And my research project would be complete.
Chapter Nine
“I think my brain is literally frozen. There’s no coming back from this one, guys.”
I laughed as Audrey squeezed her eyes shut and grimaced against the pain from the cold. Mandy tossed her a napkin with a teasing smirk. In front of each of us was a large Icee, part of our weekly tradition at the Rock Valley mall.
I’d missed the last three get-togethers. Between classes, my art projects, and volunteering, my schedule was jam packed. This was the first time I’d been able to eek out a single hour to get together with my besties and I was determined to enjoy every second of it. Just us girls. No drama. No worrying about my future.
“So, Trina...” Mandy sipped her Icee and eyed me suspiciously over the cup. “Until Audrey’s brain thaws, I think you should update us on the Mason Finnick situation. Has he asked you out yet?”
I shook my head and shot her a smile. So much for no drama. It seemed like I wasn’t going to escape it after all. “No, and he’s not going to. He’s actually getting back together with his ex-girlfriend.”
Mandy and Audrey exchanged confused looks.
“He’s getting back together with Polly Thompson?” Audrey wiped her mouth with a napkin and crumpled it in her hands. “But I thought I heard her say in cheer practice yesterday that she was going out with Ethan Richards this weekend.”
I gulped down a swallow of my Icee and the cold lump hurt all the way down my esophagus. Audrey was our high school mascot, Rascal the Raccoon, a title bestowed on her by Savannah earlier this year as a kind of punishment for daring to join the cheerleading team. The original costume had been an ancient mold-infested wreck only suitable for burial in a deep, dark, forgotten hole in the ground.
But after weeks of torture, Audrey managed to turn the situation around into something awesome. With our help, she’d replaced the old mascot with a new costume that was amazing and fun. Everyone loved it, even the teachers. She still practiced with the cheerleaders and she knew Polly Thompson better than any of us.
“What do you mean?” I asked, trying to hide my nervousness. That put an unexpected kink into my plan. I never even thought that Polly might be dating someone else already.
“She means that it doesn’t seem like Polly and Mason will be getting together again.” Mandy pressed her lips together and tilted her head to one side. “Did he actually tell you that was what he wanted?”
“Yes!” I gripped my Icee in both hands and squirmed under the disbelieving looks from my friends. Maybe that wasn’t quite the whole truth. “Well, he sort of said it...”
“Sort of?” Audrey repeated. “Like, as in, he actually told you he missed Polly?”
“He didn’t have to say it.” I gave them both a pleading look, hoping they’d just believe me and that we could let the subject die. “I know that he’s not happy and that they broke up not too long ago. So, I decided to use him as a subject in my Research Methods project: Project Happiness. It’s all about how the strength of our relationships affects our moods. I’m going to gauge his level of happiness now and after he gets back together with Polly. It’ll be good for him, I just know it. And I’m going to ace Research Methods with this idea.”
Audrey didn’t look convinced. “And did you already tell him about this plan of yours?”
“Yep.” I grinned. “Took a little convincing, but I think he’s excited.”
“Noooo, Trina, you didn’t.” Mandy groaned into her hands as Audrey shook her head sadly. “Please say you didn’t tell Mason that you want to get him back with his ex.”
“Of course, I did.” I sat up on the edge of my seat, nerves bouncing around in my stomach. There was no reason to feel guilty for what I’d done, but for some reason, I couldn’t stop it. My friends were getting inside my head. “I want him to be happy, just like I want you guys to be happy.”
They groaned again and I could tell that this was one argument I wasn’t going to win. They didn’t seem to want to understand. I’d told them about Polly and Mason’s history. How they’d met at cancer camp and then somehow the universe brought them together again at the same high school. I told them all of it, but it didn’t seem to make a difference. They were just being stubborn.
“But on a happier note, you’ll be glad to know Mason offered to help me with the welding side of the senior class project.” I rubbed my hands together, feeling the tingles of artistic inspiration already beginning. This was something I could talk about forever. “We’re going to split our class time between Research Methods and the sculpture.”
