Don't think I've forgotten about this story. Because I haven't. I haven't forgotten about Games either, I know I've been MIA on that, but I'll explain more in the AN when I finally update that one. But anyway, enjoy! Please leave a review on the way out just to speak your mind/give your opinion, how awesome I am (haha, not really), and basically whatever you want to write in your review. Reviews are love. Ideas would be lovely as well. Add those to your reviews if you'd like. I'll stop rambling now. Bye!
Masquerade
Chapter Four
"Okay, just don't worry about Joe," Stella repeated.
"Fine, we won't. But if he's not fine by the next concert, we're blaming you."
"What in the world did I do?!" Stella exclaimed.
Kevin hung up and didn't respond to her shocked statement.
"Don't worry about Joe," Kevin told Nick. "Just don't."
"Okay," Nick nodded.
-x-
"Macy!" Van Dyke called, running to the brunette's locker.
"What do you want, Van Dyke?" Macy said, irritated. "Want me to ask Stella out for you? You're out of luck; she's taking a break from dating for a while, especially dating you."
"Oh, wow, that's harsh. Is it because of Joe?" Van Dyke guessed.
"How'd you know?" Macy questioned sarcastically.
"Come on, Misa, I'm not that oblivious," He said. "Don't think I didn't notice that Stella kept looking at Joe when I asked her out that other time. But I'm not here to talk about Stella. I'm here to find out your secret."
"What secret?" Macy was confused.
"To how you can play every sport," He continued.
"You should know, you're also on every sports team at the school," She shot back. They'd be perfect for each other because they both play all the same sports, right? Wrong. They despise each other. Macy just tries to get along with him for Stella's sake. She brings out her anger by discussing how much of a dwonk he is with Joe.
"That's true," Van Dyke remembered. "But I was never on the girl's baseball team. You were on the boys'. If it wasn't for your obnoxious voice, I would have believed you were a boy. And don't start talking about your hair; you were wearing a hat and helmet at every game and practice."
"That was back then, Van Dyke, before Horace Mantis had a girl's baseball team. I had no choice, and Coach Mason was surprisingly okay with it."
"He was only okay with it because we didn't lose a game at all that season."
"Is it my fault I'm better than you?" Macy challenged.
"Possibly."
"Can you please get out of my face now?" That was subtle. Macy slammed her locker loudly, but purposely because of the jock's presence. She was getting really annoyed. He just stood there, so Macy added, "Fine, I'll get out of your face." She walked away with a bit of extra attitude. She was going to be in a bad mood today. That won't last long, because she's sure that JONAS will brighten up her day somehow.
Macy didn't talk to the brothers just yet, she bumped into Stella.
"Stella, you don't have dance committee this morning?"
"Nope, I'm here early because my sewing machine broke down so I'm going to go the sewing club and ask to use a spare. I'm getting my machine fixed on Sunday. What about you, don't you have hockey practice or something?"
"No practice for anything today. I just got used to getting to school early. It's an unhealthy habit. Mind if I join you in sewing club?"
"No, not at all, let's go!" Stella grabbed Macy's arm and pulled her upstairs and into the room where sewing club was held. Stella was of course part of it, but not the president or anything. She was the president of her own clothing line anyway.
Macy sat beside Stella, watching her work the sewing machine like it was nobody's business. Macy thought it was the perfect time to think. About anything that came to mind. A thought about Van Dyke Tosh suddenly crept in her head. She decided that she has a few questions that she needs answered.
"Stella?" Macy began, hoping for the blonde's attention.
"Yes, Macy?" Stella didn't keep her eyes off what she was doing. Macy didn't mind, as long as she was listening to her.
"Why do you go out with Van Dyke?" Macy asked. "I was talking to him earlier, and I find him really obnoxious. I can see why Joe dislikes him too."
"For your information, Joe only dislikes him because he's jealous."
"Why would Joseph Adam Lucas be jealous of Van Dyke Tosh? Joe's got it better than Van Dyke."
