one Year in America Mari & Mason 1

Chapter 5

watched the cheerleaders bounce as Shin told Mason to come down slowly. They walked down the small earthy steps next to me, across the field, and then towards the locker room. The cheerleaders screamed and twirled their pom-poms as the two of them had to pass through them; they shouted Mason's name, with Aylin's voice standing out the most. But he ignored them all. It would be incredibly embarrassing for me to shout a name and not get any reaction. But hey, I wasn't a cheerleader, and my bones were thankful for that.

After a short while, the two boys came back out, walking again between the screaming cheerleaders, and Shin made a face while Mason showed no reaction at all. He had gloves in his hand and a band around his upper arm. "Is he the captain?!" I asked Emily. "Yep, and the goalkeeper." - "I thought he didn't like soccer?" - "Still, he's a good player, often as a goalkeeper or in midfield. Mason has a high IQ.”

“He observes the player, remembers things, and knows how to react.” 
“High IQ?” I frowned. 
“Oh, I don’t know, something like 129 or so.” 
That can't be true. 
So let's recap: good-looking, can sing, is rich, and somehow super smart. 
That this even existed. 
“I think it must be really exhausting to be that smart,” Emily murmured. I first looked at her and then at the field, where Shin had the ball and Mason was watching him intently. The cheerleaders were also watching, with most of them on Mason’s side. The team had split into two smaller groups earlier, and Shin was now pushing into the defense of the others when he fell. He was obviously fouled by one of his teammates. And then everything happened very quickly; you could see Mason taking off his gloves, throwing them aside, and running towards the guy who had shoved Shin to the ground, pushing him back hard as well. “Oh no, not again,” Emily murmured. “Again?” I asked, but there was no time for an answer as an “OH!” echoed across the field. Mason had lunged at the guy and was about to throw punches, but Shin held him back, though Mason was able to shake him off. I jumped up. “What’s wrong with you?!” Emily asked. “Someone needs to intervene!” I shouted. “No way, it’s better if no one gets in between when Mason is in full swing.” I barely heard the last part, only that she was calling my name, but I was already almost on the field. By the time I got there, both had somehow gotten back on their feet and were holding each other by the collar. I barged in between them. Both guys were surprised, allowing me to push them apart. I placed my hand on Mason’s chest, and he looked at me. He looked confused. I looked at him too, and my heart was racing like crazy, just like his, probably because all the adrenaline was being released. He gritted his teeth, turned around, and walked towards the locker room. 
I looked around. Everyone was staring at us.

I was sitting with Emily in the library, watching her study. “You really stirred up the rumor mill,” she said at some point, and thinking about how everyone had gawked at me, I believed her. “But why?! I mean, someone has to intervene in situations like that!” 
She closed her book and looked at me. “Yes, of course,” she said and then sighed. “But Mason doesn’t calm down easily. He tends to freak out massively over the smallest things; he would even shove a woman aside. That he didn’t do that to you surprises everyone.” I sighed and changed the subject. “I need to find a part-time job.” I had laid my head on the table and blew my hair strands off my forehead. Emily looked at me. “I know someone who’s looking for a part-time helper at a local restaurant,” she said, and suddenly I was wide awake again, looking at her.

And now I stood here, right in the middle of America. I had planned to go shopping. I already had several bags full of decorations: picture frames for the walls, plastic plants, a few new bed covers, I even carried a bucket of paint with me. Completely worn out, I dragged myself to the address Emily had given me. I arrived and saw three medium-sized windows side by side, with a brown frame and windowsill. I looked at the thick sign on the wall that had yellow lettering. “Charly's,” I read out loud.