A/N: I was going to call this chapter 'Bust Ya Windows' (because that's what was playing as I was writing) but then Beth could tie that to the chapter because Macy says it. I know. I'm lame. What can ya do? xD

Dedication: For Sister101 for making my day! Thank you! : )

Chapter 4.

Control - Metro Station.

Macy took a deep breath, trying to wish back the last few seconds of her life so that she could redo them. Kevin was staring at her like she'd just told him that she was a Secret CIA Agent who was there to destroy him and his brothers.

"Why?" He asked after what felt like a year.

"Because," Macy started, shoving her iPod in her back pocket. "You're the first person in a long time who's even tried to make the effort to be my friend and I appreciate it."

Something that looked like sadness crossed Kevin's eyes for a fraction of a second, almost like he'd been hoping she'd say something else, before his usual happy smile returned.

"I'm glad that you like me, Macy." He told her.

"I wasn't always like this, y'know." She sighed, sitting on one of the cardboard boxes that cluttered the room. "I used to be funny and happy and…" She paused. "Actually, I used to be exactly like you."

Kevin laughed. "I hope that's a good thing."

Macy nodded. "Yeah. It is." Her voice a little quieter than usual.

"So," Kevin smirked. "You and JONAS, huh?"

Macy rolled her eyes. "You tell anyone, I'll bust the windows out your car."

Kevin laughed. "Good thing I don't have a car then, isn't it?"

Hazel shut her locker, jumping a little when Nick appeared behind it.

"Jeez Nick." She glared at him. "Trying to give me a heart attack?"

Nick smiled. "I'm part rockstar, part ninja." He shrugged.

She shook her head at him. "How's the book?" She asked. "Or have you even started it?"

Nick began walking down the hall with her, towards the stairs.

"Actually… I'm nearly finished it."

Hazel's eyes widened a little. "This coming from the boy who told me not to expect it back for at least a year after the return day?"

Nick shrugged. "I love to read. I just don't have the time. Besides, with a title like 'Nick Never Knew', how could I not read it?"

"You're one strange boy Nick Lucas." She told him, before ascending the staircase, shaking her head and laughing to herself.

"I'm not that strange." Nick muttered.

"Says the guy talking to himself." A voice from beside him said. He turned to look at the source and was caught off guard by how pretty the girl who owned it was. She was a little shorter than him, with curly brown hair and intense blue eyes. "I'm Amanda." She smiled to reveal a perfect set of sparkling teeth. "But you can call me Mandy."

Nick stared for a few seconds before blinking. "It's, uh… It's nice to meet you Mandy." He smiled back. "I'm Nick." He held out his hand to the girl.

"I know." She nodded. "I listen to your music." She giggled then, making Nick's heart race.

"You do?" He smiled a little wider.

"Yeah," She blushed. "I'm a big fan. Um, could I… Could I maybe… Get a picture or… something?" She stuttered over the words with embarrassment.

Nick thought it adorable.

"How about dinner instead?" He raised his eyebrow, hopefully.

Her eyes widened. "S-sure." She bit her lower lip. "That would be… Wow. That would be wonderful."

Nick beamed.

He liked Horace Mantis.

"I have come to return the book I borrowed." Nick walked into the library, a goofy grin on his face. He had just bumped into Mandy again. Or, well, not bumped. But they'd passed each other in the hall and she'd given him one of her heartbreaking smiles.

"Finished already?" Hazel's brow furrowed.

"I couldn't put it down." He handed it to her.

"Was it good?" She asked, getting up to return the book to it's proper shelf. "I've been meaning to read it myself, but it's only a new publication and there's tonnes of other books I intended reading first. Plus there's that and I've been rehearsing like mad." She laughed.

"Rehearsing for what?" Nick asked, intrigued.

"I'm a student at the School of Music and we're performing at a recital soon. Apparently there's going to be scouts there and I can't afford to afford to go to the Royal Academy of Music so I have to get that scholarship." She told him, placing the book on the shelf.

"That's impressive." Nick nodded his head. "So, what do you play?"

"Everything." She laughed. "But I'm actually good at the piano."

"We should collaborate." Nick told her.

"I think our musical styles might be a little different." She smirked. "So, was it good?"

Nick gave her a blank look before nodding. "The book, right." He smiled. "It was."

"Aaand…" Hazel prompted.

"Well, if you intend on reading it then I'm not going to tell you. I hate it when my brothers do that. It ruins the book."

"And what happens if I die before I get to read it? Then I'll never know."

Nick laughed hysterically before stopping abruptly when he caught sight of her serious expression.

He coughed awkwardly. "Are you?" He asked in a small voice.

"Am I what?"

"Dying."

"We're all dying."

Nick rolled his eyes. "You know that's not what I mean."

Suddenly Hazel burst out laughing. "You're too funny to mess with, Nick Lucas." She shook her head. "Am I dying?" She chuckled. "That's a good one."

