“Yah, yah. In a minute, Geez!” Zac said half out loud.
Taylor siged and walked down the hallway and into their bedroom. He plopped down onto his bed and picked up a magazine to occupy his mind from his full bladder.
“Hey Tay! Whats up?” Issac asked, walking into the room, while throwing his jacket on to the soiled floor. “Geez man, this place is a frickin mess! Mom just cleaned it up three days ago.”
“I know!” Taylor responded, looking down at the hard to find floor. “And look, its all Zac’s mess! Its all his clothes and junk. I just about stepped on his dirty underwear a minute ago.”
Issac suddered at the thought. Trying to avoid to hurt himself on Zacs Nentendo 64 games, he made himself to the closet where even more of Zacs dirty laundry lingered. “Where’s the little squirt anyways?”
“Oh, he’s been in the bathroom for about twenty minutes doing god knows what. And I need to piss so bad!” Taylor squirmed around in his bed trying to contain himself. “My goodness! If I have to wait any longer, I’m gonna have to sew my hole up!”
“Tay, that’s dirty! Just use the other bathrooms brainiac!”
“I can’t! Mom’s cleaning one and Avery’s taking a shower in the other.” Taylor explained. “What in god’s name could Zac be doing in the bathroom for so long?”
As Tay fidgeted around on his bed, Zac walked into the room. “Bathrooms free!”
“Finally.” Taylor moaned and dashed out the door towards the bathroom.
“Zac man, you mind cleaning up your mess in this room? I can barely find my bed!” Issac said sarcasticly, still rumaging throught the closet.
“What are you talking about? This isn’t all my mess! Its your and Tay’s room too.” Zac complained.
“Yah well, It may be our room but its your mess on the floor and in the closet. Sorry little man, all the evidence is right here in this pig stye.” Issac said, popping his head out of the closet to get a glimpse of his brother. “Whoa! Wait a minute. Buddy, have you been shaving?”
Zac’s face went red and made the little pieces of ripped tiolet paper around his chin stand out even more. “Yah, so. I was shaving. Big deal!” Zac shrugged, trying to hide his embarassment.
“What do you mean big deal? This is a major deal! Our baby brother’s growing up! I didn’t even know you had hair growing on your face. Hell, I didn’t even know you knew how to shave!” Issac teased.
“Oh please! A, I’m not your baby brother, Macki is. And B, I am perfectly capable of shaving. There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me.” Zac insisted.
“Oh yah? Well A, if you were ‘perfectly capable of shaving’,” Issac mimiced, “then why do you have so many cuts? And B, what I do know about you is that your going through PUBERTY!” Issac continued to laugh at his perplexed sibling.
“Shut up Ike. Your so damn annoying! Why don’t you just mind your own business?” Zac arogantly piped, while his face turned to a warm red. The fact that people were talking about his harmones got him embarassed and made him want to crawl into a hole until he became a ‘real man’.
“Whoa! Somebodys a bit testy lately! What crawled up your ass?” Issac stated, backing off his brother a bit.
“Maybe you did! Loser! Get the hell away from me.”
“What’s with the bitterness?” Issac shot back from shock.
Whats with Zac today? My god! He never used to talk back to me like this. I was just teasing him. Must be those harmones.
Zac rolles his eyes at his brother and siged.
Why the hell can’t Ike just stay out of my business? Damn, he’s so noesy! What I do on my on time is my own business.
“Ahh! Relieved! So guys, what are we chattin about, whats up? ” Taylor chirped when he walked into the bedroom, while he was still doing up his belt buckle.
“Zac’s attitude!” Issac mummered.
Zac looked over at Issac and shot him the death look. “Whatever!”
“Whoa, do I sense a bit of tension here?” Taylor joked. “Hey Zac, have you’ve been shaving? You left a mess in the bathroom. You mind cleaning up after yourself next time?”
“What is it with everyone and cleaning up after themselves?” Zac snapped.
Taylor, stunned by the reaction, gave a confusing look at Issac. Issac shrugged his shoulders and, mouthed the words ‘Don’t ask’ back at Taylor.
“Anyways,” Taylor began, trying to forget the outburst Zac had made, “since when did you start shaving Zac? I thought twelve year olds were too young for that! What were you doing, shaving your legs?” Taylor, proud of his statement started to laugh while Issac joined in with him.
“Ha ha ha! Very funny Tay!” Zac said, obviously annoyed.
“I never even knew you had hair on your face! My god, you know what I just thought up of?” Taylor asked, scheming yet another burn in his head.
“Gee, I don’t know Tay. What?” Issac laughed sarcasticly.
“Well, If Zac already has facial hair, can you imagine what kind of jungle is growing elsewhere?” Taylor cacked.
