A/N: Here's chapter 4! Hope you enjoy!
The next day, Nick was quiet in school, thinking about all that had happened the day before.
"Nick?" His girlfriend's voice startled him out of his reverie at the lunch table.
"Hey, Mace. Sorry."
"Nick, is something the matter?" Concern showed in Macy's eyes as she put a hand on her boyfriend's arm.
Nick shook his head as he turned his face away.
"Nick?" Macy prodded gently.
"Kevin's going to war." Nick let the words spill out before he could regret saying them. "He's being drafted in a couple of months, and," here Nick dropped his voice so no one else could hear him, "I'm really scared."
Macy's face had registered shock at Nick's words, and now she leaned over to hug him, her mind still reeling from this news. "Don't worry. It's going to be alright," she whispered in his ear.
A long minute later, Macy released Nick and jumped up. "I'll be right back." She ran over to the table where Joe, Stella, Kevin, and Ashley, Kevin's girlfriend, were sitting.
Before Kevin knew what was happening, he was engulfed in a huge hug from Macy. "Uh...hey, Mace."
"Nick just told me," Macy said, finally releasing her friend.
Kevin smiled gently. "Thanks, Macy."
"Anytime. But do you think Nick is okay? He was really quiet this morning, and just now he told me he was scared. Kevin, Nick is never scared."
Kevin sighed. "Nick is very sensitive, and things can hit him really hard at first. Don't worry, Mace. We'll keep an eye on him, but I'm sure he'll recover quickly.
Macy smiled. "Thanks, Kevin."
Kevin was right. By the next day, Nick was back to his old self. He was still quiet, but, then again, he always was. He joked and smiled as usual, and he played Macy a song during lunch.
"Are you alright now, Nick?" Macy asked gently as her boyfriend strummed the last chord of the song.
"Yeah. I'm back now, Mace. Thanks."
Macy hugged him. "That's good to hear. Stay strong, alright?"
Nick smiled, wrapping his girlfriend in a hug. "Will do."
The two spent the rest of the lunch period talking about other things. For the moment, Kevin's impending leave was forgotten.
A/N: Was it okay? Please R&R!