I lost my faith, made my mistakes
Gonna find a way to make it easy
I'll be better on my own, believe me
Pay no hope back, can't live like that
Yeah, I made my piece with all the sorrow
And now I'm livin' for tomorrow
I'm a girl with a new face, and a life that's been changed
You know, you know, you know?

- The Cure, Little Mix

09| Evelyn

The bell rang and Evelyn had to run. Evelyn couldn't believe she overslept. She was up until 3 AM and she was thinking of staying up all night. Then her brain decided otherwise and drifted her to sleep.

Sleeping late, she had a terrible dream. It wasn't the usual skyscraper one. It was more horrible. She saw Mason running after her. There were some people after them, trying to catch them, looking like a zombie wanting to eat her brain. No matter how hard they ran, they were still in those zombies' reach. The dream changed in the middle and she ended up on a stage with thousands of people looking at her with expectant eyes. She dreaded their eyes, she dreaded being watched, being hoped to do something.

To heck with Mason. It was all his fault. This was the result of a late-night movie marathon obviously.

Evelyn entered the classroom. Thankfully, the teacher hadn't come yet. She looked around for a seat. Her seat was in the middle row in front of none other than the blue-eyed jerk aka Mason Stewart.

Evelyn groaned internally and as Mason spotted her. He looked up and gave her a small smile as he acknowledged her. Evelyn's heart warmed for no reason at all. Suddenly she remembered waking up on him yesterday. She knew she shouldn't have sat on the same couch with him. It was a grave mistake.

''Why, why, can't I just live in peace for a second?'' Evelyn mumbled faking annoyance and sat down at the seat.

''Good morning, Evelyn. I see you are late.'' Mason said leaning forward, his voice softer than usual.

Evelyn could feel the tingles spreading all through her neck.

Why did I have that weird dream? Argh!

The teacher entered. Mr.Pit. That bald small man with sharp eyes, their math teacher. The class went on and after a few moments, Evelyn felt someone poking her from behind.

''What are you doing?'' Evelyn looked back just in time to see Mason with a pencil in his hand that was pointing towards her.

" Look at that equation, don't you think the calculations are wrong?" He said chewing the end of his pencil.

Evelyn looked at the board. She skimmed a quick eye over it. There was a line that Mr.Pit skipped. Evelyn did in it her copy. As Mason said, the calculations were wrong.

There was no much joy in anything other than finding out that your teacher is wrong. Evelyn smirked, because it was not any other teacher, it was Mr. Pit who always left the class with double homework. Instead of making math enjoyable, he made it look like a terror. Evelyn hated him for that.

"Yes, the calculations are wrong. Should we tell him?" She said to Mason who was still chewing the end of his pencil.

"If that line is wrong, the whole thing that's written on the board is wrong." He said. For the first time, Evelyn realized the guy in front of her was far more serious about studies than she felt at that exact moment. Evelyn arched her brow.

"Reyes! Stewart! Attention. It's maths and you're chit-chatting?" Mr.Pit said. Evelyn looked at him as she was bored but she went back to her copy. Suddenly she didn't want to tell him that whatever he wrote was wrong there.

This old bald man can do wrong maths, who cares?

"Are you done with yours?" Mason whispered lowly under his breathe. Evelyn did know why he was whispering but that didn't stop her heart from beating loudly.

"Yeah." She replied not turning his away, keeping her eye on Mr.Pit.

"I think we should show him our copy so he believes us," Mason said with the same tone. His voice was near her ears meant he was leaning forward.

Stupid heart, stupid, stupid.

"Yes, we probably should." She said and her voice came out louder than she anticipated. Mr.Pit turned.

His glassy eyes glowed like he had caught a thief red-handed. He smirked.

"Reyes, Stewart, I think you two are not quite enjoying my class," He said. Evelyn felt pity for him.

"Actually, sir," She said but behind her Mason's whispered came to her ear, "There we go."

Huh?

"Reyes, I don't think you have the right to defend yourself. You two have caused enough diversion. Detention, both of you." He finished and looked back at the board.

Evelyn leaned back in her chair. Some people sometimes got too much confidence that they forgot that they could make mistakes too. No doubt, Mr.Pit was one of them.

The class was over and Evelyn had to run to another one, and thankfully no Mason was in that class and it meant no distraction, no whispers, and thankfully no loud beating heart. Classes went by without any further ado and it was lunch break. Evelyn was sneaking her way up to the library when Diana caught her.

''Hey, Evelyn,'' She chirped excitedly. ''Where are ya going? It's lunchtime, let's go to the cafeteria. Ugh, I am so hungry.''

Evelyn opened her mouth and closed again and let her talk all she wanted. Diana smiled at her and went on rumbling about someone's birthday that was coming and Evelyn was too busy about thinking her way out.

What if he is there?

