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"You'll never believe what happened at work today," Mackie says excitedly as he's on the phone with Ben.

"What happened?" Ben asks laying in bed holding the phone to his ear

"So this rich guy come in the shop right, with a freaking 2017 Ducati 1299!" He says

And Ben fakes enthusiasm, "wooooah... is that a big deal?"

"Yes! That bike costs 30 grand and I'm getting to work on it! I mean the guy totally fucked it up by being a dumbass who can't even really ride, and takes it to illegal races anyway. So now his insurance won't pay for it and wants me to do it. Says he'll pay whatever to get it done"

"Can you fix it?"

"Yeah but if I put my hard work into fixing it I know he's just gonna take it back out racing again, and a Ducati is something to be cherished, you know? Not a lot of people can afford such a sophisticated machine-"

"Hey, Ben!" He hears his mom call him

Whispering "thank god," to not have to listen to Mackie go on about bikes any longer. "Babe I'll call you right back, my mom needs me."

"Ok" they hang up and he gets out of bed.

Walking to his mom, Ben finds his parents sitting at the dinner table, "what's going on?" He asks suspiciously

"We need to talk to you Ben, sit down please," his mom asks and he does.

Handing Ben the paper he's holding his dad starts "so we got your last report card" he says as Ben takes the paper, "kind of disappointed with what we saw Ben-"

"Yeah but that was only because-" Ben tries to explain,

"You've had a tough few months, we know" his dad finishes.

"And don't get us wrong Ben we understand with everything that's happened, but next year you're going to be a junior, honey. Which means SAT prep, choosing colleges, and doing everything it takes to have a smooth sailing senior year" his mom explains.

"I know and I'll be focused I swear,"

"We believe you but action speaks louder than words, we've always let you be your own person Ben, but you've done a lot this year to prove that maybe we're not being firm enough. If we have to be firm with you then that's what we'll have to do."

"What do you mean be firm?"

Not expecting the question his parents turn to each other and his dad decides to answer, "what your mom means is that we're going to have to enforce some tougher rules starting the next school year. Like no more spending so much time at your sister's place during the week, no more staying out late with your friends,"

"And no more Mackie?" He asks staring back and forth at them and they both stay quiet, "you guys don't want me to see Mackie anymore?"

"It's not that we don't want you to see him Ben"  his mom answers, "we don't want him to distract you from school, we don't want you to fail and not graduate."

"That's not going to happen I promise."

"We want to Believe you, Ben," his dad says

"Then believe me, I'm sorry for disappointing you guys but I can do better just give me the chance."

"Ok," his mom nods agreeing.

"Thank you, can I go now?"

"Actually there's more" she stops him from getting up, "Jennifer Field."

Hearing Jenny's name Ben's attention shifts from trying to get away from his parents to worried as to why they'd bring her up. "What about her?"

"We want you to apologize,"

"What no!"

"Benjamin Henderson what you did to that girl was cruel and unwarranted."

"Unwarranted? She was throwing herself at a lot of people's boyfriends, if it weren't me it would've been someone else who sent those pictures out."

"Ben you once asked us if we thought you were a bad person, what you did wasn't good" Ben listens to his dad. "We know you Ben if you don't make it right, it's going to eat away at you."

"Dad if I apologize I will get expelled, which means no junior or senior year, I probably won't even get to go to college."

"We will cross that bridge when we get to it, but for now you either apologize or spend your summer in your room" his mom threatens. "Your dance tomorrow-"

"Wait I can't go to the dance?"

"You can, as long as you apologize to Jennifer while you're there."

Ben could easily beg his parents not to make him come clean but he knows his parents are right, nothing's felt right since he exposed Jenny. Sighing "okay I'll apologize"

"Thank you" his mom smiles, "and you're right you know, Mackenzie did change you I'm just surprised he didn't get you to apologize first."

As he stands up "Mackie understood what apologizing would've meant," Ben walks back to his room.

"They want you to apologize to Jenny?" Mackie asks after Ben calls him back explaining his talk with his parents.

"Yes" he sighs, "and if I don't I'm grounded the entire summer."

"You don't want to?"

"I honestly don't even care about what happens if I do or don't apologize, but like what am I supposed to even say? You screwed my boyfriend so I screwed you."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes, anything,"

"I know you regret what you did, but does your hate for what Jeremy and Jenny did feel worse than your regret for what you did to her?"

"No I don't even care about what they did anymore, I just know the kind of person Jenny Field is. I'm gonna say I'm sorry then she'll throw it back in my face because she's still bitter."

