Mackenzie was stretched out on the hotel bed, ready to do nothing. She was going to watch a movie and go to bed. And it was Valentine's Day.

The next thing she knew there was a knock on the door and she groaned, but obligingly got up to answer it. "Someone better be bleeding," she grumbled. When she swung open the door, she saw Justin standing there with a forlorn look on his face. "Let me guess," he said. "The guys went out, and won't use their influence to get underaged you into a club, so you wanted to know if you could come and hang out with me," she said.

"Please Macky, I need intelligent conversation," he begged.

"And you came here to find it?" she asked.

"Pleeeeeeeeease?" he begged again.

"Get on your knees and I'll consider it," she smiled.

"Bite me," he said.

"However tempting that might be...where and how hard?"

"Wherever you would like sweetie."

"Right. Come in, make yourself at home, yadda yadda yadda," she said.

He did so. He sped right past her and jumped onto one of the beds and bounced a couple times until the bed settled. "I didn't mean like that, but whatever," Macky said, bouncing down next to him.

"What were you gonna do?" Justin asked.

"Just hang out. Watch a movie."

"Cool."

"A chick flick."

"Oh," he said. "I guess it's better than being all alone in the hotel room," he said.

"Be still. While You Were Sleeping," she said, as if that were the signal to shut up. But the talking didn't stop. "When are you guys back in the states?" she asked.

"We're going back next week sometime," Justin said, not really interested in the movie. "But that means I get to see my mom. And then I get to see Jon sometime soon after that. So that makes me really happy," he said.

"That's cool," she said. "I think my parents are going to go back to the U.S.," Mackenzie said. "Rather than staying with Anne and trying to find jobs on another tour."

"That's cool," Justin said. "Mainly we have to do some album work and stuff like that. Is your mom going to keep being our tutor?"

"Well she's going to be mine, definitely."

"You know what I meant."

"I think so. She hasn't said anything about finding another brat to teach," she said.

"Why would she do that? She's got two right here," Justin said.

"Right. Funny funny. Watch the movie," Mackenzie ordered as she held her teddy bear.

"That was sweet," she sighed when the ending came.

"He put the ring where the tray is, Macky, get over it."

"But he didn't say anything. Just gave her the ring and left it. Like, 'You know what to do like this'."

"You are such a chick," Justin said.

Mackenzie raised an eyebrow at him. "And that's bad why....?"

"It means, my dear Macky, that you are sentimental, sappy, romantic, and...and..."

"Smart?" Mackenzie offered.

"Yeah," Justin said. "Well, no-"

"You're a guy Justin," she said.

"Um, last time I checked," he said.

"Which means your crazy, obsessive, and horny as a toad," Mackenzie said. "The exact opposite of everything I am."

Which made them such a good pair, but neither of them knew that yet.

"Am not," Justin said. "I can be all that stuff."

"Sweet, romantic, and unpredictable?" Mackenzie asked skeptically.

"Hell yeah," Justin said.

"Ha!" Mackenzie laughed. "You cannot."

"Can so."

"Nope."

"I can!"

"Uh uh."

"Whatever," he said.

"Right," she said. "You couldn't be unpredictable if your life depended on it," Mackenzie said.

"Could so," they both said, just proving Mackenzie's point.

"Justin, face it, you and half of the males on this planet can't do or say anything that isn't predictable," Mackenzie said.

"That's not true," they both said again.

"Well, just because you're right," Justin said.

"Right. Alright, final test Mr. Studmuffin. What would you do if you were going to ask a girl to marry you?"

"How can you be so sure it would be a girl."

"Justin, humor me, please."

"Okay...lets see...I would give her a ring...look deep into her eyes...and ask....'Do you want fries with that'?"

"Justin!!" she said, hitting his arm.

"Okay okay. I would say will you marry me," Justin said.

"Ah ha!" Mackenzie shouted. "I told you, told you. You. Are. Predictable. Women would be expecting that. It's so...unoriginal."

"It's all in the deliverance, Mackenzie dear."

"Rubbish," Mackienzie argued. "I bet that you couldn't ask a girl to marry you without using those words. I'll bet you."

"Bet what?" Justin asked.

"Just the satisfaction and glory of knowing that I was right," Mackenzie said.

"You mean I was right," Justin said.

"Whatever," Mackenzie said.

"Fine," Justin said, shaking Mackenzie's hand briskly. "But I bet you couldn't accept without saying yes," he added.

"Fine." Mackenzie said. "It's a bet."

"It's a bet...ooh! Jurassic Park is going to be on next!" he said excitedly.

"A guy, Mackenzie," she said to herself. "Remember...he is only male."

Two hours later, Jurassic Park was over and both Mackenzie and Justin were asleep on the bed. You can only imagine Mackenzie's parent's reactions.

Carol came in the door from her dinner and movie with Daniel, and saw Justin and Mackenzie asleep. In the same bed. She closed her eyes. "Please tell me that's not our sixteen year old daughter with the seventeen year old Justin," she whispered.

"That's not our sixteen year old daughter with the seventeen year old Justin," he answered her.

"Liar," she said. "Mackenzie, wake up," she said sharply.

Mackenzie woke up. When she realized what kind of position she was in, and what kind of position Justin was in, she nudged Justin with her hand. "Um, Justin, you might want to wake up," she said.

"Just five more minutes Lance," Justin said.

"Justin!" Mackenzie yelled at him.

"What?!" he asked. Mackenzie pointed to her parents in the room. "Oh dear," he said. "This isn't what it looks like-"

"Justin, go to your room," Carol said. She was obviously the more uptight of the two parents.

"Bye," Justin squeaked and hurried out of the room.

Mackenzie looked at her mother. "Mom, this wasn't what it looked like at all. He just came in here, we watched a couple movies, and we accidentally fell asleep. You have to believe me!" Mackenzie said.

"Of course I do honey," Carol said.

"Why did you send him scurrying out of here then?" she asked.

"Please. It's all psychological," Carol said, taking off her coat. "I knew that you two are practically best friends, and would think if you got caught like that then we would automatically assume that we assumed that you two were doing...what's that band's name for it, dear?" she asked Mackenzie.

"Um, nookie?" she suggested.

"Yes, that's the one. Well, I just used your thoughts against you," she said.

Mackenzie shook her head. "That wasn't fair."

"I said I'd get back at you for that excursion to Colorado Springs, didn't I?" she said.

"Yes you did," Mackenzie admitted sadly.

"Don't worry sweetie," Carol said, coming over to sit next to her and put her arm around Mackenzie. "I think it's great that you and Justin are really great friends."

"You do?" she asked.

"Yep. It wasn't an accident, that's for sure," Carol said. She kissed the top of Mackenzie's head. "Now go to bed. What's today's bible verse?" she asked.

"John 11:35," Mackenzie stated. "Jesus wept."

"A little tired?" Carol laughed. Mackenzie nodded. "Well, get some sleep then," she said. "Good night."

"Good night."

It was no accident me finding you
Someone had a hand in it
Long before we ever knew...
-- Keeper of the Stars by Tracy Byrd