What A Smile Can Hide

Chapter 7: Dizzy

My eyes flicked back to Charles, he was glaring at me. He'd noticed my fake smile was gone so I quickly plastered another one on.

I looked back to Mason, he eyed Charles warily.
"This is my son, Mason, I assume that Grace and Mason might know each other. You go to the same school, Grace?" Landon asked me, he seemed like a kind man.
I still can't trust him.
"Yes," I nodded.
"We're in some classes together too," Mason added as he tore his gaze away from Charles.
"I hope he doesn't cause any trouble at school, does he?" Landon asked me as they all took their seats.
Mason's eyes darted towards me across the table, I couldn't decipher what emotion was hidden in them.
"No, of course not." I smiled towards Landon.
"We better start eating before the food turns cold," Frances slightly chuckled.
The food was delicious, and I relished it knowing that Jaxon and I wouldn't be eating another meal like this, until the next time that Charles has one of his colleages over.
Charles and Landon conversed about their business meetings, to which I tuned out.
After dinner was finished Charles and Landon still weren't finished discussing business. And they decided to discuss it over a game of pool.
As Charles, Landon and Mason left to play pool I was ordered by Frances to clean up. Jaxon went upstairs to bed after I bid him goodnight.
As I was finished washing up, I started to walk towards the staircase.
"Grace, would you entertain Mason, while Landon and I go to the study?" Charles asked, although I knew it was a promise that I would suffer the consequences if I said no.
"Of course," I smiled as I turned around.
Charles and Landon headed down the hall towards the study, I looked around the room, Frances was nowhere in sight.
I dropped my fake smile and walked towards the pool room, not really caring if Mason followed or not.
I grabbed two cues and chucked one to Mason, he still held the unreadable expression. As I was setting up the pool table, I could feel Mason's stare.
"What?" I asked in exhaustion.
"It's them, isn't it?" Mason asked, though it sounded more like a statement than a question.
"Don't." I said, closing my eyes.
"Don't, what?" He asked confused.
"Don't ask questions," I demanded.
Silence filled the room and it felt like I was suffocating.
"I can help you," Mason said quietly.
"No, you can't." I gritted.
"Why?" He asked sounding frustrated.
"Think about it," I said stepping forward pointing towards my temple. "The cops, Charles has ties to them. Everyone in this town thinks they're saints. Your father wouldn't believe me, he works with him."
"All we need is proof," Mason stated.
"Yeah, proof, that everyone will believe that I did it to myself." I scoffed, sitting on a chair near the pool table.
I threw the cue onto the floor and watched it bounce multiple times, almost breaking.
"There's got to be something we can do," Mason said pulling at his hair.
"There's not, okay?" I snapped.
"Stop saying there isn't, because there is a way, there has to be." He said.
"Mason?" Landon called from a distance.
"Coming," Mason bellowed.
He gave me a worried glance before heading out of the room, towards his father.

The bell rang for recess, I waited patiently for the rest of the students to leave. Once I walked out of the doorway, instantly I spotted Mason.
He leaned against the wall opposite to the door.
"Come on," he said, as he motioned down the hall.
I exhaled and followed tentatively. Once we were close to the cafeteria I stopped in my tracks. Mason must have known I had stopped, he turned around to face me.
His face was blank, but his eyes were pleading for trust.
I've got nothing to lose.
Step by step I got closer to the cafeteria, with every step I grew more anxious. Mason held the door open as we both walked in. The entire room grew silent, every head turned towards us.
The rest of Mason's friends sat at the table in the very middle, they seemed furious, especially Holly.
Mason ignored them and walked towards an empty table at the very back of the cafeteria, I followed.
Once we sat down, a grinning Holly started to make her way towards us.
"Looks like now we don't even have to find her, you lead her to us. Poor Nerd, has no idea. Thanks for bringing her to us Mason," Holly said.
I looked towards Mason, he glared at Holly. Holly's smile fell.
"Myles, come here and talk some sense into your best friend." Holly sang.
Myles sauntered over, and looked towards Mason.
"Mason, what are you doing? Have you forgotten who your friends are?" Myles asked.
"No," Mason said plainly. "I just realised how fake my friends were." He glared.
"Fake?" Myles asked.
Micheal, and Holly's minions started to make their way over. The cafeteria stayed silent, waiting to see what would happen next.
"I can't believe this, your dicthing us to be with this Nerd," Micheal said waving towards me.
"If Mason doesn't want to hang around you anymore, then just leave him alone." I muttered.
"What did you just say?" Myles sneered at me.
Mason quickly stood up to his full height, standing in front of me, he narrowed his eyes at Myles and the others. Mason was easily three inches taller than Myles and Micheal, but Myles didn't back down and Micheal stepped forward.
"I don't want to see you's ever again, don't come near me, and don't you dare come near Gracie." Mason snarled.
"Gracie, huh? You even gave the Nerd a nickname." Micheal chastised. "And what are you gonna do if we don't stay away?" He laughed humourlessly.
"I doubt that you want to know," Mason seethed.
Micheal and Myles glare stayed intact as they took a few steps back, Mason turned around and sat down again. As soon as Mason sat down, Myles lunged for me.
I felt my head collide with the floor before I seen Mason jump up pulling Myles off of me, he pinned Myles to the ground throwing punch after punch.
I went to stand up, but my vision was blurred, my head spun. I grabbed the table to lean on, bringing one knee up using all of my strength, I started to stand up.
Another wave of dizziness hit me and my eyes rolled to the back of my head. I started to fall again, I opened my eyes to see Mason running towards me, he caught me just before I had hit the floor.
"Someone call the ambulance," Mason screamed. "Now!" Mason thundered.
My eyes scanned the room tiredly, no one moved an inch.
Mason picked me up, running towards the door.
"Gracie, you need to stay awake." Mason said. "Stay awake," he demanded, his voice sounded more distant with every word.
My eyes rolled to the back of my head, again. My head pounded and I felt like I was going to vomit.