other half

take me home part two

the rainstorm had started to pick up, the drastic change in weather called for a lrge gazebo to be set up across the green though the celebrations wouold continue. but not for Lydia, she was running, she hadnt quite figured out to where all she knew was that she had to get out. she could see the square filling with people buying decorations and the green opposite being decorated. the town center looked like they were celebrating something big, the likes of which she had never seen in the city. no one did anything like this.

she rushed her hadns through her hair in search for the truck or an idea maybe of where she could hide. jims was the first place that had come to mind but she didnt really remember the way. her feet carried her further towards the edge of the square. then there he was. Mason. her new saviour.

she ran to him, tapping him on the shoulder before pulling him aside. breathless she tried desperately to keep his attention while she was cat called by the boys he was with before. after a breif demonstration of what he would do to them if they didn't shut up they had stopped and turned away.

"you need to hide me, take me up to the house, to jims, somewhere-"

"why aren't you asking alison?"

"she's with Bobby all day, they've gone over to the next town to hang out with, i think his name was ricky?" she explained in a rambling manner, gulping chunks of air as she paused. Mason looked around worriedly before making the assumption she had been running from someone. he grabbed her wrists and gently pulled her close.

"who are you running from?"

"what no one?"

"you're out of breath, who have you been running from?"

"my parents" she admitted in defeat. Masons blood boiled as he checked over the visible skin to make sure she wasn't hurt or bruised. "they're trying to send me away to stanford, a full ride, they're trying to bribe me to stay away from Noah" Mason's eyes met hers with a knowing look. he waved to the boys sending them away before walking her out of the square and into the main village.

"are you going to take it?"

"no of course not, we can afford it, i'd only be going because my father called in a few favours, it doesnt matter im not going im here now and for the next three weeks. i want to keep it that way" she noticed that from afar people were making faces and giving side eye glances at the two of them. she was sick of how mason had been treated. how he wasbeing treated there was no need for it. and yet she couldn't say anything because one day if everyone just stopped his father would be sure to notice and lose his mind. after hearing Noah's tales, it was bad enough that only one of them had been through it let alone make another.

"and what about after?" Mason asked as the gapes and stares at the pair were starting to settle down. mason often answered looks he got with the same expression he was given, in his eyes it made people stop, but really it just made him feel better. if he pretended not to like them, them nit liking him wouldn't bother him so much.

"what do you mean?"

"well after the three weeks whats going to happen? you go home get accepted into stanford? what about m- Noah, what about Noah"

"i'll visit, and you guys can come visit me-"

"oh yeah princess because we can just up and go at your command"

"Mason!" she bit, stopping him angrily in his tracks. "i'm not just going to leave and forget about you guys, this isnt easy, i dont want to leave-"

"us guys? Lyd' are you even hearing yourself? my fathers a convict, i'm not far off and lets be real you'll only want Noah there"

"you just dont get it do you?!" she scolded fighting back the urge to slap him. " i care about you mason, okay so it didn't workout the way you wanted it to, but you're more to me than just a friend, your my big brother, you've been there for me, protected me- you think i'm just going to leave you behind" Mason checked theiir surroundings as they headed up the dirt path. she stopped seeing that something was clearly bothering him.