Fallen Crest Alternative Version (29 page)

“What?” Her voice was so soft, so small.

I jerked my head in a nod. Every muscle in me was rigid, they felt like cement. “She moved in on Sunday. It’s why I moved home.” I took a deep breath. “She’s the caterer at the Country Club. I—uh—I asked if she’d cater one of my friends’ birthday party tomorrow night too.”

“What?”

My eyes went wide.

All the sadness, loneliness, and tears were gone from hers. They were alert and focused. She repeated, “What did you say?”

I bit my lip. “I don’t want a family dinner. I’m going to that other birthday dinner.”

“It’s your birthday, Samantha. We are celebrating your birthday.”

Oh, dear. I took another deep breath. “I don’t want one, mom. Really.”

“I don’t care.” Her voice was rock hard now. “We’re having a family dinner and that’s that. Thanks to your charade, we’ll have it on Sunday.” Her head jerked in an adamant nod. “That’s better. Yes. Yes, it is. Sunday is the day for family and worship. We’ll all go to church too.”

I paled.

Then she stood and smoothed out her dress in two brisk hand motions. Her face was clear and her hair was patted back in place. “You need to go to church. You and Mason need to start confessing all that sex the two of you have. If you won’t stop for me, maybe you’ll stop for the Lord Himself.”

“Oh my god.”

She threw over her shoulder, “And don’t take His name in vain. He’s listening, you know.”

When she disappeared down another hallway, her high heels sounded like she was marching for world domination, and I groaned. What the hell had just happened?

I heard Mason’s chuckle as he came to stand beside me and I tilted my head up. “I think my mom is bipolar. I swear.”

“Nah.” He caught my hand and hauled me to my feet. “She’s just dramatic.” Then he patted my butt. “Come on; let’s get out of here before Analise decides we should go to church now.”

When we left in his Escalade, I glanced over. “What are you doing at the house today? I thought you had a game tonight.”

He grinned. “I do, but Coach still won’t let us play. He doesn’t even want us at the warm-ups until the doctors clear us from everything. I wanted to spend some time with you.” The corner of his lip curved up. “So it’s your birthday tomorrow, huh?”

The warmth I’d felt from his words changed and I tensed under his scrutiny. Even though it was only from the corner of his eye, I felt it full force and saw his hand tighten around the steering wheel. “Yeah.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

The boulder in my stomach dropped all the way to my feet. I closed my eyes and tried not to shudder at the idea of that family event. My voice was hoarse as I rasped out, “Are you kidding me? The only good thing about my birthday is that I don’t have to live with Analise. I have a say in where I go, what I do.” I groaned. “I’m sorry. I should’ve said something, but there’s no way I could handle that dinner with David, Malinda, Garrett, his wife, and your dad with Analise? She was so gracious to want you and Logan invited, of course.” I mimicked her words and how condescending they were. “She worded it like she was doing me a favor to invite you two.”

He grinned and turned the wheel so the Escalade pulled through a fast food restaurant. As he went through the drive-thru and ordered food, I declined anything. Since the run-in with my mother all food had lost its appeal to me. When we’d gotten the food, which was given with a blush and squeal, Mason pulled forward and parked the car. We remained in the car as he ate and I couldn’t stop thinking about my mother’s plans.

“She wants us to go to church.” I groaned. “All of us? Are we all going to take up one entire pew? Can you imagine the looks we’ll get from people? She hasn’t made me go to church all my life. David took me a few times, but that was it. She always stayed home and now she goes all the time with your dad.”

Mason finished his chicken sandwich, balled up the wrapper, and tossed it with the rest of the trash in the bag. Then he leaned back and turned to watch me. His hand reached over and he tapped my knee. “We’re not going to church. Don’t worry about it.”

“What are you talking about?”

He gave me a smirk, one that sent an excited tingle through my body and one that gave me a sense of dread at the same time. “What are you planning?”

