The Runaways: Book 1 of the The White Goddess Series

17. Blue Cherry

"No offense Trinity, but your sister is a bitch." Connor dropped to the grass beside the picnic blanket, the other boys making themselves comfortable around them.

"None taken." Trinity's burning cheeks made Serafina wonder if she had a little crush on Connor, too.

"Hi Sarah." Mason, Connor's younger brother, smiled down at her. He was thirteen, with sandy blond hair and tanned, wiry arms roped with muscle. He lived with his mom and brother across the road from Bonnie and Abel. Next to Trinity, Mason was the nicest to her. Trinity said it was because he liked her. 

Serafina liked him, too. Unfortunately, so did Kylie. She sent Serafina a narrow look as Mason settled himself beside her.

"Hi Mason," Serafina said shyly, ignoring the poisonous glare being directed at the back of her head.

"Good game, huh?" Mason stretched out his long legs and braced his arms behind him. "Connor's pissed he couldn't play but Hank told him to save his arm for tomorrow." 

Hank had been an NFL player before he bought the park and acted as Connor's coach over the summer. Like Ian, Connor was trying out for the Jamestown football team but where Ian was in it for fun, Connor was working towards a professional football career. Something Serafina hadn't even known was a thing until Mason explained it to her.

"Are you going with?" Meaning the team tryouts tomorrow. "Me too," Mason said when Serafina nodded. "I'll show you around school if you want while we're there."

"Sure, thanks."  It would be good to know her way around on her first day. One less thing to be nervous about. "That would be great."

Mason flashed her a smile. "Cool. You're going into Seventh Grade, right?"

Serafina nodded. "You're going into Eighth?"

"Yeah. Too bad we won't have any classes together. Are you going to sign up for anything?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like any clubs or teams," Mason explained. 

Serafina shook her head. "Like what?"

"Choir, chess, shop, girls' hockey..." Mason gestured loosely 'and so on'.

Serafina furrowed her brow. "What's the difference between girls' hockey and boys' hockey?" 

"It's not boys' hockey, it's just hockey. Girls' hockey is the same as regular hockey, just for girls."

"But if it's the same—?" Serafina shook her head before he could answer. "Forget it. Are you signing up for any of those?" she asked him.

"Not girls' hockey," Mason joked. "Seriously though, I'll probably take Shop and I want to try out for the chess team. Didn't your old school have clubs?"

"I was homeschooled." Barely. 

"Oh, no way. Is this your first time going to a real school? Sorry." Mason immediately cringed. "Not that your homeschool wasn't real."

"It wasn't," Serafina told him honestly.

"I think you're going to like it at Jamestown," Mason said confidently. Based on what, Serafina had no idea, but it was nice to hear. She smiled and nodded as Mason began ticking off things that were great about the school. "...And of course, I'll be there."

Mason flashed her a winning smile. Serafina could feel Kylie's eyes burning into her as she smiled back.

"Hey, Mason," Gabe called over from his conversation. "Tell Mikey who has the high score in Call of Duty."