"He's jealous of Van Dyke dating me, obviously." Stella doesn't like to admit that both she and Joe have a thing for each other. "He wants to be as happy as Van Dyke and I. Well, when Van Dyke and I are on a date. That's why he asked you out. He wants a special someone."
"What?!" Macy's response clearly showed how shocked she was. "Are you implying that Joe likes me?"
Stella, for the first time in minutes, looked at Macy with an emotionless face and rushed to get her things.
"I didn't say anything," The blonde denied as she got up, pushing Macy out of the room. Apparently, she rushed to gather Macy's things, not her own. "Um, you should probably go to the library to check over your homework. I mean, you don't have to go to the library; you can just sit on the staircase if you'd like. I just want to be alone."
Macy raised an eyebrow, confused. What did Stella Malone have to hide? She shrugged it off and did as what she was told. She didn't feel like going to the library, so she went with her other choice and sat on the stairs.
"Phew," Stella sighed. "That was close. I can't believe I almost blew it. He's going to kill me."
Homeroom started and Stella didn't say a word to Macy at all. Not even in the other morning classes they had together. Stella was relieved that she had a meeting with the dance committee at lunch again. She hadn't decided how she'd explain everything to Macy. But she made a promise, so she's most likely going to keep her mouth shut. They're both her best friends, and she's not going to be able to choose between them. Stella Malone was a good friend. She wouldn't tell her friends' secrets, despite the fact that she texts gossip all day. She doesn't gossip about her friends. That was just wrong.
Macy bought her lunch this time, and stared at the crowded cafeteria, trying to find a place to sit. Should she sit with JONAS? No, they've probably had enough of her yesterday. What about Macy's teammates? No, she didn't have much interaction with them outside of sports. But what you're thinking is correct; shouldn't Macy be with her teammates, since everyone has their own groups and cliques? Not at Horace Mantis. Things are a bit different here.
She finally spotted an empty table near the back of the cafeteria. Macy wasn't all that popular, even if she is the school's number one female athlete. She and Van Dyke still tie in for school's number one athlete.
Macy ate her lunch slowly, trying to figure out why she doesn't have many friends, and trying to comprehend what Stella had said before homeroom at sewing club. That was before a masculine figure stood at her presence. Macy was deep in thought and didn't notice him. But he didn't stop himself from trying to get her attention. He coughed purposely, hoping Macy would look up and smile.
She looked up, but didn't smile. She frowned instead.
"Why are you frowning at me?" The boy said, worried.
"I don't know," Macy honestly replied. "It was something about yesterday that made me feel that I did something to you. And I'm positive I didn't."
"I know you didn't," He answered, pulling up a seat, not caring if Macy wanted him to stay or not. He just needed to talk to her. "It's something personal, Macy. I'm sorry if I made you feel this way, but I assure you, it's not about you. I'd explain, but I can't."
"You know I respect your privacy, Joe, so I couldn't care less if you told me or not," Macy responded, a balance of respect and rudeness in her statement. "Why are you talking to me anyway? I'd thought you hated me considering that remark you made about my house which 'you've seen better.'"
"I think I've done enough to you in the past twenty-four hours. I'll just leave." Joe stood up, and was ready to leave, but Macy hesitated in stopping him. She sighed and decided to let him go. She was worried. She was starting to develop more feelings for Joe. This was strange, because she only had a celebrity crush on the Lucas boy. Macy denied that she was, dare she say it, in love with the boy. Not as a celebrity, but as a person, like every other regular crush she had at her school.
-x-
"Joe, why did you talk to Macy at lunch? What about your whole plan?" Stella questioned, as she caught up to Joe walking quickly in the hallway.
"I just wanted to let her know that me acting mean has nothing to do with her, I'm not talking to her again, don't worry about me," Joe answered.
"But—"
"Shut up, Stella," Joe interrupted, turning a corner, walking faster. Stella gave up in following him and just turned back to go to her locker.
As she arrived at her locker, she was greeted by Van Dyke.
"Van Dyke, what are you doing here?" Stella questioned nervously. She looked around to see if Joe was within sight.
