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Ben couldn't ignore the stares while he walked down the halls, maybe it was the helmet or the fact that he made the mistake of kissing Mackie where everyone could see. Why should he care, right? It's easy to tell yourself to do what you love and not care what others think, that works for Mackie but not Ben. His popularity is all he has so if people are going to talk about him for kissing Mackie, then maybe thinking he could date him was a mistake.

As he walks to class, Ben sees Jeremy standing with his friends pointing and laughing at him. "Nice helmet, Denver" Jeremy calls out as he walks by.

Mad Ben rushes to his locker and tries to shove the helmet in but it doesn't fit. He keeps forcing and getting frustrated because it won't go in, so he gives up. Standing there while the hall empties, "hey" Mackie walks up to him "everything ok?"

Looking around to make sure no one sees Mackie talking to him, Ben replies "yeah... I have to go to class." He turns walking away.

"Wait, Ben-" but Ben keeps walking and Mackie shrugs not knowing what's truly bothering Ben.

"Are you ready? We're on our way" Mackie answers the phone after the bell rings for lunch,

"Yeah text me when you're out front,"

"All right" Mackie hangs up and goes looking for Ben before he leaves.

"Ali, Brooke wait up!" Ben sees them heading for the courtyard to have lunch,

They turn to him "until you're ready to tell us why you were kissing dirty Denver, we don't want to hear it" Ali responds.

"Ok then let me explain," Ben walks closer and they wait for the truth. "It didn't mean anything, all right?" They listen more interested "after I broke up with Jeremy I figured the only way to pay him back for cheating was to be with someone he can't stand, that's all it is."

"You don't like him?" Ali asks

"No" Ben shakes his head lying, "I'm just using him."

They both sigh relieved, "thank god Ben because I was honestly worried" Brooke pulls him along. "I mean you're carrying that ugly helmet so it seemed like something serious was actually going on between you guys" they walk out together.

Mackie turns the corner watching them exit, he heard everything. Shaking his head hurt he walks the opposite direction.

Mackie never lets anything get to him, people spread so many rumors about him if he cared about any of them he'd try to stop it but he doesn't. He did, however, care what Ben thought of him because he has feelings for Ben. So, hearing all of that did hurt more than he expected. He doesn't know Ben was lying just to protect his image, maybe he wanted to believe Ben was above all of that but he's not. Poor Mackie is just the loser caught in the life of a shallow, self-centered person like Benjamin Henderson.

Waiting for his brother outside he sees the car pull up and Harley gets out, "you good?" Harly asks as he walks to the passenger side and Mackie gets in behind the wheel.

"Yeah, where am I going?" He asks "what's up? Leon, Jeff"

"Hey dude"

"Sup bro" the guys in the back greets him.

"Miles is waiting at his garage,"

"Harley, why are you fucking with East Shore motherfuckers?" Mackie turns to his older brother sitting next to him

"Because they pay,"

"Ok but they tried to jump Sammy last week"

"I don't give a fuck about beef you and your friends got with them, I'm worried about my money, all right? So be cool and don't fuck this up for me."

"Whatever," he sighs pulling off.

Driving to East Shore Mackie parks near Miles house and everyone but him gets out the car, "what are you doing? Get out"

"I'm waiting here I don't fuck with them."

"Mack stop being a little bitch and get out of the car,"

Taking the keys out he gets out of the car and before they walk towards the garage, Harley pulls him behind the car. "Just in case shit goes south," Harley pulls a gun from his jacket.

"I thought you said everything was cool, why do I need this?"

"I'm not the one who has problems with them stupid, take the fucking thing and watch your back," Mackie takes the gun tucking it behind him. They walk in the garage "sup, Miles"

"Yo, why is he here? We don't fuck with him," there are 2 guys standing next to miles and Mackie knows them all, one of them still looks messed up from their fight.

"Nah I'm glad he's here" the guy with the swollen eye speaks, "he doesn't look so tough without his little friends," he smiles. "how's Sammy doing?"

"Better than you," Mackie replies

The guy jumps coming towards Mackie "say something else, bitch!"

But Harley blocks him "you need to calm down bro, Miles we here for business or what? I'm not down with this shit."

"He either waits out there or business is over," they all scold Mackie.

"Mack" Harley turns to him "go wait out by the car we'll be out in a minute," Mackie doesn't move "go fool!" Pissed he walks out of the garage going out by the car waiting.

Facing away from them he leans against the car waiting, hoping this would get his mind off his other issues, Mackie tries not to think about Ben but fails. Mackie has a hard time trusting people and he gave Ben a chance just to be turned into a joke, other people talking trash about him never mattered but expecting more from Ben was his own fault.

