Surprise!
A/N: Nick gets a little OOC, but I'm going to blame the sugar.
This is dedicated to Poet on the Run (aka, Beth) because it's her birthday today! WOO!
I started writing this during a free class in February and found it today of all days. A sign or what?
"Wow." Macy blinked, taking in the card in her hands. "I feel… old…" She sighed.
"Macy, you're not officially old until next week." Stella laughed.
"Yeah but… Eighteen. The only other eighteen year old we know is Kevin. And he hardly qualifies as… mature…"
Stella laughed again. "And you do, oh Super Fan Supreme?"
Macy smiled. "There are four people over the age of twenty one in my fan club and over one hundred on my website."
Stella held up her hands in defence.
"Alright, alright! So, who's the card from? Your Dad?"
Macy gave Stella a sad smile. "Well, it's his handwriting… But it smells like Cruella's perfume."
She opened her locker and tossed the card inside. "I've been carrying it around since this morning. Can't open it. I just… I don't wanna see her signature next to my Dad's."
Stella opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by a frantic voice.
"I thought it was next week!" Kevin squeaked from the direction of his locker, less than a metre away from Macy's.
"Cleary, you were wrong." Nick's annoyed, condescending tone followed Kevin's frantic one.
"Yeah man. You told us the seventeenth." Joe interjected. "We thought we had another week and now she's gonna think we forgot her birthday. Again."
"It is the seventeenth. Or… At least… It was. Last year. I know because I was the only one out of the three of us who remembered!" Kevin exclaimed.
"I knew we should have consulted Stella." Nick muttered, angrily.
Macy opened her mouth, prepared to set the record straight but Stella held up her hand up, cutting her off.
"Ride this for a while." She mumbled, earning an eye roll from Macy.
"Mornin' boys!"
Stella beamed, walking over to the band.
"Isn't it a wonderful day for a party?" She asked, smirking.
Kevin gulped, Joe smacked his hand against his forehead and Nick shook his head.
"Macy!" Kevin's voice cam out two octaves higher than normal and wavered slightly.
"Kevin relax. It's next week." Macy smiled at the boy. From her peripheral vision she watched Joe's body shift in relief. And Nick let out a breath, his intense demeanour never changing.
Stella folded her arms. "It was just getting good." She muttered before nodding to Joe. "I have new designs for the World War Three video I want to show you. You'll love 'em. Picture this, khaki skinny jeans and really cool army hats twined with backdrops in the shapes of flames." Joe beamed at the idea and walked away with Stella as Macy noticed that Nick had already, cleverly snuck away.
"It's the seventeenth, right?" Kevin asked as the two strolled down the hallway.
"Always has been." Macy smiled. Kevin smiled back and then sighed. Macy's brow furrowed.
I have no idea what to get for you. And I've been looking for the perfect present since last years disaster. I've been in different states, countries, continents and nothing."
"Kevin," Macy laughed. "First of all, tickets to seventeen of your concerts was the coolest, cleverest present ever. And second, just a simple hug and a 'happy birthday' will be the greatest gift ever."
Macy took Kevin's hand to stop him from walking into the glass wall of the Atrium.
"I don't want or need anything else." She gave his hand a little squeeze.
"Now," She let go of his hand. "I gotta jet to basketball practice. But I'll see you at lunch."
Kevin waved after her and then looked at his hand.
He knew she deserved much more than a hug.
But what?
"What about a song?" Nick asked Kevin, on the eve of Macy's birthday.
(Because he still hadn't found a gift.)
Kevin shook his head.
"I tired that. I don't have the right words and I don't want to ask you because then they won't be from me."
"Well, Kevin, her birthday is in…" Nick glanced at his watch. "Four hours and we've got to be in school in eleven. So unless you plan on giving her a whole pile of your stuff-"
Kevin's eyes lit up, but Nick held up his hand.
"Which would be a cop out, seeing as we gave her JONAS related stuff last year,"
Kevin deflated again, knowing that Nick was right.
"Then you'd better get cracking."
Nick went back to plucking random notes on his guitar and Kevin sighed for what felt like the millionth time that week.
"Why dont'cha just sign my card?" Joe asked. "Stella helped me pick out new cleats for your girl."
