A/N: Well thank you guys for the reviews :) I hate to be posting this chapter one day before christmas...you'll see why :/ But I wanted to get another chapter out to you guys! So anyways, read on and don't forget to review :)

Mackenzie's POV

Soda looked so cute sitting on the couch next to me. I couldn't help it, he just looked cute. I could tell he was worried about what I was going to say, even though I think he knew what was coming. It's not like it was a bad thing, but I knew he didn't want to talk about it.

"Soda, look, it's not that I don't want to stay here..."

"Then why do you wanna go home?" he asked.

"I feel bad for leaving my dad like that. He even...said he was sorry," I told him.

"Sorry? Mackenzie, he-he beat you! He can't just apologize and expect everything to be better!"

I thought Soda would be okay with this, but it was obvious that he wasn't. It wasn't his decision, but I still cared about what he thought. I mean, he's my boyfriend and my best friend. I would never just throw his feelings aside like they don't matter.

"I know he did, Soda, but he's trying to make things better. Isn't that at least a good enough reason to go home?"

"No," he mumbled, leaning back against the couch.

I rubbed my face with one hand, desperately trying to get him to understand this. He was just being difficult at this point and Soda is never difficult. At least I don't think he is.

I scooted closer to him and sighed. "I have to."

He didn't say anything and I was beginning to think he was angry. But soon I felt him bury his head in my neck and trail kisses all over it. And trust me when I say this, that was enough to make me forget about what we were talking about. I bit back a moan as his hand came across my stomach and rested on my side. I wrapped my fingers around his wrist and tried to move his hand, but as soon as I did, he moved his lips from my neck to my mouth. I know I was supposed to be talking to him, but I couldn't bring myself to pull away.

Finally, I forced myself to pull away from him and I let one hand rest on his neck while the other hand remained entangled in the back of his hair. He kept me in his arms, one arm wrapped around my waist, the other cupping my cheek.

I looked at Soda and his brown eyes looked deep into my blue ones. Whenever I looked into his eyes I felt like I was lost in my own little world. Or rather I got lost in a world where it was just Soda and I. A beautiful place, where it was just us. We didn't speak, we didn't kiss, we didn't touch, it was just us. I felt sort of at peace with him when I knew that we weren't agreeing on something. I loved to dream about this place because I knew how real it's wasn't. I knew our relationship wasn't as perfect as I would have liked for it to be, but I still loved him. And if he wasn't my boyfriend, at least he was my best friend. If I had to choose between losing him completely and only being his friend, I would choose being his friend any day.

"I love you, Mackenzie," Soda whispered.

"I love you too."

"I just want you to be safe, you know that right?"

"Of course I do. And I will be safe, Soda. If anything happens you know the first place I'll come is here," I assured him.

Without saying anything else he kissed my forehead. I smiled at his sweet gesture and rested my head against his bare chest. He was warm and I was still freezing so it felt amazing to be so close to him.

"Come on, let's go to bed," he suggested.

I groaned tiredly and stayed where I was. I didn't feel like getting up, but Soda didn't care. He scooped me up in his arms and carried me all the way to his room, where he gently laid me down on his bed. I opened my eyes and saw him going through the drawers in his dresser.

"Sodiepop," I called. He turned around and raised an eyebrow at me. I smiled and sighed, "Can you give me a pair of sweatpants and a shirt?"

"Ya know, if you keep taking my sweatpants..."

"Fine, just give me a shirt then."

He pulled out the red button up shirt that matched his red pajama pants and brought it over to me. He turned on the lamp and held the shirt out for me to take. I made myself get out of bed and take the shirt. Being too tired to go to the bathroom, I pulled my shirt over my head and let it drop to the floor. Next, I slipped off my jeans and threw them next to my shirt. I almost forgot about Soda being there until he muttered,

"Damn."

I rolled my eyes and quickly put his shirt on, buttoning it up until I reached the top button, which I left undone. Thank god it was a long-sleeve shirt because the more skin I covered, the less possible it was for something to happen in Soda's bed.

Once I finished getting ready, Soda climbed into bed with me not far behind. I reached over and turned the light off, barely even keeping my eyes open to do it. Then I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist as Soda pulled me closer to him. I sighed happily as I felt his breath on the back of my neck. But not too long after that the hand that was on my waist, moved slightly upwards and under my shirt.

"Soda..." I said in a warning tone.

In response, he mumbled something that I couldn't understand. He left his hand where it was and I just gave up on trying to get him to move it. It felt good anyways. But after a little while, I still couldn't fall asleep, and I knew Soda couldn't either. I knew this because his hand ventured a little closer to my chest. I wanted to say something, but it felt so good. Along with keeping his hand under my shirt, he kissed my neck a few times.

