As we walked down the hall I thought of how strange the situation was. This summer had started out just like any other summer on tour, only here I was walking through a hotel with Zac Hanson. It seems like just yesterday that I had a huge crush on Zac when “MMMBOP” came out, but that was almost 10 years ago. Since then I had lost almost all interest in them. I first went through the “it’s cool to hate Hanson” stage, which lasted for a long time. The around the time Lex and I met I found a copy of This Time Around at the thrift store I work at, and bought it. It was only $2.99, and then I got half on top of that, so what the heck? It was at that time that Lex told me he knew Zac. We were sitting in my car and the CD case was on the floor between Lex's feet. He first scolded me, and told me to “show some respect,” because him and Zac were long time friends. I thought he was making fun of me though, because he’s like that. After that I lost the CD and every time he would mention them I assumed he was making fun of me. And all this time I had no idea he wasn’t making fun of me, but really was actually friends with Zac. It sounds so out there, I know, but it’s true. I’m not sure why it seems so weird, because even celebrities have friends, and heck Hanson wasn’t always famous. It’s still a little weird to wrap my head around, but I’m getting used to it. Zac actually is a normal guy (kind of), and a lot more down to earth than I expected. And he looks a lot better now that he’s cut off his hair. It’s amazing how close you become to people when you spend a few weeks on the road with them, because you’re with them constantly. Even when it comes to Lex I learn new things about him all the time. This summer had introduced me to a handful of new people who seemed to become instant friends. Even better, they were “couple friends.” Lately I have noticed the importance of couple friends. It’s nice to have friends to hang out with outside of your other half, but it’s also really nice to have a couple that you can go out with and everyone gets along. Luckily that is what Zac, Kate, Taylor and Natalie had become to Lex and I. I smiled to myself as I thought about this. When we reached the door Zac looked at me and saw me smiling. “What are you so happy about?” he asked. I took the plastic card key out of my purse and slid it into the lock. I waited for the light to turn green but instead it flashed red. “I’m so bad with these locks,” I announced. Zac reached out and I handed him the card. With ease he slid the card in, then out and the light flashed green. We entered the room and I slid my hand along the wall until I found the light switch. “I was just thinking about how Lex would always tease me by telling me you and he were friends and I always thought he was just making fun of me because I used to have a crush on you.” I said once my eyes adjusted to the light. Zac shut the door behind him and I tossed my bag on the desk then kicked off my flip flops. Our room was much sloppier than Natalie and Taylor’s room. I had to throw Lex's bag on the floor, along with some clothes that were thrown on our bed before there was room to sit. Zac watched me with his arms folded over his chest, still standing by the door. “I find that hard to believe, miss punk rock.” “I am so not punk rock. Are you kidding me?” I asked as I turned around to give him a funny face. “Plus, I was, what, 12, 13, 14? I don’t even remember.” He smiled at me when I said this as he walked over to the bed and plopped himself on the bed. He started to take off his shoes before I stopped him. “Don’t worry about it. That’s Lex's side.” He laughed and pulled his legs up on the bed. He leaned back and rested his back on the headboard. I found the remote and turned the TV on, then climbed onto the bed and sat with my back to the head board in the same fashion. “Did Lex tell you he asked me to be his best man?” he asked, folding his hands behind his head. “No. Did Lex by any chance tell you when the wedding was?” I asked, because Lex and I have been engaged for 7 months and have not once talked about an actual date. I was starting to feel like we’d be engaged for ever. “Nope,” Zac replied shaking his head. “Yeah, he hasn’t told me when it is either. It keeps getting pushed back,” I paused before correcting myself, “Actually, I think we needed an actual date to get it pushed back and we never came up with one in the first place.” “It’s hard with the whole tour thing. Me and Kate had to work around the tour and CD,” he explained. “How old are you, Zac?” I asked. “I’ll be 21 in October,” He replied. “I didn’t ask how old you will be,” I said with a smile. “You’re only 20?” Zac rolled his eyes and shot back, “And how old are you, ma’am?” “I, sir, am 22, and I’ll be 23 next month.” He crossed his arms over his chest, and in a matter of fact way he