Chance POV
I pulled my hand from Selene who stopped to look at me, then followed my gaze and her eyes went wide. " Oh shit" she murmured. So I wasn't seeing things
At first I couldn't process it, because there's no way Mason's hand were on Avery Sinclair's waist. No way Ashford's resident queen bee was kissing Mason, my boyfriend. No way Mason was kissing her back.
My stomach dropped so violently, I thought I would actually throw up.
" what the hell" my voice came out weak and small
He froze
Avery looked at me first, with a bored look, like I had committed a crime. A crime of stopping her from making out with my boyfriend.
Mason immediately stepped away from her " Chance-
" What the hell Mason" my voiced cracked embarrassingly. People were already staring, cameras were recording and a few ignored the situation all together.
" It's not what it looks like chance" Mason started quickly
Stiles, one of the football players laughed, wrapped his arm around Mason's shoulder " come on cap, don't tell me she still doesn't know" he smirked at me,
Mason expression shifted instantly. Pulling Stiles hand off of him, he glared at him. " Shut the hell up" he said angrily. Stiles raised his hands in mock surrender and then took a swig of his beer.
But it was already too late.
Avery crossed her arms, looking almost amused " wait.... She seriously doesn't know?
My stomach twisted. Tears threatening to fall. I chewed in my lips, pleading with my eyes to Mason that all this was a prank, a sick twisted prank.
Selene tried pushing me out of the kitchen, but I was planted where I stood, staring at Mason. " Know about what Mason" I asked even though I knew the answer would break me
" About the bet sweetheart. Dear Mason bragged about how you were easy target so for a grand, he said he would make you fall. Judging from the tears, seems he was right" Avery said, obviously enjoying this
Blood drained from my face. Please no. It shouldn't be what I think he means.
" Mason" I called ignoring Avery and that dread in my stomach " is it true" I held my breath while I waited for him to answer
" Chance
" Yes or no, Mason
" yes goddamn it chance don't make it scene" he snarled
" You asshole" Selene tried attacking him but some jock held her back.
I breathed so hard I lost my balance and pumped into someone, I felt so heartbroken. I could hear my heart shatter. My chest hurts, my throat, my dignity. I could hear the laughs. People were watching me like I was funny. Humiliation swallowed me.
Mason reached for me but I fliched away like his touch burned, infact it did. He groaned and ran his hand through his face.
" You are being dramatic Chance, it's not that deep" he said, earning more laughs from everyone around.
" I think you broke her dude" Stiles chuckled.
I couldn't breath. laughter followed me out of Avery's kitchen and I pushed bodies trying to get out of here. I needed to get out of here. I heard selene calling after me but I just needed to leave. Without realizing, I bumped into someone. Someone grabbed my hands before I could fall
" Careful nerd"
Walking into the hallway on Monday felt like I was stepping on nails. I could hear the snickers and feel the stares. It burned.
With my hood up, I hurried toward Chem class and slid into my seat at the back, hoping maybe people would ignore me for once. They didn't. Whispers followed me anyway. Phones too.
And of course I shared this class with Mason.
And Avery.
So I had front row seats to their little public relationship.
Tears burned my eyes, threatening to fall. I still couldn't believe Mason did this. The worst part wasn't even the humiliation or the fact that my face was all over Ashford's gossip pages.
It was that he didn't care.
Then the classroom door slammed open.
Loud voices and laughter filled the room instantly.
Raid Bennett.
And his idiot friends, obviously.
The attention shifted away from me almost immediately as Raid, captain of the hockey team and Ashford's favorite menace, stared directly at Mason. Right. These two hated each other.
Always had.
And when they both became captains, it only got worse.
"Pretty boy," Raid smirked.
Mason shoved Avery off his lap and stood up. They were almost the same height, but Raid still had a few inches on him. Mason hated that.
"Nepo baby," Mason shot back.
The muscles in Raid's jaw ticked. He walked closer until they were chest to chest, staring each other down.
"Guys, cut it out," Julian sighed, stepping between them before someone threw a punch.
Julian Cross. Raid's best friend and Mason's teammate.
Ashford High was a circus.
Raid shoved past him and headed toward the back of the class. Toward me.
Quickly, I looked away.
A chair scraped beside mine.
When I glanced at Mason again, his expression had darkened. Raid always got under his skin in ways nobody else could.
Class eventually started, though the football players and hockey team spent most of it throwing insults across the room whenever the teacher looked away.
By lunch, I already wanted the day to end.
The moment I stepped into the cafeteria, the whispers started again. People stared openly now, no shame whatsoever. Meanwhile Mason sat in the center of it all with Avery practically in his lap, touching her like I had never existed.
I gripped my fork so tightly my knuckles hurt.
A hand suddenly covered mine.
I looked up to find Selene dropping into the seat across from me, unimpressed.
"You avoided me all weekend, Chancy," she pouted.
"I wasn't in the mood, Selene. You know why."
"Yeah." She sighed guiltily. "I shouldn't have forced you to go to that party."
But I barely heard her.
Because Mason was laughing.
Laughing.
Like he hadn't shattered me two nights ago.
Heat crawled up my throat. Embarrassment. Anger. Hurt. All mixing together until I felt sick.
I wasn't going down like this.
He had to pay for what he did.