"Soda," I giggled quietly, "We can't do this in here."

"Why not?" he whined.

"Because Darry's trusting us to not do anything..."

"What Darry doesn't know won't hurt him."

I laughed at this. "But what Darry finds out will hurt you."

I could tell he didn't care anymore about what Darry said. I mean, he didn't disrespect him, but he wanted to do what he wanted for once. And what he wanted to do just happened to be to fool around with me. I dared to turn around to face him and almost regretted it when I did. Almost. I didn't know whether him kissing me was something I should stop or something I should just go along with. But all I really know is that as soon as he started working on the buttons to my shirt, I couldn't think clearly.

Somehow I had turned onto my back, allowing Soda to gain the position on top. His hands traveled all over my body, probably touching any skin he could. The shirt of his that I was wearing was now wide open, nearly falling off of my body. I let my hands roam Soda's smooth chest as he continued to trail kisses down my neck and closer to my chest. Once he had reached the swell of my breasts, I felt his hands work the back of my bra. I tried to ignore it, but I couldn't. I knew if I didn't stop him that I would end up sleeping with him.

"No, Soda," I quickly said.

"Baby, what's wrong?" he asked as he stopped fiddling with my bra.

"I can't...I can't do this with you right now."

He looked slightly confused for a few seconds until it looked like he registered what I was talking about.

"You know I wouldn't hurt you..."

"I know that, Soda...I just can't, okay?"

He nodded and kissed me softly one more time before he moved back to his side of the bed. I slowly buttoned up my shirt and turned to face the nightstand. This time I didn't feel Soda put his arm around my waist and I knew I'd made him feel bad. I wasn't trying to make him feel bad or anything, I just wasn't ready...for that. Or maybe he was just upset? Angry because I wouldn't sleep with him? No, Soda wouldn't get angry about something as delicate as this.

"Soda," I called.

"Hmm?"

"I'm cold..."

I smiled when I felt him wrap his arm around me again. But this time he didn't slip his hand under my shirt or kiss me, he just laid with me. I was fine with that though.

I woke up to a beam of sunshine breaking through the window. It hit my face with a warm sensation and I smiled at this. It was about the only thing keeping me warm, since I could feel the cold morning air on my legs. I opened my eyes to see the sheet thrown off of me, and on the other side of the bed. I must have kicked it off sometime in the night.

I wondered where Soda was. It was a bit unusual for him to be up so early. He always slept in as long as he could.

I heard footsteps coming down the hallway and grew curious as to who these footsteps belonged to. I wasn't surprised when Soda walked into his room, carrying a glass of orange juice.

"Here ya go," he smiled, handing me the glass.

"Thanks, Soda. I was about to get up though..."

He shrugged and sat down on the bed. He looked down at his hands and I felt like there was just something between us. Something was off, and I didn't know what it was. This kind of scared me.

"Soda, what's wrong?"

"Nothing...nothing. I just don't really think you going home is such a good idea," he admitted.

"I know, but I'll be fine. If anything happens, I'll call you, okay?"

"Don't call, just come over," he said quickly.

I nodded and kissed his cheek. I hoped that nothing happened with my dad, but at least I would have someone to protect me if anything did happen.

I sat on my couch. In my house. With all my stuff. So why did I feel so out of place? I guess it could be the fact that while I was sitting there, my dad was in the kitchen making coffee for me. Usually he didn't care too much about me, but he told me that he had something to tell me so I should take a seat and relax before he did tell me.

This left me to myself, wondering around in my own thoughts. What could he possible have to tell me? Whatever it was, I knew it was serious, just by the way he told me to sit down. There wasn't anything that I could think of that would be so serious that he felt the need to actually tell me. Usually he kept things to himself, not caring if I knew about his life or if he knew about mine.

Then a thought came to me. What if he wanted to tell me that he was giving up on me? That he thought I'd do better in a girls home or somewhere else? I wouldn't be able to take that. Plus, that'd just be evil of my father. He wasn't that bad of a man, that much I knew.

"Mackenzie," my father's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Hmm? Sorry, I was sort of in my own little world," I told him sheepishly.

"There's something I need you to know. It's been bothering me for a while and I think it's about time I told you."

I took the cup of coffee he was offering me and sipped it slowly. I was starting to really worry. I mean, he looked near tears and it took a lot to make my father cry.

"I...I have cancer."

A/N: Ooh, yeah, so her dad does have cancer, but you'll all read more about that in the next chapter! But what did you think about Soda and Mackenzie? Anything you'd like to comment on about what happened earlier in the chapter? I sure hope you have something to say about Mackenzie's dad! So please leave a review telling me your thoughts/ideas/suggestions! Thanks so much :) And HAPPY HOLIDAYS to everyone!