After homecoming, they were right. Bryson didn't look as hot as I thought he was. I guess having a broken nose, and two black eyes will do that to you. His girlfriend seemed equally rough. Do I feel bad for them? Nope, not one bit.

What happened at homecoming with me had been forgotten after Bryson showed up to school looking like Frankenstein's monster. Well, at least he has a good Halloween costume. Makeup is not needed.

I looked at posters plastered around the school about the fall festival carnival. I would go with my friends since there wasn't always stuff to do here. We would take any opportunity to have fun. As I stood there looking at the poster, I heard someone say, "Oh, great. Another carnival." I turned to see Nixon standing next to me.

"You're not going?"

He looked at me and snorted, "Oh, hell no! You won't catch me dead there."

Kat and Marcy walked up. "We won't catch you dead where?" Kat asked.

"Oh, Nixon feels carnivals are beneath him," I said.

"Really? I love them."

"You know there's always a chance to change one's mind," he said with a slight smile.

I couldn't help but want to laugh at the way he changed his tune when Kat was around.

"So, are you going?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Cool. I guess I'll see you there. We got to head to class before we're late. See you later, Mags. Later, Nixon," Kat said.

"Later, Kat." I turned and looked at him. "So much for not going."

"Oh, shut up." He walked past me as I laughed. It was interesting to watch him turn to jello around Kat.

"A carnival? Those things are lame," Nathan whined.

"Well, too bad. You're all going," Pat said.

"But Ma!" They all protested.

"No, we have done nothing as a family in a long time. With Nash home, I want to spend time with my family."

I came into the kitchen.

"This all your fault," Nathan said.

I stopped and looked at him. "What's my fault?"

"Because of you, we all have to go to that stupid carnival," Noah huffed.

"Okay, first, I didn't even know any of you were going. Second, my friends and I go every year," I said.

"Pft whatever."

We started arguing when Nash came into the kitchen.

"What are you two fighting about?" He asked.

"Well, thanks to Maggie, we all have to go to the carnival," Nolan said.

"What's wrong with a carnival?"

"They're lame," Nathan said.

"You're lame, but you don't see us complaining about you, do you?" He asked him, causing him to shut up. I had to admit that was funny.

It didn't matter how much they whined and complained. They were still going. I wanted to have some fun with my friends.

At the carnival, I caught up with my friends. Well, that was until Nixon stole Kat away from me. I had to shake my head and roll my eyes. The twins grumbled until Marcy and Macey asked if they wanted to ride rides with them, which they changed their tune. Then there was one.

Nash and Nolan hit the rides together, as did Pat and Nate. Great, everyone had someone to ride the rides with except for me. I walked around aimlessly, trying to figure out what to do. Most rides required a partner, so I got stuck with some schmuck who didn't have one. That seemed to be my luck of late.

After two rides, I grabbed a refreshment and found a picnic table to sit at. As I sat there alone, Bryson and Tiffany walked up. Even better.

"Oh, look. Maggie's alone without her bodyguards," he sneered.

Will someone please explain to me why I liked this tool for four years?

"They're here."

"Where? Because, as I can see, they're not around." He acted all smug.

"Don't worry. They're around."

"Thanks to them, they broke my fucking nose!" He screeched at me.

"I guess you shouldn't have read my journal, you douche," I said, pissing him right off. I won't let Bryson intimidate me.

He started walking towards me as I got up. He took a swing at me. I hauled off, hit him with my fist, and caused him to stumble back.

"You bitch! I think you broke my nose!" He grabbed his face in pain.

"It'll make you look better. But then again, you have a shitty personality, so I doubt it."

He got his composure and took another step towards me before someone caught him. "The lady has spoken once with her fist. You may not want to feel her answer again."

We looked to see Nash holding Bryson's arm. Bryson jerked away and stormed off, with Tiffany scampering behind him.

"Well, we know you can handle yourself if need be."

"I can't believe I ever liked that tool."

We laughed.

"Where's Nolan?"

"The little shit found some girl to hang with."

"Oh."

We stood there awkwardly.

"So, do you want to ride the Ferris wheel?"

"Yeah, why not?"

Anything was better than standing here in awkward silence. We stood in line and entered the ride, getting into a bucket. The ride started as we went up.

"So, it hasn't been too bad of a night, has it?"

"If you consider getting stuck riding the rides with some schmuck and having to deal with an ex-crush, yeah, sure." I sighed.

"Yeah, I guess that can be sucky."

"Story of My Life."I sat there as he tried to figure out what to say to me.

"Have you been to the funhouse?"

I looked at him. "What?"

"The funhouse? Did you go through it yet?"

"No, and usually, that's one I go to."

"Good. After the Ferris wheel, we'll go through the funhouse."

After going around a couple of times on the Ferris wheel, we got off and headed to the funhouse. It was a lot of fun, making our way through. Once done, we walked around, trying to find everyone. Then we came across a dance floor with people dancing.

He looked at me. "Want to dance?"

"Oh, I don't know."

We saw his parents danced.

His mom yelled, "The both of you, come on!"

"I guess we should do as she says before she gives us a hard time."

"Oh, fine." I sighed.

We walked onto the dance floor. He took my hand in one hand and placed his hand on my lower back as he held me in a dance stance. The music started playing, and he started moving. I followed along with him, looking at my feet. I was a horrible dancer.

"Mags, look at me."

"I'm afraid if I don't look at my feet, I'll fall."

"Do you trust me?"

I looked at him.

"Trust me. I won't let you fall. Look up and follow my lead."

I looked up at him as he moved. I followed him, and the minute I tripped, he caught me. He was right. He didn't let me fall. At that moment, I trusted Nash. I moved around with him. He twirled me around and pulled me back to him.

Nash was a great dancer. I smiled as he smiled.

As we danced, his parents looked at us. "See, I told you," his mom said.

"Okay, I'll admit that they look cute together," his dad said.

"Cute? Oh, Hunny. That's our future daughter-in-law," she corrected him.

"Patricia, not every person is meant for each other."

"True, but I know my instincts. This time they are telling me those two will end up together."

"Maybe, but if it's meant to be, then it will be."

They danced.

The others walked up and saw us dancing.

"Interesting," Kat said.

"What is?" Nixon asked.

"Maggie rarely dances."

"Well, she looks like she's dancing now."

"No, you don't understand. Maggie can't dance. The girl has two left feet," Marcy said.

They all looked at Nash and me, dancing.

"For a girl that has two left feet, she's doing a decent job," Noah said.

"Sometimes, you need the right partner to help you," Marcy added.

"What are you saying, Nash and Maggie?" Nathan asked. "No way."

"Is it impossible to believe that maybe they're good together?" Kat asked.

They looked at us as we danced, talked, and laughed.

"Look at them. They look happy. Don't Nash and Maggie deserve to be happy?" Marcy asked them.

Nixon sighed. "Maybe."

"There's no maybe. If any two people belong together, it's those two. And that's why we'll give them the push they need," Kat said.

"You're starting to sound like Ma."

"That's a good thing." She smiled.

"No, that's a scary thing," Nathan said.

That's when my friends and the brothers conspired to get Nash and me together. What could go wrong? Everything.