Because of a Song

I was quiet as Stephen, his friends, and Angela walked out of the room and up the stairs.

“Macy McAdams, right?” I looked up. Dan was smirking down at me. “I remember her from last year. Your brother’s just too caught up in her beauty to remember her.”

“That’s the problem.” I sighed. “I’ve spent my whole life trying to ignore Macy, and just because she’s pretty, my brother will probably give her Joe’s phone number. I mean, there’s not much I can do now, is there? Just go with them and feel like puking the whole time. Why did she have to come here? Why couldn’t I just have a normal Halloween, like when I was little, before I met Macy?”

“Come on, Lauren. Your brother isn’t that dense. He’ll realize what a jerk-off Macy is soon and then she’ll be gone.” Dan walked over to me and grabbed my hand. “Let’s go get some candy, alright? Let’s have some FUN!” A small smile came over my face. “That’s the spirit,” Dan said. He let go of my hand and I followed him upstairs, my huge pink feet clunking beneath me.

When we reached the main level, I saw Roger talking to my brother. I overheard the words ‘hot’ and ‘ass’ and rolled my eyes. Boys, I thought. Can’t live with them. Can’t live without them. Macy was impatiently tapping her green, sparkly flats on the tile of the kitchen floor, and it was quite annoying, so I said, “Are we all ready?”

Stephen stopped talking to Roger and looked at me. “Ready as I’ll ever be. You, my lovely Wendy?”

Macy just smiled her infamous ‘look-how-adorable-I-am-all-the-guys-love-me’ smile that won every guy’s heart. I was disgusted, and the feeling just grew when Stephen blushed and grabbed her hand. Macy played it cool and giggled a girly giggle, but as soon as Stephen turned away, she mouthed the words ‘Joe is mine now’ to me.

‘In your dreams’ I mouthed back. Macy glared at me. I just laughed.

“Don’t let her get to you,” Dan whispered in my ear.

I smiled at him. “Thanks. I won’t.”

---

When we reached our first house, the one right next door to the right, Mrs. Stevens answered the door and smiled sweetly at us. “Oh gosh. Carl, come look! It’s Lauren and Stephen from next door! Oh my how you guys have grown. Especially you, Lauren. You just look so cute in that fairy costume. Where’d you get it?” I felt my stomach drop. I looked at Stephen; he didn’t seem phased by Mrs. Stevens comment. He was smiling off into space, probably thinking about Angela. Gag me.

But Macy had it covered. “Oh, why thank you. I got it at the Halloween store down the street. It was the last one and it was so perfect that I just had to have it.”

“That’s great dear,” Mrs. Stevens said. “Now, what kind of candy would you like?” Macy grabbed a few Snicker’s bars and moved out of the way so the rest of us could choose our candy. When I got up to the front, Mrs. Stevens exclaimed, “What is your name, child? I just love your costume.”

I smiled. “My name is Macy, and thank you.” I talked loudly to make sure Macy and Stephen heard. I grabbed a KitKat and a small Hershey bar and walked away.

When I reached everyone else, Macy was glaring daggers at me, and Stephen looked deeply confused. As we walked, he stayed behind (thankfully Macy stayed up near the front) with me and asked, “Who’s Macy?”

I sighed. “You know her as Angela. Her full name’s Macy Angela McAdams.” Stephen looked at me like I was crazy. “She went to our high school last year. She’s here to get--”

“Oh Stephen!” Macy called, walking back towards us. “I’ve missed you!” she exclaimed. I rolled my eyes. “Why are you hanging out with your sister? You get to see her all the time! Come on, let’s go up with everyone else. You don’t want to feel left out, do you?” Stephen obliged, seemingly forgetting our conversation in less than a second.

So close, I thought. So close.

---

The whole night, I kept getting weird looks by people. Macy on the other hand was showered with cat calls and winks and smiles. I was at the same time happy that my brother was mad about it and angered at the fact that she was receiving all the attention. How could my brother not see what a jerk she was? I knew I had to do something, before Macy somehow cajoled Joe’s phone number out of Stephen. “Stephen!” I called as we arrived back at our house. He held up a finger, signaling that he’d be here in a minute. I noticed that he was talking to Macy, so I walked over there and eavesdropped.

“You’re so cute. Did you know that?” Macy said, making Stephen blush.

“No, I actually didn’t know that,” Stephen replied.

“Well you are,” Macy said. “In fact…” And then she did the impossible, the unthinkable, the unbelievable: she kissed Stephen. Shock ran through my whole body. I didn’t know how to react. Should I say something? Yell? Or maybe I should just stay quiet. I knew mom and dad wouldn’t approve of this, and there was no way Stephen was going to not tell them. Why don’t I just wait until he tells them? Wouldn’t it be easier that way?

Macy started talking again. “Would--you--do--something--for--me?” she said, kissing Stephen every time she paused. Stephen seemed dazed and nodded. “Any--thing?” Macy kissed him again and he nodded. “Can--I--have--Joe--Jonas’--number?” I was sure my heart rate couldn’t go any faster as I watched, terrified, to see what would happen next.

Stephen paused. Then, miraculously, he seemed to come out of his daze. “No,” he said. “No way. No! Oh my God, I’m so stupid! That’s why you’re here! You don’t like me! You don’t like my sister! You just wanted Joe’s phone number, that’s all! Well guess what? I’M NOT GIVING IT TO YOU!” Stephen power-walked over to me and smiled. “You know I would never do that to you, right? No matter how gorgeous a girl is.”

And for the first time in her life, Macy McAdams didn’t smile when a guy called her gorgeous. Instead, she stomped her foot in an immature kind of way and shouted, “I WILL FIND A WAY TO GET TO JOE! SOMEDAY! SOMEDAY I WILL! YOU JUST COUNT ON IT LAUREN ADAMS! HE’LL BE MINE ONE OF THESE DAYS AND THERE WILL BE NO GOING BACK!”

And with that, she left. But not without turning back around and adding, “And Lauren? You look like a pink Peep.”