Star Gazing

Part two.

The next day, I awoke to the sound of our radio blasting away. It was tuned into some grunge station... joy!

Mira was head-moshing, how could she? To sit up in the morning makes my head spin and I nearly pass out! I don't understand how Mira could mosh and not chunder from the movement. I was getting sick just watching her. I closed my eyes but the music was still pounding away. I so wished I could just close my ears as well, and everything would be silenced.

Crawling out of my nice, comfy, warm, cozy and soft bed, I forced myself to change. The physics of changing out of my pajamas is not the most interesting subject so I'd best not explain every detail.

Now fully dressed, I walked ... stumbled ... walked ... stumbled ... walked ... stumbled into the kitchen where I found Mira. She was making pancakes ..... mmm pancakes. It smelt as if she'd nearly finished cooking them. I sat down gingerly at the dining table... but instead of serving me some nice, hot pancakes with syrup, she took it into the TV room. I stood, dumbfounded then went to see what she was doing. Mira was sitting, eating her pancakes -for one person-, while watching those morning cartoons.

Pshaw, I should've known. As if Mira would make me breakfast. Hehe I giggled at the thought. Oh well! I really didn't feel like the fuss of making pancakes or waffles or... anything that needed heat. I hated fire... always scared me that stuff! Ironically I felt like something the oposite of a hot breakfast, I went to the fridge. Well the freezer actually. Mmmmm ice cream.

'Mmmmm chocolate, do'h. Mmmmm chocolate, do'h. Mmmmm chocolate, do'h.' Hehehe loved that Simpsons episode! It was weird 'cause out of the two buckets of three-flavoured-icecreams we had, I could not find a single trace of chocolate.

While devouring the strawberry and vanilla flavoured ice cream, my mind once again began to wonder. Yesterday when they left the newsagent, I followed behind the two. Taylor didn't really notice to me after Mira told him that I could talk but I just never did. While pondering, I hoped that he didn't think I was being rude by not even introducing myself. He probably did, but it didn't matter because it wasn't as if I wanted to impress him or anything. I was just hanging around Taylor because he was around my sister! Now you don't see a girl following a gorgeous guy just because he was with her sister - and for that fact only, now do you?

I didn't think so.

We just spent the afternoon strolling around... not really doing anything. How exciting I hear you say... well actually one quote caught my ear...

As usual I wasn't taking part in their conversation - for the obvious reasons. Still, it didn't hurt to listen in. The guys were talking about past memories...

Mira: Yeah, I think I had a pretty cool childhood. Infact mostly from what I remember, everything was happy and fun. We had food on the table and there wasn't any violence in our household.
Taylor: Mmmhmm.. ours either. My parents brought us up to avoid any kind of violence... too bad my bros and I love a punch out once in a while. Heh... but honestly, it was all just playin' games.
Mira: (smiles) Of course. Me, myself.. I would never hurt a fly!

Hmm. Something about that just did not seem correct.

I sighed.

Actually, sometimes, I had my doubts. Was I holding this ever lasting grudge on her for something she done so long ago? Has she changed? Was she still like that? Was she ever like that... I mean I could've just caught her a day she woke up on the wrong side of the bed... or had her 'friend' over.

There were so many questions I knew no answer to.

Hang on, why was I even doubting myself?... I knew why. It was because she was so nice. She isn't THE evil, violent sister. She wasn't THE mean bitch. She was just MY sister. She didn't go out of her way to hit me. She never hit me anymore. It was just that one time. Maybe she regrets doing that. I can only hope...

Mira really is the perfect sister in more ways than one. We did have that special bond that most sisters have. We shared the good, and the bad.

Mira, Mira, Mira. She now actually is that innocent girl that shows.

Now I hear you say. Great! That's all fixed, Carrie can talk now. Everything's back to 'normal'. Ha... that's just where my problems begin. I can't seem to forget that day... it was haunting me. Fear is a powerful thing. That's what kept me from talking. That's what would always keep me from talking, to her anyway.

The fact that just anytime she could lash out at me. The fact that she was able to, and I knew it. The fact that I could never forget or overcome those memories...

****

I plonked myself in front of the tele. My best form of escapism. Reading was okay... but often I couldn't find any good books to read. They were all lovey dovey sweet stuff. Romance and special poetic books. Not my interest.

