Deadly Hallows [Complete]

Chapter 13: Smooth Talker

I had arrived at Mason's at five like we had agreed on, but I had actually beaten him home. No one answered when I knocked, and for a while my texts went unanswered as well. I was about to go home, thinking he had changed the plans and had forgotten to tell me. I had seen him reading on his laptop in Math, and assumed he had gotten lost in reading the diary again. I had started reading it, but I didn't find it as interesting as he did. Maybe because it was typical girl things, and I had experienced them. There was a lot of drama, which honestly made for a good read, but nothing I couldn't pull myself away from.

I was about to head home when I saw a car pull into the driveway. It didn't look like the one his dad had driven the night I met him, and Mason didn't speak much of his mom. I tensed, now was not the best time to meet his mother. It looked bad enough to be standing outside their house, but to have someone she didn't know standing outside of her house would have been worse. Luckily for me, Mason soon got out of the car, and waved goodbye to whoever had driven him. 

Whoever was behind the wheel pointed to me, causing Mason to glance in my direction and smile. He raced toward me, covered in mud and dirt. He was sporting what had once been a white shirt, black basketball shorts and cleats. He made a move, which seemed as if he was about to hug me, but I side stepped him, unwilling to be covered in the filth that was all over him.

"Hey, sorry," he said, trying to catch his breath. "I got invited to play a pick up game of soccer with a couple of guys who were waiting for their girlfriends to finish practice." He moved his backpack from his shoulder to the ground and started digging in the bag for his key. 

"You made friends?" I asked, making sure the sarcasm was clear. I wanted him to know I was teasing him, and not being rude. While I was shocked they had invited him to play, he didn't need to know that.

"Friends is a loose term," Mason said as he picked up his bag and moved to unlock the door. "They needed three more people for a game of football, which most of the guys preferred, but they only needed one more for a soccer game. So when they saw me walk by they called out, and I got a little sidetracked." He let out a laugh before turning to show me a stunning smile.  "Sorry I kept you waiting. I got L. Jay to give me a ride back so you wouldn't think I had forgotten or ditched you."

"That's nice that he offered you a ride," I said, avoiding admitting that I had considered leaving and had thought that he had ditched or forgotten me.  L. Jay was a nice enough guy, though if you didn't know him he seemed as if he had a chip on his shoulder. I knew I had never talked to him, and probably never would even though we were only a year apart and had encountered each other a few times. He'd be graduating this year, and like everyone else he'd move out of town, go to college, and either never come back, or come back to start his future family here.

"Well, he didn't." Mason laughed again. "Overton offered, but his girlfriend finished swim practice before the cheerleaders did. Needless to say, he got a little distracted when she showed up and forgot so L. Jay's girlfriend made him bring me home when I said I was meeting you."

"You told them we were meeting up?" I asked curiously as he opened the door and gestured for me to go inside before him. 

"Yeah, I did. I hope that's not a problem," he said, turning to drop his bag on the ground. 

"No, it's not! They probably think we're dating now though," I said with a laugh. My cheeks heated as I realized how much that didn't bother me.

He smiled, a small glint in his eyes that made it seem as if he liked the idea too. "There are already rumors about it, and who knows, it probably helps us in the long run. They won't think we're sneaking around looking for a killer, instead they think we're just seeing each other. Would it be so bad to be seen with me? Is there a boy in your life you aren't telling me about, Casey?" The humor in his voice was clear, and the smile on his lips told me he already knew the answer.