Ride ✿ Scott Mccall

i. you have weird friends

   "Do you think Mom and Dad will care if I have a few friends over tonight?"

   Rory had only just exited her car when her brother ran up to her. Mason wasn't ever one to hold back on anything, especially with his older sibling and that was most likely the reason he didn't even utter any greeting to the brunette.

He also probably didn't greet Rory considering she refused to take him to school—she insisted he slum it on the bus like she had to before she got her license.

   "They probably won't care, but I will," Rory stated to Mason, whom was now walking beside her in the direction of the high school they now shared.

   Mason glared at the brunette beside him, having to slow his footsteps so that he walked in pace with the five-foot-four girl. Despite her being three years older, Mason still trumped her in height. "Why in the hell would you care, Aurora?"

   "First off, kill it with the full name," Rory reminded her brother, who only smirked as he knew the mention of the name she had been given at birth came into conversation. He knew it wound her up, which was why he continued to use it in his pursuit of fulfilling his brotherly duty of being an annoyance. "Might I remind you that my SAT's are coming up and I need to study. Your friends are annoying and loud, how am I supposed to study with you all around?"

   Mason scoffed at her insinuation. "Please, we aren't that loud. Besides, we don't want to do nothing on a Friday night, how lame would that be?"

   "Not lame at all, considering it's exactly what I am going to do."

   "SAT's are weeks away."

   Rory stopped walking to glare at Mason, who only caught onto their stoppage a few seconds once his sister had paused—meaning he had to backtrack a few steps. "If I do crap in the SAT's then I can't go to college, and I'm not spending anymore years in a cramped house with you, Mom and Dad. No way, Mase."

   "Slightly offended," Mason commented at the things said about sticking with him.

   Rory waved the boy off and continued to start walking again. "You know what I mean. This town is suffocating, I can't wait to get out."

   When the siblings were right near the entrance to their high school, Liam Dunbar came into view as he leaned against a pillar. His breaths were short and fast, his bright eyes flitting around him as if he was waiting for someone that scared him.

   Liam Dunbar had been Rory's brother's best friend since forever, in fact at this point it was odd for the brunette to see them without each other. Liam had only just transferred from Devenford Prep and Rory had heard the story of why he had to do so—she felt for the freshman, he had been a part of her life for so long that she couldn't help but see him as a part of her extended family.

   "Liam," Mason posed a question for the boy who looked out of breath, although he also wasn't paying much attention to his best friend at all. Liam's head was twisted to look behind him. "Why weren't you on the bus?"

   "Uh, I ran," Liam answered like that was the most normal thing in the world.

   Rory pulled her bag tighter on her left shoulder, uncomfortably looking at the boy before her. She hadn't seen him like this before, he seemed so agitated. "I know you want to get into the lacrosse team but running from your house to here seems a bit excessive in training."

   "You ran three miles to school?" Mason's face showed that he didn't believe his friend in the slightest.

   Liam glanced between both of the Hewitt siblings, wishing he could spill his guts on what was really going on—although how was he supposed to do that when he didn't know what was going on himself. "I just started running."