*Lily's POV*

"If it isn't the shitty loser who thinks she can casually lie about someone who's way out of her league," I hear a cocky voice say behind me. I stand up from the bench that I was sitting on, walking away as I stare at my feet.

"Where do you think you're going?" 'That bitch who I don't care to know his name' says as he grabs my wrist, my eyes meeting his. "Do you think you can walk away after what you had said?"

I look at my feet and try to pull my hand away which is unfortunately unsuccessful. Realising my thought to leave, he tightens his grip on my wrist and I wince in pain. Can't he just let me be and not make this seem like some kind of drama for the whole school to watch?

"Brian," I hear a monotone voice behind me as they grab Brian's hand. "I'll advise you to not do this here and now."

Brian scoffs, moving a step closer to the stranger, the muscles on his jaw tightening. "And who said you could boss me around?"

"...If you hurt her, not only will it ruin your image but if hearsay, that you attacked a woman without proof of her wrongdoing, how's your father going to take that news?" the stranger asks, his gaze unwavering.

"...You have the fucking guts to threaten me by mentioning my father?" Brian questions, his finger running through his hair as he lets out a chuckle in disbelief.

"Do you get my point?" he asks and Brian lets go of my hand and I immediately hold it close to my chest, my gaze moving forward to the floor. "Fine but if you talk to me in that tone again, I won't take it lightly with you."

He turns his head to the side in confusion at Brian's words, Brian rolling his eyes afterwards. "We'll talk about that later but you..." he says shortly after the stranger lets go of his hand shortly after, "It doesn't mean that because Liam saved you that you're getting away with saying such crap. Either way, I'm off and make sure you stay out of my fucking sight."

He disappears into the hallways afterwards, a sigh of relief escaping my lips. All I have to do now is face the aftermath which is never pretty. I feel a tap on my shoulder and turn to face the random stranger who randomly saved me. I believe his name is Liam... but it doesn't ring a bell.

"Are you okay?" he asks, his expressionless voice shocking me. Is he always like that?

"Yeah?" I manage to blurt out after a few seconds. He nods in response and proceeds to walk away, like he has no fucking idea how a conversation works. Why did he even help me though? Why did he leave like that without any warning? I push the thought away and quickly buy a sandwich from my school's food stall and head to class, plugging in my ear piece before I hear a rumor that will ruin my day. Maybe it's because my day is already off to a great start! I sit on my chair once I'm in class, my face buried in my arms, wishing deep down that my day can get better.

*Mason's POV*

"Brian!" I yell as I see him across the hallway. I run towards, trying my best to suppress the anger inside of him 'cause if he fucking hurt her-

"What is it?" he asks in an angry tone, placing his hands in his pockets as I come to a stop. What could've gotten him mad? Mad that he's suppressing his anger and not causing trouble? Or is this even the Brian I know?

"Nothing," I reply after a few seconds, breathing heavily as I feel my legs go wobbly. Maybe I should've just stayed home and gotten proper sleep.

"What's up with you and her?"

"...What?”

"You were looking for me because of that fucker, weren't you? And you were definitely angry when you saw me."

I contemplate his words, my eyebrows raised, "...How did you know?"

"It was obvious... but really..." he says, putting a hand in his pocket. "Do you think I'm blind?"

"...No?"

"...What do you mean 'no'?"

"I never implied that you're blind."

"...You literally just said I'm blind but it's only because of how you phrased that sentence. Also the fact that you think I couldn't tell you were angry is just you being stupid."

"...Okay?" I answer, tilting my head quizzically. I honestly have no idea if I should take his words seriously or brush them off with that personality of his.

A few seconds later, the bell rings, the conversation fortunately coming to a stop.

"I'll be skipping class now. See you around," he says after a few seconds, proceeding to wherever he has to go. I do the same and head to class, my legs wobbly as I try to walk steadily.

"Oh! And remember not to be late again after school! It fucking pisses me off!" Brian yells randomly from across the hall before taking a turn down the hall and disappearing out of sight.

Honestly, that was... the most random thing I've heard this week. Maybe he's drunk and not sober yet. Yeah, he's a mentally drunk teenager in highschool who is also somewhat of a brat. Gosh am I slowly going insane due to the people I hangout with.

I put the thought elsewhere and get to class, sitting on my desk right after. My head resting on my arms, I decide to pass time by doodling in a notebook, not wanting to be bored by what I know will be a tiring lesson. All I hope is that time passes by and I can get this day over with.

