Filed to story: Lily Bennett and Mason Cooper Book
Greendale has crushed us.
Once the final whistle blows, some of the Ridgewood players throw their helmets on the ground, including Harry, while the Greendale players celebrate.
“I really thought Mason was going to suck.
I mean, I heard he got in mad shape, but with his brother I thought he’d be weak,” Ava babbles as we make our way toward her car.
“Will you shut up?” Jonah exclaims.
Ava’s face looks like she’s just been slapped, and I bite my lip to stop myself from laughing.
“You know we’re Harry’s best friends, right?
We can make him dump you like that,” she spits out, clicking her fingers.
“Try me, bitch,” he states, not caring about her threat.
“Whatever.” She rolls her eyes.
“Lily, you want a ride?” she snaps at me.
“Harry said he’d give me a ride,” I lie.
Without another word, Ava stomps off toward her car.
“I can’t stand her,” Jonah groans as we head toward Harry’s car.
“She has the best intentions,” I say.
“Sometimes,” I add, pursing my lips.
Jonah and I talk some more, leaning against Harry’s car while we wait for him.
My eyes keep glancing at the visitor locker rooms, hoping to catch another glimpse of Mason.
“Babe? What are you doing here?” Harry’s voice asks, making me pull my eyes away from the door to him.
“Ava was being a bitch,” I explain, making him roll his eyes.
“Typical.” He snorts, unlocking his car and throwing his duffle bag into the back seat.
“Cooper was on fire tonight,” he comments, nodding his head over to where I’ve been staring.
Where Mason and Liam are both walking out of the door.
“He wasn’t even making his normal shitty jokes,” Harry says as I unconsciously take a step closer to Mason.
“Which number was he?” I hear Jonah ask, but I don’t hear Harry’s reply because Mason has turned his head and is looking directly at me.
He stops walking, and it takes all my strength not to run over to him and throw myself into his arms.
“I feel bad for him.” Harry sighs as I watch Mason climb into his car while Liam gets into the passenger seat.
“Want to go to the party?” Harry asks as we all climb into his car.
“Sure,” I agree, wanting to get drunk to get my mind off Mason.
“Olly will be there,” he says, looking at me through the rearview mirror.
“I don’t care.” I shake my head.
I could not give any fucks about Oliver anymore.
LILY
Alcohol is great! It makes me forget about my shitty-ass parents, but most importantly, it’s helping me forget about Mason.
“Lily, come play with me!” Jock slurs, pointing at the makeshift beer pong table in the middle of his dining room.
“Sure,” I chirp, skipping over to his side.
“We’ve got to beat them,” he hiccups, pointing to Harry and Jonah.
“We will.” I nod, full of confidence.
But as it turns out, both Jock and I suck at beer pong. I mean, we really suck. We only sink three balls.
“You made us lose.” He pouts, making him look like a little child, and I laugh.
“I got two balls,” I say, shoving my fingers in his face as Leah and Olly walk up to the table holding hands.
“Who won? We want to play!” Leah’s stupid voice screeches.
Ugh. How didn’t I realize how annoying she was?
“They did.” Jock continues to pout, pointing at Harry and Jonah, who are still celebrating their victory.
“They cheat,” Jock warns as we walk over to the kitchen counter together.
“So, how’s life?” he asks, grabbing two beers from the fridge.
“Are you trying to get deep with me?” I laugh, taking the beer from his outstretched hand.
“I just mean you’re very different this year.” He chuckles, leaning back.
“I’m just trying to be the real me.” I shrug, leaning next to him.
Jock and I drink our beers in silence, watching Harry and Jonah beat Oliver and Leah, until Leah finally sinks a ball and squeals in happiness, throwing her arms around Olly’s neck.
I watch as he smiles down at her before smashing his lips against hers, and my mind instantly goes back to Mason.
“I’d kiss you in front of everyone so they know I’m yours.”
Why does my stupid brain not understand that I don’t want to think about him anymore?
“I’m going to the bathroom,” I tell Jock, handing him my half-finished beer before slipping out of the room.
I don’t go to the bathroom though. Instead, I go outside, where I instantly break down into sobs and start walking home so I can cry by myself.
Oliver never once kissed me in front of anyone. Mason kept our kisses a secret. There really must be something wrong with me.
As I get home and climb under my blankets, I reach for my phone. I want to call him so badly. Just to hear his voice, to hear him call me Princess one last time.
I’m about to dial his number, but I chicken out and decide to just go to sleep.
When I wake up the next morning, all I want to do is stay curled up in bed and cry some more. So that’s exactly what I do until my tears dry up and I start to feel numb.
By Tuesday, I still feel numb. I literally feel nothing.
“You ready for your game?” Harry asks me as we walk to the cafeteria together.
“Sure,” I reply. After school is my first volleyball game of the year.
“Usually you’re bouncing around like a bunny,” he comments, looking down at me.
“I’m just tired.” I brush it off, making him frown.
“Is Ava coming?” he asks, pushing the door to the cafeteria open.
“I’m not sure. I haven’t seen her since Friday,” I reply, heading to my new normal seat, which he surprisingly follows me to.
“I texted her a couple of times to see if she was okay, but she hasn’t answered,” I say, sitting down.
“Well, I’ll be there,” Harry says pointedly as Jonah comes up to our table.
“Where are you going?” Jonah asks, pulling out the seat to my left and sitting down.
“Lily’s volleyball game.” Harry smiles.
“Who are you playing?” Jonah asks, giving his attention to me.