Chapter 5

"Okay, so, I'm going to tell you an embarrassing story about my sister, as my revenge for her telling you about my dance lessons." Hoodsey paused, to lap at his chocolate-vanilla swirl, as he walked hand-in-hand with Macie, in the glow of the streetlights. "This one time—"

"...at band camp," Macie interjected, with a nasally giggle.

"Did you just make a reference to American Pie?" Hoodsey raised an eyebrow at Macie, who he didn't suspect to be a fan of such a raunchy, lowbrow movie.

"Sorry, everyone makes that joke, at my band camp," she explained, between bites of her frozen yogurt. "I haven't even seen any of the movies."

"Oh." He laughed. "Yeah, that makes sense."

"Anyway, what were you saying?"

"Well, it's kinda funny, 'cause we actually were at camp, though it wasn't band camp," he prefaced. "Anyway, Dodie and I were playing truth-or-dare, and I dared her to skinny dip in Loon Lake, unaware that this other family was camping nearby..."

"Oh, jeez." Macie could already tell where this story was headed.

"So, while I was waiting by the cabin, I heard her suddenly scream. Our parents ran toward the lake, when they heard her, and brought her back, all embarrassed-looking. They believed that she'd fallen into the water, even though her clothes were barely wet, but she later told me that Ian Richton was already in the water, when she jumped in naked."

"Oh, my God, I can't believe she never told me that," Macie said, before quickly correcting herself. "Actually, nevermind, I don't blame her."

"Don't tell her that I told you."

"Yeah, right, I'm totally bringing that up," she mercilessly informed Hoodsey, who mock gasped.

"It's like, now, I'm afraid to tell you my secrets, 'cause you'll spill all the beans to my sister."

"Nah, I just can't help but tease her about that," she assured him. "Anyway, what are these secrets, that you speak of, oh, Mystery Man?"

Hoodsey shrugged. "I don't actually have any secrets, now," he emphasized, as he flashed her a warm smile. "I mean, not that my feelings for you were really a secret. I'm pretty sure everyone knew, except you."

"I've known for quite a while," Macie admitted. "At first, I thought you were a bit too young for me, but the age difference hasn't really mattered, for a while. Still, I couldn't bring myself to suddenly approach you differently, you know? I mean, how does one move along a relationship that's always existed in a state of potential energy, or suddenly initiate change?"

"Well, asking you to dance has always seemed to work for me."

"That's true." She giggled. "This is really nice, by the way. Thank you for the frozen yogurt."

"Anything for you, Mace." Hoodsey brought her hand to his lips, and graced the back of it with a kiss, reveling in the way it made Macie's face flush.

At this very moment, he wished he could express his love for her, but he knew it was too soon for that, even if it their mutual affection had already lasted for years. This was only their first date, after all. Well, unless you counted that time he disguised himself as Burl.

"Got anymore embarrassing stories about Dodie?" Macie asked, to Hoodsey's amusement.

"Oh, yeah, I've got plenty."

"Achoo!" Dodie paused in her ministrations, to let out a loud, squeaky sneeze. "Someone must be talking about me," she joked, as she resumed wiping down Courtney's kitchen counter.

"What do you mean?" Chet asked, predictably unfamiliar with the old wives' tale she'd referenced.

"Nothing, Chet." Dodie rolled her eyes, as she turned away from her boyfriend, toward the only other person left downstairs. "Anyway, thanks for letting us help you, Miranda."

"Yeah, well, why would I turn down a couple extra set of hands?" Miranda rolled her eyes. "I'm just glad that I put an early end to the party, so that we'll be able to clean up some of this mess."

"Party-pooper," Chet complained, as he glanced at the clock above the stove. "It's only eleven-thirty. The night is young!"

"For you, it's still young, but, for me, it grew old, by eight."

Upstairs, in Courtney's room, the blonde was already fast asleep, with her arms wrapped around Ginger, who was close to sleep herself.

In the very next room, however, Carl and Blake were still pretty awake, despite the drowsy effect of the alcohol.

They were still on the subject of sexuality, when a serious question popped into Carl's mind, and carelessly spilled out his mouth. "Have you ever had a crush on anyone?" He noted the way that Blake's face instantly flushed, as the latter averted his eyes, and attempted to distract himself with a loose string on the hem of his polo shirt.

"Um, yeah," Blake shyly admitted. "I'd ask you the same question, but I already know the answer, since you've been in a relationship before." A wave of jealousy washed over him, followed by a wave of guilt, as he thought back upon Carl's relationship with Noelle, and how he'd purposely sabotaged it, out of this very jealousy.

"I'm not sure I ever actually liked Noelle, that way," Carl admitted, to Blake's surprise. "I mean, I guess I was attracted to how weird she is, but in a totally platonic way."

"Sure you're not gay?" Blake half-joked, as he smirked teasingly at Carl, with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm definitely not," Carl confidently said.

"Definitely not gay, or definitely not sure?"

He laughed. "Definitely not gay... I love tits way too much."

"Good to know," Blake said sarcastically, with a roll of his eyes.

"Anyway, who've you had a crush on?" Carl asked, when he suddenly remembered how the conversation had even ended up here.

"None of your business." Blake's face flushed, as he stuck his upturned nose in the air. Only a moment passed, however, before his eyes met Carl's. "Wait," he said, as a thought dawned upon him, "just because you didn't really like Noelle, in that way, doesn't mean you've never had a crush." This time, it was Carl's turn to blush. Admittedly, Blake would've taken this opportunity to tease his friend, had a jealous rage not been rekindled within him. "Who was it?" He asked out of morbid curiosity, but in a playful tone, as to appear nonchalant.

"None of your business." He narrowed his eyes, when his own words were thrown directly back in his face.