“Seriously, Trina?” Mandy flattened her hands on the table and gave me a pained look.
“What?” I asked with wide eyes. How could she not be happy about this? “At this rate, I’ll be done with it in no time.”
My happy announcement was interrupted by a group of boys rushing into the food court. They shoved each other and tossed a nerf football back and forth, their noise attracting everyone’s attention. One boy split away from the pack and headed our direction. He was tall, with dark brown hair and equally brown eyes. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of his black leather jacket and when he made eye contact with Audrey, his face lit up with a brilliant smile.
“Just in time, Collin,” Audrey said, scooting over on her bench to make room for her boyfriend. “We need you to settle an argument.”
Collin slid in and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling his nose into her neck. She giggled and squirmed, her face turning bright red. I couldn’t help but smile at their adorableness. Audrey and Collin both deserved to be happy.
“What argument am I settling?” he asked, sitting back to give Mandy and me a warm smile in greeting.
“Does a teenage guy usually offer to help a girl he barely knows, on a project that has nothing to do with him?”
He scrunched his nose up. “No.”
Mandy leaned across the table and pinned him with a stare. “Why in the world would a guy do that for a girl?”
I looked back and forth between them, wondering what they were up to.
“It’s pretty simple,” Collin said with a shrug. “He likes the girl. That’s the only reason I can think of.”
Mandy and Audrey both made loud noises of agreement as I shook my head. There was no way Mason liked me. We were like fire and water, so completely opposite that there was not a chance we could attract each other. Not really. The things I’d felt for Mason had been silly, surface-level things.
There was no way he preferred me over someone like Polly. She was amazing. The girl was a cheerleader, part-time ninja, and not to mention, incredibly gorgeous. Not to mention, they totally had that fated-to-be-together kind of vibe after meeting at cancer camp. Mason wouldn’t pass that up. Not when he could get her back, with my help.
“You guys are barking up the wrong tree,” I stated boldly, getting up from my seat to toss my empty Icee container.
“Is this about Mason?” Collin looked expectantly up at me. Apparently, Audrey had been sharing her theories with him. “He’s a descent dude. Keeps his teammates out of trouble. Not to mention, he’s awesome on the court.”
I laughed. As if his skills with a basketball were going to change anything. Even if he were the best point guard in the world, it wouldn’t matter.
“Believe me,” I said, glancing pointedly at my friends, “it’s not going to happen. He doesn’t like me like that.”
Audrey intertwined her fingers with Collin’s and leaned into his shoulder. “Whatever you say. But what about you? Do you like him like that? Be real.”
“Doesn’t even matter.” I lifted my chin, feeling a rare sense of stubbornness streak through me. “Now that he’s my research subject, it would be completely unethical to date him. That’s basically the first thing you learn in Research Methods 101.”
I didn’t miss Audrey and Mandy exchanging exasperated looks. Even though I knew they loved me and wanted the best for me, I was ready to put some
distance between myself and this conversation. If they had their way, we’d talk about this all night long. So before anyone could open their mouth, I made a quick beeline for the trashcan across the food court with my empty Icee cup in hand.
“Mason and me? Together?” I covered my mouth with my fingers, trapping in a giggle. Even saying the words aloud to myself, it sounded ridiculous. “We’re just friends. That’s all.”
The moment Mason had agreed to my project, any possible future my friends could imagine between us had gone up in smoke. Audrey and Mandy would just have to find something else to obsess about. If I wanted to ace this class, I had to abide by the rules of science.
And that meant, no flirting with the research subject.
Period.
Chapter Ten
One of the perks of being a perky person was my ability to pop out of bed early on a Saturday morning, ready to tackle the day. And since the school was closed, my statue unreachable until Monday, my research project was at the top of the list for the day.
Mason’s address wasn’t hard to find. The school sent out an address book every year with everyone’s contact information. I hopped in my old Cavalier and arrived on the doorstep to his tiny brick townhome on the north side of town at nine a.m. sharp, coffee and donuts in hand.
