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"Yo so when are you gonna lend me your bike to impress chicks?" Sammy asks Mackie as they sit next to each other in their friend JP's basement drinking beers.

"When you actually have a chance at getting one Sam,"

"You doubt me but check this" he takes out his phone, "I've been texting with this girl and I sent her a pic I took on your bike, now she wants me to pick her up on it and we take a ride together."

"Sammy your dumbass would get on his bike and fall off immediately," JP comments and Mackie laughs.

"Yeah whatever fuck y'all, I still get more pussy than both you bitches."

"Speaking of pussy, Mack you know some bitch that go to your school name Jenny?"

Mackie nods knowing where this is going, "what about her?"

"She's been exposed dude, someone leaked her nudes and now they're even at my school!" It's been a few days since Ben sent out the pictures from Jeremy's phone, and it's been causing a lot of problems for Jenny.

"You for real?" Sammy asks and JP nods "let me see." JP shows him the pictures and Sammy laughs, "damn Mack get me her number."

"I don't know her."

"Whoever did this is my new hero!" Mackie's mind wonders to Ben, "JP send those to me" Sammy asks.

People have been printing all of Jenny Field's nudes and posting them around the school, Ben couldn't believe it walking down the halls Friday morning, his handy work getting out of hand. What did he expect? The things you do out of anger will never feel good the next day. He stands far watching Jenny cry to her friends about the torment, she thinks Jeremy sent the pictures and now she won't talk to him.

Ignoring his friends and skipping class Ben drives to McLaren Point and sits at the edge. He thinks about who he is and why this was so easy to do yet it doesn't feel as good after. Watching his actions play out the last few days haven't felt as great as he thought they would. His friends text him and he puts his phone away not feeling in the mood to talk, the only person he'd rather talk to probably hates him. Taking his phone from his pocket he thinks about calling Mackie, why would he even answer? Ben thinks

Trying anyway he brings the phone to his ear calling Mackie, after a couple of rings he gets sad but the phone is answered on the last ring. "Ben?"

"Hey" Ben starts, "um I know I'm probably the last person you want to hear from right now, but I could really use someone to talk to."

Thinking Mackie answers, "are you still at school? We could go for a ride"

"I'm already at McLaren Point," he smiles faintly

"Are you trying to steal my special spot, Benjamin Quinn?"

Chuckling "no just borrowing it to think, I feel stuck in my own head right now."

"It's ok I'll be right there." They hang up and Ben feels better knowing Mackie is coming.

Hearing Mackie's bike come up the hill Ben turns and waits, something about Mackie being near him always makes Ben feel safe, like nothing bad can happen to him. Maybe it's because Mackie always protects him. Getting off his bike Mackie gets a sight of the sad boy staring at him, taking off his helmet he walks closer. "I brought you something," he says sitting next to Ben as he pulls a bag of skittles from his jacket pocket then hands it to Ben.

Ben chuckles taking it "thank you," he holds the candy, even in an awful mood, he's still able to smile around Mackie which is exactly what he needed.

"So what's up?" Mackie asks taking off his jacket to get comfortable

Ben looks out at the view in front of them "I think I messed up Mackie," he says disappointed in himself. "Sometimes I do stupid things and try to justify them but this one is probably the worst thing I've ever done." Mackie has an idea of what he's talking about but chooses to be a good listener instead, "I don't know why I did it" he turns to Mackie as if Mackie has the answers

"Maybe you weren't as over Jeremy as you thought?"

"No I really was, I had you for a good weekend and everything felt fine, but after our fight it just pissed me off seeing them all over each other like that. Then I found out she was sending him nudes the entire time we were together and I guess I just saw red. I didn't think I'd regret it this fast but I ruined Jenny's life and now I don't know what to do."

"You know how I transferred here last year?" Ben nods "well it's because I was in juvie and got kicked out of my old school."

"What? Why?" Ben looks at him

Mackie's never shared this with anyone outside of his family and friends before, and maybe it's a mistake trusting Ben with his secret but he feels like he can. Mackie hopes sharing his story can somehow help Ben, "I used to go to East Shore High and I used to mess around with a terrible crowd. One thing led to another I got in a fight that got me sent to jail." Ben listens to every word very interested "no one at our school knows any of this-"

"I won't say anything I promise" Ben assures him

"The only reason I'm telling you is because people do stupid shit and the consequences aren't great, I'm no saint but I could've easily told you doing this was a terrible idea."

"My friends didn't even try to stop me," they get quiet thinking then Ben asks "what do you think I should do?"

"I really don't know Ben"

"Maybe I should just come clean?"

"No! Terrible idea, you will get expelled and arrested."

"I don't want any of that to happen" Ben panics,

"Just let it blow over nothing lasts forever." Like them, Ben thought.

