"Yeah, mom. I'm on my way home now." He spoke into the phone, pushing his locker closed.

"What's taking you so long, anyway?" She questioned.

"Uh..." He paused. "I was thinking of joining the swim team....thing."

"Yeah? Why?"

"Well....I dunno. Just, it looks fun?" He rolled his eyes at his own statement. Actually, he'd only 'sat by the pool to do homework,' while, in reality, he'd been watching the team practice. The girls team. "Uhm, listen, it's raining and I don't want my phone to get wet, so bye mom. See you soon."

"Alright, bye. Love you."

"Love you, too." He hit end and buried his phone back in his pocket. He glared out the door's window at the rain. He'd missed the bus by almost an hour, so that was out. And walking? Psh. Now in these shoes.

"Joe?" A voice squeaked. He turned to see Macy walking over. Her usual school uniform seemed slightly clingy. She had a towel around her neck, and he realized her hair was slightly damp. "What are you doing here?" She blinked.

"Oh, uh, I was thinking, uh, about joining, the, uhm, swim team." Her head titled.

"But the girls team had practice today."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I didn't say anything."

"Oh." He grinned to himself, proud that he'd gotten away with it. Sure, he had a purity ring and the nice boy image to keep up, but he was a teenage boy. You can't blame him for this stuff. "Well, the coach is the same for the guys and girls teams. I could put a word in, if you want." She said.

"Uhm..." Great. Of all people, little, innocent, caring Macy had to come over. "Sure, that'd be great."

"Okay!" She grinned. "I'll talk to him on Monday."

"You're on the team?" He asked, suddenly.

"Huh? Oh, yeah."

"What number?" Her eyebrow raised.

"Seventeen...?" His face fell.

"Oh.." He swallowed. "Wow."

"Wow?" She blinked, confused, again.

"Nothing, nothing." He turned back to the door. "Say, it's, uh, raining pretty hard."

"Yeah, it is." Silence. "You heading home soon?"

"I'm supposed to. But, the bus is gone. And these shoes and rain don't mix." He frowned.

"Well, if my mom was picking me up, I'd ask her to take you home...but I totally not to come. Sorry."

"Nah, don't worry about it." More silence. "Ugh, I gotta get home."

"You don't have an extra pair of shoes?"

"No." He glanced at her. "You don't by any chance have freakishly large feet, do you?" She giggled.

"No, I can't say I do."

"Know what I just noticed?" He blurted.

"Hm?"

"You're not freaking out." Her expression fell slightly.

"Yeah, well, it's kinda easier to be around one of you instead of all three, y'know?"

"How come you freak around Kevin all the time, then?"

"Oh, well, uhm, uhm, and....uhmm..." She stuttered, cheeks red.

"Oooh. I get it." He smirked. Her eyes narrowed and she swatted her hand at him. He laughed. Thunder boomed and she squeaked, jumping back and into his chest. "Hey, hey. I thought you liked Kevin?" He joked.

"Shut up, Lucas." She muttered.

"You just told a member of the Lucas Brothers to shut up. I'm so, like, oh-my-lucas shocked right now."

"Oh my gosh, I'm leaving." She pushed the door open.

"Ma-cy." He whined. "Don't leave me here all alone."

"Stop being mean and I won't."

"Fine."

"But, seriously. I need to go. Mom expects me home at 5."

"But...the rain." He said, pouting. She rolled her eyes.

"Put bags around your shoes."

"What?" He asked, appauled at the suggestion. "Joseph Lucas will not be seen with bags around his feet. Nuh-uh, no way." She shook her head.

"Run and hope for the best?"

"Psh. Stella would kill me."

"Well, then, I don't know. Wait here until the rain stops." He stared. He couldn't tell if she was serious or not. Her eyebrow rose, and a sheepish smile spread on her face.

"What?"

"Nothing." She paused. "Can I see your phone?"

"Why?"

"I wanna put my number in it. If you want it, I mean." He blinked.

