A/N: Okay so this is my response to the latest Pure Horace Mantis Challenge, but it's also kind of a response to "Double Date" so if you haven't seen it some of these references might seem a bit random, lol. But come Sunday they won't, ha ha! Enjoy!
Change
By angellwings
"I'm standing here but you don't see me; I'd give it all for that to change."-Before the Storm
"Um, Stella?" Macy said hesitantly as she slowly approached her best friend and the Lucas brothers.
The group turned around to face her.
"What's up, Mace?" Stella asked brightly.
"I don't know how to tell you this…"
"You could just say it, Macy," Nick smirked.
She cleared her throat, "Van Dyke asked me out."
Stella's eyes widened, "What?"
"YES!" Joe exclaimed as he pumped his fist into the air. Stella glared at him and he cleared his throat. "I mean…WHAT?"
"I didn't know you guys even talked," Stella said in a surprised tone.
She shrugged, "We don't. I mean we've exchanged trash talk every now and then, but…that's it."
"Then why did he ask you out?" Kevin asked hesitantly.
"Maybe he thinks my trash talk is cute?" Macy suggested.
Nick chuckled, "Yes, because 'you cried like a girl' is normally appealing to all of us guys."
"What did you say?" Kevin asked.
"I said I had to think about it. I wanted to make sure it was okay with Stella first."
"First? As in you're thinking about actually accepting?" Kevin asked worriedly.
Macy shrugged, "I don't see any one else chomping at the bit to date me, do you?"
"Well, there used to be…and then you sort of scared him away," Nick reminded her gently.
Macy cleared her throat, "I would prefer not to speak of the Randolph Incident if you don't mind."
"Believe me, that is NOT a problem," Nick agreed with a shudder.
"Mace, if you would like to go out with Van Dyke it's fine with me. After that 'Meat on a Sword' place he kind of lost his luster," Stella told her.
"You didn't like that place?" Macy asked. "Really? I loved it!"
"I remember," Joe nodded. "The check was expensive. You sure like your meat, Macy."
She chuckled, "What can I say? I need my protein. Well, I guess I better go find Van Dyke then. I'll see you guys later!"
Macy briskly walked away in the direction of the school's side lawn. The football team was known to hang out there before and after class.
"Wow, Macy and Van Dyke?" Stella asked rhetorically. "I suppose I've seen stranger couples."
Joe nodded, "Like Kevin and Mime-Girl."
Stella, Nick, and Joe waited for Kevin to speak up in his defense, but he didn't. He merely stared straight ahead.
"Kevin?" Nick asked as he waved a hand in front of his oldest brother's face.
"I gotta go," Kevin announced suddenly as he quickly headed off in the same direction as Macy.
"Where's he going?" Stella asked.
"To listen to Macy accept Van Dyke's date," Joe stated simply. Nick and Stella turned to stare at him quizzically.
"What? It's what I would do," Joe told them.
Nick shook his head, "You mean it's what you did."
Joe glared at him, "Shut up."
"Should I warn Macy about the insanity that's going to ensue?" Stella asked Nick worriedly.
"You can't do that with out busting Kevin," Nick said thoughtfully.
"Maybe I can distract Kevin?"
Joe shook his head, "Doubt that. Nick and Kev tried to distract me but it never worked."
"So basically, we just have to let this happen?" Stella sighed.
Nick nodded, "Welcome to my life."
"So, why did you ask me out?"
Kevin heard Macy's voice and froze as it came toward him. He had stopped behind a large tree.
"I don't know. You seem cool, and I don't have to work so hard to impress you," Van Dyke's voice answered.
"But you don't impress me," Macy said honestly. Kevin smirked.
"I know, that's why you're cool."
"Okay. Does it bother you that I think you're kind of weird because of that?" Macy asked.
Kevin bit back a chuckle. Did Macy really think it was a good idea to date him?
"Nope."
"Good."
Kevin was getting worried. After the previous conversation he was sure Macy would change her mind. But she hadn't. Now they were finalizing plans. Tomorrow night at seven they were going back to El Meat. Kevin bit his bottom lip. He had to do something. Macy dating Van Dyke was a terrible idea! She should be dating him! It was obvious! Wasn't it?
"Kevin?"
Kevin jumped and turned to find Macy staring at him curiously.
