The Both Of Us

Chapter 15 - Still into you

"Sarah wake up! We're gonna be late for class, goddammit! Mr Jones hates you enough!" Sarah groaned into her pillow.

"Why are you even taking this class?" she asks. "You're studying to become a physiologist! Why take English too?"

"Because," I chirped. "I love literature!"
Sarah snorted, "Of course you do."

When she was dressed, we headed out to class. She glanced at me before asking, "So...Becca, how are you?" I sighed knowing what she really means. "I'm fine Sar."

"No. You're not. I'm not going to sit back and watch my best friend hurt over a boy! It's sad and pathetic." She said. I rolled my eyes and scoffed at her.

"I know, I'm sorry, it's just... He left but I thought that - "

"Maybe he'd like you too," she finished for me.

"Yeah," I shrugged. "It's okay." She said before opening the door to Mr Jones class.

***

Class was depressing. Mr Jones spoke about romance. Isn't it ironic?

"Don't you just love love?" Sarah sighs.

"Love, love, love, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing. You always get hurt in the end, in one way or another. It's inevitable." I said harshly.

Sarah winced and grimaced, "Sorry. I forgot, sore topic."

Her statement annoyed me slightly, sore topic. Everyone's acting as if I'm broken, they act as if they're walking on eggshells around me. I mean, it's not like I'm I love with Mason, I just really like him.

Sarah and I walked silently toward our daily café, The Hangout. Strangers filled the red booths, some sat at tables while others sat on sofas in this warm café. From where Sarah and I stood, we could see Megan talking to Alec and Dylan who sat on either side of her. Chase sat opposite her on a couch while Mason sat alone on the love seat.

I turned to Sarah and ignored her cautious glance between Mason and I.

"What do you want," I asked getting ready to order. She saw my blank look and sighed, "I'll have my usual." She said and walked towards our friends. I turned around and faced the barista, Matt.

"Hey Rebecca. How was your summer?" Matt asked with a flirty smile, his light blue eyes shinning as he ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair.

I smiled back, "It was good. How about yours?"

"Good," he smiled. "What would it be? The usual?"

"Yes, Sarah's usual as well as my usual with extra foam please," I replied.

"Sure, coming right up," he said with a wink.

I smiled and rolled my eyes. I turned around and leaned on the counter as he got to work. I looked over at my friends and caught Mason looking my way with a slight frown on his face. When our eyes met, he quickly looked away. I looked away and turned around to Matt who handed me my order, which I instantly paid for.

As I made my way towards the sofas, I realized Sarah sat next to Chase leaving the only seat available next to Mason. My heart started beating really fast and my hands shook slightly as I handed Sarah her drink and went to sit next to Mason.

Sarah and Megan looked shocked that I actually sat next to him, while the rest of the group sat in a wave of nervous silence, until Alec decided to break the silence.

"So, Becca," Alec began. "How's your dad?" He smiled kindly.

I could feel the heat radiating off of Masons body. I ignored it and nodded, "He's good. He's happy, we all are. He said he's resigning before Halloween," I explained.

Megan exhaled, "That's a relief! Thank god." Everyone agreed with her except for Mason, who just sat there brooding.

"So... How was your vay-cay guys?" I asked them then instantly regretted it, thinking they would ask the same. Luckily they didn't. They all cheered saying their vacation was good. I smiled at them.

The rest of our time together was conversational except for Mason, we hardly spoke or looked at each other until it was time to leave. Mason offered to walk me to my next class.

We walked in silence until Mason said, "Becca."

"What?"I almost hissed. "About what happened that night, I - "

"- shouldn't have done that. It was a mistake, right? I get it Mason can I go now?"
My chest tighter as I finished his sentence that he told me days ago.

Mason frowned.

"Becca you don't - " he started. "Understand?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I understand perfectly. Can. I. Go. Now?" I didn't wait for him to continue I just walked away to my physiology lesson, not before looking back and seeing a scowled form on his face.

***

Later that evening I sat on my bed with my laptop on my lap trying hard to form an essay on romance for Mr Jone's class. When I heard a knock. I opened the door and looked up to find Mason looking at me with a hidden emotion.

"What do you want?" I asked straight to the point while I closed the door behind myself as he walked in and sat on my bed.

"I want us to be normal again." He said simply.

"Normal, huh? I don't know. I guess it is normal when a guy friend kisses a girl friend, then says it was a mistake, leaving the girl confused. Oh! And he didn't speak to her for like what? Two weeks? Yeah that's pretty normal."

Mason winced and said, "I'm sorry."

I let out a strangled noise and looked him in the eye.

"Yeah well I'm sorry too! I'm sorry if I care too much. I'm sorry if something is happening in your life. I'm sorry that you can't feel the need to trust me. Im sorry if I'm a bit too boring for you. But most of all, I'm sorry that our friendship started off with hate and now we're back to square one! I'm sorry Mason, for everything! I'm sorry..." I breathed in deeply and exhaled as Mason sat before me.

Mason stood up and said, "I'm not sorry that you care too much Becca, and I do trust you, it's just... Hard on me right now. I really appreciate our friendship and I'm sad it's slowly ending because of a stupid kiss! I don't care if you thought the kiss was stupid or not. I ... I just don't want you to hate me. Do you hate me?" 
Mason looked at me expectantly, licking his lips.

I obviously did not think the kiss was stupid. Did he think it wasn't stupid. I also knew I would never hate him. Not if I could help myself.

"No. I don't. Not at all," I said solemnly.

"So can we just forget it happened and carry on being friends, can we put it behind us Becs? Please?" Mason took my arm and gave me a pleading look. My heart was beating really fast. I won't be able to forget the kiss as he's asking me to but I can pretend. I don't want to lose our friendship just because I have feelings for a guys who doesn't return it.

I gave Mason a small smile, "Of course Mason, friends." Mason smiled gently and held out his hand. I hesitantly took it, ignoring the heat emanating from his hold.

At the last moment, he pulled me to him, trapping me in his arms as I yelped, "Mason!".

"What?" he drawled out cheekily. "I missed this" he whispered while nuzzling into my neck, causing my heart to stammer and breath to be caught in my throat.

"I missed you" he said. His lips brushed against my skin and all I could do was try not to shiver.

I sighed, relishing in his touch.
"I missed this too," I whispered.

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[Unedited chapter ]