The Way Back To You

Chapter 28

A P R I L

I still didn't answer my own question. I don't know why he's trying to avoid me but I know that he secretly doesn't want to. That probably sounds extremely presumptuous and egotistical of me, but I'm not wrong. I think I'm starting to understand the guy.

No, that's not entirely true either. There are a lot of things I don't get about him, but I'm trying to figure it out, I really am.

I think back to when I accused him of being all up in my business and purse my lips. Well, that's kind of exactly what I'm doing right now. Which is very hypocritical of me and I'm starting to get why Alex cared so much back then.

I shake my head and clear my thoughts, picking up the pace I've taken down the hall in the opposite direction of which I left him. I turn down the hall into my History class with the sole intent of blocking out my thoughts and actually doing something productive.

My grades are slipping and I can't flunk out this year. I know I don't want to end up at community like Yvonne, who truly let herself go when she was younger, but if I don't pick up the pace I might not have a choice.

As I settle into my seat, I see fast movement out of the corner of my eye. Before I can so much as pick my head up to see clearly, Mason is at my side, grabbing a hold of my arm and pulling me up. I gasp out loud and push against him, pressing up against my seat.

"Hey-what-MASON! What are you doing-"

"I need to talk to you." His voice is urgent and his usually playful demeanor is gone. I don't like what I see in its place so I pause and consider his words before allowing myself to be pulled out the door. I'm lucky I was early and the class is mostly empty. The most I get are a few weird looks and shrugs.

When we enter the hallway I plant my feet and stand unmoving, like a rock.

"This is as far as I go unless you can give me a good explanation as to why you're-manhandling-me. First you don't want to talk and now this? What if I didn't want to talk?"

"I know you do because you have something to tell me. Quinn said to ask you about it and I saw you earlier."

I shake my head and cross my arms. "Okay, yeah, I was talking to her. What about it?"

"She has a message for me. I want to know what it is, what do I have to do? I feel like shit April. You don't understand. What happened between me and-" he stops and takes a deep breath, continuing in a more hushed voice. 

"It was a mistake. All right. I didn't mean for any of this to happen and I just want things to go back to the way they were."

I close my eyes and wonder how I managed to get into the middle of this mess. I'm still pissed at Alex but I recall his advice for the millionth time in the past week alone.

But you know what? Fuck him. I can't stay uninvolved.

"She's not going to get back together with you. Understand that before anything else. She's done. She doesn't want an explanation from you and she doesn't want to get back together."

He raises both eyebrows and takes a step back, scoffing. "How would you know what she wants? Look, all I want to-"

"Because she told me. She wants you to stay away from her and, Mason, I love you, but I think you should listen."

He runs his hands through his hair and stares up at the ceiling. "I messed up with both of them. Charity won't look at me. I can tell you're disappointed. Quinn is-I don't even know-"

"Mason I think you should fix things with Charity. She likes you, you know."

Mason leans against a locker and bangs his head against a wall. "I do. But April. I don't."

"What?"

He sighs. "I know that she does. Quinn mentioned it once and I've been...Noticing...Small things since. But truth be told, I didn't let myself believe it."

I shake my head and let him continue.

"I mean, we've been friends for how long now? It's been years. I thought there was no way and I've never looked at her like that and I'm being very honest when I say I never will."

I drop my arms at my side and feel like strangling him. "Then why did you kiss her?"

He pushes himself off the locker and stands in front of me. "Because she was crying and in that moment I realized Quinn was right all along."

I hear a small scuffle to my right and turn my head, my brain going slightly fuzzy from what I see. What are the chances? WHAT are the chances?

Charity pulls on the straps of her bag, pausing over a water fountain. She runs the side of her hand over her lips as her gaze switches back and forth from me to him.

"So...What? It was a pity kiss?"

Mason swears under his breath and takes a step forward but she shakes her head and throws back her hair.

"Is that your excuse for what you did? You know what Mason? We've been friends for ten years, and I stuck with you through everything. Everything. I thought what happened that day at your house was completely my fault. Mine for liking a guy who had a girl. But I never acted on it, or made any moves the entire time you were dating Quinn. And I felt like such an idiot. "

Her chest rises and falls as she throws her hands up in the air.

"But what made me feel like less of an idiot was what happened right after that kiss because I THOUGHT I might have a chance. I don't even want a chance anymore, god."

Mason blushes and I turn to him, perplexed.

"What-"

"Ask him about the huge boner he got."

"Charity-"

"Ms. Clover you are late to class. Twice more and that's detention."