Everything I left behind

Chapter 2

Smiling at myself through the mirror pinned on my wall, I felt pleased with my outfit that I'd chosen for my first day at college today. Going pretty simple, I wore some ripped black jeans with a navy blue jumper that I just slightly tucked in the front. My hair flowed down in its natural waves past my shoulders and down my back whilst I had applied a small amount of make up.

"Darling come on you're going to be late!" My dad called up the stairs, sighing I picked up my bag before rushing downstairs.

Mum handed me an apple to eat on the way there before kissing my forehead to say goodbye. Dad was giving me a lift into college this morning as he was passing that way to the supermarket. I had my driving licence but was yet to get myself a car, we wasn't exactly that financially stable yet. Moving away had a big affect on us, but I was positive things would start going back to normal.

"Do you want a lift later?" He asked as he stopped just outside the large car park gates. Shaking my head, I jumped out blowing him a kiss goodbye.

"I'll walk, love you!" I shouted as I rushed through the car park to make it to Riley and Ethan. Although I was eighteen I'm sure my parents would continue to keep treating me as though I was just developing into a teenager.

A screech escaped my lips as my eyes locked on Riley and she started running towards me, her bright red locks jumping with each step. We did the typical bear hug which brought tears to my eyes, who would have thought I'd be getting emotional already.

Come on Ave!

"We've missed you so much" she breathed as she pulled away, her eyes also showing tears but a smile settled on her lips.

My attention turned to Ethan who also embraced me in a tight hug. He grinned down at me as he took a handful of my locks into his hair frowning at the purple violet colouring.

I died my hair a few weeks ago for my upcoming birthday, purple was my favourite colour and I had just about convinced mum to let me do it. You can see the similarity between me and Riley, with her being bright red and me being purple.

"You do look different" he stated with his arms crossed. I rolled my eyes at him, of course I looked different.

"So do you" I chuckled punching his toned arms that showed his strong muscles through his top. He laughed before Riley wrapped her arm in mine and we headed through the corridors to the main hall where it was now crammed with students.

My eyes were desperately scanning the room for Mason's but I was yet to find him. He was set on going to this college too, he was interested in law like me. As kids we use to pretend we was police officers and make our own laws up. One day, we even went to the extent of dressing up as officers and did a whole police chase after Danielle. The memory brought a smile to my face, they were the best days.

I took my new timetable from one of the teachers stood behind a desk and scanned it.

"Hey I didn't realise you was taking sociology" Riley pointed out as her finger make contact with my timetable. I smiled nodding my head knowing she was about to start jumping up and down with excitement.

"I had to take something else alongside criminology and law so sociology was the next best thing" I shrugged, and of course she did start bouncing up and down giggling at the thought of us finally having a class together. Bless her, as clingy as she could be she was worth every second of it, she was the true friend you needed in your life.

So was Danielle...

Me and Ethan also shared law which was actually our first lesson this morning. I was disappointed I couldn't find Mason upon the flood of students, but I followed Ethan across the grounds to our class.

Pushing the door forward our teacher smiled as we made our way to a table at the back. Dumping my things down, I made myself comfortable whilst other students trailed in.

"It's so crazy having you back" Ethan laughed whilst flipping through the empty pages of his notebook. I went to reply to him when my mouth hung open in shock as Mason walked through the doors, his brown hair swept aside and his toned frame intimidating the other guys in the room. Girls literally admired him with every step he took.

He sat down not too far from me by himself, his eyes scanning the room before they landed on me. They widened slightly when realising it was me, before he snapped his head away without evening muttering or smiling a hello.

My stomach turned inside, he wasn't happy to see me. He showed no emotions whatsoever, not a single shred.

I watched as the rest of the remaining students flooded inside, another guy with blonde hair and tall frame sat beside Mason and they briefly spoke before the lesson started.

Ethan hasn't caught onto my gaze or the fact I was clenching my textbook so tightly my knuckles were turning white. He was part of the excitement I had within me about coming back, we was going to be reunited and now he didn't even want to know me.

It wasn't even like we didn't have the chance to speak or share any form of emotion, he had every opportunity whilst people were still finding their seats. But instead, he just sat in silence avoiding all eye contact with me.

*

My heart felt like it was drowning the entire lesson, I kept gazing over at him to try and catch his attention but it was like I was invisible. When it came to an end, he was the first one to rush on out, even leaving his friend trailing behind him.

"What's the matter?" Ethan snapped me out of my miserable thoughts as we sat down in the college cafe, Riley also frowning at me.

"It's nothing" I muttered as I moved my plastic fork around my pasta, feeling more sick than hungry.

"Don't lie to me, what's bothering you" Ethan said firmly, his elbows propping up his head as he rested against the table. I huffed in annoyance and pushed the pasta away from me.

"Mason, he doesn't seem happy I'm back, I don't understand it" I told him truthfully what was on my mind. It wouldn't leave me alone, I knew he wasn't exactly happy when I left town, but was he really this uptight about it?

I frowned as Riley and Ethan shared a look before turning back to me, Ethan huffed a little before he moved closer to talk to me. "Avery, Mason isn't the same person that you knew before you left" He admitted.

My eyebrows knitted together in confusion at Ethan's words, what could he even mean by that?

"He changed, after Danielle died he just departed himself from all of us. He got in a lot of trouble, and just has no interest in much anymore. He started drinking all the time, hanging out with these random people, he even started talking with Ella" Riley sighed, my mouth dropped open in horror at her words.

Ella Murphy was your typical bitchy high-school girl that wanted to be the ring leader of everyone and be the top of the gossip chain. She use to come into school with her skirt higher than you'd ever want it to be and her face caked in make up. I remember she had these two girls with her that literally followed her everywhere, I use to feel bad for them.

She use to be really nasty to me, Danielle and Riley growing up, we always use to moan about the way she treated people not just us. She always left us alone whenever Mason or Ethan was with us, which showed a lot to be honest. Although knowing that Mason took some form of interest in her as soon as we was out the picture was kind of hurtful.

"But why?" I questioned, more to myself rather than to the two of them in front of me.

"I think just everything that happened in a short space of time, you left, Danielle passed and his dad had an affair and left his mum" Ethan added.

That did shock me, I practically grew up with David and Maria, Mason's parents, they always came across so friendly and in love with each other. David never seemed to me as someone to cheat and break up a family. Though, my mum always taught me to never judge a book by it's cover - anyone is capable of committing these things and that's the scary part about it.

My heart was braking for Mason but at the same time, it was also breaking that he didn't want me around. I should have been here for him through all of this, but I wasn't and that honestly built up so much guilt in me.

I was starting to feel less angry with him and more angry with myself.