I didn't know if I was dreaming or if I had really heard it. I rolled on my back and listened very carefully... there it was again. A very quiet knock coming from our door. I looked at the clock, it was 6:43 in the morning. Johanna and I had gone to sleep only 3 hours previous. But there was no doubt about it, someone was knocking at our door.
"Johanna?"
"Yeah, I hear it too" She said.
"Well someone has to answer it..." It was still dark in the room.
"Okay, go ahead..." She said.
"No way! I probably look like shit" I said. The door knocked again, only this time a bit louder.
"I look like more shit than you do, you get it." She argued.
"I bet you don't" The door knocked again, more insistent this time. Then it sounded like there was more than one person knocking. I jumped out of bed and stumbled, tired, to the door. I peered out of the peephole. Isaac and Zac were waiting and talking. Ike picked up his hand and knocked again. I was panicking inside. He put his face up to the door and looked through the peephole. I ducked.
"Who is it!" Johanna whispered loudly.
"Just hide" I said back. I unlocked the door, turned the handle and ran back to my bed, pulling the covers up over my head.
"What are you doing, get up!" Isaac said as the light turned on. I heard Johanna groan from under her pillow. They were giggling at us.
"Guy's, it's quarter to 7 in the morning." I said.
"We know, the pool opened 15 minutes ago, and there is no-one swimming, come on" Zac said. I felt a light tugging at the bottom of my blanket. I clutched on hard.
"We'll give you 5 minutes to get ready, we'll be waiting at the door." Ike informed us. The blankets flew off and I sat up quickly covering my face. I peeked out of my fingers to see Isaac and Zac grinning back at us and going out into the hall. Johanna was still lying down with her head under her pillow. Both of our blankets were in a pile on the floor.
We swam for only 20 minutes. It was fun, but I was not in the mood to be swimming this early in the morning, especially since I knew I looked like crap, and they were wide awake. The day was slow. We didn't see much of them at all. When we got back from swimming we ate breakfast in Ike and Zac's room, and then came back to ours. They had some stuff to do. A bunch of people including Taylor went into the town for the day, so I didn't see him at all. Johanna decided she wanted to see Zac at around 5. She came back at 10 after, looking very flustered.
"What happened?" I asked her. She looked at me and collapsed on her bed.
"Well, I knocked on the door and he answered it."
"Then what?"
"Then he said 'what?' like really rudely. So I just told him I came to say hi." She paused. She looked devastated. "Then he said 'hi' and shut the door" She said. My poor Johanna. She looked so confused. "I feel really stupid cause I actually thought he liked me, but now..."
"Oh my God, what a prick" I said.
"No he's not" She said defending him.
"I know, but what do you think that meant?"
"I really don't know. Maybe they're tired of us." She said.
"Well I don't see why. We only really started to get to know them yesterday, and it was because they came to us... Johanna, I don't think he was rude on purpose. Do you want me to go and talk to him?"
"No. I think we should just stay away from them for today." I agreed with her. Even though Taylor and I were just starting to hit it off, in a weird and twisted sort of not really saying it way. We sat around again, doing not much of anything. Walker had told us to just order food when we got hungry, so that's what we did. It was around 8 when we got really bored. There was not much to do in a hotel room alone. Sure talking was nice since we hadn't seen each other for a few months, but still... the room was getting old. We decided to try and take a nap, seeing how we had only gotten 3 hours of sleep. I curled up under my covers and started to think. Was this going to be what the rest of the week would be like? Staying away from them and hiding out in our room. We really had no right to expect more than that. I was just surprised that Isaac hadn't been visiting. He was flirting a lot in the pool. And Zac. He kept swimming up to Johanna and looking deep into her eye's, in a very sexy and cute sort of way, then he would swim away. He even kissed her once, on the neck and then on the mouth, when Ike and I were in the hot tub. It was a side of Zac that I don't think anyone had seen, not even him-self. But now. I was wracking my brain trying to decide what he was trying to do to her.
"Christa?" Johanna said. "I really like him, a lot"
"I know." was all I could say.
"I can't sleep" she said.
"Me either." I replied. Johanna sat up frustrated.
"This is so stupid" She said, flopping her arms hard on the bed. "What he hell are we doing. They can't expect us to hide out in the room all the time. What happened to last night, and this morning when they actually cared what we were doing." She cried.
I sat up and flipped on the light. "Well, lets go." I said. She looked at me confused. "Johanna we have to leave in like 3 days, and I don't plan on spending them cooped up in a room, do you?" She shook her head. "Well, then lets go. Why are we wasting this opportunity. Even if we don't get them, I still want to be friends with them. They obviously like us a bit, so lets go. It can't hurt any."