“Something that has to do with a hotel room, you and me naked, and a whole box of condoms.” He gave my knee a squeeze and turned the engine back on. As he wheeled out of the parking lot and shot down the street, he glanced at me from the corner of his eye. “What do you think I have planned?”

“A whole night of orgies?” I joked, though it wasn’t really a joke.

The smirk formed into a wide smile and I couldn’t hold back my own.

I teased, “What’s a girl to do with romance like that?”

“Hopefully get naked.”

I barked out a laugh and the boulder in my gut diminished a bit, just a bit. But then I saw where he was headed and it doubled in size. My eyes went wide and I grasped his arm. It was cement as the muscle flexed from the movement of turning the steering wheel. I clung tighter. “Where are we going?”

He glanced over with a small frown, but kept driving.  We passed hundreds of
cars, it must’ve been hundreds of cars. He went through his school’s parking lot that was filled with their colors of red and black. Students milled around the entire parking lot. Some were getting out of their cars, laughing. Others hung out at their cars, waiting for friends. I saw parents, older people, and too many that reminded me of the last game I attended at Fallen Crest Public School.

I shook my head. “Seriously, Mason. I don’t want to be here.”

The teasing was gone between us and he regarded me with an intensity that had me blinking back some tears. The onslaught was sudden and the old Mason where he always looked deep into me was back. I’d forgotten he existed at times.

He pulled through another back parking lot that was set in a square of trees. Most students were there. A few trucks had their backs down. I saw some others with grills beside their cars and realized this was the hidden spot they tailgated for their own games.

Mason went through that lot and pulled into another back one, this one farther than all the rest. It was secluded as the trees doubled in volume around the lot. I saw Logan’s Escalade and Mason slid into the empty slot beside his. I had no doubt that everyone knew not to park in Mason’s spot. As we got out, my hands were clammy and I rubbed them against my pants.

I couldn’t believe I was here, but I was Mason’s girlfriend. I should’ve expected it. I should’ve been there before now.

He caught one of my hands and pulled me close. Then he murmured against my ear, “You’re safe. I promise.” Then he pressed a soft kiss to my forehead, though it did nothing to calm my insides. When he started around the car, he pulled me behind him.

I dug my feet in and shook my head. Uh huh. No way. I did not want to get into a fight and I knew that was the only ending for this night.

“What?”

I shook my head again. “I’m not going in there. Bad things happen when I come to your games.”

He grinned, but skimmed a hand down the side of my face. I melted a bit but hardened myself again. His seductive ways wouldn’t work this way.

“Nope. I love you, Mason. I know we don’t say it that often, but I do. However, I’m not going in there. No way, Jose.”

He smirked. “Come on, Sam.” He tugged me again and this time I was jerked after him. An arm was wrapped around my waist and he urged me forward. With him behind me, his hands on my waist now, he pushed me ahead and bent down to my ear. He murmured, “I want to introduce you to some people. That’s all. After you meet them, you don’t have to stay unless you want to. I promise.”

My feet slid over small rocks as he pressed me forward. He was practically carrying me the whole way.

“Mason!”

“Hey, buddy!”

“Mase!”

“Yo, dude!”

He ignored all the calls until we went around a small Green Fiat. Two girls were laughing together but straightened at the sight of us. The enjoyment faded from their faces and each looked scared for a second. One cleared her throat. She brushed back a lock of her long black hair. Her brown eyes flashed in anger then and she pinched her lips together. She was tall and willowy. Her other friend had long brown hair with a curvier body and an inch shorter. Both were dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt and both narrowed their eyes.

The black haired girl lifted her chin. “What are you doing here?”

Mason held his hands in the air. “Relax, Laura. I’m here on friendly grounds.”

Her friend, the brown haired girl, came to her side. She had a heart-shaped face with the same hostility as her friend. “Go away, Mason.”

He sighed and backed two steps from me. When he stood behind their car a few feet, he gestured to me. “This is my girlfriend, Samantha. I wanted to introduce her to you guys.”