*Lily's POV*

The bell soon rings, signaling the time for lunch, a period that I've grown to dislike. I first eat a sandwich I bought in my class, mostly because I'm in the mood to not interact with any living thing, which of course, includes plants. It isn't like I want to interact with plants. I mean... they're beautiful and nice to research about but I'm just not bored enough to and not in the mood. Or that it's probably because they keep reminding me of him and constantly thinking about him is driving me crazy.

After that whole monologue in my head and finishing my little snack, I pack my things and leave my class, heading to the school library, a place where gossipers rarely visit. I walk to the back of the library, knowing that for some reason, no one sits there. Maybe they weren't interested in autobiographies, but I was. Seeing someone's perspective of life was... interesting and I enjoy reading those kinds of books when I need some kind of reassurance in my life and maybe I'll find something that'll help stop the drama in my life. If only I could find it soon.

I pull a random book from the shelf, checking the cover and the back. It... isn't something that'll get me hooked. As I turn around to place it back, my eyes meet his, the person I've been trying to avoid. The person that I can't stop thinking about.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Mason?" I blurt and almost immediately after, Mason suddenly... crouches? That was... extremely unexpected. Curious, I put the book back in its original spot and walk to the opposite side of the bookshelf, my gaze falling on Mason; his back leaned against the wall as he crouches and covers his face with a book.

"Lily..." he says, bringing down his hand to the floor, still clenching the book in his hand. "What are you doing here?"

"...I should be asking you that," I reply, crossing my arms as I lean against the bookshelf. "Why aren't you with your friends anyway?"

"And why do you care?" he asks in a serious tone, titling his head so he faces me. "I thought you didn't regard me as a friend."

"...That's not the point. I-"

"It is and just... leave me alone," he says, sadness evident in his voice as he makes that face again. The face he made when I hesitated on telling him how I felt about us being friends after what he had said, and him taking it personally.

I leave for a second and carry my bag and sit beside him, taking out an earpiece from my bag right after.

"What are you doing?" he questions, his face softening.

"Here," I say, handing him one of my earpieces. "Maybe you'll feel better if we... sit in silence and listen to music?"

"...The bell will ring in a few minutes. That'd be unnecessary," he states as he looks at the floor; like we aren't friends anymore. Like we were never friends in the first place.

"Then... let's head back to class," I suggest. "We attend the same period, right?"

"I'll be skipping the next period. Just go on without me," he replies, fiddling with his fingers as he keeps his gaze on the floor. I guess he... doesn't want to talk to me.

We sit awkwardly in silence afterwards and as I put my earpiece in its case and in my bag, all I can think of is him and why he's making that face. Did my words affect him so much? Does he not just like me? I'm just... worried about his grades, that he would have to repeat senior year and... we wouldn't get to graduate together. I bite my nails, a feeling of nervousness overwhelming me. Had I crossed the lines?

I feel his hand pull mine down from my teeth, my gaze meeting his, "You're so easy to read when you do that. Also, I'm not gonna fail senior year. I do sometimes pay attention in class, you know?"

"You paying attention 30% of the time is somehow 'sometimes'?" I question.

"...At least it's something," he states, dropping my hand as he stands up and clears his throat, leaning against a table right after. "Can I say something crazy?"

"...I love crazy! Can I say something crazier?" I sarcastically say with a smile, before abruptly unsmiling, my face deadpanned, "No. Absolutely not."

"...What if you skip classes with me?" he suggests, completely ignoring my reply. "You haven't done it before and since this is senior year, maybe you should give it a try."

"That... was out of the blue," I state as he rolls his eyes, a smile growing on his face.

"Have you ever felt... true freedom before?" he asks, as he looks at the ceiling like they're covered with decorations. "I've never felt it but... when I skip classes, I feel a sense of it, like my life is in my control, you know?"

He pauses, a finger running through his hair as he bites his lip, "You know what? I take that back. You have to study and I'm just holding you-"

"I'll go with you," I interrupt, pressing my nails into my skin. For once, I... want to forget what he had said to me that day and go back to being friends... even if it's just for a couple of hours. Either way, maybe I'll get to know him a bit more about him.. Know a bit more about the side he hides from others.

I hear his breath hitch, his eyes looking everywhere but mine, "You're joking, right?"

"...Maybe... but I'll give you a chance to change my mind," I offer, a smiling beaming on his face right after. Like a child who's gifted candy.

"I have an idea," he says out of nowhere, bending over; his hand stretched out towards. "I'll take you somewhere. Somewhere we wouldn't get kicked out for being a bit loud."

A smile appears on my face at his words, revealing my inner thoughts which is probably why he smiles back. I take his hand, clumsily grabbing my bag as he leads me to a place where, as he said, 'Somewhere we wouldn't get kicked out for being loud'.