“Tay man! Thats disgusting! I’m getting a mental picture here! But that was awesome!” Issac grined while rolling on the floor laughing. He stuck out his hand to give Taylor a high five.
“I know, I know i’m awesome...” Taylor began, but got cut off.
“You two are so dumb! Get your head out of the gutter. I can’t believe I’m related to the two of you immature freaks.” Zac snapped in disgust.
“ Lighten up Zac. It was only a joke! Calm down. But hey, thats puberty for ya!” Taylor said.
“Yah, Zac, Have fun! The next couple of months are going to be hell! Your hormones are raging faster than you can eat a twinkie!” Issac added.
“I don’t know Ike buddy, thats pretty fast.” Taylor laughed. “But seriously Zac, just listen to yourself, theirs no denying it, you are going through the Big P. I mean your vioce is constantly cracking and its getting so damn low! Its almost lower than mine. Why do you think dad put you in vioce lessons? I practicly have to sing your harmony for you now.”
“Will you two just come of the subject of me going through puperty? Fricken, you two are so damn vexatious!”
“Ohhh. Vexatious! Pretty big words for such a little, er, I mean big man!” Issac chuckled. Taylor joined with him.
“Piss off Ike! Go to hell!” Zac screamed with furry in his eyes. He rolled his eyes at the two and stomped out of the room down the stairs.
Gad damn! Can’t a guy get a little respect around here? Whats with ike and Tay? Why do they have to be so immature? Just because my vioce is changing and I’m growing more, they have to make fun of me all the time! I’m so sick of their teasing. Why do they have to be so immature? Gad damn! I hate this! Girls have it so easy! I hate this!
Zac bolted down the stairs and puoted in the kitchen. He sat down at the table and started munching on some stale chips.
“Hi honey!” Diana chirped, walking by Zac. “I thought you were hanging out with your brothers. Whats the matter? Did the two leave you out again?” she headed towards the counters to start on the sinkfull of dishes.
“Yeah, sort of.” Zac managed to mumble out loud.
“Oh sweetheart, Don’t let Issac and Taylor get to you. They can get kinda obnoxious sometimes.” Mrs. Hanson turned around and gave Zac a pittiful look. “You know you shouldn’t eat all those chips hun. I’ll be starting dinner in just a sec. You don’t want to....”
“Yah, yah mom, I don’t want to ruin my appetite!” Zac cut in. “I already know that. Besies, I can’t help it mom! I’m a growing kid! I have to eat!” he said matter of factly.
“You sure are!” Diana chuckled, returning her attention back to the dishes.
My dear Zachary sure is growing! This is so hard! I’ve seen both Issac and Taylor go through this stage! Boy, are they sure growing up fast. It seems like just yesterday that I held my little Zac in my arms eveytime he got hurt or scared. I can still remember when he first started performing with his brothers, that he would always come crying to me about how he couldn’t go through with the show. He was just a little thing that was so scared of big crowds. Now, he can’t hardly wait to perform for his fans. This seems so unreal sometimes. Its hard watching them grow up and letting go of their childhood. My Zac is becoming a teenager now. This is so scary! Its like another Issac or Taylor in the house. My innocent Zachary. He was so sweet. Now he’s almost as tall as Tay and his vioce is getting so low. Thank goodness Walker put him in vioce lessons.He sure needs them now with his vioce changing! What am I ever going to do without my precious Zachary?
Diana’s train of thought broke when she felt a tugging on her pant leg and a squeaky vioce saying, “Mommy, Mommy. Will you pway wit me? Pwease Mommy pwease?” Diana looked down and saw Mackie’s sweet brown eyes.
“I’m sorry honey, Mommy’s busy right now. Why don’t you ask Zachary to play with you, huh?” Diana softly hushed. With that Macki ran over to the table and with his chubby little hands, starting tapping Zac on the leg.
“Come on Zac, come on! Lets go pway Power Rangers! I get to be the gowd ranger! You can be gween!” Mackie squealed.
“Mac! I don’t want to play power rangers with you. Can you inmagine what kind of rep I’m going to get if I continue to play with you all the time? I’m to old to hang around a four year all the time.” Zac complained. He got up and walked towards the back door and ventured out onto the patio to catch some sunlight.
Walking out, he heard Mackie’s stunned vioce inquiring, “I’m four years old alweady? Mommy, guess what? I’m four!”
Zac made his way down onto the lawn and sat down on the moist grass. “I’m getting to old for stuff like Power Rangers. This totally sucks. I’m too old for toys and baby games, yet I’m too young to hang around Tay and Ike and talk about girls and cars. I hate growing up!” Zac sighed to himself.
