak sounding Ike said as he peered through the eyehole.
"who is this?"
"I'm Cloey and I just came to tell Tay.. and Zac.. and well, you, that I'm really sorry for all the trouble I've caused." There. She said it.
"I don't know what your-"
"Ike, who is it?"
"Some girl named.. Moe.. or is it.."
"Cloey?"
"Yeah, do you know her?"
"Yeah, let her in." A second later, the door swung open revealing a worn looking Taylor standing in his boxers, and Ike who was.. touching his..
"Ow.." He moaned, wiping the tears away from his face.
"Uh.. hey Cloey.. come in." Taylor motioned, throwing an evil glare at his brother. "Don't mind him," Tay whispered as he pushed Cloey into his room.
"Oh well.. I'd be in pain too if my brother punched me in the nuts.." she thought quizzically. "If I had nuts..."
Taylor laughed.
"Why are you here?...I mean not that I don't want you here-"
"Shut up Tay your just blabbering...anyways I came here to apologize for yesterdays incident and to say that-"
"That's ok.. I was the one who drank the stuff....wasn't I?" Taylor grinned. Cloey smiled back.
"I was also told to ask if you would kindly let your cute little brother in. He looks like he's starving."
"He's only been out there for ten minutes," Taylor raised an eyebrow. She pursed her lips to keep from smiling.
"Ha ..ha yeah right Tay he looks like he's been out there for five days."
"I swear...he's only been out there for ten minutes at that.." Taylor said, blushing as he realized he was standing in his boxers.
"Um...can you hold on for a sec?"
"Onto what?" She grinned, licking her lips for affect. Taylor was extremely red now. It looked as though he suddenly received a harsh sunburn.
"Uh.. I'm gonna- just over here- change.." He drifted, grabbing a pile of clothes off the floor and disappearing into the bathroom. Cloey shrugged and decided it was okay if Zac came back into the room. "Zac?" She called, opening the door.
"Yeah?" he was still curled up in a ball.
"You can come in now, I guess," Cloey said.
"Cool, thanks man," he grinned at her and getting up he cried, "OH MY GOD WHAT TIME IS IT?"
"Mm..around noon."
"Oh my god... I was supposed to be at Liberty's now...oh man.. I have to go!" Zac bounded away, and Cloey laughed as she watched him slam into the corner of the wall as he went around it. She
walked back into the hotel room and shut the door. A freshly dressed Tay (or at least as freshly dressed as someone could be who'd grabbed a pile of clothes off the floor) appeared.
"Where's Zac?"
"Some chicks house."
He scratched his greasy hair in thought and then shrugged. Awkward. This was awkward. Cloey could feel it too, so, to break the ice, she stepped closer for a hug.
"Good Ice breaker," She laughed, letting her eyes creep up to his. "Hugs, the international language."
Taylor smiled back and leaned down closer to give her a hug. When he thinks back.. it was the way she smelled that really attracted him. She smelled like pineapple.. or.. flowers drifting in a sweet summers breeze. Never the less, he had the incredible urge to play "tonsil hockey" so he let one fly. Their lips were almost touching. It was the most intense thing either of them had experienced in a while- and then the phone rang.
"I'll get it!!!" Isaac cried from the bathroom. Whoa. Taylor had totally forgot
that Isaac was even there.
"Uh.. no um.. I'll get it," He mumbled, shaking his head and turning away from Cloey. Taylor grabbed the phone and clumsily put it up to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Taylor?"
"Dad? Where are you?"
"I'm at a conference, and I just found out that all of your Jamaican shows have been canceled and since your brilliant little brother got us kicked off the plane until the end of next week-"
"But I thought we were kicked off forever." Taylor questioned. Cloey nervously picked at the edge of one of the bed sheets, and Isaac stood in the doorframe of the bathroom, listening.
"No, no, no, remember? He said until further notice and I got a call yesterday that we would
be able to board the flight next weekend."
"Um.. Ok. That's cool. So were not trapped?"
