63. Mason
Mason
SENIOR YEAR OF COLLEGE
To think I missed out on so many good times in college, being wasted every day. It’s crazy what I let a bottle deprive me of.
Truly, the feeling of being sober and happy…can’t be touched by any reckless night of partying. I’ve got the pep back in my step, I’ve got the world in front of me…and I’ve got the girl of my dreams beside me for all of it.
The girl I’m currently on my way to, giddier than a fat cop with a free donut.
It’s my senior year. My last lap.
Not really. I actually will be here for a while longer, fixing all the credits I needed for my major that I switched to midway through my sophomore year.
Anyway, I’m still here, still trying, still learning how to be the person I’ve always wanted to be without the crutches of alcohol, or pointless attention, or always seeking some validation.
I adjust the strap of the speaker on my shoulder and glance down at the time on my phone.
7:46 PM.
I stop in the middle of the Gamma lawn and stare up at the massive house.
A hand claps on my shoulder, and I look over to see Tank’s smug grin. “You got this, man.”
I shrug him off, even though I’m secretly grateful for the distractions my nerves need right now. “Shut up and help me.”
I look back up to the room I know Simone is in and smile, picturing her face when she sees me.
If there’s one thing I am for that girl, it’s stupid.
I stand there for a second, just…taking in the moment, the peace I finally feel. It’s stupid and dramatic. It’s so not me. But it’s also the truest version of me I’ve ever been.
I found a girl who not only loves me in all my stages, but who makes me want to be better, who makes me finally believe I’m worth loving, and that I deserve to love myself as much as she loves me.
Simone is the girl who slipped into my life like a song you don’t intend to remember, but now you know every word to. The girl who saw the darkest sides of me and never gave up. The girl who is living in the Gamma house next door to me this year, like a scene from a rom-com that I’m obsessed with.
I set the stereo down on the grass, careful not to press play until I’m fully ready to embarrass myself.
I had to search around all of the local pawn shops just to find this old thing, and I had to jump through even more hoops to get the song I wanted onto a cassette.
I stand back and then hit play. The first notes ring out on the lawn—Sally, When the Wine Runs Out plays at full volume as I stand there awkwardly, waiting for her face to appear in that window.
As if on cue, when “Sally” belches out, Simone’s face pops into view. Her eyes lock on mine, and her smile grows so big that my heart could literally explode at the sight.
This is our song. We didn’t choose for it to be. It just is. It reminds me of us in the messiest and most simplest way.
I’m stuck there, cheesing like a dumb little kid when I see her hand fly to her mouth, realizing what song it is.
Two more heads pop up behind her, and I see Lydia and Lani come into view, craning their necks to see what’s going on.
Lydia’s expression is frantic and excited, and Lani is shouting at Simone while laughing.
I can’t hear her words, but I can read her mouth perfectly as she points out the window.
“GO DOWN THERE!” And it makes me laugh at how crazy her friends are, but it also makes me smile because I’m so happy that she has friends who love her as much as they do.
Simone shakes her head like she’s arguing with them, and then Lydia points at me through the window. Lani grabs Simone’s arm, making her laugh—her shoulders shake, her head tips back, and even from here, it hits me in the chest how perfect this moment is.
She turns from them, opening up the window, and then leans out with the biggest smile on her face. “What are you doing!?”
“Come down here!” I shout up at her, grinning.
She just laughs and shakes her head, turning around and pushing by Lydia and Lani to run downstairs.
A bunch of the girls from the house start appearing at other windows, everyone trying to see what’s happening, making the whole house light up.
In a matter of seconds, it’s like the lawn is transformed into a show and I am the idiot standing center stage.
Girls start pouring out onto the porch, and the house erupts into screams, laughter, and catcalls—making it a whole big thing now.
“OH MY GOSH!”
“IS THAT MASON?”
“SIMONE! GET DOWN HERE!”
I rub the back of my neck, still cheesing.
So much for subtle.
I turn the volume down slightly—still loud enough to hear, but not so loud that all of Greek Row needs to be involved.
It’s too late, though.
Next door at the Sig house, someone steps out onto the porch with a drink in hand. The guy squints at me, and his face breaks into a huge grin.
He cups his hands around his mouth and yells back into the house. “Ayooo!”
Another guy appears. Then three more.
They all start yelling and whistling over at us, being ridiculous.
“LET’S GO, MASON!”
“YOU’RE SO CUTE!”
“THAT GAMMA GIRL GOT YOU WHIPPED!”
I flip them off without looking, a grin still sitting on my face despite my now embarrassment, and they cheer louder, like I just gave them exactly what they wanted.
The Gamma front door bursts back open. And there she is. Simone runs out the front door like she can’t get to me fast enough. She’s so adorable.
