Flip of a Coyne

A Coyne Twins Story

Chapter 36: Declan and Mack

"Did Fiona talk to you at all this morning?" Declan asked, walking into the Zen Garden. He lifted his bag over his head and put it down on the bench next to him.

Mack shook her head while lowering her headphones so they rested around her neck. The cord briefly got entangled with the strap of the camera that hung around her neck. "You know I'm actually starting to miss her talking about crap that I don't care about," she replied with a small laugh. She was quiet the entire ride to school today. And usually I have to tell Fiona to shut up two minutes into the ride."

Declan cracked a smile. "I don't know, I get the feeling she's mad at me about something."

"Fiona? Mad at you?" Mack asked, lifting an eyebrow and turning her eyes back to the notebook in her lap which was scribbled with numbers up and down the page. "Please, Fiona adores you."

"Right now Fiona is ignoring me."

"So ignore her. Works with me and Matt." She suddenly jabbed at the notebook with her pen and did a little happy jig. "I mean, if he's ignoring me I ignore him until he cracks and I find out why he's been ignoring me in the first place."

"Fi can hold a grudge," Declan pointed out.

"So can I," Mack replied. "We're girls, it's what we do. PMS, overreact, and hold ridiculously long grudges. It's our equivalent of being great at sports." Declan laughed, his eyes crinkling in the corners. "Which makes me wonder if her being mad at you has anything to do with you disappearing on us all of the time."

Declan's laughter slowly stopped. "I don't disappear on you guys. I'm around all of the time."

"Yeah, but then you scamper off like your mother's calling you." She paused. "She's not sick or anything is she? Cancer? Diabetes?"

"No, Mom's fine. I've just been busy with some things."

"Some things or someone?"

"Some things. Didn't I just say that?"

She smiled and shrugged. "Yes but you and I both know that teens don't always mean what they say. And considering you're a Coyne, you people know how to twist things around until you come out looking innocent while tearing your opponents down."

"We're easy to read, huh?"

"Like a children's book."

The sudden peal of the bell made Declan jump. Mack laughed as she uncrossed her legs and gathered her things for her next class. "Where are you headed?" He asked.

"Ummm…English," she replied. "What fun, we're talking about love poems."

"Ah, so you're studying Elizabeth Browning?" He questioned, holding the glass door open for her and followed her into the congested hallways. "'How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…'."

"Let me guess, you have that memorized?" Mack questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Declan brushed off her comment with a shrug. "Learned it in third grade, no big deal. I did go to a very prestigious school."

"Declan Coyne, are you trying to impress me?"

His response was a quick twitch of his eyebrow. "I need to make sure my Stage Manager is free this afternoon. Can you make this happen?" He questioned, tugging on the handle of his locker.

"Hmmm…I have to train a new employee at the Dot but I think I can get out early," she replied, throwing her books into her locker. She paused and lifted her eyebrows when she noticed the white rose sitting on the top shelf. She pulled it out and spun the stem between her fingers.

"Prince Charming knows how to strike a chord," Declan commented.

"Stop," she groaned, putting the flower back on the shelf.

"Not moved? And he's trying so hard."

"Don't think I don't realize." She sighed and closed her locker, turning to look at him.

"I take it the date didn't go well."

"It's not that. It's just…he's trying way too hard, it's kinda freakin' me out," she mumbled. "I mean, I did have fun after a bit, when he wasn't trying to impress me."

"And the big question of the day: if he asked you out again would you say yes?" Declan asked, holding his fist up to her face as if he were holding a microphone.

"No comment." She smiled and pushed his hand away. Her smile instantly dropped when she looked down the hall.

Declan's eyebrow's crinkled together and he turned around. The other students in the hall whispered and pointed as Fitz walked down the hallway, Mr. Simpson's hand was on his shoulder. He didn't look at anything, just down at his feet while they made their way through the crowd.

"What's he doing back?" Declan muttered.

