The Mac Effect

Chapter 6

The sun shines through the curtains as my eyes flutter open. I am snuggled into a warm Mac who is lightly snoring. I carefully lift his arm off of me and slip downstairs to the kitchen. Let's make some waffles. I mix the batter and begin to pour it into the hot waffle maker. I feel toned arms wrap around my waist and a chin rest on my head.

"What I would give to wake up to this every morning." Mac breathes out in his raspy morning voice. I turn around and wrap my arms around his neck burying my face into his chest. "Let's go on a date today." Mac states.

"Are you asking me out?" I ask surprised.

"Well, if you haven't noticed, I kind of like you," I smile up at him, "like a lot," he chuckles out.

"What do you have in mind?" I ask with a chuckle while pulling the last waffle out of the maker and walking to the table with the waffles in hand while Mac grabs all the toppings.

"We're going on a picnic. Will you drop me home after breakfast?" I nod and smile in response and we begin to eat. After about twenty minutes of eating and talking, we clear the table and he begins the dishes.

"You don't have to do the dishes, Mac." I say as I walk up next to him.

"You made breakfast so i'll do the dishes." He is so amazing. "Now go upstairs and change." He says with a smile and kisses me on the cheek. I walk upstairs to my room as thoughts begin to take over my brain. What am I doing?? How am I trusting him this easy? I can't; not after Jackson. I can't do this. My thoughts are interrupted by Mac saying he's ready whenever I am. I quickly throw on a pair of sport shorts and a t-shirt. As I walk down the stairs, I put my hair in a bun. Mac is already by the door pulling on his shoes. I slip my Birks on and he follows me out the door to my car. The short drive to his house is filled with uncomfortable silence on my end, with the low hum of the radio to fill the void.

"Alright, thanks for the ride. I'll be by to pick you up in an hour? Is that enough time? I'm just so excited for-" I cut Mac's sentence short.

"No Mac-"

"If an hour isn't enough time we can go-"

"Mac listen to me!" I shout over his panicked sentence. He looks at me with furrowed eyebrows keeping quiet. "Mac, I don't think this is a good idea." His expression turns to shock and then hurt.

"What do you mean, Stell? I thought we were getting along well?" he pleads with a sullen tone.

"Mac, it's not gonna work. I'll see you at school." I coldly send his way as I unlock the door signaling him to get out. He looks at me with sad eyes.

"Stella, I'm not sure what changed, but when you want to talk about it, i'll be here. I'll wait for you Stella." With that, he hops out of the car and trudges into his house. Once the front door closes, I break down. Why did I do that? He was one of the best people to ever come into my life. Jackson.

I make my way home and curl up into my bed crying. A few hours later, I hear the front door close, footsteps walk up the stairs, and a weight shifts on the other side of the bed.

"Stell, what happened?" Carson questions wrapping her arms around me and resting her chin on my head. This just reminds me of the events with Mac last night making me cry even harder.

"I ruined it, Car and it's all Jackson's fault!" I cry out into her chest. She rubs circles in my back and hushes me, calming me down. After a few minutes, I am numbed to a hushed cry and she speaks up.

"Babe, I know what Jackson did was horrible, but you know Mac isn't like that." She reassures me in a quiet tone.

"But that's the thing, Car," I whisper while tears continue to fall down my face, "We didn't think Jackson was like that either." Her grip tightens around me as she lets me cry.