The music is still playing, and the lights from the house make it look like she’s glowing. And I swear—hand to God—it feels like everything I’ve ever done wrong is being forgiven in real time just because I get to have her here with me.
When she’s close enough, I turn the speaker down again so we can actually hear each other.
Her voice comes out a little breathless once she’s stopped in front of me. “Mason.”
My name on her tongue is still my favorite sound.
“Simone.”
She laughs, shaking her head. “You’re insane.”
“For you. Always for you.”
I take a step forward, closing the distance between us, and grab hold of her hands, squeezing them. “Would you, Simone Edwards—girlfriend to the lucky guy on the planet—please be my official date…to the winter formal?”
Everyone starts screaming.
“YES! SAY YES!”
Simone turns around, half mortified.
“Shut up!” she yells, but she’s laughing so hard her voice cracks a little. She turns back to face me, smiling. “Yes. Of course I’ll go with your cheesy ass.”
I smile and lift her hands to my mouth, kissing the back of her knuckles.
“Geez!” Lydia screams from the window, “I’m going to vomit rainbows.”
Simone rolls her eyes, but keeps smiling.
“One day,” I tell her quietly, “this is how I’m going to ask you to marry me.”
Simone freezes. “Mason…”
I nod, holding her hand tighter. “I’ll be standing outside your window,” I say. “Music blaring, choosing you, no running, no…me disappearing. Just me being a fool for the girl I love.”
That last part makes me emotional. Because I disappeared into bottles and poor choices and pain that I refused to admit existed for so long. And Simone was always there. She didn’t try to fix me; she just…loved me while I learned how to love myself.
“You can’t just—” she starts, eyes going a little glassy. She clears her throat, forcing the words out. “You can’t just say stuff like that.”
“I can,” I say. “And I really mean it.”
Her laugh is wet as she points at me. “Now you have to stick to that promise.”
I grin. “Yeah?”
She nods. “Yeah.”
I tug her closer, only inches apart now, just taking her in.
Her eyes flick to my mouth with a little smirk. “Are you gonna kiss me now?”
My hands slide to her waist, and I don’t hesitate to kiss her.
Cheers from every house around erupt like the ending to a cheesy movie—a cheesy movie I’d rewatch over and over and over again and never get sick of.
I’m still smiling against her mouth when I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I ignore it, but it vibrates again. I shift a little, still holding Simone, soaking in this moment with her.
My phone vibrates again, making my smile falter. Simone pulls back, her face changing like she knows something’s off as her gaze flicks down toward my pocket. It vibrates again, like whoever it is won’t stop until I answer. I pull it out, and the screen lights up.
Unknown number.
Simone’s voice is soft. “Who is it?”
I shrug and just stare at the screen for another second, then answer. “Hello?”
A voice comes through—tight and urgent. “Is this Mason?”
“Yes,” I say, confused, “Who is this?”
There’s a pause, and I hear a bunch of commotion in the background of the call. “Mason, listen. I’m Officer Wright. I talked to your stepmother—Rose—and she told us to call you, to tell you to get on the next plane to Florida…”
I’m so confused. Why is this random officer calling me? What’s happening?
I press a finger into my other ear so I can hear better. “What? Why? What’s going on?”
“There’s been an accident. It’s bad. You need to get here as soon as possible.”
My heart drops into my stomach. “What kind of accident?”
There’s a hesitation that makes me brace for the worst. “It’s your brother, Asher.”
Everything in me goes still. “Asher?” I repeat. “What—what happened? Is he—”
“He’s hurt. He’s…he’s been taken in for surgery from the scene. It’s pretty serious.”
My hands start to shake, and I feel the worst feeling I’ve ever felt in the pit of my stomach.
“In surgery?” I ask in disbelief.
Simone instantly takes my hands, trying to steady me even when she has no clue what’s happening. She has no idea my world is being flipped upside down during a moment that was perfect just seconds ago.
“Yes,” the voice says. “Right now. You really need to come. And…and Sir—”
I squeeze my eyes shut. “What?”
There’s another pause.
“Your dad is currently in custody.”
My eyes snap open in shock at those words. “What?” I say sharply. “Why is he—what does that mean? What happened?”
“We can’t tell you anything more over the phone,” the voice says, tight and careful. “Not right now. Someone will talk to you once you’re here.”
I can’t breathe. I can’t even focus on Simone, who’s trying to get me to look at her, trying to figure out what’s going on. All I can feel is my heart pounding, and my body wanting to be with my brother, wanting to fix this.
“Okay,” I manage. “Okay. I’m coming.”
The call ends.
I just stand there, with the music playing like it didn’t get the memo to stop, like the world didn’t just crack open.
But it did.
Mine did.
It cracked open right here, in the space between a kiss and a phone call.
And I can feel the cold rushing in, and everything changing for the worse.