Chapter 28
MASON
The rattling floors shake with the bass of thundering music coming from the loudspeakers, and all Mason wants to do is leave.
The Hornets have had yet another victory, and it’s Halloween. So naturally, everyone is celebrating at their usual frat house of choice, and Mason actually made the decision to join, albeit dressed up.
He feels ridiculous in his pirate outfit. It’s a usual pirate costume, with the eye patch, the boots and the hat and all, but instead, he has a huge pi drawn onto his outfit, so his outfit he’s actually a “pi-rate,” as he keeps trying to explain to everyone that it’s a math pun.
Not many people have found it amusing.
“I think your costume’s great, honestly,” Jenna comments next to him as they sip beer in the corner.
She looks even more ridiculous in her skeleton costume, trying to make a reference to her kinesiology major with her costume, but she still looks good.
“Joel said it was a terrible pun.”
“He’s a dunce,” Jenna counters.
Mason cheers his beer at her.
“How are things with Cal?” Jenna asks.
“You mean calculus?” Mason asks.
Jenna rolls her eyes. “No. Callum, smart-ass.”
Mason chuckles. “They’re good. We’re still getting our bearings, but you know, it’s still fraught with… challenges.”
Jenna nods. “Makes sense, after all, he is one of the most popular guys in the school, and you’re reporting on him because you needed to have a good way to lie to your parents. That was never going to be easy.”
Mason almost chokes on his beer. “Geez, why don’t you tell me how you really feel, Jenna.”
Jenna nudges his shoulder. “What I’m trying to say is that I hope you both make it.”
Mason smiles. “Thanks.”
Mason notices Craig and Callum approach them. Callum’s dressed all in black with black wings coming out of his back, like a raven, most likely his costume of choice.
He was expecting some variation of a hornet or a wasp to represent Montgomery, but Callum’s choice of a raven feels more like… him. He’s a misunderstood creature, and as a plus, it matches his hair.
Craig squints his eyes as he sizes Mason up. He gives Mason his usual goofy smile. “I like your costume, man. Suits you well. But I don’t know what that squiggly thing is on your chest.”
Mason opens his mouth but is interrupted. “It’s pi, you know, the Greek letter?” Callum says to Craig.
Craig’s eyes bulge and his mouth forms an “o” as realization hits him. “Whoa! A pi-rate! That’s genius!” Craig exclaims, clapping Mason’s shoulder, hard.
“Ow,” Mason mutters as he rubs it after.
“The gladiator of all people should know all about Greek letters,” Jenna comments as she sizes Craig up in his costume.
Craig frowns. “Gladiators were Roman, not Greek.”
Jenna presses her lips together in embarrassment.
“Touché,” she says, running a hand through her hair.
Craig chuckles. “I may not be smart… but I’m not as much of a...”
He gestures to her skeleton costume and then knocks on her head gently. “Bone. Head. As you think.”
Jenna guffaws at Craig’s pun. Mason even chuckles himself.
Callum shakes his head and pats Craig’s arm and shakes his empty cup in front of him. “Can you fill ‘er up for me?”
Craig nods emphatically. “This gladiator lives to serve.”
He takes off and Callum smiles at him and Jenna.
“I like the costume. It’s very… calculated,” Callum comments.
Mason slaps Jenna’s shoulder. “See? He’s the only one who’s understood this costume all night. What the hell is going on? Does no one care about pi anymore? Do circles mean nothing to people? Or trigonometry?” Mason rants, throwing his hands in the air.
Jenna and Callum laugh.
Mason squints. “Judge all you want, but none of you would exist without pi.”
Callum looks behind him to see if anyone’s watching, no one is, so he quickly pecks Mason on the lips, shielded by his raven wings.
Mason blushes.
“You’re cute,” Callum mutters, a small smile on his lips.
Jenna smirks as she takes a sip of her beer. “My teeth are rotting from sweetness, and it’s not because of the Halloween candy.”
Mason scoffs and nudges her.
Her face drops, and she lowers her cup as she looks past Mason and Callum.
Mason follows her gaze and his stomach churns as he sees Joel approaching them.
He looks between all of them at their costumes. “Pirate and skeleton… makes sense.”
He glances between Callum and Mason. “Pirate and raven… don’t see it, sorry.”
Callum rolls his eyes to face Joel.
“It’s not a group costume,” Mason retorts.
Joel shrugs. “I know, just wanted to tell you anyway.”
Mason wants to drop kick Joel, but Callum’s pretending to appear unaffected.
Like a switch, Callum stands taller, lets his body poise with confidence, and puts his usual cocky smirk fully on display.
“I was just saying hi to Jenna, she’s in my kinesiology class,” Callum says before taking a sip of his beer.
Mason takes a sip of his own, watching every micro movement that Callum’s making. He doesn’t like how he’s acting like the person everyone expects him to be. He doesn’t look like Callum. The Callum he knows.