replied, “You’re not that much older than me.” “I know I’m not that much older, but I am older. What was the rush with Kate?” He thought for awhile, and then replied, “Because I love her. And why wait when you’re really in love?” “You weren’t even old enough to drink at your wedding. Let me guess, made your big toast with a Champaign glass filled with Dr. Pepper.” We both laughed a little, and then I asked, “But really, don’t you want to grow up a little to make sure she’s the one? How did you guys even meet in the first place?” “Well,” he started, “She was dating Isaac-“ I cut him off by asking, “Are you kidding me?” I looked him straight in the eye and repeated, ”You’re kidding, right?” Zac smiled and shook his head. “I’m dead serious.” I playfully slapped his leg and exclaimed, “Shut up!” “Seriously, Joves, I’m not kidding,” he repeated looking straight back at me. When I realized he wasn’t kidding I bit my bottom lip and tried to play it off smooth. I still couldn’t believe it, but I suppose it wasn’t really up to me to believe or not. “Personally, Annie is the closest thing to a sister I have, and I would kill her if she ever dated one of my ex’s. Isn’t that a rule that friends and siblings aren’t supposed to date your ex’s?” “Well, things are different with us. If you haven’t noticed Me, Isaac and Taylor are in a little bit of a different situation when it comes to girls.” I nodded and replied, “Right, you’ve got hundreds, no, thousands of girls throwing themselves at your feet, and you could pick anyone one of them.” He nodded, and explained, “Yeah, we’ve got girls throwing themselves at us. None of them really know us, they just have a made up image of us. They throw themselves at us because we’re Hanson, and we’re famous, and we make music. They don’t care that Taylor is anal, that Isaac doesn’t know when to be serious, and that I can tend to be a little overly sarcastic. They just see rock stars. None of them really like me for me, you know?” “I guess that makes sense. I never really looked at it that way before.” “Yeah, it’s really hard to find girls who will see me as Zac, not Zac Hanson, the drummer of Hanson. Kate wasn’t caught up on the Hanson thing, and her and Isaac just weren’t compatible. Plus, Isaac was okay with it, so I don’t see why other people complain about it.” I though for a moment before I asked, “Do you think that maybe Kate is like the easy way out? Like, Isaac did the work to make sure she was genuine, and it was just easier to take her than meet new girls and see if they really see you as you? Like, this way you don’t have to break a new girl in?” Zac looked me in the eye but I couldn’t read his expression. I was quiet for thinking about Lex and I. Lately I kept thinking that maybe we weren’t supposed to be together, and we only stayed together because we were used to each other. I honestly sometimes I did not feel like he loved me anymore and I can’t say if I still loved him either. We’re just so up and down, and honestly I’m not sure I would want to be married to someone like that. There was just nothing new in our relationship, and it seems so boring sometimes. Maybe it wasn’t even him, and it was me? These thoughts had been building up inside of me, but I figured its best that no one would know. I just shrug them off and hope that they’ll go away once we’re home. “I just mean, sometimes I kind of feel like that with Lex, that we’re just used to each other and that’s why we stay together. Like, we’re just scared of breaking up and being alone and trying to find someone new,” I thought out loud. I scolded myself silently for saying that out loud, which only made the situation a little more awkward. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by his cell phone ringing. He put his index finger up to signal he would need a minute. “Kate?” I mouthed. He nodded and answered his phone. Not even a minute later my cell phone was also ringing. I pulled it out of my pocket and looked at my caller ID. Lex, of course. I opened my phone and held it to my ear. “Hello?” “Hello, Doll.” He greeted. I could tell he was smiling. It is truly amazing how Lex has such control over my emotions. One minute I was sitting there questioning our relationship, and with two words he completely melted me inside. “Hi, Lex.” I said, this time much warmer than previously. “What are you up to?” “Well, the show is over and it’s our last day in New York, I think you should come join us. We’re going to a bar, and I don’t want you sitting alone tonight.” “Lex, I am so tired, I can’t go out and party tonight. Are you crazy?” I asked, and before he could reply I heard Annie’s muffled voice in the background. “Hold on one second,” Lex said, and I heard Annie demand he give her the phone. “Jovie Sophia Revier, you are coming out tonight, even if I have to personally drag you out.” |