Mack made a face as he saw his image vanish from the screen.

Jodie grinned, and she ejected the tape. “You know, it’s true. The camera does add ten pounds.”

Mack finished grimacing. “I hate seeing myself on camera. Why did you have to get that tape, anyway?”

Jodie grinned. “I just like torturing you.”

Mack rolled his eyes. “Figures.”

They were sitting in Jodie’s room. Jodie’s parents had taken the opportunity to go out of town with Evan for the night, and Jodie had taken the opportunity to invite Mack over. Mack had gladly agreed. Usually, he didn’t like being over at the Landon’s, but with them both gone, he was a lot more comfortable. Plus, he felt as if Jodie and him had had a growing distance between them recently, and he didn’t want that to get any worse. He was taking any opportunity to spend time together that he could.

He had a theory about why they felt like they were drifting apart, but he didn’t feel comfortable talking about it with Jodie. That was another new, and worrying development. Normally, he felt like there was nothing he couldn’t talk about with Jodie, but now...things were different.

Jodie glanced at him, and smiled. “So what are your plans for the prom?”

“Obviously, I’m taking you.”

“Why obviously?”

“Who else would I go with?” Mack was being filled with false modesty, and he knew it.

Jodie shot him a look. “You know that there are lots of girls that would give their right arm to date you.”

Mack grinned cockily. “I know.”

Jodie smiled, and threw a pillow at him. He dodged it easily. “When did you get to be such an egomaniac?” she asked jokingly.

“I’ve always been one. I just used to hide it better.”

Jodie smiled, and turned round to the table. “Damn. I hate the fact that I have to finish all this stuff tonight.”

Mack walked over and took a look at it. “What is it?”

Jodie sighed. “Just some extra credit stuff that I agreed to do for O’Neill.”

“More of it?”

Jodie nodded.

Mack tilted his head. “I thought you’d done enough of that for a lifetime.”

“Me too,” said Jodie sadly. “But my parents...” She tailed off.

Mack wanted to say something about the situation, but it wasn’t going to be anything she hadn’t heard before. He put a hand on her shoulder, and frowned. “Damn, you’re tense.”

“Am I?” She felt up there herself. “I don’t know.” She smiled. “Isn’t that my normal state?”

Mack grinned. “At least you still have your sense of humor.” He slowly began to rub the tension from her shoulders.

She moaned softly. “Mmmm. You’re good at that, you know?”

“Had a good teacher. My Dad swears Mom used to give the best massages in the history of the universe.”

“Oh no,” said Jodie contentedly. “I think you do, definitely.”

“I try.” He continued for a few minutes, Jodie sighing happily every once in a while. Instinctively, he leaned over and kissed her softly on the side of the neck. She tilted her head to the side, and he began nuzzling her. She moaned in pleasure.

Then they both realized what they were doing. Jodie tensed up again like a shot and Mack stood bolt upright. There was an awkward silence.

“You know,” said Jodie quickly. “I really need to get this work done.”
Mack indicated the door. “Yeah, I probably should be going. I mean, Rachel’s here and everything...”
Jodie nodded. “Good idea. Um, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah.” Mack picked up his coat. He stood in the middle of the room for a few seconds awkwardly. The he leaned over and kissed Jodie goodbye. “I’ll see you.”

“Bye,” said Jodie quickly.

Mack walked out of her bedroom, and stood in the hallway, trying to figure out what had just happened. This wasn’t the first time this had happened recently. There was something going on in their relationship, but neither of them wanted to talk about it.

Mack sighed, and began walking down the rather lengthy hallway. Before he got to the front door, Rachel’s bedroom door opened, and Rachel stepped out. She smiled at him a little shyly.

“Hi, Mack.”

Mack smiled back. “Hello, Rachel.”

“Leaving so soon?” she said.

“Yeah.” Mack indicated the door. “I’ve, um, got some work to do at home and stuff.”

“Oh.” She looked at him, and smiled. “You and Jodie weren’t fighting were you?”
Mack shook his head, a little too quickly. “No. I mean, well, not really.” He decided that it would probably be better to stay off this topic.

“Oh. Well, you know,” said Rachel. “Jodie does have an awful lot on her plate. I’m not really sure she has time for a full time boyfriend these days.”

Mack indicated the door. “You know, I really have to be going.”

Rachel’s smile fell. “Oh.”

Feeling a little bad, Mack smiled. “But thank you for your concern.”
Rachel perked up again. “You’re welcome,” she said shyly.

Mack smiled again, and continued out the door. He left the rather spacious Landon gardens and started on his way home. He shook his head, and smiled wryly. He wondered if Jodie had ever figured out that her sister had a major crush on him. Every time they talked, he had to play a delicate juggling act between telling her that it was never going to happen, and not crushing her feelings. She didn’t seem like a very self-secure person.

Of course, growing up with all the adulation that her parents heaped on Jodie probably wasn’t easy. Not that being Jodie was terribly easy, either.

That brought up all sorts of thoughts about her father in particular, and Mack tried to suppress them.

He rounded the corner, and started to think about his and Jodie’s relationship. Ever since the summer it had seemed a little awkward. On a surface level, things were fine. They laughed just as much as they ever had, they joked around, they still had their banter. But beneath the surface, things didn’t feel so good. Every time things started to get serious, or started to heat up, both of them immediately backed off. Mack thought it had all started after that night he had taken her to Chez Pierre, but neither him nor Jodie seemed to want to talk about it.

In relationships, thought Mack, an unwillingness to talk is generally not a good thing.

Jodie sighed heavily, and sat back in her chair as she watched Mack leave. Oh well, another night ruined for both of them.

Jodie knew what the trouble was. She just didn’t have any clue on how to handle it. Wasn’t that ironic? Little Miss Perfect Jodie Landon having no clue at all at how to handle the most important relationship in her life.

Actually, Mack was about the only person in the world who really got her. He was the only one who knew how imperfect she was most of the time, and now that she felt that their relationship was crumbling, it was leaving her without a refuge to go to.

Her parents meant well, she knew that. Her dad really wanted the best for her in life, and that wasn’t such a bad goal. But he was so consumed by that goal, he didn’t see what it was doing to her. She was a barrel of stress nearly all the time. It was only during the brief times that she saw Mack every week that she was ever able to relax and be herself.

Of course, she had been so consumed by work and activities for almost her entire life that she really didn’t have a clue who her real self actually was. But she knew that when she was with Mack, she was happy.

Or at least, had been. Ever since last summer, things had been sort of on edge between them, and she hated it.

No one else really understood her the way he did. Brittany was sweet, and a good friend, but she was not the best person at giving advice in the world.

As for Rachel, they had never been close, and Jodie regretted that. Unwittingly, her parents had set them at odds from an early age by always comparing them, usually with Rachel coming out the worst. Jodie wanted to make things up with her, but she knew that while they were still living at home, it probably wasn’t going to happen. Rachel had too much resentment and anger, with good measure, and most of it was directed at her, the perfect daughter.

Jodie sighed. She wondered if all families were like this. She hoped they weren’t, and hoped that one day she and Rachel could work this out, and start acting like sisters. She couldn’t remember if they ever had.

Jodie glanced idly up at the clock beside her desk, and frowned. She’d been sitting here for almost twenty minutes, wallowing in introspection. If she didn’t get a move on, she wouldn’t get this finished by tomorrow, and then Mr. O’Neill would get worried and try to counsel her.

Jodie made a face. That was the last thing she wanted. Picking up her pen again, she went back to work.

Mack got home, walked to his room, and flopped down on the bed. All the talk about the prom at school had caused a niggling feeling inside him. He didn’t want it to be true, but he felt he had to check. He pulled out his last bank statement and a calculator, and begin working it out.

After some quick calculations, he had his answer. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the answer he wanted. So he tried again. And again. And again. Sadly, each time he did so, he got the same answer. Mack sighed, and lay back on his bed.

With his current financial status, he’d never be able to afford the costs of the prom. Not to the extent he wanted to. This was a major problem.

What had happened? He’d had that job over Easter, and he’d saved as much of it as he could, in readiness for this. Where had it all gone?

He knew, of course. Most of it had gone on Jodie. She was not very good for his monetary state. Not her, personally. Rather, her parents. They never said anything directly, but Mack always felt that they weren’t exactly thrilled with Mack and Jodie dating. Her father especially. They weren’t exactly in the same tax bracket, the two of them.

Andrew Landon had this way of making Mack feel very uncomfortable, and subtly reminding him that he wasn’t good enough for Jodie. Not in direct terms, of course. He’d always make a point of telling Mack how Jodie was going to go on to bigger and better things in her life. It was the way he said it and the way he looked at Mack while he was saying it that gave Mack that impression. That was only one of the ways he made Mack feel like the smallest, crappiest object in the room.

It was because of that that Mack felt that he constantly had to keep getting all the best stuff for Jodie, taking her out to the best restaurants, all that stuff. That kept him in a near-constant state of poverty, even with the myriad amounts of part-time jobs he had had over the years. He usually didn’t have them for long, as all of his other commitments got in the way. Just long enough to keep him afloat for another while.

Luckily, Jodie was almost always busy, so he’d managed to keep most of them from her. He didn’t want her to know he was going to all this trouble just to keep her parents happy. She’d make him stop. She didn’t care about all of that. But if he didn’t, he felt like Andrew Landon would make his life even more miserable than he already did.

Michele wasn’t quite as bad, but Mack still felt as though she disapproved of their relationship. At least she seemed to let Jodie get along with her own life in her regard.

Now that Mack thought about it, most things that Jodie did were because of her parents. The extra-curriculars, the clubs and societies, all of it. She’d even started to make noises about not getting to go to her college of choice. Mack was about the only thing she’d picked for herself in life, and her parents didn’t seem to like that.

Mack knew that there was a streak of resentment a mile wide inside Jodie. He also knew that she was about the only person she could talk to about this. Which was why their recent lack of communication bothered him.

Mack sighed and rolled over in bed. He stared up at the ceiling and thought about things. He was broke. He’d thought he would have enough cash for this after that job he’d held over the Spring break, but he must have miscalculated somewhere, and spent more than he had budgeted.

Damn it, thought Mack. I always was terrible with money.

He’d have to figure something out in the morning. He only had two weeks to the prom, and not nearly enough money. If he didn’t give Jodie a memorable one, her parents were going to hit the roof. He’d never hear the end of it, and that prospect was not terribly appealing.

Mack needed to take his mind off things. He looked up to his bookshelf, and scanned the shelf. He eventually settled on an Avengers collection, and settled back to read it. It was a good one - the Korvac Saga. Within minutes, he was absorbed.

In the morning, she began her usual walk to Lawndale High. As usual, she met Brittany outside Crewe Neck, and they continued onto school together.

“And how are you this morning?” Jodie asked.

“Great!” said Brittany, with her usual bubbly cheer. That was one of the reasons Jodie liked being with Brittany. She had enough bubbly cheerfulness for two.

“Good.”

“How are you?”

Jodie shrugged. “Fine, I guess. You know how my life is.”

“Oh,” said Brittany uncertainly. “Was that good or bad?”

Jodie sighed. “Does it matter?”

“Well, yes!” Brittany frowned. “If it’s good, I’ll just be even more cheerful, but if it’s bad, I’ll have to tone it down, and see what the matter is, won’t I?”

“Can’t argue with that,” said Jodie with a small grin. “It’s nothing, Brittany, it really isn’t.”

“Oh, okay!” said Brittany.

Jodie smiled. At least she made her smile.

Mack grabbed his bag and walked out of the house, munching on a piece of toast. As usual, Kevin was there to meet him with his jeep.

“Hey, Mack Daddy!”

Mack sighed, as he always did, and climbed into the jeep. He was about to say good morning when he noticed something odd. He frowned. “Kevin, aren’t you forgetting something?”

Kevin frowned. “No, man, I don’t think so.”
Mack rubbed his head. “Kevin, you’re not wearing any pants.”

Kevin glanced down at himself. “Aw, man! I wondered why I kept getting all those funny looks from people!”

“Didn’t your parents warn you before you left the house?”

Kevin thought about it. “No...my Dad was laughing at something, but he didn’t tell me what it was.”

Mack sighed. “Figures.”

Ten minutes later, with a spare pair of pants acquired, Mack and Kevin pulled into the parking lot of Lawndale High. They got out, and walked inside. As was the case every morning, a loud shriek was heard, and Brittany pounced into Kevin’s arms. Furious making-out followed.

While this was going on, Jodie walked up, and smiled. “Morning.”

Mack kissed her lightly. “Hey.”

Jodie frowned. “You okay?”

“Yeah, fine. Why?”

“Seem a little distracted, that’s all.”

“Oh. No, just tired,” said Mack unconvincingly.

“You sure?” said Jodie, tilting her head a bit.

Mack nodded a little more enthusiastically than he had intended. “Come on,” he said, changing the subject quickly. “I want to check something out of the library real quick before school starts.” He didn’t want this conversation to continue. Jodie could see through him at the best of times, and by distracting her, Mack hoped she wouldn’t realize that something was wrong. The lack of finances was beginning to weigh on his mind.

