I know that I shouldn't touch but you twist my heart
'Cause I can never get enough once the feeling starts
Baby, I'm the gasoline and your kiss is the spark
But then you take the wheel and crash my car

-Hooked, Why Don't We

04| Mason

"Hey, you, you stole my FRIES!!" a female voice pulled out Mason from his half-conscious state to full consciousness.

"And you stole my sanity," Mason whispered, not audible enough for Evelyn to hear who sat down beside him.

"Did you say something?" Evelyn asked.

Mason looked up at her. The same hazel eyes, same heart shaped face, same brunette hair that managed to stole his attention whenever he came across to that girl. Even if he didn't want to, she'd somehow place herself right in front of his vision.

"If I said it, you heard it. If you didn't hear it, I didn't say it," He reasoned.

"You're drunk, aren't you?" She asked, examining his state.

"You can breathe now, he is not following you anymore," Mason said slowly, taking a sip from his bottle.

Evelyn's face faltered, "He? Who?"

"Reddie, he's gone. He's not coming back here in this room, if he wanna save his pretty face." Mason said.

It needed only a glare at Reddie, and he knew better. Reputation does come handy sometimes.

Mason had been watching Evelyn right from the second she arrived with Abigail. He didn't take her to be a party loving one and he was right. She was so not loving the party. Mason wasn't loving it either. But Noah insisted.

"You look like trouble," Mason thought glancing at Evelyn. Evelyn had looked like trouble from the moment she stepped her foot in Gateway High. It had only been four days but inside Mason's mind, he couldn't shake the thought that Evelyn was trouble.

Evelyn didn't exactly do anything other than almost crashing into his body in the cafeteria and she was the one who rolled her eyes at him. In return, Mason had helped her finishing her fries when she wasn't around.

"Nobody had ever called me that," Evelyn laughed nervously.

"You also look like you have an unhealthy obsession for hiding things," Mason said, straight looking at her eyes.

Mason had seen her, nervous, always fidgeting. As if Evelyn was a deer caught in the headlight. She always looked flighty.

Evelyn now didn't move for a moment. Her eyes stay focused, holding Mason's. And at that moment his head wasn't moving, he couldn't look away. He was stuck.

How does she even do that?

"I do what?" Evelyn asked, with her voice shaking with anger or maybe frustration.

Mason gulped. He was the nervous one now.

"I, I don't know," Mason said, somehow. Evelyn looked away and Mason was released from the spell. He could move his head now. He blinked quite a few times and surprisingly found his heart beating way too fast. The world in front of his spun. He glanced at Evelyn. His vision blurred.

Evelyn sat there with her piercing hazel eyes staring at Mason, squinting them at him. Mason felt like all Evelyn wanted was his head separated from his body. He gulped.

"Take me home," He collapsed and mumbled.

His eyes drooped and they felt heavy. Mason heard as the loud music slowly faded away from his ears, his body got cold.

Then suddenly he felt a warm breeze rush past his skin. An ignition, a spark of electricity and a beautiful smell of vanilla. Not long after, everything turned black.

• • •

Mason woke up with that same smell of vanilla surrounding him. It was like summer had arrived again. He opened his eyes and the daylight blinded him. He moved his hands and felt hard floor underneath.

Mason jolted up and looked around. He was home but he was in their living room, in the doorstep.

"Good morning, sweetie," He found Carolina sitting on the couch, reading the newspaper.

He stood up with a banging headache and took a look around again. He really did slept in the doorstep, why?

"How was your night's sleep, sweetie?" Carolina asked mockingly.

Carolina was so persistent on not letting him to go the party, he had to sneak out of the house at night. But whatever she said, Mason had a good sleep though he slept on the floor. Hugged by the beautiful perfume with no nightmare, he slept peacefully after ages.

"There's milk on the fridge. It should help with the hangover." Carolina said.

When she saw Mason's confused face, she snorted out a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Mason complained.

"You have got some good friends, Mason," She replied.

Mason thought for a second. Last night's memory washed over his brain and a name. Evelyn.

"How did I get home? Did anyone bring me around?" Mason said, walking towards the dining room. This house was huge, unlike the house Mason grew up in.

"Who do you think would be kind enough to do that?" Carolina joined, Mason at the dining table.

"Tell me," he said as he opened the carton of milk and drank straight from it.

"Evelyn Reyes," Carolina put down the paper on the table.

"Fuck," Mason almost spat out the milk and cursed.

"Swear jar, sweetheart," She said.

That F-word would cost him five dollars.

"Oh, shit," He said.

"Keep going," Carolina replied. "The jar is almost full."

"Urghh," Mason rolled his eyes.

"I made a batch of cookies, by the way. You are giving them to her as a thank you. It's on the basket there. And oh, she also took your car," Carolina motioned to Jasmine for breakfast.

