My mom went over the basics of what was going to happen with this arranged marriage. Basically, I won't get married right away, my parents want me to get to know that person so it won't be too straight forward. Both our parents had plans for us to get to know each other, and whether we liked it or not, we were going to have to go through with it.

"So, I was thinking we could go to that yearly festival they have here in New Jersey. They have carnival rides, talent acts.. unhealthy food. What do you think, Dave?" My mom questioned my dad, who was too consumed in the highlights of yesterday's NFL game. "Dave. Dave?" My dad sat up quickly.

"Hm, what?" He turned his body towards her but his head was still facing towards the television. My mom rolled her eyes.

"I said, we should go to the New Jersey festival." She set her cup down and waited for him to reply.

"Ana, whatever you want is fine." My dad was so used to saying yes to my mom that he didn't really care what his answer was anymore. With that, my mom took his answer and ran up to my room. She opened my door as I was fixing my hair.

"Hey honey," She smiled at me through the mirror and sat down on my bed. "Your father and I decided that we are going to the New Jersey festival this Friday night." She was so full of excitement that it made me not want to go.

"Mom, I have practice every single day after school this week. I don't think I can make it." Her smile dropped and I just knew she was going to make me choose the festival over volleyball.

She sighed, putting her hands together. Here it comes.. "Macy, honey, I know you love playing your sports, but just this one time, can't we do something together as a family?" She always does that. I exhaled as my hand held up my face.

"You're really going to make me miss volleyball for a festival that comes around every year? Come on, mom, that's not fair." She stood up from my bed and crossed her arms.

"Sweetie, just think of this as a family trip. It'll be fun." She stared at me as I was contemplating my answer. I wanted to say no, but I knew she would use some type of reverse psychology to get me to go.

"Fine." I closed my eyes for a bit and shook my head in disapproval. She smiled at me before she left the room. "She always does that.." I whispered to myself as I got up from the chair.

"I was wondering if maybe.. you.. me.. eating.. at a restaurant.. with good food..?" Joe practiced in front of Kevin. He wanted to ask Stella on a date and wanted to make sure he asked her right, but judging by the face Kevin was making, he knew that was completely wrong.

"You sound too nervous, Joe. You need to be happy! Oh! Why don't I have the cheerleaders cheer it out for Stella?" A big smile plastered across Kevin's face and Joe's answer was simple.

"How about, no!" Joe clapped his hands in a cheerleader-ish way and made Kevin frown. He thought his idea was a really good one.

"Don't ask me then! Gosh!" Kevin threw his hands up in the air, and Nick, who was walking up to them behind Kevin, got hit in the face ridiculously hard.

"Ouch!" Nick put his hand over his face, "Kevin?!" Kevin immediately threw his hands over his mouth, and Joe started laughing hysterically.

"Oh man!" Joe slapped his thigh and could not stop laughing, "That was so funny!" Joe yelled aloud as Nick gave his older older brother a good punch on the arm. Kevin held onto his arm and tried changing the subject.

"So the festival is coming up, are you actually going this year Nick?" Kevin looked over at Nick who was reading over some lyrics he wrote last night. He lifted his head to look up at his brothers. Nick wasn't really the type to go out, and if he did go out, he was either forced to or he wanted to get away from his family.

"Why would I want to go to a festival where people just play games and eat food?" Joe looked intently at his younger brother, giving him a questioning look.

"You used to love going to the festival, Nick. What happened to you?" Nick had changed, and everyone knew it, although they didn't know why.

Nick furrowed his brows at his two brothers who just stared at him. "I just.. I just don't like going anymore." And with that, Nick Lucas walked away from his brothers.

"You think you're starting to.." Stella gulped before continuing to speak, "..like him?" Her eyes were super wide, waiting for me to answer.

I got up from the atrium bench and started pacing. I put my hands over my forehead and began, "Is it wrong that I might?" I had a worried look on my face, and I turned to Stella who just smiled at me.

"Macy, this is great news!" She jumped up from the bench with excitement, "You like Nick." I wasn't exactly sure if this was good news because I was still processing the fact that I possibly might, just a little bit, like Nick Lucas. "So tell me, how did it all start?"

I laughed as Stella stood there waiting for me to dish on my possible crush. "I-I don't know, I.. I think it was the way he.." I thought about it for a minute. "The way he cared." I could feel myself blush a little. And as I said that, Stella began to squeal! Loud squealing, if I may add.

"This is so exciting! Who knew you would fall for Nick Lucas, even after he was such a jerk to you." She giggled a little.

"Well.. that's the thing. I know I forgave him, but can I trust him not to do it again? I mean, his parents not only want me to marry him, but to change him." I sighed a bit and took a seat.

Stella sat back down next to me, "That's the thing. Sometimes.. sometimes you just have to let it be. See how things go, you know?" She smiled at me, reassuring that everything was going to be fine from then on.

"You're right, Stella." She smirked at me and turned to look into the hallway. Joe happened to walk by with Kevin, who seemed to be arguing with each other, as always. Her face lit up as Joe caught her eye, and I could sense that Joe wasn't the only one who was developing a crush here. I eyed her as she watched Joe walk out of sight with Kevin. "..what was that?" I grinned as she widened her eyes.

"What was what?"

"Oh my gosh.. you like Joe?" I assumed, since she could not stop looking at him during my rival game a few days ago.