Evelyn had only one thing to do. She wanted to avoid Mason at all costs. After what happened yesterday, she didn't want to be near him. Who knew when he would bring it up. Yet, there he was, sitting in a chair at their table with no lunch in front of him.

Is he planning to eat my lunch? Most certainly he is.

Evelyn had tried to make those sandwiches and she had done quite a good job. Although she was in a hurry, she had packed three sandwiches, only for her. They were that good.

Two chairs were empty, one besides Noah and the other beside Mason. Diana took no time choosing her seat leaving Evelyn with no choice. Evelyn looked at the seat and looked at Mason.

Then she cursed fate silently.

''Hello, how was your day?'' Noah asked her.

'' Hi, don't ask me. We got a detention,'' Evelyn pointed at Mason who shook his head yes.

''Yeah, Evelyn and I found out he was doing wrong maths. But of course Mr. Scarecrow was not clever enough to understand," Mason reasoned and before Evelyn could open her lunch box fully he picked up one of the sandwiches and shoved them in his mouth.

''Vuv done a guv bob,'' Mason said with a mouthful.

"My lunch!" Evelyn punched at the side of his arm and retreated back as she realized it was hard as stone. She massaged her knuckles glaring at him.

''Are you hurt?'' Mason asked leaning in.

''I am alright,'' Evelyn blew air through her nose and took a bite of her sandwich.

''If you dare to touch my lunch, I will chop your fingers off piece by piece and make juice of them and splash it on your face. Just try.'' Evelyn heard Abigail's voice and looked up, who was glaring at Jack like she wanted to burn him alive with her eyes.

Jack held up his hands in surrender and looked at his fingers. Then he looked back at Abigail. ''No, thanks. Have my coke.'' Jack said.

''Did I tell you to give me a coke?'' Abigail glared. Jack shook his head nervously.

Abigail turned towards the others and squinted her eyes. She slammed her fist on the table and glared, ''What, what? Why are you guys looking at me like that?''

Evelyn looked at Rita who was sitting beside her and said, ''Poor Abigail is having mood swings.'' When she looked up she saw Diana giving her her apple juice. Abigail sipped on it and blew air through her nose.

''You haven't seen Mallory,'' Rita said.

''Mallory?'' Evelyn asked and Mason looked at her.

''Yes, Mallory is my sister.'' Mason said while putting down the sandwich and looking at Abigail, ''Mallory isn't Mallory without her temper.'' He said and the corner of his lips twitched a bit.

''Didn't know you have a sister,'' Evelyn said looking down at her lunch. Mason didn't reply. Evelyn was waiting for his jerk-ish comeback but he kept silent. Evelyn squinted her eyes. There was something off about him.

''So, Mason, you got you two into a detention,'' Jack moved his chair a bit so he was far away from Abigail. Poor Jack.

''I didn't know Mr. Pit will be that much hot-headed to give us detention for some petty reason,'' He shrugged.

''What petty reason?'' Jack placed one hand on Mason's shoulder and asked. Mason bored his eyes at him and Jack replied, "Sorry don't remember, I was sleeping."

Evelyn scowled at him. They got detention for doing the right maths and here was someone who was sleeping during class. The world was cruel. There was no justice.

''What are you trying to say, Walters?'' Mason asked. Jack smiled in reply.

''I have seen you smiling,'' He said and everyone turned to Mason.

''Really?'' Diana gasped.

Evelyn narrowed her eyes. She had seen him smiling too, then she figured, only twice. The other times, he smirked or else, frowned, scowled, or stared at her blankly with no expression on his face. That's all.

''Stewart, did your cheek hurt when you smiled? I thought your facial muscles may hurt really bad when you smile so you gave it up,'' Noah said. Mason scowled at him.

''Don't you guys wanna know when he smiled?'' Jack looked back at everyone and then back at Mason who glared at him.

''When Evelyn entered the cafeteria,'' Jack said. Mason's eyes went wide.

Evelyn coughed and choked on her sandwich. Rita patted her on the back instantly.

Mason looked back at her and then at her lunch box and said, ''I saw her lunchbox and I smiled. She always has nice lunches.'' He reasoned.

''Since when are you that much of a foodie, Stewart? Last time I remember you telling me, eating lunch is a waste of time and you will rather spend your time in the library.'' Jack said while smirking.

Mason glared at him and Abigail gasped.

''What?'' Jack looked at Abigail.

''He goes to library?'' She asked with her eyes wide.

Evelyn felt confused. Abigail was Mason's friend and she didn't know he went to the library but Evelyn already did. Maybe because Abigail was not much of a reader.

''Then what do you think he does all those times when he vanishes during lunchtime? Make out with random girls in Janitor's closet?'' Jack said with a bored expression and Abigail gulped.

''Really? Mason doesn't like confined places, if he does make out he will do that under the open sky in public.'' Jack said and looked back at Mason who smacked one side of his face, ''Shut up.''