For some reason, he wants Callum to defend him. He wants him to shove Joel over or tell him off, but he can’t expect him to cause a scene.
“You interested in him? He’s on the market,” Joel says to Jenna, pointing to Callum.
Anxiety surges through Mason’s veins as Callum takes another sip of his beer.
Jenna scoffs. “I’m good, thanks.”
“Oh, come on, he’s the quarterback and has won every single game, and look at him, who wouldn’t want him?” Joel goads, nudging Callum in the process.
Jenna glances between Mason and Callum, her expression morphing from astonishment to discomfort.
“I already have a boyfriend, sorry,” Jenna says, her smile thin.
Joel nods. “Ah, would have made sense, too. I actually have a girl waiting for you Cal, come on bud,” Joel says, smacking him on the back and wheeling him out of Mason and Jenna’s way.
Mason’s heart sinks as he watches Callum walk away, not giving a single glance back at Mason.
He wants to go crazy on Joel, but what hurts more is that to most people, Callum is the person that Joel’s describing, the star quarterback who’s good at everything and who everyone wants to be or be with.
How can Mason compare? He’s just this physics obsessed dork who’s lying to everyone about who he is and who he wants to be, who keeps to himself, and his idea of a fun Friday night is studying. What was he even doing here?
He was never supposed to belong at something like this.
“Mase, you okay?” Jenna asks.
Mason’s bottom lip trembles, but he makes it stop by taking a gulp of beer.
“Yeah. I’m fine. Joel’s just being an ass.”
Jenna looks at him unconvincingly. “Mason.”
He shakes his head, knowing what she’s about to say. “It’s fine.”
“Do you wanna go somewhere else?” she asks.
Mason looks at the party and sees people making out on the couch or shotgunning beer cans everywhere. The music’s too loud and he needs some air.
“Sure, let’s just go outside.”
Jenna nods and guides him out of the frat house, past a group of bloody nurses and doctors and out into the crisp night air.
A drunken zombie stops him. “Hey… you’re—you’re Mason Fanning, right?”
Mason nods. “Yeah.”
The zombie runs a hand through his chalky hair. “I knew I recognized you, I’ve been reading all your articles. You’re a great writer.”
Mason puts a fake smile on. “Thanks. I really love being on the paper.”
The zombie puts a hand up to his mouth like he’s trying to whisper to Mason. “I bet you’re gonna be the editor someday. I’ve heard horror stories about Fiona whats-her-name, I think you’ll do great if you keep going.”
Mason’s face nearly drops, but he doesn’t let it fall. “Maybe someday.”
The zombie looks at his costume and chuckles. “A pi-rate. That’s funny. Isn’t that a math thing, though?”
Jenna answers for Mason. “No, it’s because the party’s here at the Alpha Gamma Pi.”
The zombie nods. “That’s very funny. I mean—punny.”
Mason tries to not roll his eyes.
“Anyway, sorry we have to go, Mason’s feeling a little woozy,” Jenna says before pushing past the zombie.
“Keep writing, man! You’re the best!” the zombie says as Mason leaves.
Mason hunches his back as Jenna guides him. “I actually think I’m gonna be sick.”
Jenna gently pats him on the back. “Just get to the bushes first, okay?”
Mason lets Jenna guide him to the outer edges of the property and puts his hands on his knees as the yard begins to spin.
“Mason, are you okay?”
Mason shakes his head. “No.”
“What’s wrong? Do you need anything? Water? Maybe some food?”
“A time machine would be nice.”
Jenna furrows her eyebrows. “Huh?”
Mason shakes his head. “Never mind.”
“You don’t have to listen to them, you know,” Jenna says as Mason stands up to his full height.
He blows out a long breath. He knows he shouldn’t listen to what other people say so much, but how can he not? Everyone is telling him exactly what he’s already thinking.
That Callum’s supposed to be the life of the party, getting with any girl he wants, and to stick with the football players.
That Mason’s a great writer and should try to be the chief editor of The Goldberg and that he doesn’t belong in science. His peers, his classmates, his parents.
Why is he wasting so much time trying to prove everyone wrong? Why is there so much fight behind all of it?
“Maybe I should,” Mason says, rubbing his face tiredly.
Jenna shakes her head. “Mase, come on. These people don’t even know you.”
“I don’t think I even know me anymore,” Mason mutters.
Jenna rolls her eyes. “Now’s not the time to be cliché, Mase.”
Mason huffs. “Look, all of it is staring me straight in the face, practically slapping me left and right telling me that this can’t work.”
“This?” Jenna asks.
Mason gesticulates his hands in every direction. “Me doing physics. Being with Callum. Keeping everything from everyone. Clearly, I’m a great liar, but how long can I keep doing this for? Denying what I know deep down?”
Jenna furrows her eyebrows. “Which is...?”