A/N: and here's my fourth response to the Pure Horace Mantis challenge (Go check out suburbs's profile for details!). It kind of turned into an episode tag for "Fashion Disaster." I didn't mean for it to, ha ha. But here we go. Enjoy!
The Up Side
By angellwings
It's better to find a whole worm in your apple than half a worm.
Stella gaped at Van Dyke in her original fashion disaster outfit. She had entitled the design "Stella's Revenge" but right now her revenge was biting her in the butt. The guy she'd been crushing on for so long just HAD to wear that. She could never see Van Dyke the same way ever again. Once Joe had left she had quickly invented some excuse to leave. She couldn't remember what she'd said exactly but she'd thought she had said something about Kevin's power slides. She spotted Macy chatting with Kevin in the atrium and quickly interrupted.
"Mace!"
Macy's head snapped in her direction. Stella could have sworn Macy had tossed her a small glare before her face melted into a worried frown.
"What's up, Stella?"
"Van Dyke. Wore. The outfit."
"The outfit? As in THE outfit? Your sabotage masterpiece?" Macy asked in horror.
Stella nodded mutely, and Macy patted extra space on the bench, "Who would have thought that outfit would haunt me this way."
"Aw, Stella, I'm so sorry," Macy said comfortingly as Stella sat down.
"So, he wore the outfit…what's so terrible about that?" Kevin asked cluelessly.
Stella gasped, "What's so terrible? What's SO TERRIBLE? Kevin, did you not SEE the outfit?"
He paused thoughtfully, "Okay, so it's terrible."
"So, I'm guessing you and Van Dyke are-"
"He's lost his appeal." Stella said as she interrupted Macy's question.
"Well, you know what they say," Macy shrugged.
"No, I don't," Stella sighed. "What do they say, Mace?"
"It's better to find a whole worm in your apple than half a worm," Macy said with a nod.
"Really? I'm in pain here…and you're giving me advice about worms?" Stella asked.
"I'm confused. Is Van Dyke the whole worm or the half a worm?" Kevin asked. "Or is he the apple?"
Macy grinned at Kevin in amusement, "He's the apple."
Stella blinked, "Alright, now I'm confused."
Macy patted her best friend's hand, "I just mean that at least you found out you're not really interested in him before the relationship became too serious."
"Oh, well you could have just said that instead of confusing me with apples and worms," Stella said with a warm smile as she hugged her friend. "And…you're right. I can always count on you to find the up side, Mace. Thanks."
Macy shrugged happily, "It's what I'm here for."
"Aw, Group hug!" Kevin exclaimed as he encircled the two girls in a crushing embrace.