"No, son. We never were."
"Haha.. Where was I?" Taylor said half heartedly. Cloey gave him a look that said 'I'm leaving'. He waved his hand at her.
"Don't leave!" he hissed. She sighed.
"Huh? What dad?"
"I was just saying that I'm in town so it'll take me a little while to get back to the hotel and I'd like to enjoy this a little bit more."
"Are you gonna stay in town, or what?" Tay asked.
"Probably. But I'll be back this weekend, so you tell your brothers to behave."
"Uh.. ok dad. I will."
"Bye."
"Later."
Taylor hung up the phone.
"Well?" Isaac walked up to Tay.
"Behave." Taylor said.
"Yeah Right," Isaac rolled his eyes and fell onto the hotel bed. Trying to hold back a smile, Cloey grabbed Taylor's arm.
"So, what ya wanna do?" She inquired.
"Well.. I haven't eaten in like.. a day.. wanna go-"
"HEY!" Cloey interrupted, smiling. "Can we go like.. get something to eat out of those snack machine things? I love them.. they're so cool.. ahahah B-7.. and like, the candy drops out and-"
"Okay okay," Taylor laughed, inching towards the door. "I get the point, let's go."
As Cloey and Taylor walked out the door Isaac called.. "BEHAVE" after them in an Austin power's accent. oh yeah. they would definitely behave.
Chapter eight
Liberty sighed with relief as she saw zac running towards her.
"I am so sorry!" he cried, when he was within hearing distance.
"Where were you?" Liberty asked.
"Cloey came over after I was kicked out of my hotel room because I punched Ike in the nuts.. long story.. but so we talked and I kinda lost track of time, but I ran all the way here, if it makes you feel any better."
"Prove it.."
"Uh.. ok." Zac lifted his arms to show the oval sweat marks under his armpits.
"Wanna smell?" he grinned.
"Gross, Zac!"
Zac laughed.
"What are we gonna do?" he asked.
"Um...well, I was thinking we could take a walk into town or something.."
"Ok. it's really hot though, isn't it?"
"I guess, but I didn't just run 3/4 of a mile in 4 minutes."
"So what's up?" he asked.
"The sky."
Zac burst out laughing hysterically and almost crumpled to the ground. Liberty giggled but she
didn't find it funny at all.
"Man, you really are deprived from the real world, aren't you?" She grinned.
"Hahah... I guess.. oh man, I have a side ache... ugh.." They grinned at each other in silence and Liberty motioned in the direction of town. As they walked a conversation began. It was easy for them to talk seeing that they were in the middle of nowhere. Also, they just got along naturally. They didn't need to "break the ice," as Cloey would say.
"So," Liberty began, whipping a flailing piece of hair that the wind kept pulling at behind her ear.
"How long are you going to be in Jamaica?"
"I don't know. We were supposedly banned from the only airline out of here and my retarded brother, Tay, can't stand boats. He gets all weird and starts throwing up everywhere."
"Oh.. That's nice to know," She trailed, rolling her eyes and staring down at the sand.
Laughter erupted from Zac again.
"What? What did I say?"
Zac just grinned at her.
"You and me baby ain't nothin but mammals so lets do it like they do on the discovery channel.. da duh dun da dua dada dun dun dada duh da da..."Liberty sang to break the weird
moment.
"sweat baby sweat baby.. sex is the uh.." he stopped, shrugged, and
continued. "and we can do the kinda stuff that only prince would sing about so put your hands down my pants and I bet you'll feel... real ....nice?"
Liberty laughed and pretended to put her hands down his pants.
"Oh yeah!" he exclaimed. "Wait till I tell Tay and Ike! wait.. I'm underage... RAPE!!"
Liberty laughed and Zac grabbed her hand in his. She pretended not to notice and they walked
on, not talking. They both knew the handhold spoke for itself.
