The second I got into the car (Front seat this time), I pretended Sarah and Joe weren't even there.

Sarah wasn't going to be so kind.

"Hey Melanie." she sneered.

"Makenzie." I corrected her, but I'm sure it was on purpose anyway.

"Hm." was all she said. She was obviously hoping for a quirky comeback. She wasn't getting anything out of me tonight if I could help it.
"So where do you wanna go?" Kevin asked us as he climbed into the driver's seat. He alternated looks at all three of us as he waited for an answer.

Sarah answered before anyone else. "That new French restaurant." she ordered. She eyed my outfit as she spoke and a smile twitched in the corner of her mouth.

"I'm not exactly dressed for a French restaurant." I said.

"More like McDonalds." Sarah said, raising her eyebrows.

"None of us are exactly dressed for that Sarah." Joe spoke up.

She shot him a look that perfectly fit the phrase, 'If looks could kill'...but I couldn't help but smile at the fact that Joe wasn't scared of her. Especially not as much as he was at the carnival.

But one question stayed in the back of my mind. Why was he back with her again?

Kevin elbowed me slightly. "Hey, you okay?" he asked. People seemed to be asking me this a lot.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just lost in thought, I guess."

Sarah scoffed and I ignored it. I had to repeat to myself, over and over again in my head, 'Don't let her get to you'. Easier said than done.
"Why don't we just go some place a little more casual. You know, like a pizza place or something." Kevin suggested.

"I like that idea." I commented.

"I second that." Joe said.

"No." Sarah said sternly. "I'll look ridiculous." I had to hold back my fit of laughter and the millions of comebacks I had for that statement. Picturing Sarah in a Vera Wang dress and stilettos in some old pizza parlor was just too funny. Then again, seeing Kevin, Joe, and me in jeans and plain shirts in some fancy restaurant was pretty funny too.

"Sarah." Joe said in an odd tone and his face looked just as odd. Almost like they had some sort of unspoken agreement.

"Fine." she said reluctantly. "But we're seeing the movie first." she demanded.

"Is everyone cool with that?" Joe asked warily. Kevin and I nodded and we started off to the movie theater.

When we got there, we had a debate on what movie we should see. Actually, it was more of an all-out war.

"I'm not watching some stupid Jim Carrey movie!" Sarah screamed.

"I'm not watching some stupid sappy chick flick!" Joe yelled back. The looks they were getting from the people passing by were priceless.
Kevin rubbed his temples. "I know how you feel." I said.

"Ugh!" he said in aggravation. "Stop it!" he yelled over Joe and Sarah's loud voices. They both stopped and looked at Kevin who was trying not to explode.

"Makenzie, pick a movie." he said through gritted teeth.

"Why does she-" Sarah started.

"Because she isn't yelling her head off." he told her. She just pouted and Kevin turned to look at me.

"How about something like a romantic comedy, so it's like a compromise." I don't think Sarah had ever heard the word 'compromise' before by the look she was giving me.

All of us agreed, and we headed into the theater. The floors were sticky, even though that was no shocker, but Sarah's stiletto got stuck on the floor. She wound up having to take it off and hop to her seat as the movie theater attendants scraped it off the floor. I love karma.
But I wasn't loving the seating arrangement: Sarah, Joe, Me, and Kevin.

Talk about awkward.

Joe would look over at me every once in a while and smile ever so slightly. I pretended not to notice. The theater was cold, but I was sweating. Kevin went to grab my hand that was leaning on the armrest, and I let him take it. He smiled, and I smiled back. Joe looked down and saw it, but all he did was smile slyly. My smile turned into an annoyed scowl. He noticed and smiled wider.

When the movie finally ended, we all went to get pizza. Sarah complained the whole way about everything under the universe. I didn't know there were people that were that cynical.

We walked into the pizza place (Geo's to be exact) and found a booth to sit at. Kevin and I sat on the opposite of Joe and Sarah. Joe would kick my foot sometimes and I'd shoot him warning glances. Sarah did nothing but go to the bathroom every two minutes and pout as she looked out the window.

I tried so hard to pay attention to what Kevin was saying, but Joe would look at me and I'd screw up my words.
Kevin tried hard to act like Joe and Sarah weren't there. He'd lean in and whisper in my ear when he talked to me, and he wouldn't so much as glance at their side of the table.

I wish I could ignore them so easily.

As Sarah made her way to the bathroom again, Kevin asked the question that was burning me up inside.

"Why are you with her again?" he asked.

Joe looked over at me and back at Kevin. "Sometimes to get what you want, you've gotta go through a little torture." he said vaguely.

"What could Sarah possibly have that you would want?"

"I didn't say she has it." Kevin was still extremely confused, but I think I knew exactly what he was referring to.

"Well, I'm gonna pull a Sarah, if you'd excuse me." Then Kevin left.

Joe and me alone.

Can you say 'trouble'?

"Hey." he said sheepishly.

"Don't you dare."

"Don't I dare what?" he asked innocently.

"You know what. I like Kevin, stop flirting with me." It wasn't a total lie. I did want him to stop flirting with me because I wanted to like Kevin.
He didn't seem to buy it. "You are a terrible liar." he said simply.

"So I've been told." I mumbled. He smiled crookedly, making my heart go spastic.

"Stop doing that!" I said, agitated.

"Doing what?"

"Making me..." I hesitated. "Making me like you." I finally confessed.

"I thought you liked Kevin."

I ignored his comment. "We can't do this." I whispered.

"Do what?"

"Would you stop acting like you don't know what I'm talking about please?"

He let out a big breath. "I know."

"So, what happens next?"

"Do you know how hard it is for me to see you and pretend like I don't feel anything for you?" he said, once again, not actually answering my question.

"You suck at pretending." I grumbled.

"You have no idea what's going on in my head right now. How badI wanna be Kevin."

I let what he said sink in.

"What happens next?" I repeated.

Just then, Kevin came out of the bathroom and sat down next to me. He looked at me worriedly. "What'd I miss?"

"Nothing." I lied, and I looked at Joe, knowing exactly what he wanted to happen next.
Like I said, a night to remember.