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Laying in Ben's bed after school, Mackie and Ben kiss each other as music plays in the background, they haven't gotten to spend any alone time together since Mackie moved. "Ben, I'm home!" His mom slams the door walking in

"What the fuck" Ben sighs pulling away "don't move," he says to Mackie walking out of his room. "Hi mom" he meets her as she drops her things

"Hey, did your sister come by? She was supposed to pick up this check that was mailed here."

"Uh no but you should take it to her,"

"Why? She's basically here every day anyway, and I have to start dinner"

Trying his best to get rid of his mother, "ohkay but she always complains about how you guys never go over and spend time with her" he lies.

Thinking his mom answers "ok fine I'll stop by but I'm picking up a pizza on the way back I'm not cooking."

"That's fine" Ben turns to walk away.

"Get your homework done,"

"I will" he walks in his room shutting the door, Ben sees Mackie putting his shoes on, "you're leaving? But I just got rid of her"

"I know I'm sorry" he stands up getting his jacket and putting it on, "I have to get to work"

Ben frowns "but I never get to see you,"

Mackie smiles "we're at school together all day, Ben"

"Alone Mackie I meant alone, I haven't even been to your new place yet we'd get a lot of privacy there."

"You want privacy?" Ben nods "why?"

Irritated that Mackie won't get the hint Ben's frown turns to anger, "we've been together two months now and I think we're ready for the next step, but it kind of feels like you don't want to be with me that way."

"Ben, how am I gonna know you're ready if you don't tell me? Of course, I want to be with you that way, why wouldn't I?"

Ben shrugs "you won't take me to your new place, so I figured it's because you don't want to be alone with me."

"I won't take you to the house because I'm pretty sure you won't like Maeve, and I don't want her to get judged."

"You think I'll judge her?" Ben looks into Mackie's eyes and Mackie feels he said the wrong thing. "You think I'm still that person?"

"Ben come on I just mean that she's not your type of person, and you don't really mix with people you don't get along with."

"You weren't my type of person and yet look at us, and anyway I wouldn't be going there for Maeve I'd be there for you." Ben is clearly mad at Mackie "you know what? Go to work" he walks away from Mackie opening his door, "call me when you're done being a jerk."

"Why are you mad?"

"Asking me that is going to make me more mad Mackie just go." Sighing disappointedly Mackie walks out of his room and turns to get the door slammed in his face. Pissed Ben sits in front of his computer calling Brooke on video chat. "I hate men" he starts when she answers

"What's up?"

"I keep asking Mackie to take me to his new place, right? But he wouldn't then he finally tells me it's because he thinks I'll judge his roommate. Like why the fuck would I do that?"

"Maybe she's pretty and he doesn't want you to be jealous?" Brooke guesses

"Brooke, why would you say that?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Tell me she's ugly and I have nothing to worry about!"

"Well, why are you worried? It's a girl and Mackie's with you,"

"True but I've never even heard Mackie admit that he's gay, what if he's just someone who's into anything?"

"Like a bisexual?"

"No worse, a pansexual"

Brooke gasps then asks "wait what's a pansexual?"

Rolling his eyes, "oh my god Brooke be a little helpful, why won't Mackie let me meet her?"

She shrugs "just ask him, Ben, it's not that hard"

"We got in a fight so I can't do that. Wish I knew more about her so I could find her online or something,"

"What do you know?"

"Mackie said she's like 22, goes to college, and works at Eddie's."

"I've heard of that place it's the pub, right?" Ben nods, picking up her phone Brooke starts to search "which Eddie's? There's one in Lansing and one in Geneva"

"I don't know but Geneva is probably the closest to where he lives so check that one."

Going on the pub's social pages she flips through pictures, "there's a couple of girls tagged in the pictures on the Eddie's homepage in Geneva, who am I looking for?"

"Her name's Maeve,"

"Stupid name."

"Right!" This is why Mackie was worried Ben would judge her

Clicking until she finds something Brooke jumps "I found her! Maeve Sweeney!" He says her full name

"Brooke you FBI agent!" He types the name in Facebook, finding her page he recalls the dark-haired girl in Mackie's backseat and matches it to her profile. "That's her it has to be" he clicks on her pictures

"What do you think?" Brooke asks as Ben examines her

"She's..." he's trying his hardest not to judge the skinny girl with frizzy curly hair, and arm tattoos. "She's fine I don't know why I was worried."

"If you think so"

Nodding "if there was something going on between them I would've sensed it, Mackie's not that great at hiding things" if only Ben knew his boyfriend well enough.

"When are you going to tell me where you're staying?" Mackie's mom walks over to him while he's under the hood of a car

"Ma I told you I'm fine, what more do you need?"

"To know where you are, if you're eating, and going to school"

"I'm fine, I eat, and yes I'm going to school" he stands up dropping his tool and turning to her, "how are the boys?"

"Sad, they miss their big brother,"

"I want to come see them, mom, but I don't want to be around dad or Harley so..."

"I have an idea, why don't you watch them? Tomorrow after school, you can pick them up here and take them to the house. Your father will be at work and your brother's been M.I.A since you left, so you'll have the house all to yourself."

Thinking about it before he answers, Mackie knows he can't say no to his little brothers, "all right I'll do it."

With a grin on her face "great, maybe I'll close up early and join you guys. We should go see a movie or bowling or something"

"Whatever you want ma," Mackie watches her excitedly walk away.

Next morning on his way to pick Ben up Mackie practices his apology for yesterday, realizing he's being a little too hard on Ben he decides to give the boy what he wants, and Maeve made it clear that he doesn't need to protect her because she won't care if Ben likes her or not. Getting to his house Mackie rings the doorbell waiting, still pretty upset Ben opens the door with no smile or greeting "good morning" Mackie decides to start.

"Hi, I'm ready to go" Ben steps out wearing his backpack, he shuts the door and walks away.

"Ben wait" Mackie follows him, stopping on the path between the lawns Ben turns back to Mackie, "I'm trying to apologize for yesterday."

"Ok I'm listening"

"I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance and just assumed the worst. Of course, you're not that person anymore and I'm the perfect example to prove that. You were right, you wouldn't be there for Maeve you'd be there for me. So..." he reaches in his pocket pulling something out "I got you this" he holds it up.

"A key?" Ben looks at it

"It's a key to my place, I want you to have it so you can feel free to come whenever you want. If you need a getaway or you just miss me." He hands the key to Ben

Taking it Ben looks back up at his boyfriend "good save," he smiles moving closer kissing Mackie. "Can I go see it after school then?"

"Oh I can't but only because my mom asked me to watch my little brothers, I haven't seen them since I left and they've been asking for me."

"I understand" Ben smiles caressing Mackie's face, "some other time then"

"This is gonna happen" Mackie wraps an arm around Ben's waist, "you just wait." With a smile on both their faces the boys lean close and start to kiss.

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