“Good morning, Mrs. Finnick,” I chirped as Mason’s mom answered the door, wearing her dark blue scrubs. “I’m Trina Frye. I have a class with your son. Is Mason home?”
“Trina?” She shielded her eyes from the brightness of the sun. “You’re the girl in his Research Methods class?”
I nodded. It warmed me to think that Mason had mentioned me to his mom. She was even prettier up close. Dark, thick, brown hair with a slight wave. Her skin was tanned, as if she’d spent a summer on the beach. Her blue eyes lit up with surprise as I handed her a cup of steaming hot coffee.
“Straight from The Brew Crew on fourth street,” I explained with a smile. “The best in town. I figured the caffeine would help you forgive me for stopping by so early in the morning.”
She smiled gratefully at me. “Bless you, child. I forgot to grab coffee grounds at the store last night and I was just about to go on a double shift. You’re more than forgiven. In fact, I’d adopt you, if I could. Please, come in. I’ll see if Mason’s up.”
She led me into a small dining, kitchen, and living area, and left to tell Mason I was there. The walls had been painted deep purple, with lilac accents. Dozens of old black and white portraits with gilded frames hung on the walls, featuring people from decades past. I lingered at one in particular, a little boy in a frilly white outfit with a matching white cap. He was pouting at the camera, his cheeks puffed out. Mrs. Finnick came back out moments later, her hair pulled up into a twisted bun.
“Are these all your family?” I asked.
There were so many. It was amazing to think of the lives these people had lived after the photographs were taken.
“In a way.” Mrs. Finnick paused next to me and ran her fingers lovingly over the oval frame. “I find them in antique shops. Stuffed in crates, or forgotten in some corner. Sometimes, they speak to me and I have to bring them home. Give them new life. I call this little guy Frederick. I like to imagine that he went on to marry his high school sweetheart and to be a state senator.”
I stared in awe at the photos. It was art, plain and simple. Mrs. Finnick had a good eye. Every one of the photographs had a story to tell. And now they could keep on living in Mason’s home. A tiny bit of immortality of their own.
“I love it. You’ve built a family out of forgotten photographs.”
“Well, the rest of my family is gone,” she said with a shrug. “Mason is all I have. And these photographs.”
I inhaled deeply. I knew Mason had lost someone because of the mention of cancer camp, but I’d never imagined he and his mom were all alone in this world. Now, I could see why his mom was afraid of losing him, too.
“That’s really touching,” I said softly.
“You can say it’s creepy,” a deep voice said. “Really, you don’t have to lie.”
I whipped around to see Mason shuffling down the darkened hall toward us, running his hand through his messy dark hair. He wore a pair of blue flannel pajama pants, but his broad chest was bare. A shock went through me at the sight of him, landing in my gut. I gulped and averted my eyes to the ground, suddenly feeling not quite so peppy.
It wasn’t like I’d never seen a naked man chest. I loved spending summers at the pool. I just hadn’t expected to see Mason like this. Here. Now. With his mom in the room.
“Good morning, sweetie,” she said warmly. “I’m just about to head out for my shift. Your friend brought caffeine. I’m pretty sure she’s an angel.”
He snorted and then muffled a yawn with his hand.
“Good, you’re awake,” I said, keeping my eyes glued to the wood panels beneath my feet. “We’ve got stuff to do for our project this morning.”
“Seriously? Now?” He threw himself onto a nearby gray couch and tossed his bare feet on the matching ottoman. Apparently, he didn’t care who saw him without a shirt. His mom bustled back down the hallway, muttering about her lost purse. “I’ve got at least three hours of Fortnite ahead of me before I’m ready to face the day.”
“Fortnite?” My gaze went directly to his face. It surprised me to learn that Mason’s world didn’t completely revolve around basketball. I thought jocks ate, slept, and breathed their sports. “My little sister loves that game. She made me play with her last month.”
“Were you any good?”