Noticing Mackie's not in their science class, Ben texts him 'hey let me know when you get back, I'll meet you by your bike.' Sending the text Ben waits for a reply but gets ignored.

After his drop with his brother Mackie drives back to school, "here you go" Harley hands him his cut of the money before he gets out.

"Thanks"

"Where are you going after this?"

"Work"

"All right tell mom I'll be by later, and just keep your head down."

"Ok" Mackie gets out of the car as the bell rings and school ends,

"Later bro," Harley gets in the driver side and pulls away.

Walking to his bike, Mackie stares at Ben's text and thinks about waiting but remembers who Ben really is and decides to leave. Riding to his mom's shop Mackie goes to her office, "hey ma" he drops his bag and jacket picking up his uniform.

"Mr. Andrews called said he needs the car by Wednesday so you need to speed up,"

"Ok, I'm almost done with it."

"Good boy" She sits at her desk working, "how was school?" Mackie shrugs without answering "what does that mean?"

"Means the same as always, everyone sucks and I'm still getting called dirty Denver."

"But what about the mystery person you spent all weekend on the phone with?"

"Oh, nothing happened he was exactly who I expected him to be,"

"Bad?" The mom asks interested

"Just exactly like everyone else if that makes sense."

"It does but don't worry Ken, you're probably way too good for him anyway," his mom is the only person who calls him Ken. "And tell you what, if you finish Andrews car early you can start working on the comet, on the clock."

"Thanks"

"Sure honey," Mackie leaves her office and starts working.

Ben stands at the spot he left Mackie's bike parked this morning, he looks around the parking lot looking for any sign of Mackie but nothing. The lot begins to get empty and Ben realizes he got ditched, taking out his phone he calls Mackie but no answer. He calls a couple more times and still nothing.

"Boyfriend ditched you?" Jeremy walks over to him

"Leave me alone," he turns his back to the boy already annoying him.

"I saw him get on his bike and left, you know? Like he didn't even give a shit about you." Ben ignores him texting his sister to pick him up, "need a ride?"

"I'd rather die," Ben snarl at Jeremy as he stands behind him.

"Fine maybe that helmet will take you home," Jeremy laughs.

"Jealous?" Ben finally turns around, "he gave me something unlike you who just gave me bullshit to cheat."

"Whatever Ben continue to walk around clueless with someone you barely know," he walks away leaving Ben to think. Not coming up with a good enough explanation as to why Mackie would ditch him, Ben waits for his sister to pick him up.

"Are you sure?" Serena asks as they sit in her car outside of Denver Auto, Ben wants to go in there and confront Mackie.

"Yes, I'll be right back," getting out of the car with the helmet in his hand he walks towards the shop. Everyone's working under hoods or under cars and Ben walks around trying to figure out which one is Mackie.

"Can I help you kid?" A man wiping engine grease off his hands walks up to him,

He scans the room spotting Mackie's head under the hood of a car "him, I want to talk to him" Ben points

"Mackie!" The man turns calling out "someone here to see you!" When he moves his head from under the hood his eyes land on Ben who's walking towards him.

"What are you doing here?" He puts his tools down picking up a rag to clean his hands

"We had a good morning and all of a sudden you ditch me after promising you'd come back, what's up with that?"

"I got busier than I thought," giving Ben the cold shoulder he goes back to fixing the car

"If you didn't want to give me a ride home you could've easily said that."

"And if you just wanted to use me to make your asshole ex jealous, you could've just said that too."

"What?" Ben asks confused but Mackie ignores him, "Mackie what are you talking about?"

He takes his head out from under the hood again, "all the shitty things you said to your friends today I heard! You don't like me, you're just using me to make Jeremy jealous, it meant nothing. I must've been stupid right to think somebody as shallow and fake as you could be real for just a second."

"You don't know what you're talking about Mackie,"

"Yes, I freaking do Ben! You have a reputation yeah? And dating the freak isn't part of that so you lied, but I can't tell if you were lying to me or them. That's how good of a phony you are"

"So that's it you're not going to let me explain?"

"Please Ben explain to me how you're not a user,"

"I only said all that stuff so they'd get off my back, they don't get us and they don't have to. Why can't whatever this is be about just us? We don't need to include everyone else in on it"

Looking at him Mackie shakes his head smiling, "do you hear yourself? Just say you're ashamed Ben! You might as well" Ben doesn't say anything. "Ok then how about this, I'm ashamed of you. I don't want people to know about us because maybe that'll ruin my school freak reputation, one I like so very much. So, you go and be popular"

"That's it then?"

"Yep this was clearly a mistake."

"Fine" Ben slams the helmet on the car, "lose my number Mackie." He walks away and Mackie sighs about to grab a tool, but Ben comes back, "oh and for your information, I was lying to them I never lied to you." He leaves the auto shop.

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