Array
(
[text] =>

Borrowing Serena's car Ben drives 40 minutes to Mackie's place, it's been 2 days of Mackie ignoring his calls and not showing up to school, and Ben hates suspense. So, if this was Mackie breaking up with him, Ben wanted it to happen face to face.

Getting there he sees Mackie's bike and car so he knows he's home, using his key Ben lets himself in. Jumping off the couch when Ben walks in, Maeve rushes over to him "hey Ben how's it going?" She tries blocking him as he heads for the hall where their bedrooms are,

"I need to talk to Mackie,"

"Oh um he's not home but I can take a message."

"Maeve I get you're trying to be a friend" she blocks every move he makes, "but I know he's here both his bike and car are outside, I just want to talk."

"Right ok and I'm totally cool with that but-"

Annoyed with Maeve blocking him Ben decides to just yell to get Mackie's attention, "MACKENZIE DENVER I KNOW YOU'RE HOME! SO GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE AND TALK TO ME!" He screams

"Or you can do that..." Maeve drops trying to block him and gets out of the way.

As he's walking into the hall heading to Mackie's room, Mackie's door opens and he walks out with a guy behind him. Ben stops walking shocked by what he's seeing, "what are you doing here?" Mackie asks standing at the end of the hall shirtless

Chuckling to hide how mad the thoughts running through his mind are making him, Ben asks "who's he?" Pointing to Mackie's friend JP. "You move on quick"

"Go home, Ben"

"No! Not until you talk to me "

"I don't want to talk to you." Ben didn't think a lot could hurt Mackie, now he knows what it takes.

"Fine..." he sighs deciding to leave but before he does, "just so you know tomorrow I'm going to come clean about Jenny. Jeremy's going to get expelled and even though I hate him and that kiss meant nothing, no one should be punished for something I did." Ben waits for a reaction but Mackie acts as if he doesn't care. "You're not gonna say anything? Or try to stop me?" Mackie shrugs "ok." Frowning Ben leaves getting back in the car.

Driving back to Serena's as he cries Ben doesn't know what he was expecting, he lied about coming clean to get a reaction out of Mackie. He doesn't want to come forward but maybe he should, maybe watching his life crumble would really get Mackie's attention.

"Ben if you come clean you're fucked" Ali drives to school the next day with Ben sitting next to her and Brooke in the back seat, "and I'm not talking about just being expelled, you're going to jail I looked it up."

"I'm not letting this happen to Jeremy,"

"Why not?! He's an ass anyway he'll deserve it."

"I don't care" he's friends have been trying to talk him out of confessing all yesterday, but there was only one thing on Ben's mind. The only person who can convince him is who he wants, and if Mackie doesn't try to then he'll do it.

He is nervous, once he comes clean everyone will know what he did and people are going to hate him for it. Walking towards the dean's office after class Ben prepares his speech, maybe if he begs they'll go easy on him, he's never been in trouble before. As he makes his way between the other students, Ben hears a wave of phones going off, he stops and looks around seeing everyone's reactions as they check their phones. Once they do so everyone looks up at him murmuring to each other

Confused Ben stops one of the girls from his class, "Melany what's going on?"

"Where's your phone?" She asks

Patting his pockets "shit I forgot it in my jacket pocket in my locker, why?"

"Um..." she reluctantly turns her phone, "this is your boyfriend right?" Showing him her phone Ben grabs it when he sees a picture of Mackie, but it isn't just a picture

"Who sent you this?" Ben asks worriedly

Melany shrugs "it says unknown number."

"Everyone got this?" He looks around at people staring at him "fuck!" Handing Melany her phone back Ben takes off running. Frantically looking for his friends Ben finds Jeremy laughing with his friends as they're writing on Mackie's locker instead. Rushing closer "what the fuck is wrong with you?" Ben yanks the marker from his hand, "you did this, didn't you?"

"No" he laughs, "but I wish I did that dirty thug doesn't get to give me this and get away with it" Jeremy points to his black eye.

Rolling his eyes "grow the fuck up Jeremy," Ben throws the marker on the floor walking away.