Why can’t things be like the old days? When ike, Tay and I could do everything together? When we had fun recording music and had fun fooling around? Now all they care about are their clothes and their hair and stuff. And all they care about are impressing girls and driving cars. I hate being twelve! I feel so funny all the time. My vioce is cracking, I can barely fit in any of my pants anymore, and I get these funny feelings whenever I see a girl. Man, Ike was right when he said puberty was going to be hell. I don't want to grow up! Why do people have to grow up? Why can’t we just stay the way we are?
* * * *
“Man, what’s wrong with Zac lately?” Taylor asked while putting away his younger brother’s mess.
“I don't know, he sure is growing up. My god, you remember Tay? It was just like this past summer how he was this short little stub that would jump all over us whenever he saw us. Now look at him. Everytime we see him, he throws a tantrum and gives out attitude.” Issac sighed.
“No kidding eh? All he ever does now is talk back. And he never wants to hang out anymore. He’s always off in his own little world. Even I wasn’t that bad when I was going through his stage. Was I?” Taylor asked.
“What are you talking about Tay? You still are going through his stage. We both are. Zac’s just in the prime of things. I’m sure it’ll wear off though.” Issac replied with a crease in his forehead.
“My god, I hope so! He’s so testy lately. I want my little brother back! Its just not the same anymore. Zac’s not Zac without his craziness. Now he’s just so... so... I don’t know! Zac’s just not him!” a worried Taylor complained.
“Relax, Tay! I went through the same thing when you were going through puberty. Its just that you weren’t as bad as our beloved Zachary. I mean he’s still the little runt that we pick on. He sure as hell smells the same!” Issac reassured his best friend, letting out a little chuckle. “Anyways, I’m off. Me and the guys are catching a movie and some dinner. Wanna tag along?”
“No, thats alright. I’m think I’m gonna try to catch some sleep. Why don’t you ask Zac? Looks like he could use some male bonding.”
“Not with his attitude, I’m going out with him. I think I’ll let him vent off for a bit. Anyways, see ya later.” Issac grabbed his jacket and left the room leaving Taylor by himself to collect his thoughts.
“Yah, see ya.” Taylor whispered to nobody in particular. He sat back on his bed and let out a sigh. The whole issue of Zac made him miserable for some odd reason. He waited for sleep to over come him but Zac was to involved in his mind.
Why am I so gloomy just because Zac’s going through puberty? Its not even my business. Maybe its because I don’t want Zac to grow up. I’m just so use to the little guy’s immaturity. I’m so use to having him annoy me 24/7. The liitle squirt was so easy to beat up. Now, he’s almost as big as me. Boy, do I miss the old days when Zac was a little punching bag that jumped off the walls. Now, he talks back and hes just so distant from us. Especially me. Its like I don’t even know him anymore and yet I do know him cause he’s my little brother. I sure do love the little guy. I just don’t want to see him grow up. I remember when we first started performing, he was the tiniest little thing, nobody even knew who was playing the drums. And the day he was so happy because me and Ike built him the tree house. He loved that thing so much he insisted on sleeping in there for the first week. I doubt if he can fit in there anymore, he’s grown so much. I just don’t want Zac to grow up. He was so fun to hang out with beacause of his wackiness and stupidity. Zac’s my little brother, he’s awesome! I just don’t want to lose him. I can’t bare to let go. I don’t want to see my brother lose his childhood. Oh god, why do we have to grow up? I just don’t wanna let go. Just don’t wanna let go...
Taylor looked up at the ceiling and dazed off into sleep while he dreamt of things less mystifying. His thoughts were lost with him before he could start contemplating of people growing up and leaving him in a sense. In a sense that he couldn’t have his little brotther annoy him. In a sense where he couldn’t see Zac leave him. In a sense were he had to let go but just didn’t want to.
“TAY!” Taylor bolted up in his bed responding to the shreik that called out to him. There in front of him greeted a pair of flaring nostrils that came in close contatct with his face.
“Zac, get your nasty snots out of my face! What do you want? I think I’m deaf now thanks to you!” Taylor said grabbing his ear.
“Sorry loser, but I was bored. Wanna play with some legos?” he grinned.
“Zac, play with legos?” Taylor said in a suprised tone. “I thought you said you were too old for legos the other day. What ever happened to that statement?”
“Well, people can change their minds can’t they?” Zac jumped of the bed and pounced into the corner of the room where the brothers kept a fortrest of legos.
Taylor slowly got up from his bed and sat there for a second watching his brother indulge in little coloured plastic blocks. He smiled to himself and watched Zac be a kid again for a second. But only for a second. He knew that once that moment was over, Zac would still be a foot taller and posses a vioce an octave lower. But for that split second Talor savoured the feeling. One of the last feelings he would get. Idly, he dragged himself out of bed and joined his little brother, throwing him down on the floor tring to start a wrestling match.
Hey, maybe Zac’s still Zac...yah thats it, Zac, uniquley Zac. Must be them hormones.
THE END