Hey y'all. This is more of a filler chapter. I was trying to make this and the next chapter one really long chapter, but this turned out to be too long as it is, so I'll just make the next chapter as a continuation. Have fun.

Also, the idea for Enzo was a little random. See, I wanted to make Macy's ex Asian (I was so set on that), and I wanted to make him have a weird name, for the sake of it. I know someone who's named Enzo, and he's part Chinese, so I said the hell with it. I also pictured someone in particular. I modeled him after Harry Shum Jr., also known as Mike Chang, a.k.a. The Other Asian, from Glee. I've always had a soft spot for him, don't know why they don't give him any more lines.

Ah, well, I just wanted to clarify. Enjoy.

I had her. I was so close that I could smell that Princess by Vera Wang perfume she always puts on before going anywhere. God, I almost kissed her and could've tasted that weird Pina colada lip gloss she found on eBay and swears she wears until now.

Then, stupid Enzo had to show up and be all dashing. Stupid Enzo. Stupid name. If you even try and apologize, try to make her fall for you again, I...would probably lose. Again. Stupid chick flicks.

I am so effing screwed. I should never let another 'seemingly' convincing pep talk ever steer my thoughts away from the logical and realistic.

First, Kevin. I love the guy, and I still think getting married was the best thing that ever happened to him, but way to screw up my perspective. I want to hate Adam for making me think that cake can make it all better, but he's way too adorable. Joe, well, talk about danger. At least he tried, and I think he did pretty good too. Finally putting those memories of the 'in denial' days with Stella to good use. And yes, Stella. Never really wanted to try anyway, but happy to have her in the family.

Or, am I just overreacting?

There is a possibility. Maybe Stella's right; am I just thinking of the formula all wrong? Because one movie had the girl looking for her once thought of 'love of her life' who really was the love of her life, and leaving the man she tried to establish a life with in an effort to forget about said love of her life.

But then again, could that movie just be plain, stupid, imaginary crap?

A 99.99% chance of positivity. That other movie ended up having the former flame chasing after her, professing his love, and she chooses him, and leaves the other guy she went to for comfort for her ex, his ancient German Shepherd and a life in New York.

I make my way to the back, where the bar is located to veer from little children's curiosity, and sit down on one of the high, silver colored stools, lean on the glass counter, and ask the lanky-looking, redheaded bartender in the tux, "what's your specialty, my man?"

"Well," he says smugly, leaning on the counter as well across me, "I make a mean mimosa, it's a special mix of juices-"

"I'd prefer something without champagne, if you don't mind," I cut in, patting the glass surface lightly, remembering how the bubbly caused so much stress for dad, and how it addled Kevin's ability to think rationally, even though it didn't really exactly matter before. "Something that'll knock me out."

"That kind of day, huh?"

"Hell yeah," I reply. He grins, chuckling, and he goes and makes this drink, which must have every kind of liquor available on the shelf behind him, shakes it for about a minute, and pours it out into a tall, thin glass, which must have been almost nine inches tall. I don't exactly drink a lot, but I know that's going to be trouble. "Is that safe?"

"Not sure, never got around to trying it," he replies, pushing the drink even more.

"And how old exactly is this drink?"

"Ahhh, well, around three years ago, I guess." Oh, holy crap. I'm gonna die from drinking a cocktail. "Made it when the owners here asked for the bartenders to make their own original drinks."

"And who actually orders this?," I ask, not really wanting to hear an answer.

"The people who ask for something that'll knock them out in one go," he answers indifferently, "it actually works most of the time."

"Umm, not to pry or anything," I begin, "but did I see some of that venom spiked vodka go in this?"

"Good eye, my man," he says, patting my shoulder. "Most expensive thing on the menu."

"Sounds pretty cool, get me one too," someone says out of the blue. I look over to my left, and to my surprise, Macy is sitting down on the stool next to me, and she turns slightly to so that we're facing each other.

"You're done talking to him?," I say, completely caught off guard, "I told you not to rush it."

"I didn't," she replies nonchalantly.

