Mason

I entered Zoey's house through the always open front door, and was instantly greeted by the roaring guitars of AC/DC. Courtesy of Zoey's mom, a rocker lady who was stuck in the eighties both music and clothing wise. Very unwilling to accept she wasn't twenty anymore either (much to Zoey's chagrin). 

I wasn't too bothered by it. I could sympathise with her. And her loud music was indefinitely better than listening to Noel making kissy sounds every time he saw me.

Giving Zoey's mum a quick wave through the glass separating the living room from the hall, I immediately headed up the stairs. I stopped in front of Zoey's room. Her door had a chalkboard layer on it, and Zoey decorated it with new drawings all the time; today the theme appeared to be gothic my little ponies. 

I breathed in deeply. 

Zoey's mum's AC/DC music would be nothing compared to the sounds Zoey was going to produce when I told her what I told Cody.

It's not like I did it on purpose! It was Cody asking all these questions: 'so you really like her.' And 'you're sure?' Why would he explicitly ask such things if he didn't fully believe me? I'd panicked, and the date thing came rolling out.  

Deciding I shouldn't prolong the inevitable any longer, I finally knocked and then stepped inside Zoey's room. 

Zoey was behind the computer. Her desk, and pretty much everything else in her room looked like a unicorn had vomited all over it. Her bright, bright blue drawer almost made my hair look boring (it had to be the only place where my hair colour would be considered camouflage).

Yue was sitting on the bed in between various pillows and teddy bears, with her laptop. She shot me an arrogant look, flipped her black hair over her shoulder, and continued typing. Still sour about not choosing her to fake crush on I'm guessing. 

"Oh hey Mason!" Zoey turned in her desk chair to flash me a smile, and then turned back to the screen. 

"You total idiot! Worthless piece of crap! Retreat! Don't feed them, don't feed them!" she yelled into the microphone. 

A series of impressive profanities followed, and I found myself just staring at her. Jesus. Better not disturb that. I sat next to Yue on the bed instead. 

"I can't believe you didn't pick me to fake crush on." 

Yue slowly turned to me with pursed lips, and I reached out and rubbed her shoulder.

 "I know, I know. Next time I'll definitely fake crush on you. Promise." I grinned at her.  

Yue's eyes narrowed and she slapped my hand off her. "Oh hell no. There better not be a second time." 

"Yeah!" Zoey spun around in her desk chair. She took off her headphones, evidently done yelling at her poor teammates. "Yue and I talked about this and decided--"

"We want to live vicariously through your gay escapades since we're just boring straight," Yue finished Zoey's sentence. "So start having them biatch. Everyone still forgives you for messing around and making stupid mistakes in your teens. After that, it's no longer cute." 

Zoey nodded fervently. 

"Hey, don't you think I wish I was living vicariously through my gay escapades too?" I argued. Actually. no. Gay escapade is what I wanted. Not plural. Only one, with Cody. 

I scratched the back of my neck. "Guys, there's just one tiny thing we might need to do though, before I can stop faking crushes and all."  

"And what's that?" Yue asked. 

"I might've told Cody Zoey and I are going on a date tonight." 

I braced myself for impact, as Zoey's eyes grew wide. 

"What?" she shrieked.

This wasn't so terrible; there was no ringing sound in my ears, unlike that one time when there was a rat in her room. Maybe she wasn't so mad. Volume levels and tone height indicated mildly peeved. 

"I panicked okay?" I retorted. "Cody sounded like he didn't believe me! We don't actually have to go out. I just told him we were."

"Absolutely not," Zoey growled, crossing her arms. "That's not how you treat a lady. You're taking me out Mason Byrd. You owe me a free dinner because else I'm not going along with your little lie to Cody." 

I groaned. Looking at her determined doll face, I knew she wouldn't change her mind.  "Fine." 

That was going to mark the end of my wallet. Zoey didn't just have a gravelly trucker voice. She ate like one too. 

"Hey! want a free dinner too!" Yue protested. "If you want to make up for not picking me..." 

I let out another groan. "Fine."

"And," Zoey said. "Under the condition that after we fake date and I guess fake break up, if you're not going to tell him, you're at least going to try to get over Cody for real. Because this is just bad. How long have you been in love with him? Shit's not healthy, Mason."

"Yeah. And you'll take us both with you when you hit that Liquid gay bar after you're over Cody," Yue quickly added. "But jokes aside, we're trying to look out for you here, you know." 

Yue tilted her head to the side, her brows actually furrowed with concern for a change.

I glanced from Zoey who was nodding fervently, back to Yue. "I know, I know," I said. "Couldn't you look out for me a little more subtle and quieter and less unfair though? You drive very hard bargain." 

"Yup," Zoey replied, winking and looking very pleased with herself. "So are you in?" 

Yue and Zoey looked at each other, and then both extended a hand towards me to shake. Sighing, I grasped both of them in quick succession. "Alright then. But this still feels suspiciously like selling my soul." 

***

Zoey shovelling food into her mouth was still somewhat of an eight world wonder to behold. At least she'd picked a snack bar, which was somewhat kinder on my wallet (but only after I reminded her I didn't have a salary, only an allowance). I even saw the owner of the place look in admiration. Or was it mild fear? It was difficult to tell when one was watching a frilly girl eat like King Kong. 

I'd called it quits after a burger and some fries, not really hungry. Hadn't been very hungry since this thing with Cody started happening. I played with an empty wrapper on the tray in front of me waiting for Zoey to also finish, until my phone buzzed. I took it out. Probably Yue thinking she's funny and asking me if I'm broke yet. 