A few minutes later they had arrived in town. It wasn't the biggest town on the island, but it was one of them. Cars zipped past, driving on the wrong side of the road. Men with long dreadlocks sat outside an old run-down bar singing and playing bongo drums. Zac was amazed.
"I.. I've always wanted to do that!" He laughed, squeezing Liberty's hand.
"Do what?"
"Sit outside an old run-down bar, have dreadlocks and play bongo drums! ahahah."
"Um.. okay," Liberty was sort of disturbed by his strangeness. She was as normal as normal could be most of the time. But, his odd sense of humor was refreshing.
"Can we go over there? and ya know.. talk to them?" His eyes were eager. Liberty sighed lazily but she couldn't say no. Those eye's just tore at her.
"I suppose..."
After dodging through traffic to the other side of the road, Zac practically pulled Liberty onto the porch of the old, moldy bar.
"This is so cool!" He whispered, watching in wonderment. The guy's playing the bongo's stared up at the two awkward looking teenagers.
"Why you here, mon?" One of them asked. They weren't old enough to be at a bar, so it was a reasonable question.
"I.. I'm a drummer and I've always held bongo drummers high in my opinion.. I
just had to come and watch." Zac blushed, pushing his hair out of his face.
"Ohh I undah-stahnd. Well Mon, you wanna play?"
"Really? that would be so-"
Suddenly, a new voice interrupted their conversation.
"Liberty Anne Rutherford?? What do you think you are doing?"
"Mom??" She spun around, recognizing the stern voice and dropping Zac's hand.
"Who's that boy? And why are you here? You told me you were going to stay home."
Zac frowned as he stared at Liberty's mom. She was mad, really mad. And why was she being so hard on Liberty? I mean, why was Liberty's mom at a bar anyway?
Liberty's mom reached out and grasped her arm.
"Come on, we're going home."
"Wait!" Zac began. "I'm Zac and I-"
But it was too late. She had already started to drag her away. Liberty just stared at Zac in shock. He was going to run after her.. but it was useless. They had quickly disappeared in a large crowd of people.
Meanwhile....
"Tay I want some um.. um, " Cloey leaned closer to the snack machine, pressing her face against the glass. She suddenly felt Taylor's arms wrap around her waist from behind.
"What do you want?" He whispered.
"I want some.. um.. freshly roasted planters nuts."
He laughed and let go of her waist, stepping back to glance at her.
"I don't see those," He said, a hint of slyness in his voice.
"Not yet at least."
"Whoa Nelly," he laughed.
She backed away from the machine and gave him a weird look.
"Uh.. alrighty.. um partner. I guess I can't expect much more from you, seeing that you're from Oklahoma.."
"Ha ha very funny."
It was a lame conversation but sometimes, being around Cloey can do that to you.
They were on the 15th floor, the highest floor of the hotel. Cloey had insisted on going up there, she said she liked the view.
"I hate heights..."
"Really? I don't really mind them." Cloey said, smiling at him as they glanced out the window.
"You don't mind anything, do you?"
"Not really. Ugh except dogs, now those things are evil..."
"Your kidding, right?" Taylor grinned, trying to avoid looking at the view. "Dogs? They are like...cool, I mean sure there's the occasional bad one but.. dogs?"
"Yes, Tay, dogs!"
Cloey shivered. "I hate them sooo much.."
"Why? Some are pretty cute.. like puppies."
"Well, duh puppies are cute, but when they're older.." She shivered again.
"Ok.. how'd we get on this subject, anyways? Who cares about my dog fear?"
"I think it's kind of cute," Taylor said, wrapping his arms around her and resting his nose on hers.
"Really..." She said sarcastically.
"Really, In an odd... I want to kill my grandma way."
"Uh.. ok. I guess that could be cute.." Taylor laughed as Cloey raised an eyebrow.
"Hey lemme see your lip ring." He said, leaning closer to her. Cloey reached to take it out, but Tay stopped her.
"No. I meant like this."
