CHAPTER SIX

Zac watched Taylor survey the crowd with a pleased eye that so many had come to the concert – the whole stadium was absolutely packed with screaming girls. It reminded Zac of a lot of things. Of why they were doing this. It wasn’t about the money or the sacrifices made like not having a social life anymore. It was the music and the fans that mattered now.

Taylor was already sweating terribly – he got so into the music by the first song he looked like he’d run over fifty miles non-stop by the second chorus. Zac was actually glad they were doing an acoustic song – because he felt he didn’t have enough strength to even attempt at drumming, he felt so weak and positively threatened and his arm did still hurt. Don was everywhere with them – Zac had been forced to sit in the back of the car with Don sitting in front, he could see the guys eyes looking into the rear view mirror at him, Zac cringed thinking about it.

What had he wanted to do to me, Zac wondered, forcing himself to muster his voice up enough to carry the background harmony of Madeline. He went positively off key, and Taylor’s eyes widened as he tried to sing along to it, his eyes darting and looking out of their corners at Zac, the look on his face said "what the hell are you doing?!"

Zac frowned closing his eyes tightly. Concentrate, Zac, he thought at himself. Keep your mind on the music or Ike and Tay will know there's something going on.

Zac kept trying to hit the right notes, but his voice kept doing the complete opposite of what he was supposed to do, it went low when it was supposed to be high.

Taylor sneakily kicked Zac in the leg, Zac let out a small whine. He looked down into the crowd, he could see even the fans were starting to notice something was up.

Zac prayed the end of the song would come soon, but it didn’t come for quite a while yet, Zac sighed miserably, tried to remember which song was supposed to come next, Taylor looked at Zac – something was wrong, being his brother, Taylor could sense that. "Zac?" he asked in a soft voice, one hand on Zac’s shoulder as they walked to the keyboard, which was nearest the drums.

"Which song, Tay?" Zac asked, a little embarrassed.

"What do you mean which song?" Taylor frowned. "Thinking of You," he said softly so his voice wouldn’t be loud enough to reach the microphone. "Zac…I want a word with you after this…" he added in a loud whisper.

Zac nodded guilty, and he went to his drums, climbed up onto the platform and took his seat, he counted out aloud "1-2-3-" and then he began his drumming into Thinking Of You. Taylor and Isaac responded playing their parts, and soon the song was into full swing.

Zac thought about the way Taylor had put his hand on his shoulder – and then the thought of how Don had did the same thing. How different it had felt. The bodyguard was support to make Zac feel safe. He’s supposed to protect me.

Don is supposed to protect me from the world. But who’s gonna protect me from him? Zac wondered, he felt himself slip in the beat, and the song went off, it caused Taylor’s tone to change, and Isaac looked over his shoulder, wondering what had happened.

Oh, god, now I’m in for it, Zac thought, looking at the expression on Isaac’s face. I’ll get in trouble for not keeping my concentration on. But even Zac couldn’t keep his concentration up – his arm was in agony and every beat of the drum hurt.

Keep thinking of the music, Zac, he told himself in thought.

But then the thoughts of Don returned,

Zac suddenly himself wavering, and nausea was starting to build up, he didn’t want to wait to see what happened, he shoved the drums forward knocking most of the set over – nearly falling backwards off of his seat – and he dashed for it, making it behind the canopy and curtains just as it came up. He rested his hands on his knees, and leaned downwards, throwing up, he heard the sudden confusion of the fans, oohs, and ahs and what the hells. A second later, Taylor and Isaac appeared.

"Zac…what's going on?!" Taylor asked, then noticing Zac throwing up, he rushed over, placing his hand on Zac’s back. "Oh, geez, why didn’t you say you were feeling sick?"
Zac leaned up, breathless, weakened, Isaac caught him before he went tumbling into his own vomit.

"Zac…we have to end the concert now…we’re taking you to see a doctor…"

"No…I’m fine…" Zac managed out, but then another wave of nausea continued through him, and he found himself once again puking up everything that he’d eaten that day – and that wasn’t particularly much.

"Tay…go apologise to the audience," Isaac instructed. "Don’t tell them what's going on, we don’t want anyone getting worried…"

"Okay," Taylor nodded, and immediately went off to do exactly what he’d been told.

"Zac?" Isaac asked.

"Ike…I want to go home…to Tulsa…" Zac whimpered, clutching his stomach.

"Zac…we can’t go back to Tulsa," Don appeared on hearing what Zac had said. "The plane trip would be no good to you – its probably food-poisoning from something you’ve eaten…"
Zac looked up at Don, there was a glimmer of triumph in his eye. Had Don poisoned his food – or had he merely upset him so much that he'd caused him to be sick from the stress. Whatever it was – both answers would be bad. Zac flinched away as Don tried to help him away.

"I can walk on my own," Zac hissed, and then he did so.