"Sure." She smiled as he handed over. In the blink of an eye, she was out the door, phone clutched to her chest, safe from the rain. He gasped. "Macy! Don't get that phone wet!"

"If I do?" He gaped. "Come out and get it!"

"No way!" She stared, smirking, and pulled the phone slightly away from her, the rain getting dangerously close. "No, Macy!"

"Come and geeeeet it!" He grumbled, took a deep breath, and ran. He ran straight past her, grabbing the hand that wasn't clutching the phone and kept going in the direction of the fire house. "See, was that so hard?" She laughed, pulling her hand away and slowing down.

"What are you doing?" He asked, stopping for a moment. She pushed the phone into the pocket of her skirt and smiled.

"Dancing." She spun in a circle. He groaned.

"I'll dance with you when I get different shoes." She paused.

"Mmm...Kay." He was sprinting next to a skipping Macy for the next ten minutes. By the time they reached his house, they were laughing. They tumbled in, nearly falling over.

"Welcome home?" Kevin said, eyebrow raised. "Oh, hey Macy."

"HI KEVIN!" She yelled grinning.

"WHAT'S UP, BUDDY? I almost said bubby. Buh-by? Buuuh-by?" Joe fell over, kicking his shoes off, laughing at himself.

"Kay..." Kevin said, backing back into the other room.

"Sup, guys?" Nick said walking over.

"Hi, Nick!" Joe yelled from the floor.

"Hey, Nick." Macy said, watching Joe rolling around, looking for a different pair of shoes.

"Hey, Mace." He smiled. "What's he doing?"

"Looking for shoes."

"He's wearing shoes?"

"Different shoes."

"Oh. Why?"

"We're going dancing!" He bounced up. "Right, Macy?"

"Yep." She grinned.

"You and Macy are going....dancing? Why aren't you freaking out?"

"I'm not that much of a fangirl anymore, thank you very much. Two months ago, sure, but I've gotten better."

"What about yesterday, when Kevin said you looked good in blue?"

"Let it go." She glared, making him laugh.

"Come on, Mace. Let's goooo." He dragged her to the door.

"Where are you dancing, anyway?"

"The rain." She smiled, waved with her free hand, and disapeared out the door. "Maybe we should of changed clothes or something too."

"Maybe." He paused. Then made of noise and stomped his foot. "I don't feel like dancing anymore!"

"I don't either. It's too cold." The thunder boomed again. "Jesus Christ, I hate that crap. Ugh." He eyebrows rose in amusement. "Oh, uh, sorry. I just don't like thunder."

"It's okay. You're cute when you're mad." She blinked.

"Thanks."

"Breathing?"

"Surprisngly." They stepped back inside.

"Mom!" No answer. "Mom? MOMMY!"

"Yes, Joseph? Oh! You two are soaked!"

"I told you it was raining."

"Stay there, I'll get you two some fresh clothes. It's horrible out, Macy, why don't you stay here the night? I'm sure your mother will understand."

"Uhm...Okay, sure. Thank you, Mrs. Lucas." She smiled as Macy slipped the phone out of her pocket.

"Hey, use your own phone." Her eyes grew big and full of tears. "Uh, uh, uh...I mean, uhm, sure, use mine."

"Thanks!" She quickly called her house and asked her mom if it was okay. Her mom was skeptical, but said it was fine. It wasn't a school night, and the rain was getting worse by the second. "Bye mom, love you."

"She said yes?" Joe's mom said, walking over with a stack of clothes in her arms. Macy nodded. "Great, here. I got you some of Nick's old clothes. It's the smallest we have."

"It's fine, thank you." Joe stepped up, getting ready to go in the house, but his mom stepped infront of him.

"Nuh-uh, you're soaked."

"But-"

"Joseph."

"Fine. It's just-"

"Good." She skipped off. "Dinner's in 20 minutes!" She called back.

"Are we supposed to get dressed here?" Macy questioned.

"I guess."

