Love Me | Series Book #1

TWENTY EIGHT

I had beat the school body's rush to the parking lot. Standing before his car, I looked for his face amidst the crowd. But, I saw them instead. Chase and Leah hand in hand, and walking my way. I turned my body in the other direction. Where was he?

I stood, still as a stone-statue as they walked past, straight to his truck parked behind me. I could feel their eyes burning a hole into the back of my head. And yet, they said nothing. Figures. They said enough in front of everyone.

"Kaya?"

I glanced up, and he was there, standing across from me, only separated by his vehicle.

"Hi Mason."

Chase's engine growled to life. I wonder how much force he used, turning the key in the ignition.

"Do you think you can give me a ride to work?"

"Sure."

I climbed into the car without looking back. I didn't want to know what they were thinking, although I could probably guess. What did it matter when they were surely talking about how horrible I was. And maybe they were right. I didn't care anymore.

I glanced into the side mirror to see that he hadn't yet reversed out of the way. His truck stayed in place, headlights beaming straight ahead. Leah was leaning against the passenger door, talking to him through a lowered window. But, her eyes were on us. I took one look at Mason, and he was watching them too. In a matter of seconds he'd bring it up, and I was ready. I had the second half of the day to prepare for this conversation, and I'd already memorized the script.

But, when he put the car in drive, and opened his mouth he said, "I have to stop at the pharmacy first, to pick up my mom's medication."

"That's fine."

We were about a mile down the road when I realized that maybe he wasn't going to mention it at all. I took the opportunity to relax my muscles and sink into the vinyl seat. We pulled up to Rite Aid drive through, and he rolled down the window.

"Pick up for Joanna Riley," he said into the speaker, before we were waved forward. My phone buzzed in my pocket, tickling my thigh. I reached for it.

1 new message from Chase.

I fought the urge to put it away. Still the prideful part of me was expecting an apology. I unlocked the screen.

We need to talk.

It wasn't the I'm sorry, that I was looking for, but he was probably right. And at the same time, I wasn't in the mood for another interrogation. Especially with the high risk that Leah would be there playing devil's advocate. I couldn't picture the scene going any other way then me sitting there in the hot seat under a spotlight, while they bombarded me with a string of accusations.

It bothered me that she went and told him without even speaking to me about it first. I should've seen in coming from the way she looked at me during gym period. The message was clear on her face. I'd betrayed her by being with Mason, and his hold around my hand was all she needed to run straight to Chase about it.

I knew what Mason had done to her at the party, and in her eyes I was just as guilty for taking him back.

Except that I didn't, but that's how she made it out to be.

Chase would be on her side, of course. When he would ask questions before, I never made Mason into the antagonist. I always had an excuse for him. But this time, there was none.

"Thank you," Mason said to the worker as he placed the paper bag on the center console between us.

I read her pill prescription printed on the receipt as well as his own underneath it.