When Life Gives You Lemons [COMPLETE]

Chapter 3

A week had passed since my strange conversation with a newly single Mason. I had thought the breakup wouldn't last—he and Alexis usually reconciled within twenty-four hours—so I was shocked to find, even a week later, that they were still separated. Maybe they were over. Better not to dwell on the impossible, getting my hopes up. Mason literally gave me no reason to think we would ever be together; any inkling I had that he was flirting was just me reaching like Wow, he maintained eye contact for five seconds. He's in love.

At the end of the school day, I gathered all of my things and waited by Caleb's locker. Before I saw him, I heard him. "That's it, I'm moving to Canada," Caleb said, marching towards me. He threw his locker open and shoved his face inside as if trying to hide.

I bit back a laugh. "What happened this time?"

"Remember when I almost went to second base with Chrissy Jonas in my hot tub and the next day she got a cold sore and everyone said I gave her herpes? Even though cold sores wouldn't mean that? And I don't have herpes?" He shoved his textbooks into his backpack with unnecessary aggression, his shoulders tense.

"Yes, Caleb, that was, like, two months ago," I reminded him.

He glared at me. "People are still calling me 'Herpes Hotspot.' Girls are still calling me 'Herpes Hotspot.' I'll never get a girlfriend." He slammed his locker shut, walking outside without even bothering to check if I was following him. I had to quicken my pace just to match his long strides.

"It'll blow over," I said, out of breath. "Plus, I still love you."

"Wow," he deadpanned. "I'm so glad."

I shoved his shoulder as we found his car in the parking lot. Caleb had a track record of forgetting where he parked. His Toyota wasn't the only thing waiting for us, however. Jess was getting a ride home from a friend, her first kiss Lauren to be exact, so it wasn't her who was leaning against the passenger door.

It was Mason.

"What the hell?" Caleb muttered. "Mase, what are you doing here?"

Mason moved from his perch on the car and started walking towards us. "I don't have any plans today, so I wanted to give Emma a ride home," he said, and my heart just about stopped. His unreadable eyes met mine, and my breath quickened. "I wanted to ask her something."

"Well, that doesn't sound suspicious at all," Caleb drawled, looking between the two of us with curious eyes.

"It's fine, Caleb," I said, and Caleb shook his head, but opened the door to his car and got in anyway, leaving Mason and me alone.

He grinned and walked to the front lot of the school. I followed him to his Honda, where I was sure he had a multitude of infamous hookups with Alexis. I resisted a shudder as I got into the passenger seat.

"So," I began as Mason turned on the car and shifted it into reverse, nervous now that we were alone together, "what did you want to ask me?"

"Well, you're the only close girl friend I have, right?"

I looked at him with my eyebrows furrowed, wondering where this was going. He wouldn't meet my eyes. My heart started racing faster. Close girl friend? We hardly even talked anymore. I hoped to any higher power that he wasn't about to ask me for relationship advice or how to get back together with Alexis. I looked around for a bag in case I vomited.

"I guess," I swallowed my nerves and fidgeting with the hem of my t-shirt. "Why are you bringing this up?"

"Alexis took the breakup pretty badly." Mason tensed and his hands tightened against the steering wheel. "She's been trying to get back together non stop."