✆

"MAC," JUNIOR'S VOICE is deep and rough, thick with tears. Mackenzie's heart slows down and she remains completely still. The room is dark aside from the light of the tv, giving the almost bare apartment an eerie feel.

"Come back... " Junior's pleading wafts through the phone speaker only slightly muffled by the used tissues surrounding it on the coffee table. In the hour since Mackenzie had arrived, her brother's scarcely furnished living room had become covered in crumpled-up tissues. "Please."

"I need you, Mac. I want to marry you. You're all I have. I love you." His voice cracks at the end and Mac looks up to keep any of her own tears from falling, but eventually, they pool up enough to push over and run down her cheeks. Just like that, she's crying all over again.

"I'm sorry. I was mad and I-" He sniffles. "I don't know what to do. I'm so sorry. And-" 

Junior is silent for a moment. It isn't too long, but Mackenzie still checks her phone to make sure he didn't hang up.

"Just call me back or come home, or- I love you, Mac."

Mackenzie stares forward as the room once again goes silent.

"Love you too," She whispers and closes her eyes. From behind her eyelids, she sees the light of her phone fade out. She doesn't open her eyes for another couple of seconds, not until she feels the couch sink next to her and her brother nudge her arm with his shoulder.

He shoves his shaggy blonde hair off his forehead to reveal hazel eyes clouded with concern. She looked away.

"I wish you didn't have to go through all this shit, Mackenzie." Harry sighs as he hands her a carton of pistachio gelato and a spoon.

Mackenzie curls her legs up underneath her body as Harry presses play on Another Cinderella Story. Her red dress tickles her ankles and keeps her legs warm. Mac always loved the main character's cynical nature and how perfectly cool she is. She loved how she could grab the attention of the same guy who captivated others so easily. It's probably why she fell for a guy like Junior. The way he captivated her made her feel a little starstruck.

She wipes below her eyes and runs her mascara-covered fingertips down her dress. She uses a tissue to wipe away the rest of her smeared makeup. By the time she's finished, Mackenzie's eyes are raw and puffy, her lips chapped, and her cheeks red. 

It had only been a few moments but the words hung sourly in the air and she doesn't want to leave them alone any longer.

"Yeah, me too," Her laugh is dry and bitter. "Guess we don't always get what we want."

"Mackenzie," Harry lets his voice fade out. He doesn't know what to say. Although he's been in plenty of relationships, his only long-term one would be the one he is currently in and that's only five months strong. He's still navigating the whole commitment thing with his girlfriend, Sarah. Harry has no idea what to say to someone in his sister's position.

"You deserve a lot better than that asshole."

"I doubt that, considering."

Harry frowns but nods sympathetically. He'd already used every cliché breakup condolence he can remember from Sarah's chick flicks. He didn't care enough to watch any of Mackenzie's when he was younger and wishes he did now.

"Can we just not talk for a while?" Mackenzie asks. She grabs his arm and pulls it back over her shoulder, cuddling into his side. Her silky curtain bangs falling over her eyes like drapes as her lids grow heavy and slowly drop, long lashes brushing against her pale cheek. The tulle material of her dress makes the skin left exposed by Harry's basketball shorts itchy, but he doesn't dare move. His little sister is hurting and if it takes an itchy knee to help her, so be it.

"Of course. My lips are sealed."