"Must be off suspension all ready," Mack replied, brushing her hair behind her ear. The movement must've caught Fitz's eye because he lifted his head and looked right at her. Blue eyes locked with blue for a split second. Fitz nodded slightly—so slightly she almost didn't catch his reaction—before he turned his attention back to his feet while the two turned the corner.

"What was that about?" Declan demanded as the bell rang.

"What? Nothing," she said in a distracted tone, lifting her backpack over her shoulder. "Let's get to English before we're late."

"You don't care about being late," he reminded her in a suspicious tone.

"Yes, but you do and I don't want to be the reason you're tardy."

"I can handle it this one time," he said, grabbing her arm. "Fiona was right."

"About what?"

"You having a crush on Fitz."

She let out a laugh of disbelief. "Yeah, me liking Fitz. That's hilarious, Declan. Don't quit your day job."

"As a brother and as a twin, my job is to pry; you of all people should know that. And, considering you're my twin's best friend and the twin of my best friend I feel it's only right."

She stopped and gave his tie a little tug. "Slow your roll, Sarah Lee. I never have and never will like Fitz."

"You're in denial."

The warning bell sliced through the air. "And you're late, Pretty Boy."

Matt knocked on the doorframe of the Media Center. Ms. Oh looked up from her computer and smiled at him. "Well, isn't this a surprise. Is this the day you finally click submit on your application?" She asked as he walked into the room.

He nodded and dropped down behind a computer. "Now's a good a time as any," he replied, logging in and going onto a college website. He went through the process of pulling up his saved application on three different websites and finally hit send. He let out a breath of relief, leaned back in his chair, and clasped his hands behind his head.

"Are those the only ones you're applying to?" Ms. Oh asked.

"Electronically. I'm applying to three more by mail," he replied.

"Six schools? Why so many?"

"I want to have options. I mean, I'm hoping beyond hope for Yale but if that doesn't work out I want to be able to think things clearly instead of jumping to a different choice," he explained, logging off the computer. "I'll let you know if I get my acceptance letter."

"Don't you mean 'when'?" She asked with a grin.

He smiled in return and nodded. He gave her a small wave and left the computer lab and went to the lunch room. He stood at the stop of the stairs, scanning the room before he spotted Fiona and Declan sitting at a tale near the windows with Holly J and his twin. Or, to be specific, her backpack.

"You can get out of hiding now," Matt said with a laugh, sliding into the chair next to Fiona, turning to drop a kiss on her cheek. "He's nowhere near here." He gave a swift kick under the table for emphasis.

"Ow!" Mack cried out at the kick. As a reflex she lifted her head. She let out another cry of pain when her head connected with the table. Declan cracked up as Mack emerged from underneath the table. "Was that really necessary?" She groaned, rubbing her head and squinting at the pain.

"Is hiding necessary?" He questioned, unscrewing the cap of his Gatorade bottle.

"You had fun, right? Why're you hiding, then?" Fiona asked.

"Because someone's afraid of their feelings," Holly J replied, lifting her hand as if she were going to stage-whisper and them pointed at Mack who pulled a face.

"I could easily say the same for you," Mack pointed out. "So where were you, sweet brother o' mine?"

"Sending off applications to Yale, Stanford, and Toronto U," Matt replied. "I should have a response by January."

"Congrats!" Mack said happily, clasping her hands together.

"Ooh, excitement," Fiona said happily, giving his arm a squeeze. "Now you can go with to Yale Holly J and Declan while Mack and I tear up the streets of New York."

"Who said I'm going to New York with you?" Mack asked, lifting her eyebrows and picking the pepperonis off of her pizza.

"Like you'd want to spend time away from me," Fiona said with a little laugh.

"Why do you think Declan's leaving?"

"'Cause I'm not going to be the guinea pig for her random, yet brilliant, bursts of inspiration in the middle of the night," Declan replied. "Anyway, some space will do us some good. Can't stay attached at the hip all the time, can we?"

"You guys are more like a rubber band," Holly J pointed out.