"You're saying I have to get dressed infront of you?" She asked.

"Uhmm....Yeah." She frowned. "On the bright side, you get to see me with no shirt on."

"Awesome?" He rolled his eyes. "Turn around!"

"Alright, alright." He turned his back to her.

"No one go in the living room! Naked Joe is in there!" His mom yelled suddenly.

"Ew!" They heard what sounded like Kevin say. Macy giggled, slipping her shirt off.

"It's not fun-" He froze mid sentence, having turned around. "-ny." He squeaked. He turned back to the wall, face flustered. "Whoa."

"What's not fun-ny?" She mocked, turning her head. "Damn!" She blurted on accident.

"Like what you see?" He smirked. Her expression became amused. See, if it had been 2 months earlier, she would of fainted. But now, yeah, pretty freakin' amazing to see, but she was okay. Granted her heart was beating much faster then it should be.

"Maybe. But, maybe, I'd rather have Kevin over here. I imagine he's a bit easier to look at under the fabric."

"Oh, really?" He said, turning around completely.

"Yes, really. I'd turn around and act all tough, too, if I wasn't shirtless. You don't have boobs to hide." She smirked as his face instantly heated up. "Haha." His eyes narrowed.

"Mean." He turned around, and she watched in dismay as the new shirt hid his toned stomach. She shrugged it off, letting the shirt slip over her. It was pretty big on her. She was short compared to Nick, so it reached down to her knees.

"I don't think I need these pants."

"Huh?" He turned his head. "Oh." He blinked, then ginned.

"What?"

"You look adorable. Although, I'd rather you'd be wearing one of my shirts."

"Ew, no way. You have cooties."

"Really, Macy?" He rolled his eyes. She laughed. He pulled his pajama pants up and froze. Her arms wrapped around him from behind. "M-Macy?"

"Thanks for giving me a second chance at being your friend." She whispered.

"No problem." He answered, voice cracking slightly. He turned around, her arms staying around him. She went to pull back, but his arms coiled around her shoulders, bringing her into him.

"Uh..." She took in a breath and rested her head on his chest. He smiled.

"Do you still like Kevin?"

"I don't think so." She answered softly.

"Good." He leaned down, claiming her lips. She froze for a moment, but kissed back. They pulled away, Joe resting his forehead against hers. She smiled.

"Dinner tim-!" His mom stopped. "Awww, you two are adorable! Let me get the camera!"

"Mom." Joe whined. "Please don't."

"Oh, fine. But dinner's ready." She beamed. At the table, eyes fell on the two in confusion.

"Wazzup?" Joe said, punching his chest. "Ow."

"Poor baby." Macy scoffed.

"Ooh! You gonna take that Joe?" Kevin challenged.

"No, I will not!" He smirked and leaned across the table, pressing his lips to hers. She smiled and brought her hand to his cheek.

"Oh, shit." Kevin said.

"When did this happen?" Nick asked, shocked.

"Joseph!" Their father scolded, pulling him away.

"Hey! Dad, not cool."

"Hey, Joe, not cool. Not at the table."

"Sorry." Dinner finally came to an end, and he found Macy hidden away upstairs, tucked into the window sill, staring out the window.

"Rain, rain, go away..." She whispered. "Come again another day."

"Y'know, if it wasn't raining, you wouldn't be here." She started for a moment.

"I guess not." He smiled.

"Could you get up for a sec?" She did so and watched him sit down where she had been. She made a face. He held his arms out. She laughed, climbing back in. He snuggled into the crook of her necka and sighed. "I like the rain."

"Yeah, so do I."

"WHO RUINED MY SHOES?! JOSEPH!" They heard someone screech downstairs.

"Crap." He groaned and quickly pulled the string, watching the curtains close off the small area, hiding them. She laughed. He grinned, taking her face softly in his hands, pressing their lips together. She smiled as he pressed her down into the wood of the loft.

She deffinitely loved the rain.
Maybe it will come again another day.
She didn't think she'd mind.