He smirked slightly at the end of his sentence and Kevin shook his head.
"But then they wouldn't be from me."
Joe shrugged. "What'd you get her, Nick?"
"Personalised Golf Clubs." Nick told him, not looking up from the manuscript that was facing his wrath. "They're blue. I vaguely remember her telling me that she likes blue."
"That was the band." Kevin muttered, to himself. "She prefers purple."
"Least he get her something." Joe arched an eyebrow and Nick sent him a look, telling him to stop making it worse.
Kevin whimpered and flopped backwards onto his chair.
"I'm a failure." He mumbled, staring at the ceiling.
"C'mon Kev." Nick stood up and walked over to his brother. "This is Macy. Your best friend. If anyone knows her, it's you."
"Or Stella." Kevin mumbled.
"Or Stella." Nick agreed. "But Stella probably bought her something super fashionable that, you and I both know, she's never gonna wear."
Joe let out a laugh and the brothers turned to face him.
"Karen Millen, Noir and Blanch. Only the best quality and most expensive dress Stella could find. And it'll never be worn." He told them.
"See?" Nick turned back to Kevin. "Beautiful but useless. What would Macy want more than anything?"
"Something JONAS-y" Kevin muttered, knowing he was right but also knowing that Nick was right. That was a cop out.
Nick rolled his eyes. This was going to be a long night.
"C'mon! We're going to be late." Stella said, pulling Macy towards the firehouse. "We may be taking the jet but dinner reservations are still at eight."
Macy laughed. "I still can't believe JONAS are taking me for dinner. In the JONAS jet, no less. I mean, if it were your birthday, I'd understand. But me?"
Stella smiled at her best friend. "You're still not used to the whole 'you're friends with JONAS thing', are you?"
"I wish I could say that I was. But I'd be lying." Macy shrugged, trying to focus on walking up the porch steps in the crazy heels that Stella had made her wear.
(At least she hadn't made her wear some sort of ridiculously expensive dress that chaffed and squeezed in all the wrong places. She was cool with letting Macy wear her designer skinny jeans and red shirt. Unfortunately, according to Stella, neither pumps nor Converse were acceptable with this outfit.)
"Now," Stella told her, walking up to the door. "Mr. and Mrs. Lucas will probably want to take photogr-…" Stella trailed as she opened the door. "Oh." She looked around the dark room and sighed. Flicking on the lights she gave Macy a reassuring smile. "They're probably just not back from their last signing."
Macy nodded. "What do I care? I get to ride in the JONAS jet." She laughed. Then her eyes grew wide. "With the actual members of JONAS. In close proximity." She turned to her friend. "Stella!" She shrieked. "I'm going to kill them!"
Stella just laughed. "Relax, Macy. They're the Lucas brothers tonight, not JONAS. Your school buddies and friends, Kevin, Nick and Joe."
Macy took a deep breath. "Right." She nodded. "Kevin, Nick and Joe. My friends from school."
Stella giggled at her friend and shook her head. "C'mon." She grabbed her hand. "We'll wait upstairs."
Macy was focused so intently on making sure she didn't fall down the stairs in the ridiculous heels that she neglected to hear Stella's almost silent laughing at her behaviour. It was true that once you're a JONAS fan, you're always a JONAS fan. Whether Justin Bieber says so or not.
They got to the top of the stairs and Macy sighed in relief that she actually made it without any surprises from her trained-to-walk-in-Converse feet.
Stella flicked on the lights.
"SURPRISE!" Came a numerous amount of voices and Macy got such a fright that her shoes finally gave way from under her.
"Whoa, gotcha." Kevin put his arms around her before she hit the ground. "Surprised?" He asked, taking in her awestruck face.
"A little." She managed to choke.
Stella rolled her eyes as she made her way over to Joe and Nick. "Do you know what irritates me to no end?" She asked, handing Joe her coat and purse. "When two people are clearly crazy about each other and they act like they haven't a clue. I mean, look at them."
"I know!" Joe nodded. "It's ridiculous."
Nick sucked in a deep breath and rolled his eyes. "Oh, look." He deadpanned. "Two love struck best friends who are two afraid to admit it. I'm utterly amazed. I've never seen anything quite like it in my life."
