Chapter 13

LILY

As I watch Mason walk back into his room, his shoulders are slumped, and he’s looking down at his feet. My stomach knots.

I sit up on my knees as he perches on the edge of the bed. “Are you okay?” I ask, wrapping my arms around him and squeezing tightly. I hope whatever is wrong isn’t that bad, like getting kicked off the team.

Especially after what happened with Cameron last night.

“I made the starter,” he mumbles, making my body freeze. Did I just hear him right? Did Mason just say he made the starting quarterback? I pull back, holding my arms out straight as he looks up at me with a cheeky smile.

“You made starter?” I ask as a smile takes over my face.

“I made starter!” he exclaims excitedly, his smile huge and full of genuine happiness.

“Oh my god!” I squeal, throwing my body at his, making us both tip over onto the mattress.

“Don’t fuck with me like that again!” I exclaim, peppering his face with a million small kisses. I am unbelievably proud of Mason. Words can’t describe it.

“Tell me everything!” I say, kissing his cheek hard one last time before I climb off him and let him sit up.

“Jeff’s dad died,” Mason says quietly.

“Oh, that’s so sad,” I say, feeling for Jeff. I would be heartbroken if my dad died.

“He’s going to do remote classes,” he continues. “He said I’ve been playing great, and I’m the first freshman starting quarterback in thirteen years.” He smiles, making the pride I feel for him grow impossibly bigger.

“I called Jeff before coming back here,” Mason adds quietly.

“How is he?” I ask, grabbing his hand.

“He’s pretty sad. But he seems to be doing okay. I told him to call if he needed anything.”

I smile at Mason. He truly is the sweetest person I’ve met, even if he denies it.

“Do I have to learn the rules now that I’m with the hottest starting quarterback this school has ever had?” I ask, fluttering my eyelashes, hoping he says no.

Mason simply laughs as he grabs me by the back of my neck and kisses me.

It’s been four weeks since Mason became the starting quarterback, and he is flourishing. He’s happier, smiling more. His grades have improved, and he’s actually having conversations with other people rather than just mumbling a quick answer and then running away.

He still manages to come to every volleyball game of mine so far.

He’s played four games as the starter, and he’s been doing incredibly well. We haven’t lost a game, and the other football girlfriends seem to think it’s all because of him.

Volleyball is going just as well for me. We haven’t lost a game yet. Mandy is still a cold bitch, but the rest of the girls are great.

Since Jeff has left school, Maya hasn’t sat with us at the games. I’m not actually sure if she’s been to the games. It seems like she’s fallen off the face of the earth. I’ve assumed she’s left with Jeff to go support him.

After my classes on Thursday, I’m studying in my dorm room with Sophia when someone knocks on our door.

“Are you expecting anyone?” I ask her.

She shakes her head in reply, so I get up and open the door, gasping when I see my mother.

“Mom?” I manage to get out, my heart racing. At least this time, I haven’t forgotten how to breathe.

“Lily,” she says.

My body moves automatically to let her in, and she steps inside.

Why did I do that? I should’ve slammed the door in her stupid face.

“I’ve come to see if you need anything,” Mom says. I think it’s meant to be a question, but it comes out as a statement.

“No. I’m fine,” I reply. My throat feels like it’s starting to burn. “Why?” I ask, trying to clear my throat.

“Because you’re my daughter,” she answers, rolling her eyes.

“But, after what you said in the hospital, I thought—”

“You thought wrong. Murray just blew everything out of proportion, and you know yourself. You get too emotional,” Mom says, cutting me off. Her words from last year ring in my ears.

~“Then you were born and were fine. I just had this resentment.”~

~“Why couldn’t Preston have lived instead?”~

~“I know in my heart he wouldn’t have treated me the way you did.”~

“We can go out for coffee, get our nails done like we used to?” Mom suggests, her smile the same one that used to bring me comfort. Now, it only serves to knot my stomach.

I want her to leave. “I—I have to study,” I blurt out. Since when did I stutter? Why can’t I just tell her to leave me alone? That’s what I want. I wish Mason were here. He’d tell her to get lost for me.

