Chapter 13
MASON
Unknown
Kegs galore. Clothing optional.
Just kidding :)
Mason almost drops his phone into his cereal bowl as he reads the text he receives at the crack of dawn the next morning.
He already knows it’s Callum, but he can’t believe he didn’t even start off with so much of a “hello,” or “good morning” like a normal person.
Mason
You’re hilarious.
Mason shudders as he shovels more flakes into his mouth at the idea of him going to a party in just his underwear.
He’d rather get expelled from Montgomery than have to publicly embarrass himself like that. The only worse thing would be going to a party like that and having to witness Callum also in his underwear.
Callum
Being the team’s designated court jester comes with it’s perks
Mason
*its
Mason smiles proudly at himself as if it’s the best comeback he could ever make as he slurps the remaining milk in his cereal bowl.
He can’t even believe he’s having a conversation by text with Callum.
Well—It can’t necessarily be considered a conversation, more like a sparring match. Which is what they do best.
Plus, Callum has already given him the details for the party, so there’s nothing else to talk about.
Callum’s commitment to pretending like Mason hadn’t stormed away from him that day after the player profile interview is commendable.
Mason thought that it might have been the end of them interacting, but clearly, Callum is keen on involving Mason in his life.
Mason knows he overreacted slightly. The stinging of Callum’s words doesn’t hurt as much this morning as it did the other day.
Mason is glad that Callum didn’t mean for things to go so wrong, but it still doesn’t erase the pain that it caused.
Even if Callum wanted Mason’s number to invite him to a party, it still can’t undo the fact that he hurt Mason irreparably.
He’s still allowed to be hurt, but he’s making a promise to himself to not wallow.
Callum
I’ll make sure the DJ puts About You on the party playlist
Mason drops his spoon in the bowl, wincing at the metallic clang that it makes, hoping his roommate doesn’t wake up.
He glances up at his roommate Simon, who has his arm draped over his pillow and a tiny stream of drool coming out of his mouth, but he doesn’t move in his bed. Crisis averted.
Mason’s face heats at the mention of that song. He can’t believe Callum still remembers, even now.
After all this time. He remembers.
Mason shakes his head and closes his phone, deciding to ignore Callum’s obvious bait. It’s just a way to ensure that Mason will go and not back out at the last minute.
A ploy to get Mason to spend more time with him so he can sing his praises.
Mason gets up and puts his bowl in the sink, turns around and rests his hand on the counter, the pink hue of the rising sun filtering through the blinds.
Callum must be practicing or working out right now, and he has Mason on his mind. He tries to not think about what it means, because he can’t go back there. He refuses to.
He needs to be careful. Callum isn’t reliable, and he could rip away any attention he’s giving towards Mason at the drop of a hat.
Mason hates how much it still stings.
He’s changed. He’s not that lonely, lost boy anymore. He’s older and smarter. He refuses to cry over his long-lost friend trying to finagle his way back into his life.
He has much more important things to do than to sit and wonder what all the pomp and show is for.
Mason grabs his bag and runs out the door. He’s going to get his mind off Callum and do what he does best.
He’s going to do some physics.
“Still feel like going to the party?” Mason asks as he slumps down next to Jenna on a picnic table on the quad.
She jumps as he startles her, and he smirks as she tries to maintain her composure.
“Can you please stop startling me?”
Mason smiles and shakes his head. “No.”
Jenna rolls her eyes.
“Anyway, what do you say? I know you’re just itching to see Callum.”
Jenna squints at him. “I think you’re getting me confused with yourself.”
Mason sighs and nods. “Very funny. Seriously, I’m down to go. We’re in desperate need to expand our social circles.”
Jenna squints and nods. “Okay… and where is said party? Did Callum text you?”
Mason nods. “He did, it’s at the Alpha Psi Kappa fraternity. I know a few of the people from The Goldberg are going, too.”
Jenna nods slowly. “Hmm.”
Mason furrows his eyebrows. “What?”
Jenna shrugs and starts eating some baby carrots from her bag. “Oh, nothing. I just thought that maybe Callum was the reason you wanted to go, since you know, he invited you.”
Mason avoids her eyes.
She sighs. “But that shouldn’t be a problem, right? You and Brown are all buddy-buddy now I guess,” she says.
Mason twists his mouth. She’s playing mind games with him, and he refuses to play ball.
“I doubt he’ll even know I’m there. I just wanted to… I don’t know—get to know some other people. Plus, there’s a cute guy on the paper that’s going.”
Jenna raises her eyebrows. “Okay, now there’s the real reason I was waiting for. What’s his name?”
