License to Choose

Chapter 10.

Chapter 10- LTC

Mason hadn't heard back from Anya in almost a week, and the thought was worrisome. He couldn't help but think he should have perhaps told her aunt and uncle about the brownie in case something had happened. Was it possible for someone to become sick after consuming pot? Todd had claimed she'd only had the one, it was a complete accident, but if she'd never had an edible before, there was a possibility...

Mason stopped himself mid-thought. He wouldn't allow himself to believe that she had gotten ill. The issue with the alternative, however, was that Anya was deliberately ignoring him. The thought bubbled nausea in his stomach and caught the attention of Lucas, who was sitting beside him on the bus as they returned from their day trip to the library to study.

"You've been down like this all week. What's up with you?"

"Just not been in the mood, " Mason grumbled, leaning back into the uncomfortable chair. The smell of sweat and teenagers increased his discomfort despite the mask that donned his face, and he exhaled audibly, gaining a soft elbow to his arm.
"Anya came to the races, and she got high, and now she's avoiding me," the reasoning slipped out, and Lucas' blue eyes bulged in surprise. "It was a pot brownie; I don't think she knew," he justified as his best friend's lips parted in understanding.

"Well, how do you know she's avoiding you?"

"She hasn't been answering my text messages," his nose wrinkled in despair before anger washed over his emotions. "It's not funny!" He declared as Lucas attempted to hide his smile.
Though the mask covered his cheeks, his hilarity was evident, and Mason could only shake his head in disbelief.

"No, it's hilarious," Lucas replied, finally permitting himself to laugh. "I've not seen you so worked up about a girl since Molly Evans in year 9,"

"That was different," Mason protested. "Molly didn't leave me alone! She was just as bad as that blonde girl in Harry Potter...you know the one that got in between Ron and Hermione,"

"No one is as bad, Lavender Brown," Lucas identified the individual, nodding in agreement.

"Anyway, that's not the point; I'm saying that I'm worried about her. You should have seen her uncle and aunt when I dropped her off...."

"Wait, hold up, you dropped her off?" Only then did Mason realise he hadn't told Lucas the whole story of what had happened that Saturday night, and so he relayed what he knew.

"Maybe she's grounded then?" Lucas suggested, "if she has a curfew, maybe they took away her phone? I messaged her about the biology homework, and she hasn't gotten back to me either," he justified.

"Possibly, then," Mason nodded as the bus driver made his announcement.

"Did you want to come over?" Lucas asked as he stood to collect his belongings.

"No, I'm alright, thank you. I've got work in a couple of hours,"

"Alrighty, have fun; I'll see you tomorrow," His best friend waved and followed the majority of students that lived in his estate off the bus. Soon enough, the red vehicle continued its journey, passing the beach as it headed inland. For a moment, Mason considered departing, it would be easy to catch a second bus and see his father at the garage, but he quickly changed his mind.

Aside from concise discussions over dinner regarding his training, and since his loss, Mason had been avoiding his father and preferred to keep it that way.

The conversation would only revolve around his current statistics, and though Mason was using a borrowed car in the meantime, he had made little to no improvement.  It also didn't help that the repairs to his vehicle had cost almost £800, and that didn't include the paint job or a discount for the free labor he and his father were providing.