I could fall or I could fly
Here in your aeroplane
And I could live, I could die
Hanging on the words you say
And I've been known
to give my all
And lie awake, every day
Don't know how much I can take

- Dive, Ed Sheeran

02| Mason

Mason thought he might not give any shits about the people around him, but he actually did. With his extravagantly observant eyes (cursed in other words), he would see the things he didn't want to see and care about.

He somehow knew which guy was failing maths, which one didn't like football but was playing anyway, which person was hiding some sadness behind their deceitful eyes. He could clearly see who had trust issues, who had anger management problems and who couldn't sleep at night.

That might sound like Mason was a Mr. Know-It-All, but, of course, he wasn't. It was always the little things. Little things were the indication of bigger issues and these little things are invisible until suddenly you start to see them and then you can't unsee them.

Mason would have given it all to help others if it was years ago. But he didn't care now. As habits never grew old, he would still notice things.

Mason had learnt his lessons. He used to wear his heart on his sleeves. That hadn't brought him anything good. Moreover, it had taken away things from him. Nobody cared. Why would he? He was friends with everyone. So he thought when he needed help, they would come forward. Did they?

No. The only thing Mason got from them was pity. They showed pity and walked away. Mason learnt his lessons.

Now, Mason was quite restrained about his feelings. Nobody from outside never could ever tell how he was. Gradually he had taken himself away from everyone, friends or not friends.

Mason hated labelling. The way we label and judge a person with our minds, like the students of Gateway High. They had labelled him. They had labelled themselves. The bad guys, the mean kids, the It girls, the geeks,the nerds, the gothics, the average people and so many labels.

It is really easy to just distinguish a person with a label. It makes you think you know the other person which gives you a sense of power.

Knowledge is power and by stereotyping them you think you gained knowledge about their personality. You could predict and make them fall under a category.

But human beings were nuanced. One person cannot be labelled by only one quality. But we make ourselves think so.

Mason did know which label he earned among the fellow student body. But his label won't tell you a thing about him.

Mason loved to read. He loves the smell of hard covers. Old hard covers had a subtle smell. He liked it very much. When it came to genres, Mason was omnivorous. He read almost every genre, fiction or nonfiction, thrillers and murder-mysteries, classics and contemporary. But if you told him to pick out one, he would choose science fiction.

Mason loved fixing cars. He loved stargazing. He loved Nutella sandwiches. He liked the smell of vanilla. He liked when the first drop of rain hit the ground, it gave off a distinct smell.

His label wouldn't tell you anything about it all.

His label would tell you he got angry easily. It would tell you he picked up fights with people. It would make anyone think, he liked to make them bleed. That he had an arch nemesis with whom he fought whenever he got a chance.

It would tell you that he never smiled. That he hated everyone. It would say he loved to play with other people's feelings.

How accurate.

But it could be blamed on the fact that he shut everyone up whenever anyone got closer. But back when he wore his heart out on his sleeves, then? They called him the good guy, the sidekick, the easy one, the fool.

Now, he had a new identity.

Getting here was simple. All he did was wear a distinct piece of clothing, a black leather jacket, had a brand new sports car and yeah, punched the famous guy, a popular kid straight in the face.

Now he was a bad guy himself.

Mason heaved a sigh. He looked in his rear view mirror of his black Bugatti Veyron, the sports car he owned. Not by choice, it was gifted to him by someone who thought he could win Mason over by it. Too bad, he didn't know Mason.

Mason wanted to burn the car right away. But Carolina didn't let him. So he kept it at her request. He had thought of a way how he would make use of it.

The car was an addition to his label, specifying it. So was the scar on his forehead, he got from a fight. His blue eyes remained on his scar as he brushed his chocolate brown hair on his forehead covering his scar.

These boring blue eyes were something he disliked. It reminded him of the person he hated the most. He didn't have any choice but to live with it.

The moment he stepped out of his car, the people around spotted him. They stared at him, hushed under their voices, judging hin.

Mason couldn't give a shit. He marched down to his locker and got his books. Then he noticed a difference.

A girl was standing by his locker. Until yesterday, this locker was empty.

The girl was busy shuffling her books. She was wearing an oversized t-shirt and a pair of faded jeans with a pair of vans. Her hair was gathered in a loose ponytail, baby hair sticking out of it. It looked like those strands hadn't had the luck to meet a comb for a while.

As if on cue, she turned and looked at him. Mason cocked his head.

She was quite tall. Usually Mason had to lean down to meet people's eyes. But he didn't have to in this case.

Her cheeks were so pale Mason could see the blood veins underneath.

The girl was shifting from one foot to another.

She was nervous.

Her eyes were hazel, like golden shards in an emerald background. It looked like a pool of honey but with a beautiful green hint.

