Death of the Perfect Girl

41- The Big Brother

     Charlie stood in front of Mason's bedroom door. He was afraid to open it. Why did he nag Sadie into telling him what Mason might've done? It would've been better if he didn't know.

He lifted his finger to knock the door with his knuckle but froze from fear. He sighed. If he believed his brother didn't do it then he should've been more confident with the question, knowing the outcome.

He knocked the door.

"Come in," Mason's voice vibrated the door.

Charlie slowly turned the knob and walked into the room. "Hey," he gave Mason a quick and nervous smile.

Mason smiled back, sitting on his bed with his homework in front of him. "What's up?"

Charlie walked over to his study desk and pulled out his chair, sitting down. He stared at the floor. "Mase, I need to ask you something. And I need you to reply to me with complete honesty." He looked at his little brother.

Mason chuckled not expecting the question that was coming. "Okay? Sure. What's the question?"

Charlie pursed his lips and frowned, then he sat up straight and looked at Mason. "Mason, what happened on Saturday night?"

Mason's smile fell. His heart started to pound his chest. "What do you- What do you mean? I went out with Sadie-"

"And where did you go when everything was done? You told mom and dad that you dropped everyone home but according to Sadie's video, you dropped Poppy home."

"I mean, yeah. I dropped her home-"

"Then what?"

Mason gulped. "I came home-"

"You didn't go into her house?"

"No." Mason's cheek twitched at the corner of his mouth.

Charlie sighed and sank into the chair. "Mason, why are you lying?"

"I'm not."

"I know when you are. Just tell me the truth. I won't tell mom and dad. Or anyone. Tell me what happened."

Mason stared at Charlie then he frowned. Tears filled his eyes. "I'm not that kind of person. I just... I throught she loved me back."

Charlie held his breath. His fear had come true. He couldn't let Mason see him panic so he stood and walked over to Mason's bed. He sat down. "What happened?"

"After I dropped her off, she invited me up to her room and I thought she was flirting. We were going to watch a movie. But I just had to screw it up," He cried.

"Mason."

"I started asking her why we stopped being friends. I told her that we needed to talk it through, but she said she didn't want to. Then I told her how I felt about her."

"That you like her?"

"No. That I love her...I thought she loved me back so I kissed her. And then I got carried away."

"Did you...touch her in anyway?"

"I might have- I don't know. I just thought she was nervous. I thought she was hesitating. I didn't think that she really wanted me to stop. I tried to tell her I was sorry but she pointed a gun at me."

Charlie furrowed his brows. "What?"

"She had a gun she got from God knows where. And she pointed it at me and told me to leave... So, I left."

Charlie looked down.

"I didn't mean to hurt her. I'm really sorry. I just...I loved her.... I still do." Mason looked at Charlie. "Did she tell you about what happened?"

"Never mind how I found out... You shouldn't have done what you did... but I doubt you would have raped her."

"But I did assault her."

"Yeah... Did you talk to her?"

"She said she was mad that she was stupid enough to trust me. She thinks I'm a bad person when I did it because I was confused-"

"You are also selfish."

Mason looked at Charlie as if he was offended. He stopped crying.

"Be honest. If you cared enough about her, you would've stopped when she asked you to the first time."

Mason looked down.

Charlie stood up. "Learn from your mistakes. Stop being selfish when it comes to girls."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You don't like Sadie. You're torturing yourself because you're afraid of what your fans might think if you dump her. You see what she's done to Poppy. She's sick. She didn't even stop the kids from kicking her around in that classroom... You didn't."

"I got suspended for her-"

"After Chris assaulted her like you did?"

Mason held his words.

"I think you should call her and talk to her. Tell her what you told me. Also, tell her that your father didn't train you right." Charlie walked out of the room.

He walked into his room and shut the door, then texted Sadie. He took a deep breath.

He didn't do it.

He sent the text and put his phone on the table. He walked over to his bed and laid down. How could Mason be so sick?

*  *  *

3 years ago...

Charlie walked with Mason in their high school hallway. Charlie kept his head down, nervous from the eyes that he feared were staring. He followed Mason to his locker.

"Look, Charlie," Mason looked down at him, being taller than him when they were that age. "This is our second week. You can't follow me around. People are starting to call you my tampon."

Charlie frowned. "I just don't want to be alone."

"Then make friends. Swallow one of your anxiety pills."

"Don't you get it? Those things are a waste," Charlie looked around the hallway. "They don't help anyone. They're just made to dumb us down and make us more controllable."

"Sure," Mason rolled his eyes and chuckled.

Charlie stared at the girl walking past them.

She was short and she wore a t-shirt and bell bottomed jeans.

Their eyes met and she smiled at him.

He nervously smiled back.

Mason looked at her. "Do you know her?"

Charlie nodded. "She's in our math class."

Mason looked at Charlie then at the girl again. "Do you like her?"

He shrugged. "She's okay."

Mason smiled. "Like 'hot' okay? Or just like one time okay?"

"I don't understand," Charlie looked at him with furrowed brows.

Mason chuckled. "Would you date her or do you just like...wanna...you know?"

Charlie shook his head. "You're disgusting."

Mason smiled. He looked over at Poppy. "Stay here," he pointed at his older yet smaller brother. Then she walked over to her.

Charlie stared at them.

Mason touched Poppy's shoulder and smiled at her, and she giggled putting her things in her locker.

Charlie squinted. They had met in one of their classes and Mason had already been targeting her.

*  *  *

Charlie stared at his bedroom ceiling thinking about when Mason met Poppy. Mason was never into having girls as 'just friends' before then and he had suddenly become her best friend. The question slipped into Charlie's mind. Had Mason been hanging out with Poppy to date her or to get her to have sex with him?