---Zac----

"I'm gonna go out for a while" I told Taylor who was reading a book on the sofa in our motel.

"Uh-huh" He murmered not looking up from the book.

I rolled my eyes. He started reading that book on the plane, and ever since hasn't been able to tear his eyes away!

I wondered outside and tried to decide where to go. The ABBA song came into my mind 'walks along the seine' I laughed. Too bad I wasn't in that part of Europe.

I started walking, not really looking at anything except the ground.

"Zac?" I voice asked.

I cringed, uh-oh! Please not a teeny.

"Zac Hanson?"

Wait a minute! I know that voice!

I turned "Jessica?!?!" I asked the blond girl standing behind me "is that really you?"

She nodded "ZAC! Wow it's been forever!"

I nodded "tell me about it!"

I guess you're wondering who Jessica is. She and I dated for a couple of months back in High School. We hadn't seen each other for years!

"What brings you to Europe?" She asked.

"Ike, Tay and I are touring for our new album" I answered

She smacked her head "Oh, Of course. I love that song 'Flying Angels*"

I grinned "I wrote that one!"

"Really? Awesome!"

"Hey, I was just going to get a coffee" I said "Would you like to come?"

"Sure!"

***Mary-Kate***

*Sigh* I miss Zac soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!

And, I'm getting kind of nervous. Who knows what pretty girls he'll meet in Europe!

Eeek! I'm chewing my fingernails back to the skin!

Chill Mary-Kate! Chill!

AUGH!

***Zac***

Jessica laughed at the joke I'd just told and I grinned. She reached across the table and patted my arm.

"That was a good one!" She said wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

Just then a blinding light flashed in our direction. I glanced outside.

Reporters! Great!

"Come on" I said grabbing her hand "Lets get out of here!"

***Mary-Kate***

Augh! I need to distract myself here! Maybe I should watch the news.

I got up and turned the telivision on, then settled in to watch.

"And the latest news on the pop group Hanson, who is this mystery girl! And I thought he was engaged!*"

I snapped to attention! They better be talking about Isaac! I glanced at the tv and started to see red! That was Zac! Smiling at some girl, who reached out and patted her on the arm! Don't think I didn't noticed her hand linger! And then when he spotted the camera he GUILTILY grabbed her hand and ran from where they could see him. He is so gonna get it!!!!

The phone rang and I answered it. If this was Zac he's gonna get a piece of my mind!

"HELLO?!" I answered angrily.

"Chill Mary-Kate! It's me"

"Oh, Hi Ash" I said sadly.

"I'm guessing you saw the news"

"Uh-huh"

"Oh,... well, if you don't feel like going out tonight I'll understand!"

I perked up then "No way! I wouldn't miss tonight for anything!

It was time to get Ashley and Josh together!

She groaned "Great!... See you in an hour"

***Ashley***

How could she do this to me? My own sister? A traitor! What am I supposed to wear?

I'd spent the last hour, trying to decide what to wear. My room was now littered with clothes.

"Why am I doing this to myself?" I muttered sinking to the floor.

"Oh! If only I had my camera!" Nikola sneered appearing at the door.

"GET OUT!" I screamed throwing a shoe at her.

She shrieked and disappeared. Sighing I got up to close the door.

"Why bother!?" I muttered and grabbed the nearest clothing I had. Jeans and a blouse and jacket.

***Josh***

What shirt should I wear?

The glitter?

The purple?

The blue?

ARGH!

Wait a minute! I'm the guy! I shouldn't care what I wear!

I grabbed the nearest items of clothing I could find and headed for the door.

"Wow, you look...flash" Michael said sarcastically.

I glanced down at my jeans and shirt, then glanced back up. Not able to think of anything to say I just stuck my tongue out at him.

"Great come back, Man!" He said holding a thumb up.

Chapter 27:

***Ashley***

Maybe if I ignore him, he'll go away!

Well, if that's true why hasn't he disappeared? I've been ignoring him ever since we got to the restaurant!

"So.." Mary-Kate said breaking into my thoughts "Do you two plan on doing any more plays together?" She asked Josh and I.

I just glared at her.

Josh decided not to answer and went back to eating.

Mary-Kate sighed.

Melanie and Michael were too busy staring into each others eyes to notice.

***Mary-Kate***

This is fun! I feel like the fifth wheel. Maybe if I could get out of here and split these guys up.

