Friends With Benefits

15

Mack's p.o.v.

It's Friday afternoon and I just finished a shoot. It was really fun because it was by the beach, but honestly, I'm more excited to get home to Justin. I've been feeling really guilty because I haven't spent a lot of time with him. I didn't think this whole modeling thing would be as much work as it is. It's a little after six o'clock right now, so I'm stuck in mid-traffic. I was hoping to get home before Justin and surprise him but it doesn't look like thats happening. Justin been at Scooters office all day and has been texting me about how boring it is. He doesn't think I'll be home until around nine. 

Forty minutes later, I pull up to the house and don't see Justin's car. I don't really think anything of it; I'm just happy I'm home before him. I walk into the house and decide I'm going to surprise him with dinner. I go straight to the kitchen and pull out all the ingredients to make chicken parm. It's not Justin's favorite but it's pretty good regardless. Plus we have chicken in the freezer we need to get rid of. I pull up a recipe on Pinterest and start cooking. 

The food is about done, so I go to set the table and play some nice music. I quickly run upstairs to change into something a little nicer. I really want us to have a nice, romantic night. I head back downstairs and to the kitchen. I rummage around in the wine cabinet for a nice bottle of fancy red wine. I peer over to the stovetop and see that its nearly eight and Justin still isn't home. I text him asking where he is and while I wait for a reply, I take the chicken out of the oven and drain the pasta. 

I don't want to get ahead of myself and start freaking out that he's with some other girl or something bad happened to him. It's about thirty minutes since I texted him, and to keep busy I turn on the TV. I keep telling myself it's still early, maybe him and scooter got carried away talking. I hate that I'm being like this but Justin's never just gone out and not  answered my text.  I don't want to annoy him so I don't text him again. I get up from the couch and go to the kitchen. I make a plate for myself and open the bottle of wine. I find myself not really hungry but I eat anyway but I don't want to drink on an empty stomach. I wrap up the rest of the food and just keep it on the stove incase he comes home soon. I go to the dining room table that I've set and sit by myself. I try not to think about what he's currently doing or where he is but its hard to think about anything else. I feel a wave of anxiety set in when I start to think of the possibility of him being mad at me because I'm never home. This finally curves my appetite. I take the rest of my food and the glass of wine back into the kitchen. I leave everything as it is and head upstairs for a shower to clear my mind. 

I finish up in the shower and step out and into the bedroom. Going to the closet to put on pajamas. I decide on wearing just my undies and one of Justin's t-shirt's. I try to move as slow as possible and lie to myself that I'm not a little worried about him. I go to my phone to still see no response. I head backdown stairs to go put all the food away. Before walking into the kitchen, I look out the window by the front door to see if his car is in the driveway. It isn't, so I go to the kitchen. 

I'm now laying in bed on my computer going through e-mails and catching up on youtube videos. I look over to the clock on the bedside table and see its now twenty to eleven. I make the executive decision to go to bed and try not to think it Justin. I get up to put my laptop on the dresser and crawl back into bed. As soon as I lay my head on the pillow, I find myself really tired. Being so worried about Justin, distracted me from just how tiring a seven hour shoot in the sun can be. I quickly fall asleep, placing my arm across the empty side of the bed. 

---

I shoot out of bed when I hear my phone ringing. I quickly grab it seeing Scooter's name flash across the screen. I answer at a rapid speed. "hello?" I say, realizing I didn't give myself time to clear my throat. 

"Hey Mackenzie? Hi its Scooter. I'm with Justin." As Scooter is talking, I look over to the clock and see its almost one in the morning. 

"oh, um, is he okay?" A sense of relief rushes over me when I hear Scooters voice telling me he's with Justin and its not some random girl. 

"Yea he's fine. Just had a little too much to drink. Do you mind coming to pick him up?" I'm already throwing on a pair of sweatpants and heading downstairs. 

"Yea. where are you guys?" I grab my glasses and I'm in the car already pulling out of the driveway. 

"I'll send you my location. thanks."

"yea, no problem." I hang up and open up the text Scooter sent me. I feel more relieved then angry at the situation. Just knowing he's okay and with Scooter makes me feel so much better. I follow the gps to the location which happens to be a bar not far from the house. I pull up right outside and suddenly realize I should've dressed up a little and hung out with them. Not look like a mom who just found out her son snuck out to go to a party. Instead of going inside, I just text Scooter to let him know I'm here. Soon enough I see them both walking out and I can't help but smile. Not at the fact that he's belligerently drunk but at the fact that he's with friends and looks like he had a good time. Scooter opens the passenger door and shoves Justin in. I roll down the window and say thank you to Scooter. 

"Yea. No problem. Just got a little carried away." I smile at Scooter to let him know I'm not mad. I wave goodbye to him and the couple other guys standing outside. As I pull off, I look in the rearview mirror and see them walk back inside. I laugh a little because they're just such guys who want to drink to oblivion. I look over at Justin who stirs in his seat a little but is fast asleep. 

We pull up to the house and I walk around to Justin's side to help him. 

"Mack, you're just so nice." Justin says as he wraps his around my shoulder for stability. I laugh a little and don't say anything. We walk up to the house and I open the door for him to step in first. 

"It smells so good Mack." I walk him straight to the stairs.

"Yea,  I made chicken and pasta." We slowly start to walk up the stairs but not too fast because I don't want him to fall or get too dizzy and throw up. 

"Oh my god, you made chicken for me and you? Thats so nice." I laugh at how dramatic he sounds. 

"Yea it was really good too." I said

"Oh my god, Mack, I'm so sorry I didn't come home. I'm such a bad person." We walk into the bedroom and I lay him right in the bed. 

"You're not a bad person babe. Go to sleep." I take off his shoes for him and his jeans and leave him in his boxers and shirt. I go to turn all the lights off and climb into bed. As soon as I'm settled in, I hear snores coming from Justin. All I can do is smile. I'm not mad at him for going and hanging out with the boys, I'm just happy he's okay and that he's safe.