No One Knows You Like I Do

Nick rolled over in bed and opened his eyes slowly. He smiled to himself at the sight of Madison sleeping next to him. He watched her sleep for a few minutes, until her eyes fluttered open.
“Were you watching me sleep?” She blushed.
“Maybe.” He chuckled, his voice hoarse from sleep. “I was just thinking how I couldn’t possibly get tired of waking up next to you every morning.” Madison leaned forward and pecked his lips.
“You’re cute.” She smiled. “But what happens when you go on tour again?”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” He chuckled, wrapping his arms around Madison and pulling her into his chest. He placed a kiss on the top of her head and there was a slight knock on the door, before Mackenzie came bounding down the stairs with her hands covering her eyes. Madison rolled over and looked up to see Mackenzie looking like a fool.
“Why are you covering your eyes?” She laughed.
“I don’t want to see anything!”
“We’re all fully clothed down here, you’re okay.” Mackenzie uncovered her eyes slowly and peeked at the two.
“Oh, good! Well, we’re all starving up here and would really like some breakfast. We were thinking Denny’s! So, come on!”
“Alright, give us a minute to get dressed.” Madison started getting out of bed to go to the drawer with her clothes in it.
“Fine. I guess you can have one.” She sighed as she walked back up the stairs and closed the door behind her.
“I bet she had fun with all those guys by herself.” Nick chuckled as he got out of bed.
“I bet she enjoyed Garrett, but that’s it. Once she sets her eyes on someone, she stays on him.”
“Oh really, now?”
“Are you trying to call my best friend a slut?” She threw a shirt at him.
“No! That’s not what I meant! Oh geeze, I…I--”
“You panic too quickly. I was kidding.” She stood up and walked over to him to retrieve the shirt she had thrown at him. He held on to it tightly. “What are you doing? I was planning on wearing that.”
“You shouldn’t have thrown it then, huh?” He pulled on the shirt until it got Madison to his chest. He kissed her gently as he released his grip.
“If you wanted to kiss me, you should have just done it. No need for excuses, like holding my shirt hostage.” She smirked as she took the shirt and changed it with the one she was wearing.

*******

Mackenzie closed Nick and Madison’s door behind her as she reached the top of the stairs.
“They’ll be up in a minute.” She smiled.
“They better hurry up. I am starving!” Garrett said.
“I’m sure they won’t take too long.”
“I’ll believe you….for now.” He winked.
The guys were all in their clothes from last night and didn’t bother changing. Mackenzie, however, got up a few minutes earlier than they did so she could change and do her hair somewhat. She didn’t want them to think she was a slob. Just as the guys started forming their own conversations and Mackenzie was feeling left out, Madison and Nick came through their door, ready to go.
“So, let’s just take the van, that way we can all fit.” Nick said, picking up the keys to it from the counter.
“We’ve got one person more than the seats will fit.” Justin said.
“Eh, Mackenzie can sit on my lap, it’s cool. Let’s just go before my stomach eats itself.” Garrett said on his way out the door. Madison looked back at Mackenzie and smirked. She went up to her as the guys exited the apartment.
“He totally likes you.” She whispered into Mackenzie’s ear.
“Shh! Don’t jinx it, okay?” She laughed as they started following the guys. Madison shut the door behind them, since they were the last ones out.
“Shot gun!” John called, racing toward the car, laughing.
“Hey.” Madison whined.
“If I’m driving, my girl gets the front seat.” Nick said as he unlocked the driver side door.
“Then, someone else drive!” John insisted.
“Does anyone else even feel like driving?” Nick asked and looked around at his friends. No one said anything and he laughed. “It’s settled then. I’m driving and Madison gets the front.” He slid into the seat and unlocked the rest of the doors. John crossed his arms like a child and went to the back. Madison stuck her tongue out at him as she hopped in the front. She kissed Nick’s cheek before buckling her seat belt and closing the door. Everyone else got in the back and Mackenzie stood outside.
“Come on, Kenz. I was serious. You can sit on my lap.” Garrett said.
“Are….are you sure?”
“Yes, now let’s goooo!” Mackenzie slowly got in and sat on Garrett. He groaned as if in pain.
“See!” She jumped off him.
“Oh gosh!” He started laughing. “I was just kidding! You’re fine. Come on.” He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back into his lap before closing the door.

******

Later that night, the partying continued. Justin, Loren, Garrett, and Mackenzie were watching Zombie on TV while Pat, Halvo, and John were outside acting like children. Jared, Kennedy, Nick, and Madison were sitting in the chairs outside talking, joking, and drinking.
Mackenzie had stretched her legs out on Garrett’s lap and his hand gently sat on her knee. They were both so into the movie, they didn’t even realize it. Justin looked at the two of them and then to Loren.
“You want a drink?” He asked Loren.
“No, I’m good.” He replied. Justin looked at him and gestured toward Garrett and Mackenzie. Loren looked over, realizing what Justin was trying to do. “Oh, yeah. Let’s go.” The two of them got up from the couch and went outside to join everyone else. Once they did so, Garrett’s focus moved from the movie to Mackenzie. He kept looking at her from the corner of his eye. She was so focused on the movie, he was sure she wouldn’t notice.
“What?” She asked, still staring at the TV. Garrett cleared his throat.
“What, what? What are you talking about?”
“Oh, come on. You were totally staring at me from the corner of your eye.” She turned to face him and she moved her legs from his lap.
“Whaaaaat? No, I wasn’t.” He turned away awkwardly and rested his head on his arm that was now on the armrest.
“Yes, you were!” She chuckled.
“Okay, maybe I was.”
“Why?”
“Don’t get mad?”
“Why would I get mad?”
“Well, John might have told me that you liked me.” Mackenzie looked away and closed her eyes tightly.
“How does John know?”
“I don’t know, but that doesn’t matter--”
“I’m gonna kill Madison.” She stood up.
“Wait.” Garrett stood up and pulled her back onto the couch.
“Wait? Why would I wait?”
“Would you let me get a full sentence out first?” He laughed. “I was trying to say that it doesn’t matter ‘cause I….kinda like you, too.” He smiled.
“Really?”
“Yeah, you’re, like, the girl version of me. Wait…that came out wrong…”
“I get what you’re trying to say, Garrett.” She chuckled and moved closer to him. “Look, this is probably going to sound dumb, and you can totally say no if you want to, but there’s this dance that they have at my school every year and….would you, maybe, want to go with me? It’s not for, like, a month or whatever, but I know I won’t get a date. Not to say you’re a last resort, I just mean--”
“Hey.” Garrett chuckled. “Slow down. It sounds like it’d be fun.”
“Really? So…you’ll go with me?”
“Yeah! It could be, like, a date. Unless you don’t want it to be a date, it could be something else if that’s what you prefer.”
Mackenzie started laughing. “Geeze. I see what you were saying. I am the girl version of you. Yes, it’d be a date. Now, let’s stop making this so awkward and join the rest of the party, yeah?” She stood up and held out her hand for him to grab.