Mason Creek

01 | Begin Again

It's become a tradition to ditch Family Fridays for trashy party music and cheap booze. Since mom passed, home hasn't been the same. Nothing has.

Dad's buried himself so deep in his work, I hardly see him during the week. After school, Brooke goes to her room and doesn't come out. Both of them claim they're fine, just busy. I know they're both full of shit, but I can't rock the boat. Mom was the glue of our family. Losing her is the worst thing that has happened in... well, forever. It'll take a long time to recover; if we ever do.

I finish my beer and scan the crowd of inebriated teenagers for my friends. Instead, I find my girlfriend - ex girlfriend, as of recent - grinding on a guy who looks like he walked straight out of Baywatch. I absentmindedly clench my jaw as they continue to dance. Maybe it's the liquor churning in my stomach, or the newfound resentment I have towards Lauren, but something in me wants me to go over there and cause some trouble.

Against my better judgement, or lack thereof, considering my current state of mind, I make my way across the dimly lit sand.

"Funny seeing you here, babe," I chuckle. "This the new boy toy?"

Lauren rolls her eyes. "What do you want?"

"Can't a guy just say hi to his girlfriend?"

"Ex-girlfriend," she corrects. "Still drowning your sorrows with booze and weed, I see. ... And smell. Jesus, you've really let yourself go."

Ouch.

I roll my eyes at her, trying to make it seem as if her remark didn't feel like a punch in the stomach.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to Mr. Tall, Dark, and Blond?"

"No, because you're not worth getting to know. Nor are you a part of my life anymore." She purses her glossy lips against the rim of her cup and finishes her drink. "If you don't mind, I'd like to spend the rest of the night with my date. Alone."

I look her in her dark brown eyes for a little too long. Suddenly, my mind goes back to the night we broke up. The mascara running down her cheeks. Her sopping wet charcoal grey hair pinned against her face. The broken window of my car and my bloody knuckles. I never claimed to be a good person, let alone a good boyfriend. But I'm not an idiot. I really fucked things up with her. And she knows that she deserves better. Hence her coldness towards me.

Ignoring the voice of the tiny devil on my shoulder, I let go of the urge to fight. She's right, after all, though I'd never admit it. I'm not a part of her life anymore, and neither is she in mine. She's already let me go and moved on. As much as it pains me to think about, it's time I do the same.

Without breaking eye contact, I respond. "Sure. Enjoy the rest of your night."

On my way back to the house, I catch my friends who I'd lost earlier playing spin the bottle with a few other kids in our class.

"Hey, Collin! Come play with us!" Sydney shouts.

Reluctantly, I make my way over to them and sit.

"This is where you two've been all night?"

"We actually spent some time inside, if you catch my drift," Xavier smirks.

I roll my eyes. Leave it to them to leave me alone to bone.

"Collin, you're up."

I spin the bottle and zone out as everyone waits to see who it lands on. Giggling from some of the girls playing draws my attention back to the game. I look at who the bottle landed on; a girl with long blonde hair cascading behind her small frame. Her hands are tucked in the sleeves of her hoodie, and she's nervously looking at the ground and back at me.