Unbidden

Chapter 2

The next morning, everything was going as usual. He started working on his school work, which was easy, because he is smart. However, once it turned 3 p.m., his usual lunch time, a knock sounded on the front door. His mom opened it.

She gave a friendly greeting. "Oh, hi! You're Joanna's friend from yesterday, right? Come on in! Are you hungry? We're just about to eat lunch."

"Oh, yes, thank you," Jayson replied.

I want to die, Mason thought. He was hiding in his gaming chair in the living room. Maybe he won't see me.

"Mason, sweetie," his mother called, "Jayson Sakagami is here!"

"Hi Mason!" Jayson shouted. He turned to the right and saw Mason cringing in his chair. "What are you doing? Talking to Joanna?" He sneered.

"Leave," Mason said shortly.

"Whyyy?" Jayson whined. "I've been nice to you!"

"I will ban you from my house," he threatened.

"No you won't, you like me being here," Jayson said.

"Come on, y'all, let's eat!" Mrs. Aimie called from the other room. Jayson turned around and followed her voice, while Mason begrudgingly stood up and glared at the back of his head.

The three of them sat down at the table. Mason's mom had made homemade pizza, which is pretty epic if you ask me.

"So, I heard you and Mason have talked to each other over Discord a lot," Mrs. Aimie said.

"Mhmm." Jayson nodded. "We call like every day and he bullies me."

"Mason, don't bully people," his mom scolded.

"It's not bullying," Mason said. "He acts weird and I just ban him from my server. Ask Joanna about it."

"Joanna says it's bullying," Jayson retorted.

"Well." Mason shrugged.

"Look," Jayson reasoned, "Joanna is like the master socialization knowledge person, I would listen to her if I were you."

"Okay buddy," Mason said.

"Are you trying to say that Joanna isn't like the master socialization knowledge person? You're so rude. I'm going to tell her you said that. Maybe she'll break up with you."

Mason rolled his eyes. His mom stifled a laugh. As strange as it was, she thought the exchange was entertaining.

The three continued to eat in silence. Jayson got three more slices of pizza after finishing his initial one. He would've gotten more, but there wasn't enough.

Mason stared down at his empty plate. His mind was going back to last night's drowsy thoughts. What was he thinking about that was so important? Why did it matter?

Oh. He remembered. He was considering the notion that he liked Jayson. But that was weird. He always said he hated him... but did he really? It seemed like it, but it didn't feel like it.

Why was everything so complicated in his head? He either liked or disliked Jayson. Which one was it? He wanted to say he hated Jayson, but he just couldn't. Why?

Before he noticed, his mom had already left the room, and he was alone with Jayson. "Why did you come here?" Mason asked with an edge to his voice.

"Why not?" Jayson said. "I got pizza."

Mason sighed. "Did Joanna give you my address?"

"Yeah, but it wasn't recent. She told it to me a few months ago and I wrote it down on your Discord profile notes."