As he heads toward Mase, I call after him, “He’s really cranky when he’s hungry!”
Nate glances back and winks, full of that signature confidence, then disappears around the corner.
Whatever. I warned him.
It’s his funeral.
Nate
I spot Mason halfway down to the beach by the time I make it out of the cafeteria. If he’s skipping lunch, I know he’s in a bad way.
“Yo, Mase. Slow down.” That causes him to move faster, and that scowl of his could clear a room, but I’m not most people.“Mason,” I call, louder this time. “You’re really starting to piss me off.”
That stops him. “Me? You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Can we please talk already? It’s been two weeks.”
He huffs, loud, but finally walks over to one of the benches that line the beach trail and drops down with a heavy thud. I take that as my invitation and sit across from him.
“Fine,” he mutters. “What do you want to say?”
I exhale slowly, trying not to sound defensive. “You’re really that mad I’m with Maddie?”
It’s insulting to me that he thinks so little of me.
That I wouldn’t be good enough for his sister.
His jaw twitches. “On day one, Nate. Day. Fucking. One. I told you she was off-limits. And before the sun even set, you were making eyes at her. We’re supposed to be brothers.”
“I get that you’re pissed. You think I crossed a line, and maybe I did. But it’s not like I set out to screw you over. I didn’t go into this thinking, ‘Hey, let me hurt Mason.’”
He huffs sarcastically, keeping his eyes glued to the ground. “Funny how people always say shit like that after they screw things up.”
I let the silence hang for a moment, wondering how true his words are, but I know that I couldn’t have stayed away from Mads even if I tried.
There was a pull between us from the moment we met, and I know Mase felt it too.
It’s the only reason he mentioned it that day.
“Mason, you’re one of my best friends. You’ve always had my back. Maybe I should’ve come to you first. But Maddie…she’s different. This isn’t casual. She’s not a fling.”
“She’s my little sister, dude.”
“I know.”
He rubs a hand over his mouth, quiet for a moment.
“You remember my first year here, and I liked that girl Kayla from the music program?” he says suddenly.
I blink, caught off guard. “Uh. Yeah.”
“You told me she wasn’t worth it. That she was messing with me.”
“Shewasmessing with you,” I point out.
Mason nods. “Yeah. She was. And I hated you for saying it, but you were right. You always looked out for me like that.” His tone shifts. “That’s what I’ve always done for Maddie.”
“I know,” I say softly.
