My Middle School Crush (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Two Men, One Chair

With the car rumbling softly underneath him, Mason bounced his leg up and down nervously. Mark's presence calm beside him helped but couldn't fully calm Mason's nerves. Mark was driving Mason to his house, not so they could fool around but so that Mason could see Jasmine. As twins, Mark and Jasmine alway celebrated their birthdays together. They got joint parties and a single cake with both of their names every year without fail. So, if one person couldn't celebrate, then neither could. This requirement had worked against Jasmine for the past four years.

Through one of his friends from dance, Mark found out about several issues that plagued those below the poverty line in North America and abroad. He became a bit extreme in the ways he tried to not use money frivolously. Mason almost laughed thinking about how he thought shopping at thrift stores and cutting his own hair was the only way to do right by the people in the world who had less. On the bright side, it got Mark into organizations that created shelter for the homeless in North America and clean water in developing countries.

Unfortunately for Jasmine, Mark was at his most extreme when their sixteenth birthday passed. Mark would have never been able to stomach the thought of spending hundreds, possibly thousands, of dollars on a single party considering all the things that could have been done with that money.

So, now that they were turning 18, Jasmine was looking to make up for the loss with a legendary party.

Because of how tense things were between them, Mason had been worried Jasmine wouldn't invite him. Mason had messed up pretty badly and she could think that his presence would ruin the event. So Mason was surprised when Jasmine texted him, asking that he come over to help organize it. Part of that surprise came from the fact that the party was months away but Jasmine was nothing if not extra. But more importantly, Jasmine wasn't going to let their fight and her grievances with him stop him from being involved.

Mason felt incredibly grateful. But also nervous. He wasn't going to be the only person there, he knew. Jasmine was getting together an entire team to plan this event. However, Mason feared the tense energy that would surround them the second he entered the room.

"Mason, stop freaking out." Mark sighed. His right hand left the steering wheel to grab Mason's knee and give it a comforting squeeze. "Jasmine hasn't necessarily forgiven you but she has calmed down. I'm sure things will be fine once we get there."

Mason tried to hold onto Mark's words instead of his own negative thoughts. The former was far more encouraging. After a few more minutes of driving, Mark pulled into his house. The large structure loomed over Mason, its presence suddenly intimidating instead of comforting.

"Come on." Mark told him as he stepped out of the car. The clinking of Mark's keys when he slipped them back into his pocket broke through Mason's stupor, waking him up. With a nervous breath, Mason exited the car and entered the house.

Jasmine decided to have the meeting in her room. The space was big and comfortable because of the carpet and bean bag chairs and she barely had to move a muscle. When Mason entered the room, she was laying on her stomach, her elbows propping her shoulders and head up at the foot of the bed. Her expression, relaxed at first, tensed when she saw Mason.

"Hey." Mason smiled, his lips and cheeks feeling tight. Jasmine mirrored his uncomfortable expression.

"Hi."

There was a pause as they looked at one another. Mark, who came into the room, first, looked back and forth between them, wondering how to get out of this mess. His approach was to act like nothing was amiss. He took one of two bean bag chairs, noisily sinking down into the foam.