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Disclaimer: Still not mine.

Chapter 12: Back in the Game

She didn't know what it was about Nick, but he seemed to have a way of turning things around. Just those few words from him, and she was back in the game, ready to fight for her rightful place next to Kevin, laughing at Brooke.

Nick seemed to think that Kevin would stand by her through anything. So she was taking her chances, and like in any other competition, she was going to pull out all the stops needed for her to win.

"Oh my God, you guys!" Brooke exclaimed that lunchtime as she joined the group at their table. "Where have you been? I feel like it's been forever since the last time I saw you all."

"Stella was in New York for a fashion thing," Joe answered, as though that accounted for all their whereabouts. He scooted closer to the girl at the mention of her absence.

"I meant since Friday. So far today I'd only seen Stella in English class, and I was missing all of you." She narrowed her eyes and smiled at Macy who had been shooting death rays in the girl's direction. Brooke leaned toward Kevin. "I was thinking—"

"Kevin," Macy interrupted quickly, "I have to go to the zoo today for this science project I'm working on. I know how much you love the zoo. Do you want to come with?"

"Sure." Kevin shrugged. "I'm always up for the zoo."

"Just don't visit the penguins," Nick warned. "You know you're not supposed to go in that section anymore, Kevin."

"That was one time!"

"One time too many," Joe told him.

Kevin shrugged. "All right, other than the penguins, I'm in."

"Perfect," Macy said as she gathered her things. "It's a date."

"But I thought we could do something this afternoon, Kevin," Brooke said, her lower lip sticking out. "Except for the dance last Friday, I feel like I never see you. I mean, it's like you're always with Macy these days. People are going to start thinking you guys are dating or something."

"Last I heard," Kevin told her as he stole one of Joe's chips, "people think I'm dating Amanda Bines for some reason. Besides, it's the zoo. Who can say no to the zoo?"

"Brooke can," Stella was quick to say when she saw Brooke's mouth start to open. "She's allergic to all kinds of animals. She can't go to the zoo."

"That's a shame. Otherwise you could have joined us."

Stella smiled triumphantly at Brooke, knowing that Kevin would be too kind not to offer.

"Yeah, a shame," Brooke agreed.

"Around five thirty, Kevin?" Macy asked, already stepping away from the table and her urge to gouge Brooke's eyes out.

"Perfect," he answered, and somehow, she didn't faint at the wink he sent in her direction.

***

Stella insisted on prepping Macy as though the girl didn't already know everything there was to know about Kevin Lucas. Stella did Macy's hair and make-up while ranting on and on about what Kevin liked and didn't. Macy listened, mostly in the hopes of distracting herself from what was about to happen.

She'd been nervous for dates before, she'd even been Jonas-nervous for dates before when Kevin had asked her out, but there was something new now. She wasn't sure if it was the possibility of victory or simply all the new history between her and Kevin, but things were different.

Stella had left half an hour before the date actually started, deciding that she was going to the firehouse to see what was going on there, and that she'd text Macy if she found out anything else that she thought could be useful. Macy took a good look at herself in the mirror once her friend had left. She sighed.

She was pretty with the make-up and the hair and the dress; she wouldn't deny that. But she wasn't herself, and the last time Stella had convinced her to dress up as someone else, it hadn't ended very well. And so Macy did something she knew her best friend would kill her for. She changed into jeans and a long sleeved T-shirt. She washed off the make-up. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail.

Unfortunately, that only took her ten minutes. That left her with almost twenty to stare at herself in the mirror and wonder what exactly could go wrong. There were many possibilities, one of which involved penguins, though she didn't quite understand why. In fact, Macy had enough time that she eventually reached out for the tube of lipstick Stella had left her, wondering if perhaps she shouldn't try to recreate the magic Stella had fashioned.

The sound of the doorbell told her she was too late. If she tried to do a rush job, she'd surely just make everything worse. Macy grabbed her backpack and headed to the front door, trying to stay brave despite the hurricane in her stomach.

"Hey," Kevin greeted her with a wide grin when she opened the door. "You ready to go?"

"Sure," she sighed.

***

She should have known better than to worry. After all, this was Kevin she was talking about. Lovable, likable, undeniable Kevin. Before she knew it, Macy had completely forgotten all about the bet and everything else that seemed to be making her life miserable in the past few days. Even more importantly, she forgot all about Stella's advice and all the airs she could have put on to impress her friend. She found herself simply being Macy and enjoying herself like she did before she'd ever met Brooke.

"I had a good time, Kevin," she told him as they neared her home after a stop at a local ice cream shop.

"You sound surprised."

She shrugged.

"Don't we always have fun, Macy?"

"I just haven't been having much fun in general lately." She gave him a tight smile.

"I've noticed that." Kevin nodded. "Anything you want to talk about?"

"Nope."

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as my name is—"

"Macy!"

Of course with her luck, such a great day would have to end with Brooke on the front steps of her house.

"Hi, Kevin!"

"Hey, Brooke." He gave the girl a quick wave before turning his attention back to Macy. "You let me know when you do want to talk about it, okay?"

She nodded, and before she could quite understand what was happening, she felt Kevin's lips against her cheek. He left with another quick wave to Brooke.

The girl fumed.

"You haven't won yet, Macy," Brooke said while Macy climbed the stairs to her front door. "An afternoon at the zoo and a kiss on the cheek is kindergarten stuff. You're lucky he was in a hurry, or I would have been in that car with him. He probably just couldn't wait to get away from you long enough for me to ask him out."

Macy smiled. Kevin had kissed her cheek.

"I'm still in the running," Brooke told her with a huff, leaving quickly.

Macy's smile widened. She had been in enough competitions to understand what that little confrontation had been about. Brooke was scared. And for maybe the first time since this whole thing had started, Macy thought she just might have reason to be.