Mom raises her eyebrows, looking around my room as if she doesn’t quite believe me.

“We’re actually right in the middle of a very important assignment, so please leave,” Sophia interjects, surprising both me and Mom.

“Right, well.” Mom recovers. “Lily, call me, and we can catch up.” She turns on her heel and leaves without even saying goodbye.

I walk over to the door, tempted to slam it shut behind her, but I don’t. I close it softly before turning around and leaning against it.

“Wow. Your mom sucks,” Sophia comments as tears start building in my eyes. I close my eyes and count to ten, trying to get the tears to retreat.

“Oh, Lily, I’m sorry!” Sophia exclaims, wrapping her arms around me. “I didn’t mean to upset you,” she apologizes. “Your mom doesn’t suck; she’s just, um,” she babbles, trying to cheer me up.

“She does suck,” I agree with a small laugh, a few tears escaping from my eyes. “I wish I had the guts to tell her off.” I hug Sophia back.

She squeezes me tightly. “What was that thing you tell yourself in the mirror?” she asks, pulling back to put her hand on my shoulders and look at me.

“Ah, that’s it,” she exclaims, clicking her fingers. “You’re Lily Bennett, and you’re a boss-ass bitch,” she says, making me burst out laughing.

“Remember that, Lily.”

***

“Are you nervous?” I ask Mason the Saturday before Thanksgiving as we cuddle up in his bed.

“Not really,” he answers, drawing circles on my bare shoulder. Next Thursday is the Thanksgiving football game, which is apparently a big deal. Mason and Liam tried to explain it to me, but all I heard was “high profile” and “college rival” before tuning out.

“Well, not for the game itself. More because since I’m the starter now, I could go pro even earlier than I thought,” he begins, closing his eyes. “Once I’m pro, I’m going to get you the house of your dreams. Anything you want, I’ll be able to give it to you.”

“I just need you,” I reply, making his eyes open.

He gives me a pointed look. “And for Tayla and Gemma. I’ll be able to get them away from Mom sooner. They can have a house each if they want and college paid for. They won’t have to worry about anything either,” he says, a smile twitching at the corner of his lips.

“Are you nervous?”

His hand stops the circles. “What for?” I ask, rolling over and resting my chin on his naked chest.

“Thanksgiving,” he says quietly, tucking my hair behind my ear.

“Oh right,” I mutter, rolling back over. “I’ve been trying to ignore it.” I sigh.

Dad decided he’s coming here for Thanksgiving. He wants to watch Mason play, then take us both out for dinner afterward. He never mentioned my accident or Mom, so I don’t know if he’s waiting for me to bring it up or if he’s forgotten or something else.

Truth be told, I have been thinking a lot about the accident lately. The closer we get to Thanksgiving, the more anxiety I’ve been feeling. I think Mom showing up has made it way worse.

The more nervous I get, the more I struggle to even drive. It used to be just when it was raining. Now it’s any time I drive. I want to tell Mason, but I don’t want to distract him for his first game as the starter because I know he will worry about me, and I don’t want him to lose focus. Football is his everything.

I didn’t even tell him about my mom showing up. I want to talk to him about it, to pour all my feelings out to him, but I know him—if he knows I’m struggling, he’ll only be thinking about me instead of football.

“Are Tayla and Gemma coming?” I ask, turning to face him.

“No. They’re going to a friend’s house,” he says, turning so we’re facing each other.

“Will you miss them?” I ask, tracing his eyebrows with my fingers.

“Nah. We didn’t really celebrate holidays or birthdays after I turned eight.”

That is heartbreaking. Yes, I had absent parents, but at least they would still show up for the holidays.

We would eat too much food, laugh together, and act like a normal family. They would make me feel special.

“Don’t look so sad, Princess.” He laughs, grabbing my waist and pulling my body flush against his. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

“It is!” I exclaim, deciding right then that I’m going to make Christmas extra special for him this year.

I’m going to make sure he eats so much delicious food he’s going to feel like his stomach will explode. And his present. It’s got to be perfect. Something that’s extra special just for him. I don’t know what just yet, but I’ll figure it out.

