Mac Vs PC: Infected

F9

"And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on."

Steve Jobs (Apple/Macintosh)

--

The next week made it even harder for Piper to tell Mac the truth. She was ready after he taught her how to drive. She parked his car, proud it was back in one piece, ready to open up. She didn't get a word in edgewise before her seat belt was unbuckled and she was dragged into Mac's lap. She should have been talking to him about his mother; instead she was melting into her childhood nemesis.

It didn't help that all last night and this morning, he was preaching to her about sexual assault information. That it isn't consent if she's scared to say no; it isn't any less of rape if the rapist is the same sex; and that most rapes are committed by someone you love and trusted. He tried slipping each of the brochure ready responses into their normal conversation as if she wouldn't notice that he was trying to help her. How could she break his heart after his clumsy attempts of therapy.

"Are you paying attention?" Coach Douchbag grabbed the soccer ball that rolled passed Piper's feet. "You need to start acting like a Captain. Piper!"

"I'm here, Coach!" Piper shook her head; thinking of Mac was messing with her game. The team was on a winning streak with three wins in just over a week. She had no plans to let her team down because she was too busy fantasizing about a boy she could never have. "Let's go."

Grabbing the ball from her coach, she tossed it far in front of her leading the pregame practice drills.

"Someone's distracted." Erin jogged close by poking Piper in the side. Erin caught the pass Piper sent and dribbled the ball flawlessly in short, quick moves. Piper couldn't hide the quick proud grin at Erin's improvement.

"I'm not distracted."

"And a liar too?" Erin had no idea how true that was.

"I'm just antsy. The scouts for the Madison Scholarship will be here for playoffs and I want us to be ready. I need to be ready." Piper caught the ball, dribbled it for a few seconds before passing it back down the line.

"You'll be fine. We dominated the last three games. I've never been so confident in winning a season."

"Your previous winning seasons have consisted in pompom shaking and butt grinding. Pardon me if I can't take your for your word." Piper looked back as the last pair caught the pass and ran to the front of the line, Fandi dribbling to the left alongside her junior, Grayce. At the front, they started over again; passing the ball back as they team ran in two parallel lines around the field. Piper dribbled and passed to Erin.

"Captain's got some sass. I knew these past couple days have been to good to be true." Erin passed the ball back to the pair behind them. "You've been way too nice."

"I was born nice." Piper replied drolly.

Erin let loose a laugh.

"Have you been nice because were wining or because of your romantic getaway with Mac?" Erin let out another laugh when Piper nearly tripped over her own feet.

"What are you talking about?" The whistle blew and the team sprinted back to the coach, leaving Piper thinking about why she'd been giddy this week. She could say it was the victories she led her team into or she could be honest with herself and remember all the things that Mac had done this week. She wasn't thinking of him as her childhood nemesis that made her life hell, she was thinking of his as her... friend. The thought didn't scare her like she thought it would; it comforted her.