"I just wanted to ask you to the dance," He replied innocently.
"But you do know that this dance does not require dates," She pointed out.
"Uh, right," His voice trailed off. They stood in silence until he thought of something to say. "Okay, fine, promise me you'll save a dance for me?"
"If I can find you, sure," Stella somewhat accepted.
"Great, I'll see you then," He smiled and walked down the hallway, most likely to his next class.
"Ugh, why does he have to make it so hard?" Stella whispered to herself, opening her locker, putting her head in it and slamming her head repeatedly. What was she going to tell Joe when he sees her dancing with some dude that resembles Van Dyke Tosh?
-x-
"Where's Joe?" Kevin asked his younger sibling, as they walked home.
"I don't know, and it's weird how he didn't join us for lunch," Nick answered.
"You know what Stella said, we shouldn't worry about Joe too much."
"I know, but he's our brother, why shouldn't we care?" Nick said a bit too loudly. "Give me a reason why we shouldn't care!"
"Because it's personal, we should let him figure this out for himself," Kevin sighed. He also wanted to know what was going on with the middle brother. If he wanted to be a good brother, though, he should respect Joe's privacy.
"Ooh!" The younger brother's face lit up. Kevin eyed him, confused. "What if it's about a girl? He mentioned a few months ago that he had a developing crush on someone. He never said any names, but he described her as 'petite, brunette and bubbly.'"
"Did he say in what grade?"
"No, but he limits himself from the freshmen."
"So the girls in your grade, his grade and mine."
"Basically."
"Well, that narrows it down," Kevin sarcastically commented.
"Hey guys!" Macy ran to the two Lucas brothers.
"Wow, Mace, track really pays off for you," Nick said.
"Yes, it does," She smiled tiredly. They continued walking. "Um, so Joe talked to me at lunch today."
"Really? We haven't seen him in the cafeteria at all."
"Well, he kind of just rushed in and then left." Macy shrugged.
"What'd he say?" Kevin questioned
"He just wanted to let me know that he's not being rude to me because I've done something to him. It's pretty hard to believe, but I'm starting to think he's lying."
"Why, what did you do to him anyway?" It was Nick's turn to ask.
"That's exactly my point. I did nothing, but he acts like I did something. Then he tells me I didn't. It's all very confusing, actually." Macy shook her head. "Honestly, I don't want him to hate me. That'd be the last thing I want."
"What are you doing tonight, Macy?" Nick asked.
"Homework, eat, sleep," She shrugged, focusing on the sidewalk they'd been walking on for a couple of blocks. "How about you guys?"
"Eat, interview, meeting, homework, sleep," Kevin responded in the same tone Macy used, somewhat mocking her.
"I thought you cancelled all interviews and meetings on school nights," Macy stated.
"Yes, but this is urgent and it's the only time Malcolm is in town," Nick explained. "He's on a country wide talent search he does every year."
"Oh my god," Kevin randomly said. "Guess what!" He turned to his brother and the athlete.
"What?" The two said in uneven unison.
"I like emo koalas," He smiled proudly.
"Yes, Kevin, we know," Nick answered, annoyed.
"It's my favorite thing about visiting Australia. We always visit koalas. We visit kangaroos also."
"What about the fans?"
"Oh, you know I love the Aussie fans!" Kevin paused. "You know what would be even better? Koala fans! I want to know how many koalas there are that are fans of JONAS. That would be totally awesome. Yes, we should do that. Next time we go to Australia, I want to ask all the koalas I meet if they're fans of us. Or Aussie fans could tweet us and such. Either way, I want koala fans."
"If I were a koala, I'd be a fan," Macy tried to make Kevin's theory realistic.
"You're a fan now," Nick pointed out. "You'd still be a fan then."
"Okay, really, Nick? Like, seriously. You've got to stop that. It's really annoying and I'm getting tired of it. Joe is getting tired of it as well," Kevin said sternly, before snickering and giving his younger brother a hug.
"Aw, brotherly love!"