chapter four

I climbed out of bed and grinned out my window. Two weeks after Isaac's confession and I was still on a slight high. To add to that, it was a Saturday morning... which can only help things. I grabbed my dressing gown, and pulling it on, started towards the kitchen. My mom and dad were in there, with my mom making coffee. I love the smell of coffee in the morning, even though i dont drink it myself. I guess its just a universal aroma... or something...
"Morning," I called as I wandered in.
"Morning Steph" My dad called.
My mom smiled at me as she turned away from the coffee jug. I hummed to myself as I got out the orange juice. Mom laughed. "Well, someones chirpy this morning."
I smiled and shrugged. "Just slept well, I guess." I poured a glass of juice and headed for my room again. My parents voices followed me down the hallway.
I gathered up my clothes and started for the bathroom, passing my hanson poster on the way. I glanced up at the tall figure of Isaac and couldn't help smiling as I carried on past it.

babybird: hellllllllllllooooooooooo
hippie_chic: gidday BB :-)
Dr^Pepper: baby!
babybird: heya hipsta
babybird: Pepper! howdy!

I opened a private chat with Pepper

babybird: howareya?
Dr^Pepper: I'm good. You?
babybird: gooooooooood :)
Dr^Pepper: hey.. I was just thinking how cool it would be okay if we talked on the phone... can i get your number?

I stared at the screen. Give him my number? I tried to make a point of never giving out my personal details over the net.. What would my parents say?? But in a rare moment of act-on-impulse I typed in the digits.

Dr^Pepper: cool i'll ring you right now
babybird: ok...

I disconnected and turned to look at the phone that sits by my desk. I couldnt believe that i was about to talk to Isaac. Isaac HANSON. I drummed the fingers of one hand on the table and chewed on the nails of the other. When the shrill ringing of the phone interrupted my thoughts, i jumped. I grabbed the reciever and said,

"hello?" "hi, is Stephanie there please?"
"Hey, its me"
"Oh, hey. Phew.... I was sure i was going to get the wrong number or something."
I smiled. "Nope. Right number." There was a brief silence before he said, "Its so weird to be talking to you... it doesn't feel right."
"I know what you mean. Its harder to fill awkward silences, too."
He chuckled. "Yeah. You know, your voice sounds exactly the way i imagined it would.."
"Really? cool. I guess I can't say the same...I've already heard your voice...."
He laughed again, softly, and it sent shivers down my spine. "Yeah. So, what have you been up to?"
"Not much. School, sleep, eating.... the usual."
We talked for about 15 minutes before he said,
"Uh oh, I've got to go... Dad wants me to look after the kids. Uhm, I guess I'll see you in the channel sometime...."
"Ok, cool. Thanks for ringing..... it was awesome to talk to you."
"Same for you. See ya round..."
I grinned as he said his goodbyes and hung up. And i didnt stop grinning as i stood up from my desk and flopped onto my bed. As i lay and hugged my pillow, I wondered what he was doing at that moment. And i fell asleep with a smile on my face.

"Steph? You there?" My mum's voice rang throught the hall and into my room. I sat up and glanced around, shaking my head. I'd been dreaming that I'd met Isaac. We'd been together in Central Park, and.... I sighed. Like that was ever going to happen. I climbed off my bed and wandered out to the lounge.

chapter five

My mum turned the shirt over and ran the iron over it. "Honey, do you have anything that needs ironing?" I blinked.
"Wha?"
Mum smiled. "Hon, why don't you go to bed? You look awfully tired...."
I nodded. "I think I will. See you in the morning"
"Night."
I made my way slowly down the hall and after changing, flopped onto my bed. But I couldn't sleep... I kept looking at the Hanson poster on my wall, and my mind drifted back to Isaac. Giving up on sleep, I climbed out of bed and switched on my computer. I had known it was Isaac for about a month now. And I loved talking to him. We spent a lot more time talking now than we ever had before. I smiled to myself. I logged onto mIRC and opened #hanson. I was shocked when I saw Isaac on. He wasn't usually on at this time of night.

babybird: HEY!
Dr^Pepper: Hey steph =)
babybird: hiii =) How come you're on so late?
Dr^Pepper: Oh.. I couldn't sleep. I've got a lot on my mind
babybird: oooo... like what?
Dr^Pepper: Well.... I have some news
babybird: What?
Dr^Pepper: We're going on tour in a few weeks...
babybird: Really? Where to?
Dr^Pepper: WElll....
babybird: tell me! =)
Dr^Pepper: New York
babybird: NO WAY! You're kidding, right??
Dr^Pepper: Nope =))) We can meet each other!
babybird: OMIGOD! that is SO awesome!!!
Dr^Pepper: I know =)

Wow. I coughed. This was too amazing. I was going to meet Isaac? I couldn't believe it. We chatted for a while longer about when he was coming etc, and then he had to go to bed. I let him leave, and sat wondering just how i was going to cope until i saw him....

chapter six

Meeting Isaac never seemed like a reality until about a week before he was due to come. Time had gone very slowly while I was waiting for him. I had spent mose of my time, either on the net or doing school stuff I had to catch up on. So when the weekend of his arrival came, I was fairly happy =)

I had been out shopping with my best friend, Katie and was sitting in a small cafe on Fifth Avenue, waiting for Katie to return from the bathroom, when I saw him. He was standing on the street, holding several bags from womens shopping stores and listening to a woman, presumably his mother, talk. Zac was also there... leaning tiredly against a lamp post. My breath caught in my chest and I swallowed carefully. Dropping my biscuit and getting to my feet, I slowly made my way across the cafe to the door, just in time to see Isaac's mother and Zac head away, leaving Isaac, minus the bags, standing in the street. I headed for him. I was three feet away when I lost my nerve. He wasn't supposed to arrive in New York until tomorrow.... I wasn't ready to tell him it was me. Unfortunately, he looked up and caught my eye. I smiled hesitantly.
"Hey" He said, smiling.
I breathed slowly. "Hello."
"Can I help you?"
"Umm, no, thanks, I'm fine." I gulped. He didn't recognise me. Well of course he doesn't, the sensible half of my mind told me. He doesn't even know what you look like...
"Okay then..." I stood there for a while, looking at my feet and chewing on my lip, before he said;
"Are you sure? You look... lost."
I snapped out of my trance and smiled at him.
"No, I'm fine. Just.. thinking." He smiled back at me, and I could see his eyes travelling over me. I bit my lip. He looked up then, as a woman came up behind me.
"Ike, are you ready? We're going back to the hotel now."
He nodded, and glanced at me as he started to leave.
"Nice to meet you....."
"Stephanie."
"Nice to meet you Stephanie. I'm Ike, by the way."
"I know," I said, and grinned maniacally. He grinned too, before waving and turning to catch up with his Mom.

***

From Ike's point of view

It wasn't until I was in the taxi that it struck me who the girl had reminded me of. Stephanie. MY Stephanie. I'd never even met Stephanie, but that girl was just as I'd imagined she would be. My heart started pounding, as I thought of meeting Steph tomorrow. I was looking forward to it so much, and yet I was scared. Scared that we wouldn't get along. Scared about what I would do if she decided she didn't like me. And I really had no idea how she felt about me. As far as I knew, she thought we were just friends, but I had to admit that I wanted more. We connected so well... but I was going to leave it. Maybe I'd feel different when I met her... who could tell. I sighed, and leaned back as the taxi travelled through the city.

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[part three]
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