"What, my car?" Mason stood up instantly. "You aren't serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" she asked.

"Oh, fuck, no way." Mason shook his head.

"And that will do," She said.

Mason groaned. He grabbed a piece of toast in hurry. He needed his car, urgently.

"Alright, Im going out," Mason said, grabbing the cookie basket.

"Hey, finish your breakfast, first," Carolina ordered. Mason was already out the door.

"Not enough time, and hey, when did you turn so kind and generous, huh, making cookies and shi-no stuff," He said, running a hand thorugh his hair, "You never make cookies for me."

Carolina called him again. He knew though, being kind and generous was actually who Carol was. If not for her, Mason didnt even want to think what would happen to him.

He needed the car urgently. He was going to sell that car. He had been talking with a buyer lately. He was coming to take the car today and he ensured a good price.

The money was needed for Madeline's restaurant which was about to open in the next two months. Mason had made Madeline promise that in return Madeline could offer her restaurant food free for Mason's lifetime.

All in all, it was a good way to get rid of that damned car that Mason wanted do nothing with.

He hurried towards the main street and realized he didn't know where Evelyn Reyes lived. Mason texted Abigail, not sure if she was up yet. She was brought home to safety by Jack, probably. Jack Walters was so protective about his not-yet-girlfriend.

Jack was always there for Mason, through his better, his worse. The day when he had everything to the day when he lost everything. Unlike some people, he didn't betray him.

Abigail's text buzzed his phone and he opened it. He took a look at the address and a chill wave ran down his spine.

This couldn't be it. That house was not for renting.

Mason walked towards the destination and he felt he was carrying the heaviest load. Walking became difficult, he dragged his feet forward. Sighs left his throat and yet he made it to the neighborhood. That house could be seen from where he was standing. It looked the same from outside, that same cream colored house Mason used to live in.

When Mason lived here, everything was alright. Here he was surrounded by the people whom he loved most, surrounded by the people who loved him the most.

Now there lived the strangers.

The first thing that came to his sight when he entered the upside down T, a road which is connected to the main street with a dead end, was his car. The same car he was wanting to sell, now parked beside the house. The difference was a big dent right beside the right headlight.

"No way," Mason exclaimed and shook his head. How did that happen?

Mason quickly ran to the front door, despite his beating heart and weak legs that wanted to give up on him, he kept pressing the calling bell as if it would relieve him from the frustration and the sudden load of heaviness on his heart.

The face of Evelyn Reyes peeked from behind the door, her hair almost everywhere, her eyes still sleepy.

Mason took a deep breath. He was angry and wanted to get the hell out of here as quickly as possible. Not only because Evelyn dented his car but also the house was making it harder to breathe and he wanted to get away.

Instead, he was struggling with the words now and what he said came out like a whisper, "What have you done to my car?"

A flash of fear crossed Evelyn's face and she opened the door fully and gulped.

"What have you done to my car?" He said.

"Trust me, it's not my fault, it's totally the lamp post. It is the real culprit, I swear I haven't done anything," Evelyn said, nervously.

She was wearing Sponge bob PJ's and panda flip flops. Any other time, another different situation, Mason would have found it adorable.

Mason placed the cookie basket on her hand and stated, " Give me back my car key."

"Cookies!" Evelyn's face lit up. "What are these for?" She smiled at him.

"This is poisoned, I want you to die." Mason said showing no expression in his face.

"Yes, of course," She rolled her eyes. Yet again. "And this is how you payback for driving you home at the dead of the night. By giving me poisoned cookies."

"I didn't tell you to drive me home."

"Sorry? Do I need to tell you that you begged me to take you home." She said. "You were drunk, you are alone, sleeping in a couch in a party. I saved you or you may have lost your dignity last night."

Mason glared at Evelyn who looked like she was having trouble not to laugh. Mason glared harder but it made no effect on her. She rolled her eyes in reply and climbed upstairs.

Mason took his time looking around. They have arranged the house simply, there was not much furniture, a TV attached to the wall in the living room and a couch and an armchair in front of it.

Evelyn came down with the key and handed it to Mason.

"Where is everyone?" Mason asked while walking towards the gate.

"Everyone? There is no everyone. Just me and my dad." Mason could hear the sadness in her voice.

"Oh." He walked to his car, which looked like brand new only yesterday and now it looked like someone had played car bump with it.

"I am so sorry, I really didn't mean to dent your car."

Mason had nothing to say. This dent will cost him at least three hundred dollars. And he would not have enough time to fix it before the buyer would arrive.

Mason inhaled and exhaled to get his anger in control and got inside the car. He took a last look at the house and then at the guilty face of Evelyn. Maybe, he approved of her living here, but not denting his car.

He started the engine and it revved and he drove away.

You will pay for this.

• • •
Edited.