"Hey Michael?" I asked interrupting his and Melanie's staring "You brought your car didn't you?"

He nodded.

"I'm not feeling to well. Do you think you two could give me a ride home?" I asked winking.

He cought on quickly "Sure"

Michael, Melanie and I left the restaurant. Them together and me in a taxi.

A shame really, I would have liked to watch this...

***Ashley***

"I... uh,... get the feeling we've been set up" I said poking my food around on my plate.

Josh nodded. "Come on Ash, lets go with this" he said "It doesn't have to be a date. We can just hang out"

I gave him a suspicious look.

"Come on" He said getting up from the table and grabbing my hand. "There's a really cool ice skating rink nearby. Lets go over there"

I sighed "Ok" I said though I quite liked the idea.

***

"T-This is fun" I said wobbling around on my skates.

"Relax a little" Josh ordered.

"Yessir!" I said saluting and promptly falling over.

Josh sighed and helped me up "Try again"

"You know what? I feel like Jonathon and Sara in Serindipity" I waved at the ice skating rink "Kinda"

He shrugged "Haven't seen it"

"YOU HAVEN'T SEEN SERINDIPITY?" I almost fell over again but he cought me.

"Nope"

"You HAVE to watch it. I'm not kidding here. HAVE to watch it!"

"Whatever"

"NOT whatever" I said grabbing his hand "Come on" I pulled him off the ice (wobbling on the whole way, but somehow keeping my balance)

"Where are we going?"

"To rent it"

"Nooooooooooo" he whined "I don't wanna watch some chick flick"

I turned on him and unleashed,... the puppy face "Please?" I asked pouting.

"No!" he said looking away.

"Look at me!" I said. He obeyed. And I won!

***Mary-Kate***

"Hello?" I asked answering the phone.

"Hey, baby" The familiar voice of Zac answered.

I hung up the phone.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

"Hello?"

"Mary-Kate?"

Slam! I hung up the phone again.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

This time I ignored it. After awhile he gave up. I went back to reading a book when I heard my computer inform me I had mail. I got up and walked over to it. Sure enough there was an e-mail from Zac.

Mary-Kate! Answer the phone!

I didn't respond and went back to the sofa.

Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!

By that ponit I started to worry. What if it was someone else and an emergency. Sighing I picked up the phone.

"MARY-KATE?! WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON!?!?" Zac shouted down the line.

"You tell me" I said fighting the urge to hang up again.

"What's that supposed to mean"

"Don't play dumb with me!"

"I don't know what you're talking about so why don't you just come out and say it!" He said frustratedly.

"See the news recently?" I asked calmly.

"WHAT ON EARTH HAS THAT- Oh"

"Oh? That's all you have to say" I went to hang up again.

"MARY-KATE! WAIT!"

"Fine" I said "I'm here... I'm waiting"

"She was an old high school friend"

"Sure she was"

"I don't believe this!" I heard some noise on the line and soon another voice came on "Mary-Kate?"

"Taylor?"

"Zac wanted me to explain. You have my word.. and Ike's. Jessica is an old friend of Zac's they were just catching up after not talking for years"

"Oh" I said weakly "Could you put Zac back on?"

"Sure" he said the line was silent for a moment then he returned "Um,.. he's kind of upset and doesn't want to talk"

"Ask him again"

He did "Sorry Mary-Kate"

"Thanks anyway" I said dejectedly hanging up the phone. And promptly bursting into tears.

Could that have gone any worse!?

***Zac***

"I can't believe this! I can't believe this!" I ranted walking around the apartment

"Zac, Zac! ZAC!" Taylor said "Chill

"How can I chill? How can I marry a person who doesn't even remotely trust me?" I said throwing my hands up.

"Have you seen that footage? You two did look kind of cosey"

"I don't care! She should have known I wouldn't do something like that!"

Taylor didn't have a comeback to that, and I went back to circling.

***Josh***

How did this happen? One minute I'm skating enjoyably and the next I'm walking through the romance section of the video store. This is really embarassing! I see at least 3 guys I know from school, thankfully they're over in the action section and haven't noticed me (yet)

Wait-

"Hi Mark" I said waving to one of the guys who'd spotted me

"Here it is" Ashley said happily, and loudly.

That volume achieved getting the attention of the other two and I waved again.

"Great! Now can we get out of hear?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"Sure" She said smiling, ignorant of the two guys who were grinning evily.