It was not Yue. 

And there were the palpitations and the anxiety again, great. 

Cody:  I do need to talk to you. Msg me when you're done with your date? [Sent:18:03]

"Oi. It's rude to text while on a date. Even a fake one," Zoey remarked. 

She'd stopped stuffing her face for a second to give me a judgemental look. She then reached for my phone, but I quickly moved it out of her reach. 

"It's Cody. He wants to talk to me. That sounds ominous. Doesn't that sound ominous?"

"Ah." Zoey clearly didn't share my sense of urgency. She calmly brought some fries to her mouth, and chewed on them slowly. "Why don't you make him come over here? He can see we're really on a date." 

"Hang on, I thought you thought this date was a stupid idea and I shouldn't lie to Cody?"

"Oh, I do think it's stupid Mason. Idiotic even." Zoey shrugged. "I can't stand that beaten puppy face of yours. And you already promised me you'd try to get over him. If you're not going to, you know,  tell him."

"Thanks."

The look on Zoey's face told me she still thought the latter option was the better one. I chose to pretend I didn't see it, and turned to my phone.   

Mason: Still out with Zoey [Sent: 18:06] 

I shared my location with a few quick taps. 

Mason: We're about done tho. You coming? [Sent:18:06]

I placed my phone on the table. And now I had to wait, hope Cody fell for it this time. I needed something strong to convince him.

Zoey was back to eating, and I went back to watching her eat, an uncomfortable feeling slowly creeping over me. 

When Zoey finally finished the last fry, she leaned back with a groan. 

"Ugh, I'm full. So where's Cody at? Let's stay here for a while longer anyway so I can nurture my food baby." 

Zoey rubbed her stomach dramatically, which might've made me laugh and tease her under other circumstances. 

"I'm sure he'll be here any moment." 

"Okay." Zoey breathed into her hand. "Oof. You got some gum? Against the onion and curry breath? I'm going out tonight on an actual date, and I need to be ready for some action." 

She looked at me expectantly, sticking out an open hand.  

I gasped at her, patting my pockets. "Two dates in one night? I'm appalled!" 

 Finding a pack of gum, I handed it to her. 

"Why not? What, I can't go out again after a fake date? He's really cute. You'd think so too." With a wink, Zoey popped a piece of the gum into her mouth. 

"That's terrible. Aren't you at least a little fake-dedicated to me?" I joked. 

Zoey threw her head back barking with laughter. "I wouldn't be any dedicated to anyone after just one date sweetheart. Dedication is more your thing. Or should I call it desperation?"

"A little of both," I admitted. With desperation currently taking the upper hand. Zoey and I were together in a snack bar on a 'date', sure. But it's not like it looked very intimate. Would it be enough to convince him? What else could I do? 

Zoey snorted and nodded at the window. "In any case: your boy's here and he sees us."

Cody was on the other side of the window, outside the snack bar. When he saw me looking at him, he shot me a small smile and waved. I waved back, my insides squirming. He'd come. Of course he had, Cody didn't break his word. If he said he'd do something, he would. I loved that about him. 

"Does this mean I can leave now? I have another boy to kiss."

Zoey pouted at me. 

Another boy to kiss. To kiss. 

That was extremely convincing. 

It would leave no shadow of doubt in Cody's mind. I looked at Cody. His friendly features, his warm smile. I couldn't lose his friendship. I just couldn't. I wasn't ready for that. 

"Kiss me." 

Zoey blinked. "Uh, what?"

"Kiss me," I repeated more urgently, nudging my head towards Cody.

"What are you-- Oh!" Zoey finally connected the dots when she followed my gaze to Cody. "But that's weird. You're like my little brother."

"It's going to be equally thrilling for me," I retorted, rolling my eyes. "Just do it. I'll even take you out for an extra dinner without Yue knowing. We can think of a break up story later."

"Well, if you're sure...." Zoey spat out her gum on the tray (keeping it classy). 

Then I leaned in and kissed her. Her lips were soft, but she still had an onion with curry breath. I'd have to tell her that before she went off to date that other guy. 

The kiss was over as quickly as it started, and I slumped in my cheap, plastic chair. I had been clinging to some small irrational flicker of hope, the off chance that Cody might love me too. I knew that was nonsense, but it felt so bad kissing another in front of him. I just wanted to leave. 

I slid out of my chair. "You still smell like curry Zoey," I muttered, dropping the rest of my gum on the table. "Guess I'll go say hello to Cody." 

Zoey shot me a sympathetic smile. "Good luck." 

Once outside, I searched for Cody, and found him standing on the corner of the street. He'd moved away from the snack bar window. But he did... see did he? Cody had his hands in his pockets, looking down at the concrete. 

"Hey Codykins!" I greeted him as cheerfully as I ought to be after a 'good date', flinging an arm around his shoulder.

Cody looked up at me and smiled as well. 

"Hi," he said. I saw his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. "I guess your date went well. That's great."

"Yup."

I slid my arm off of Cody's shoulder. I'd made it final. There was no way Cody didn't believe my crush on now. He believed I was straight, and he thought it great I was with Zoey. I only felt worse. 

"So," I said, forcing down the regret with another smile. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I--" Cody opened his mouth to talk, seemed to change his mind and stopped. He exhaled through his mouth. "Math. I have some questions about math." 

A/N Question: has the POV switch each chapter been confusing to you at any point in this story?