November has to be one of my favorite months of the year. Now don't get me wrong, I love almost every month that has a main holiday in it. But the reason why November is always at one of the top spots on my list is the constant off days we get. Especially when we get four days away from all the stress, work, and school drama.
The average two day weekend is never enough.
A cool breeze hit my back as I slammed my door behind me. My tired limbs let loose of my backpack filled with binders and notebooks, dropping to the floor with a low thud. There is nothing better than falling onto your bed after an exhausting day at school.
It seems the teachers are rather tenacious about cramming in a ton of work during a fifty five minute time period due to the time they're losing with the off days. There was still the share of math homework that we always get, no matter what the occasion was. Other than the bundles of numbers and equations that are needed to be solved, it was Friday with another four day weekend ahead of us.
Exhaustion slowly forced my eyes to flutter shut, dream land calling my name over and over. I never did get the chance to walk through the entryway of the magical dream that awaited me, for the alarming sound of my door swinging open and crashing against the wall made me jolt awake immediately.
Emma stood under my doorway, smirking widely at me. I glared at her. "Can I help you?" My voice groggier from my five minute nap. If only it was longer.
Emma's connecting foot sent my backpack sliding against the hardwood floor and stop at the other side of my bedroom. My bed bounced when Emma's bottom dropped on top. "We, dear sister of mine, are going out." She said.
"Out?" I repeated dumbly.
Emma nodded. "I need time with you too, you know. That Adrian's back in town, I never get to see my sister anymore." Her lip jutted out in a small pout. Her words both annoyed and surprised me. I was clearly irked that I couldn't curl up under my covers and catch up on my sleep, but the other part of me was shocked that both the Daniels sisters were going to go out. Together. Just the two of us.
"I'm sorry, Em. I guess we really don't see each other as often," I said with a frown. It just hit me that the only time I see Emma was generally during breakfast and at dinner. It's not often that I come directly home after school since I'm always with Adrian or the others. "In all fairness, you're always out with Kelly." I added.
"I know," Emma sighed. Her hands wove through her long brown waves. "That's why I want to go out with you. We can go to the mall!" She stated excitedly.
I chuckled. The mall is Emma's ideal hang out place, no matter what age she is. With a huge dramatic sigh, I let my body fall against the bed. "Fine. When are we going?"
"Now. Duh," My wrists were then tightly clasped between Emma's hands as she tried to pull me up and onto my feet. I pushed all my weight back onto the mattress. "Come on, Mace, I saw the cutest pair of heels the other day and they're on sale!" She urged.
The moment of restraint on her tugging caused Emma to get more and more annoyed by the second, especially with the smirk I was trying to suppress. My arms were practically ripped out of their sockets when Emma gave a sudden rough pull to both arms. My shoulders let out a popping sound.
I rolled my elbows in circular motions while glaring at my sister who was now sporting a smirk of her own. I've always called her an evil sister as a child. Now I knew why; she could be very abusive if she wants to. Emma then turned on her heels and began strutting out my room. "Five minutes before I tear your legs off!" She called out in a sing song voice.
Evil sister indeed.
"Walk down the isle."
I sighed and dragged my feet down the isle and back. The type of shoe I was wearing now was nothing compared to the previous ankle breakers Emma calls shoes. These were a simple pair of black combat boots.
After buying about a dozen pairs (not exaggerating), Emma insisted that I got at least one. It would make her, and I quote, 'a mean and horrible sister if she did not do the honor of buying her little sister a pair of shoes.'
I could just feel the love, really.
Emma pursed her lips, her eyes calculating. "How do they feel? Do you like it?"
I shrugged. "They feel alright," I collapsed down on a bench and wrenched the boots off my feet, fitting them snugly into their box. "I like them."
Emma clapped her hands together. "Yay! We'll get these." She told the clerk at the front desk. The women nodded and began to scan our items. Being the dotting sister that I happen to be, I grabbed two of Emma's bag, as well as mine, to even out the amount she would have to carry.
"So, how about lunch? I really don't want to follow the whole 'shop till you drop thing'."
Emma nodded in agreement and we both set off for the food court. "Alright, Fatburger, no... Johnny Rockets, no... McDonald's, hell no!" Emma counted off as she scanned our options. "Ugh, do they want us fat?" She complain while dropping the bags onto a seat.