Jodie nodded, and they walked off, Jodie giving him an odd look as they did so.

After school, they split up. Brittany went off to cheerleading practice, and Jodie had some volunteer work to do. She said her goodbyes to Mack, and started on the way there.

While she was walking there, worried began to flood through her mind, as they so often did these days. However, this time they were about Mack, and she wasn’t used to worrying about their relationship. It had been solid for as long as she could remember, and the fact that it was hurting now was a source of great worry to her.

Mack was hiding something from her. He had never done that before. Why? And what was he hiding?

This would never have happened before last summer, she thought. She frowned. She didn’t need this. There was enough to worry about without her main anchor in life going away.

What was big enough to hide from her?

For one terrible moment, she wondered if he was cheating on her, but that thought vanished quickly. Mack wasn’t like that. He wasn’t Kevin, for God’s sake.

Looking around, she suddenly realized that all of her musings had distracted her, and she was going to be late. Quickening her pace, she hurried on to her appointment, thinking that maybe some work would take her mind off things. It usually seemed to.

After school, Mack and the others walked out. Jodie had some volunteer work to do, and Brittany had to go to cheerleading practice, so they said their goodbyes. Mack was kind of glad, anyway. Jodie had been able to tell that something was wrong, and she wanted to find out what it was. She’d always been able to read him pretty well. That made their current lack of communication even more unpleasant. After they had left, Kevin and Mack headed down to the Pizza King. Kevin tucked into a large pepperoni with gusto, and Mack tried to figure out his finances again. He sighed heavily. Kevin looked over at him, and frowned.

“What’s up, bro?”

“Money. Or a lack of it.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Prom’s up in two weeks, and I don’t have the money to do it right. According to this, I’m going to need like another four hundred bucks to get everything the way I want it.”

Kevin scratched his head. “Man, that’s got to suck. What are you going to do?”

“Get another job and save before the time. Hopefully, I’ll make enough.”

Kevin thought about things for a moment. “You know,” he said finally. “I’ve got quite a bit of cash in the bank, I think. If you need any of it...”

Mack smiled, and patted Kevin on the shoulder. “I appreciate it, man, but I’ve got to do this by myself, you know?”

Kevin nodded. “Okay. Had to offer, you know.”

Mack reached onto the seat beside him and picked up the newspaper. He opened it at the help wanted section and began scanning it for anything that would suit him. He wasn’t in the position to be picky, but he had to find something that was going to pay him enough.

Kevin seemed to be deep in thought. He raised a finger.

“I’ve heard there’s a lot of money in porn.”

Mack stared at him. “Kevin, I’m not becoming a porn star.”

Kevin shrugged. “I’m just saying. I mean, you’re a good looking guy. I’m sure they’d love you. Hell, I’d do it.” He got a gleam in his eyes. “Hey, do you think...”

Mack raised a hand. “Let’s just cut that thought off right there, shall we?”

Kevin’s shoulders slumped. “Aw, man.” He brightened up again. “You know, I saw this movie once where this guy needed money so he made chicks pay him to have sex with them.”

“Kevin, I’m not becoming a gigolo.”

“I was talking about me. Don’t you think that would be so cool?”

Mack sighed, and kept scanning the paper. There didn’t seem to be a lot out there. It was the wrong time of year to be looking for work, anyway.

“So, anyway,” he said, trying to keep his mind off things. “What are you and Brittany doing for the prom?”

Kevin shrugged. “Beats me. I’m letting her handle all that. She usually handles all of that sort of stuff. Hey, why don’t you let Jodie help you?”

“I can’t, Kevin. I don’t want her to know that I’m having this much trouble with this.” He looked at Kevin pointedly. “That means I don’t want you to tell her, either.”

Kevin nodded. “You can trust me!”

“Sure,” said Mack doubtfully. He folded up the paper and sighed. There wasn’t anything there. “Tomorrow, I’m going to go to the mall. I bet they’ll have something there.”

“Good idea,” said Kevin. “I got a job there once!”

“And if you got one, anyone can.”

Kevin frowned. “I don’t get it.”

Mack smiled wryly. At least Kevin was good for some easy amusement. “Thank you, Kevin.”

“What for?” Kevin looked lost. Then he shrugged. “So what are your plans for tonight?”

Mack thought for a moment. “Beats me. Jodie’s busy, so I’ll probably just head home, stick on some music, and read something.”

“Why don’t you come over? My Dad got some new sports tapes, and you know Mom always likes having you over.”

“I know...” Mack sighed. “I don’t know. I think I’ll just head home.”

“By yourself? Isn’t your Dad working tonight?”

“Yeah. I don’t know.” Mack paused. “Maybe I just need some time alone to think about this.”

“It’s not such a big deal, is it? Just a prom.”

“Kevin, you don’t understand. Her parents...”

“Hate you?”

Mack grimaced. Kevin had hit the nail on the head there, without realizing it. “They don’t hate me, Kevin.”

“Her Dad told me he did.”

“He was....exaggerating. They just don’t think I’m good enough for her.”

“Why?”

“Money, Kevin. As in, I don’t have any.”

“Oh.”

“And if I don’t hit all the right notes with this prom, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Can’t you ask Jodie? She has money.”

“I told you, Kevin. I can’t.” Mack sighed. “What the hell kind of boyfriend would I be if I couldn’t afford to take my girlfriend to the prom? I just can‘t talk to her about this.” Or anything else, he thought ruefully.

Kevin didn’t say anything for a while. Then he scratched his head. “I think I get it.”

Mack sighed again, and put his head in his hands. “I’m just going to go home, and think about this. Okay?”

“Okay,” said Kevin. “Hey, though, if you do want to come, give me a call, okay? We’ll have chips, dips, and sports. What more do you need?”

Mack smiled. “Thanks, man.”

“For what?” said Kevin blankly.

Mack grinned, and walked out of the Pizza King.

An hour or so later, her work finished, Jodie found herself walking home. The brief spell of work had helped her get distracted from her troubles, but now they were back, and they were threatening to stay with her for a while.

She was walking through downtown, taking a shortcut home. She wondered if her parents were home tonight. Maybe they could help...

Jodie shook her head, realizing the absurdity of what she had just thought. Her parents would not help her with Mack. The only advice they would give would be to break up with him. They’d never liked him, and they probably never would.

She knew her father didn’t like him because he was not in the same league as her, financially. He had the idea that she shouldn’t date beneath herself.

Jodie snorted in derision. Didn’t they know how much he’d helped her over the past few years? If it hadn’t been for him, she would have crumbled a long time ago. She would have liked to have seen her father’s reaction to that.

No, no. Her parents would not be able to help.

Once again distracted by her thoughts, Jodie was passing the Mexican restaurant downtown, when she almost bumped into someone.

“I’m sorry!” she cried. “I wasn’t watching where I was going, and....” She frowned. “Brittany?”

It was her. She was standing outside the restaurant, looking rather surprised to see Jodie. A quick examination of the surrounding area revealed the rest of the cheerleading squad.

“I thought you were at practice?” she said, in a confused tone.

“We finished early,” said Brittany. “So Nicki invited us all out for dinner.”

“Hi,” said Nicki.

Jodie waved hello. “Oh. Well, I’d better be going.”

Brittany frowned. “Are you okay, Jodie?”

“I’m fine,” said Jodie unconvincingly.

The rest of the cheerleading squad began filing into the restaurant. Brittany remained outside.

“Are you sure?” Brittany said anxiously. “Because if you really are fine, I’ll go inside, but if you were lying to me, and you’re not fine, I can’t, can I?”
“That makes a sort of sense,” said Jodie, smiling. “Brittany, thank you for your concern but Mack and I are fine.”

“What does Mack have to do with anything?” said Brittany, now looking more confused than ever.

Oops. “Nothing,” said Jodie quickly.

“You’re not breaking up, are you?” wailed Brittany. “I’d hate it if that happened! Please don’t do it!”

“We’re not breaking up, Brittany. Not that I know of, anyway. We’re just....going through a rough patch right now. I think. Something like that anyway.” Jodie sighed. “I don’t know what we’re going through, but we’re not going to break up, okay?”

“Okay!” Brittany beamed. “You know, you still seem kind of down. Why don’t you come in and join us?”

“No thanks,” said Jodie politely. Brittany was sweet, but with the rest of the squad there, the night might quickly turn brain-numbing.

“Okay!” Brittany beamed again, and walked into the restaurant, leaving Jodie standing outside. She sighed and began walking home again. Mack must be on her mind more than she thought, to have made a mistake like that. Talk about a Freudian slip.

Mack walked down the street, not really walking home. He was more just sort of wandering, using the time to think things over. He thought best when he was doing this, none of the distractions of company, or home comforts. Just him and his thoughts.

“Mack!”

Mack shook his head, his thoughts vanishing from his mind quickly at the sound of the familiar squeak. Brittany was standing at the other end of the street, waving at him.

Mack smiled and waved a hello back to her.

Brittany walked up, and gave him a quick hug. “Hey Mack! What are you doing?”

“Just walking.”

She frowned. “But you look so sad.”

“I’m thinking, too.”

“Oh. Yeah, I can see that.”

Mack smiled. “What are you doing? Thought you were at cheering practice.”

“Finished early. Nicki took us out for snacks at that Mexican place downtown. I’m just walking home.”
“It’s after dark.”

“I can take care of myself, Mack,” said Brittany, twirling her hair.

“I don’t doubt it. Come on, I’ll walk you home. Chalk it up to my outdated chivalry.”

“Huh?”

“Never mind.” Mack jerked a thumb in the direction of Crewe Neck. “Come on.”

They began walking back to Crewe Neck. Brittany turned to him. “So what were you thinking about?”

“You know. Stuff.”

Brittany frowned. “About Jodie?”

Mack sighed. “Why do you ask that?”

“You guys seem...hmm...off,” said Brittany thoughtfully. “I can’t tell why, but you are.”

“You’re kind of perceptive sometimes, you know?” said Mack, grinning ruefully.

“I guess,” said Brittany uncertainly. “But what’s wrong? You aren’t going to break up, are you?”

“No. I mean, I don’t think so.”

“Oh, please don’t. You guys make a great couple. Everyone thinks so.”

“Except me and her,” said Mack quietly.

“And her parents,” added Brittany helpfully.

Mack rubbed his forehead. “Is that common knowledge or something?”

Brittany nodded sadly.

Mack looked at her. “I don’t know what’s up. Just something. Nothing I can talk about yet, but...” He tailed off. He glanced at her again. “But thanks for the concern, okay?”

“No problem.” She smiled. “You two are like my best friends. I hate to see you fall out.”

“Me too, Britt. Me too.” They reached Crewe Neck, and Brittany turned to him.

“This is where I go. Hey, promise me you’ll try to work whatever this is out?”

“I promise.”

Brittany smiled, and walked past the gate, waving goodbye as she did so. Mack waved back, and then turned, and walked home.

The next morning, Kevin barged into Mack’s kitchen, full of excitement. “Man, Mack Daddy, you should have come with me last night! Dad had the best sports injuries video, and it was funny as hell. There was this guy, and he had this baseball bat shoved right up...” He sniffed the air. “What’s that smell?”

Mack looked round from the stove. “I was thinking a lot when I got home last night.”

“And?”

Mack shrugged. “So I did what I always do when I’m thinking at home.”

“Which is?”

Mack opened up the door, and pulled out a cookie sheet. “I baked cookies.”

“You what?”

“I baked cookies. Helps me think.”

“Dude, I...” Kevin frowned. “I can’t handle this. You bake?”

“Yes, Kevin. Dad can’t cook worth a damn. He even admits that. Who do you think does all the cooking around here since my Mom passed away?”

“Er...” Kevin looked lost.

“Me,” said Mack.

“Oh.” Kevin scratched his head. “Are you good at it?”

“Hell, yes. You should let me make dinner for you some time...” Mack paused. “Wait. That didn’t come out quite right.”

Kevin looked at him. “Man, I’m flattered and everything, and a little bit curious, but...”

“Kevin,” said Mack.

“Yes?”

“Have a cookie.” Mack held the sheet out towards him.

Kevin took a cookie, and took a bite. “Good cookies.”

“Thank you.” Mack grabbed his coat. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“To the mall. I’m going to find me a job, get this cash together before the prom.”

“Do you have time?” Kevin frowned. “I mean, what with practice, and Jodie, and everything?”

“I’m going to make time, okay?” Mack sighed. “I don’t have a lot of breathing space here, and this is the only way I can think of to make money.”

“Okay.” Kevin grabbed a bunch of cookies from the sheet, and they set off.

A few hours later, Mack was ready to admit defeat. They had been at the mall all afternoon, and jobs didn’t seem to be very easy to come by. Mack sighed, and sat down on the nearest bench. Kevin did the same.

“I don’t understand it,” said Mack throwing his arms up in the air. “None of the stores here want to hire high school kids. What’s with that?” He looked at Kevin. “I feel that you may have had something to do with that.”

“Me?” said Kevin blankly.

“Well, that guy at that nut place seemed about ready to leap over the counter and throttle you.”