"Then don't do it for her, Ben, do it for you." Ben's quiet and Mackie knows he's hesitant "what if I came with you?" He asks

"To the dance?"

"Yeah I mean I know you're going with your friends but I could meet you there, you won't have to talk to her until I'm with you for support."

"Are you sure? You don't have to"

"I want to, you're doing the right thing, Ben, it's ok if it makes you nervous, but I'll be there if it'll make you feel better."

"It really would,"

"Then it's settled. I'll rent a tux in the morning and get a ticket at the door to meet you inside."

"Thank you, Mackie," Ben sighs relieved.

"Anything for you."

Tired from lack of sleep Ben contemplates what he has to do today, his friends are excited as they're doing their makeup and he sits quiet counting the hours before he has to face Jenny Field. "Ben?" Brooke calls him

"Dude!" Ali barks and he snaps out of it, "what's up with you?"

"Uh nothing," he stands dropping his phone.

"Still want me to conceal and powder your face?"

"Yeah please but not a lot though" he joins them in front of Brooke's vanity and she does his make up. As she's working on his face Ben says "I have to tell you guys something."

"What?" Brooke asks and Ali turns to him

"So I know we said no dates but Mackie's gonna meet me at the dance,"

"Oh hell no!" Ali reacts "we promised, Ben!"

"I'm so glad you said that" Brooke chuckles, "because Brice Alister asked me and I told him I'd meet him at the dance."

"You too?!" Ali freaks, "so I'm the only one without a date?"

"I'm sorry Ali but Mackie offered and I couldn't say no."

"I mean we're still going to ride together,"

"Yeah so you guys can ditch me the second we get there? I'm a fifth fucking wheel" she drops on Brooke's bed. Ben and Brooke laugh, "I hate you fuckers."

Hours later as Mackie is getting ready, Maeve walks into his room with her bowl of ice cream "Jesus fucking Christ!" She stops when she sees Mackie. "He's seventeen Maeve calm your tits,"

Mackie smiles turning to her, "not too bad?"

"If I was Ben and I saw you in that tux, I'd marry you on the spot."

"Funny you said that," Mackie says walking to her as she fills her mouth with spoons full of ice cream. "I'm thinking about giving this to Ben," he takes a box out of his pocket and Maeve gasps.

"Holy shit!" Her eyes grow, "are you gonna propose to him?"

"What no" he shakes his head, "it's a promise ring" he opens the box showing Maeve the silver band. "I've made a lot of promises to Ben, and I want him to know that I meant them."

"You are unreal" she takes the box admiring the ring, "Ben's lucky to have someone like you, I would've killed for something like this in high school."

"Day's still young Maeve" Mackie takes the box back, "do I look ok? Am I missing anything? Kinda want tonight to be perfect for Ben."

"I'm sure it'll be and you look fine... better than fine."

"Thanks," Mackie grabs his helmet and jacket leaving.

As he's walking up to his bike, Mackie's phone rings in his pocket. Stopping he takes it out expecting it to be Ben, but it's a number he doesn't recognize. Mackie answers, "hello?"

"Yes, Mackenzie Denver?" The man on the phone asks

"Yeah who's this?"

"Mackenzie, this is detective Thurston, can you come down to the precinct?"

"I don't really have the time tonight detective, can't this wait until tomorrow?"

"Not really" he answers ominously, "we found your brother, and he's asking to see you." News Mackie didn't need at the moment, shocked and confused Mackie thinks about his options. "Mackenzie?"

"Yeah, um did you call my parents?"

"He's not a minor Mackenzie, he asked for you as his one phone call."

"Ok thank you," Mackie hangs up.

At the dance, while he waits for Mackie to show up, Ben checks his phone continuously, he has eyes on Jenny who's talking to her friends but Ben is keeping his distance until Mackie gets there. "Hey wanna be my lookout while I dump this in that bowl of misery?" Ali walks over flashing her bottle of liquor

"Are you high? There's a teacher standing right there!" Ben reacts

"God you're a killjoy" she sits next to him, "look- look at them" Ali points to Brooke and her date dancing, "she's way too tall for him."

"She's wearing heels" Ben turns glaring at Ali who's so bitter she'll judge her own friends, "why are you being so miserable?"

"I don't know maybe because my best friends promised one thing but ended up doing their own shit instead, and ditching me."

"I'm literally sitting right here," Ben says confused.

"Yeah because Denver's not here yet, where is he anyway?"

Ben checks the time "wish I knew." Getting up Ben looks over at Jenny again, "I'll be right back ok?" Ali nods and he walks away getting somewhere quiet. Clicking on Mackie's name in his phone Ben calls him, the phone rings but Mackie doesn't answer. He tries again but nothing.