"One which needs to start stretching," Fiona said as she stood. "Matt, Mack, I need your help modeling some clothes for fashion club. Would you like to come?"

"Not really," Mack said, wrinkling her nose.

Fiona gave a pleasant smile and clasped her hands in front of her. "It's a good place to hide out. Unless you want me to get Drew over here to talk about your wonderful night together. I mean, I'll be willing to pay for your next date because you two seem so happy."

Growling under her breath, Mack grabbed her backpack and followed Fiona out of the cafeteria, her brother in tow. "If that wasn't a set up I don't know what was," Declan said with a small laugh.

Holly J gave a smile. "Subtly isn't your sister's forte."

Declan nodded in agreement. His fingers twitched slightly as he looked Holly J over while she took a sip of her Coke. He wondered how she could be so calm. Didn't she miss him? He missed her a lot, even when they were in the same room together. He couldn't stand not being with her, not being able to run his fingers through her hair, not being able to look deep in her eyes and let her know that he was there for her.

"Holl J, I…" Declan's voice trailed off when she turned her eyes to him.

She seemed to sense what he was going to say. "Declan, don't."

"Please."

"Declan…no."

She moved to stand but he grabbed her hand. "Please." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, to let her know that he wasn't going to hurt her. She studied his face and finally decided to sit down. "Please, Holly J. I miss you."

"I miss you, too," she admitted.

"So why don't we get back together?"

"It's not the simple."

"Why not?"

"Really, Declan?" Holly J demanded, snatching her hand away from his. He leaned back in his seat, a confused and hurt look spreading across his features. "You still don't get it?"

"You won't help me understand, Holly J!"

"How many times do I have to say it?" She demanded, making sure to keep her voice down so the others in the cafeteria would hear her. Not that it would matter that much considering the loud conversations from other tables drowned them out. "I can't be your trophy wife, er, girlfriend Declan."

"I know that—"

"Do you?" She interrupted him. "You tried paying for things that I wanted to pay for. You wouldn't let me do things the way I wanted to do it. You wanted to make sure things got done on your own terms and not with my skill. Like always, you had to make sure you were in control."

Declan's mouth opened and closed a few times before he was finally able to make a sound. "I…I just wanted to help," he mumbled. "I wanted you to know that I'll always be there to help you." She scoffed. "I love you, Holly J. I want to grow old with you,. I want to share a home with you. I want to have children with you. I have money, sure, but I don't even know for how long. I wanted you to take some time off of college and have fun with me. I wanted you to be able to have fun and relax. I just…" he paused and let out a breath. "I just wanted you to know how much I loved you. I love that you're independent. I love that you're able to do things yourself but is it a crime that I want to be able to help?"

Holly J let out a long sigh. "It's obvious we want two different things."

"I want to be with you. That's all I really want. You can't leave me, Holly J." Declan started to feel frantic. He couldn't let her leave him either. His family was falling apart at the seams. He needed something to keep him going.

Holly J gave him an incredulous look. "Declan…I understand that you're upset about your family, but trying to…guilt trip me into a relationship is not going to work. You need your family right now, not me." She grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze herself. "I still care about you, Declan. I always have and I always will, but I still need time to myself to find out who I am and what I want. In the end…you may not be the one for me, but at the same time you very may well be but I can't know that if I'm with you right now."

Declan let go of her hands and leaned back in his chair. He let out a long sigh and ran his hands over his face. "I just…I wish…" his voice trailed off while searching for the right words to say. "I need something to hold onto."

"And that's not me. It's Fi. Fi needs you and you need her. I'll always be here for you, Declan, but you need to do some soul searching as well." She gave him a smile. "It's what we both need."

Their little world was shattered by Bianca who sauntered up to their table, her large hoop earring swimming in her ears as her heels clacked. She placed a hand on her hip which was covered in the tightest pair of jeans Holly J has ever seen.

Bianca smirked at the look on Holly J's face and turned her attention to Declan, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Thanks for your time, Declan, I'm sure this will cover it," she said, holding out a couple fold-over bills.