“Oh. Oh yes. I did work there.”

“The pet store guy just cried when I asked about a job.”

“I didn’t have anything to do with that,” pointed out Kevin.

“I know.” Mack sighed again, and looked in front of him. “I just don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“That offer’s still open,” said Kevin hesitantly.

Mack smiled. “Thanks, man, but I can’t.”

“Okay.”

Mack looked around, trying to clear his mind. Across from the bench, he could see into the record store. In it seemed to be Jane Lane, standing by the rock section, and looking kind of lonely. Mack frowned.

Kevin looked at him. “What’s wrong?”

Mack got up. “Hold on,” he said to Kevin. “Stay here a second, okay?”

Kevin shrugged, and Mack walked over into the store, and walked up to Jane.

“Hey,” he said.

Jane glanced round, and she smiled a little as she recognized Mack. “Hey.”

“What are you up to?”

Jane shrugged. “Nothing much. Just browsing. Window shopping. Though I already have enough windows.”

“Ah. Where’s Daria?” Jane didn’t seem as vibrant as she usually was.

Jane frowned. Mack sensed this was a sensitive subject.

“Sorry for asking,” he said cautiously.

Jane waved her hand. “It’s okay. It’s nothing. She’s...with Tom.”

“Oh.”

She looked at him. “What’s up with you? You look stressed.”

“Nothing major,” said Mack unconvincingly.

“Ah. Same here.” Jane glanced back at the CD rack. “So what brings you to the mall today? Apart from the bus.” She smiled lamely at that one. She definitely was not feeling herself, in Mack’s opinion.

“Just looking. Here with Kevin.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

Mack grinned. “Funny.” He glanced at his watch. He had to meet Jodie in an hour. They’d agreed a date to go to the movies tonight. She’d probably cancel, though, as she usually did. Mack was kind of hoping she would. He didn’t want her to figure that something was up, and she was beginning to suspect. Plus, things were so stilted between them these days. “Hey, I have to go. Sure there’s nothing wrong.”

“I’m fine,” said Jane, not glancing up from the CDs.

“Okay. Well, see you on Monday, then.” Mack turned to leave.

“But thanks for asking,” said Jane, a little quieter.

Mack smiled. “No problem.” He walked out, and went back to find Kevin.

Saturday night came and went, without Jodie seeing Mack. She had intended to, and had made every effort to keep their date, but after all she had to do that day, she was just too tired by the time their date rolled around.

She hated to cancel, again. Mack must be used to it by now, but she still hated it. It was the only sensible thing to do, though. She could barely keep her eyes open, and she really needed some sleep. Sleeping about five hours a night was fine for a while, but it really took its toll on you after a while.

Jodie made the call. Mack’s phone rang for a few seconds, the he picked up.

“Hello?”

Jodie sighed. “Mack, it’s me.”

“Oh, hey Jodie. How’s things?” Mack sounded a little off, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

“Not so good,” she admitted. “Look, I just got finished with everything about a half hour ago. I’m exhausted. I can barely keep my eyes open. I....I don’t think I’ll be able to keep our date tonight.”

“Oh,” said Mack. His tone was a little odd.

“I’m sorry,” said Jodie regretfully. “I know you were looking forward to this, but I...just can’t tonight.”

“No...it’s okay,” said Mack. “I mean, I understand. Look, don’t worry about it.”

Jodie frowned. He sounded kind of strange tonight. “Mack? Is everything...”

“I have to go,” said Mack quickly. “Look, don’t worry about this, okay? It’s cool.”

“Okay,” said Jodie doubtfully. “If you say so.”

“It’s fine. I’ll...see you on Monday?”

“Yeah. I’ll see you then.”

Mack said goodbye, and the line went dead. Jodie set the phone down, and looked at it for the longest time. That had been strange, hadn’t it? She wasn’t just imagining this. For a second, it had almost sounded like Mack had been glad that she hadn’t been able to see her tonight.

That couldn’t be right, though, could it? Mack wasn’t avoiding her, was he?

Jodie took a deep breath. She was reading a little too much into this, wasn’t she? She had no proof that any of this was happening anywhere besides in her own mind.

She did have a tendency to over-analyze things, didn’t she? That’s what she was doing here, no question about it. Jodie calmed herself down. No point in getting flustered about this.

Jodie got flustered a lot more than almost anyone ever realized. To most people she was the queen of cool, never letting anything faze her. Only Mack really knew how much pressure and stress she was under from a day to day basis.

Even he didn’t know the full story, though. Every once in a while - not often, but still - Jodie would get so confused and stressed that she would just snap. Hyperventilating, crying, you name it. It only really ever lasted for a few minutes before she regained control, but it happened. She had felt the beginnings of one there, but it didn’t look like it was going to go the full way tonight.

She hadn’t told Mack about it, because she knew he would worry, and to be honest, she was afraid he would go to her parents about it. She knew his opinion of her father in particular, and it wasn’t exactly favorable.

If the thought of Mack ignoring her almost sent her into one, what would the thought of losing him do?

Jodie shook her head. When you got right down to it, she needed Mack. He grounded he, and kept her sane most of the time. He was the best friend she had ever had.

Friend. Jodie rolled the word around in her mind, trying to piece together her thoughts on the subject, but she was too tired, and fell into a deep sleep before she could come to any conclusions.

Monday morning rolled around, and Mack began his trek to school. The weekend had not been a qualified success, by any stretch of the imagination. He had totally failed to find a job, and the prom was looming closer and closer. He also hadn’t seen Jodie all weekend.

Actually, that her canceling the date was probably a blessing, Mack thought to himself sadly. She would have easily figured out that something was up. Though the way things had been going, they wouldn‘t have talked about it. Not these days.

Mack really needed something to happen for him at this point. he was running out of options, and his life was going to get a lot harder if he didn’t think of something. He could imagine the looks on Jodie’s parents’ faces when they found out he couldn’t afford to take their daughter to the prom. They’d have a field day with that one. Another one of the many reasons that their daughter shouldn’t be dating him.

Kevin pulled up in his jeep, and did his usual call for attention. Mack didn’t even care about being called “Mack Daddy” today. He just climbed into the jeep, and they drove off in the direction of Lawndale High.

On Monday, Jodie finally managed to get back in touch with Mack. She had been too busy on Sunday to call, and the conversation they had had on Saturday was still bothering her.

When she got in, she said Hi to Mack as usual.

“Hey,” said Mack back.

“I’m sorry about Saturday,” she said. “I know you were looking forward to that.”

“It’s okay,” said Mack, with a somewhat suspicious smile. “I said I was okay with it.”

“I know, but...” Jodie sighed slightly. “Look, Mack...is everything...”

“We’d better get to class,” he said quickly. “Jodie, everything is fine, really.”

“Are you sure?”

“If it wasn’t, I’d tell you,” he said.

Jodie looked at him for a shirt while. He wasn’t telling her the full story, she knew that. But he was also giving off a vibe that said to stay away from this situation. Jodie decided not to press the issue at this point, and they went off to class.

First class of the day was English, with Mr. O’Neill. Mack was still trying to think of a solution, but he wasn’t having a lot of luck with it. Jodie could tell that something was up, but he’d tried to deflect her suspicions. Not very well, either. She hadn’t pried, though. There was so much unsaid between them these days - one more thing couldn’t hurt. Mack sighed. This was getting very, very awkward.

O’Neill bounded into the room with his usual cheer, completely misjudging the mood of the class (as usual). “I have some incredible news!” he gasped. “Did you know that every year, some of the leading industrialists and companies in this state give out awards for the best, most insightful essays of the year?”
Silence.

“Well, this year, two students from our class have been selected for the finals!” O’Neill looked like he was about to wet himself with glee.

Daria stuck her hand up. “Am I one of them?”

“Daria, how did you guess? Yes! Once again, your writing has been chosen! Isn’t that great?”

“Which one?”

“Um, ‘Lawndale High - A model for schools in the 21st century‘.”

Daria sighed. “They did realize that that essay wasn’t exactly positive, didn’t they?”

“It wasn’t?” O’Neill scratched his head. “Oh well. The second one was from Michael Jordan Mackenzie.”

Mack blinked in surprise. “Me? I didn’t submit anything.”

Jodie turned to him. “I did it for you. I thought your essay was amazing.”

“Oh,” said Mack, still in shock. “Er, which one?”

O’Neill scrabbled around in his notes. “Lawndale High - How to excel in a corrupt system.”

“Do they even read these essays?” said Mack incredulously.

“Of course,” said O’Neill uncertainly.

“This is ridiculous,” said Daria. “Every time this happens to me, it goes badly.”

At that moment, Li walked in. “Morning! I trust you’ve heard the amazing news.”

General murmurs.

“Excellent! And how do our two competitors feel?”

“Confused,” said Mack.

“Deeply cynical,” said Daria.

“There is a cash prize,” pointed out Li.

Mack perked up. “How much?”

“I think the grand prize is a thousand dollars.”

“Hmmm,” said Daria.

“And you do get a free trip to Oakwood,” said Li. “That’s where it’s being held. This weekend, in fact.”

“Okay,” said Daria. “I’m sold.”

“Me too,” said Mack. “Count me in.”

“Excellent!” said Li. “I count I can trust on you two to bring honor and glory to Lawndale High?”

“Uh-huh,” said Daria unconvincingly.

“Sure,” said Mack absently, trying to figure out his finances in his head.

Li took a last look at the two of them, muttering something about wishing it had been Jodie, and left. O’Neill beamed at them. “Isn’t this great!”

“Oh yes,” said Daria.

“I’m going to be going with you, as your mentor!”

“Oh joy.”

“You’ve never mentored me,” said Mack, frowning.

“Oh, well...” O’Neill tapered off. “Did I mention you each get to bring a guest? Something about filling out the seats.”

Daria said something to this, but Mack didn’t hear it, as Kevin started bounding up and down in his seat. “Oh man! Me and you in Oakwood, Mack Daddy!”

“Don’t get any ideas,” said Mack. “Jodie, are...”

“Of the same sex,” said O’Neill quickly. “I mean, you will be sharing a hotel room. We wouldn’t want anything inappropriate happening, would we?”

Mack sighed heavily. Kevin whooped. “Me and you, man!”

Brittany shot Kevin a nasty glance. “Just remember that I’m right back here, Kevvie.”
“Babe, you know me, I’d never do anything like that. I‘d never cheat on you.”

The rest of the class could barely keep from tittering at that. Kevin glanced around.

“What?” He frowned. “What are you all laughing about?”

Mack sighed and covered his face.

That weekend, Mack found himself walking towards Lawndale High to meet up with the others. Jodie was walking alongside him.

“Too bad I can’t go with you,” she said.

“Mmm,” said Mack. “You know Li.”

“I know.” She paused. “You’re not mad at me, are you?”

Mack looked at her. “For what?”

“Sending that essay in. I just thought it was good, and you deserved to get into this.”

Mack shook his head. “No, of course not. Why did you ask that?”

Jodie shrugged. “I don’t know. You’ve seemed really distant this last week. I’ve barely seen you. Even by our standards.”

“I’ve been busy,” said Mack evasively.

“Busy with what?”

Trying to find a job, thought Mack. Unsuccessfully. “Nothing much.”

Jodie looked at him, but didn’t say anything. She opened her mouth, but then closed it again. She went back to looking at the road ahead of them.

Mack sighed to himself. I’d love to tell you, Jodie, but I can’t. I can’t. He closed his eyes. Remember when we used to talk about everything? When we used to have no secrets from each other? Whatever happened to that?

Deep down, he knew, but didn’t want to think about it.

They arrived at the school. Daria, Jane, Kevin, and O‘Neill were already there. “Hey,” said Mack to everyone.

“Okay!” said O’Neill. “Let’s get in!”

“Wouldn’t it have been easier to fly us?” said Daria.

“Well, it’s funny you should say that,” said O’Neill thoughtfully. “There was something in the budget for flights but Mrs. Bennett said it just disappeared.”

“Odd, that,” said Mack. He kissed Jodie awkwardly, and got in. Daria and Jane did the same, and Kevin got into the passenger seat. Mack waved goodbye to Jodie, and the car pulled out of Lawndale High and set off for Oakwood.

“This is exciting, isn’t it?” beamed O’Neill.

“Oh yes,” said Daria. “Exciting.”

“Put on some music!” said Kevin excitedly. “Road trip! Road trip!”

“How did I let myself get talked into this?” muttered Daria.

“Hey, come on,” said Jane. “It might be good.”

“Good for who?”

Jane shrugged. “For us. You know, we haven’t had a lot of time together lately.”

“That’s because all we do is argue when we are together.”

“That’s not true,” said Jane lamely.

“Yes it is,” said Daria, before realizing that everyone else in the car was listening to them. “I don’t want to talk about it here.”

“Daria...”

Daria turned towards the window, and stared out. Jane sighed heavily.

Mack, sensing the air of tension in the car, leaned forward. “Did someone say something about music?”

“Oh yes!” said O’Neill, seemingly grateful that Daria and Jane had stopped talking. “Hey, do you guys like the Brotherhood of Man?”

