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“Move it,” Mr. Cross demands, and they both finally relent. He leads them away, walking in the middle, keeping them both at a distance from each other.
As they disappear around the bend, Eric comes up to me, putting his arm around my shoulder. “Are you okay?”
I nod my head.
“Come on. Let’s get to class.”
Leading me away, I stop when I spot Mason’s glasses on the floor. I bend over and pick them up, noticing one of the lenses is cracked. Gently folding the temples, I place them in my pocket and turn to Eric, giving me a puzzled look.
I should probably throw them away, but I can’t bring myself to do it. They are part of Mason, a part of him that I can’t bring myself to throw away like trash. Maybe I have lost my mind but having something that belongs to him makes me feel like part of him is with me. It gives me a sense of peace. The kind of peace that only he can give me.
ChapterTwenty-Nine
AVA
Each day blends into the next, and before I know it, it’s Monday. My friends dragged me away toPackwoodfor the weekend. Logan’s parents own a log cabin outside town—a short distance fromCowlitz River—that is solely used for a break from city life.
Growing up, I spent many weekends out there and have many fond memories of roaming the forest and canoeing in the river with Logan and his family.
As low as I feel, I did have a good time. The seclusion cleared my head somewhat, and we kept ourselves busy with canoeing, drinking, and enjoying the views of the dense forest ofBig Bottom Valleywhile soaking in the hot tub on the deck.
Grayson was absent which was a relief. The tension between Cadence and Grayson is at an all-time high, and they still refuse to speak to each other. I’ve tried to talk to Cadence about it several times, but she brushes it off like it’s not a big deal. I’m not buying her facade. I saw how much the confrontation between them hurt her, but at this point, she doesn’t want to talk about it, and I’m left with no other choice but to leave it be for now.
I heard through Big Boy that Mason and Logan were let off with a warning after their fight in the halls. They are lucky. Fighting generally always results in suspension, but with only two weeks left of school, the principal went easy on them but only under the strict instructions that they stay away from each other.
“If he doesn’t stop staring at you, I’m going to stab the fucker’s eyes out with my fork,” Eric spits beside me, and I follow his eyes across the cafeteria to see who he is talking about.
Mason is sitting with Grant at a table by the window. Grant is chatting away, utterly oblivious to the fact that Mason isn’t listening to him. Instead, he is watching me, his blue eyes unwavering and fixated on my every move.
Our eyes lock, and the despair radiating from his gaze is so overwhelming I feel the shards of my broken heart sink further into the pit of my stomach. I look away quickly, turning my attention to Eric, attempting to pacify him as he mutters curse words under his breath.
“Please just ignore him.” I give his hand a squeeze, and he lets out a breath, forcing his attention back to the group.
Hadley hasn’t returned to school since shit went down, and it’s probably for the best. The whole school has turned against her and made their dislike for her known all over social media.
Even the nerds have jumped on the bandwagon, using this opportunity to lash out their own dose of revenge. I can’t blame them. She made their lives hell for years. It just goes to show you should never make enemies if you can avoid it, no matter how insignificant you deem them to be. There is always power in numbers.
Everyone continues with their conversation like normal, and I try my best to get involved but can’t seem to stop myself from looking over to Mason, who is still staring at me. The look on his face matches how I feel, and the longer he continues to watch me, the more those emotions I’m fighting to keep at bay start to bubble up to the surface.
It gets to the point that I feel like I’m suffocating. It’s becoming hard to breathe, and unable to stand it anymore, I drop my fork in defeat, pushing away from the table. “I need to go to the bathroom.”
Lyndsey frowns at me then goes to stand up. “I will go with you.”
“No.” I shake my head. “It’s fine. I will only be gone a minute.”
She reluctantly sits down, nodding her head in acceptance. I don’t want her to come. I don’t want anyone. I just need a moment alone to gather my thoughts.
I leave the cafeteria and head straight to the bathroom by the library. As I enter, the memories of the last time I was in here with Mason hit the forefront of my mind, and I head over to the basin and turn the tap on, splashing my face with water.
Leaning on the counter, I take a moment to gather my thoughts and emotions. Seeing him is killing me, and he iseverywhere. He is always watching me. I feel him watching me in the halls from a distance. I feel his eyes boring into the back of my head in class. There are flowers in my locker every day. He messages me relentlessly several times a day, but I’ve yet to read even one. I’ve been waking in the middle of the night to find him sitting in the wingback chair in the corner of my room, watching me sleep, and as much as I want to kick him out, I allow him to stay.
I have no idea how he is breaking into my house, and I haven’t asked. We never speak. He sits in silence the whole time, and even though the distance between us is vast, somehow, his presence in the room keeps the nightmares at bay.
It needs to stop. I know it does, but for some reason, I can’t ask him to leave.
Wiping my face dry with a paper towel, I throw it in the trash and take another moment to pull myself together before exiting the bathroom.
When I step out into the hall, I freeze when I see Mason standing there waiting for me. I feel my resolve start to crack as I take in his appearance up close. His eyes are sunken, indicating that his nights spent in my room are robbing him of much-needed sleep. He has a few days’ worth of growth on his face—the minimal grooming he once took some time for seemingly abandoned.
