The New Boy {Short Hiatus I'll be back}

Death Is Always Around The Corner (But Not Today)

Mason held the other until the next bell rang. He didn't want to leave him alone, especially not in the hallway. Students began to enter the halls, pushing the two more into the wall than before. Edward looked up for the first time since Mason had begun to hug him. Edward slowly started piecing things together and squeaked a little. "Oh shit, Mason! I am so sorry."

Edward started to shimmy up the wall staring down at Mason, who took his time to collect himself before standing up and stepping backward. "It's fine. Don't worry about it, it looked like you needed a hug, so I gave you one."

Edward smiled a little before dropping it to look at the flow of people rushing through the hallway. "I- yeah, I need to get to class. Talk to you later." Edward hurried past Mason in a state of confusion, thinking, "Why did I let that happen?"

Mason

Why is it that when something good happens to me, it's violently ripped away? Like my dad, my sister, and now maybe even Edward. The moment Edward left, I felt intense fear. Something about him makes me feel safe, and secure. The way Edward looked at me wasn't in envy or in a flirty way, it seemed kind, soft even. The way he looks at me is... friendly. Not like he wants something from me, just like he's there, not to push or shove, but to stand by in a moment of need or want.

I want to be close to him, I want to learn more about him. After my dad died, I thought I'd lost everything, although I still had my mom and sister. My mom is not so well off. Her family hates her because she came out to them, and because she got with my dad. Ever since Emily died, it's been torture. She was the only sister I could ever want. The best sister I would ever have and the one I will always miss.

-LAST YEAR-

Mason stood there with his sister at their father's grave. Tears streamed down her face. It had been two years since their father passed. Emily was in the sixth grade, while Mason was in ninth. They stood there staring at the grave, their mom on the ground in front of them whispering soft prayers.

"Why him?" Emily sobbed into Mason's arms. "Daddy, I miss you."

"Em, it'll be alright, you still have us." He leaned down to kiss her forehead.

A few weeks later, Emily was gone. She had passed away from an overdose. Shortly after the death of their father, she started taking anti-depressants. It left Mason broken and his mom in a wreck. Mason spent days crying and locked himself in his room for a little over a month. He barely left his room at all, only to eat and drink. That became the worst time of his life, and...

-CURRENT YEAR-

He was hoping someone could bring him back. He never stopped thinking about his sister. The rest of the day went by in a flash. He'd spent the last period in English class, which he shared with Edward. Thoughts twirled and span around his mind. Nothing was able to hold his attention long enough for him to relax. His mind wandered endlessly. As the bell rang and he left class, he heard Edward call out his name, and he froze. Mason took a deep breath before turning around and asking, "Yes?"

"A-are you alright? You seem a little different since the- uh, hallway accident. I just wanted to say, thank you. I know I left immediately, and I was just a little embarrassed with myself. It's my first day, and I'm already freaking out. I don't even know what... happened." The moment the last sentence ended, Edwards's head was down, and his voice was barely a whisper.

Mason had grown up in a place full of people, so it helped him learn to read facial cues. This was something he didn't know how to handle; he had just met Edward today, and it was already taking him by storm.