Mack’s head drooped. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea after all.

Jodie stood in the grounds of the school, and watched until the car disappeared around a corner. Then she turned, and started the walk back home.

This trip had come at a bad time, as it happened. It had turned out that Jodie had some free time tomorrow, and that didn’t happen very often. It would have been nice if Mack had been around to share in it, but he was going to be in Oakwood.

Jodie sighed. Figured. Maybe they would have been able to talk, and sort things out.

She smiled wryly. Some hope. They would have spent most of the time avoiding each other, probably, and the other half having awkward conversations. That fit the pattern of the last few weeks, definitely.

Jodie frowned. Put of all the things she was good at (and there was a pretty long list) relationships had to be the worst. She just didn’t have the confidence to be assertive in them. She was hopeless at standing up to her parents, and now that she and Mack were suffering, she didn’t have the courage to force him to tell her what was wrong, and be assertive enough to fix it.

Mack wasn’t even a very aggressive person. It was just the she was afraid of what might happen if she did. She was awful at relationships. Except professional ones, but she’d had a lot of practice with those.

Jodie shook her head, and wondered what she was going to do with her free time tomorrow. She needed something to take her mind off this, that was for sure. Who to call, though?

After a few hundred miles, and the Brotherhood of Man’s greatest hits, they finally arrived in Oakwood. Mack breathed a sigh of relief. This had not been a very pleasant journey. Totally apart from the music (which had been as close to Hell as Mack had ever been), Kevin hadn’t been able to shut up, Daria and Jane were aggressively not talking to each other, and Mr. O’Neill had an unpleasant habit of singing along with his favorite songs. Which was all of them.

They pulled up the Wingate Hotel, and got out. Grabbing their luggage, they went inside, and got their room keys. O’Neill suggested that they meet for dinner in a few minutes in the lobby, and everyone agreed. Mack grabbed his bag, and headed into an elevator, followed by Kevin.

“This rules, man!” said Kevin eagerly. “You and me, in Oakwood! Do you know what kind of fun we could get up to?”

“Not interested,” said Mack. “Plus Brittany will kill you if she found out you were doing anything behind her back.”

“How would she find out?”

Mack sighed. “Kevin, she always finds out.”

“Oh yeah.” Kevin frowned. “Well, why did you come?”

“Money, Kevin. Remember?”

“Huh?”

“The prom. Remember?”

Kevin frowned. “Oh yes. You think this’ll pay for it?”

“That’s what I’m hoping. If I win.” The elevator doors opened, and they walked out. “I win this, and Jodie will never know anything was wrong.”

“I still don’t know why you couldn’t tell her.”

“I...” Mack paused. “I just couldn’t, okay?”

Kevin shrugged. “Whatever, man.”

They reached the room, and went inside. It was rather spacious. Mack set his bag down on the bed, and sat down for a second.

“Nice room,” said Kevin.

“Don’t get any funny ideas about the mini bar. They track those things.”

“Aw, man.” Kevin slumped down on the bed.

Jodie went sprawling onto her front, and gasped in pain.

“Oh my God!” squeaked someone beside her. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she gasped painfully. “I always thought I had better balance than this.”

A hand reached down beside her, and she grasped it, pulling herself back onto her feet. Brittany’s concerned face came into view. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m okay, Brittany, I really am.” She rubbed her joints painfully, and checked her helmet and padding. “You know, this stuff really works.”

“Doesn’t it?” said Brittany cheerfully. “I can’t believe you’ve never been rollerblading before!” She did a quick twirl on her skates to emphasize the word ‘rollerblading’.

“I’ve never really had the time,” she said, stretching her arms and legs to work out a cramp. “It’s kind of fun, though. When I’m not falling on my ass, that is.”

“I used to do that,” said Brittany. “But I’m a lot better now. Me and Ashley go all the time! She loves it.”

“She was busy today. Had to go to a lawyer for something.” Brittany frowned, and scratched her head. “Something about settlements, I think. I don’t know what she meant.”

“No, I can’t imagine,” lied Jodie.

“Anyway, let’s go!” Brittany let go of the railing she was holding onto, and whizzed around the track. Jodie watched her for a moment, wondering how the hell she managed to keep her balance that well. Then she remembered she was a cheerleader, and kicked herself.

Gingerly letting go of the railing, Jodie began to move slowly around the track, holding her arms out to balance herself. She couldn’t get the idea out of her head that the skates seemed awfully thin to balance yourself on.

Someone tapped her on the shoulder, and rushed past her. It was Brittany.

“Come on!” said Brittany, twirling expertly. “You’re too slow!”

Jodie gritted her teeth. Brittany was lapping her easily. Jodie steeled herself. She was athletic. She was on the tennis team. She wasn’t going to let anyone beat her like this.

Jodie increased her speed, and began to try to overtake Brittany. Sadly, she lost her balance yet again, and ended up in a heap next to the side of the track.

Brittany skated over. “Jodie? Are you okay?”

“Nothing hurt but my self-confidence,” muttered Jodie.

“Oh. Is that serious?”

Jodie sighed, and twisted her body back into some semblance of normality. She moaned. “I don’t think this is me, Brittany. How do you and Ashley-Amber do it?”

“Practice!” squeaked Brittany enthusiastically.

“I need to sit this out for a while,” said Jodie painfully. “I like my body too much to abuse it any further.”

“Okay.” Brittany indicated the exit. “I’m done myself. Why don’t we go get something to eat? You’ve got to be hungry after all that exercise. I know I am.”

“What exercise?” said Jodie wryly. “All I did was fall on my ass.”

“Hmm,” said Brittany thoughtfully, and began to make their way out.

After they had returned the skates, and left, the two girls decided on a place to eat. Eventually, as was so often the case, the decided to hit the mall, and decide there.

A few minutes later, the two of them were sitting outside a small Italian place. Brittany was munching on a cheeseless bell pepper pizza, and Jodie got a salad.

“You know,” said Jodie. “Despite all the injuries I’ve gotten today, I’ve enjoyed it.”

“Me too,” said Brittany cheerfully. “I was kind of surprised when you called me up, though.”

“I had some free time,” said Jodie with a shrug. “Mack wasn’t here, and I know you had to be bored without Kevin here.” Or happy that he’s not here, she thought to herself.

“Oh yes,” said Brittany. “I was so happy you called. We don’t spend enough time together, and we have so much in common!”

Jodie blinked in surprise. “What do we have in common?”

“Well, our boyfriends are both on the football squad.”

“Yes. And?”

Brittany thought for a few minutes. Then she thought some more. Then she thought a little bit more for good measure. “I don’t know,” she said finally. “But I do like hanging out with you.”
“Me too,” agreed Jodie, with a smile. “You always make me smile, anyway.”

Brittany smiled. “So what do you think Kevvie and Mack are doing right now?”

Jodie checked her watch. “Right now, they should be at that awards thing. Wonder if they’ll win?”

“I don’t know.” Brittany frowned. “I hope Kevvie kept his hands clean last night!”

“Brittany, they were with Daria and Jane. I doubt even Kevin would be so stupid as to try something with those two.”

“Yeah...” Brittany thought about that. “But I know him. He’ll try to score with every waitress or girl he meets along the way.”

Jodie didn’t quite know what to say about that. She frowned. “Brittany, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure!”

“Why do you put up with that?”

“Put up with what?”

“Kevin and his rampant cheating?” Jodie looked at her. “I mean, it’s hardly a huge secret. Everyone in the school knows about it.” Probably because he’s tried hitting on almost everyone in the school, she thought.

Brittany’s smile vanished. “Well,” she said hesitantly, “I mean...it’s not that big of a deal, is it?”

“It isn’t?” said Jodie in amazement. “Brittany, I don’t know how you can put up with it. If Mack was doing that, I’d....” She paused. “Well, that’s different.”

Brittany looked at her for a second. “Me and Kevvie...there’s not a lot there, really, is there?”

Jodie cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“I mean...there’s not a lot of substance, is there?”

“I...” Jodie paused. “I didn’t want to say it.”

“It’s okay,” said Brittany, with a smile. “I mean, we’re really only dating because he’s the quarterback, and I’m the head cheerleader, aren’t we?”

Jodie shrugged. “You tell me.”

“No, that’s true. I know that,” she said. “I mean, he obviously doesn’t have any great feelings for me, or he wouldn’t cheat on me, would he?”

Jodie looked at her, then shook her head. “I suppose not.”

“And if I had any real feelings for him, I wouldn’t be cheating on him, would I?”

Jodie didn’t say anything.

Brittany sat back in her chair, and sighed. “Do you know how long we’ve been cheating on each other?”

“No,” said Jodie.

“Since about ninth grade. Almost since the beginning of our relationship.”

“Brittany, I’m sorry...” said Jodie quietly.

“Don’t be sorry,” said Brittany brightly. “I mean, I know this isn’t going to last beyond the end of high school, right? At least we had some fun times.”

“Then...” Jodie paused. “Then why do you get so mad when he does...cheat on you?”

“I don’t know,” said Brittany quietly. “I really don’t. Maybe...maybe I wish we...I had something more substantial in my life. You know, a guy that I really, really liked, and who really liked me, and every time Kevin does that, it...reminds me that I don’t...” She tailed off, and sighed heavily.

“I shouldn’t have brought this up,” said Jodie apologetically.

“No! Oh no,” said Brittany. “I didn’t mean to get all depressed and everything.”
“Some way to spend your weekend.”

“No...I’ve really enjoyed today!”

“Me too.”

Brittany glanced up at Jodie. “You know what I want, sometimes? What you and Mack have.”

Jodie sat back in her seat, and sighed heavily. “I don’t know, Brittany. I’m not sure even me and Mack have what me and Mack have at the moment.”

Brittany blinked. “I didn’t understand any of that.”

“Appalling grammar. Sorry.”
“You guys are on the rocks, aren’t you?” Brittany frowned. “I knew it. You told me you were fine.”

“We are,” said Jodie unconvincingly.

“That’s what you and Mack said,” said Brittany. “I don’t believe you.”

“Mack?” Jodie looked at her. “When were you talking to Mack?”

“That night after I saw you at the pizza place. He didn’t say anything, but I knew something was up.”

“I knew it,” said Jodie, almost to herself. She looked at Brittany again. “Okay, something’s up.”
“What is it?”

“I don’t know. He’s just been....weird lately. Like he was hiding something, and I don’t know what it is, and he won’t tell me.”

“Oh,” said Brittany scratching her head. “Is this about the prom?”

“What?” said Jodie, not understanding. “What about the prom?”

“Well,” said Brittany, oblivious to Jodie’s confusion. “You know, about him not having enough money to take you, and being so worried about your parents and stuff. Isn’t that why he was so keen to go to this awards thing?”

Jodie just gaped at her.

Brittany saw this, and threw her hands over her mouth. “Oh no! I wasn’t supposed to say anything, was I?”

“Brittany,” said Jodie slowly.

“Oh....he’s going to be so mad at me, and he didn’t even know that I knew, and this is terrible and I bet I’ve broken you guys up for ever, and this is all my fault, isn’t it?” Brittany wailed, attracting the attention of practically everyone else in the mall.

“Brittany, calm down,” said Jodie, waving her hands slowly, trying to process all this in her mind. This had all been going on behind her back? No wonder Mack hadn’t wanted to tell her. This was awful. She glanced up at Brittany. “How...how did you know?”

“I can’t tell you,” squeaked Brittany. “I’ve said too much! Oh, I was always terrible at keeping secrets!”

“Brittany,” said Jodie levelly, trying to keep all the thoughts in her head steady. “You’ve already told me. It won’t hurt that you tell me a bit more, will it?”

Brittany calmed down. “No...will it?”

“No,” said Jodie soothingly. “It won’t. Now, Brittany, tell me everything you know.”

Brittany took a deep breath. “Well, it was just after I found out that they were going to that award thing. Me and Kevvie were in the back of his jeep, and he was taking off...”

“Skip that part,” said Jodie quickly.

“Okay,” said Brittany brightly. “So after he had finished, I said that I thought that things were kind of odd in school, and he said he hadn’t even kissed that girl, much less slept with her, and then I hit him, and he said ’what?’ and then...”

“Can you get to the bit about me and Mack?” said Jodie impatiently.

“Sure! Then I said that it was you and Mack that had been acting strange, and Kevin said that he knew what was up, but it was a secret, and he couldn’t tell me, and I said please, and he told me.”
“I don’t know why Mack ever thinks he can trust him,” sighed Jodie.

“Me neither. So he said that Mack had almost no money, and he couldn’t afford to take you to the prom, not like how he knew your parents would like it, anyway. And he’d been trying to find a job, and he couldn’t. So he was kind of banking on this to make enough cash.”

“Why couldn’t he ask his dad?” Jodie thought about Mack. “Never mind. He’d want to do it on his own, wouldn’t he?”

“Oh yes, and he doesn’t want to piss off your parents, because they don’t like him enough as it is.”

“I know,” said Jodie sadly. “Why couldn’t he tell me this?”

“I don’t know.”

“That was a rhetorical question, Brittany.”

