CHAPTER 21 // EDITED

Today. Today was my first day back to school.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Riley repeated the same question for the millionth time. I ignored him once again as I continued to pick out my clothes. "Blakely, talk to me."

"I've been held up in this house for almost two weeks now," I finally spoke up. "I'm already behind enough on my schoolwork." Riley sighed before he walked over to me.

"You're my baby sister," he said as he cupped my cheek in his large hand. "It's my responsibility to watch over you." I rolled my eyes as I pushed him off me.

"Actually, it's my fathers, but he obviously has more important priorities to worry about," I shot back as I started to tug my shirt over my head. Which only ended with it getting tangled with my cast. "Then, this stupid shit." I struggled in annoyance till Riley grabbed the shirt, easing it off.

"I know you're upset with dad, but that doesn't mean kill yourself over it," he replied, he helped me out of my pajama pants as I used his shoulders as a balance.

I wanted to say something, but I just let the silence take over between us as he helped me get dressed.

"On one foot, I have a nice adidas shoe," I started as Riley was tying the laces. "On the other, I have a big, ugly, black boot."

"That doesn't take away from your beautiful face," Riley assured me as he pinched my cheeks, I swatted his hands away before he helped me stand up. "I left Lacey down in the kitchen so there's a possibility all our food is gone."

"Sounds about right," I sighed, I grabbed my phone along side my book bag. "Bye." I kissed his cheek before I limped away from him.

"Best friend!" Lacey screamed as I trudged down the stairs where Lacey was waiting. As soon as my feet hit the floor, she attacked me in a hug.

"You were just with me last night," I laughed as I returned the hug.

"It's been the longest eleven hours of my life," she replied, I rolled my eyes as I pulled back from her. "You sure you're ready for school?"

"I've never been so sure of something in my entire life," I assured her, I grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and we headed out the door. "Slow down, your girl is limping."

One part of me was ready to go back to school, but this other part was screaming at me to back out. Everyone knew what happened to me, but I didn't want to deal with the many stares or multiple questions to be bombarded at me.

"Blake," Lacey's voice snapped me out of my daydream, I looked to see we were parked in the school parking lot. I looked up at Lacey standing next to me, holding her hand out to help me out.

I hesitated, but laid my hand on hers before pulling myself out of the passenger seat. I picked my bag up from the floorboard, and set off towards the school with my fingers laced through Lacey's.

"I'm going to have a panic attack," I breathed out, but Lacey only laughed in response. She swung our hands back and forth as we neared closer to the front stairs. "Everybody knows."

"That is why I'm here," a new voice spoke this time, I looked over to see Justice smiling proudly. "I'm your bodyguard."

"What would I do without you?" I asked with a small smile. His large hands suddenly came up, cupping my cheeks and planted a kiss on my lips. "Justice."

"I'll take good care of you, Blakely Greyson," he said with a proud smirk clouding his face, I shook my head with a small smile before I opened up the door to the front of the school.

*

"You know, Blake, you don't have to stay for practice," Coach commented as he walked up beside me. "You should be resting."

"I can't rest knowing in less than two weeks, we go up against our biggest rivals," I replied as I watched the play unfold in front of me. "My boys need me and I can't play, because of an ugly boot and stupid cast."

"Is this because of the game or the fact that you have to go to prom in that ugly boot and stupid cast?" He urged on, but I only rolled my eyes with a small smile. I was about to argue, only to be interrupted by Mason waltzing onto the field. "You're 45 minutes late, Taylor!"

Mason didn't reply as he popped on his helmet and joined the rest of the team. The guys glanced over his way, but didn't reply as he faded into the group.

Practice soon came to an end and I made my way to the parking lot as Cody got changed in the locker room. I heard a bag land with a thud and a deep sigh follow it.

I looked over to see Mason in his sweaty practice clothes and I can't help myself as I started walking his way.

"Hey," I spoke, but my voice came out raspy so I cleared my throat. "Mason."

"What do you want?" he asked so blandly. "You already got Rain on your side, what else do you want? Evermore?" I want you.

"It wasn't your fault for what happened to me," I whispered, but Mason only responded by shutting the hatchback.

"Is that it?" he asked as he looked down at me with the most boring look ever. My chest physically hurt when I saw his emotionless expression and I felt the tears coming. "Come on, Blake, don't start with that."

"I don't know what I did wrong," I spoke as I attempted to blink back the tears, but it wasn't working. "I thought everything was going okay between us." I feel more pain now than I did when that car hit me.

