1. Chapter 1 (1/2)

eh…this is super

long. maybe i got carried away? lol

okay, so i'm not

completely a lost cause. i forgot nick jonas' birthday! yay me!

yes, i'm glad about this, because it means i'm not a completely

obsessive, hystericaly, crazed, insane fangirl. in fact, i wouln't

have remembered if radio disney hadn't mentioned something…and

then i was excited! but not because it's nick jonas' birthday,

but because it's my half birthday!

disclaimer: i do not

own nick jonas, jonas

others, mcdonalds, or any mcdonalds food.

(although those french fries sounds sooooo good right now…)

___________________________________________________________________

it

was late, and she was tired. beyond tired. and who wouldn't be at

nearly midnight after working a seven hour shift at mcdonalds after

school all day? carter nodded to herself absently. yes, she had a

right to be tired.

"car, go grab me

some napkins?" shaun called out, but she didn't reply as she made

her way slowly and retrieved a large handful, taking her time walking

back to the drive through pick up window, "today would be nice."

she heard the sarcastic comment just before she entered the small

room.

with a glare, cater

handed her somewhat new friend what he had asked for, and he turned

to the customer and gave her some of the napkins, wishing the tired

looking a lady a nice night.

"rude." carter

said shortly, easily keeping back a smile at the boy her age.

"well," he

frowned, sandy blond hair falling into his eyes before he flicked it

back, "maybe if you weren't so slow..."

"i'm tired. what's

your excuse for being rude?" carter shot back, folding her arms and

tilting her head to the side.

"i had school today

too!" shaun replied, "remember us talking about being seniors

earlier?"

"yeah, but you

haven't been working since four." carter pretended to scoff,

throwing her shoulder length

own hair over her shoulders as she

spun and walked off.

"don't toss your

curls and stalk off!" shaun called after her, head popping out of

the doorway a moment later with a glare and carter stuck her tongue

out at him.

"waves not curls."

she tossed over her shoulder.

"whatever!" he

rolled his eyes, smiling now that their act was over, "maybe you

should-oh, customer!" with that, his head disappeared back into the

room.

carter tapped on the

wall as she walked back up front, having seen someone come in a

moment ago. habitually, she reached the front counter, giving the

person a moment to look at the menu while she got the computer ready

to put in a new order.

"need more napkins!"

shaun's voice called in a taunting tone, and carter knew he was

just kidding. she smiled before turning around to reply.

"get them yourself!"

she called back to him, mocking his tone with a laugh before turning

back to the customer who had stepped up to the counter, apparently

ready to order. she hoped she hadn't kept him waiting.

"hello." carter

spoke up, still sounding cheerful from shaun making her laugh. the

computer was ready for a new order, so she lifted her

ight blue

eyes upward, realizing she hadn't even bother to look at the

customer yet.

her blue eyes met warm

own ones, and carter felt herself freeze. it had never happened to

her before-freezing up on a customer-but there was something about

his

own eyes that drew her in. carter took in a sharp

eath,

almost positive she heard him do the same. she must have imagined it.

it was a full seven

seconds before she could get her mind up and working again, "what

can i get you?" she sounded

eathless, still unable to drop her

gaze. his silence gave her a moment to tear her eyes away and take in

his appearance

iefly.

he looked to be

somewhere around her age-and just as tired too. there was a small

smile playing at his lips, despite his looking like he just wanted

sleep. the stranger stood just a couple inches taller than her.

carter noticed his half worn looking converse, and smiled to herself

at their similar shoe preference before moving on to notice his blue

skinny jeans.

in the back, shaun

could be heard taking another order, and carter wasn't sure if

maybe she should ask the guy before her again what he wanted. instead

she finished her examination of him.

he wore a gray long

sleeved button up shirt with a plain white t-shirt underneath. the

button up was open and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows

though, giving his attire a more casual look. carter didn't have

much time left, and noticed at last minute that he was wearing a

plain chain around his neck, the charm she assumed was there beneath

his t-shirt.

"i'd just like

three bigmacs and sodas." he spoke politely, and carter had to

frantically regain herself as she tore her gaze away from him and put

in his order.

"for here or to go?"

carter asked robotically, once again looking up at him. his dark

own-almost black- curls looked partially windswept as if it had

been a long evening.

"to go." he

replied.

carter punched in the

order automatically, knowing that he was going to say to go before

the words had been spoken. there was no way he could eat three macs

unless it was his usual-and his waist wasn't large in the least.

"okay, just a couple

minutes and it should be up." she replied, unable to meet his eyes

as she licked her lips nervously. what was with her? why did he have

such an affect on her-he was a complete stranger!

but he had acted the

same way. frozen when their eyes met.

"thanks." was all

he said, but carter liked the way his voice sounded. telling him his

total, she gave him his change, daintily dropping the coins in his

open palm because she didn't want to make physical contact at all

for some strange, unknown reason.

shaun was already in

the back preparing the food, carter could hear so she focused on

busying her hands with getting him his cups. it was an awkward

silence-at least that's what it felt like for her. but she didn't

know why. it wasn't like they knew eachother.

"slow tonight?" he

asked, glancing around the deserted building before landing his eyes

back on her with a half, yet very tired, smile.

"very." carter

sighed.

"you look tired."

he surprised her by speaking up in a friendly tone.

"i am…you look

tired too." she spoke up, wondering why he was being friendly. most

costumers didn't care at all what the employees had to say unless

it was something about the food.

"a very long

night." he informed her with a grin, making her cheeks feel warm,

"but it was really fun."

"the state fair?"

carter guessed, knowing that it was right around that time-usually

mid to late september was when the fair was in town, meaning

mcdonalds was often swamped with families stopping for dinner before

going home.

he shook his head,

though, a strange look passing over his face a moment before he

replied, "concert."

"oh, man, i love

concerts." carter replied simply, smiling at the many she had been

to, "who'd you go for?"

at this, carter was

curious as he opened his mouth to speak before closing it again with

a furrowed

ow, looking quite uncertain. how hard could that

question really be?

"food's up."

shaun's call from the back came, interrupting their awkward, albeit

strangely friendly, conversation. carter didn't hesitate to turn

and grab the food, not missing the slightly relieved expression on

they guys face before she did so.

"here you go."

carter handed the bags to him,

ushing away the disappointment that

he had to leave now.

iefly, she wondered who he had ordered for

besides himself. probably his girlfriend. at this, carter scoffed at

her own disappointment at the thought.

"hey, what's the

date?" shaun called to her, and carter frowned, trying to remember