“I knew that,” said Brittany doubtfully.

“God, I don’t know why I’m even wondering why he couldn’t tell me this. It’s obvious, isn’t it? It’s the story of our whole relationship ever since last summer...” Jodie tailed off, and wiped her eyes angrily.

Brittany looked at her. “Jodie, are you okay?”

“No. No, I’m not. We’re not, damn it, and that’s what’s the problem!”

“You and me are fine,” said Brittany brightly.

Jodie looked at her for a moment, then laughed. “I’m sorry, Brittany. I’m not making any sense, am I?”

“Sure you are!” Brittany frowned. “No, not really.”

Jodie sighed. “I know. There’s....just a lot of stuff going on in my head right now.”

“Do you need to get it out?” offered Brittany.

Jodie shook her head. “No. Thanks for the offer but....” She shook her head. “Screw it. Me and Mack have been on the rocks ever since last summer, Brittany.”

“What? Why?”

“Lots of things,” she said quietly. “No, that’s not true, is it. Just one thing, and everything grew out from there.” Jodie looked up at Brittany. “Do you remember when we started going out?”

“Sure!” Brittany thought for a moment. “No, wait...no.”

“Exactly. We never really started going out, did you know that?” Jodie shook her head. “We were friends, good friends, and after a while, people started assuming we were going out, so we did too.”

“Oh.”

“And that was fine. I never had much time anyway, so a...real...relationship would never have worked. Mack always seemed happy with what we had, for some reason.”

“I didn’t know that,” said Brittany.

“Well, it was never a big deal. Until last summer.”

“What happened then?”

“We slept together,” said Jodie with a sigh.

“You did?” Brittany frowned. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Do you remember the first time you and Kevin slept together?”

“I’ve been trying to forget,” said Brittany acidly.

Jodie decided not to ask why. “But it didn’t change anything for you guys, did it?”

“Er...no,” said Brittany.

“Well, it did for us.” Jodie rubbed her forehead. She could feel a headache coming on. “We weren’t really in a relationship, were we? We were best friends. And when best friends sleep together, things get...awkward.”

“They do?”

Jodie nodded. “Oh yes. Suddenly, there was this whole new weird vibe between us. We knew that things had changed, but neither of us quite knew what to do about it. Were we friends? Lovers? We didn’t know.”

“I’m sorry,” said Brittany sympathetically.

“You know why we didn’t know? We couldn’t talk to each other any more. Suddenly, we weren’t talking any more, probably because it all felt so weird and different that we weren’t comfortable any more.” Jodie shook her head. “I’ve no experience with relationships anyway.”

“You always seem to give everyone else good advice, don’t you?”

“Well, it’s different when it’s everyone else,” Jodie said. “I don’t know why everyone always comes to me with their relationship woes, anyway.”
“You seem so smart, and stuff. People figure you know all about that kind of thing.”

“Huh. Shows what people know.”

“What are you guys going to do when school finishes? I mean, I always figured you’d stay together until you graduated, and then go off somewhere, get married, and be really successful.”

“I don’t know.” Jodie frowned. “If we don’t get this whole thing sorted out, I don’t think we’ll even stay in touch, you know? I think we’ll just go off to college and things will be so awkward, still, that it’ll just be easier to not call, and we’ll just drift apart.”

“Sometimes people just drift apart,” said Brittany. “I mean, Kevvie and I aren’t going to last beyond the end of school. I know that. There isn’t anything really deep there...”

“But Mack and I aren’t like that,” said Jodie sadly. “We had something. We were really close. The best of friends, you know? I don’t want to lose that.”

“I’m sorry,” said Brittany.

“It’s not your fault,” said Jodie. “It’s nobody’s fault.” She shook her head. “No, that’s not right. It is someone’s fault. Mine and his. We should have worked this out a long time ago. Instead, we’ve just been avoiding the issue and hoping it’ll go away.”

“What are you going to do?” Brittany looked at her. “I mean, if he wins this contest, he won’t have that problem with the prom and everything’ll go back to normal, right?”

“That’s not the cause. It’s just one of the problems. He’s always had trouble trying to please my parents, I know that. I just didn’t know he was having that much trouble this time. I mean, if things had been okay between us, he would have told me. He used to tell me everything...” Jodie paused. “I could kill my parents sometimes, you know?”

“Why?”

“My Dad...he doesn’t think Mack is good enough for me. Damn, if he knew how much I relied on him...” Jodie sighed. “I need to talk to him. Badly.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to talk to him goodly?”

Jodie stared at her.

“That was a joke,” said Brittany doubtfully.

“I know,” said Jodie. “I’ll just have to wait until he gets back, that’s all.” And not lose my nerve, she thought.

There was a brief silence as Jodie stared down at the food on her plate. She looked up, finally, and smiled at Brittany. “Thank you.”

“What for?”
“For telling me about this.” Jodie smiled wryly. I don’t know how long this would have been bothering me if you hadn’t.”

“It was an accident,” she pointed out nervously. “Mack’s not going to be mad at me, is he?”

“Oh no,” said Jodie, with a smile. “It was Kevin’s fault. He’ll probably just take it out on him.”

“Oh.” Brittany thought about that. “Well, that’s all right, then.”

“This was really troubling me,” Jodie admitted. “I knew he was hiding something, but I didn’t know what...I was kind of scared, to tell you the truth.”

“What did you think he was hiding? This is Mack! He wouldn’t cheat on you. He’s much too nice of a guy. I mean, if you guys hadn’t been dating...”

“We weren’t, remember? Not really.”

“Yeah. If I’d known that...man, there’s a lot of girls out there who want him, you know?”

Jodie rubbed her chin. “Guess I should be flattered, shouldn’t I?”

“I would be.” Brittany smiled, and went back to her pizza.

Jodie looked at her for a few moments, smiled, and did the same.

Right now, Mack’s situation suddenly didn’t seem so bad. They had gone to dinner, and with a little help from Mr. O’Neill, Daria and Jane had gotten into a huge argument, which had ended with Jane accusing Daria of stealing her boyfriend.

Now, there was an awkward silence. Mack and Kevin stared at each other, not wanting to look at the two girls. O’Neill started crying. Daria looked at Jane in shock and anger. She shook her head slightly, stood up and walked quickly from the restaurant. Jane stared after her for a second, then she got up, and walked out too.

Mack stood up quickly, and motioned for Kevin to do the same. They walked quickly out of the restaurant, leaving O’Neill in a slump on the table. As they left the building, Mack could see Jane rushing back to the hotel, and Daria heading off into Oakwood.

He grabbed Kevin by the shoulder. “Kevin, follow Daria.”

“What?”

“Follow her, okay? Just make sure she’s okay.”

“Um, Mack Daddy? I don’t think I’m the best person for this job.”

“Me neither, Kevin, to be honest.” Mack sighed. “Look, just make sure she’s okay?”

Kevin nodded, and walked quickly off after Daria. Mack glanced back at the hotel, and saw Jane go inside. She was heading up her room probably. Mack paused. Should he follow her up, see if she was okay? Maybe she just wanted to be alone for a while. Mack frowned.

After about thirty minutes, he decided that he was indeed going to check on her. He walked up to her room, and knocked. Jane answered the door, the most depressed look Mack had ever seen on her face.

He smiled. “Hey.”

She tried to smile back, and failed horribly. “Hey.”
“How are you?”

“Guess,” she said glumly. “You?”

“Worried. I’ve never seen you two go at it like that before.”

“We have. But it’s rare.”

“You okay?”

She shrugged. “Not really. The makeshift Prozac is helping a little.” She indicated a tub.

Mack raised an eyebrow. “Looks more like chocolate ice cream.”

“Same effect.” Jane sighed. “So what brings you here?”

“I was worried about you. Figured I’d see if you were okay.” He grimaced. “Plus Ms. Barch showed up. I guess her and O’Neill planned this, or something. His room’s next to ours, and there’s...noises coming from there. Scary noises.”

Jane smiled, despite herself. “Want to come in?”

“Didn’t know if you wanted to be alone, or not.”

Jane shrugged. “I could use the company, I think.”

Mack smiled. “I do have chips and soda.” He held them up.

Jane smiled. “Come on in.”

Mack walked inside and sat down on the bed. Jane did the same on the other one. There was a brief pause.

“So,” said Mack cautiously. “What happened there tonight?”

Jane sighed heavily. “I said a lot of things I shouldn’t have, and I pissed my best friend off forever, probably...”

“I didn’t understand most of it, to be honest. I mean, I got the Tom thing. He’s Daria’s boyfriend, right? The rich guy?”

Jane nodded.

“Jodie’s met him. I haven’t. But, um, he used to be your boyfriend, right?”

Jane smiled wryly and nodded again.

Mack scratched his head. “I know you guys had been having problems...Jodie told me. But she didn’t know exactly what happened between you breaking up and him going out with Daria.”

Jane sighed. “It’s a long story.”

“I’ve got time,” said Mack. “I mean, if you want to talk about it, I mean. I’m not so good on advice, but I listen real well.”

Jane shrugged. “You don’t want to hear about my problems. I’d just be whining.”

“I don’t know. Seems to me you were keeping a lot in.”

Jane didn’t say anything.

“And to be honest, it would take my mind off my problems.”

“You and Jodie?” said Jane, in a surprised tone.

Mack looked away. “Um, yeah. Sorry, shouldn’t have mentioned that.”

Jane bunched her legs up under her. “Tell you what, Mackenzie. I’ll spill my guts, if you’ll spill yours.”

“Well, I...”
“Hey, weren’t you the one saying how someone needed to talk?” Jane looked at him. “And I bet Kevin’s not exactly the greatest to talk to.”

Mack sighed. “I guess.”

“Come on. Nothing’ll go past this room, I promise.”

Mack thought about it for a moment, then nodded. “Okay. Nothing past this room, okay?”

“Sure.” Jane took a deep breath. “I guess I’ll go first.”

“It was your idea,” said Mack.

Jane ran a hand through her black hair. “Okay. Let’s flash back to a year ago, or so. I’m at a bar, with Daria, watching the Spiral play.”

“The what?”

“My brother. Has a band, I mean. Mystic Spiral.”

“Oh. Any good?”

Jane laughed. “So, I meet a reasonably good looking guy, and we start dating. Turns out he’s rich as hell, and on some stupid slumming shit. Also turns out he’s unbelievably arrogant, and controlling. We fall into a rut, and move inexorably towards a messy break-up.”

“Fairly average teen stuff, right?”

Jane shot him a look. “Through all this, Daria first acts like the most jealous wife in history, not missing an opportunity to put him down, or try to get rid of him.”

“Ouch.”

“Well, she was right about him. That what made it so frustrating. She had him pegged from the start. I should have listened to her.”

“So you guys are going to break up....and?”

“Well, something odd happens. Daria and Tom actually start getting to know each other. And liking each other.”

“This isn’t going to end well, is it?”

“I encouraged it! I saw how similar they were, and I told them to get along better. And they did! Then, since my first major relationship is going down in flames, and I don’t know how to handle it, I fly off the deep end. I start accusing them both of cheating on me.”

“But they’re not.”

“No. And there’s this...hair thing. After that, I really go off. I go ballistic, and practically accuse them of planning the whole thing. And then...” Jane tailed off and closed her eyes.

Mack looked at her. “Jane, what happened? Did you and Tom break up?”

Jane shook her head. “No. Daria...kissed him.”

“She did what?” Mack frowned. “That doesn’t sound like her.”

“Huh. No shit. She gets in his car after a big fight, and he kisses her. Then she kisses him back.”

“Oh.”
Jane shook her head, bad memories flooding through her head. “She told me. She had the decency to tell me, at least. I run off, find Tom and try to kick the shit out of him.”

“Did you?” Mack smiled. “I wouldn’t want to cross you.”

Jane smiled wanly. “No. I guess I could have...but I was just too hurt that my best friend did that to me. I just didn‘t have any energy to.”

“And Tom.”

Jane shook her head. “Screw Tom. I didn’t care about him. We were going to break up anyway. It was Daria...she was the one that hurt me most.” Jane wiped her face quickly. “Then after that, I tell her she should date him...and she does! Just like that!”

“I did think that was odd.”

“Odd!? God, I was so pissed. I ran off to an art colony for the summer, just to get away from them both.” Jane fell silent, and stared down at the floor for a while. Finally, she spoke up again. “You know what really hurt? The fact that I thought I might have done it. That it was my fault.”

“Your fault?” Mack shook his head. “Jane, I...”

“I was the one acting like a bitch. I was the one accusing them of cheating. I was the one that insisted on staying together with Tom, even though we were so badly matched. Maybe...maybe Daria was just doing it because she already felt like I was punishing her for it, so she might as well do it.”

“Jane, that’s crazy.”

“Oh, I don’t think it was all me. Trust me. A lot of it was Tom.” Jane shook his head. “I knew he had his eye on her. Of course he would. She was the smart one. You know what he did when I confronted him about what he’d done?”

Mack shook his head.

“He didn’t apologize. Not once. Oh, he said it was wrong, but he didn’t apologize.” Jane sighed. “You know what I think?”

