Tatum was actually at a loss for words. It wasn't often that Mackenzie came out with an affection declaration like that. It was an entirely different animal than any of the passes that the blonde made at her each day. She, for a rare moment, didn't seem like she was joking down. Which made it even more embarrassing. Tatum felt her cheeks heating up without any hope at a chance to stop them.

She wasn't sure how she was supposed to react. Things generally were so chill between them, it felt like they could say anything. But it didn't mean they always did. Even when they did get sappy and sweet, it was usually Tatum on the delivering end. Was this a test? Maybe she was supposed to react like Hunter did. She saw the way Mack acted with the other blonde. Maybe it was a joke.

But something in the seriousness of her friend's expression told her that it wasn't. She was flattered, honestly. She knew that Mackenzie was her friend, but it had never really occurred to her that the blonde would think that about her. As much as she had never said it, she always assumed she was a bit of a charity case, still a loser, really no different than any of the other nerds Mack stood up for; she just happened to be a more clingy one. But Mack thought she was beautiful? Or smart? That was something she would have never believed if she didn't hear the other girl blurt it herself. This was just like when she had gotten all emotional with Apple at Mardi Gras. What was up with her this year? She was like a feelings magnet.

After a moment of silence passing between them, the red head managed a weak smile. "Thanks man," she replied, equally weak. Deciding that if this was some random test of her bro-ness, she didn't want to fail, and so she did what she thought was probably the right idea. Reaching out with a loose fist, she gave Mackenzie's upper arm a little shove. "Don't be a fag," she joked, cracking a smile slightly. "Let's go watch some sexy bitches on Youtube."