I had eventually fallen asleep on my bunk and was awoken by Taylor, who had taken the liberty to knock on the underside of my bed. It scared me and I shot up out of bed, hitting my head on the bunk roof. “Shit,” I cursed quietly, rubbing my head. “Shit.”

“Get up, you bum. We need to talk,” Taylor said in a hushed voice. Talk, talk, talk. All I ever did with these boys was talk it seemed. Especially with this Taylor person. Maybe I should suggest that we write e-mails to each other. Or text each other.

“Trish! Hurry up!” he said urgently, as I sat there rubbing my head.

“I’m coming, calm the heck down,” I said. I swung my legs over the side and hit the person who was trying to rush me out of bed.

“OW! Geez, watch where you swing those things, you could’ve given me a black eye!” Taylor cried out. He was greeted with “SHHH” from someone in the bunks. Someone that was probably sleeping and didn’t want to hear Taylor’s bitching about me almost hurting his pretty face.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, jumping down a bit to find Taylor still sitting in his bunk. He grinned up at me. “Well?” I asked.

“Well what?” was his reply.

“Are we going to talk, or are you going to just sit there and grin at me like an idiot?”

He grabbed my hands and pulled himself up. “We’ll talk.”

“Good.” I led us into the entertainment room and sat down on the couch, waiting for him to close the door. As soon as he did, he practically jumped onto the couch, gathered me in his arms and kissed me long and hard. I hadn’t been expecting this – or maybe I had. I wasn’t so sure.

“Hey,” he grinned, a sparkle in those eyes of his.

“Hi,” I replied, grinning back.

He kissed me again, this time softer and with more feeling. I felt myself getting all giddy like I had before. Maybe this was it about Taylor Hanson that made me forgive him so quickly. He kissed like no one I had ever known. Mother of God …

“I thought we were gonna talk?” I said, feeling a silly little grin on my face as he drew away.

“Oh, we are. I just wanted to catch up on what I’ve been missing for the past week or two …” he said. Then he broke out into song. “All I know is what I’m missing / What I’m missing is your kissing, are you listening? Don’t go--”

I laughed, poking him in the sides. “If I wanted a private concert, I would’ve told you,” I smiled, resting my head on his shoulders. He continued to sing quietly, then stopped to just hold me. I felt him rest his head on top of mine, his arms around me.

“You really mean it, Trish?” he asked, as I closed my eyes against my own will.

“Mean what?” I replied.

“That you’re in love with me?” He sounded like a little kid, so full of hope and excitement.

“Yep.”

“Really?”

“Mmhmm.”

Taylor was quiet. “You’re not just saying that?”

“No. Why would I just be ‘saying that’?”

“I don’t know. Girls have told me the same thing and … it always turns out disastrous, they just want me for my money or my hot bod.”

“What hot bod?”

Taylor tickled me lightly and I giggled. “You know you want this hot bod,” he said, hugging me tightly. “I can’t believe that you, of all people, is in love with me.”

“Why is it so hard to believe?”

“Because it’s you. You were like, the one girl I’ve wanted all of my life but couldn’t ever get because we were so close, you know? You were so close, yet so far away. I figured that you and I would just stay friends and nothing else … and it killed me to know that. You know, when I said that we’d get married at twenty-three, I really wanted it to happen. I’ve been hoping that you stay single until then.”

“So what are you saying, Taylor?” He tended to ramble – not only in interviews, but when he was talking to others as well. That I could attest to.

“I’m saying that, Trish, I’m in love with you too. I’ve been in love with you since I’ve known you. And I want to be your one and only, from now until forever. I want to buy you roses and take you out to fancy dinners and let the world know that you’re mine.”

I grinned, my heart beating furiously. “I see …”

“If I asked you out, what would you say?” Taylor asked.

“I’d say yes.”

“Then … Trish, will you be my girlfriend?”

“Mm … yes.”

Taylor squeezed me tightly and then drew away to give me another kiss. “I know this may be early but … I love you …” he said, smiling widely.

“I love you too, Tay.”