Finally, since the incident in the hotel room, their lips touched. But Tay wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to see the ring. After a moment of being locked together in total harmony, Cloey could feel Taylor's tongue pass over the cold metal of the lip ring. She pulled back, halfway stunned.
"Whoa," She whispered. "What a rush."
He laughed, gave her a brisk kiss on the cheek, and let go of her.
"Um.. sorry.. I just-"
"It's okay. Some things in life just go a little too fast sometimes."
Chapter nine
"What do you think you were doing with that boy?" Liberty's mom cried, throwing her hands up in the air.
"Mom, his name is-"
"I don't care what his name is, I do NOT want to see you with him anymore."
"Mom... you don't even know him! You can't do that!" Liberty shrieked. She couldn't believe her mom would do something like that. She couldn't keep her and Zac apart. They were having such a great time.
"I don't care Liberty, You do NOT lie to me to go hang out with a boy and expect me not to be furious with you! Your behavior was inexcusable... and you KNOW that I do not allow you to be in that part of town! What were you thinking?" Liberty's mom ran her fingers through her short honey blonde hair.
"Mom..." she begged but liberty knew she was right.
"So no more of that boy ..and if I catch you with him.. you will get your butt whipped like you never have before and you will be grounded from everything that gives you life." her mom exaggerated. Liberty knew she meant it though.
"Understand?"
"Yes.. mom." Liberty looked down at the ground and let her hair fall in front of her face so she wouldn't have to look at her.
"Now go up to your room, and no phone for a month."
"Mom!" Liberty cried.
"Go now!"
Liberty tromped up to her room and threw herself down on her bed. She looked at her clock . The glowing numbers in the darkness of her room read 7:46. Some light shone through the curtains but not much. Liberty wanted to cry but she couldn't, she was still in shock. She could see Zac's face of distress as her mom had pulled her into the crowd. It all felt like a bad dream. She rolled over and looked at the ceiling. She had to talk to Zac...She sat up suddenly. She had an idea.
She walked out of her room and jumped over to the hall phone. She grabbed it and dragged it into the bathroom. She dialed Zac's hotel number quickly.
"Hello?" It was Ike.
"Is Zac there?"
"Uh.. yeah.. but he doesn't want to talk to anyone right now."
"Tell him it's Liberty and I have to talk to him!"
"Ok."
She heard Isaac repeat what she had just said and zac picked up the phone.
"Liberty?"
"Zac, I have to talk to you!"
"Ok.."
"But not on the phone.. meet me at the docks at 9:00, ok?"
"Why?"
"Just please come! I have to go!"
"I guess.. bye?"
"Bye!" Liberty hung up quickly and placing the phone back in its place, hurried back to her room. She shut the door and went over to her clock. She set the alarm for 8:50 and crawled into bed. She knew she was going to need some extra sleep.
* * * * * * * *
"You live on a boat." It wasn't really a question, but a statement. Cloey lived on a boat.
"Yeah, is there something wrong with that?" She stressed, giving Taylor the evil eye.
"Oh um.. no I was just saying.."
Cloey and Taylor has long since left the hotel. Now, having no where else to go (they had already combed over the town three times) they stood on the docks, staring down at a bunch of boats.
"So," he started, feeling the warm night breeze caress his face. "Which one is yours?"
There was a twinge of.. something, when Cloey grabbed his hand and started towards an enormous yacht. He still wanted to "see" her lip ring, he knew that, but now, as he peered at her blue eye's in the darkness, he knew he wanted something more.
"This one," She called, letting go of his hand and hopping aboard the awesome yacht.
"This is yours??"
"Yeah, I won it in a poker game, now come on!!"
A strained smile appeared on his face. Boats. He didn't like boats. But maybe docked boats were okay...
"Coming.." and with that, he stumbled from the dock and onto the boat.
"Whoa, careful there," Cloey practically caught him. He didn't have a very good aim when he jumped.. or .. stumbled onto the ship, so they swayed in mid fall. Luckily, Cloey grabbed the railing to steady them.