Her eyes were sad and empty. There were dark circles under them.

The girl was confused. She was new here. Maybe she needed help to find her class. Mason could see the schedule in her hand. He opened his mouth to offer help.

The girl however shifted her foot again. She was looking at him with her eyes wide and her breaths uneven. Her eyes sized up his physic from top to bottom. She looked scared.

Mason closed his mouth. He restrained himself from saying anything to her. He had no business helping her out.

He gave her one last look before walking away.

Mason had to talk with Principal Harris. He had called Mason to talk with him. So Mason made his way to the office.

"There, Stewart. Wait," Maisie said, as he entered the office to get to Principal Harris.

"Yeah?" Mason said.

"A new student just arrived. Can you help her out? I know you will," The office lady said to him with a sweet smile.

He would have volunteered to do this if it was two years ago, not now.

"I have an appointment with Principal Harris," Mason said.

"But he hadn't arrived yet. I would call you up when he gets in. Go help the poor kid. Her name is Evelyn Reyes. Poor soul must be wandering around the hall," Maisie said, her hands busy typing something.

Evelyn Reyes.

Mason had a feeling he would come across this Evelyn Reyes more than he wanted to.

"Umm I don't think so. She'll find her own way," Mason said.

"Oh sweetie, don't be so bitter. You used to be such a nice boy. Go give her a helping hand," Maisie insisted.

"Ah, you got me. I see what I can do about it," He turned on his heels. He got out of the office and spotted Abigail right away.

Abigail was the sunshine girl of Gateway. For her, the whole world was magical. She only saw the good in people, in everything. Always the optimist, no matter what.

Maybe that was what got Jack's heart. Mason's closest friend, Jack Walters just couldn't get enough of Abigail Johnson.

Since Abigail had arrived, Jack had stripped off his label. Now he ran around like a lost puppy behind her. And Abi for some reason still didn't see Jack.

"Hey, Abigail," Mason called.

Abigail stopped midway and turned, "Yeah?"

Mason jogged to her, "There's a new girl called Evelyn Reyes, wandering around the hall like lost souls. Maisie told me to tell you to help her."

"Why didn't she tell me, instead?" Abigail questioned.

"How am I supposed to know? Maybe the fact that I scare people away?" Mason shrugged.

"Keep glaring and scowling at them," Abi rolled her eyes.

Mason turned on his way. His first class was Math, a subject he didn't hate. He enjoyed numbers, and solving problems and how they made sense.

He entered the class and took a seat in the last bench on the corner. Not long after, Evelyn Reyes entered. Mason noticed her.

She surely wasn't lost or wandering around.

Mason's eyes automatically followed her as she took a seat in the middle row.

Soon the other student filed in. Mr. Pitt entered. That guy was the bane to Mason's existence. He couldn't stand Mason for some strange reasons. Mason couldn't stand him either.

Mr. Pitt called Evelyn up and introduced her to the class. Evelyn looked nervous just like Mason had seen her before. She gulped several times. Nobody really paid attention.

He turned away from Evelyn. The class started. He was curious. He wanted to know how Evelyn was finding Gateway High. He wondered what she thought when she sized him up? Did she think he was rude?

Mason surely was rude to her, the way he scowled at her, she would never come across him ever again.

He cocked his head a slight bit and found Evelyn. She was leaning on her copy, pencil in one hand, a few strands of loose hair framing the side of her face.

She brushed them away and looked aside, checking the students. She looked at her left side and then at her right. She was trying to get to know her territory, where she had landed herself.

Their eyes met. Evelyn's hazel eyes landed on his blues.

Mason hurriedly looked away. He had almost forgotten he was glancing at her way. He looked at the board. Unfortunately, it was empty.

Well, bummer.

As the class ended, he strode out and got into his Chemistry class, looking at the door, secretly hoping Evelyn didn't show up here as well. Minutes passed.

Evelyn Reyes didn't come in. Thank God.

The rest of the class went away soon. He found himself sitting at the cafeteria among his friends, looking at the entrance.

Evelyn Reyes entered. She had a lunch box in her hands. With her was Abigail.

They walked towards their table. Soon Abigail was introducing Evelyn to others.

Shit.

"And here's Mason, the most cheerful person in the world, who'd definitely love to be friends with you," Abigail said.

Mason scowled at her.

He turned to Evelyn, still scowling. Then he stood up and walked off from the cafeteria, away from Evelyn.

This Evelyn was taking a lot of space in his brain, and it was only her first day. The more distance put between themselves, the better.

Mason marched his way to the library. He got himself a book and slumped down on a chair.

He had a lot of other things to do. Befriending Evelyn wasn't one of them.

• • •

Rewritten.