Chapter 4 4
Mason POV
Roman's
a wreck. Drunk, furious, sprawled across a VIP couch with an empty whiskey
bottle clutched to his chest like letting go would kill him.
"Six
years." He says it to nobody. "Erased in half a minute." He
points the bottle at the ceiling, cursing the universe. "May she never
know a single happy day again."
Some
of the guys laugh it off. I don't. Watching him is like watching someone bleed
out slowly.
Across
the room, Kayla has been orbiting me for the better part of an hour, immune to
every hint I've dropped. Not entirely her fault. Last semester, bad family news
plus too much liquor at a frat party made me break my one hard rule, no
cheerleaders, by making out with her in front of a packed room. Rookie mistake.
She's been dining out on it ever since, and half this school thinks we're a
secret item.
I've
stopped correcting people. Girls talk, stories spread, and none of it touches
my actual life. Every so often something lasts a few weeks. Casual, no strings,
no drama. Exactly how I like it.
"Been
considering something," Tyler says, snapping me out of it. "Getting
back with Natalie."
I
look over at him. "You've never once listened to my opinion on this. Doubt
tonight's different."
Kayla
materializes with a fresh beer and slides it into my hand. I nod a thanks and
crack the top.
"Fair,"
Tyler laughs.
He's
had a few extra rounds, and it's written all over him. His attention drifts to
Natalie, sitting with friends while some guy leans in to whisper in her ear. Tyler's
jaw goes tight, jealousy plain as day. These two on repeat could convince anyone
that love's a scam.
"Your
call, man," I say.
"Always
is." He nudges me. "What about you? Still not interested in anything
serious?"
"Casual
works fine."
Tyler
snorts. "One rule, though."
"Go
on."
"My
sister's off-limits. Touch her and I'll bury you."
I
laugh outright. "One, she'd get to me first, no contest."
"True,"
he admits, grinning.
"Two,
she and I basically only speak to trade insults."
"Also
true."
"Three."
I make a face. "Zero offense, but your sister might be the most exhausting
human being I know."
Even
just thinking about her puts a dent in my mood.
He
laughs harder. "Baby of the family. We all spoiled her rotten."
"Believe
me, I've noticed."
He
claps a hand on my shoulder. "Wish me luck out there."
"For?"
"Getting
Natalie back, obviously."
I
raise my beer in mock salute. "Idiot move."
"Never
said otherwise."
He
disappears into the crowd. I go back to my drink, and that's exactly when a
hand lands on my shoulder.
I
turn around already annoyed, because of course it's her. Chloe, standing way
too close, whiskey heavy on her breath.
"Chloe?"
Tyler's voice, somewhere off to the side, laced with confusion.
She
doesn't glance his way. Her eyes are locked on mine, something fierce and
unreadable burning behind them. I open my mouth to ask if she's okay, and I
never get the chance. Her palms land on either side of my face.
"Wait"
Her
mouth crashes into mine.
I
don't move. Can't, for a second or two.
What
in the actual hell.
She
jerks back just as fast as she leaned in. The entire room goes dead silent.
Every face is pointed at us. I'm still trying to work out whether this is
actually happening when a fist connects with my jaw hard enough to white out my
vision.
"What
the"
Two
more hits land before I can get my footing. Tyler, fast and vicious.
"You
had ONE job! Leave her alone!" he roars, another punch landing across my
face. "You absolute waste of space!"
"Tyler,
stop!" someone shouts.
"It
wasn't like" Another punch swallows the sentence whole. Blood fills my
mouth right as somebody hauls Tyler backward before he does permanent damage. I
drag the back of my hand across my split lip.
"Seriously,
man?" I spit. "I didn't do anyth"
He
isn't hearing it. He already has Chloe's wrist in his grip, pulling her toward
the exit without a backward glance.
She
doesn't fight it. And for one second, just one, she looks back at me. Not
guilty. Not drunk. Something closer to please.
Then
she's gone, and I'm still standing there when a shadow blocks my view.
Austin.
He looks like he wants to end me. Before I can say a word in my defense, his
fist meets my face and sends me staggering again.
Seriously?
He
grabs my shirt and drags me close enough that we're eye to eye, his stare pure
venom.
"Don't
come near my girlfriend again."
He
says it like a threat carved in stone, shoves me one last time, and storms off
after Tyler and Chloe.
I'm
left bleeding, blindsided, and watched by a room full of people already
convinced I'm the villain of this story. Three years of being "campus flirt"
means the rumor writes itself: Mason Hayes finally crossed a line with his best
friend's little sister.
Somebody
shoves a wad of napkins into my chest. Kayla, probably. I don't take them. I'm
too busy replaying the last ninety seconds, because something about it doesn't
add up.
Chloe
had whiskey on her breath. Fine. But her hands on my face were steady. No
stumble, no sway, no sloppy miss. She walked straight through a crowded room,
found me, and picked her moment like she'd rehearsed it.
Drunk
people don't aim like that.
And
Tyler was standing right there. She had to know exactly how he'd react.
My
phone buzzes against my hip. I wipe the blood off my thumb on my jeans and pull
it out.
Unknown
number.
I'm
sorry. I'll explain everything, I swear. But please don't tell Tyler why I did
it. Don't tell anyone. ESPECIALLY not Austin.
I
read it twice. Then a third time, slower, because the last line is the one
that's wrong.
Austin
just called her his girlfriend. Why would she be afraid of her own boyfriend?
Another
buzz.
Tomorrow,
7 a.m. The library roof. Come alone.
Ten
minutes ago, I thought Roman getting publicly dumped was going to be tomorrow's
biggest headline.
Not
anymore.