Realizing after a few calls and texts he's on his own, Ben takes deep breaths walking back into the dance heading towards Jenny Field.

Pissed and not thinking clearly Mackie climbs off his bike walking into the precinct, going around until he spots "detective Thurston" he calls him walking close.

"You made it," the detective walks to him and they stop in front of each other.

"Where was he?" Mackie asks

"Auburn,"

"Auburn? In Covey?"

"Yep," he nods "two cities away. When we put a BOLO out on him and his car, there were a couple of matches, but none like the one found by local PD in Auburn. The license plate wasn't registered under his name so we assumed he switched it, but the stickers you described on the car were a perfect match. We asked local PD to poke around the neighborhood, does the name James Morelli mean anything to you?"

Mackie shakes his head, "who's that?"

"Liquor store owner, Morelli was using his store as a front, he had a lab in the back."

"Lab? What does that mean?"

"MDMA lab, that's where we found your brother."

"Wait detective I'm confused, what was Harley doing in some lab?"

"Your brother Harley was cooking ecstasy, Mackenzie," he says it simpler for Mackie to understand.

Bringing his hand to his mouth in shock, Mackie stares around not believing where he is or what he's hearing. "But he just sells it he doesn't make it."

Detective Thurston shakes his head, "he was caught in broad daylight with a couple buddies cooking E, kid, I don't know how else to tell you."

"Can I see him?" He asks still shocked

"Yeah we're waiting for someone from the public defender's office to come down, but that might not be until Monday though." Mackie nods as he follows the detective through the precinct. When they reach the interrogation room Harley's being held in, Mackie catches a glimpse of his brother through the door window. It's been weeks since he last saw his brother and even though it was Harley, after finding out everything he just did it's like Mackie couldn't see him the same anymore. "I'll be right out here, all right?"

Mackie nods, turning to the detective before walking in Mackie asks, "could you call my parents?"

"Sure" he walks away and Mackie holds the knob.

Walking in the first thing Mackie's eyes trail towards is the handcuffs around Harley's wrists locked on the metal table. Seeing his brother Harley gasps, "thank fucking god man I didn't think they'd call you, you gotta figure out how to get me the fuck out of here." Mackie stares at his brother disgusted by what he's seeing, "yo Mack don't listen to whatever they told you, man, they're fucking pigs, of course, they're gonna lie."

Not bothering to sit across his brother, Mackie stays standing, "who are you?" He questions

Chuckling nervously, "fuck are you talking about Mack it's me, H."

"A fucking ecstasy lab Harley? ARE YOU ILL?!"

"Don't fucking listen to them, Mack! They want to divide us!" He jumps but doesn't get far due to his hands being cuffed on the table, "look listen it's not what it sounds like all right, I needed some cash-"

"Stop talking" Mackie shuts him up, "you left me here to take the fall for your shit."

"Oh come on man I knew you could handle yourself, bro, just deny everything remember? It works"

"No, the fuck it doesn't!" Mackie barks "not this time. I was about to take real time for you Harley, not juvie, just so you can roam the streets in fucking meth labs and shit?" Mackie shakes his head, "you're sick bro."

"We always had each other's backs, Mack!"

"Fuck you! You never had my back you piece of shit only your own! I'm gonna make sure you stay in here I swear."

"What are you talking about?" Harley looks at him confused

Amongst his anger, Mackie smiles having his brother right where he wants him, "I got a testimony that's gonna help them put you away, big brother."

Staring at his brother Harley understands Mackie isn't on his side anymore, "you don't want to do that" he shakes his head.

"That a threat? I don't know if you realized but I was never scared of you, Harley."

"YOU SHOULD BE YOU LITTLE FAG BITCH, YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE FUCKING WITH?" He struggles in his restrains trying to attack Mackie.

Moving a little closer, "once you're locked up we'll see which one of us is the little fag bitch."

Back at the dance, "Ali are you seeing this?" Brooke walks up to Ali who's at a table alone and miserable.

"What?" She looks around

Brooke points to Ben walking up to Jenny, "what's he doing?"

Ali shrugs "committing suicide" they continue to stare, "selfish bastard, why didn't he invite me?" Brooke taps her.

Stopping when he gets to Jenny who's by herself getting a drink, Ben clears his throat and Jenny turns to him. "What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you, outside."

"Why so you and your friends can do some evil shit to me? No thanks,"

"My friends are right there" he points to them, and the girls quickly look away as if they weren't eavesdropping. "This is legit no fighting nothing."

