The Mac Effect

Chapter 3

After putting away the perishable food, I walk into the living room with Topher trailing behind me. Topher sets the remaining groceries on the coffee table and lays across the couch snuggling into Carson. That leaves the only open spot to be the loveseat, half of which is already occupied by Mac. Well, this is going to be an awkward night, I think to myself and I sit down next to Mac. After 20 minutes of searching through movies, we finally settled on one of our favorites, The Breakfast Club. Halfway through, I begin to feel myself drift asleep. I snuggle into something warm and soft and succumb to the sleepiness. A few hours later, I'm awoken by the sound of camera snaps.

"What the hell are you two doing?" I sneered. I then realized I was sleeping on top of Mac. I quickly moved to the opposite side of the couch as Mac starts to wake up.

"Rise and shine you two." Topher says looking between the two of us while we both rub the sleep out of our eyes.

"What time is it, dude?" Mac questions in a raspy voice.

"It's 2:37 am and we're going to Steak and Shake so get your lazy butts up." Carson demands pulling me off the couch.

"Ugh okay just let me grab a sweatshirt." I say jumping off the couch and running up the stairs to my room. Soon, a pair of footsteps follows behind me.

"Hey Stella? Do you happen to have a sweatshirt I could borrow? I guess I didn't plan very well." Mac chuckles out.

"Yeah of course. You can borrow one of my dad's; he won't mind." I throw on my sweatshirt and lead him into my parent's room down the hall. While walking into the closet, Mac speaks up.

"Hey, I um actually wanted to talk to you." He runs his hand through his hair. This seems to be a nervous tick of his. I give him an encouraging smile to continue. "Earlier in homeroom with the whole jersey thing," my smile fades as I begin to think that he regrets agreeing to me wearing his jersey,"you don't have to wear it if you don't want to. I don't want you to feel pressured." I hand him a sweatshirt and look up, our eyes focusing on each other.

"I don't feel pressured, but if you wanted to give it to someone else, I completely-" I begin to say before Mac cuts me off.

"NO." He clears his throat. "I mean that's not what I meant. I just know how Topher can be sometimes and I didn't want you to feel like you had to." He smiles down at me. "And for the record, I'd be honored if you wore my jersey."

"Well," I smile back up at him,"I'd be just as honored to wear your jersey." His face lights up and a huge smile spreads across his blushed cheeks.

"Really?" He questions and I nod in response. "Well it's settled then. Thank you."

"It's really no problem Mac. Now let's go before those two leave without us." I say with a laugh pulling him down the stairs.