We end up at the basketball court, a place he normally goes to after school with his friends. I never come here but mostly do during PE and the last time I was here, he had said things that I question about us. Question if he ever cared about our friendship or still cares.

He grabs an earpiece from his pocket and gives me a pair, gesturing to my ear afterwards. Why is he carrying the gift I gave him for his birthday? Doesn't he... dislike me or something? I look away, taking a sip from my water bottle from my bag and drinking it to calm down, putting on the ear piece. Why am I even nervous? I know him, he knows me but it's not like we know each other's deepest secrets. I think I'm just paranoid at this point. I glance at him as he wears the other and connects them to his phone, a smile beaming on his face. Afterwards, I see him press something on his phone. Don't tell me-

The beat of the song interrupts me, knowing full well what Mason is up to. Persuading me to participate in a singalong is incredibly childish, expectant of Mason and... cute. He starts singing the song beautifully and singing every tone on beat, despite his voice higher than the actual singer since he has a wide-ranged tenor voice. It was honestly not a bad idea to use a song like The Other Side, especially since he's trying to persuade me to leave with him and finally take the key or stay locked up in a cage. A cage where I can't feel a scene of true freedom. And like the end of the song, it's evident who's getting persuaded at the end despite the other singer also trying to disapprove of the suggestion. He starts to sing the chorus, giving me a look that screams, 'It'll be your turn to sing soon!' I roll my eyes, trying to fight a smile which I fail miserably at.

Soon, it's my turn to sing and I do it quietly, looking away when he tries to get me to look at him. He takes my hand and pulls me up, dramatically moving around to the lyrics like we're in some kind of play. A play with us has main characters.

Before I know it, his hands are intertwined with mine as I sing the chorus with a bit more confidence, imagining that I want to stay in my world where the rules must be followed and not see the other side that's filled with a sense of freedom.

I too, start to act a bit dramatic, pretending to reject his offer as the song goes. Soon the bridge plays, and we switch turns singing, a smile growing on Mason's face. He grabs my water bottle and pulls me gently to sit beside him on the steps, opening it and placing it in between us. I chuckle at his actions and sing the next two lines on the bridge.

At this point of the song, I realize that we're just having fun, having fun like old times. We laugh, do silly dances and render the remaining parts of the song, and instead of wanting a piece of all 'the action', we both know deep down that we are singing about splitting the bills we will pay when we sneak out amongst each other. We pick up the bottle and take turns hitting it hard against the steps, before he finally says ten, signifying the end to our trivial haggle.

I nod in response and soon we're standing, our fingers intertwined as we sing the last part of the song, laughing as we do so. Unfortunately, the song comes to an end and I realize that I'm breathing heavily, probably out of happiness or that I laughed and sang at the same time.

Mason and I sit on the steps with a thud as we take a sip from my bottle of water, tired from all the singing and dancing. Now that I think about it, he didn't seem in the mood to talk back in the library, but now... he looks so happy. Like a child who was given candy.

"I convinced you... didn't I?" he states a few seconds later and I can't help but smile back, forgetting that I'm meant to hate him or that I just can't seem to in this situation.

"Yeah. You pretty much did," I say after a second of too, taking a sip of water again.

"...I'll pay 90%," he announces out of nowhere, pausing before closing my water bottle and putting it in my bag. "And why would I let you pay for me?"

"I... I owe you big time. Let me do it," he insists, his tone softer as his words, which I presume, is said with sincerity.

"Fine. Let's go before time goes by," I state and soon, we're on our feet, hand in hand as we sneak out by climbing a tree and jumping onto the fence and down afterwards.

Then, we run off, Mason leading me somewhere unknown, a feeling of excitement and disbelief hitting me. Never have I sneaked out of school but now, I'm doing it with someone. Someone who I've spent most of my childhood with.

I look at him and even though I'm running behind me, he holds my hand, a realization hitting me.

"Oh..." I blurt out quietly, my gaze at the gentle hand that is holding mine. Since when was he no longer the annoying guy who's stuck in my life but... someone I'm reconciling with? Someone who'll... maybe become my friend again. Maybe.

——————————

Lily's Playlist

• Windy Day by Helios Relaxing Space

• Melancholy by Helios Relaxing Space

• Dandelions by Ruth B

• The Other Side by Hugh Jackman and Zac

Efron

• N/A

• N/A

• N/A

Mason's Playlist

• The Other Side by Hugh Jackman and Zac

Efron

• N/A

• N/A

• N/A