"Clumsy boy.."
"I am from Oklahoma." They laughed and broke apart, the sound of the water lapping against the side of the boat was all that was heard for a few moments. Then...
"It's nice up here Tay, but let's go get some food.. I'm starving. You never did get me any nuts." He gave her a persuasive grin, and Cloey rolled her eyes, punching him in a joking way.
"Let's just go."
And with that, Cloey lead Taylor down below.
* * * * * * * *
Zac glanced at his clock in the semi-darkness of the room. Ike and him were watching TV. and he was anxiously waiting for 8:45 so he could leave. He knew where the docks were and they were at least a five minute walk from the hotel. The clock read only 8:30. If he started out now he'd be way too early. He sighed and turned back to the TV.
"Why do you keep looking at the clock?" Isaac asked, turning his face towards Zac.
"I have to meet Liberty at the docks at 9:00."
"Oh.. uh.. do you think Dad would let you?" Ike knew the whole story and understood why zac had to go but he still had to be 'the older brother.'
"No.. but I don't care. He's not here is he?"
Ike looked around.
"Nope. But if anything happens to you its MY fault... so please.. please.. don't do anything stupid."
"I'll try to keep my hands off of her." Zac joked.
"Ha ha you know what I mean."
"Yeah, I'll behave." They watched TV. for a while longer and finally the clock read 8:45.
"See ya"
"Bye."
And zac walked out of the room.
* * * * * * *
"Oh Awesome, you have a laptop?" Taylor marveled, letting a hand trail across the small kitchen counter.
"Yeah, It came with the boat," She replied, her head in the tiny refrigerator. Taylor walked across to the bunk that had the laptop on it and sat down. He looked at it longingly.
"I haven't checked my e-mail in soo lonngg.." he thought. And as if she had read his mind-
"You can use it if you want. It has the internet. I'm going to make dinner anyway."
"Cool," He breathed, opening the top.
Cloey couldn't help but chuckle at him as she pushed things around in the almost empty refrigerator. There was practically nothing to eat.
"Damn," She muttered, her eyes traveling over the few edible things in there. Or, at least what she thought to be edible. "Maybe he'll like sushi," She thought, pulling out a container of left-over sushi. You know what sushi is. That.. raw fish stuff. Shutting the door of the fridge, Cloey walked as steadily as she could to the small kitchen table. The ocean was sort of rough that night. Usually she could walk with out swaying a bit.
Taylor opened his e-mail, browsing over all the junk mail and finding.. one from Zac? When did he do that? He shrugged an double clicked it, waiting for it to load.
"Tay," Cloey called, setting the sushi out on the table. "I hope you like-"
"OH MY GOSH!! GROSS!!"
"I didn't even tell you yet!"
"No.. It's not that.. Zac sent me a pic of.. oh that's disgusting.." Taylor mumbled, quickly shutting the browser and slamming the laptop shut.
"What? Well, we don't have to have sushi.."
He got up from the bunk and stood next to her.
"Um, after seeing a naked 600lb woman, I don't have much of an appetite."
"I saw a naked 300lb man today.. So I feel your pain." Cloey laughed, snatching the sushi back off the table.
"What? Where?"
"In the hotel.. he grabbed my ankle and whispered 'Hey baby'," she recalled, wandering back over to the fridge. Taylor shook his head, deciding he really didn't want to know. He felt that "twinge" again as he watched Cloey open the fridge. Knowing that is was wrong, but not wanting to fight it, he crept up behind her, spun her around, and pressed his lips to hers- again.
"Hey Baby," he whispered after pulling back. And that's how it started.
* * * * * * * * *
"Liberty?" Zac called into the darkness.
"Zac? Is that you?" Liberty called. Zac reached for her and pulled her into a hug.
"I'm so sorry about today, Zac. My mom is such a pain in the ass. I hate her." Liberty whispered into his ear, burying her head in his neck and breathing in the scent of him. He smelled so good and she felt warm and safe in his arms.