They both regarded me with questions in their eyes.

I twisted around. “What are you doing?”
His mouth twisted into a frown and he took a deep breath. “They were friends with Marissa.”

“We still are.” The black-haired girl came forward. Her hands found her hips and she struck an intimidating pose. “I talk to her every day, unlike you. You’re supposed to still be a good friend to her.”

“I was.” He snarled at her. “I still am. I try.”

The girl snorted.

“Laura, give me a break.” He rolled his eyes. “Sam, Marissa became a friend to me. You know this. I told you, but I’m the reason she left this school. She was bullied by so many girls she couldn’t handle it. I don’t blame her.”

Laura opened her mouth. He lifted his hand and continued, “These two stayed at her side the whole time. They got bullied too.”

The brown haired girl piped in, “We still are.”

The two of them shared a look and Mason’s mouth flattened. He stepped forward and gentled his voice. “I know. I know you are, but you’re good friends. I saw it then and I respect you. I’ve always respected the two of you.”

Laura opened her mouth, but the other hushed her. “Stop it. He’s been nice to us and you know it.”

She closed her mouth with a snap and glared at her friend.

Mason cleared his throat. He was now beside me again, and his hand was at my waist. He turned me to face them. “This is Laura and Kelly. I wanted you to meet them because your friends suck, Sam.”

One of them snorted in laughter.

“My friends don’t suck—” Then the words died in my throat. My friends did suck. I rolled my eyes. “What do you want me to do?”

He gestured to the girls. “Meet them, get to know them. I want you to come to my games, but I know you won’t because of Kate and the girls.”

Laura growled from deep in her throat. “They don’t like her? Why am I not surprised?”

Kelly gave me a sympathetic look. Her shoulder lifted up. “Sorry to hear that, but I’m not surprised. They massacred Marissa when she was friends with Mason. They hate anybody he likes.”

His hand curled on my waist and he pulled me against him. His arms came around me and he now hugged me from behind. His lips rested near my ear and as he spoke, they brushed against it. A tingle rushed through me from the caress. “I’m sorry to do this. I know you like your friend Becky, but I can’t stand back anymore. These girls don’t like me, but they were loyal to Marissa. I really do think they’re good friends to have. Talk to them for a bit. If you don’t like them, you can leave.” I felt his keys as he pushed them into my hand. Then he pressed another kiss to my forehead. “And I love you too.”

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

The two girls dropped their attitudes as soon as Mason left. They had reason not to like him, if he was the reason their friend left the school and as they started to detail the different groups at Fallen Crest Public, it seemed Mason wasn’t the only one they didn’t like. They hated Kate and the Fab Four, as they called the rest of the girls. Kate was the leader, which I had discerned already. Natalie was the second leader and Logan’s hook-up in the group. It seemed there were some rules that I hadn’t figured out, but Jasmine and Ethan would hook up. Parker was Nate’s hook up whenever he was in town. None of the couples, and they used that term loosely with a giggle, were together. They only got together if both of the partners wanted it. The only rule the applied to the hook-ups is that those three guys and those three girls couldn’t get together with one another. So that meant Logan had never been with Parker or Jasmine. Ethan had never been with Parker or Natalie and so forth.

They held their tongues when I told them that I knew Kate had been Mason’s hook-up before I came along. Both of them glared past me with such hatred, I was jolted from it, but then I turned and saw the objects of our conversation. Kate and her friends had stopped in their path. Their mouths hung down when they saw me. Kate glared at me before she left. The group was slow to follow, but they did. Parker was the last and she sent me a sneer before Natalie clamped a hand on her arm and dragged her away.

As they faded from our sight, Laura turned awestruck. She oohed and aahed that Kate Sullivan had walked away from me. Then they wanted to know why, if there had already been exchanges between her and I. I shrugged and told them that Kate was aware I wasn’t a fan of hers as well.