"Mum, Dad, we've got visitors!" I yelled as I let myself in.

My dad surfaced with a candle from the living room covered in soot. He'd been prating around with the fire again, although I wasn't about to complain - the house was freezing 'cause of the power cut.

"Dad, this is Zachary Hanson and his bodyguard, Kevin" My dad vigorously shook Zac's mittened hand, sending snow everywhere over the hall carpet.

"David Lidster, pleased to meet you! Fran, one of Dean's friends is here..."

After the introductions were complete, my dad asked Kevin into the living room where he promptly dropped onto the sofa and fell straight to sleep, snoring loudly. I escorted Zac up to my room.

"Does he ever stay awake for longer than a half hour at a go?"

"Not since I've known him," grinned Zac, pulling his gloves and scarf off and allowing me to see his face for the first time since he arrived. "He may not say a lot, but he sure looks as mean as shit!"

"So, what you doing here? Where's Tay? Is he in the country?"

"Woah, take it easy!" laughed Zac. "Tay's busy rehearsing with Ike at that NEC place in Birmingham. They've written a new song: It's Ike's first solo singing performance. Just his voice, a piano and a guitar. Nothin' for me to do..." he said, shoving his hands deeply into his pockets and swivelling on his heel, trying to look deeply dejected.

"There's another tour on, then? Geez, you don't get to hear a thing about anything like that at school..."

"Yeah - Tay said. That's why he wondered if you, like, wanted to come tour with us for a week or so."

I was, for want of a better expression, gobsmacked! "I.... I...." I stammered."

"Don't worry, you could crash with us in our trailer. There's plenty of room....."

I was back to the 'I can't believe it' thing again in my head. A trip round Alton Towers with Tay those few months ago seemed worth more than a lifetime's good luck. Now there was Zachary "the cute one" Hanson standing in the middle of MY bedroom, dripping melting snow onto MY carpet, asking ME if I want to spend the next week of my life with them. Who was I to argue with fate? "I... I'd love to!"

"Cool!" replied Zac. "I hoped you would. Tay never stops talking about you - it might shut him up for a while..."

He didn't know how much that meant to me. "When are we leaving?" I asked.

"Soon as possible - I've gotta get back to the rehearsals before Ike starts yelling' at me again..."

"Does he always give you such a hard time? I mean, it looks like you get on so well in your video..."

"Heard of acting? I think he's pissed 'cos I get more screams than he does!" grinned Zac, throwing his hair back in an exaggerated manner.

"Listen, I'd better tell my parents..."

"OK - I'm not goin' anywhere," said Zac, flopping down onto my bed. "Shit, man, I'm beat..."

I went downstairs to inform my parents that no sooner had I come home, I wanted to bugger off with the Hanson lads for a week - missing that week of school to boot!

I was relieved to see that my mum and dad seemed to be getting on quite well with Kevin, even if they did look slightly intimidated by him.

"Er, mum, dad, can I ask you a big favour?"

"Dean, if it's about you spending a week touring with your friend, then I'm afraid..." SHIT! I'd NEVER get another chance like this... "...the answer has to be yes!"

Did I hear that right?

"Kevin here says that the boys have a tutor that goes round on tour with them and you can sit in with them, plus you got a fairly good report at the parents' evening the other night. It's fine by us as long as you stay out of trouble..."

"Don't think we'll be getting' very far this evenin', though" said Kevin. "It were bad enough gettin' 'ere, never mind trying to get back to the NEC. There ain't 'owt I can do wi' this much snow, even in a Range Rover..."

"Looks like you'll have to stay here overnight, Kevin." My mum said. "You can have the spare bedroom. Dean, is it Ok if Zac stays in with you?"

"Sure..." DEFINITELY! ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM AT ALL!!! My mum was always good at situations like this - even though the house wasn't particularly big, she always managed to find a bed and a meal for any number of people at short notice. I thanked my parents on Zac's behalf and went back upstairs to tell him the "bad" news.

I went back upstairs to find Zac completely dead to the world. He looked so cute as I stood over him - a wisp of his long, blonde hair tracing down from his forehead to his lips, his chest moving in the slow rhythm of deep sleep.

Not having the heart to move him, I took his shoes off and pulled my duvet over him and got in beside him. Having no heating to speak of in the house, the warmth of his body was welcome.


On to Chapter Four

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