"Its not your fault, Lib. You know that." He whispered back. He wrapped his arms tighter around her body.
"My mom doesn't want me to see you anymore."
"What?" Zac cried, pulling away so he could look at her face.
"That's why I wanted to talk to you. I think we should go somewhere."
"What do you mean?"
"Zac.. I think we should runaway together... then she'd know that I really care about you!"
Zac was silent an d he pulled completely away from her, turning toward the water.
"Lib, I don't know. Couldn't we just sneak around? That'd be romantic, too, wouldn't it?" he said, still not facing her. She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and leaned her head on his back.
"I don't want to sneak around, Zac. Please come. My mom hates you. I can't live with that."
"Lib, it only happened today! I think your resorting to this a little drastically, don't you?" He cried, running his fingers through his blonde hair.
"I...I don't know, Lib ... I want to go, but I.. have a life."
"But what about me?" She whispered, pulling away from him. Liberty knew that she sounded like a bitch but he didn't realize what he meant to her. And her mom would never come between them. Zac sighed.
"I think... I think we could try it. But if we can't make it, then we'll come back." He offered, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. He kissed her on the cheek and she whispered: "Thank you, zac. This means so much."
"I know, but I'm not just doing this for you, I'm doing it for us." Liberty smiled in the dark. She felt his hand on her cheek and she just leaned in, welcoming the kiss that they had both waited for. His lips felt soft and warm against hers and they smiled at each other when they finally pulled away.
"How are we going to go about leaving here?"
"Boat, it seems most logical."
"But we don't have a boat, Lib."
"I know. That's the problem. We'll just borrow one, come on!" Liberty dragged him to one of the boats.
"This one looks nice. It's a houseboat, see!"
"But, Lib, that's stealing!" Zac cried.
"No it's not! And where's your sense of adventure?"
Zac sighed as Liberty pulled him onto the boat.
"We'll just untie the rope and float out for a while and then we'll start up the engine."
"Do you know how to work a boat?"
"Duh, Zac...don't you?"
"Uh.. no."
"Don't worry about it.. I'm a pro." Liberty untied the boat and they slowly floated away from the dock.
Chapter ten
"What was that?" Cloey breathed, Taylor didn't say anything, but continued to litter kisses all over her neck. He pushed her against the refrigerator and was tugging at her clothes subconsciously.
"Tay," She cooed, stroking his blonde hair. He slowly looked up at her, although, he didn't look all there- if you know what I mean.
"Yes?"
"Did you hear that? Like.. I thought I heard something up above and-"
"Shh.. It's nothing." He turned his face back to her neck, and Cloey sighed, leaning up against the fridge. Suddenly, a large wave rocked the boat and they both went sailing to the floor, landing hard.
"Oh Ow.. Let's move to the bunk, okay honey?" Cloey said, kissing his forehead. Taylor flashed her an award winning smile and nodded.
"Sounds good,"
"You little perve.. come on."
* * * * * * * *
"You know Lib, this isn't really a house boat. It's more like a yacht," Zac pondered, trying to chase away the awful feeling in his stomach. He had just met Liberty, what, a few days ago? But, in the same way, he loved her. She was the only girl that he could actually talk to. Maybe she had her crazy idea's.. but it was all worth it.
"You're right. But you can live on yachts, that's why I called it a house boat. Anyway.. do you think we're out far enough?"
Zac sighed, peering out into what seemed to be endless black.
"Yeah," he mumbled. "I can't see the lights of town anymore."
"Okay, I'm going to go start it up."
Zac watched Liberty start the boat up and turn the wheel a little bit.
"Got to stay a little on course.." She said. "We shouldn't go too far out because I'm not familiar with allot of places so we'll have to stay at least a mile within land."
"Um.. ok." Zac didn't really care, as long as she didn't get them lost and they could be together.
"It should be ok."
Liberty came over next to him.
"Can we turn on a light or something? It's really dark."
"No, Zac, it's against my religion."
