Messed Up Vita

Chapter Thirteen

   At the end of that day, I can't wait to get home and relax on my bed, editing my pictures on our family laptop. I already planned that I would make a big cup of tea, get my glasses on, and change into sweatpants.

   I was unquestionably disappointed when Mason said something to me right as I was about to walk home.

   "Want to hang out today?"

   I open my mouth, not sure what to say. 

   "There's going to be other people there, don't worry," he says, shifting on his feet. He looks at me with that shy-ish smile. "You, me, a few other friends of mine, and my parents will be upstairs. Just a little hang out thing. It'll be after the game. Wanna come?"

   I shrug. "I guess. But I'll have to ask my parents for permission. What time?"

   "Whenever," Mason says. He suddenly smiles. "Take out your phone."

   "Why?" I ask, reaching into my backpack. I put it in his outstretched hand, and he does something to it. I try to lean on my tiptoes to see on the screen. "What're you doing?"

   "Hold on . . ." Mason says, typing away the screen. After a moment, he hands me back my phone, smiling still. I take it from him slowly.

   "What did you do?" I ask him. I look down at the screen. It's in my contacts, and I see I have a new one. I raise my eyebrows and look at Mason, a small grin on my face. "Seriously? You could've told me your number, you know. Or asked me for mine."

   "That would be so cheesy, wouldn't it?" He scrunches up his nose and eyebrows. I hate to admit it, but it was kind of cute. 

   "Hell yeah it would be," I say. "But still. Whatever- do you know my number?"

   "Memorized it," he says, tapping his temple. "Got it all up in here. Hey, are you coming to my game tonight? You said you would come, right?" He looks down at me with a ridiculous pouty face. 

   "I'm rooting for the other team," I inform him.

   "You break my heart sometimes, Eliot," he says to me. "You shatter it into millions of pieces."

   "Poor you," I tease. "Poor, poor helpless Mason."

   "You'll tease me today, but tomorrow you'll adore me, after you see me win the game," he says, leaning down. I freeze and stare back up at him until he's less than two inches away from my face. I can feel his breath on my nose as he speaks.

   "Adore," he whispers. I catch the mockery in his voice and shove him away, smiling.

   "Yeah, right," I say. "I'll see you later, then. 'Kay?"

   He nods, running a hand through his hair. "'Kay. You better come with the Golden Lion's sweatshirt on." That was our mascot, and I didn't even own a Golden Lion sweatshirt. I think back to a few days ago, and remember Joey did.

   "Alright," I lie. "I will. See yah." I wave and turn around as I hear a honking. Mason earlier asked me to let him give me a ride, but I got out of it and said I had my dad come pick me up. He got out of work early today, due to a oil spillage near his building, so he agreed to come pick me up from after school. I jump off the curb and run towards my dad's white pickup, and quickly open the door. I slide into the passenger's seat, and look at my dad.

   "Who's that kid?" he asks, looking over my shoulder. I buckle my seat belt and follow his gaze.

  "Who, Mason?" I ask. "Just a guy who plays for the football team. I'm going tonight, by the way."