RUSH

Ch. 24: Don't Sweat It

-Mason-

"Wait up!" I called out while trailing after Eric and Bennett, hastily drying myself with the towel that Eric had handed me earlier. Then, I tossed it around my shoulders, sighing under my breath. One moment we were languidly swimming about while chatting about how lame the campus cafeteria was, and the next I was completely alone in the pool.

I figured something was wrong the moment Eric hauled Bennett out of the pool while beckoning me towards the side exit, heading in the opposite direction of the locker room. I quirked an eyebrow up at Bennett, who sheepishly shrugged in response while being voluntarily pulled along by the arm.

I caught a brief glance of the sign over the door before walking through myself, my eyes widening with concern as I realized we were heading towards the saunas. And just like that, my soul nearly departed my body.

There was simply no way in hell.

If Eric thought he could willingly coerce me into a situation where I'd be forced to ogle at Bennett's sweaty body, he had another thing coming! The mere idea of it had me weak in the knees. Because, quite honestly, there was no way I wouldn't find a particularly disastrous way of embarrassing myself. And right when I'd just finished digging myself out of a hole...

"I think I'd rather call it a day," I called out apprehensively, taking a few cautious steps back before noticing Bennett was looking back at me rather expectantly, seemingly just as conflicted. He was flashing me this cute pout as well, which felt like a direct stab to the heart. "It's been a long day."

Eric, however, didn't skip a beat.

"No worries, Mason! But you're still coming along, right Bennett?" My traitorous friend asked nonchalantly, the jerk's pleased smirk being insinuative enough to serve as a warning. Except, of course, Bennett didn't seem to catch onto that little fact at all. He just nodded along, far too naive for his own good.

"You don't have to... if you don't want to," I pointed out through gritted teeth, earning me an incredulous scoff from Eric.

"I—I know. I've actually never used them, though," Bennett reasoned under his breath, which was somehow enough of a confirmation for Eric to continue dragging him down the hallway. And Bennett just let him.

I stood there, unsure of how to proceed with my sanity intact. I'd kind of been counting on Bennett backing out as well, so it kind of took me by surprise when his face scrunched up with determination at the last second. What the hell was that about?

I darted my eyes between the exit and their backs, struggling to determine whether I wanted to preserve my peace of mind or my dignity the most. I wouldn't be able to save both, but hopefully at least one of them would be spared when all was said and done.

"Are you sure you don't want to join us?" Eric called out once more over his shoulder, brazenly leaning forward and wrapping his arm around Bennett, playfully pulling him closer. "It'll be fun!"

He was baiting me, evidently.

"I—I have heard good things," Bennett contributed quietly, his face somewhat flushed. "Mason..."

"Yeah, c'mon Mason!" My ex-friend smirked back at me, motioning me forward, but not bothering to wait for an answer. I contemplated tackling him to the ground, yet he was far too close to Bennett to not get the kid accidentally caught in the cross-fire. If anything, it almost felt like he was using Bennett as a make-shift shield.

The goddamn coward.

So, I quietly followed after them, begrudgingly caving in, lest Bennett flash me another adorable pout and wreck my soul. How could I say no to him?