the other side of us | ✓

1.1 | another perfect lie

The bass shaking the bar top in front of Mason was doing nothing to ease his anxiety. Ears ringing, he looked at Jonathon again. He really shouldn't have been at the bar at all, let alone this bar. Ace of Spades wasn't known for its favorable clientele. His mother would kill him if she knew where he was, even if he wasn't drinking.

Mason had an exam the next morning and he should have been home studying. A little over a month and he'd be finished with school and hopefully on his way out of Hollytree, Alabama.

"Sorry, what?" He leaned in to hear better.

"I've got a job for you." Jon repeated, a grin stretching across his pale face.

Mason narrowed his eyes at his friend.

"No. No more jobs. I don't do that anymore."

"This one's a small job. In and out, I swear."

"That part of my life is over. I promised my mum that I wouldn't get in anymore trouble. No more high school antics for me."

"And you won't get in trouble. Just don't get caught."

"I'm really not interested. I already have a job – a legal job."

"We both know that this will pay a hell of a lot more than whatever you're making at the Stop and Go."

Mason rolled his eyes. It was true, but he didn't need to say it.

"C'mon man. You owe me." Jonathon's voice was pleading, and Mason furrowed his eyebrows.

"I don't owe you anything."

Which was true. All of his debts had been paid up a long time ago.

"No, but I'm sure you owe the hospital something, right?"

Mason paused. Jon had a point. Even though his siter was home, the hospital bills had been piling up.

"Talk quickly. I need to go soon."

Jon looked around even though it was clear that the place was too loud for anyone to overhear him.

"I need you to steal something."

Mason snorted into his soda. "Well that was fairly obvious."

As if there were another type of job that Mason was capable of completing.

"I need you to steal something from Anderson Cartwright," Jon clarified, downing his beer and flagging down the bartender for another one.

"Professor Cartwright's son? The hell do you want from him?"

"I need his laptop. Undamaged."

Laptops were big. Big things were noticeable when they went missing.

Mason sighed. "What do you need his laptop for?"

"That, my friend, is need-to-know information. I just need you to get it for me."

The truck lurched to a stop outside Jonathon's apartment complex, but neither boy moved.

"What do I get if I do it?" Mason finally asked. Jonathon snorted.

"Six hundred."

Mason sucked in a quick breath while trying to remain nonchalant. "You must really need that laptop."

"Anderson has information on it that could seriously affect my ability to graduate. Do we have a deal?"

"When do you want it by?"

"Tomorrow."

"Absolutely not," Mason said crossing his arms. "It can't be done."

"C'mon man. I know you can do it."