We reached Oklahoma the following morning. Tulsa, to be exact. We couldn’t be happier. Gus took the bus straight to the Hanson household and we all got off to greet the Hanson family, then drove off to the venue or something. I was going to see my family later on that day and spend the next two nights at home. Nadine even gave me the days off, insisting that I stay at home instead of help out at the show. She had everything under control.

“Okay,” I had said, as we stood there on the bus, with one of us insisting that it was okay to work and the other one practically pushing the other off the bus. “But if you need me, don’t hesitate to call me, okay?”

“I know,” Nadine smiled, then reached out and hugged me. “Go have fun with your family though. I’m sure that they miss you – don’t worry about us.”

“Can I at least come watch the shows?”

“Of course, sweetie! You’re more than welcome to come and watch. But I don’t want you working or anything, okay?”

“Alright, alright,” I laughed. “No working.”

As we trooped into the Hanson household, I stole a glance at Taylor, who was positively glowing. He looked so gorgeous that day; so radiant and so happy to be back home. Mr. Hanson, Isaac and Zac looked the same – excited to be home. Hugs and kisses were given and received all around from Mrs. Hanson and their siblings. I even got some myself, especially from Mrs. Hanson, who took one look at me and cried out, “Trish, honey, you look absolutely beautiful!”

We were served lunch and stories of what was going on with everyone else. Their younger siblings were so excited that they were home that there was constant chatter, even if they had food in their mouths. It was hard keeping up with so many questions and stories, but I tried my best. When we were finished, I called up my home and told my sister that I was on my way.

“I’ll take you home,” Zac offered, smiling my way as I stood near Taylor outside.

“You sure? I can always have my dad pick me up, or I can call another one of my friends to come get me—“

“Don’t be ridiculous. Come on, Trish, we’ll hop in my sweet ride and we’ll cruise into your neighborhood.”

I laughed. “Alright, thanks,” I grinned.

“Actually, it’s okay Zac, I’ll take her home,” Taylor said, wrapping an arm around my waist.

“Uh, I just said I would and she agreed, so …”

Oh Lord. Not this again.

“You can come with us if you want to, Tay,” I said, stopping a fight before it started. “That is, if it’s okay with Zac.”

I looked at Zac, who shook his head. “It’s my turn to spend some time with Trish,” he scowled.

“You spend enough time with her, don’t you think?” Taylor asked him.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that question?” Zac snapped.

“I’m entitled to spend time with her,” Taylor said smugly.

“So am I,” Zac replied, as Isaac walked outside. “We are both equally entitled to spend time with her.”

“Why are you two fighting again?” Isaac asked, sipping a soda casually. “And over Trish?”

“Don’t be mean,” I chastised, hoping that Isaac’s presence would make them stop.

“But I’m more entitled to spend time with her,” Taylor said, his nose in the air a bit. Ooh, I had to stop this before things got ugly.

“Oh yeah? Why?” Zac asked, crossing his arms.

“Hey Isaac, why don’t you take me home?!” I asked desperately, trying to distract them somehow. For some reason, I didn’t want to see Zac’s reaction when Taylor spilled the beans about our relationship. We hadn’t even told our families yet.

“Because Trish and I are dating,” Taylor stated loudly. Oh shit, there went my life.

“In your dreams, Tay,” Zac said, rolling his eyes.

“Yes, Trish, I’d be glad to take you home!” Isaac said loudly, grabbing my arm. “Come on!”

“No, seriously, we are. I asked her out last night and she said yes. You know why? Because she’s in love with me and because I’m in love with her. We want to be with each other. So, Trish and I are going. Out,” Taylor said.

There was a silence on Zac’s end as Isaac pulled me away. I looked over at Zac and I wanted to cover his ears or something. He looked absolutely devastated. I’d never seen him look so damned sad in his life. Isaac pulled me along and practically shoved me into his car, gunning it to get to my place. I watched as Zac exchanged a few more words with Taylor before looking over at Isaac’s car, watching us drive away.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt so low in my life. And the weird thing was – I couldn’t explain why.