Case Reopened

Mason's Birthday

We're going old school and when I say old school I mean Carter and Mason in high school.

The chapter Playing Hooky is reference in this chapter.

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The normal sounds of everyday school life buzzed around Carter and she filtered it out like the annoyance it was. Though somethings couldn't be filtered out when they appeared right next to you as you stood before your locker.

Though Carter really wished she had a special filter for this one person. At least she managed not to react when Mason suddenly appeared by her locker.

"Owens," he said. "It's my birthday."

Carter knew it wasn't. His birthday had been two weeks ago but decided to go along with it for the time being.

"I apologize," she said. "If I'd had known I would have worn black to mourn the occasion."

"Hilarious. My sides are killing me from how hard I'm laughing," Mason said.

Carter didn't look at Mason as she exchanged her notebooks. "I'll work harder next time so they finish the job."

"You are a bucket of happiness I wish someone had tossed out."

"Where would you get your laughter from if I wasn't here?"

"I don't know, the death of a beloved pet."

"If that's a hint at what you're asking for your birthday you're going to have to hint to someone else," Carter said, closing her locker. "I don't do birthday gifts to people I don't like."

When she walked away, Mason followed her. Carter ignored him but going on two years of dealing with him understood the futility of trying to ignore him. Why they still interacted at all, Carter wasn't completely sure about but there they were, talking.

"I told you it's my birthday for a reason," Mason said.

"To garner attention and somehow make me care that you were born. Not gonna happen."

"No, it's because I'm having a party tonight at the Bradford hotel ballroom and for some reason, my father believes it's diplomatic if I invite everyone in my class. I say it's a way to pander to the parents of my classmates but he denied it when I said this."

"Good to know. No need to feel like he's pandering to my dad, I won't be going."

Mason stopped and Carter continued on. For some reason, instead of using the break to let their conversation end, Mason rushed forward, catching up to her.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"Go to a party for someone I don't care about and be surrounded by people I don't like at a place that I don't feel any attachment to and spend hours mindlessly ignoring everyone involved? You're right, how can I say no to that?"

"But you could make fun of everyone there."

That was a solid argument but not one heavy enough to outweigh the negatives of the whole thing. She could easily make fun of everyone as easily at school than having to go somewhere else to do it. What would a change in location offer? Nothing that she could think of.

"I can do that here," Carter said, "without feeling the need to buy someone a gift they won't like."

"You don't have to buy me a gift."

"Great. Then I still won't come and won't feel guilty about not caring about getting you something."

Mason grabbed Carter's arm, stopping her from walking. They created a pocket in the middle of the hallway, no one wanting to accidentally pump into Mason and no one daring to knock Carter. It didn't mean the surrounding students didn't slow their steps though. Everyone knew at this point the type of antagonistic relationship Carter and Mason had. Free drama was free drama. But Carter didn't care.