Grabbing the control, I channel surfed. There wasn't anything 'good' on. It was ... okay - news, news, weird oldies show, fishing prog, politics debating ... yep that was it.

Sighing, I turned off the tele. It was time to hit the books. Nothing better to do! If this is my life, everyone would hate to be me! So dull and boring. No excitement what-so-ever!

Man! I need a life, I decided. Playing doggie tag with my sister wasn't the most interesting thing to do. No! A teen shouldn't be following her sister all day, everyday! Neither should a teen have somebody following them! Too bad, I shouldn't fantasize how it will never be, because, it just will... never be.

****

I followed Mira down the steps and to the bus stop - it was our usual routine.

On the bus, I fell asleep. It was a smooth ride and there were quiet passengers, what more can I say?

I woke when Mira's bag brushed over my arm. She was climbing over me to get off the bus. I wonder... if I hadn't awakened, if she would've just left me? It's a scary thought.

I jumped off the bus after Mira. We walked and walked. It seemed like we would never get to our destination - where ever that was! I just followed, I knew nothing. So, my point being, if Mira was walking off a cliff - committing suicide - I would probably just walk into the same trap. One straight death after another.

The third time I looked up from Mira's shoes, I saw a homely looking house. It was kinda big and it was painted... pink? err... nice...

Mira walked straight up to the door bell and rung it, while I stayed behind.

I recognised the person who answered the door, as Zac Hanson. He narrowed his eyes and said, "Yes?" This was the Hanson's house?! I was surprised Taylor would give away the address so easily to someone he didn't know very well. I mean, come on, he's known Mira for what, one day?

Mira stuttered, "Uh.. hi um ... can I please .. ah talk to Taylor? Could you erm get him for .. me? ..ah please?

Zac pressed his lips. He muttered, "He's not here, you can go now."

Mira started, "No, but Taylor said-"

Zac interrupted and set the record straight, "Look lady, I don't know who you are and how you got out address. How can Taylor say anything to you, he hasn't even seen you before! You don't know him, he doesn't kno-"

He was interrupted when Taylor came down the steps and called out, "Hey Mira!"

Zac looked annoyed and embarrassed.

"You know her?" He asked. Taylor just rolled his eyes and with that as an answer, Zac left us.

****

That was weird, I thought. But I could see Zac's point, I mean we could've been any crazed fan - claiming to know Taylor - who found his address over the net. The whole Hanson family probably got that a lot.

After our greetings, Taylor invited us in. While showing us his lounge, Taylor said, "When we meet from now on it's probably you have to come here because Mom's pretty over-protective of me. I had to sneak out, that day at the mall."

Interesting. I could see it already. Taylor bending over and waddling like a mad duck, humming the Mission Impossible theme song.

I looked around their lounge. It had a N64 AND about three other game stations. Pshaw, we didn't even have one. But I suppose it's what you expect from a super star.

The rest of the room was pretty ordinary. Not much to describe, apart from a big brown stain on the other side of the couch. Okay, now do I really wanna know what that is?! No I guess not.

Since it was kind of the only option left, I listened to Mira and Taylor's conversation.

M: Um, so how have your hols been so far?
T: Good. (silence) Okay, okay, they've been great!
M: (smiles) Yeah, mine are off to a good start too.

There was kind of an awkward silence. Then I heard Taylor mumble something like -

T: Ah yeah, um, so.....
M: Erm, do you like the new renovations they done to Laser Quest?
T: Yeah, totally. The place is huge! Heh did you know Zac's dream is to one day own a Laser Quest building. He says he'd let everyone play for free. Pfft sure. Zac just wants everyone to think he's the giving guy, which he's not.
M: Haha really? I wouldn't mind if he made his Laser Quest free, I think I'd quite enjoy it.
T: (rolling his eyes) I'm sure the majority of the population would..... ah.... (clearing his throat) would you two like a drink?

Mira accepted, I declined. Taylor walked over to the mini fridge in the corner of the room which I hadn't noticed before.

Isaac poked his head through the doorway looked at us then at Taylor. He exclaimed, "Taylor I do believe our house is being bombarded with alien species. Arghhhhh-", and with that, he ran from the room. Weird I must say. I thought Zac was supposed to be the crazy one. Maybe they switched identities...

"Ah.. hehe.. don't mind Ike, he's not usually like that," Taylor assured.


Part three...

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