Living on a lighted stage
Approaches the unreal
For those who think and feel
In touch with some reality

-Limelight, by Rush

(thank you very much to potter8 for the advice. I was getting tired of just using those two songs ;P)

How did I always screw it up? I didn't mean it. I tried my best to help my friends out, especially Macy. She deserved it. She was so sweet, so caring, so wonderful...Well; you guys get what I mean.

And I messed it up. As always. I could almost picture Nick yelling at me.

Oh, there was no need to. He was walking towards me with that face of his that said "I'm mad at you and I'm gonna yell at you".

"Joe" he said with a deep voice. I put my hands in the air.

"I know, I know. My fault. But I didn't know there were paparazzi right outside the house—"

"You didn't know? Joe, we're always surrounded by paparazzi! You sure knew it!" Nick yelled. All I could do was sigh.

"Look, I would apologize to you right now, but the person who I should apologize to is Macy, so if you please let me grab my car keys—"

"Oh, no" he said as he picked up my keys. Seriously? I couldn't touch his keyboard but he could take my keys? Agh. "You won't go to Macy's house".

"And who are you to forbid it to me?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Her boy—fake boyfriend. Joe, I'm not doing this to bother you, okay?" he said. Oh, really? I don't think so, little bro. "I'm doing this for her. If you go to her house, there'll be even more paparazzi, waiting in the bushes to take a picture of you two. And it'll never end"

"So, what do you want me to do? What is your idea now, genius?" I crossed my arms in front of my chest. He sent me a dirty look.

"Go to the premiere tonight with Stella. I'll go with Macy. You two just...stay away from each other. Then they'll calm down".

It was the best. For her, and for us. But mostly for her. I couldn't make her suffer. Nick was right. As much as I hated to admit it.

I didn't look at him and took my phone.

"J-Joe?" I heard her little voice. She sounded...scared.

"Macy? Look, I'm truly sorry about all this—"

"Joe, how many times do I have to say that it's not your fault?"

"But this time it is. If I hadn't...done that, none of this would've happened" I sadly said.

"Yes, it would. Even if you only sent me one look, they would've talked about it" she said. I could feel she was smiling. Sad smiling, but smiling after all.

"Either way, I'm sorry"

"Don't be" that made me smile too.

"So, you're coming tonight, right?" I asked. Knowing her, she was probably doubting about it.

"Well, at first I didn't want to. Not because of you, guys, but for the press and all. But then I realized that if I don't go, they'll say something like 'Macy dumps her boyfriend for Joe, who's dating Stella Malone' or something like that"

"You're right. So, you go with Nick and I'll go with Stella?" I said.

"Sure" she sighed. I sighed too.

"Nick says that we should...stay away from each other. Not even talk. Then they may calm down" she groaned.

"Agh, when will this ever end?! I want to be able to talk with my friends without feeling guilty".

"Me too, Mace. Me too". It felt horrible. This was the only way we could talk to each other? Through the phone? We weren't criminals or anything like that. It wasn't fair.

"Well, let's be optimistic. Maybe tonight at the party someone will kiss someone and we'll be free!" her cheering voice wasn't as happy as always, but it was the best she had said in the past days.

"You're right. Thanks Macy"

"For what?"

"For making me smile". I heard her giggle. I realized that the conversation was becoming...weirdly awkward. "Well, I better get going. Talk to you tonight?"

"When?" she asked. Oh right. We wouldn't be able to talk during the premiere. Shit.

"After the party? I'll call you"

"Sure" I hear her laughing. "I feel like we're planning a conspiracy or something".

"You're right" I laughed along with her. "Bye, Macy"

"Bye, Joe" and she hung up. I stared at my phone for a minute or so and then I called Stella. I told her the plan and she agreed immediately. It was almost as if she was expecting it. As if she already counted on going with me.

The day went pretty boring at school, and I didn't see Macy. Well, I saw her for a moment as she entered to the atrium to have lunch with Nick, but I didn't talk to her or get near her. It made me feel kinda depressed. It was Macy! She was the one who cheered me up when I was down. And now that I was, I couldn't even talk to her. It seemed that the whole world was against me.

I was with Stella, though. And she made me feel like I wasn't alone. She basically talked about the dresses she was going to make for the premiere, about the movie, about Cristopher Wilde and how mad she was because he dumped her cousin Alexis, about Van Dyke asking her out again... And nope, I didn't care at all. At first I acted over-protective with her because she was like my sister and Van Dyke was a jerk, but then I thought 'Hey, it's her life. And if she wants to date an idiot, let her date him'.

The night came, and I didn't feel like partying. I would rather stay at home, watching a movie. Ok, I know what you're thinking: "he prefers staying at home watching a movie instead of going to a fancy Hollywood party...to watch a movie? This boy is mad". And I am.

But spending a whole night avoiding Macy was too much to take.

* * *

Macy's POV

I put on the dress Stella made for me. It kinda reminded me the dress she wore the night of Maddie Evan's birthday party, but this one was black and...more me.

I checked my watch. The guys were supposed to come and get me in less than then minutes. I sighed as I sat on my bed. How did I end up there? Going to a movie premiere, pretending to be Nick's girlfriend and staying away from Joe. I would've never, ever imagined myself in a situation like that.

I jumped as I heard the bell rang. I was too lost in my own thoughts to notice that ten minutes had passed. I fixed my hair quickly and went to open the door. Then I saw Nick in a black suit standing outside my door.

"Hey" I whispered, noticing that he hadn't said a word.

"H-Hi" he said. He was nervous. But why? Well, I knew why. And I was nervous too. "You look amazing, Mace". I couldn't help but blush.

"Thank you" I said as I grabbed my keys and my purse and closed the door. He opened the limo's door for me, and I whispered another 'thank you'. In there, I said a general "hi" to Stella, Joe and Kevin. Nick took a seat by my side and he told the chauffeur that he could go on. I bit my lip and started moving my leg nervously.

"Everything will be ok, Macy" Nick said to me as he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, right. How do you know, Nick? How can you be so sure? I have to pretend that I'm your girlfriend –which I'm not-, then I have to avoid Joe the whole night and I have to deal with the press that will ask plenty of questions about our relationship –which isn't real-, and they'll ask me about Joe, and about how I feel about you, and—"

"Macy" Joe said in a soft tone. "Breathe"

"Yeah, that would be a great idea" I said to myself.

"Mace," Nick said as he put his arm around me. Ok, that one was new. And yeah, he was my fake boyfriend and all, but we were still at the limo, without paparazzi around us. Since when were we so...close? "I'll talk to the press. I'm used to it. I'll make up some stories for the questions they ask and I'll say that you're too shy to talk. I'll be always by your side; you won't be alone any minute, okay? You don't have to be afraid" I nodded slowly.

Then the limo stopped and I realized that we had arrived. I sent Joe a last look. We stared at each other for about ten seconds and then he got off the car right before Stella. Nick and I were the last ones to leave. Nick got off and offered me his hand. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and took his hands. The lights blinded me at first, but being hand in hand with Nick helped me a lot.

The show must go on, I thought to myself.

Ok, I promise you I'll count the votes and tell you the results in the next chapter. But I'm getting used to update right before going to bed, so I don't have much time.

I wanna thank you all for your reviews, they are lovely and you are awesome. You can give me your opinions, suggestions, ideas and, of course, keep on voting!

Love you all, wish you had an amazing Easter xxx

P.S. Sorry, this chapter is kinda short. I'll try to write a better chapter next time. And, again, I didn't have time to check it, so sorry if there are any mistakes.