"Hey, Macy!"
"I didn't know you liked to hang out here," Van Dyke announced as he held up a hand. "Up top, dude!"
Kevin reluctantly gave Van Dyke a high five.
Macy glared at Kevin suspisciously, "He doesn't like to hang out here. What's going on, Kevin?"
He opened his mouth and knew he was in trouble. His voice squeeked. She would know he was lying. He was a dead man.
"Nothing! Just thought I'd step outside the atrium," He said in a high pitched tone.
Macy shook her head, "You should know better than to lie, Kevin. You're tell is just way too obvious. Be honest, were you spying?"
Kevin kept his mouth closed and shook his head no.
"Kevin." Macy said with stern amusemet.
Kevin expelled the breath he'd been holding in, "Okay, YES! I was spying. I couldn't help it!"
Macy's expression softened and she turned to Van Dyke, "Could you excuse us for a moment?"
"Oh yeah, sure," Van Dyke answered. Macy waited a few seconds, and when Van Dyke didn't move she spoke up again.
"I would like to speak with Kevin alone. If you don't mind," Macy clarified.
"Oh! Right," Van Dyke nodded. "I'm just gonna go to my locker. I'll see you tomorrow night, Macy."
She nodded, "Later, Van Dyke."
"You want to date that guy?" Kevin asked. "I'm smarter than him."
"Are you saying you don't think you're smart?" Macy asked in an offended tone. "You're smart! You have a better grade in Bio than I ever will."
He smiled softly at her, "Thanks, Macy."
"So, you ready to tell me what's going yet?" She asked. "Why were you spying on me?"
"Because you can't date Van Dyke," He told her honestly. "You're too good for him."
"You don't like Van Dyke?" Macy asked. "I thought you guys got along?"
"We do. Look, Van Dyke is a nice guy, but you just can't date him. He's dating you because he doesn't have to work to impress you? That's lame, Mace. You should be dating someone who's sole reason for dating you is to impress you. And not in some dumb bragging way either. Some one who just wants you to believe in them and wants to believe in you. You need to date some one who's crazy about you and will do anything for you. Not because 'you seem cool', you're better than that," Kevin explained.
Macy smiled brightly at him, "You think so?"
"I know so," He beamed.
She sighed, "Than I suppose I'll have to cancel my date with Van Dyke. I have to say I'm a little relieved. When there's no trash talk involved Van Dyke is surprisingly dull."
Kevin grinned, "Doesn't surprise me."
"So, what are you up to this weekend, Kev?"
"Nothing, why?" Kevin asked.
"You want to hang out?" Macy asked. "Mom hired this petting zoo as a promotional thing for the store and I thought that if you weren't doing anything you might like to keep me company while I-"
"Definitely," He answered immediately. "Me, you, and a petting zoo? Say no more. I'm in."
Macy smiled brightly, "Great! I have to watch the store while mom takes her lunch break so I'll just bring enough lunch for two to the shop on Saturday!"
"It's a date!" Kevin exclaimed. "Wait! I mean…it's not a date."
"It's not?"
"That's not to say that it couldn't be," Kevin quickly amended. "Do you want it to be?"
"Kevin, that speech you gave earlier about the kind of person I deserve…did you mean it?"
"Of course I did! If I didn't you would have known."
She nodded, "Do you believe in me?"
"Yes, Macy you can do anything. You're awesome."
Macy blushed and smirked. She had a theory she wanted to test out, "Kevin, I need a favor."
"Anything for you, Macy."
Macy's smile grew, and she filed those words away. "Anything for you, Macy." She replayed them over and over in her head, and then she replayed Kevin speech from earlier. So far he filled two of his three requirements for a guy she deserved to date. Could it be possible that Kevin was talking about himself?
"Macy? Do you need a favor?"
"What? Oh no, nevermind. I'm okay."
"Hey, how about I make lunch instead. I can bring mom's chicken salad," He suggested. "And I think I can make cookies or something too. How does that sound."
Macy grinned, "It sounds…impressive."
He had totally been talking about himself. If their date hadn't been a date before it definitely was now. Macy looped an arm through Kevin's and continued to walk with him into the building. She had never thought Kevin would be interested in her so she'd never seen him as an option. Now that she knew it was possible she saw him in a completely different light.