Sitting on the cliff with Mackie reminds Ben of the dream he had, and all of this just brings back every feeling he had for Mackie.

Still sad and hating himself Ben doesn't say anything and Mackie notices, "are you up for a drive? I want to show you something"

"Last time I agreed to this you took me to one of the coolest places I've ever been" he hints to them sitting at Mclaren Point, "So yes I'll go anywhere with you" he smiles.

"All right let's go" they stand up "just follow behind me... cool car by the way"

"Thanks, it's my mom's, my parents are letting me use it as a test to see if I can handle having my own car."

"Oh, so far so good?"

"Yeah" he lies "driving doesn't scare me at all"

Mackie laughs "let's go Ben" they each get in their ride and Ben follows Mackie pulling away.

Taking Ben to his mom's shop, Mackie takes his helmet off and Ben gets out of the car, "where is everyone?" Ben asks looking around the empty garage

"Shop's closed today but come here," Ben follows Mackie and they stop in front of a car with the hood up.

"The comet?"

Mackie nods "I'm almost done with it figured you could help and maybe take your mind off things."

Ben stares at Mackie's smile and feels even worst knowing he ruined what could've been a good thing, just so he could uphold a reputation he doesn't even think he wants anymore. "Why are you being nice to me, Mackie?"

He shrugs "everyone deserves a real friend, and maybe I'm tired of not having one at school"

"You have me," they smile at each other.

Standing aside pretending to help while Mackie is under the car fixing it, Ben talks "so what's juvie like? Did you have to join a gang?"

"Yes," Mackie answers from under the car

"Wait seriously?" Ben asks shocked

Laughing "no" he slides out standing up, "I just kept my head down and did my time."

"Do you know people think you killed someone?"

Mackie tighten everything under the hood "people also think I'm dirty and homeless, I'm sure you did too."

"Nooooo" Ben lies and Mackie stares at him "ok maybe, but that's only because you never made an effort to stop the rumors so I started believing them."

"Get in there and start when I tell you to" Ben walks away sitting in the driver seat as Mackie continue working under the hood. "I don't stop rumors because people will believe whatever they want to, as long as I know the truth I don't care what anyone has to say. Ok try starting it now" Ben turns the key but the engine fails

"Can that be taught because I could use a lesson?"

They talk to each other with Ben in the car and Mackie with his tools under the hood, "can I say something and not be a dick for it?"

"Maybe"

Mackie smiles even though Ben can't see, "I think you can be strong and be your own person, in fact I know it's who you are, but it's hard for you because you follow your friends and all you guys do is judge everyone." Taking what Mackie just said in Ben stays quiet thinking, "try now" he signals for Ben to start the car again and he does but it fails. "Damn it!" Mackie gets frustrated

Getting out of the car Ben walks over to Mackie as he's bent working on the engine, "it's easy to judge others so they won't judge you."

Mackie stops and turns to him "but you know they're judging you anyways, right? I mean people will judge no matter what, it's what they do" he goes back to the engine.

Mackie can't see but Ben is staring at him sadly "did you judge me? For what I did to Jenny"

"No, I'm in no place to judge I've been to jail remember? I was surprised I mean I didn't think you had something like that in you."

"I'm a bad person aren't I?" Yes, some would say he is

"Me too it's ok, I think that's why Mr. Merrill partnered us." Mackie jokes but Ben is quiet as he reflects on everything he's done leading up to exposing someone's nudes for little to no reason. "Start it now," Mackie asks but no response, turning around he sees Ben lost in thought "hey?" He waves his grease-covered hand in the boy's face "try it one more time?"

"Sure" Ben snaps out of it walking back to the wheel.

Hoping it works Mackie waits for Ben to turn the key, it takes a few seconds but the car finally starts "fuck yes!" Mackie yells excited that he's finally done it

"It worked!" Ben says excitedly

"Now just have to make sure the breaks and the exhaust is ok then we can take her out."

"Thank you for letting me help but I should really get home," Ben couldn't help being sad and just wanting to be in his room.

"Okay" Mackie grabs a rag and wipes his hands, picking up Ben's bag and jacket they walk to his car and Mackie gives them to him. "You gonna be ok?" Mackie asks as Ben turns to him

"I don't know" Ben shrugs, "I have a lot to think about" Ben looks at Mackie like he's about to cry

"Come here" Mackie steps closer calling him into a hug he knows Ben can really use, laying his head on the boy's shoulder Ben lets out a big sigh feeling Mackie's arms around him. They stand next to Ben's car in a long hug Ben never wants to get out of, "call me if you want to talk, ok?"

Nodding as they're letting go "thank you, Mackie"

"Sure" he smiles and Ben gets in the car.

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