Aria Matthews is in love with her best friend, Lucas Miller. It is the best kept secret since Area 51 and she knows she would take it to the grave. But things start changing in her senior year of high school when another of her friends takes it upon...
"Mason!" I called loud enough that a few students looked back, startled. Feeling warm around my neck, I shook my head at them and ran up to the guy I actually wanted to talk to. It had been three days since the day he got the call about his mom being in the hospital and he hadn't been to school since then. He had not picked up my calls either.
His face was wary when I reached him, as if he didn't want to talk to me.
I hesitated. "Are you... okay?" I asked, fidgeting with the shoulder strap of my bag.
His eyes looked tired as if he hadn't slept this whole time. "I'm okay, Aria," he said sighing softly. "And before you ask, my mom's fine too. She just had a little accident."
"Oh," I said in a small voice. "What kind of accident, if you don't mind me asking?"
By the looks of it, he minded a lot. "Just slipped in the bathroom. She's not injured much though. Just a sprained ankle. She'll be up in no time."
"Okay, that's good to hear. Hope she gets well soon."
Mason nodded, his eyes flitting away. And I knew him well enough by now to know that he was hiding something. But it wasn't my place to pry.
"Well, I'm here for you if you need anything," I said. "Or if you just want to talk." I smiled in assurance before walking away.
"Aria," he called suddenly. "Wait." When I turned back, his face changed. As if a mask had fallen off and he was allowing me to see the pain hidden underneath. My heart lurched at seeing his broken expression.
"What—?"
"Thank you."
I frowned. "For what?"
He stepped closer. "For being there for me. For letting me know you're around if I need help." He looked down at his shoes, shuffling his feet. "I think you're the one person I can genuinely call a friend. Others are so... superficial."
My heart softened as I smiled at him. "You're a real friend too, Mason."
His eyes returned to my face as he stared for a moment. "Luke's a lucky guy. I hope in time he realizes it."
My face flamed, making him grin.
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"Alright now. I have your quiz results. Some of them were quite... satisfactory." Mrs. Lane never praised a student outright. But if she said satisfactory, it meant the result was amazing. Today she wore a sea green shirt tucked into a soft brown knee length skirt and brown peep-toe heels. She had more fashion sense than I did.
"But a few definitely did not comprehend the point of the play," she continued stiffly. "I have written on your test if you are to see me after class. Some of you might need to stay back for remedial lessons."
I chanced a glance at Luke who looked a bit perturbed. His posture was tense, his entire attention on Mrs. Lane. I bounced my knee nervously. I did not want him to win but I also hoped he wasn't one of the few who needed the extra classes.