"But-"

"There just wasn't a lot to say," she answers as the bartender sets another glass of the drink in front of her.

"Well, what did he say to you?"

"I started out pretty simple," she starts out, giving a sweet smile to the redhead, and taking a small sip of the concoction. How in God's name could she have tasted that without passing out? "He apologized, saying that he was such an ass for letting me go and threatening me-"

"At least he got something right-"

"Yes, yes he did," she says, taking another sip, "and he was saying that, even though I'll always have a soft spot for you, he'll try to make up for it, that he'll love me even more than you ever did-"

"I highly doubt that's possible-"

"Yeah, I had a feeling you'd be like that," she says, laughing a little, "anyway, he topped it off with a proclamation of his love- it was very grand, and he said that if ever I leave with him now, if I just forget about you and whatever might have happened, he'll get me my spot on the team back, and he'll forget about the fight we had and we'll become a couple again."

"Oh," I mumble out, and I feel like I'm going to crumble down any minute, "so, what'd you say?"

"Hmmm, well," she starts out, licking her lips a little. Oh, Jesus Christ, help me. "I just said no."

"No?," I ask, "just that?"

"Yup," she answers, smiling as she absent-mindedly circles the rim of her glass with her finger, "it was a pretty easy decision."

"Why?"

"'Cause," she says, taking her hand away from the counter and bringing it up to my face instead, and gently traces my jawline and strokes my cheek. I'm pretty sure my skin's tingling right now, "you're a lot to forget about, Nick."

I feel like dying, but for a perfectly good reason now. "I feel very flattered."

"You're welcome," she replies cheerfully, before turning her attention back to the drink and resuming to consume it.

I can't help but just observe her, the way she wipes the glass with her thumb after every swig, the way she smacks her lips lightly to get most of the flavor, and how her hair just falls and hangs past her face when she lowers her head. I also can't help but just reach over and tuck the hair behind her ears; it's sort of blocking the view.

"Anything wrong?," she asks once I take my hand away, "you haven't done that in a long time."

"Huh? Ummm," I try to look for the right words to say, but even the most correct words sound wrong. I hate being caught speechless.

"Admiring my beauty?," she says cheekily, giggling a little as she leans forward toward me, teasing me again.

I might be. But that's not for you to know. "What's it to you?"

"Oh, the cutie's in denial," she coos, giggling even more.

"The pretty lady called me a cutie-"

"But the cutie called me a pretty lady," she replies, but I honestly can't follow anymore. She's inching closer with every word, and it's the dance floor all over again.

"I'm getting a little nervous," I tell her, tapping the glass surface anxiously. Oh, shit, wasn't supposed to say that.

"Really?"

"I didn't mean for that to come out-"

"Right," she says, giggling lightly, "that tends to happen a lot."

"Well, at least around you," I point out quietly.

She glances back at me quickly, and I can swear that I could have seen a little longing there. "Are you that hung up on me?"

"Depends on what 'hung up' would mean."

"Well," she says, pursing her lips together, "if you could somehow describe the way I feel with you, then I guess that would sum it up."

Huh? I don't get it. "You just made it a little more vague."

"Really? I thought it would be a little clearer," she said, the left corner of her mouth raising slightly. Oh, God no. "I thought the cutie would be able to figure it out-"

"Umm, yeah, pretty lady," I say, and my full intention was to back up, trust me, but I somehow just inch forward as well, closing in on her a little more. "About awhile ago-"

"Right," she says, placing her elbow on the counter, and resting her cheek on her hand, so she's leaning towards the bar. She's smirking. She's really testing me now.

"Do you mind if I-"

"Huh?," she said, tiliting her head more to the side. She moves forward, the space becoming even more limited.

This time, I'm the one who closes the space. My hands don't go anywhere, but my nose nudges hers slightly, our foreheads rest against each other, and our lips are almost on each other. I can hear her breathing shorten, I can feel her tremble ever so lightly, and I can feel my own breath hitch in my throat. But, once again, we are rudely interrupted, by a person that I have absolutely no pleasure in seeing.

"Nicky! How's my almost li'l bro doing?," Carl walks in, grabbing my shoulders from behind me and shaking me vigorously.