Jenny sighs "whatever I can take you if you try anything," she puts the cup down walking away and Ben follows. They walk out of the school building to one of the tables outside in front of the school, Ben sits but Jenny is hesitant.

"Sit down Jenny, I'm not going to attack you"

She sits and they face forward not looking at each other. Ben doesn't know where to start but decides to just talk and hope an apology comes out of there somewhere. "I've known I was different from a very young age, and my relationship with my parents was always so great that I didn't have a problem telling that to them. I was seven when I told them I felt different, I didn't know what that meant at the time but they knew and even though they weren't ready to tell me I was gay, they always admired the fact that I've known what I wanted from such a young age. Can't say the same thing about Jeremy though" he scoffs. "I held that guy on such a high pedestal that it made me see red whenever the slightest thing went wrong, I mean he so much as breathed in another girl's direction, and I lost it. Not because I knew he was a cheater but the suspicions were there. Because of who I was and how much he hurt me, I did some pretty fucked up things that I can't take back, I blamed you for the cheating when it was as much his fault. I mean I blamed him too but not as harsh as I did to you,"

"You mean sending out my nudes?" He turns to her shocked "yeah I know it was you, Jeremy figured it out."

"W-why didn't you say anything this whole time?"

"Jeremy begged me not to, well that's false he blackmailed me with more pictures and even videos he had."

"That pig," Ben sighs

"You're not wrong there."

Looking at the girl sitting next to him, "Jenny, I was so angry and blinded by rage when I sent those pictures. I know this will probably make no difference or it might not even mean anything to you, but I am so sorry for what I did. I took all my anger out on you and even though the anger was justified at the time, I could've easily retaliated in a different way."

"You're wrong" she looks at him, "it does make a difference."

"And I'm sorry it took me so long to apologize I was just scared."

"You know what I realized? That I kinda deserved getting exposed" she chuckles when she sees Ben looking at her weird. "I mean I know who I am and the shit that I pull, it honestly was a matter of time before it blew up in my face."

"Now I feel less bad" Ben jokes. "One thing I don't get though is if Jeremy knew it was me, why didn't he use it against me the entire time, instead he just figured out other ways to make my life a living hell for being with Mackie."

"Oh my god, he hated that, I think he realized what you guys have is more real than anything you had with him and that made him mad as fuck. But you're right I don't know why he didn't blackmail you either." Taking the chance Jenny asks, "is your boyfriend better at least? Is Jeremy's extreme jealousy for something?"

Ben nods "he's amazing, just not at the moment. I'm pretty pissed at him for ditching me tonight."

They hear a bike coming and Jenny says, "I don't think he did." Standing up Ben watches his boyfriend pull over then climbs off his bike taking off his helmet and jacket. Swooning at the sight of Mackie in a tux, Ben tries his hardest to remember why he was mad. Walking away Ben leaves Jenny sitting there, "nice chatting with you too" She comments as Ben heads for Mackie.

"I'd kill you if you didn't look so damn good in that suit getting off your bike," Ben stops when he gets to Mackie, "where were you?!" Not answering Mackie lowers his head, taking Ben's lips he starts to kiss them. Mackie takes the boy's breath away with an unbelievably passionate kiss Ben will always remember. The way Mackie pours himself out in that kiss not leaving any room for air, Ben feels his knees about to give out. When he's ready, Mackie slows the kiss down and eventually pulls away. "I forgive you," Ben's pursed lips say with his eyes still shut.

"the police found Harley," Mackie says ruining the moment. Not expecting that Ben's shocked and confused face stares at Mackie, "yes I saw him and no I don't want to talk about it, at least not right now," Mackie answers questions he knows Ben wants to ask. "I'm sorry I'm late I was on my way when the detective on the case called me."

"Don't apologize, Mackie, it's ok. I can't believe they found him, good at least you can move on with your life now."

"Exactly" Mackie smiles, "and I want to do that starting with you."

"What do you mean?"

"You've seen the absolute worst side of me Ben, shit a lot of people don't know about me and somehow you always come back." Reaching on the inside of his suit jacket he pulls out the box, "I want to always come back for you too, Benjamin Quinn-"

Seeing the box Ben quickly stops him from opening it, "don't Mackie because I'll say yes."

With a smile "I'm not proposing to you Ben," he opens the box "it's a promise ring."

Ben's jaw drops "did you pick this out?"

He nods "about the gayest thing I've ever done." Taking the ring out of the box Mackie grabs Ben's hand placing it on his middle finger, "it's just you and me from now on Benjamin Quinn, do you want it that way?"

Reaching around his boyfriend's neck with the biggest smile on his face, "is there any other way for it to be?"

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