A/N: I had a single dorm and it was awesome, so I thought… why not let Mackenzie have that lol. Enjoy xx Mariah

Ages:

Mackenzie - 18
Katie - 28 (very pregnant with Willow)
Jim - 57
Ned - 32
Melinda - 53


"He's cute," Katie commented from the desk chair she'd claimed the moment the door swung open, her fingers tapping on her prominent stomach, watching as the boy across the hall hoisted his comforter set onto the top bunk. "I can't believe dad let you get a dorm on a coed floor. You know you share the showers, right?"

"I'm trying to keep that out of my head, thanks, Katie." Her dad said, walking inside with a mini fridge in between him and Ned as they set it down.

"Thanks for the help with the heavy stuff, Mack," Ned said, nudging her side as he walked over to Katie's side and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Are you at least gonna help me with the ac unit? it's going to be hot as hell for the last bit of August without it."

"Of course, Ned. Me or dad will help you," Mackenzie reassured him. She sat on top her bed and flipped through a coursebook, only glancing up briefly before returning her attention to the books she needed to buy for this semester.

The boy across the hall's door was propped open with a toaster oven, Mackenzie noticed, which they're not allowed to have in the dorms, but she had smuggled an illegal microwave in as well, one that she planned to use regularly, so she's not in the position to judge.

"You should introduce yourself to him," her mother happily suggested.

Melinda was currently organizing a small corner for her food while her dad was trying to hook up her mini fridge.

"It's an open door policy," Mackenzie explained to him and put down her makeshift doorstop. The RA had passed them out earlier, during the floor meeting, which the boy obviously didn't have a parent to force him to attend. "I'm Mackenzie," she said.

He turned around and wiped his hands on his gym shorts before taking her hand. "Chase," he said, accepting the fork and wedging it in the carpet beneath the door.

He's not very tall, not compared to her usual height scale of her dad, who was over six feet, but he's got a strong build, with a square jaw and red hair, which flopped across his forehead as he pulled open another cardboard box to unload.

Katie was right. He's cute.

Mackenzie tried not to stare as she stood in front of him.

"They've been doing room checks," she said suddenly, not recognizing her own voice. She pointed at the toaster oven that now sat in the middle of the doorway, and Chase made a gesture in understanding before scooping it up and tucking it into the built-in shelf behind the door.

"Thanks," he said, and he flashed her a grin that's so warm she found herself returning it instantly.

"No problem," she slowly turned around and walked toward her room. "Well see ya around."

Chase was suddenly in her doorway but saw she had a few other people around and took a step back as he waved. "Do you have a roommate?" He asked.

"No. Single dorm," she shrugged, smiling up at him.

He smiled and nodded at her then. "Neat," he said, tapping on the doorway he stepped back. "Nice to meet you, Mackenzie."

"You like him," Katie teased her when she turned around.

"What? No," she said, her tone adamant. "We just met!"

"I think he likes you too," Katie continued, her voice taking on an almost sing-song lilt. "The way you two were smiling all goofy at one another. Plus you told him you had a single dorm! Such a turn-on, right Ned?"

Her older sister's husband chuckled. "I mean no roommate, no worries, right?"

Katie shook her head. "It's going to happen."

Mackenzie still doesn't understand. "What?"

"You're going to hook up, for sure." Katie giggled.

"Katie, don't put this in my head," Jim warned her

Mackenzie doesn't even bother to humor her sister or scared her father. She doesn't date or hook up or any of those types of things. She's got a GPA to maintain and a nursing program to get into, she's not going to jeopardize her education with distractions.

Still, that night when she bumped into Chase in the bathroom, they brushed their teeth in happy silence, and couldn't help but mirror his smile.