The Return of Love (Editing)

Chapter 10

I twirl the pencil between my fingers and tap it against my binder, which I walk around with.

Dakota lays on the floor, papers scattered around her, and Mason, on my bed, keeping a pencil behind his ear and five scattered around him.

"Okay, here's something easy. What's the equation to find slope?" Mason asks looking at his book.

"m equals y2 minus y1 over x2 minus x1?"

He nods approving and I turn to Dakota, "what's the definition of a simile?"

Even though we aren't in the same English class, we have the same teacher, just different periods.

I set the pencil between my teeth and flip through my notes.

Whenever we have tests coming up or assignments, this is usually a typical day at my house.

"Cassandra, could you grab the door?"

I exchange looks with Dakota and Mason and roll my eyes.

The chewed up pencil falls out from between my teeth and I toss my binder at Mason.

"Coming!"

I dart up the stairs and swing open the front door, only to find Johnny, Ashton's brother, standing in front of me.

"Oh, hey Johnny! Sorry, I don't know where Ashton is," I say assuming that's who he's looking for.

He places his hand on the door and looks down, "I'm not looking for Ashton."

Confusion crosses me and he gives a slight smile, "Ashton doesn't really have time for me right now. He's... Dealing with some things. I was actually wondering if Mason was here."

I stand, stunned and snap into the realization that he's looking for Mason.

"Oh, yeah. Come on in."

I open the door a little further, allowing him to step in.

He follows me downstairs and into my room where Mason and Dakota argue back and forth.

"I think it'd be called Dunch."

Mason slaps his hands against my bed and shakes his head, "Dunch?" He mimics, "that's such a stupid word. It definitely would be called Linner. It just has a better ring to it."

Dakota takes a deep breath and sits up from the ground, "Mason, are you even hearing yourself? Linner? Ah yes, would you like to join me for some Linner?"

"Like Dunch sounds any better!" Mason argues back.

I clear my throat and they both turn my way, "what's happening?"

Mason looks away and Dakota points to him, "he's being an asshole again."

"She's the one who thinks lunch and dinner together would be called Dunch!"

I shake my head, "I mean, you could just eat more food before bed and say that's dinner, then you wouldn't have to make up a word to combine them."

"No arguing and more food?" Dakotas jaw drops.

"Wow. You're really smart." Mason slowly says as if he's the dumbest person in the world.

"Um, yeah. Okay. Mason, you have a guest."

Johnny awkwardly stands next to me and Dakota stays silent.

"Johnny right?"

He nods and stands at the doorframe.

"Come on in!" Mason makes room next to him and Johnny waddles in.

Dakota looks up at me and I shrug, looking back over at Mason and Johnny.