I looked at the possibilities with a blank stare. "We live in a cruel, cruel world, Em." I said dramatically. Emma's rants about how unhealthy the choices are today was not something new. It's the reason we never really eat here in the mall unless she's craving.
"Amen to that." She mumbled.
"Screw these foods, we can grab dinner later. Want some Ben & Jerry's for now?" I suggested while placing the shopping bags down against one of the nearby tables.
"Sure. You go get.." Emma's voice trailed as she stared distantly in the direction of Ben & Jerry's. I craned my neck higher to get a better look at what was holding my sister's attention. It soon became clear that I wasn't going to be the one playing the little maid. The only employ running the store was an exceptionally handsome looking man cleaning down one of the nearby tables.
"Actually," Her eyes wandered down his body hungrily. "I'll go order. The usual, cookie dough, right?"
"Yup." I casually hid my smug smile behind my hand.
"Kay, be right back." I watched as she approached the cute boy behind the counter. I knew exactly what was going to happen. It made me sigh internally. Seconds later and the two were already putting their flirting techniques to the test, the task at hand forgotten.
I rolled my eyes. Typical. Normally, I would've been cool with my sister trying to get it on with a total stranger, but my stomach was begging me to feed it. Emma and her boy toy may be making out in the back room at this rate and leave me to starve.
Look at me, complaining about ice cream. What am I, an obese food addict? I slumped back against my chair with a sigh. The two kept up the conversation for a whole fifteen minutes before I began to get antsy. My knee bobbed up and down impatiently as I glared at the back of my sister's head. I was just about to go up and order my own damn food before my phone started to vibrate and my ringtone belted out of the small speaker.
I slid my finger across the screen, smiling at the caller id, and raised my phone up to my ear. "This is Macey Daniels speaking, on a scale of one to ten, how much do you miss me right now?" I asked, feigning the worst British accent I could muster.
Adrian's chuckle vibrated from the other line. "And you thought I was cocky?" I grinned a goofy smile to myself. "To answer your question though, I say eleven."
I clicked my tongue. "Ooo, an extra one point. I'm flattered, Adrian, really." I teased, checking on my sister's flirt status. The boy was giving Emma the most pedophile smile ever while my sister had the look of disgust written all over her face. Maybe I'll get to eat soon.
"Only for you, Mace," A smile evident through his tone. "So where are you?" He sighed, all traces of playfulness gone in an instant. My lips turned down in a frown.
"I'm at the mall with Emma. Sister bonding, I guess."
"Oh. Sounds fun." The slight disappointment made me frown even more.
"Everything okay? You sound kinda down."
"It's nothing."
I remained silent. If he could only see the flat look I was giving him. Adrian may be able to figure out if I'm lying most of the time, but that doesn't mean I can't tell when my own best friend has something going on. And just from the six minute conversation we were having, the signs are going off.
"Okay fine," He sighed in defeat. I grinned in victory. It's like we have a best friend telepathy or something. "Thomas is getting on my nerves"
The smile was wiped off my face at the sound of his manager's name. It was obvoius that Thomas didn't like my presence around Adrian because I'm not some Victoria Secret model or something. I am a normal high school student that just so happens to be the best friend of a star. The fact is not new nor weird to think about. But when Thomas only trashes on me and not the others, it makes me wonder why I, out of all people, happen to be on his 'She's-not-good-for-your-image' list for Adrian. AKA, my best friend. The guy I've known longest out of the group.
"You better not be questioning your value." Adrian spoke, catching me off guard. Maybe we really do have a best friend telepathy. The thought almost made me snicker.
"I was not," I protested. There is that one role in his life that I play, and I knew that. No matter what his stuck-up bitch of a manager has to say about it. "So what happened?" I asked, trying to steer the direction of the subject to a different route.
"He's just been really on my tail about what I've been doing lately. 'This meal is unhealthy. How many hours have you been working at the gym? You are not wearing that in public.' Honestly, and Kelly would murder me if she heard me say this, he's starting to sound like my sister."
I was able to listen and process Adrian's words while, at the same time, watching Emma get aggravated by the ice cream man and start gesturing wildly in the air. "Sounds like he's PMSing. Is he on his man period?" I mused jokingly.