"Blakely," Mason said sternly, I looked up at him with tearfilled eyes. "Stop it, you're 17."

"Asshole," I said through gritted teeth, I wiped away any strays. I shoved Mason before I headed back to the car, but he jerked me back to him.

"Don't put your hands on me if I can't hit you back," Mason said through his teeth and pushed me towards my car. He started to walk around to the drivers door, but I felt a surge of anger pulse through me.

I limped up to him and shoved him making him stumble. He looked over at me shocked, and I could feel myself beginning to cave.

"I didn't do anything to you," I said through my teeth as tears welled up in my eyes. "I got hit by a car and now you're mad at me." I flailed my arms and he stepped closer to me.

"You got hit by that car, because of m–"

"I got hit, because my dumbass ran into the road," I shot back. "I got dressed that morning to come to your house and instead of letting you explain, I freaked." He rolled his eyes and glanced towards his drivers door. "Leave. I don't even care anymore."

I limped back off to my car as Cody was coming out of the school with the other guys. Mason was pulling out when Cody reached me.

"You good?"

"Yeah, my leg just hurts from where I've been walking on it," I replied with a small smile as I opened the passenger side door. "I just need to soak it, that's all." I gave a smile to all the guys before I got in Cody's car.

I could hear Cody's muffled voice mixed in with the other muffled voices of the guys, but I wasn't even focused on what they were saying. I couldn't get Mason's face out of my head.

***

I had already taken a bath and soaked for an about an hour. Everyone was downstairs for a movie night, but I wasn't in the mood for any movie.

I was in the middle of covering my face with a face mask when my phone dinged. I rinsed my hands off before I grabbed my phone from the sink.

Meet me at the park. Alone. -Mason 💜

My heart leapt at the chance, but for some reason I wanted to hold back. I laid my phone back down and closed my eyes.

When I opened them, I looked in my mirror and stared back at my blue eyes. I finally peeled away and washed the face mask off before I walked back in my room.

After I finished getting dressed, I slipped on my jacket and one of my slides before I headed downstairs. I knew I couldn't get out of the front door so I climbed out of the dining room window.

I decided to walk to the park which wasn't the best idea with my broken leg. When I finally reached the park, I searched the dark for Mason, but I couldn't see him.

"I didn't think you'd actually come," Mason's voice sounded behind me, I turned on my boot to face him, but I gasped instantly as soon as I saw his face.

"What happened?" I asked as I reached up to touched his busted lip and black eye. He swatted my hand away, but it didn't stop me from checking out his injuries. "Who did you fight?"

"It's not important," he said as he attempted to push my hands away, but I wasn't letting up that easy. "Blake, stop!" I flinched as soon as the words left his lips and I took a step back. "I'm sorry, but just stop." I wanted to look him straight in his beautiful eyes, but I couldn't get the energy to pick my head up.

His finger went under my chin and raised up my face to his. Tears were present in my eyes, but the only source of light was a street lamp.

"I scare you, don't I?" He asked with a weird tone, but I shook my head no. He laughed like it was the funniest joke ever. "You're terrified of me, Blake. Your body language says it all."

"You never called to see how I was doing or anything," I spoke in a low voice, but I knew he could hear me. "You never called or texted to see how I was doing or feeling. You didn't care." It was already too late for me to attempt to stop the tears, because they were already rolling. "I let you in, Mason!" I punched his chest as I pushed him. "I caught feelings and look what you did!"

"Stop putting your hands on me," he spoke calmly, but it didn't sound like a tone to test.

"What? You're going to hit me?" I snapped back as I shoved him again, I jerked him by shirt. "Do it!" His hand was swiftly as he wrapped it around my throat and jerked me to him.

"I said, stop," he said through gritted teeth, but I had too much anger in me to just let it go.

"If I don't?" I challenged, his eyes narrowed into slits before he crashed his lips into mine.

I let out a soft gasp of surprise before I responded back to the kiss. I honestly had no idea what I was even doing in that moment, but he didn't seem to notice.

My stomach was going crazy, but I pushed it aside as I grabbed his face. As soon as I moved closer to his body, he pulled away from me.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I took a step towards him, but he only shook his head and started to back away. "Mason, what'd I do?" His blue eyes locked with mine before he sprinted away in the opposite direction.

I could feel my chest tightening as I ran my fingers through my hair and gripped it. I closed my eyes as I attempted to steady my breathing, but it wasn't working.

"Fuck!"