Mack shook his head.

“I think he knew it was wrong, all right. He just didn’t care.”

“Jane, isn’t that a bit harsh?”

“I mean, look at how it turned out for him. He got me and her. He got everything he wanted. Just like always.” Jane shook her head. “Damn it.”

“Good thing you’re not bitter.”

Jane smiled weakly. “I’m not really. Not to him. I don’t care about him.”

“But Daria...”

“Yeah. Daria.” Jane ran her hands through her hair. “That hurt. Even more so when I kept feeling it was partially my fault.”

“So what did you do?” Mack frowned, and tried to remember. “I remember, about that time...you guys were still hanging together most of the time.”
“Oh, yes. Trying to pretend like nothing had happened. But Daria took my advice. She began dating Tom, about three days after me and him broke up.”
“That’s short.”

“I know.” Jane sighed. “I don’t even know why I told her to do that. Maybe I was feeling kind of guilty for what I thought I’d done. Maybe...” Jane tailed off.

“But you guys made up, right? Back when school started, things seemed back to normal.”

Jane nodded. “Yeah. We...made up eventually. I spent most of the summer away at an art colony, and I...” She shook her head. “I can’t.”

“Can’t what?” said Mack, in a concerned tone.

“Talk about this any more,” said Jane. “Not yet, I mean. There’s....there’s all these thoughts and feelings going through my mind, and I need time to process them, okay?”

Mack nodded. “I didn’t mean to pry.”

“Mack, relax. You didn’t.” Jane looked at him. “Your turn.”

“What?”

“Tell me about you and Jodie. We did agree.”

Mack sighed. Jane looked at him. “Come on. It helps to talk, isn’t that what you said?”

Mack shot her a look, and gave a wry grin. “I guess so.” He took a deep breath. “So...I guess I need to give you a little history on this, don’t I?”

Jane nodded eagerly.

“Okay. Let’s set the wayback machine for 1992. On a young boy called Michael James Mackenzie.”

“Before that unfortunate basketball thing.”

“Yes.” Mack scowled. “Anyway, Michael’s starting middle school in Lawndale, and he’s a fairly lonely young boy, with only a good natured, very cheerful, but criminally stupid football nut as a friend.”

“Poor guy,” said Jane, smiling.

“So he starts middle school, and one day he sees this beautiful young girl. She’s the most beautiful person he’s ever seen. And wow! Turns out there’s more than one black person in Lawndale middle school after all! She’s a new student there, and she doesn’t have any friends, even by Michael’s standards.” Mack paused. “So he sucks up his gut, and introduces himself. He’s never done this to a girl before, you understand. You know what type of nerve it takes to walk up a beautiful girl when you’re ten?”
“Can’t say I do.” Jane thought for a moment. “You know, I can’t even remember where I was at this point.”

“You were the kind of weird girl who sits at the back and doesn’t say anything.”

“Oh yes,” said Jane. “I remember now. I hung out with Trent a lot back then, I think.”

“Mm. Anyway, the girl is thrilled that someone is actually talking to her, because she’s feeling like a bit of an outsider. So she’s only too happy to meet someone to talk to. And she smiles at him, and tells him her name is Jodie. Jodie Landon. And that smile...” Mack paused. “Well, let’s just say that young Michael is captivated.”

“So you two start dating...”

Mack shook his head. “Oh no. I was ten back then, remember? We were just friends. The best of friends, in fact. We shared everything. We had no secrets from each other, we went everywhere together, we were as close as two friends can be.”

“When did you start dating?”

Mack frowned. “See, that’s the weird thing. We never did, really. But we were so close, and plus we were about the only two black people there, that after a while, everyone assumes we’re dating.”

Jane pointed at him. “So you two were never really a couple?”

“Not at first. But if everyone assumes you’re dating, and you’re close, eventually you start believing it as well. Except we were about as platonic as you can get, really.”

“Hmm.”

“Of course, there’s a problem. Jodie’s parents, to be precise. You see, what I hadn’t realized it that Jodie is rich. I mean, rich. And my Dad’s an auto mechanic. And her parents aren’t that keen about us having a relationship. Vocally not keen, if you get my drift.”

“Ouch.”

“Well, I mean...didn’t Tom’s parents ever get on your case?”

Jane thought about it. “They knew we weren’t going to last. Hell, me and Tom knew we weren’t going to last after about the first month. It wasn’t really an issue.”

Mack sighed. “I wish I could say the same. Her parents...well, her Dad, really, has always made me feel like I’m not good enough. So I try to keep her in the manner they want me to.”

“Isn’t that expensive?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe. Every few months I get a job, and hoard my money so I can afford to keep getting her things and treating her in the manner her parents want.”

“Jodie doesn’t care about that sort of thing, though. Does she?”

Mack shook his head. “No. But her parents do, and they could make my life a living hell, know what I mean.”

“Doesn’t Jodie notice that you’re doing this?”

“I’m careful. I never let her see what I’m doing. Plus, I keep having to invent these crazy stories. Like saying my Dad holds a debt from when I was eight.”

“And she bought it?”

“She has so much on her plate, she doesn’t have a lot of time to question it.”

Jane shook her head. “And you weren’t even really dating.”

“At first, like I said. Then when everyone assumed it, we did too. But then...”

“Then what?”

Mack sighed.

Jane leaned forward. “Mack, come on. What happened?”

“Well, you know how teenagers are.”

“I guess.”

“Up until last summer, I loved how things were. Me and Jodie were close, we were so close. No secrets from each other, nothing to hide. She was the closest friend I’d ever had - that I’ll probably ever have.”

“And?”

“Well, I’d been working all summer at an ice cream truck to pay off a few debts. I said it was too my father, but it was...something else. And she’d had a ton of jobs, like usual. I hadn’t seen her much. So after I’d paid everything, I made sure I had enough money to take her out. To Chez Pierre, naturally. So we went, and when I was dropping her off, her parents were out, so I went in.”

“Uh-huh?”

“And she was really happy to see me after all that time apart. So we got to talking, and basically we told each other how glad we were that the other was a part of their lives, and...” Mack tailed off. “Well, you remember how I said we were about as platonic as you can get?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, we’d kissed and stuff, but never anything past that. I don’t think either of us was comfortable going beyond that. But that night, she kissed me, and I don’t know what it was, but it got deeper and deeper, and eventually...well, let’s just say we took things to another level.”

“Another...?” Jane’s face lit up in realization. “Oh. Oh!”

Mack nodded glumly. “I know. Stupid hormones.”

“Well, why was that so bad?”

“It wasn’t bad...but the fallout was. I think we both realized we’d made a mistake, but something had changed.”

Jane cocked her head. “Changed?”

“Like we’d taken our relationship to a level it shouldn’t have gone to. Suddenly, we...couldn’t talk to each other any more. We didn’t seem to be comfortable around each other any more, and we...weren’t close any more.”

“Oh.” Jane leaned forward. “I’m sorry.”

“Did you and Tom ever...?”

Jane laughed. “No! God, no. You ever hear that thing about self-centered people being the worst in bed? Let’s just say he’d be the worst, ever. No, that thought never crossed my mind. Plus, there were...other factors.” She sighed. “Anyway, back to you and Jodie.”

Mack sighed. “It’s like there’s just this invisible wall between us, and it keeps getting bigger, and pushing us further apart. I hate it.” He sighed. “I guess until I put this into words I didn’t see how bad this had gotten. I was just trying to pretend that nothing was wrong. Not very well, either.”

“Glad I could help,” said Jane.

Mack smiled. “I don’t think I’ve helped you yet...”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I’ve heard all about the history of you, Tom, and Daria. But I haven’t heard what caused this outburst tonight.”

Jane sighed. “Yeah.”

Mack shot her a look. “Can I ask you something? Something personal, I mean.”

Jane shrugged. “Sure. I mean, we’re practically baring our souls here tonight anyway.”

“You and Daria...what are you two anyway?”

Jane frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, what are you guys? There’s rumors and stuff, and you two are always so mysterious...I mean, I’ve never met anyone with so close a relationship, except for me and Jodie, and look how that’s turning out.”

Jane paused, and thought. “Hold on. What rumors?”

“Jane, this is High School. There’s always rumors. Plus, me and Jodie invariably end up hearing about everything.”

“What?”

Mack smiled wryly. “I don’t know why, but we seem to have become the unofficial advice columnists for Lawndale High. I don’t know. It seems like every time someone has a problem, or wants to talk about something, they find us. Except for after Tommy Sherman thing, but everyone assumed that that was Daria’s department.”

“I remember that.” Jane sighed. “That was the first time we really fought, you know?”

“Really?”

“Yeah...” Jane looked at him. “It’s probably because you two seem like the smartest, sanest people in the place. Plus, look at the counselor we have.”

“Good point. Mrs. Manson is hardly the most effective person in the world.”

“So come on, you must know some dirt! Dish it!”

“Jane, I can’t.”

“Oh come on, what is it? The three Js are gay?”

Mack coughed uncomfortably.

Jane’s eyes went wide. “No freaking way.”

“No, not them. Look, it’s just two of the football team. I can’t tell you. It’s a secret.”

“Mack, come on,” said Jane eagerly. “Dish the dirt!”

Mack shook his head. “I can’t, Jane. I promised. Plus, they’d kill me. No-on else knows but me and Jodie.”

Jane frowned. “Damn, you really do know stuff.”

Mack grinned. “Jane, I know stuff about Lawndale High that’d turn your hair white. But that’s all you’re getting out of me.”

Jane sighed. “Okay. So where were we?”

“You were about to tell me exactly what’s up with you and Daria.”

“We’re...” Jane paused. “We’re...we...I don’t know. Hell, we just are, you know? We have...something. I used to think that we were just friends, but...” She tailed off.

“What?” asked Mack.

“We never really talked about our relationship, you know? We just kind of took it for granted. She’s not a very open person. I mean, she’s more open with me, but still...”

“I can imagine that.”

“But you know...up until last year things were great. I mean, we fought every once in a while, and stuff, but everyone does that. She’d get really jealous every time I looked at a guy, but I always shrugged it off.”
“She’d get jealous?”

“Oh yeah.” Jane nodded. “Badly jealous, too. But it was okay...”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. I’d go back, and we’d go back to hanging out with each other, and only each other, and things would be good again.” Jane paused. “Because being with each other was better, you know? That’s what I thought. I liked being with her more than I did with guys. I mean, there was Tom, and Nathan, and Evan....but they never lasted. Not because she was acting like she was jealous as hell, but...there wasn’t any spark, you know?”

Mack looked at her. “Jane, are you two...?”

Jane shook her head. “No. We weren’t. But...” She tailed off, and changed the subject. “Then came the Tom thing.” She sighed. “And everything went to hell.”

Mack took a sip of coke. “You regret meeting him?”

Jane shrugged. “I don’t know. At the time, I guess I needed someone in my life. Someone who wasn’t just a friend. Someone who could just fulfill...other needs. And I picked the first guy who was interested in me, and look how that turned out.”

“You stick with him long after the point of knowing when to quit...”

“Just to prove I could.”

“And then Daria hooks up with him.”

Jane lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. “I would have forgiven her. Everything. I wouldn’t have gone to the art colony, or anything, if she hadn’t dated him. I just wanted her to say ‘No, Jane. I won’t date him. I know how much that would hurt you.’ But she didn’t...”

“You did tell her to.”

“I know, I know. I think I told her to....twice, I might add...just so she had the opportunity to refuse. And because I felt, deep down, that it was my fault. I don’t know. I can be so screwed-up sometimes.”

Mack came over and sat beside her. “Sounds like you have a lot of bitterness.”

“I guess I do. Didn’t think I had this much. I guess that stupid prom comment brought it out. God, I’m so selfish.”

“You’re not selfish,” said Mack. “You just want things to be how they were.”

“But they can’t be, can they? Things have changed. We couldn’t go back to the way they were, even if we wanted to.”

Mack sighed heavily. “Neither can I.”

Jane glanced up at him. “I’m sorry, Mack.”

“It’s okay. Prom’s weighing heavily on my mind, too.”

“Really? Why?”

“If I don’t win this stupid award, I won’t have enough money to take Jodie. And you know her parents will have a field day with this one.”

“Oh.” Jane glanced back at the ceiling. “Stupid prom.”
“You got it.”

Jane was silent for a long time. “Do you ever spend time with a person so much that they become your whole life? That being with them is all you really want?”

Mack shook his head. “Not really,” he said sadly.

“Daria is...we are...” Jane sighed. “I’m realizing things that I should have realized a long time ago, and I’m acting like a stupid, jealous bitch over it.”

“You’re jealous.” Mack said it like he wasn’t surprised.

Jane laughed a little. “Yeah. I am. I’m jealous of Tom, aren’t I?”

“I didn’t want to say it.”

Jane covered her face. “God. This is weird. It’s like everything I’ve been trying not to think about ever since the Tom thing is coming right out.”

“That doesn’t sound healthy.”

“Oh, it is. Daria and I...everyone thinks we’re a couple, don’t they?”

