Leap of Faith

Chapter Three

Rebecca

This is typical Shannon behavior to be honest. I just wish she had picked up some other boy and not the new kid, you know? Because now everyone in the cafeteria is staring at us and I really hate all the attention.

Not to mention that I can see Jenna, Seth's girlfriend, ogling Mason like he's a clearance rack at hot topic. Sometimes I wish Seth would open his eyes a little wider and see Jenna for what she really is. Currently, he sees the world the same as a squinty eyes baby.

"Matt, Becca, this is Mason!" Shannon chirped, yanking Mason down onto the bench seat across fromMatt and I. He looked startled and wary. Matt and I gave each other a confused look before he took the initiative.

"Hey Man, where did you move from?"

"New Jersey."

"Damn," Matt laughed, "that's far. Sorry, but we don't have any beaches here in Arizona." I rolled my eyes at him.

"I noticed," Mason laughed. He had a cute smile, although it was done almost as soon as it appeared.

Matt nodded his head towards me. "This one loves the beach. Whenever we drive to the coast she spends the whole day out on the sand."

"That's an exaggeration," I informed Mason and he smirked.

"Are you two a couple?" he asked and I choked on the juice I was drinking. Matt doubled over laughing. Well God, it wasn't that funny.

"As if, man. Becca would never date me, even if I wanted her to. Which I don't. She's my best friend." He slung his arm around my shoulders again.

"He's right," I said, although Mason still looked suspicious. "Oh, and here's Finn."

Finn passed me my fries and straddled the seat next to me. I kissed him on the cheek.

"Hey dude, welcome to Fairmont! I'm Finn." Mason eyed Matt, and then Finn, and then Matt again.

"Yes, they're twins," I clarified. "And no, I'm not dating him either." I smirked. He rolled his eyes quickly before launching into his sandwich.

"Sassy," he said, and grinned at me. He seemed friendly, at least. And not as self aware and pretentious as I thought he might be. Most guys who look like Mason think the world is theirs for the taking.

"So Mason," Shannon chirped, "what do you think of the school so far?"

"It's alright," he says, not looking any of us in the eyes. "Look," he sighs, "I appreciate the help, but I can get on fine by myself."

With that, he got up and left the cafeteria.

"Rude much?" Shannon huffed, stabbing her salad with a fork. She looked grumpy but the rest of us gave an audible sigh of relief. Despite Mason being apparently cool it was uncomfortable and different trying to add a fifth member to our group. It's like adding another wheel to a car. I think.

"Maybe he isn't interested in making friends," Matt pointed out, snatching up one of my fries. I slapped at his hands.

"Hey! My own reflection bought them for you! I think I'm entitled!" he cried, outraged.

"I think you're an entitled bastard," I said bitterly and he laughed.

As they continued to discuss what was wrong with Mason, I couldn't help but think about what I had thought of him.

There was something in his eyes that told me he was lost, and not trying too hard to be found. I recognized that something, although I wasn't quite sure where. It came in the form of dim eyes and lips that hadn't smiled quite enough for the right reasons.

Then it hit me. It was the same something that was always in my eyes each time I looked in the mirror. Did I really look so... scared? So unwilling to see the world and it's contents?

I watched as Finn leaned over, ruffling Shannon's hair before avoiding a shove in the shoulder from her. Was that flirting? I thought to myself. Had I been out of the attraction loop for so long I couldn't even recognize flirting anymore?

When had I gotten so dense?

When I got home that afternoon, Mom was on the phone, giggling like a teenager. I walked into the kitchen, frowning, to find her her twirling a strand of hair as she laughed into the phone.

"Mom?" I said, and she spun around quickly, looking slightly guilty.

"I have to go," she said into the phone, looking around the kitchen, "Yes, sure, tomorrow."

She hung up the phone, set it down on the table, and set her gaze on me.

"Hi, sweetheart, how was school?"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Fine. Who was that on the phone?" Her eyes flicked to the phone and then back to me. All too suspiciously, I might add.

"Just someone from the office." My mother worked in an accounting firm, so phone calls were pretty common in her field of work, but the way she had been speaking to whoever was on the other end of the line had sounded very... unprofessional.

"Are you sure?" She frowned at me.

"Of course, why would I lie to you, Rebecca?" She gave me her "stern mom" face, and I backed off, turning and heading up into my room. I ran into Seth outside the bathroom and I stopped.

"Is Mom acting weird to you?" I asked and he cocked his head to the side.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, she just seems... lighter."

"Did she lose weight?" he asked seriously and I laughed.

"Not pphysically lighter, dumb ass, mentally lighter." 

He shrugged, running his fingers through his hair. "I dunno, Bex. But it's good for her - whatever it is. She's too stressed out all the time."

I nodded slowly. Maybe. I was still suspicious, but I guess it was good that my Mom was a bit more relaxed. She had too much to worry about as a single mom with two kids, and I worried about her sometimes when she came from work past nine and logged onto her computer to do more work.

"It's because I love you kids, and I want the best for you," she'd told me one time when I'd asked her why she worked so much.

Love makes us do crazy things, I'd thought to myself.