"hahah.. turn on a damn light." Zac commanded.
"Jeez, your pushy, maybe I don't want to be with you.." Liberty grinned, groping for a light switch in the darkness.
"Well.. Your gonna be with me no matter what." Zac's heart pounded as he said those words. He didn't know what he wanted from her exactly. Maybe just someone to talk to maybe just someone to love, he didn't know.
"I guess I just want you." he mumbled aloud.
"What? Did you say something Zac?"
"Uh no..."
"I heard you." Liberty said, searching his eyes in the newly blinding light. Zac looked down at his feet. What was he supposed to do now?
* * * * * * *
"Okay.. can you feel that?"
"Oh yeah.."
"No Tay!"
She had to smile, but still, she was aggravated.
"Can you feel the boat moving.. I .. I hear the engine,"
"Well I knew that I was good-"
"Ughh.. just get off me and go see what it is.. please?" A look passed over her face that Taylor just couldn't resist. "Okay.." He kissed her mouth, touching the lip ring with his tongue again, and then stood up.
"Where are my pants?" He muttered, lurching around, finally finding them laying in the corner. He clumsily put them on, walking up the steps that led to the top deck.
* * * * * * * *
Liberty shook her head, putting a hand on Zac's shoulder.
"Never mind, let's just.. try not to have weird moments like that. We don't need that coming in between us.. you.. you.. bitch," She giggled.
Zac grinned at her and gave her a hug. And that's when..
"Hey?? Who are you??" A familiar voice called from the opening of the stairs. Zac and Liberty, startled, jumped and looked in the direction of the voice. In the darkness it took a moment for Zac to realize who the figure with only one pant leg on was.
"Taylor??" He cried, frowning.
"Zac? What the hell??"
"Why are you here? And why are you half naked?" Zac asked.
"Why are you here? This is Cloey's boat."
"Oh that explains everything.." Zac drifted.
"Were you guys having sex?" Liberty cried, pointing at Tay's pants.
"None of your business, anyways, why are you here?"
"Um.. well.. we kind of just wanted to go out on a boat and here we are," Zac lied.
"Really... I don't believe you."
"That's the truth I swear."
"Zac, your stealing a boat."
"But, we were just borrowing it..."
"Taylor? Who's up there, hun?" Cloey called from downstairs. She wrapped a sheet around her body and climbed up the stairs.
"Its just my brother and his girlfriend," Tay called. Zac and Liberty gave each other sideway smiles.
"Oh my god, you were having sex!" Zac cried, as he noticed what Cloey was "wearing."
"Tay that is soooo against our morals!"
"Obviously not against his dick though..." Liberty whispered to Zac. He laughed.
"Hey, this outfit doesn't mean we were um.. doing it. I could just be sporting a new look.. ya know, the Greek's wore stuff like this all the time," Cloey smiled, wiping a piece of hair out of her face.
"Yeah.. Right Cloe. And the Greek's wore their pants halfway on too. I get it."
"Shut up Zac, this isn't any of your business," Taylor growled, half heartedly pulling at his pants.
"It's okay.. let's not over react. Now little boy, why did you steal my boat?"
"I didn't steal it!"
"Yeah," Liberty spoke up. "We were just borrowing it.."
Cloey Leaned against Taylor, resting her head on his bare shoulder.
"Your views on borrowing are a little distorted.. but, c'mon you guys, let's not talk here, it's freezing," Cloey motioned them down below and she disappeared into the hallway.
Chapter 11
It was dark, and the ocean was rough. The 4 uncomfortable teens stared at each other from across the table, not knowing what to do. There was a small candle lit in the middle of the table. Cloey said she wanted to save some of the boat's electricity. Plus, she just didn't want the lights on.
"So, explain to me, what the hell is going on here?" Zac said slowly, glancing from one illuminated face to the next.
Liberty tried smothering a small smile. The tone of Zac's voice and the way he said "hell" was funny. Cloey caught it and lifted an eyebrow. What was she smiling about?