If they spread this around school.... I don't even wanna think what would happen!!

***

Ashley pushed the door open and little and peaked around the corner. She then tiptoed into the room.

"What are you doing?" I asked, puzzled.

"Checking for Nikola" she said listening at the door to the other girls dorm. "All clear!" she said with a smile and raced over to the VCR to put the video on.

I sighed and sat down. Preparing myself for an hour and a half of torture! (With Ashley of course, so I guess it's not TOTALLY torture...)

Chapter 28:

---Michael---

"What do you want to do?" I asked Melanie swinging her hand back and forward.

"Spy on Ashley and Josh" She said mischeviously.

"Pure Genious!" I said and started for my car

---Melanie---

"OW!" I howled as my hair got cought in one of the branches of the bush we were crawling through.

"Ssshh!" Michael said stopping and turning to me

"My hair!" I tried to say quietly.

He sighed and helped me untangle it "Come on" he started starting to crawl again.

I resumed crawling too "Well, this is a great view" I said in a voice heavy with sarcasm. He spun around till he was facing me.

"Would you like to go first then?" he asked.

"Nu-uh!"

After a lot of negotiation we decided to crawl side by side. VERY easy I tell you! VERY!

After a lot of pushing the other into the bushes and getting scratches from bushes we reached...

"EW!" I said pulling my hand out of something cold and sticky. "Please tell me that wasn't what I thought it was"

"OH!" He said backing off and waving his hand around to clear the air "That's bad"

I sighed and tried to wipe it off on him.

"Back off" He said crawling away.

This was a fun date!

---Ashley---

"Did you hear something?" I asked turning to Josh.

He seemed to move his arm really quickly and I wondered if he'd been trying the 'yawn' technique but quickly brushed that thought aside.

"Nope" he answered turning to the screen.

I sighed and turned back to it too.

---Michael---

I peered through the window "they're watching a movie!" I informed Melanie "Come on"

She crawled through the bush and pulled a twig off her sweater "How did you get me into this again?"

"HA! It was your idea" I said looking through the window again. "Yawn technique!"

She rushed over to the window "She didn't notice!"

Ashley and Josh were both sitting on a comfortable two seater Josh with his arm around Ash.

"What do you think he'll try next?" She asked.

I thought for a minute "Maybe to kiss her?"

"REALLY!?!?" She asked trying to see in better.

---Josh---

Should I? Dare I?

Um,...........

Maybe reach for the chips?

I decided on that technique and reached across Ashley to where they were.

"AUGH!" I screeched losing my balance and falling on the floor.

"You ok?" Ashley asked peering down at me.

---Melanie---

"WOAH!" I said "THAT was impressive!" I elbowed Michael in the ribs "Why don't you ever do anything like that for me?"

He gave me the look.

"Just asking" I muttered.

---Ashley---

I extended a hand to Josh.

"Fine" He answered blushing profusely, taking my hand and giving it a sharp tug.

"AUGH!" I screamed flying through the air and landing half on the ground and half on top of him "What was that for?"

---Michael---

"Smooth!" I said grinning.

"The guys psycho" Melanie answered rolling her eyes.

---Josh---

"Sorry" I murmered staring at her.

"Josh! Your face is going all red!" She said "Do you need a glass of water?" She started to get up but I stopped her.

"I'm fine"

She nodded "Uh-huh... Well, could we... you know sit on the sofa maybe?"

"mmhmm" I mumered staring deep into her eyes.

"Are you feeling ok?" she asked with a puzzled look.

I sighed. Enough beating around the bush. I leaned over and kissed her. Her eyes widened and then finally she kissed me back.

---Melanie---

"Woo-hoo! Houston we have lift off" Michael said in a goofy voice.

I grinned and we did a little dance.

"Ash and Josh sitting in a tree"

Suddenly a bright light blinded us. "You there?" A voice asked "What are you doing?"

"RUN!" Michael said grabbing my hand.

Trying to hold in a fit of giggles I obeyed.

---Ashley---

Josh and I pulled apart and rushed over to the window.

"What on earth is going on?" I asked peering out.

All I could see was a guy with a torch disappearing around the corner.

Josh shrugged "weird!"

"Lets watch the end of the movie"

We sat down and watched Sara and Jonathon continue their mad chase to find each other.

Josh and I already had!

Chapter 29: