So, thanks for the reviews! On with the story!

Chapter 27

"Mack! Mack, come on!"

She quickened her speed to a jog hearing Calum's distressed voice behind her. She was hurt by his words, by his tone, by him. He was supposed to be her friend and friends don't act that way.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her arm and she gasped in fear, completely forgetting that Calum was yelling her name. Her breathing was labored and her eyes widened.

"Mack," she heard someone whisper in her ear.

"Get away from me," she yelled in fear, tears rolling down her face. Her thoughts went back to the day Daniel Boucher had grabbed her.

"Mack, it's me," Calum said. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head and turned around, not believing it was Calum. Seeing his brown hair and eyes comforted her for a moment, before her eyes narrowed remembering his words back at Adam's house.

"Leave me alone," she said slowly. She pulled herself from his grasp and ran home, leaving Calum staring at her retreating back.

After she entered her house, she slammed the door behind her. She sunk down, pulled her knees to her chest and cried.

The door slam caught Gabriella and Troy by surprise. They hadn't been doing anything wrong but hearing the door slam only meant one thing- someone was home.

"We can't get caught up here," Gabriella said.

"It's probably just Mack."

"It could be your dad, practice would have ended awhile ago."

Troy bit his lip and looked her in the eye before grabbing her hand. "Let's go."

The two walked hand in hand down the stairs to see who slammed the door. When they were almost to the front door, they heard someone sniffle. Troy rolled his eyes. "See, I was right. That's definitely not my dad." He turned around, but Gabriella didn't. She continued to walk closer to the noise, dragging Troy with her.

Seeing Mack reduced to tears on the floor made both of them run to her side. "Mack, what happened," Troy asked, concern filling his features. When she didn't respond, Troy looked to Gabriella for help. 'I've got it,' she mouthed. He nodded and walked into the kitchen leaving the girls to talk.

"I screwed up big time Gabriella," Mack said when Troy left the room.

"What happened," she asked. "Take a deep breath and take your time."

"Calum told me...that Caleb was using me to get on varsity next year. Then we started...to yell at each other and he made fun of me." She paused for second. "So I told him we couldn't be friends anymore. Then he ran after me and I told him to leave me alone. I don't know what to do," she said, wiping her tears on her arm.

"Well, what is your heart telling you to do," Gabriella asked gently.

"My hearts telling me to go with Calum, but it hurt a lot when kissed Alyx."

Gabriella nodded and sat next to her on the floor. "Do you like Caleb?"

"I don't know. He's nice, but I don't think I'll ever like anyone as much as I like Calum."

"I think, if you like Calum, you should be with him. Listen to what your heart has to say."

"I don't think he likes me back," she said.

"Oh," Gabriella said with a smile on her lips. "Don't knock it until you try it. I didn't think Troy liked me."

"Well, not to put your spirits down, but," Mack said, trying to stifle a laugh. "I don't think he knew he liked you either, he's kind of oblivious."

hsmhsmhsmhsmhsm

"What was that about earlier," Troy asked, standing in the doorway of Mack's room. She was brushing her hair in front of her mirror.

"What was what about?"

"You know what I'm talking about," he said. "I've only seen you cry a handful of times, what made you cry?"

"Me and Calum got in a fight, thats all."

Troy sat on her bed and stared at her. He knew all about Calum kissing Alyx and Mack going out with Caleb. "About?"

Mack sighed. "Caleb."

Troy smirked. "I think he still likes you." She groaned and turned to face him. "What," he asked.

"Don't you have someplace to be?"

"No," he said. "What did he say?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, come on. It couldn't have been that bad."

She rolled her eyes and turned to her mirror. Mack stood there for a minute, hoping Troy got the hint that she didn't want him there. He stood and walked towards the door before he turned. "You know, if you brush your hair too much, it'll fall out."

She looked at her hair brush once before turning and throwing it at him. He smiled and ran down the stairs, where Jack and Elaine were talking at the kitchen table.

"What is it Troy?"

"You raised your daughter to be hazardous to my health," he said seriously as he sat down. He lifted the hair brush that Mack had thrown at him as proof.

Elaine raised an eyebrow and Jack stood up. "Finally! I've been training her for years."

"Dad," Troy said.

"I'm just kidding," he said sitting back down. "Can't you take a joke?"

"Troy, have you thought about where you're going to send your applications," Elaine asked.

"Honestly," Troy asked. Elaine nodded. "No."

"Troy Alexander!"

"Mom! I don't know what I want to be, much less where I want to go. Dad, can you help me out?"

"Actually Troy, I'm siding with your mom on this." Troy opened his mouth to complain by Jack held up his hand. "And don't blame this on not being able to play basketball. You've had enough time to think about it."

Troy rolled his eyes, "don't you roll your eyes at me young man!"

"Actually, I'm not a young man, I'm a man."

"You're younger than me," Jack said, "therefore, a young man."

"Alright," Troy sighed. "I'll think about it."

"So," Elaine said, as she saw Mack walk down the stairs. She smiled, Mack had been quiet at dinner and then ran to her room. Maybe she would talk about why. "What was this about Mack being hazardous to your health."

Troy opened his mouth to answer when the doorbell rang. He through his hands up in the air and leaned back in the chair. Elaine stood up and walked over to the door. She opened it and a boy of fifteen looked up at her.

"Hi, Mrs. Bolton. Is Mack around?"

"I..." She looked to Mack who was shaking her head. "Actually, she's finishing up some homework and she's really into it. What do you want me to tell her Calum?"

"I made a mistake and I would really like her to know that...just tell her I came by."

"Of course. Good night."

"Thank you, good night."

Elaine smiled and walked into the kitchen. "Why don't you want to talk to that boy?"

"Reminds me of when Gabriella wouldn't talk to me," Troy spoke up. "What did he do? Confess that you mean nothing to him on your friend's laptop?"

"No," Mack said. "What fool would do that?"

Troy blushed. "You did that to Gabriella," Jack questioned.

"I didn't know she was watching it. The guys were pestering me about the musical."

Mack looked excited. She loved to make fun of Troy for being in the musical, especially since she thought the name was stupid. "About Twinkle Towne?"

"Yes Mack, about Twinkle Towne," Troy said with fake happiness.

"Troy! I can not believe you said that to her! I'm having a talk with you later."

"Dad it was last year, and she forgave me after I climbed up her balcony."

Mack turned to look at him disgusted. "Stalker."

"Coward."

"Troy, Mack, enough," Elaine said. "So Mack, why wont you talk to Calum?"

"We got in a fight," she said walking over to the counter to get a cookie. She broke it in half and walked back to the stairway.

"Be careful, he might try to climb up the tree near your window," Troy yelled.

"Troy, he's not as dumb as you are!"

When Jack heard the door slam upstairs he turned to Troy. "You climbed up a balcony?"

"Long story."

Elaine sat down. "We have time."

hsmhsmhsmhsmhsm

Mack finished up her math homework right as she heard something hit her window. She looked down to see Calum throwing rocks. She opened it and stuck her head out. "What?"

"Mack! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"Yeah, because Calum...it hurt."

"I guess I was...I don't know, jealous. I'm still getting used to you not being my girlfriend."

"Hold on," she said. "We're going to wake up the neighborhood. I'll come down there."

She stood up and walked down the stairs and out the back door that led to the backyard. Calum was standing in the middle of the basketball court.

"Well."

"Mack, I'm sorry. It's just, I hate seeing you with Caleb and it was wrong of me to tell you what I heard Caleb say. No one ever wants to hear that. But, I was hoping that maybe we could...try again?"

"As boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"As anything," Calum said walking to her. "Because, when we were fighting, I realized that I miss you a lot."

"I'm sorry too."

Calum looked taken back. "What do you have to me sorry for?"

"The real reason that I said yes to Caleb was because I wanted to make you jealous-"

"Well it worked."

"And I wanted to see what your reaction would be if I dated other people. Caleb just happened to be the first one who asked."

Calum held her hands in his and stared into her eyes. "You know, the moon makes your eyes look even more beautiful than they are normally."

"Is that supposed to be a complement," she asked.

"Oh yeah."

"You know you sound like your brother when you say that."

He shrugged. "I picked up a few things from him." He kissed her on the cheek.

"I'm going to break up with Caleb tomorrow."

"Why," Calum asked.

"Because, I like the person right in front of me." She leaned up and kissed him. She felt him smile a bit before he returned the kiss.

"Oh Jack, our little girl is growing up," Elaine said looking out the window at Mack and Calum.

"What, its not like it's the first time they've kissed," Troy said, playing with a fork. Jack and Elaine turned to give him a look. He looked up and jumped out of his seat, "gotta go."

"You know, it's not Mack I'm worried about," Jack said. "It's that one. Climbing up a balcony," he said shaking his head.

"Oh, he'll be fine," Elaine said, turning back to the window.

So, I hope your happy, Mack and Calum are back together...but what's Caleb going to do when he finds out?

Tell me what you think!

Review!