Death of the Perfect Girl

32- The Betrayed

     Mason walked unto the football field. He looked under the bleachers.

Poppy and Charlotte stood underneath them.

"Poppy," Mason quickly made his way over to them.

Both girls turned to him, Charlotte standing in front of Poppy.

Charlotte clenched her fists. "You've got some nerve-"

"I'm here for Poppy, not you."

"Really?"

"Poppy," Mason stepped to the side but Charlotte stood in front of him.

Poppy glared at him.

"Poppy, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me-"

"You don't?" Charlotte put her hand on his chest. "Really? Because I know what you did. You started using your other head."

"Could you back off, please? I need to speak to Poppy, alone."

"The last time you were alone with her you forgot what a word meant. So, I don't think you need to speak with her-"

"Charlotte," Poppy gulped. She stood straight. "You can give us a minute."

Charlotte looked back at her. "Are you sure?"

Poppy looked at Mason. "I am."

Charlotte glared at Mason, then she walked away.

Poppy lifted her head and gave Mason a cutting stare.

"Poppy," he stepped closer to her," I'm really sorry. I swear-"

"I don't care."

Mason froze.

"I trusted you. Like, really trusted you," Poppy nervously run her arm. "I never in a million years would've thought that you...," Poppy shut her mouth.

"You can hit me."

Poppy titled her head.

"Punch me?"

She snorted and shook her head.

"Kick me in the balls?"

Poppy looked at him. "You think that that would make me forget what you tried to do to me? What you did do?"

"I would've stopped. I swear."

"Could you stop? Please? I'm tired of your voice. Sick of you," Poppy felt tears filling her eyes. "Oh my goodness," she shut her eyes. "I'm not going to cry over you-"

"I wasn't going to hurt you-"

"Don't you get it?" Poppy stepped forward making Mason step back. "Of course you don't. It's not about that. It's about the fact that I trusted you enough to bring you into my house when I was alone. I trusted you enough to shut the door with you in my room. Because I saw you as the kid I grew up with." Poppy looked down. "When you sat beside me on my bed, I thought of you as my best friend again. But the moment you kissed me...I saw a stranger."

Mason frowned.

Poppy looked at him. "I was in love with you. You were the first person I fell in love with. Now you're the last person I want around me." Poppy started to walk away.

"I'll send you Sadie's videos."

Poppy stood. She turned back to him.

"Before they're uploaded, I'll send them to you."

Poppy shook her head. "I don't care anymore."

Mason put his hands on his head. "I'm sorry." Tears filled his eyes. "I'm not that kind of person."

"People never are."

"Are you going to tell her?"

"Tell? Tell who? Tell what?"

"Sadie. You can't tell her. She'll end me."

"You sound stupid...I don't care about you. You're not my business anymore." Poppy walked out from under the bleachers.

She walked back into the school feeling numb and emotionless. The only person she had trusted with everything about herself had betrayed her for the second time.

Fisher sat on the floor by her locker with a book in his hand.

She stood above him. "You're lucky there's no assigned hall monitor yet."

Fisher flinched then he quickly stood. "Hey."

Poppy held his book and shut it. "We need to talk."

*  *  *

2 years ago...

Poppy sat her bed with her notebook. She was trying to study but her eyes kept running over to Mason who sat on the floor.

He looked up from his book and turned to her.

She smiled then she looked down again.

"You know," Mason chuckled," when you stare at someone, they know that you're staring."

"Oh really?" Poppy looked at him with a smile.

"Really. Especially when you're the only two people in a room."

Poppy sister walked into the bedroom. "Guys, I'm heading out to the store."

Poppy sat up straight.

"It's okay," she giggled at Poppy wide eyes. "Mason will protect you if an intruder comes."

"Because I'm a boy and scientifically stronger," Mason boasted to Poppy.

"No," her sister shook her head," it's because your ugly face will scare them off."

Mason squinted his eyes and Poppy laughed.

Her sister walked away.

Mason looked at Poppy. She was studying again. "You know," he smirked," Charlie thinks she's hot."

Poppy looked at him. "And what do you think?"

He shrugged. "I had to agree."

Poppy rolled her eyes then she looked at her book again.

"Are you jealous?"

"No. I don't care."

"It's okay if you are. You don't have anything to be jealous about. You two look exactly the same."

Poppy looked at him again.

He smiled.

She quickly looked away and blushed. That was the first time she thought that Mason could be more than a friend, but for the wrong reasons.