"No, uh uh. I don't feel like facing Zac right now."
"Do you think I want to see Ike. He's really fucking with my brain. I'm actually starting to like him. Every time I see him I get all light headed and I get butterflies in my tummy."
"And just when Taylor's starting to like you too" She grinned.
"Yeah don't remind me. No, do remind me" I said smiling.
"He want's to kiss you, he said it last night"
"Well he can help him-self, I'm not holding back" We snickered. There was a knock at the door, causing us both to jump.
"Ah! We're in our pajamas!" Johanna exclaimed, referring to our Hanson T-shirts we were using for nightwear, that we had bought at the concert. I jumped up throwing on a pair of jeans and I whipped off my shirt, and quickly put on a bra and a tank top. Johanna was rushing to get dressed too. I waited until we were decent and I opened the door. It was Amber, a shock to both of us. She looked at me in surprise.
"You're not ready" She said. Johanna and I looked at her confused. "Didn’t anyone tell you? There is a dance in the ball room and a bunch of us are going." Johanna and I looked out into the hall. Sure enough there was people heading to the elevator to go to the dance. Amber stepped into our room. "Wow, it looks just like ours" she joked. "Well come on, get ready, put your make-up on, whatever, lets go, I'll wait for you" She said waving her arms. Johanna and I quickly got ready and soon we were standing in the elevator and then walking towards the ballroom. It was dark and there was loud music playing. Amber met up with a bunch of the entourage and Johanna and I peered around the room looking for the same faces. Zac came up behind me and tickled my side.
"Hi!" he said loudly over the music. He looked at Johanna who was staring helplessly at him. Ike joined our little mini circle.
"I'm glad you came" He shouted.
"Well Amber told us, who else is here" I shouted back. Johanna and Zac were still looking at each other. Ike started listing off a bunch of names that I couldn't quite hear, but I caught Taylor out of it. I spotted Diana dancing playfully with Mackenzie, and beside them Taylor was talking to Walker. Ike was still talking to me, I just nodded. Taylor looked up and saw me, he grinned sexily. I smiled back at him. "Well lets dance" Isaac said taking my hand and pulling me to the middle of the floor. He started dancing, not bad actually. I danced with him. I looked back to where I had non-intentionally left Johanna, just in time to see her and Zac leave the room. Isaac and I danced and soon started a little circle of people. Off to the side I saw some crew members starting a break circle.
"Let's go watch" I said to Ike. We did.
"Oh man, I wish I could do that" Isaac yelled to me.
"I can do it" I said.
"What!" He yelled back.
"I said, I can do that" I shouted. His eyes widened.
"Then go!" he said. I shook my head. The circle was empty. "Come on! Lets see what you've got" He said pushing on my back to urge me. I waited for the right beat and I went in, doing the little bit of break dancing I could. People cheered, as they usually do when a girl gets in the middle of a break circle. I stood up when I was done and saw Taylor smiling at me. I suddenly felt very self-conscious and I ducked back into the crowd. Isaac slapped me on the back with a huge grin. "That was awesome" He shouted. I smiled at him. A big blonde guy that Ike obviously knew started talking to him and I just kept watching the break-dancers until a slow song came on. Ike turned to me just as I got tapped on the shoulder by an older looking guy wearing a leather jacket.
"You were really good, you wanna dance" He said to me grabbing my waist.
"So, how do you know Hanson?" He asked me. This guy was gross. He was obviously drunk, and he was very dirty looking.
"Ah, we just met" I yelled, keeping my head far from his. He nodded and put his head on my shoulder. I looked at Ike for help. Isaac looked scared.
"Uh, can I cut in?" He asked the guy. The guy stumbled back.
"Sure thing, Ike guy dude, yeah, she's all yours." He turned away and bumped into someone. Isaac put his arms around my waist and I reached mine up around his shoulder.
"That was scary" I said grinning.
"Someone should take HIS I.D. away." He joked. He pulled me in closer and I rested my head on his chest, shoulder area, whatever you call it. I shut my eyes for a moment and opened them to see Taylor standing by a wall and watching me. I lifted my head up and he turned away and disappeared behind a crowd of people. Diana came up to us and told Ike that she was taking the kids to put them to bed. Ike nodded at her. She looked at me for a moment and then took Avery's hand and left. Over to the side I saw Zac and Johanna slow dancing together. Things were looking good again. Except for Taylor. The song ended and Ike spun me around. Another slow song started and he looked at me with a 'oh aren't we lucky' look. But a lady looking to be in her mid twenties tapped him on the shoulder and they started dancing. I turned around and took a step forward, right into Taylor. I looked up at him and he smiled down at me. And just like that we started dancing. We didn't say a word, we just danced. Ike was making faces behind the woman's back to me and Taylor. We laughed at that. He didn't seem to notice how close we were, and how tight Taylor was holding onto me.