"TELL YOUR BOYFRIEND HE'S DOING EVERYONE A FAVOR NOT SHOWING HIS DIRTY FACE AROUND HERE!" Jeremy yells after Ben as he walks away.

"I'm going on break" Mackie walks into his mom's office saying,

"Bring me back a coffee?"

"Sure." He leaves going down the street to the diner

Getting Ali to drop him off at Denver Auto, Ben walks in looking around for Mackie. When he sees everyone else but Mackie he continues until he finds his mom's office in the back. He gently knocks on the open door and Mackie's mom turns, "hi" he smiles waving "sorry to bother you but I'm looking for Mackie."

"Hey, he is on his break left like five minutes ago."

"Oh, where do you think I could find him?"

"Diner down the street, he's always there on his break."

"Right..." Ben thinks about leaving but not before he says, "it's nice to properly meet you, by the way, I don't know if Mackie's told you about me but I'm Ben."

"He doesn't tell me much but I know about you, it's nice to meet you too."

"Thank you" he smiles, "I'll see you around."

"Before you go" she stops him from leaving "how is he? I mean on his own and all"

"Uh fine" Ben lies, "he... eats"

Chuckling, "thanks I worry about him."

"You shouldn't Mackie's really strong."

"I know trust me, but still doesn't mean I don't worry"

Nodding "well I better go find him."

"Right when you're done tell him to bring his butt back here."

"Okay," Ben leaves.

Walking to the diner Ben walks in seeing him at a booth alone, he goes over and slides in in front of him. Looking at Ben in front of him Mackie sighs, "what are you doing here, Ben?" He leans back in his seat

"I know you don't want to see me, but there's something I need to show you."

"What?"

Ben reached in his pocket for his phone, "I don't know who did it, but I'll find out I promise."

"What are you talking about?"

Pulling up the text with the photo Ben hands Mackie his phone, staring at it Mackie sees his mugshot from when he got arrested last year with the caption A dirty criminal walks among us. "I'm so sorry Mackie I bet this is only happening because of me, and I can't prove it yet but I think Jeremy did it."

"It was me," Mackie confesses handing Ben his phone back.

"Here you go" the waitress comes over dropping his food in front of him, "I'll get you a refill on that root beer."

"Thanks," as Mackie's getting his food Ben can't help but stare dumbfounded by the revelation. "Say something," Mackie looks at Ben's frozen expression after the waitress walks away.

"What do you mean it was you?" Ben asks confused

"Did you know that arrest records are public? All you need is the person's full name and I mean think about it, who else could it have been? No one in that school knows my first name, everyone just calls me dirty Denver so." Picking up a fry about to eat it, Ben pulls it out of Mackie's hand dropping it back on the plate. "Ben" Mackie chuckles

"Why? Why would you do something so fucked up?" He waits for an explanation

"If everyone's worried about who exposed my mugshot no one's gonna be worried about the Jenny thing." Ben's facial expression changes, "and if they're not worried about Jenny Field-"

"I don't have to come clean" he stares at Mackie who's just eating. "I don't understand, why would you do this if you're mad at me?"

"Yesterday when you told me you were going to confess I believed you, I don't want you to get in trouble, Ben."

"Ok but Mackie do you understand what you just did? You basically gave everyone an invitation into your life, who knows what's going to happen now."

"People are gonna talk more shit about me, and I don't care Ben they can say whatever they want. None of them can touch me so..." Quickly eating as much as he can Mackie checks his watch, "I have to get back to work" he drops cash on the table.

"Wait" Ben stops him as he's getting up, "can we talk later or something?"

"I'm not ready for that yet Ben," Mackie looks down at him after getting out of the booth.

"So you do this amazing thing for me, but you can't forgive me?" Ben smiles not believing him

"I can care about you and still be mad, whatever ties you have with Jeremy I can't be with you until you let them go." He looks at Ben's sad face, leaning down Mackie kisses Ben's head "I'm sorry," he whispers then moves away leaving Ben in the diner.

[text_hash] => b6ad8a47
)