"What are you talking about Macy? I mean there's no way I could possibl-" She rambled on until she faced me. I narrowed my eyes at her and she just sat up straight in her spot. "Okay, I sort of have this little crush on Joe, but I know nothing will ever happen. And I don't even think he likes me in that kind of way." And that's where I knew they both needed my help.

"Are you sure about that, Stella?" I stood up grabbing my sports bag and side bag. Her face lit up again as I said the words. "Bye Stella."

"You can't just say that then walk away! Macy!" I walked off to class and looked back to see Stella with her hands in the air questioning what she just heard, with a smile on her face.

After a long, tiring practice, Stella decided to come over so we could dish more about boys.

"We should go shopping this Friday. You wanna go?" I sighed. As much as I would love to go shopping, I couldn't.

"I can't, my parents, or should I say my mom, is forcing me to go to the festival.

"Oh right! I forgot I was going too!" Stella had lived here most of her life. "Okay, so tell me everything." She smiled from ear to ear waiting for me to speak up.

"About what?"

"About you know.. Joe." She chuckled a little, still waiting for my response. "You asked me if I was sure about him not liking me, so that means you know something and you are going to tell me right this instant Macy!"

I giggled as she tried to interrogate me, "Well, he was really mad seeing you with Van Rick or something."

"Van Dyke." She corrected me.

"Yeah. Anyway, he was telling me how asking you out with ruin your guy's friendship, but after I told him to give it a try, he thought it through and decided he would." I smiled as her jaw dropped in shock.

"Are you serious?" She began to smile again.

I nodded, "I just don't know when he will." Stella then sat down and I could tell by the look on her face that she wanted Joe to ask her out just as badly as he wanted to ask her out.

"Okay, enough about me." She raised her eyebrows repeatedly, "Tell me more about you and Nicholas!"

I glanced over at her and laughed, "There's nothing else to tell."

"I don't believe you." I shook my head no and she really did not believe what I was saying, "Oh come on, Mace!" I still shook my head and she picked up her phone. "Fine, I'll just call my three friends who happen to go to the same school as us."

"..Stella.. what're you doing?"

"Hey you guys, it's Stella." I knew exactly who it was, the Lucas brothers. "So, what are you guys doing on Friday night?

"Stella."

"Oh, you are too?" She had an excited look on her face.

"Stella."

"Guess who else is?" She paused for a moment, "No, not a trumpet playing otter, Kev. Macy and I are! And her parents of course."

"STELLA." I said much more loudly this time.

"That's great! We will see you three there." Once she hung up the phone, I let it out.

"Stella! What was that?" I honestly didn't know why I was questioning her, it's not like she set up a date for me and Nick. Even if we were getting married.

"What's so wrong about asking them if they are going or not?" She smiled, "Besides, Nick is going." She winked at me before heading to the bathroom.

Stella sure knew how to get her way. I sighed and stared at the wall. But why was I sighing? Shouldn't I be happy that Nick's going to be there or not?

"Hello?" Kevin answered the house phone, putting it on speaker.

At the sound of Stella's voice, Joe ran into the living room with his two other brothers. "Hey Stella." The smile on his face grew, even though Joe couldn't see her face.

"Hey you guys, it's Stella."

"Hey Stel." They all said in unison.

"So, what are you guys doing on Friday night?"

"We're going to the festival, of course!" Kevin answered with a big smile. The festival always excited him, especially since he always hoped they would have a trumpet playing otter. Maybe this year would be the year.

"Oh, you are too? Guess who else is?" And at the question, Kevin was quick to talk.

"A trumpet playing otter? No way!" The excitement filled his whole body as he jumped up with joy.

"No, not a trumpet playing otter, Kev. Macy and I are! And her parents of course." At the name Macy, Nick's head was quick to pop up. He wasn't into the conversation until her name came up.

"Macy's going?" He whispered to himself, thinking if he should actually go now or not.

"Great!" Joe jumped in. He couldn't wait to hang out with Stella on Friday at the festival, or any day for that matter. "It's gonna be a lot of fun." Joe smiled as he said that. He was imagining all the fun things happening that night.

"That's great! We will see you three there."

"Bye Stella." The three brothers, again, said all together.

"Friday's gonna be a good day. I have a feeling this is going to be a festival we're going to remember." Joe added in.

"You know what, I think I want to go to the festival after all." Nick said quickly.

"Why the sudden change of mind, Nicholas? You haven't gone to the festival in the past four years for the same exact reason. Which.. we don't know, but you just didn't go for four years, alright?" Kevin stared at him with wide eyes waiting for his response.

"I-uh, I just agree that this festival is going to be a good one, so why not go too, right?" Nick gave them a quick smile and headed up stairs to get a way from his brothers.

"Because of Macy?" Joe looked over at Kevin who watched Nick make his way upstairs.

"Because of Macy." Kevin replied. The two smiled at each other, knowing Nick was starting to feel a different way about this whole thing. A good different way.

A/N: Please don't be mad at me! I really wanted to update this sooner but I had absolutely no time! UGGGHH, but hey, better late than never, right? (= hahahaha, and this chapter was actually really hard to right, and wanted Nick and Macy to spend time together away from school and home, so a festival would be good, right? YES! Hahaha, I really hope I didn't lose any readers, I'm so sorry again! I've been working early now and I get so tired when I get home! I will try my best to update the next chapters faster than I updated this one, okay? Hope you guys still read my stories! Lots of love! xoxo thank you guys! 3