Filed to story: Lily Bennett and Mason Cooper Book
She says all this without taking a breath.
“I went and told Mom, and she was mad at me for not just leaving and calling her,” she adds with a giggle.
“Thank you,” I whisper, giving her a genuine smile.
“No problem.” She smiles, reaching for the grocery bag again and pulling out a large bag of chips.
“I hope no one is mean to him,” I whisper, wondering if Greendale has found out yet and hoping Mason is okay.
“No one will say anything,” Brittany shakes her head.
“Well, not to his face. Or in front of any of the boys,” she adds, pursing her lips.
I reach for my phone to see if Mason has texted and see I have fifty texts, all except two from unsaved numbers: Leah and Ava.
I scroll through, not paying too much attention, but most of them are calling me a dirty traitor.
Leah
Always knew you were a whore xoxo
I roll my eyes at her text and move on to Ava’s messages.
Ava
Seriously Lily??
Ava
You’re a dirty ass traitor
Ava
I hope you get kicked out of school
Ava
Actually no. Go kill yourself no one cares about you any more.
As I read her last text, I begin crying again. How could she say something like that? I mean, I know she can be a bitch, but I didn’t think she’d be this cruel.
“That fucking bitch!” Brittany gasps, snatching my phone off of me.
“I never liked her,” she says, going through the other texts.
“These people are seriously fucked in the head,” she mutters as she stuffs my phone in the cushions and grabs hers.
“Oh shit!” she gasps again before she leans against my shoulder to show me her texts from Liam.
CHAT:Liam ~~:Brock said something to Mason and he K.Oed him.
CHAT:Liam ~~:Funniest shit I’ve seen
CHAT:Liam ~~:Mase is fine btw. How’s Lily?
“He knocked someone out?” This time I gasp. I knew he had a temper in games, but didn’t think it happened other places too.
“Brock’s a douchebag. Mason’s wanted to knock him out since forever,” she explains.
“The amount of fights that boy gets into.” She tuts under her breath.
“Wait, what?” I ask, wondering if I misheard her.
“You haven’t seen him rage out?”
“Never.”
“Oh. Um.” Brittany hums, avoiding eye contact.
“I probably shouldn’t tell you this,” she whispers, leaning forward.
“He’s always been an angry person, and when Callum died it got worse, and then that month you two weren’t talking-it was even worse,” she begins quietly as she studies my face.
“It’s a miracle he hasn’t been kicked off the team, to be honest. But George refuses to lose.”
“I never knew,” I whisper back, trying to picture the kind, caring Mason I know-angry.
“He’s mellowed out a lot since being with you, though.” She smiles, squeezing my hand.
Brittany and I sit in silence, watching comedies she picks and eating the shitload of junk food she brought around.
“Are you still coming to the game?” she asks halfway through the movie, breaking the silence.
“I am. But I don’t want to.” I sigh, telling her the truth.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t be,” she says, squeezing my hand.
“But that’s why you’re a better person than me.” She giggles.
“I promised Mason I’d go. And I don’t want to break my promise,” I explain.
“He’d understand,” she whispers, leaning her head on my shoulder.
“But since you are going, I’m putting my foot down,” she states, snuggling into my side.
“About what?” I chuckle.
“You’re sitting on our side,” she states matter-of-factly.
“I kinda planned on it.” I laugh.
“Good. Any chance I can convince you to wear green?” she asks, lifting her head slightly.
“I think that would be pushing it a little too far.” I laugh as she pouts.
“Maybe for states, then.” She sighs.
MASON
If I ever find out who sent that photo of me and Lily around her school-then to mine-I’m going to kill them.
I don’t give a shit what people say to or about me; it’s Lily I care about.
When that asshole Brock came up to me as I was leaving coach’s office and said I may as well go fuck a hooker if I’m that desperate, I couldn’t stop my fist before I punched him square in the face.
At lunchtime, people were staring at me and talking in whispers, but no one said anything to my face until fucking Molly decided to.
“Why are you dating that scum?” she asks me point-blank, making me throw down my sandwich and stand up.
I’m about to tell her to go fuck herself when Liam stands up and yells out, gaining the attention of everyone.
“Does anyone here have a problem with Mason’s love life?” he asks, looking around.
“But if you’re a jealous little girl, you can shut your mouth,” he adds, staring right into Molly’s eyes.
She holds his stare for a moment before turning away.
“I do,” a junior states, standing up.
“Someone from Ridgewood? That’s the ultimate betrayal,” he states while others around him nod.
“How?” Liam asks, pushing my shoulder to make me sit down, like he knows I want to go punch him right in his stupid face.
“It’s Ridgewood.” The kid rolls his eyes.
“I don’t think anyone has a problem,” Brock’s best friend pipes up, shaking his head at the kid.
“Oh, you heard what happened to Brock.” Liam sighs, shaking his head slightly.
“You see anyone that has a problem or says anything bad about Lily, you will end up like him,” he warns, staring the kid down.