Declan's face paled as he looked back and forth between Bianca and Holly J who's face took on a look of hurt and disbelief. "Let me explain," he started.

"Don't bother," Holly J interrupted him. Before he could move she jumped up from her chair and stomped angrily out of the cafeteria.

"Wait, my camera's in my locker," Mack suddenly cried out, hitting herself on the forehead. Fiona and Matt stopped and looked back at her. "I'll run and get it real fast."

"Ok, we'll be in the classroom," Fiona said, taking Matt's hand.

"Take your time," he added with a wink, throwing his arm around Fiona's shoulder.

"You two are sick," Mack grumbled, shaking her head at the two. She turned and jogged down the hall to get to her locker. She stopped at her blue locker in a sea of Panther blue and yellow. Once she opened her locker she gently and carefully pulled out her camera. She closed her locker with her hip and turned to walk down the hall, almost dropping her camera in surprise.

"Hi," Fitz said shortly, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I have nothing to say to you," Mack hissed, turning to walk the other way.

"Then listen, please," he said, reaching out to grab her arm but she yanked it out of his way.

"What're you doing here?"

"I came to get my stuff." He continued at her eyebrow raise. "Mom thinks it would be good if I'm out of Degrassi for a bit. Get homeschooled for a while. I can come back if I want to next semester. That's why I'm here, just to get my things."

"So get it and go." She started to walk down the hall again but he moved to block her path. "Fitz, get out of the way."

"Why can't we talk?"

She let out a bitter laugh. "I'm sorry; I thought you only played with knives." Fitz flinched at her tone. Her eyebrows crinkled at his reaction. Something was off about this Fitz, she just couldn't put her finger on it, besides the obvious that emotions were pouring out of him like Niagra Falls. And it was just plain awkward. She wasn't used to seeing Fitz like this, she was used to seeing him as a bully, as the commander to Bianca and Owen.

Not this.

"I have to go," she mumbled.

"Wait."

Growling in frustration, she lifted her head to yell at him but it got caught in her throat. A large scratch had formed beneath his left eye and what seemed as a fading bruise surrounded his right one. He merely blinked and looked back at her while she studied his face.

"What happened?" She asked, reaching out and lightly touching his scratch before she could even register what she was doing.

"After the Vegas Night, I got into some more trouble and was sent to Juvenile Hall," he explained. "There are some tough guys there." He shrugged it off. "You should've seen the others," he grinned at his lame attempt to joke.

At his laugh her face seemed to harden again and he dropped her hand. "You deserved whatever you got," she mumbled.

"Haven't I suffered enough with the whole Vegas Night thing?" She didn't respond. "I only tried to scare him, if he had just apologized—"

"Save it for someone who cares!" Letting out a sigh Fitz grabbed her shoulders and stopped her from moving. She squirmed under his grip. Hey may look small but he was strong. "Hey, what's the big idea? Let me go, ya nut!"

"I was only able to make it out of there because of you," he said, looking deep in her eyes. "I was able to get out because of you. You can save me, Mack. You can help."

"What are you talking about, Fitz? I can't save you," she mumbled, pushing his hands away as best as she could, keeping her grip on her camera.

"Yes you can. You did it before." He nodded. "Just by talking to me. That helped. You're the only one that can save me." He took a step forward and brushed her hair out of her face. Now she was starting to freak out. He wasn't the same Fitz at all. "You're the only one that can save me," he repeated and then grabbed her face and kissed her.

Her brain shut down as soon as his mouth was on hers but it quickly started up again and she pushed him away. She was about to give him a piece of her mind when a movement caught her eye.

"Drew."

Yes, i know it's about time I updated. I have no excuse but college got in the way. -_-"

You finally get to see some Declan/Mack interaction which is basically a battle of wits and I gave a sort of hint towards what Declan's and Bianca's relationship is all about.

I know Fitz seemed OOC but if you look back to the last chapter he had a big part in (the football game scene) he was convinced that she could save him and that's where the part with him came about.

Please read and review.