I straightened my shoulders and lifted my chin. “Actually, she said I wasn’t half bad. And that’s a compliment, coming from her.”
The left side of his mouth twitched with a concealed smile. “Then I guess there’s hope for you, yet.”
Our gazes remained glued until I felt the tips of my ears begin to heat. With a deep inhalation, I remembered the gifts I’d come bearing.
“I almost forgot, I brought coffee for you, too. And donuts. We can’t start our mission without sugary breakfast foods.”
“You really do think of everything,” he said with a sarcastic twinkle in his eyes.
Ignoring his sass, I held out the goodies. A bit of breakfast would set us both right. Mason took a cup and the box of donuts out of my hands and patted the seat next to him. I sat gently on the edge of the cushion as he tore into the box, snapping up a powdered sugar one to hand to his mom when she walked behind us with her coat and keys in hand.
“You kids be good!” She kissed him on the forehead and waved at me. “Thank you for the sustenance, Trina. You really are an angel. Stop by anytime.”
“Her name’s Mother Trina,” Mason tried to shout, with his mouth full.
I hit him on the shoulder and shushed him, but he just chuckled at me. Apparently, that joke wasn’t going to die anytime soon. His mom shot us both an amused smile before heading out the front door. And suddenly, we were alone. Me, sitting with a stiff spine on the couch next to a shirt-less Mason.
If Audrey and Mandy knew, they would freak.
“So, what’s so important that we had to meet before the crack of dawn?” Mason asked, after taking a swallow of his coffee.
Seriously? Before I’d shown up at Mason’s house, I’d finished a math assignment and did a round of yoga. The morning was practically gone already. I laughed at him and helped myself to a sprinkled donut.
“It’s not the crack of dawn, it’s nine o’clock. And I figured you’d want to hit the stores early so no one from school sees us.”
“The stores?” He grimaced. “What do you mean?”
“The clothing stores at the mall. You said Polly always complained that you didn’t try hard enough. This is the first step to winning her back in the Trina Frye handbook. I’m thinking we start at Banana Republic and end at Urban Outfitters.”
If he’d paid attention to my notebook in class, he would’ve seen the plan all laid out. Fir
st step: get Mason a cool new outfit that didn’t involve athletic shorts and sports t-shirts. Shouldn’t be too hard. He’d probably look cool in just about anything.
Mason scowled and leaned back into the couch cushions, the muscles in his abdomen rippling with the effort. I did my best to keep my eyes glued on his face. Staring at his stomach was not an option.
“So let me get this straight,” he said, dragging out each word. “If I want to get back with Polly, all I have to do is buy an expensive new outfit and show it off? And then, she’ll like me again?”
I grinned and nodded. Now, he was getting it. “That’s all part of it.”
He harrumphed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Are you sure that’ll work?”
“Yeah, why not?”
“I don’t know. Doesn’t it sound kind of...shallow?”
The smile melted from my face and I looked down at the half-eaten donut in my hand. Shallow. That was a heavy word. A word that I didn’t particularly like. Was I guilty of thinking Polly was shallow? Or even worse, was I the shallow one, thinking she’d fall for it?
Maybe Mason had a point. Dressing him up in a new outfit did seem kind of childish. Cliché, even. Polly and all of her cheerleader friends would see right through it. My throat tightened and tears of frustration sprung to the corners of my eyes. What had I been thinking? How was this going to make Mason happier?
“Hey, hey, hey, forget it. Don’t listen to me.” Mason reached for my arm and leaned forward to look me in the face. Regret was written in the lines on his forehead. “My mom’s always saying I know nothing about girls. I know for a fact that in a few minutes I’m going to realize that your plan is brilliant and I’m just being crabby. I mean, that’s what happens when someone wakes me up before the crack of dawn. It’s kind of to be expected.”
So maybe the plan would work after all.
I smiled gratefully at him and laughed softly. “You know, it’s still not the crack of dawn. And you’re always crabby.”
Dare You to Date the Point Guard (Rock Valley High Book 2) Page 7