Stella's brow furrowed and Nick sighed. "I'm going to go make conversation with Macy's Grandma. It'll probably be more interesting than wherever this conversation is headed."
Joe scoffed.
As the evening drew to a close and Macy's feet hurt from running to talk to and thank many of her family members, classmates and Mr. and Mrs. Lucas, in particular, she noticed that she'd barely had a second to talk to her friends all evening. As she made her way over to Stella, Joe and Nick (poor Nick looked like he was going to shove his Diet Coke over Joe's or Stella's head any second) and hand on her shoulder stopped her.
"Macy," Macy turned around to face Kevin. "Can I talk to you for a second? In private?"
"Sure, Kevin." She smiled, following him out towards a door that led to the roof.
When they got to the roof Macy was amazed by just how magnificent the view was, but also scared at the height they were on. Maybe the fact that they hadn't had a trip in the JONAS jet had been a good thing.
"Did you like your party?" Kevin asked, smiling but Macy detected a hint of nervousness in his voice.
"It was amazing." She smiled back. "And Stella told me that it was your idea. So thank you, very much." She put her arms around him and for a second Kevin forgot how to react. Eventually, though, his arms wound their way around her tiny frame and he sighed.
"What's wrong?" Macy asked, pulling back.
"I couldn't think of a present to get you. The party was just-"
"The best present ever." Macy cut across him.
"I looked everywhere for the perfect present for you, Mace. Every state, ever country over the world tour. I started looking this time last year."
Macy smiled.
Kevin rolled his eyes at himself. "I searched everywhere for your perfect present but nothing was right. I'm really sorry, Macy."
Macy shook her head. "It's okay, Kev." She told him.
Kevin sucked in a breath. "So then I was thinking…"
Macy raised her eyebrows, not expecting this turn around in the conversation.
She noticed the nervousness in Kevin's eyes as he sucked in another breath. And then he let and entire run on sentence spew from his mouth at a pace Macy at to crane her ear to decipher.
"You love JONAS but you have all the merchandise and you've been to tonnes of concerts and signings and now you know us and Nick messed up the plan I had ages ago by dedicating our last concert to you and the only thing I could think that only I could give you that you don't already have is a kiss. A kiss from a JONAS."
Macy's eyes widened and Kevin took a breath.
"Kevin that's-" But Macy didn't finish her sentence before Kevin had pulled her close and connected their lips.
For a few moments both teenagers forgot the rest of the world as they let themselves get lost in the kiss.
Finally, Macy pulled away for air. Kevin stared at her intently for a few seconds. "Macy," He started. "I really-"
But the sound of Macy's JONAS ringtone made them jump. Macy glanced at the caller ID. "Crap." She muttered, answering the phone. "Mom? I know, I'm sorry. I know the party ended ten minutes ago, I was just- Yes Mom. Okay. I'll be right down." She snapped the phone shut and looked up at Kevin. "Um…" She suddenly felt at a loss for words. "I have to, um. I've got to… Go. But… thank you for the kiss." And with that she turned and fled down the stairs, to avoid anymore embarrassment and also to avoid her mother's wrath.
"Macy wait, I-" Kevin called after her but it was too late. He turned and looked out at the buildings around him. "Damnit, Kevin." He muttered. "What were you thinking?"
Later that night Kevin flopped down on his chair, feeling terrible that he kept replaying the kiss over and over in his head but, at the same time, not wanting to forget it.
"I know that look." Nick said, taking a seat on the footstool in front of their three chairs.
"Hum?" Kevin asked, barely paying attention.
"Let me guess." Nick raised an eyebrow. "Your head is spinning? Your tummy hurts? Your pants feel too tight and all you want to do is sit on that chair with a pillow and a tub of ice cream to take your mind off things?"
"Yeah." Kevin mumbled.
"I get that once a month." Nick told him. This seemed to snap Kevin out of his trace, as he shot his brother an inquisitive look. Was Nick a girl? …That would explain a lot…
"You're in love." Nick told him.
Oh. In love. Right. That was something that Nick- wait a minute!
"Am not." Kevin folded his arms.
"Do you want to kiss her again?" Nick asked.
"Who said I kissed anybody?" Kevin said, defensively.
