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,,chapter one,,
Late March 1998, Miami
Beach...
Looking out the window of the Miami Beach recording studio where he and
his brothers were recording the follow-up album to the mega-successful
“Middle of Nowhere”, 15 year-old Taylor Hanson spotted a lone figure
on the beach, gazing intensely out to sea. He stood, motionless, staring
at the beautiful girl.
His 17 year-old brother, Isaac, or Ike, approached him.
“Yo, Tay. Watcha starin’ at?” Ike looked out the window. “Hey,
she’s hot.”
“What?!” Taylor exclaimed, surprised. “Is that a girl? I just liked
the T-shirt. I think I’ll go ask her if she’ll sell it to me. I
haven’t seen that design in any shops.” The design was of a somewhat
lopsided cow sitting on the moon. The background was purple. It looked
really cool.
Tay opened the sliding door of the picturesque beach-side studio and
stepped onto the beach, slamming the door behind him.
The girl on the beach heard the door slam and whirled around. The wind was
now blowing at her from behind, and her hair flew all over her face,
blinding her and making her cough and splutter as it got into her eyes and
mouth. As she struggled to get her hair under control, Taylor stared at
her, transfixed. While in the studio, he had thought her merely a person
wearing a great T-shirt, but now he saw that she was, in fact, the most
beautiful girl he had ever seen.
She had managed to get her hair under control by now, so he made his move.
“Hey Babe,” Tay said, his voice low and husky.
“Piss off, Creep,” she replied, her voice icy cold.
Taylor’s face fell. She turned away, then suddenly froze. She swung back
to face him.
“Hey, aren’t you Taylor Hanson? My God! I love you!”
Tay brightened. “You do? In that case, would you go out to dinner with
me tonight?”
“Sure! I’m staying over there.” She pointed.
“I’ll pick you up around 8, then,” said Tay, trying to sound cool.
“Oh, and by the way, what’s your name?”
“It’s Belinda, but my friends call me Bel.”
“Belinda. What a beautiful name,” Tay gushed.
Their eyes met, and they blushed, before walking off in their separate
directions.
“Cool. My first date,” thought Taylor.
>*<
Meanwhile, Isaac watched
jealously from the studio window.
“I saw her first,” he thought. “Tay just saw the stupid T-shirt.”
He had to have her. His dastardly mind began to make plans...,
>*<
That afternoon...
The drumsticks twitched under Zac’s eager fingers as the 12 year-old
ended the small concert Hanson was performing in a little theatre for a
few privileged competition-winning fans. The group of screaming girls
burst into tears as Taylor, the heart-throb of the band, left the stage.
>*<
A girl, small for her
13-and-a-half years, dodged the bodyguards and followed the arrows that
brought her to the Hanson’s dressing room.
She absolutely had to meet Taylor Hanson and make him fall in love with
her, despite the fact she had absolutely nothing in common with him.
She picked the lock on the door to the dressing room with a bobby pin and
it swung open.
Her eyes feasted on the site before her. Hanson. Much to her
disappointment, they were all dressed.
Taylor was getting in touch with his feminine side, reading a Sweet Valley
High novel, “Too Much in Love;” Zac was trying to eat blue jelly
through his ears; and Isaac was making paper aeroplanes out of fan mail.
The girl, whose name was Violette, marched up to Taylor and grabbed him by
the collar of his maroon Adidas shirt.
“Go out with me!” She demanded.
“As if. Get a life. No way,” replied Tay. Violette looked over at Zac
hopefully.
“Not a chance,” Zac said flatly. Violette didn’t bother looking at
Isaac. She wouldn’t go on a date with him if you paid her. She walked
out, considering legal action versus the least painful method of suicide.
The boys went back to what they were doing without a word. They were used
to fans like Violette.
>*<
Another girl walked into
the dressing room. This one was the stage manager’s granddaughter,
paying him a visit, so she didn’t need to sneak in.
Zac glanced up. Their eyes met and locked. It was love at first sight.
Which, however, made neither of them shy, nervous, or embarrassed.
“Hi, I’m Zac.”
“Hi, I’m Thayet.”
“D’you wanna go out for dinner tonight?”
“Sure.”
“Can you drive? I’m only 12.”
“Of course I can. I’m 21."
“Cool. Pick me up at 7:30.”
“Sure. See ya.”
“See ya.” She blew him a kiss and walked out.
“Hey Zac,” Taylor asked, looking up from his book. “Can me and Bel
go with you two. She doesn’t have a car and neither do I.”
“Of course. You’re my older brother. I’d do anything for you. I love
you.” They smiled at each other and went on with their activities.
Isaac glared at Taylor and Zachary evilly. He didn’t have a date.
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