"Okay, if you really must know," Tay sighed, grabbing Cloey's hand under the table. "Cloey and me got bored and decided to-"
"-Have sex.." Zac grinned.
"Well that wasn't planned," Cloey joked, rolling her eyes.
Tay looked disgruntled so both Cloey and Zac shut up, allowing him to tell his story.
"-just hang out.. and so, we um.." Taylor just gave up. The giggles from around the table were overpowering.
"Yeah..ok Taylor. We get it. "Liberty grinned.
"Anyways.. Why art thou here?" Cloey pondered thoughtfully. "C'mon dude I know you wanted my totally awesome chick-mobile of a boat but, man you shoulda asked me first.."
Liberty and Zac explained what had happened earlier that day and explained why they had decided to take a boat. "It was a painful, hard experience," Zac stressed, interrupting Liberty's story.
Cloey smiled at him in the dim light and twinge of jealousy shot through Liberty as Zac smiled back, almost shyly. Taylor sighed and pushed his hair out of his eyes. He glanced at Cloey and a smile tugged at his lips.
"Why is everyone smiling?" Liberty laughed, looking around the table, skeptically.
"So, anyway. Back to the runaway thing. That's kinda cool. Were you just planning on leaving me and Tay behind, or can we come on this little adventure of yours, I mean, you're on my boat anyway."
Zac and Liberty glanced at each other.
"Well, we weren't exactly planning on-"
"Great! When do we leave?" Cloey said sarcastically.
Suddenly... THE SKY IS FALLING...oops. Where was I? Anyways.. Suddenly the boat took a mean turn to the left, causing the candle to fly off the table and go out. Cloey toppled off her chair, and she could hear the strangled grunts of the others as they landed on the cold wood floor of the boat also.
"Oh CRAP my LEG!" Zac moaned, groping around for the edge of the table in the darkness.
"AHHHH" Taylor screamed, scrambling to stand up. "THERE'S SOMETHING WET, AND COLD, AND GROSS STUCK TO MY FACE!! AHHH"
"WHAT THE HELL TAYLOR? THAT'S MY ASS." Cloey yelled, shooing Tay's hand off of her butt.
"Somebody turn on a light," It was Liberty, she sounded afraid. Zac groped around in the darkness for the fallen candle and his hand fell upon it.
"That's not the candle!" Tay cried, wiggling out of Zac's grip. Zac laughed. "Sorry man...then where is it?"
"Just find it guys..."Liberty cried, feeling clostrophobic.
"Are you ok, Liberty?" Zac asked, trying to find her in the darkness. The thrashing of the boat became more intense, and they were all sliding around the floor, frantically trying to find something to hold onto. Somehow, Liberty and Zac ended up latched together on the floor. Zac had his hands buckled around her waist and his face tangled in her hair. Taylor was holding onto the cupboards of the kitchen, trying hard not to fall over. He was searching for a light switch.
"Tay!!" Cloey screeched over the noise of the waves crashing into the boat. "WHERE ARE YOU??"
"I'm OVER HERE, LOOKING FOR THE- WHOA SHIT!" He slipped on something and went sailing down, hitting his forehead on a counter.
"Ow..." He moaned as he was slammed onto the floor.
"TAYLOR!" Cloey shrieked as the boat was tossed around like a ping-pong ball. Liberty tightened her grip around Zac and whimpered into his ear. Cloey struggled to stand up and was thrown to the other side of the boat. She steadied herself and made a break for where she had heard Taylor's voice last. Unfortunately for Tay, she stumbled over his feet and landed on top of him.
"Ah!....ow.."Taylor moaned, dagger like pain shooting through his head.
"Ugh.. Taylor? Are you ok?" Cloey asked as her and Tay were thrown to the wall. Tay curled up into a ball in the corner so he couldn't move. Cloey wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm ok.." Taylor said hoarsely, snuggling against her. "Cloey...where's your sheet?"