He moves his hands up and down my back, giving me goosebumps. “Anyway, what are we doing today?” he asks.

“I think we should just stay in bed all day,” I suggest, moving my hands to his chest.

“Ah, nah. This is the first bye of the season, and you and I can do whatever we want,” he replies, grabbing hold of my wrist and stopping it from going any lower.

“Mason,” I whinge.

“Nope, you can wait until tonight, Princess.” He gives me a cheeky smile before quickly kissing my lips and disappearing out of the bed.

“Oh, I keep forgetting to ask you!” I exclaim as I watch him pull some clothes on. “Are there any running trails around here? I need to start running again.”

I can’t believe I keep forgetting to ask.

“There’s the school track,” he suggests, and I screw my nose up.

“Guess it’s better than nothing.” I sigh dramatically, pushing the blanket down.

“It won’t be that bad. I’ll run with you.” Mason laughs, tossing me one of his hoodies. “It’ll have to be early in the morning,” he teases, making me groan and throw myself back dramatically.

“You are the biggest drama queen I know.” He laughs. “And I have two sisters,” he adds.

“Besides, you used to get up early to run with me, and you survived.”

I roll my eyes at Mason. “I only did it because you would break into my house, and you were hot,” I half-joke.

***

Twenty minutes later, Mason has dragged me out of the house and to the supermarket, of all places.

“Why are we here?” I frown as he grabs a basket with one hand and mine with the other.

“Because we are going to cook dinner tonight,” he says a little too casually for my liking.

“We’re not having chicken and broccoli?” I ask, feeling excited.

I’m sick of cold college food and eating only chicken, broccoli, and rice at Mason’s.

“I feel like a Philly cheesesteak,” he says, dragging me through the aisles.

“Philly cheesesteak?” I laugh. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him eat one before.

“They’re kinda my favorite thing.” He gives me a sheepish smile.

“What?” I gasp, surprised.

“And I make a good one.” He winks.

“You never fail to surprise me, Mason Cooper.” I smile up at him.

“Good,” he says before leading me around the supermarket at least three times, making sure he’s got everything.

“I think that’s all.” Mason nods, looking into the basket that’s almost overflowing.

I swear he’s slipped extra things in, like the tub of ice cream. I’m pretty sure he thought he was being sneaky, but I could see him out of the corner of my eye.

“I saw the ice cream,” I whisper to him as we join the short line.

“No, you didn’t,” he says casually, not looking at me.

“It better be a good flavor,” I say, peeking into the basket. “Not raisin or something.” I smile when I see chocolate.

“But raisin is my favorite,” he replies sarcastically, trying to hide his smile.

As we’re checking out, I can’t help but notice how the teenage girl scanning our items instantly perks up at the sight of Mason, but as usual, he seems to be completely oblivious.

I watch, feeling a tad jealous and amused by how much he hasn’t realized.

“I can’t believe you.” I shake my head as we walk out of the shop into the cold air.

“What?” He frowns, stopping in his tracks.

“She was flirting with you, and you didn’t even notice,” I say.

“What?” His frown deepens as he looks back at the store.

I can’t help but laugh. “It’s cute,” I tell him and start walking again.

“I think I’m going to have to start doing extra manly things to get you to stop calling me cute,” he says as we climb into his car.

“Oh yeah, like building me a table?” I joke.

“Yep. Mark my words, Lily Bennett. I will build you a table,” he replies, sounding serious, which makes me burst into laughter.

Most of the drive back to his apartment is spent laughing and joking with each other. Only once we’ve pulled into the driveway and his phone starts ringing do we stop.

“It’s Gemma,” he says, frowning before answering her.

“Whoa, whoa, fucking hell, Gemma. Slow down,” he snaps. His free hand comes up to tug on his bottom lip.

“She what?” he spits out as he throws his head back into the seat. “Put Mom on the phone,” he demands.

I’m expecting him to start yelling at his mom, but instead, his eyes screw shut, and he says he’ll be there soon before hanging up.