“I’ve seen a few people around and they’ve just given me this look of, I don’t know, pity. Which just pisses me off.” Mason frowns.
“I don’t think I have the patience to deal with them,” he adds, shaking his head.
“What about your friends?” I ask. I can’t even imagine what he’s going through.
“They’re trying to treat me the same, but it’s like they’re too scared to make a joke around me.”
“You have a sense of humor?” I gasp, pressing my hand to my chest.
“Very funny, princess,” he deadpans before an amused smile breaks out on his face.
Mason’s gaze softens as we lock eyes. I can feel the warmth of his body next to me. My breath catches as he leans in-is he going to kiss me? The whole world has gone quiet.
We stay that way for what feels like forever, but then it’s like we both know we shouldn’t and turn away at the same time.
“The stars are beautiful,” he says.
I just nod, still recovering from that almost-kiss.
Finally, I say, “Can I ask you a serious question?”
“Sure.”
“You weren’t serious about running at six a.m. were you?”
He laughs and then flashes that mischievous grin of his.
LILY
“Oh, princess, it’s time to wake up,” I hear a voice sing.
“What?” I grumble, opening my eyes to see a man standing over me.
Instinct takes over and I spring up and punch him in the stomach.
Mason lets out an oof and falls onto my bed clutching his midsection.
“Damn, Lily,” he laughs, “you pack a wallop. I might have a bruise.”
“Serves you right! Breaking and entering.”
“No breaking-your hide-y key is very easy to find.”
I shake my hand out and say, “What are your abs made of? Concrete?”
I collapse back onto my pillow and close my eyes.
“I’m going back to sleep.”
“You’re running with me.”
“What time is it?”
“5:45 a.m. Told you I was serious.”
“I changed my mind.”
“Too bad!” he says as he yanks the blanket off me.
I clutch at it, but he’s too strong and pulls it out of my hands.
“Hey! I could’ve been naked under there!” I snap.
“But you aren’t. You’re wearing a very cute pajama set.”
His eyes linger on my matching tank top and boy-short set with a cartoon cherry pattern.
“How’d you know that cherries are my favorite fruit?”
He stares a beat longer and the hunger in his eyes makes my stomach flip.
He turns and walks out, saying, “Dressed and outside in three minutes.”
I huff and grumble to myself as I change.
Who the hell gets up this early during summer vacation? Psychopaths. That’s who.
“Why are you making me go running this early?” I groan as I step outside.
“You said you wanted to be able to run the whole thing. I’m just here to help,” Mason says, way too chipper for being up before the sun.
“Besides, there are fewer people around.”
He shrugs.
Right. If anyone from either of our schools saw us together, our social lives would be doomed.
Mason drives us to the trail in his car, and I enjoy not being the one driving for once.
Olly has his license but always refused to drive anywhere.
“You ready?” Mason asks with a smirk as we get to the start of the trail.
“No,” I groan, exhausted before we’ve even started.
“Perk up, princess, it’s not that early,” he laughs before taking off in a jog.
I quickly catch up with him despite my protests.
Just over halfway through I run out of steam and slow down to a walk.
Mason slows down too.
“I feel like I’m going to die,” I groan.
“You’re not going to die.”
He laughs at me.
“Where’s that peppy cheer spirit?”
He waves pretend pom poms in the air like he’s cheering me on.
“It’s dead and buried in the backyard,” I huff, making him laugh again.
I can’t help but laugh with him.
And somehow, I find the energy to keep going.
Just as we’re about to enter the parking lot, I spot Oliver’s car pulling in.
I grab Mason’s arm and yank him into some bushes off the trail.
“What the-” he starts to protest, but I shush him with a finger to his lips.
I point and we peek through the leaves.
Harry and Oliver are getting out of the car and walking toward the trail.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.