"For the last time, Carl, we're not related-"

"Since when were we ever not?," he says, shaking even more. "I'm like your best friend's honorary bro! And since you're the said best friend's real bro, it's like we're honorary bros too!"

"No, that doesn't-"

"Oh, hey there," he says, releasing his hold and completely ignoring me as sets his eyes on Macy. Hers, on the other hand, widen considerably. "You must be Melissa-"

"Her name's Macy-"

"Yeah, I always get it wrong," he says, moving from his spot and over to him, his hand outstretched for her to shake. Yet, by some crazy twist of fate, he somehow trips, which has nothing to do with me, and knocks down my still full glass all over Macy. Surprisingly, she doesn't scream or anything, there's just a look of shock on her face, and I might have heard a soft gasp.

"Schuster! What the hell?" I say as soft as I can with the most outrage I can. I immediately get off my stool, and Carl smartly dodges me and runs away, yelping, "HELP ME JOE! I SUCK AT THIS KIND OF THING!"

"God, I'm gonna kill him- are you okay, Mace?," I say turning my attention to her. The drink didn't come in much contact with her skin, thankfully, because that liquid looks like it would burn, but it spread like wildfire all over her dress.

"Yeah, but it's spreading pretty fast," she says, trying to smooth out her clothes.

"Does alcohol come off easily?," I ask, noting that the yellow of the top started to look like a weird brown.

"No, it's not that big a deal-"

"That might not come off," I cut in, "I know how special that dress is to you."

"I'll just get another one made-"

"No, come on, I won't take no for an answer," I say, grabbing her hand in an effort to get her to stand up, but she doesn't budge.

"Where exactly are you going to get extra clothes?," she asks apprehensively, eyeing me suspiciously.

"Don't look at me like that, it's like you don't trust me," I say, "and where else do I get extra clothing for you?"

"Oh, no, Nick," she says nervously, shaking her head, "I don't think that's such a good idea-"

"It's not like this would be the first time, and you should know that I wouldn't do anything to hurt you-"

"I know you wouldn't, but-"

"Are you telling me that you actually want to stay here?," I ask her, my other hand gently clutching on to her forearm, and I don't know why, but I lowered my head slightly, and I just find myself gazing into her eyes even more intently.

"Well, I've only been here for a while, I don't think that Stella would like that very much," she says, looking over apprehensively to Stella, who was helping Joe say goodbye to some of the other guests.

"She'd kill you for letting good clothes wrinkle and get wet," I say, gesturing to her clothing. "And she's happy enough to be able to just see you in the first place."

"No, it's okay," she tells me, "I don't think that's really needed-"

"No, come on-"

"No, you come on-"

"Okay," I say, halting her, "what will it take for you to let me help you?"

"I don't know, Nick," she tries to begin, but I kind of shut her up by placing my lips right over hers. I don't exactly know what came over me, I guess it was in my subconscience, but it felt so, freaking good. Her lips are even softer than the last time we did this, but I can taste a hint of that coconut-y pineapple flavored lip gloss, and it doesn't take her very long to respond. One of her hands sneak up to my neck, holding me down, while the other cups my face gently. I can tell that she's just as into this as I am, because when I pull away, her eyes flutter open. Flutter. That never happened before.

"Well?," I say, noticing that her hands are still in their respective places.

"Umm," she says, pursing her lips again, "well-"

"You want me to try to convince you again?"

She looks back up, and finally sees that I'm more serious than I've ever been. For tonight, at least. "No, it's okay," she says, jumping off her seat gracefully, one hand grabbing mine, "I think I've been convinced."

"Good," I say, smiling as I position my fingers between hers and locking them together. I place our hands on my chest, so she's stuck with me, and I start moving out, woth her walking in step. "Don't back out on me now."

Awww...That sucked a whole lot more than what I intended. The next one will be better, I hope. I'm kinda excited for it.

I am aware that it is a little rushed. I was really set on having them kiss in this chapter, and I didn't know how to do it.

Ah, well. Please review. I ask nicely.