Fantasy World

"Oh my gosh, there she is!"

"Where?" Maci almost jumped out of her skin, trying to see where Steven was pointing. She was on edge and anxious as ever. She had never missed someone so much before. It was like her other half had been relocated to the other side of the world. 

Steven chuckled. "I was kidding," he admitted. 

Maci glared at him. "That isn't funny," she told him darkly. 

He nudged her side with his arm. "I think it is," he responded. 

"Mace?" Steven's mother called out. 

Maci looked over in her direction. The woman bit back her smile as she nodded towards the gate. Maci looked over just in time to see a familiar head of blonde hair exiting the tunnel from the plane. 

She launched out of her seat and sprinted through the people, yelling her best friend's name. Stephanie dropped her suitcase to hug the brunette. Tears welled in both of their eyes as the embraced one another. "I miss you so much!" Maci exclaimed. 

"I missed you even more!" Stephanie argued. 

Maci bit her lips to keep from crying. Stephanie was finally home. "Okay, break it up. I want to see my baby sister, too," Steven said. 

The two pulled away from each other, only for Stephanie to be wrapped up in several more hugs. Maci stood off to the side, watching her childhood best friend greet her parents. "Don't cry," Steven warned softly beside her. 

She looked up at him, quickly wiping away a stray tear. "Shut up," she mumbled with a small laugh.

Steven laughed gently before pulling her into his side. "Aw... No need for tears, Mace," he said softly. 

She melted against his side, begging her eyes to stop tearing up. "I missed her," she mumbled. 

Steven rubbed her arm comfortingly. "If she sees you crying, she'll start crying and I'll be stuck in the car with two bawling women," he said. Maci let out a small laugh and continued to wipe furiously at her cheeks. She wasn't sad or upset. She just felt so relieved and happy. Steven lightly brushed the pad of his thumb against her cheek.

From her position a few feet away, Stephanie eyed her brother carefully. She watched as he comforted her best friend, making her smile and laugh. "Ready to head to Steven's house?" her father interrupted.

Stephanie jumped and looked at her dad. "Yeah, let's go," she agreed. He picked up her bag for her and began walking towards the baggage claim. Steven dropped his arm from around the brunette as they began walking. 

Maci fell into step beside her best friend. "You ready to graduate?" Stephanie asked excitedly. 

Maci grinned and nodded her head. "You have no idea!"

They fell into their normal, breezy conversation as they group trekked to the baggage claim. Steven tugged his hat over his head and adjust his sun glasses in hopes he'd get through unnoticed. "So, are you going to introduce me to this man of yours?" Stephanie asked with a hint in her voice. 

Maci rolled her eyes, though they landed on the tall blonde walking with his parents. "Maybe... We're trying to figure out what we want to do at the moment," she admitted softly. 

"What do you mean?" Stephanie questioned curiously. 

Maci shrugged her small shoulders. "Just kind of... In limbo if we want to start a relationship or stay friends," she explained.

Steven kept his ears pricked, trying to pick up what the two behind him were saying. Just as he almost caught on to their conversation, his name was yelled out. 

"Steven Stamkos!"

The whole troop paused as two young boys ran forward. Their eyes glowed as they looked up at Steven. "Can we have your autograph?" the smallest one asked as he held out a pen and piece of paper. 

Steven grinned as he kneeled down. "Of course! What's your name, bud?" he asked as he began writing on the paper. 

"Trevor!" the boy exclaimed happily. 

Maci watched as he conversed with the two boys, unphased that his hat and glasses hadn't worked. He signed a piece of paper for each of them and spoke to them for a few minutes before standing up again. "We better get going. We have to take my sister home," he explained as he jerked a finger towards Stephanie. 

The boys nodded and glanced at the two girls. "Is that your girlfriend?" the older one asked as he pointed to Maci. 

Maci felt her face pale considerably. Her heart stopped its beating in that second. A soft nudge from her side reminded her to keep breathing. She looked up to see Mrs. Stamkos giving her a smile. 

Steven chuckled. "Nah, that's Maci," he told them. 

The little boy blushed furiously. "She's really pretty," he mumbled. 

Steven glanced over at her, agreeing completely in his head. "I bet if you go ask for a hug, she'd give you one," he told the little boy. 

Trevor blushed further as he stepped up to Maci. "Can I have a hug?" he asked softly. 

Maci melted on the spot. "Of course," she told him as she bent down to hug him. 

"Mr. Stamkos is sure lucky you're his girlfriend," he told her before giggling and running back to his mother, his brother right behind him. 

"Looks like Maci has admirers," Mr. Stamkos commented jokingly. 

They all laughed and began walking again. Stephanie and her best friend fell behind the group slightly. "So people think you're his girlfriend, eh?"

Maci shook her head. "People see someone famous out with a girl a few times and their minds automatically jump to a relationship," she mumbled.