"'I'll have to ask Tay, and of course my parents, but you know I want to. And I'm sure Taylor will want to also to spend time with Ashley." He paused. "Where is Ashley anyway? He was going to come here with me, but she wasn't home."

Dawn hesitated. "Uh..she went to the mall with...Kelly and Jamie. She should be home soon though."

"What store was that shirt you wanted in?" Jamie asked. "The Gap?"

"Jamie, you don't have to buy me anything. The shirt isn't necessary."

He rolled his eyes. "I promised I would buy you that shirt when I got my pay check, and that's what I'm going to do," he grabbed her hand and pulled her with him. "Now which store was it in?"

Ashley sighed. "Gadzooks."

Jamie stopped and turned to her, giving her a strange look. "Don't use weird words, girl. I'm going to buy you that shirt whether you like it or not."

Ashley watched his face with amusement. Suddenly, not being able to hold it in any longer, she busted out laughing. "J-Jamie. 'Gazooks' is the store that the shirt was in."

"Oh...I knew that. I was just...kidding. Yeah, that's it."

Ashley rolled her eyes and started to walk away when a very familiar face caught her eye. "Oh my God."

"Ouh! That hurt. That's my oh-so-tender scalp that you're pulling my hair from. You're going to make me bald by the time I'm fifteen and a half!"

Dawn laughed. "Well, if you would stay still then I wouldn't have pulled your oh-so-beautiful hair. Now sit still. Or is that too much to ask from the Almighty Zachary Hanson?"

Zac pouted. "My mom never pulls my hair."

She laughed again. "Do I look like your mother?" she asked in mock surprise.

He looked up at her and smiled. "No. If you recall, my mother has long blonde hair. You have shoulder-legnth brown hair. My mom has seven kids, and you're still a virgin."

"Ike!" Ashley ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Isaac swung her around, laughing, then put her back down. "Hey Ash. How are you doing?"

She shrugged and straightened her short baby tee. "Pretty good. How about you?"

He matched her shrug. "Okay. Tired. But okay." He looked past her to where Jamie was standing there staring at them. "Who's that guy?"

Ashley turned around. Uh oh, she thought as she motioned Jamie closer. "Ike, this is my friend Jamie Kennedy. Jamie, this is my other friend Isaac Hanson."

They shook hands. "Nice to meet you," Isaac greeted politely.

"Like wise." Jamie mumbled. She's friends with one of those Mmmbop freaks. Great.

Ashley took a deep breath. "Ike, I'll see you later. Tell Taylor to call me or I might have to get mad," she smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the check.

Isaac nodded. "Will do. Later Ash. See you around, Jamie," he gave a quick wave and walked off.

Ashley turned back to Jamie. "Are you ready to go yet?"

He shook his head. "No. We still have to buy you that shirt." He grabbed her hand again and dragged her across the mall.

"Hold this," Dawn instructed to Zac when the phone rang. "Hello?"

"Hey Dawn. Is Ashley home yet?"

"Hey Tay. No. She hasn't gotten back yet. There must be a sale at Gadzooks or The Limited or something. She said she'd be home before dinner. So I'd guess she's be here in ten to fifteen minutes."

"Oh. Okay. Well, I talked to my parents and they said that Zac and I could stay for dinner at your house. Does Ash still want me to come over?" He asked, pretending to be hurt.

Dawn laughed. "Yeah. Come on over. She should be home shortly."

"Okay. I'll be there in fifteen to twenty minutes." Taylor told her.

"Alright. See you then."

"Bye."

"See ya."

Ashley put her bag in the back-seat of Jamie's teal green Honda Accord, then climbed in.

"So, who's Taylor? Is that the other Mmmbop kid?" he asked as he started up the engine.

Ashley sighed. "Yeah. That's Taylor."

Jamie pulled out of the parking lot and headed in the direction of Ashley's home. He looked over at her, his blue eyes washing over her, checking her out for the one-millionth time. "Is he your boyfriend?"

"Jamie! Look out!" she cried and covered her eyes.

Jamie quickly brought his eyes back to the road and slammed on his break, just before running over a dog. "Whoa."

Ashley slowly uncovered her eyes and searched for the dog. "Where did it go?"

He restarted his car. "I think it ran into the woods over there. I didn't hit it. Don't worry."

Ashley nodded, still shaking.

They rode the rest of the way to Ashley's house in silence.

Jamie pulled into her driveway and cut the engine and turned to her. He put his arm on the top of the passenger seat, lightly running his fingers over her hair. "I had fun today."

Ashley smiled nervously and nodded. "So did I." she started to open the door to get out, put Jamie stopped her by grabbing her arm. She looked over at him.

He smiled and started moving closer to her for a kiss, but she lightly brushed his arm off of hers. "I have to go inside. Good-bye Jamie," she opened the door and got out. She gave him a quick wave and headed inside.

Jamie restarted his car again and pulled out of he driveway, staring straight ahead, both hands on the steering wheel. He took one hand off and put it over his mouth and breathed into it. He crinkled his nose. It's my breath.