Mack nodded. “Until the Tom thing, that is. Remember that Evan guy, from the track team? He told everyone you were.”

“Shit. Yeah, I’ve heard that. Stupid asshole. Just cause I wouldn’t put out for him.”

“He’s a jerk, anyway. We’ve gotten into it a few times.”

“Maybe we should have been.” Jane closed her eyes. “Maybe I’ve felt this way for a while and I’ve just been trying not to think about it.”

“Oh?”

“Maybe I shouldn’t have gone out with Tom. Maybe I should have talked to Daria, and we could have discussed our feelings, instead of me trying to get them from someone else?”

“You feel that way about her?”

“I think so.” Jane sighed. “I guess I always have, to a degree. I just didn’t want to think about it before now.”

“I’m honored.”

“I guess sometimes you need to vocalize things before you really understand them, you know?” She smiled. “Every happy memory I have of the last two and a half years has her in it. Every time I want to share something with someone, I go to her.” She sighed. “Or at least, I used to.”

“You guys need to talk.”

“Look who’s talking.”

Mack smiled wryly. “You’re right, you know. When is the question.”
“I can’t do it now. I mean, she has a boyfriend, and everything. I don’t want to break them up.”

“Yes you do.”

Jane grinned. “Okay, I do. But I can’t. They’ll think I’m only doing this to get back at them for that kissing thing.”

“Good point.” Mack sighed. “I can’t talk to Jodie. Not yet. Maybe after the prom, but...not yet.” He glanced at Jane. “We won’t make it as a couple, will we?”

Jane shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

He shook his head. “What about Tom and Daria? Think they’ll make it?”

“Even if I wanted them to, I doubt it. He’s too controlling for her. I don’t know why she dates him, to be honest. Probably just to see what having a boyfriend is like.”

Mack looked at her for a second. “Think she feels the same way about you as you do about her?”

Jane looked up at the ceiling again. “I hope so,” she said quietly. She closed her eyes and nodded. “I think she does. The way she acted every time I looked at a guy...well, that wasn’t normal for just a friend.”

Mack looked over at her. “You know, this whole thing isn’t your fault.”

Jane sighed. “If we’d just talked about this a year ago, none of this would have happened.”

“You didn’t realize a year ago.”

“True. Guess it takes something like this to make you realize how deeply you feel.” Jane sighed. “If I’d wanted to see what having a boyfriend was like, I probably shouldn’t have picked the first guy who looked at me in a bar. Though it’s not like there’s a lot of options in Lawndale High.”

“Oh, come on.” Mack smiled. “You know, a lot of guys think you’re hot.”

“No way,” said Jane disbelievingly.

“Yes way. You know, I hear the team talking and stuff. Both you and Daria have more admirers than you think.”

Jane smiled. “How about that? I hope this works out with her. That’s why I always forgave for anything she did, you know. No matter what. I just couldn’t imagine a world without her. She’s...everything.” She sat back up and looked at Mack. “How about you? What are you going to do about Jodie?”

Mack shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t want to lose her as a friend. We never should have slept together. We need to talk. Soon.”

“Hope it works out for you,” said Jane sincerely.

“Hey - you too,” said Mack. “Aren’t we a pair?”

Jane grinned. “Definitely.” Her smiled fell slightly. “I hope she forgives me for what I said tonight.”

“She will.” Mack looked at her. “You two are...well, I think you’d make a great couple.”

Jane smiled. “Yeah. So do I.”

“Jodie and I...we’d make better brother and sister than we do girlfriend and boyfriend.”

Jane made a face. “You mean you slept with your sister?”

Mack frowned and threw a pillow at her. “Shut up.”

Jane dodged it easily, and grinned. “Women, huh?”

“Can’t live with them...”

“Can’t live without them,” finished Jane. “Or at least, a particular one in my case.” She walked over to Mack and kissed him lightly on the side of the mouth. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

“Thank you”, returned Mack. “I didn’t know how much I need to talk until I did.”

“Whoa,” came a voice from the doorway. “Man, what about Jodie?”

Jane and Mack turned to the doorway. Kevin was standing there, a look of surprise on his face.

Jane pulled back from Mack. “Kevin, it’s not what you think.”

“No,” agreed Mack, wiping Jane’s lipstick from the side of his mouth.

“Uh-huh,” said Kevin.

Jane shook her head, then realized something and looked up at Kevin. “Daria! Kevin, is she back?”

“What? Oh, Daria. Yeah. She came back with me.”

“She okay?”

“I guess,” said Kevin thoughtfully. “I did what you said, and followed her to make sure she was okay. She didn’t really seem to want me there, but I’m very persistent.”

“I know,” said Mack ruefully.

“Then she snapped and said a whole bunch of things I didn’t understand. And Jane’s name came up like five hundred times.”

Jane swallowed nervously. “Was she mad?”

Kevin nodded eagerly. “Oh yes.”

“Damn it.” Jane rubbed her head absentmindedly. “I’d better get back to our room.”

“This is your room,” pointed out Mack.

Jane shook her head, trying to clear it. “Oh yes. Sorry.”

“Daria’s wandering around in the lobby,” said Kevin.

“We’d better go,” said Mack. He touched Jane on the shoulder gently. “Hope you work things out.”

“Hey, you too,” said Jane, smiling. “Keep me posted, okay?”

“You too.” Mack and Kevin walked out of the room, leaving Jane alone. As they were walking back to their room, Mack turned to Kevin. “So how did Daria seem?”

“Angry, man. Real angry.” Kevin scratched her head. “Most of it went way over my head, though.”

Mack nodded. “Figures. But thanks for looking out for her.”

“Hey, Mack Daddy! No problem!” Kevin slapped him on the shoulder enthusiastically. Mack grimaced in pain, and they walked back into their room.

The following night, O’Neill’s car sped home, the four students and O’Neill inside. (Barch had vanished overnight, with only Mack’s uncomfortable memories to prove she had even been there).

This time, Daria had insisted on taking the front seat, leaving Jane, Kevin, and Mack in the back seat. Jane still had no clue how she was going to handle this, feeling and emotions racing through her. This was a situation she had absolutely no experience with. The fact that Daria was dating her ex didn’t make it any easier.

Mack sat, staring out of the window, wondering what he was going to do now.

“I’m sorry you didn’t win, Daria,” said O’Neill soothingly.

“I didn’t win either,” pointed out Mack.

“Oh. Of course! Sorry.”

“Stupid trip,” muttered Daria.

Mack stared out of the window, watching the increasingly boring scenery rolling past. What was he going to do now? He had no money, and the prom was ever-approaching. This had been one of his last hopes. He was going to have to figure something out when he got home. And quickly.

O’Neill’s car pulled into Lawndale High’s lot, and everyone got out. O’Neill left rather quickly, Kevin bounded off as quick as he could to meet Brittany, and Daria and Jane seemed content to stand around looking uncomfortable and not looking at each other. Mack said his goodbyes, and began to walk back to his house. He wondered idly if Daria and Jane were going to work things out. He hoped so. He hated to see people denying how they really felt.

Mack laughed slightly. He was one to talk. That’s what he’d been doing for the last few months with Jodie. That talk with Jane had helped him realize a few things. He and Jodie needed to work things out.

Of course, there was the small matter of the prom and his total lack of cash to work through. That had to be solved before he could do anything else.

He arrived home, and walked up to his room. Flopping down on the bed, he examined his options.

He could ask his Dad for the money.

Possibly. His Dad would not be pleased, but he’d probably do it. Many, many lectures would follow, however.

He could borrow it from a friend.

No. Definitely not.

He could come clean with Jodie. Tell her everything, and see how she’d react.

That idea didn‘t last long.

He could sell some of his stuff.

That idea had possibilities. He glanced around the room, trying to think of something he could do that with. His eyes came to rest on his rather large comic book collection.

Mack sighed heavily. That was about the only thing he owned of any great value. He really did not want to do that, but if push came to shove...

Mack flicked the light off, and tried to go to sleep, dreading the morning.

The night that Mack and Kevin were supposed to come home, Jodie was at home, lying on top of her bed. Mack and Kevin should have been back by now. Mack usually called her to let her know that he was safe. It was odd that he hadn’t this time.

Going over what she knew now, Jodie concluded that it wasn’t actually all that odd, given what must be going through his head. She’d still like to know if he was safe, though.

Jodie didn’t want to call him. She knew that if she called him, they would eventually have to talk about this, and she was scared. She’d never done that before, and she knew he hadn’t either. She was losing her nerve, despite her resolve yesterday with Brittany.

One other obvious solution presented itself for right now, though. It wasn’t a pleasant one, but it would do.

Picking up the phone, she dialed Kevin’s number and waited. Eventually, it was picked up, and Kevin’s distinctive voice came onto the line. “Hello?”

“Kevin, it’s me.”

“Who...?”
“Me, Kevin. Jodie.”

“Er...oh yeah, Jodie!” A pause. “What do you want?”

“Look, I just need...”

“Whoa!” said Kevin suddenly. “I can’t give you what you need, Jodie. I mean, you’re hot and everything, but Mack Daddy’s my best friend. I totally can’t backstab him like that.”

Jodie stared at the receiver for a moment, remembering why she didn’t like calling Kevin.

“Kevin,” she said levelly. “I am not trying to come onto you. I just was calling to find out what happened on the trip, okay?”

“Wait,” said Kevin, sounding a little unsure of himself. “You’re not coming onto me? What’s wrong with me?”

“Too many things to list right now. I’m guessing you and Mack made it home safely?”

“I think I’m okay. But he might have been killed after we left the school, so I don’t know. These are dangerous times, Jodie.” He said the last part with false gravitas.

“Kevin, where do you get this stuff from?”

“What stuff?”

“Did he win?”

“Win what?”

“The contest.”

“What contest?”

Jodie put her hand over her eyes. Her head was pounding again. “The contest you guys went up there for, remember?”

“Oh yeah! No. No, he didn’t.”

Jodie sighed. “Thank you Kevin.” She hung up the phone and lay back on the bed. Mack hadn’t won. That meant his money problems were not solved, and he would still be trying to hid that from her when she saw him in the morning.

Jodie already knew what she had to do. They had to talk about this. Not just the whole money thing, but also the main problems affecting their relationship. It all had to come out in the open, and as soon as possible. If not, things would just get worse, and Jodie’s fear of losing him forever would be so much closer to coming true.

The next day, Mack walked to school, a large weight in his chest. He was going to do something today he really didn’t want to. This was going to be hard.

As he walked into the school grounds, he saw Jodie waiting for him. He mentally kicked himself. He was supposed to call her last night to make sure he had gotten home all right.

Jodie had a concerned expression on her face. “Mack? Is everything okay?”

Mack tried to appear nonchalant. “Fine. Why?”

“Well,” said Jodie cautiously. “You were supposed to call me last night to let me know that everything was okay, and that you had gotten home all right, but...”

“I forgot,” said Mack. “I’m really sorry.”

“No, it’s okay,” said Jodie. “I mean, I was just worried about you, that’s all. I called Kevin to see if you guys had gotten home, and he said everything was okay, but...” She tailed off. “Mack, I know...”

“We’d better go inside,” said Mack quickly. Jodie seemed to be getting at something, like she knew more than she was letting on. He didn’t want her to corner him and figure it out.

Jodie nodded reluctantly, and they went inside.

After school, Mack quickly made his excuses and left to go home. Jodie was definitely starting to figure something was wrong. He had to do this quickly, so he could stop acting so weirdly, and he and Jodie could get back to the vaguely uncomfortable status quo they had settled into.

He reached his house, and quickly walked up to his room. He glanced at his collection. There was definitely going to be enough here, and he knew somewhere he could sell them, too. He started picking out some, and putting them into a bag.

There was a sound beside him, and he turned. Jodie was standing in the doorway, a nervous expression on her face. “Hey,” she said quietly.

“Jodie?” Mack glanced around. “How did you get in?”

“Your dad let me in.”

“Remind me to kill him later.”

There was an awkward silence. Jodie suddenly indicated the bag he was placing comics in. “What are you doing?”

“I...” Mack glanced at the bag. “I...”
“I already know, Mack,” she said quietly. “Brittany told me.”

“Brittany?” said Mack. “But how...?” He shook his head. “Oh wait, never mind.”

“Yeah.” Jodie looked at him. “I know all about the prom, and your financial problems. I knew this morning, but you brushed me off so fast, I didn’t get a chance to talk to you. And we need to talk.”

Mack nodded slowly. “Yeah. We do.”

Jodie sat down next to him on the bed. They looked at each other for a few minutes, then realized how close there to each other, and began to shuffle back. Catching Jodie’s eye, Mack realized what he was doing, and smiled wryly.

“Hmm,” said Jodie, stopping herself. “Think this is part of the problem?”

Mack shrugged.

“What are we doing, Mack?” said Jodie suddenly. “I mean, what are we these days? We’ve been shuffling around each other the past few months, trying to act like everything’s okay...”

“But it isn’t,” muttered Mack. “Not by a long shot.”

“I mean, last year, you would have told me something like this, wouldn’t you?”