Nick gave him a bored look. "Do you want to kiss her again?" He repeated.
"Did the world fade away when you kissed her?" Joe asked, entering the conversation.
"Did you look at her and realise that she is your world?" Frankie's head popped out from under Joe's bed. "By the way, Joe." He turned his head to face Joe. "Quit hiding Nick's guitar picks under your bed. He always gets mad at me for taking them."
Nick turned to send a deathly glare towards his brother and Joe smiled innocently. "You're funny when you're mad." He told him.
"Well, I'm about to be hilarious." Nick growled.
"Guys!" Kevin interrupted. "I'm in love with Macy!"
Nick and Joe exchanged glances.
"You should tell her." Joe folded his arms. "You should sing it to her."
Nick rolled his eyes. "That doesn't work." He glared at Joe again. "And don't even think this gets you off the hook."
"Well, then what to you suggest he do, Mr. Three-Points-Shy?" Joe mocked.
"I think the same as you, Mr. Not-Even-Close." Nick mimicked Joe's tone and then turned to Kevin. "Only, minus the singing."
"Should I tell her now?" Kevin asked, wringing his hands nervously. "I mean, it's coming close to midnight and I don't think her Mom would be very appreciative of me just showing up at her house…"
Suddenly the three were broken from their conversation by the sound of a cough.
The three brothers turned to see pyjama-clad Stella and Macy standing at the doorway, Macy's eyes wide and Stella with an all merciful smirk on her face. Cleary, Stella had been the one to cough.
"I forgot my purse." She announced. "Joe, think you could show me where you put it?" She turned to Kevin. "Oh, and Macy left her present from me in the kitchen but we couldn't find it. Care to give her a hand looking for it, Kevin? She says that you were with her when she-"
"Nick can go." Kevin said, robotically as he stared at Macy's startled expression.
"Oh, would you look at the time." Nick yawned. "I feel really-" Suddenly Nick lunged dramatically toward the floor. The next sound to be heard in the room was Nick's overly exaggerated snoring.
"Frankie?" Kevin said in the same robotic tone.
"Can't." Came his reply. "I'm playing hide and go seek with Dad."
"Dad's asleep in bed." Joe said, earning a glare from Stella.
"Yeah, but I'm still hiding. I've been hiding under here the last three nights. You talk in your sleep."
Joe's eyes widened and Frankie finished his sentence. "About Stella."
"Kevin, go help Macy find her present while I pummel our little brother." Joe said through gritted teeth.
Kevin sat there, still staring at an unblinking Macy.
"KEVIN!" Nick snore-shouted, hitting Kevin's leg. He coughed. "Move!" He coughed again and then wend back to his snoring.
Kevin got up and walked towards Macy. "I think you left it in the utility room." He mumbled, walking past her.
As they left, Nick, Joe and Stella raced to the three poles and lay stomach-down on the floor, moving their ears over the holes.
"So," Kevin said as they entered the kitchen after having a very awkward and uncomfortable walk down the stairs. "How much of that did you guys hear?"
"From when Nick was going to kill Joe for stealing his guitar picks." She muttered.
Above, Nick sent Joe another deathly glare. "You're still dead." He whispered, menacingly.
"You pretty much heard it all then." Kevin bit his lip and opened the door to the utility.
"Pretty much." Macy nodded.
There was silence for a few seconds and neither of them moved.
Joe bit his fingernails with the suspense.
"And?" Kevin asked, his heart racing at a million miles an hour. Macy looked towards the poles and then nodded towards the utility room. Kevin, picking up on the hint followed her inside, knowing that it would be easier for them to discuss this without the peanut gallery listening.
"Aw man." Joe sighed as Kevin shut the door of the utility.
"Macy, look I know we're good friends and if that's all you want to be then-"
Macy cut him off by grabbing his shirt and pulling him down into a kiss. Kevin smiled and wrapped his arms around her, his feeling of nervousness melting away. After a minute they pulled back and Kevin pushed a strand of hair from her face.
"Happy Birthday, Macy." He whispered and then the clock struck twelve.
Beth, I know you're a Nick/Macy kind of a girl but... C'mon... It's Kevin.
Anyway... Whether you like it or not, this is it.
Happy Birthday, mon amie. :)