Fallen Crest High

"This about Sallaway again?"

I barked out a laugh. "No, not this time."

"Oh." He gave me a small smile. "So you came without Becky, huh?"

"Yep. I sat with some snobby sophomore even. Good times."

He grinned. "I just got off the phone with her."

"The stuck-up sophomore?" I teased.

"Becky," he laughed. "She said something about a sleeping pill so now she can sneak out. Want to go with me? I was going to pick her up before some party the guys want to hit tonight."

"What party is that?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure, but it's a Public one so I'm sure it'll be good. You want to come with?" Then his eyes widened a bit and a quick frown appeared. "Isn't this Mason Kade's car?"

"Um…" I stood from the car. "About that, I should call Becky. There are some things I need to tell her first…before she hears it from the wrong people."

He stepped back and a wall came over him. "So you do know the Kades."

I hesitated and lifted my shoulders. There wasn't much I could say, not when I owed Becky an explanation first. She was the only one who really deserved one, if anyone even did.

"Got it." He nodded his head in an abrupt jerking movement. "Maybe I'll see you at the party, huh?"

"Adam." He turned and started for his car at a fast walk. I called after him again, "Adam."

"Are you dating your team's quarterback?"

I turned back around. Mason stood behind me and I searched for any inflection on his question. There was none. He didn't seem to care. His hair was wet from a shower and he wore a plain black tee shirt over jeans.

I shrugged now. "Not really."

He grinned and took his keys from my hand. "I would've sacked him harder if I knew that." As he unlocked the car and we both got in, he asked, "You hungry?"

Not after that, but I lifted a shoulder. "I guess."

"Good." He flashed me a smile. "I'm starving."

As he peeled out of the parking lot, we went past where Lydia and Jessica remained in place. Their mouths hung open, along with Jill's. Ashley seemed calm. She even lifted her hand in a small wave.

I ignored it, but a sense of unease settled deep in my stomach. It wasn't good. None of this was good. If only Logan hadn't announced it and if Mason had ignored me in the parking lot, or if I had gotten out of their way—this all could've been avoided. I could've prevented it by going straight to my car and not dawdling, but I had…had I done it for a reason? For this reason? Did I want my secret out?

"You want anything?"

I jerked my head up and saw we were in a burger joint's parking lot. "Uh, no. I'm good."

"You sure?" Mason jerked his head towards his door. "Come on. Come in with me. You'll need all the substance you can get once Logan finds you at the party."

I opened my door and rounded the car. My palms were sweaty so I wiped them down the front of my pants. My stomach's nerves kicked up a notch when Mason held the door for me. He let it go when I stepped inside and led the way through the next door until we got inside. The air conditioner was still on inside and it gave me goosebumps.

A girl stood behind the register and her eyes got wide when she saw Mason. I recognized her from my school and then I remembered who she was. Her father was the manager and he wasn't very nice from what Lydia had told me a year ago.

She gave me a timid smile. "Hi, Sam."

I waved, but didn't respond. I couldn't remember the girl's name.

Mason ordered for both of us and when he pulled out his wallet, her father came from the back. He shook his head and held out his hand. "Not from a Kade. I'm Walter Dubrois. I'm the manager of Burger Play."

Mason shook his hand. "Thanks, sir."

"Tell your father I said hello and you can eat free here anytime."

"Thanks again."

The food was quickly bagged up, by Walter himself, and I couldn't hold back a laugh in disbelief when we got into Mason's Escalade.

"What?"

I gestured to the building. "Does that happen often?"

He grimaced as he unwrapped his burger. "Sometimes, usually by some douchebag who wants to kiss my dad's ass."

I shook my head. "You get free food; you can basically sleep with any girl you want. You have a very different life than the rest of us."

"What do you mean by that?" There was an edge to his voice.

I looked over and held his gaze. The butterflies were long gone now. A storm had started to roll in. "I always knew you guys were like gods, but man, I didn't realize it was like this."

He lifted his burger. "Free fast food?"

"No." I sighed and sat back. "Nevermind."

He grinned and turned the radio on. "Nah, I get it, but it's not all so great."

"Right."

"It's not." He gave me a hard look. "People are snakes, you just have to figure out their different colors, but they're all the same. Everybody wants something."

I put my food aside and hugged myself. "Like my mom."

"Yeah, like her." His tone hardened as well.

"I probably shouldn't say anything, but I'm sorry she bulldozed her way into your lives."

He watched me for a full minute before he put his burger away. "She's the same type of snake my dad is. I kind of think they belong together."

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