Dodge Mason // Mystery Boy

27

"What are you gonna do? If you win?" I look up at him from his chest.

"Hm? You mean if we win? I dunno. I haven't really thought about it. What about you? What are you gonna do with the money?" he asks.

"Well, I think the thing I hate most about this town is that this is the town my dad was born in and died in. He spent his whole life here filling my head with stories about the world wanting us to travel and try new things. But he never got to. Most of all, he wanted to see me go to college somewhere else. I would use the money for that. Get us out of here. Go to school. Live the way he never could. Everything here is a reminder of him in the best and worst ways possible. It's good to know he exists within this place but it hurts that he's not the one existing anymore."

He just looks down at me. He kisses my forehead and holds me tighter. He checks his watch and I see the time too.

"I'm gonna be late," he mentions softly. I look up at him and kiss his nose. I sit up, "I love you," he whispers.

"What?" I turn to look down at him.

"I said i'll see you," he grins. "At the demolition derby," he winks. I laugh and shake my head.

—

I'm sitting with Heather and Natalie is on the other side of her. People fill the stands with their snacks and eager faces waiting to see some cars crash into others. Heather is eating nachos while Natalie is drinking a coke and I am having a churro.

"People say there's a challenge coming tonight," Natalie tells us.

"It's like you said, the game always goes on," Heather replies.

"Well, the game feels different now, doesn't it? It's not just the cops," Natalie explains.

"It's like it's not a game," I reply.

"Yeah," she agrees.

"We can still be teammates right?" Heather nudges Natalie.

"Of course, partners! Win or lose it's together," she reassures her. "Besides we already know Lilah over there is splitting the pot with her new boyfriend," Natalie teases. I roll my eyes.

"Hey, he offered an alliance and I took it," I shrug.

"Do you guys remember the list I found at Spurlocks?" Heather reminds us.

"No, but go on," I answer honestly while Natalie nods and gives an "mm-hmm."

"Well, I don't think it's a list of the players," Heather starts. "I think it's a list of odds."

"What do you mean?" I follow up.

"I think someone is betting on panic," she explains. "Someone who was there with us that night." We are all looking around and leaning in to make sure no one is paying us any attention.

The cars interrupt our attention as the announcer calls out hits.

"I think Dodge is 12," I point out.

"Ray is 14," Heather adds.

"Well let's home he drives straight into a wall," Natalie jokes earning a laugh from me and Heather.

"I told Dodge I'd buy him sonic if he won," I admit. They smile at me. "What?"

"You really like him don't you?" Heather emphasizes.

"Ugh, stop," I groan.

"Stop trying to hide it—"

"And stop trying to push it away," Natalie finishes.

"Come on, admit it already Lilah, stop lying to yourself," Heather pleads.

"Okay okay, fine. It was just an alliance at first but I don't know he just kept charming me," I shrug.

"Charmed you into his pants?" Natalie jokes. I stay silent.

"Oh, well, bless her heart, the lady is a tramp!" Heather nudges me. They laugh at me and I bury my face into my hands trying not to smile. We go back to watching and I notice Heather looking over me. I follow her eyes and see Bishop. I don't say anything because I can tell she's already kind of thrown off by it.

"Hey Bishops here," she finally mentions. Natalie and I both look over.

"Can you just go tell him how you feel? Please?" she begs.

"For meeee?" I pull at her arm.

"Your sexual frustrations have the world's worst taste," Natalie scoffs.

"I thought we agreed that the Ray thing never happened," Heather reminds her.

"Believe me, we wish we could forget," I joke. There are only 4 cars left in the derby. And then there is 2. Dodge and Ray. Dodge is stuck between a dip and another car and Ray takes this opportunity to smash into his rear. Ray is announced the winner and he gets out of the car and attends to his cheering and chanting fans. "Damn it," I sigh.

—

Dodge and I meet up after the derby and we decide to play cornhole while Heather talks to Bishop, and Natalie gets caught up with other people.

After a few games, that I win because i'm perfect, we head to a stand and see Summer working at one. She hands us our tickets and tells us it's our entryway into the last challenge. She gives us a little riddle and we figure out our numbers on the tickets are our point scores. Dodge has 275 and I have 270. He's in the lead. The back of the tickets tells us where to meet and when. Off the I-15 at 1am. We continue to walk around.

"Sorry you didn't win today," I say.

"It's alright, it's just cornhole," he jokes. I roll my eyes at him and push his chest lightly.

"It's okay, now i guess i'll just take you out for Sonic instead, Cinderella" he smiles.

"I'd like that." He wraps an arm around me and I let myself be pulled into him. I groan and I grab his hand and drag him away.

"Woah slow down, what's happening?" he asks. Once we are away from the crowds I let go and turn to face him.

"Dodge, what is this?" I ask.

"What do you—"

"Us," I motion to him and me. "What are we doing? With the kissing and the nicknames and just— ya know?" He stares at me.

"Well," he thinks. "I've taken you on dates, we've met each others families, and I don't know about you, but I like you so, maybe I should ask you to be my girlfriend?" he shrugs.

"Maybe?" I laugh. "C'mon Dodge, you know I like you," I admit.

"Thank God, cause then this would be really awkward," he earns a laugh from me. "When the time is right," he reassures me. "Only the best for you, Delilah," he pulls me in. He kisses me sweetly before offering to go buy me a drink. "You taste like cinnamon."