Leap of Faith

Chapter Eight

Mason

I couldn't believe I was actually doing this. I was in a movie theater, with Matt on my left, and Becca on my right. Who would have thought I would have made it to this point? Not me, that's for sure. When I told Mom I was hanging out with some friends, she thought it was one of my excuses to go to a party and get smashed. Can you imagine the surprise on her face when Rebecca showed up on my doorstep to give me a ride to the theater? Mind blown.

I wasn't paying attention to the movie at all, I hadn't seen the first one, or read the books, so it wasn't a great loss or anything, but I couldn't help but watch the way Becca seeme enamoured by the film. I leaned my head back and shut my eyes, feeling comfortable in my own skin for once, as I reached into the bucket of popcorn.

I know it's cliche when the girl and the guy touch hands in the popcorn bucket. When they act like there's this great magical spark just because the tips of their fingers touched around some popcorn. And I'm not saying there was a spark, or a shock of lightning, because there wasn't. I'm not sure that even exists. But I touched her hand, and we jerked, turning to look at each other. I couldn't decide my next move, and neither could she. Or maybe, she had made the first move, and now it was my turn.

But as much as I wanted to, as much as I felt that maybe Rebecca was different from the others, from the endless stream of girls and relationships I had witnessed, it didn't change the things I had seen. It didn't change the fact that I had seen love do crazy things, push people over the edge, drive them to do things they wouldn't normally.

I had seen love ruin my parents, and our family, and my life. And I didn't want that. Not for me, and not for her.

So instead of leaning over, taking her face in my hands and kissing her the way I wanted to, I turned back to the screen and slouched lower in my seat. And I didn't see anguish on her face, no sign of disappointment, so maybe she was thinking the same thing.

Rebecca

I didn't know what I was expecting to happen. I thought Mason was going to kiss me, I admit it. He had that look in his eyes, where he was considereing his options, and eventually chosing one.

I knew Mason was like me. Even if he didn't realize it now, we were one in the same. Relationships? Love? They all ruined lives. They brought people together in something beautiful and painfully ripped them apart when they got too attached.

Why waste your time on something that leaves a trail of tears in its wake? Why waste your time on things like true love and love at first sight, when those things will lead nowhere in the long run?

I munched on the popcorn, making sure to coordinate my handfuls inbetween his, and tried to focus on the movie.

Afterwards, we left the theater, the lights in the lobby jarring, and the air fridgid. Matt wrapped an arm around my shoulders and I saw Shannon chatting Mason's ear off.

"Pretty good, huh?" I nodded, leaning into his arm, stealing the warmth from his body. "I loved that first scene, you know? When they used My Songs Know What You Did?"

"That song is killer," Finn said. He had gotten a little less pissy over the week, and I was grateful for that. He slung his arm around my shoulder on the other side, and I sighed with comfort. This was home to me.

"You have a ride home right?" Matt asked me and I nodded. When I realized I had to drop Mason off as well my stomach dropped. I glanced over at him.

He gave me a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. I shrugged out of Matt and Finns hold and said I needed to use the bathroom.

It was empty when I pushed through the door and I looked at myself in the mirror. For the first time in my life, I was questioning whether or not I liked the girl I saw looking back.

Mason

I watched her go into the bathroom and when she'd disappeared Matt and Finn turned to me.

"You got a ride?" I was tempted I say no, and leave without having to face Becca as well as the ache I had from not kissing her, but I knew she would wait for me when she got out. So I said yes, and followed them with my eyes as they sauntered out of the theater with Shannon.

Becca. Becca Becca Becca.

She was in my head day and night, and I couldn't get her out. Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

I waited outside the bathroom and when she emerged we walked side by side, close enough to touch, but only barely. She unlocked her car and I slid in, inhaling her smell, an intoxicating combination of mint and flowery shampoo.

"What did you think of the movie?" she asked and I sucked in a breath. I had barely watched it, it was so awful.

"I thought it was cool," I said lamely.

She smiled. "I'm a Percy Jackson fanatic. Rick Riordan should write himself into his books because he is a God." I laughed at this.

"Well, I don't know. I liked the Cain Chronicles a fair amount but they weren't... spectacular."

"The Cain Chronicles?," she spat and I watched out the window as the thick tree branches danced past us. "The Cain Chronicles are not a good representation of Percy Jackson! The Cain Chronicles was Rick's publicist trying to make magic with a hat and a bunny!" I snorted loudly, clutching the dashboard.

"That's a bit extreme don't you think?" I asked and she shook her head vehemently.

"Not at all. I'm very passionate about this."

"Clearly."

"It's not a bad thing, passion, I mean."

"Of course not."

"Passion is everything. It's what powers change and spins the globe."

"Passion matters."