Nick sent her a quizzical look. "But you said-"

"I meant that I could go out tomorrow and get hit by a bus." She bit her lip to keep in more hysterics, as people were beginning to glare. "Am I dying?" She whisper-laughed.

Nick raised an eyebrow. "And you thought I was strange…"

"So…" Kevin started leaning against the wall.

"So…" Macy swung her legs.

"Eaten anymore of those sweets?"

She put her hand in her pocket and pulled out the packet. "Not yet." She told him, shaking them.

He nodded. "Why not?" He asked. "I thought those were your favourite."

"By far my favourite." She told him. "But, I'm waiting for the mood to strike me. And it hasn't as of yet."

He smiled at her choice of wording.

"Your hair is nicer curly." He told her, before back tracking. "N-not that is wasn't nice when it-"

"I get it Kevin." She said. "I'm thinking of stripping it anyway."

Kevin cocked his head confusedly.

"You know… Taking the dye out of it. I'm bored of it now." She shrugged.

"For the fun of it." Kevin shrugged, to imitate her, not really knowing how to do the 'girl talk' thing.

"That's what Stella's for." Macy said.

"What?" Kevin asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"The 'girl talk' thing. That's what Stella's for."

"I said that out loud?" Kevin's eyebrows raised.

"Uh, yeah?"

"Oh."

"It's a bit like the 'nice eyes' thing, huh?" Macy started swinging her legs again and Kevin smiled.

"You remember that?"

"Of course I remember it. You freaked me the hell out." She told him.

"Right, sorry." Kevin made a face. "I tend to blurt things out when I feel nervous. And it's always whatever I'm thinking. It's really bad when I'm in trouble."

Macy nodded. "I can see how that would suck."

"What about you? Any bad habits?" He asked, curiously.

"Oh, I don't know." Macy started sarcastically. "Pushing people away, being acerbic to the world, meeting someone who tries to be my friend and being horrible to them, killing my hair, answering -"

"Macy," Kevin cut across her. "Stop." He said firmly. "I don't know why you do those things but there's obviously a reason. They're not bad habits, they're you trying to protect your heart."

She hung her head.

"Why are you so nice to me, Kevin?" She took a deep breath. "I mean, I'm not exactly nice in return."

Kevin shrugged. "I don't know, Macy. I just… am."

A pause.

Kevin sighed and moved to sit on a box next to her.

"No, Kevin!" Macy started. "Don't! It's not-"

But it was too late. The cardboard lid gave way and Kevin fell right though, into the box.

"Kevin?" Macy jumped up from her place on the box next to it. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Came the weird-sounding reply.

Macy peered into the box to inspect the damage and took in Kevin's maroon-red face.

Looks like she wasn't the only one to be mortified today.

All Kevin could do was give her a big grin and a wave to accompany it.

Macy pursed her lips, then put her hand to her mouth.

"Are you laughing at me?" Kevin tired to sound wounded but ended up sounding more like a robot.

Macy couldn't take it anymore. She burst out into hysterics.

"I'm sorry Kevin." She gasped. "You just look so-" Gasp. "And you sound so-" Gasp. "It's just-" More hysterics.

Kevin went to accuse her of being a sadist but then realised something.

Macy was laughing.

And she wasn't just smiling or giggling.

She was full on guffawing.

"Macy, you're laughing!" He said, trying to pull himself from the box -only to fall right back in.

Macy laughed again. "I really am sorry, Kevin. I just can't help it." She told him, in between laughs.

"No, no." Kevin said, trying and failing once again to get out of the box. "You're laughing. You."

She stopped then, realisation spreading over her features.

"Hum," She pursed her lips again. "I guess I was." She nodded, not her usual defiant nod but more of a happy nod. "Here," She said, holding out her hand to the trapped JONAS. "Let's get you out of that box before I decide to put you up for sale."

Kevin gave her a look but took her hand regardless. He stared at her for a second and she stared back before she pulled him clean out of the box.

"Jeez, Macy." He said, looking down at her. "Where'd the inhuman strength come from?" He asked, smiling.

She shrugged. "I do karate." She paused. "And boxing."

Kevin looked down and noticed he was still holding her hand. Looking back up at her eyes, it took him only a millisecond to realise that something in the atmosphere changed. A sure smile spread across his face when he saw the corners of her mouth pull up into a small smile. Before he knew what he was doing he was taking a step toward her and using her hand to pull her closer to him. Her smile grew a little and he leaned forward.

"Yoo-hoo!" A voice called from the shop. "Macy?"

Evil. Evil. Evil. Hayley, you are evil. *snickers* Yes... I know.
Anywho, apologies for getting carried away with Nick in this chapter but I wanted to start and finish it with the Kevin/Macy like this so I used Nick (I know, mean) to fill up some space.
Over and Out. :)