Lost and Found

Chapter 30 | Actions, Reactions, and Glue

Everything Julia does, she does on auto pilot. Moments keep blending together. Sometimes it doesn't even feel like she's really there. Her mind keeps wandering off, and the day of her next therapy session comes closer.

Friday is now known as therapy day. The day of doom—or gloom. To be honest, she's scared. Julia isn't sure if she's able to talk about how she feels or what happened to her. Not when she doesn't even want to think about everything. At least Robin will come over afterwards to decide on the colours for her new bedroom walls.

The doorbell rings. Mason greets her with a big smile. He leans in to take her backpack, but she grabs him by his wrist. A gasp escapes her lips. "What happened?" Painful-looking scabs are scattered across his knuckles, dried blood painting them a dark red.

"Don't worry about it."

Julia shakes her head. "I don't think I can."

The air pushes out of his nose as half a laugh comes from him. "Let's go to school."

Fine, she'll ignore it–until she doesn't.

They listen to the music on the radio. Mason keeps glancing at her, opening his mouth, only to shut it again. Before they make another turn into the school parking lot, he turns the music down. "I have basketball practice today with some friends, but can I come over later to watch our show? We could order pizza?"

"Yeah, sounds good." Pizza and a movie always sounds good.

Mason nods his head, his face like a statue. As he parks the car, his friends come over. This time, a few are missing. Not that she minds. Not everyone among his friends is friendly.

Before Mason can walk around and open the door for her, Julia steps out of the car. She narrows her eyes at Kyle. A shade of blue and purple colours his jaw.

Wait—something is up. Julia's eyes move from Kyle to Mason and back again. Did Mason hit Kyle? No, Mason wouldn't. They're friends. But Kyle is Ash's friend, and Mason doesn't like Ash. Except, Kyle is also Robin's brother, and Robin doesn't like Ash or Mason. Julia should make a board with threads to keep track of who likes who. Like the ones they have in mystery movies.

Julia has so many questions and she doesn't know which one to ask first. A loud gasp interrupts her. Ava rushes to Ash. Swollen bruises paint his face, and his lip has a split.

"What happened?" Ava exclaims.

Ash's face turns sour. "Little accident. Don't worry about it."

Julia's jaw drops. She pushes against Mason's arm. "What did you do?"

Mason acts confused. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"This is not what I meant when–," she stammers. Did Mason do this because of what she said the other day?

"Julia, let it go," Jake says and gestures to the others to follow him inside.

What? Does he not care about what Mason and Kyle did to his little brother? Julia looks up at Mason, trying to see through his indifferent eyes.

"You did nothing wrong," Mason says, taking her backpack.

She tilts her head. "I know."

"Do you?"

Biting her lower lip, she looks away. "You can't just hurt people," Julia says. "What about the consequences?"

Don't sports team members have to behave really well to get a scholarship? Or is that a myth TV tells? She can't be the reason people get in trouble or hurt, even if she wants them to be hurt sometimes. If something happens to Mason because of this—this is all her fault.