"That's a nice assumption, Sweetheart." Adrian laughed.
"Oh, I know," I twisted a strand of my hair mindlessly. Emma was now pointing at the glass over the tubs, her lips pressed together in a tight impatient line. Looks like I'm going to eat after all. "How about you lock yourself in your room? Oh, you can do your homework! He can't PMS about your education, right?"
"But that's so boring, Mace," He groaned. I rolled my eyes at his childishness. "It's a Friday night, Sunday is a homework problem. Or a few days after the dead line problem." The last part came out as an almost inaudible mumble.
"Come on. It'll get Thomas off your back!" I urged.
"But –"
"Adrian? Can you come help me with some things for the fashion show? I need you to model a few of my designs!" I heard Kelly call. The thought of Adrian strutting back and forth in one of Kelly's designs with a scowl on his face made me laugh. Kelly was a great designer, don't get me wrong, but the styles that she makes up for men is definitely not something I would see Adrian walking around in. Let alone wear against his own will.
"Hmm, what would you rather do? Homework or be a five hour Ken doll?" I pondered aloud in a sweet voice.
"Shit," I heard him mutter before he yelled back a response: "I'm doing homework, Kel, maybe another time!"
Much to his disgust, Kelly wasn't done. "Well then come do your homework down here so I could spot check you! Oh, and tell Macey I said hi and thanks for getting your lazy ass to do homework!"
I laughed so loud that I had to slap a hand over my mouth in order to lower the volume. Emma seemed to finish off blowing off the ice cream man, for she came bearing our orders to the table. "I hate you both." He muttered after calling back an okay to Kelly.
"Please, you love me." I cooed, mouthing a 'thanks' when a carton filled with two scoops of my favorite ice cream was placed in front of me.
"Whatever. I got to go, talk to you later."
"Okay. Love you too, Superstar."
"Back at you, Sweetheart. Bye."
After hanging up, I slid my phone back into my pocket and took a big bite of my ice cream. The cold deliciousness melted onto my tongue, a single ball of cookie dough softly being crushed between my teeth. I moaned at the taste.
"What happened with the ice cream man?" I asked Emma.
"Total bastard, don't want to get into it."
"That bad?"
"That bad of an asshole."
"Ah," I nodded.
"Was that Adrian?" She questioned, eating another bite of her mint chocolate chip ice cream. I never really liked the flavor, it was like continually eating toothpaste with some chocolate in it, ruining the purpose of the cleaning material.
"Yeah. Thomas was getting on his case again." I frowned. If Thomas was that much of a pain, I don't understand why they don't kick him to the curb. Kelly sure seems to hate him and the whole Chapmen family don't act like his biggest fan either.
"I hate that guy. He's such a control freak." Emma snorted. "He doesn't really like you, does he?"
"He doesn't really approve of me being in Adrian's life, no." I put more pressure onto a hard piece of cookie dough.
"Well he's going to have to suck it up since Adrian's got the hots for you and all." Emma said so bluntly that I choked on the ball of sweetness.
"W-What?" I coughed, grabbing a napkin and wiping my face off.
Emma stared at me blankly. "Mace, it's obvious Adrian still has feelings for you."
"Still?" I choked out. Since when did Adrian like me in the past? It wasn't physically possible!
"Omigosh, I thought you two have already talked about your little childhood crushes for each other. It was so obvious you'd have to be blind not to see the chemistry between you two."
I shook my head violently. "There's no.. I-I mean it can't... But we.. What?" Adrian and I have always been friends and strictly just friends. I mean, sure we're a little more.. intimate with one another, but there was absolutely no way Adrian would develop that kind of feelings for me. Right?
"You mean the way he looks at you, holds you, talks about you, kisses –"
"I get it!' I cut her off, dropping my spoon to hold my hands up in a stop position. "There's nothing special about the way he does all those things." I argued.
"He kisses you."
"Not on the lips! It's something normal like the cheek or my forehead."
Emma quirked an eyebrow. "You mean he doesn't kiss your neck a lot?"
"I.." How did she know that? We're usually in private if Adrian decided to do that. A blush made it's way up to my face.
"Best friends don't kiss their best friend's neck, Mace. Especially not the way he –"
"Don't!" I shrieked, clamping a hand over my ears. "No, no, no! Ugh, why do you have put things in my head?"