Mack looked at her, then nodded slowly. “Yeah. Probably. But...”
“But what?”

“I can’t, Jodie. I just can’t....talk to you any more.”

“Oh,” said Jodie. “Oh.”

“You feel it too, right?” said Mack. “I’m not imagining it, am I?”

Jodie shook her head. “No. I haven’t felt like I can talk to you either.”

“Since...”

“Yeah.”

“Since we slept together,” said Mack quickly.

Jodie looked up at him. “I know. That...was a mistake.” She suddenly realized what she had said. “Oh! I mean, not that it was bad, or anything...”

“I know what you mean,” said Mack sadly. “Jodie, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

“I don’t know. I feel like I made you...”

Jodie frowned at him. “Mack, I think it was a mutual decision. Though neither of us was doing a lot of thinking at the time.”

“Stupid hormones,” muttered Mack.

“Yeah,” said Jodie, smiling. “Teenagers, huh?”

Mack nodded. “Jodie, I really care for you. A lot. But I don’t...”

“Think we’re compatible?” Jodie shook her head. “Huh. You know, it’s weird. You’re like the closest person to me in the world.”

Mack smiled. “You’re the same way.”

“But after we...you know...things were different. We were different. I just couldn’t talk to you anymore.”

“I’ve missed you,” said Mack.

Jodie smiled. “I know. I’d ask why you didn’t tell me about your money problems, but I think we just covered it.”

Mack sighed heavily. “It’s not you, okay. It’s...”

“My parents. I know.” Jodie took his hand. “Mack, you know that’s not important to me. You know that.”

“If I didn’t do the very best for you...” Mack tailed off.

Jodie smiled glumly. “Yeah.” She cocked her head to the side. “Has it always been like this?”

Mack nodded. “I haven’t been entirely honest with you.”

“Oh Mack,” she said softly. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it wasn’t a big deal before now. I always had enough to make it.”

“Let me help,” she said suddenly.

“What?”

She looked into his eyes. “Let me help you. I’ve got money.”

“Jodie, no...I...”

“Let’s just leave out your macho side for right now,” said Jodie. “And we...”
“I do not have a macho side,” said Mack indignantly. “Jodie, I can’t let you...”

“No-one is letting me do anything,” said Jodie firmly. “You’ve done so much for me, Mack. You’ve kept me sane all these years. You’ve broken your back trying to please my parents, even though we weren’t even really dating. Not many guys would do that.”

Mack looked at her for a few seconds. “Well, you’re my friend,” he said finally.

Jodie smiled. “And you’re mine. So, let me help you. My parents will never know.”

Mack thought about it for a few minutes.

“Don’t let that whole guy thing get in the way, okay? It’s okay to need help from a girl once in a while, you know?”

Finally, he nodded. “Okay.”

Jodie grinned. “Okay, then.”

“So, what are we doing?” said Mack. “About us, I mean.”

The two of them looked at each other for a few minutes. Finally Jodie smiled. “What do you want to do?”

“I don’t want to lose you.”

“I don’t want to lose you either.” She sighed. “Let’s...”

“Have things the way they were,” said Mack.

“I was just about to say that,” said Jodie, grinning. “Let’s not do anything yet, okay? Too much pressure, I think.”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s just get this whole prom thing out of the way, and graduation...”

“And see where we go from there,” finished Mack. “Good idea of mine, I thought.”

Jodie smiled. “Let’s have it like it was, okay? No secrets.”

“Deal.” Mack leaned forward and hugged her. Jodie gladly returned the hug, and they held each other close for a few minutes. Finally, Jodie broke off.

“I have to go,” she said reluctantly. “I’ve got stuff to do.”

Mack nodded. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

She leaned forward, and kissed him on the cheek. “Bye.” She walked out, leaving Mack sitting on the bed, wondering how he ever got to be that lucky.

And so the prom came and went. Mack and Jodie went, and were subsequently crowned king and queen, to Mack’s complete non-surprise. Jodie’s parents, in the dark as to the drama surrounding the prom, were quite impressed with Mack’s treatment of their daughter, but did wonder why she couldn’t keep from grinning when they mentioned it.

A few weeks after the prom, Mack found himself in the Pizza King after school. He had been there with Kevin, but Kevin had had to go off with Brittany, leaving Mack alone.

He smiled to himself. Things had been so much better with Jodie the past few weeks. Ever since they had had that talk, things seemed to be almost back to their old state. There was still the small matter of their future relationship to talk about, but they were trying as hard as possible to make that a non-issue until after graduation. It had succeeded pretty well, too.

Mack got up to leave, and as he was doing so, he spied Jane Lane across the room. He wondered how things were going for her. It had been weeks now since they had had that talk, and she had admitted to being in love with Daria. However, Mack still saw Daria with that Tom guy, so he was guessing they had either not talked about it yet, or it had gone badly. He hoped it hadn’t gone badly.

Walking over, he stopped by her table, and said, “Hey.”

Jane looked up, and smiled when she saw who it was.

“Hi, Mack.”

“May I?” he said, indicating the seat opposite her.

“Be my guest.”

Mack sat down opposite her. “How are you doing, Jane?”

“Pretty good,” she said.

“Really?” Mack cocked his head to the side slightly. “It’s just...things don’t seem to have changed, and...well, I was curious.”

Jane smiled. “Thank you for being concerned, but I’m fine.” She sighed. “Daria and I...just haven’t found the right time to talk about this.”

“Oh.”

Jane leaned in close. “Can I be honest with you?” Mack nodded. “I think she knows.”

“Knows what?” Mack frowned.

“How...I feel. I think she knows what I’m going to say, and she doesn’t want me to say it.”

“Why not?”

Jane shrugged. “Either she doesn’t feel the same, and doesn’t want me to make an ass of myself...or she does, and she’s scared at what’ll happen.”

“Ah,” said Mack. “And which one...?”

“The second one,” said Jane. “I hope.”

“It’ll work out,” said Mack reassuringly. “Trust me. You guys are perfect together.”

“Hmm.” Jane looked away for a brief second, then back to Mack. “So...?”

“So what?”

Jane raised an eyebrow. “You and Jodie, Mackenzie. What’s up with you two? I shared, now it’s your turn.”

“Oh.”

“I’m guessing prom went okay. I heard you two were king and queen. Again.”

Mack smiled wryly. “Big surprise there.”

“Yeah.”

“We’re cool. She...” Mack laughed slightly. “She saw right through me. Tried to hide these things, but she did it. As usual.”

“What do you mean?”

“She knew. About the money troubles and stuff.”

“So what did you do?”

“We...worked out an arrangement.”

“And your relationship?”

Mack smiled. “We talked. I mean, really talked for the first time in months. Everything we’ve been hiding, everything we’ve been bottling up, just came right out.”
“Wow.”

Mack nodded. “So we reached an agreement. This is a stressful time for both of us, what with graduating, and waiting for college acceptance...so we’re not going to do anything just yet.” He smiled. “We’re going to wait until after graduation, whenever all this is over with, and we’re going to look at our relationship, and see where we want to be.”

“What do you think is going to happen?”

Mack shrugged. “I don’t know. But you know, at least we won’t make a stupid decision in the heat of the moment and not talk to each other for the rest of our lives. I couldn’t handle that.”

Jane half-smiled. “I know what you mean.”

“You’ll sort this out, Jane. I know it.” Mack smiled. “And if you wait until high school is over, you’ll be free of all the close-minded idiots here.”

“Yeah,” said Jane. “I’m sure there’ll be a whole new group of closed-minded idiots after that.”

Mack smiled and got up. “See you round, Jane. Good luck.”

“Hey, you too,” said Jane.

Mack waved a short goodbye, and left. He hoped things worked out for her.

Mack and Jodie walked into her room, and sat down. Jodie ran a hand through her hair. “I’m glad that’s over.”

“I liked your speech,” said Mack.

“You’re just saying that.”

“No, no. It was very...inspiring.”

“Mack, I practically copied it off the ‘stock inspirational speeches’ book.” Jodie smiled. “No-one wants to hear about the truth in those kinds of things.”

“You sound like you’ve been talking to Daria again.”

“Hmm,” said Jodie. “Wow.”

“What?”

“I just realized. We’re not going to really see any of those people any more. You know, Upchuck, Andrea, Daria... It’s over.”

“Well, you can still keep in touch.”

“I know, but it’s not the same. You know, as seeing them every day.”

“Yeah,” said Mack. “Getting wistful on me?”

Jodie smiled. “Have I thanked you again for getting me out of going to Crestmore?”

“Only about five hundred times.”

“Thank you,” said Jodie sincerely. “I mean that.”

“Least I could do,” said Mack with a shrug.

“What did I do to deserve you?”

“What did I do to deserve you,” said Mack, smiling at her.

She smiled back, and they were silent for a few seconds. “So...” she said.

“So what?”

“So,” she said pointedly. “Graduation’s over, Mack. I think we had an agreement didn’t we?”

“Oh yes.” Mack shrugged. “So what do we do now?”

“I don’t know.” Jodie looked at him, and smiled. “It’s been a weird seven or eight years, hasn’t it?”

“How do you mean?”

“We’ve never really dated other people. And we’ve never really dated each other. That, for high school, is weird, if you ask me.”

“Well, when you put it like that...”

Jodie frowned. “When did we sort of assume we were dating?”

“Start of Freshman year, I think.”

“Oh yeah. Everyone else was kind of assuming it, so we just did...”

“Yeah.” Mack sighed. “Then, of course, last summer...”

“Of course.” Jodie glanced at him. Be honest with me, Mack. Did you ever wish you were dating someone else?”

Mack shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess it never really occurred to me.”

“Me neither. Is that dysfunctional, or what?”

“Heh,” said Mack. “You know what we are, don’t you?”

“What?” said Jodie with a frown.

“Best friends. Best friends who drifted into an area they should never had gotten into, just because other people kind of forced them into it.”

Jodie nodded. “I can see that. Guess we should have talked more.”

“Sixteen year olds don’t generally have discussions about the boundaries of their relationships, do they?”

Jodie laughed. “Huh. I see your point.” She smiled. “You’re like a brother to me, you know?”

“That’s sick in so many ways.”

“Pervert,” she said jokingly.

“But...I know how you feel. It’s true, I think.” Mack raised an eyebrow. “So what do you think we should do?”

“What do you think we should do?”

Mack sighed. “You know, we’re not compatible as girlfriend and boyfriend, are we?”

Jodie looked at him. “Why do you say that?”

Mack held out his hand. “Look at our relationship. We’re practically brother and sister, you said so yourself. When you look at me, or talk to me, how do you feel?”

Jodie sighed. “I see your point. Not like a girlfriend, that’s for sure. We’re more like each other’s support system, aren’t we?”

Mack smiled. “Yeah. I mean, Jodie, you‘re beautiful. The first time I saw you, I though you were the most beautiful girl I‘d ever seen. But our relationship didn‘t really go that way, did it?”

Jodie shook her head. “Despite what people expected.”

“Yeah.”

“I couldn’t have gotten through high school without you.”

“Neither could I.”

“Okay,” said Jodie. “Honesty time. We’re going away to college in a few weeks. We won’t see each other in person for weeks at a time. If we were a couple, are we a strong enough couple to last that way?”

They looked at each other for a few seconds, then simultaneously shook their heads.

Jodie smiled. “I didn’t think so. But if we’re friends...”

“Very good friends.”

“Exactly. If we’re friends...”

“We’ll stay friends,” Mack finished. He looked at her. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“Me neither,” said Jodie softly. “So there’s only really one thing to do.”

Mack grinned. “Jodie, I think we should break up.”

“Yes,” Jodie agreed. “I definitely think so.”

They looked at each other for a few more seconds, then both laughed.

“Is breaking up supposed to be this easy?” asked Mack.

“I doubt it,” said Jodie. “I feel a lot better about things now. Don’t you?”

Mack agreed.

“You know,” said Jodie quietly. “Despite all that happened, and all...the problems we had over the last year...I don’t regret anything. I mean, even the...um...sex thing.”

“We’re getting weird again,” said Mack, with a smile. “But...I know what you mean.”

They smiled at each other. Eventually Mack spoke up. “So, what are your plans for tonight?”

“I don’t know. I think Mom and Dad were planning something.”
“Oh?”

“Yeah. Oh you know Dad. He loves to throw parties.”

“I’ve noticed.”

“Think we should break the news?”

“Nah.” Mack smiled. “And to think, they were just getting to like me.”

“Hmm,” said Jodie. “You know, I hope other guys are willing to put up with as much shit as you did.”

“Hey, you’re worth it,” said Mack, smiling. “You’ll find a great guy somewhere.”

“And he’ll probably have to be screened by you,” said Jodie, getting up.

Mack did the same. “I’d have to do the very best for my ‘sister’.”

“Well, I’d do the same for you,” said Jodie, opening the door to her room. “You never know who you might find.”

“True.”

Jodie walked out, followed by Mack. “Oh! I know. Tiffany. You’d be so good together.”

Mack grimaced. “No.”

Jodie smiled. Mack did the same, and they walked away through the hallways of the Landon house, and into the future.

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