The dance came to an end at around 11. Isaac had already gone up to his room, he kissed me on the cheek before he left. Right in front of a bunch of people. Johanna and Zac had disappeared once again. I was awaiting an explanation when I got back to my room. Taylor and I were on an elevator with Amber and a few other crewmembers. Pat was passing out on her shoulder. She smiled at him every so often. When we hit the eleventh floor everyone stepped out. I started to step out but Taylor grabbed my arm and pulled me back. Amber frowned at us confused as the elevator door shut.
"Shhhhh" Taylor said to her. She smiled and the door closed.
"What are we doing?" I asked him.
"We're going for a walk" He said. Taylor hit the lobby button and the elevator started to go down. We stood in silence, facing forward. I felt his fingers touch my hand and he slid them through my fingers. We clutched onto each other and held hands. The elevator dinged and the door opened. We were confronted by Walker. Taylor held onto my hand tight and hit the close button followed by the 23 button. And we went up. Saying nothing again. We got to the top floor and stepped out. He lead me down the hall and around a corner and down to the end of the hall where there was a huge window looking out over the brightly lit city of Montreal.
"Now what are we doing?" I asked quietly.
"I don't know" He replied. He turned me around to face him and I looked deep into his eyes. 'Here we go' I thought to my-self. "You know this is bad." He said.
"I know, Ike" I said putting my head down to get out of his eyes. He tipped my head up by the chin, the same way Ike had done no more than a day ago.
"It's wrong and I shouldn't even think about you, but I'll be honest, I can't stop." He placed his hands on my waist and pulled me in so we were pressed close to each other. He looked at my fore-head, then my eyes, then my chin, then my lips, and then he licked his and inched his mouth closer and closer to mine. Then he kissed me. I kissed him back with more passion then I knew I owned. He kissed me with just as much. The ding of the elevator caused us to fall away from each other. Walker appeared at the end of the hall.
"I think it's time you got back to your rooms now" He said. Taylor started down the hall and I followed behind him. He walked right passed his father without so much as a glance. Walker stared us each down as we passed him. There was nothing to be said in the elevator. Walker stepped out of the elevator and headed towards his room. He stood at the door until Taylor opened his, and then he stepped into his and shut it. I started down the hall. Taylor shut his door and I turned around. He was standing out side of it.
"Come here" He grinned. I walked to him and he took my from the back of my neck and kissed me again. "Good-night" He said when we were done our 15-second kiss.
"Good-night" I replied.
"Really really bad." He grinned. I gave him a little smile and he kissed me again.
I opened my door to find an empty room. I found a cigarette and headed out to the balcony. Oh where oh where could Johanna be. Out on the balcony... with Zac. I stood at the door as they kissed. "Well well" I said as I lit my cigarette. They jumped away from each other and I walked closer to them.
"I think you should know that your best friend here smokes cigarettes." Zac said to Johanna.
Johanna smiled, "I know Zac, I've been friends with her for 7 and a half years".
"She is a very COMMITED friend" I gestured. He didn't get it. "So where have you two been?" I asked.
"Right here, where have YOU been" Zac said.
"Oh just dancing and meeting people and break dancing and um, kissing Taylor" They looked startled.
"You kissed Taylor!" Johanna gasped.
"You can break dance!" Zac joked.
"Yes, and yes" I replied. "Hey Zac, I think you should go to your room, your dad is on the prowl." I said.
"Oh no, Okay, yeah, good-night you two" He turned and kissed Johanna on the cheek and left, staring at his watch and shaking his head in disbelief. Johanna was on cloud nine.
"Okay, all I can say is what the fuck" I expressed. She grinned and leaned on the railing.
"We kissed a lot" She said.
"And... didn't you ask him what the whole 'hi' thing was about?"
"No, it didn't come up." There was something about this that wasn't quite fitting together. I finished my smoke and we headed back to our room gossiping about the stolen kisses we had both had. We were both dead tired, so falling asleep came easy, no matter how excited we were. There was one thought in my head though, one that wouldn't go away. Not kissing Taylor, three times, not Zac's bizarre behavior, but Ike.