''So tell me what is the reason behind your sudden change of behavior?'' Jack said and added, ''I am worried about you. You are not acting yourself lately.''

''Shut up with your weird imagination. There's nothing wrong with me.'' Mason said and looked back at Evelyn's lunch box.

There was only one sandwich left. Realizing that, Evelyn and Mason both reached for the sandwich at the same time and their hands crashed. Evelyn slapped on his hand and took the sandwich. Mason pouted.

''And now, Stewart's even pouting. Are you alright, buddy?'' Jack asked and Mason turned his head towards him.

His jaw hardened and he said, ''Sorry to tell you this, but I am a human being, Walters. I can smile and pout if I want to.''

''Oops. We didn't know that. We thought you are a robot who is designed to scowl, frown, and glare at people.'' Diana chirped.

''And I thought you are cold-hearted sad bitch.'' Jack said.

Evelyn snorted out a laugh. If she thought Mason's friends were fun she was wrong, they were hilarious. Mason glared at her. This made her laugh harder and everybody joined in. Mason kept glaring and after a few moments, he smiled pressing his lips together, as if he was trying not to.

Aww. Cute. Evelyn's inner voice chirped.

What?! Evelyn thought.

"I have seen something off about you too, you are not acting usual." She said.

Mason leaned in and then whispered, "Do you want me to tell them about last morning?"

He leaned back and Evelyn saw him smirking. There was it, the moment Evelyn was dreading. She frowned at him. She shouldn't have brought that up.

"I won't." He said and looked away.

"That's so," Evelyn didn't know what to say.

"I don't feel like acting fake all the time, " He sighed and Evelyn narrowed her eyes. She didn't know what he was talking about.

''You are weird,'' Evelyn concluded simply and poked him with her index finger.

''And what about you?'' He replied.

Evelyn raised her eyebrow and then smiled, ''What can I say, I am extraordinary and awesome.''

Mason gave a small genuine laugh. ''Yes, of course.''

Evelyn joined him in laughing. She wondered what it would be like to be around him if he acted genuine like this always, shutting off his scowls and frowns and also the jerk side of him.

It wouldn't be that bad.

Mason looked her way with the same smile on his face. Evelyn's smile widened.

''What?'' He said smiling.

''What?'' Evelyn replied.

Someone coughed behind them and they looked back. Standing a foot away was a guy with blonde hair, his hands crossed over his chest with a smug expression on his face. Evelyn felt the silence in the cafeteria as the sound of clattering died out. Their table was silent too.

Everyone was looking at Bryan Stellar.

He leaned down keeping one hand in Mason's chair and one in Evelyn's. ''No matter how hard you try, Stewart, you can never be me.'' He hissed with his venomous voice lowly and gave a triumphant smile.

''What made you think I am trying to be you?'' The smile on Mason's lip's was long gone. His face was as hard as stone. His eyes looked like an ocean during storm, dark and dangerous.

''Weren't you this whole time? C'mon everybody knows that,'' Bryan said with that same low voice and glanced at Jack who looked wary.

''Get the hell out of here, Stellar,'' Mason said and Evelyn looked at his wrist. His fingers were curled up in a tight fist, his knuckles looked white.

''Why, ya afraid I'll spill some nasty secrets of yours to yours-'' He said and looked at Evelyn. Evelyn felt the urge to scrunch up her nose.''To your new girlfriend?''

Evelyn felt her ears getting hot.'' I am not his GIRLFRIEND.'' She said with her face hardening.

Bryan smirked as if he knew something Evelyn didn't.

''Shut the fuck up and get out of here,'' Mason glared.

''Or what? That's all you can manage. You know what Evelyn,'' Bryan looked back at Evelyn, '' You chose the wrong guy to be 'friends' with.'' He said air-quoting friends. '' This guy right here doesn't deserve to be anyone's friend. He doesn't care about anything other than himself. Look at him,'' Evelyn looked at Mason. His face looked red in anger. Evelyn knew there was not much time left and soon Mason's fist would be on Bryan's face.

''He looks like a hot lava brewing volcano. All I need to do is to turn on the switch and he will explode,'' Bryan said and laughed at his own joke. Evelyn looked straight at Mason's eyes. He looked back at her.

Calm down, you knobhead. Evelyn tried to tell him through her eyes. She prayed he understood.

Mason kept staring at her. Bryan's voice cut through again,'' So, Evelyn. Don't tell me I didn't warn you in the first place.''

Mason's eyes never left hers. But the storm had died down. He was looking at her with a blank expression.

'' I don't take advice from strangers,'' Evelyn said looking at the same blue pair of eyes.

''Your choice. But you know, you have been warned.'' The sound of his footsteps echoed and it was gone. Evelyn's eyes were still locked with Mason's.

''Mason, I need to talk to you,'' Evelyn said.

''As you wish,'' Mason replied.

• • •

Edited.