Emma laughed, taking another bite out of her ice cream with a satisfied smirk on her face. "It's in the job description, Sis. Face the music, Adrian likes you."
"No, he doesn't." I sighed in irritation.
Adrian does not like me. I thought confidently. We are best friends, nothing more nothing less. Even back all those years ago, it wouldn't be possible. And I knew exactly why that thought was nothing but some figure of Emma's imagination.
Cammie.
Cammie had been Adrian's whole world in our younger teenage years. Ever since 6th grade when Cammie's 'hard to get' attitude had turned Adrian on in the first place. After he had gotten her, it was like he was blind by love. Everything he would do, Cammie had to be in the center of it. The way he dressed up just to impress his girlfriend, the reason he tried out for the football team even if it was the sport he despised the most. Cammie was eighty five percent of the time why Adrian and I would always end up in a big fight.
Always.
The pranks, the rain-checks for hanging out, the misunderstandings. The tarantula incident was just the beginning of what things she coaxed Adrian to do, all to my disadvantage. And each time he would screw up and fall for that witch's spell, I would forgive him anyway. It would be an ignore-come back situation with the two of us. And every time he would come to apologize, I would forgive him anyways.
Adrian had spent the rest of his time here dating Cammie, leaving absolutely no room whatsoever to have any 'feelings' for me. Especially since he was my childhood crush. It was not the other way around. I was over the moon, though, when I found out those two had broken up since she was definitely not the girl for him, but Cammie loved to pin me as the culprit that destroyed their relationship.
"They dated until Adrian got his big break and then left for LA for four years. He was so infatuated with Cammie, Em. There's just no way."
Emma watched me intently as I finished up the remains of my treat. I was in the middle of savoring the last bite before she spoke again. "What did you say was the reason that those two broke up?"
"Cammie saw Adrian as the soon-to-be famous guy and not for what he really was." I answered easily. It was a simple question. Ever since word spread, Cammie clung to him like a second skin. She was always attached to his hip before, but this was different. She was just always there. For the fact that she could be dating a star.
"Yeah and what about after that?" Emma pushed. "When you told him that you thought he assured you it was no big deal?"
My eyes furrowed in concentration as I thought back to that day Adrian told me the news.
'Besides, I've got a thing for someone else.'
'Really?" I asked, nudging his shoulder playfully. "Do I know this mystery girl?'
Adrian chuckled. "More than you think."
The memory made me gasp. Was it really possible? Did Adrian really like me? A single possibility that Adrian returned my feelings back then?
No. No, he didn't. Just because he said he had a thing for someone else doesn't mean that that girl was me. It could've been one of my close friends.
"Em, that doesn't prove anything. If Adrian liked me, I think I would've noticed. And as of the present time, I am absolutely positive that Adrian doesn't like me. Especially with what he could get." My tone upheld a high level of finality.
Emma seemed disappointed in my response as she sunk back into her seat with a sigh and a frown. "You're in such deep denial." She said quietly, more to herself than me.
It was true though. I was in denial. But it made perfect sense than the misinformation Emma was trying to feed me. Adrian could have any girl he wants, he's been exposed to much better girls out there. If he were to date someone, it wouldn't be an average girl from Miami, Florida.
Just as Thomas said: I'm just a normal girl.
*********
Yodeeyoooooo! An update, woot woot. Since TBAL was updated last time, it was CC's turn :P Switching back to TBAL the next time I do update and then it will come back to this! A little sister bonding here; Macey's in big denial!
I shouldn't have troubles writing the next chapter because I've got the next four chapters in my head ;) I've literally got it sitting in my works, title already there, haha. Just like this one, the next few chapters are important because they have to do with how things are between Macey and Adrian. There may be changes in the way they think, if you know what I mean *wink wink* so keep an eye out for that!
Since school has started for a while-ish now, I cannot update as frequently as I could because of homework and the fact that I'm not allowed to be on because of my parents; be patient with me please <33
Drop me a comment, take two seconds to hit the little vote button, share, and fan! I'd love to hear your thoughts and thanks for your support <33
Lots of Love,
-Jesse :) <3
Oh, and if you're wondering, I'm planning on naming the next chapter "In Need of An Escape", keep that in mind as you wait for the next update hehe.