“Alex,” Mason says.
It’s a lie. He’s not sure if Alex is for sure going. He mentioned it in their last Goldberg meeting, but he’s hoping Alex meant it, just as a cover for Jenna.
Mason bites his lip and nods.
Jenna smiles. “Okay, well then, I accept your invitation. When is it?”
“Tonight.”
Jenna lightly shoves him. “Way to give a heads up.”
Mason puts his hands up. “Callum just told me this morning. He just said ‘soon’ last night when he asked us.”
Jenna rolls her eyes. “Whatever. I gotta get to class, I’ll see you tonight, okay?”
Mason blows her a kiss. “It’s a date.”
She laughs and catches it in the air. “Later, loser.”
Going to the party was a bad decision. A terrible, stupid decision.
“So, like, what’s your major?” Mason hears a drunken football player slurring his words to Jenna, obviously trying to flirt with her.
He’s at least a head taller than her and he has a backwards hat on, with the Hornet’s colors on his letterman jacket.
Mason stands uncomfortably next to her in the corner of the kitchen, wedged between the couch and the nearby kitchen counter, nursing a beer in his red cup, wanting to down the rest of it instead of sipping it periodically.
He needs to be not-sober as quickly as possible if he has to listen to any more of this conversation.
“Kinesiology. And I’m minoring in literature,” Jenna says, smiling at him like she’s loving the attention.
Backwards Hat Guy squints. “Kin-Kinsti-tolo...gy? Kinsology… What’s that? The study of… families…?”
Mason takes a longer sip of his drink, closing his eyes shut and saying “mmm” as he downs the rest of his beer. As if an athlete doesn’t know what kinesiology is.
Jenna’s too good for someone like this. The guy was hot; Mason will give him that. But Jenna needs someone she could have an actual conversation with.
“No, it’s the study of the body and how it moves,” Jenna answers, her cheeks red.
Mason shakes his head as he studies her. She’s eating it up. She’s actually attracted to him.
Backwards Hat rakes his eyes up and down Jenna’s body. “I’d love to see how your body moves.”
Jenna giggles.
“Okay. I’m gonna get a refill…” Mason says, squeezing past Jenna, shaking his head with a thin mouth. She probably didn’t hear him anyway.
Jenna can do better, but who is he to judge? His taste in men isn’t exactly top-notch either.
If one of the jocks flirted with him, he’d probably take the bait. He wouldn’t try for anything serious, but he could appreciate attention every once in a while. He needs it after putting so much time into the paper and his studies.
Mason walks into the living room where the main party is happening. It looks how he expected it, with a couple guys shotgunning beers and grinding on some girls as the music blares.
It looks like the whole football team is here. Mason looked up the whole roster when he got the spot on The Goldberg and he can pick them out easily.
Craig leans on the wall in the corner in front of some tall, long-legged brunette. He notices Mason and gives him a goofy grin, holding up his cup to Mason. Mason gives him a thumbs up and walks further into the living room towards the keg stand.
He opens the nozzle and lets the beer fill up most of his cup. He doesn’t want to go for multiple rounds and have to go through the hassle of coming in and out of the “party room.”
He feels a hand on his shoulder, and he almost jumps in mid-air. Mason turns and sees Callum smiling down at him with a cocky grin.
“You came?” Callum says, his eyebrow raised questioningly like he’s surprised that Mason actually decided to show up and that it’s a cruel prank he’s playing.
“No, I actually sent a hologram of myself,” Mason retorts.
Callum is remarkably unperturbed by his sarcasm. “Didn’t think you’d come. I didn’t think this was your scene.”
“And yet, you invited me,” Mason says, taking a sip from his cup, maintaining eye contact with Callum. Callum keeps his eyes on Mason too.
“I figured since you’re saying nice things about me for once, that I should be friendly back,” Callum says.
“Well, contractually… I kind of have to,” Mason jokes.
Callum actually laughs.
His usually serious face lights up with a boyish smile as he beams at Mason.
For a fleeting moment, Mason feels like he’s standing in front of his best friend again, and that at any second, they could run off and get into some mischief together.
Mason stares at Callum’s smile and he feels a smile of his own tugging at his lips, but he hides it with taking a sip. It’s hard to deny that he feels comfortable with Callum for once. He’s tipsy, and he’s already forgotten about how angry he is with him. For now.
“Well, your words really made me feel seen,” Callum says, his tone softer.
Mason’s staring at Callum’s lips now.
They’re plump. Why is he just noticing them now? Why does he want to reach out and touch them?
It must be the beer.