Open Case File [COMPLETED]

Playing Hooky

"You know what," Mason said, starting to pace. "This is my fault, I should have gotten it in writing. Maybe even had the Secretary of Defense sign it."

Mason glared at the ground and dragged his hand through his hair, ruining the perfectly styled blonde locks. Carter found herself relaxing more as she watched him. Someone else's life sucked, that was somehow reassuring.

"I can be as petulant as I want, it's my birthday and you promised we could have just a family dinner. Not a state dinner with five courses."

Mason stopped walking and straightened. In that action, Carter saw his resignation, hurt, anger, and sadness.

"Of course," Mason said, his tone no longer angry. "I'll be there, Mr. President. Was there anything else you required of me?" A pause. "Good."

Mason pulled his phone away and stabbed the screen. He stood there, clutching it and quietly seething. Carter watched him unabashedly but with little emotion.

Finally, Mason raised his gaze and spotted her. She didn't react and neither did he. For a long while, they remained frozen, staring at each other.

Mason strode down the aisle and sank to the ground beside Carter.

"I'm only sitting here because you look more pathetic than I feel and that's making me feel better," he said.

Carter shrugged and dropped her head back. "I'm okay with that since I only look half as pathetic as you actually are."

"I'm not pathetic."

Carter half smiled as she sensed Mason cringing at his own statement, knowing it made him sound pathetic. But her smile didn't last long before her own struggles stole it away.

"State Dinner on your birthday, huh?" Carter said.

"Your existence is only worth noting to be mocked, huh?"

"At least my father cares about me."

Mason winced and Carter grimaced.

"Sorry," she said.

"Don't apologize, Owens, it makes me think that you actually care about hurting my feelings and that annoys me."

"Fine."

They fell silent, neither of them looking at each other. The quiet felt strange as if they both had somehow found comfort in the other's presence and pain. Which Carter felt like was crossing a line they shouldn't cross. She didn't like Mason, he was annoying and self-absorbed.

Their teachers threw them together more often than not. It was the rare times that Carter hated that their intelligence was on equal footing. If only he could be as much as an idiot as she thought him to be then it would all be solved.

"Do you want to skip our last two classes and go somewhere?" Mason asked without preamble.

"Sure except you have a shadow that is six feet tall and two hundred and twenty pounds of pure muscle."

"Smith is guarding the library door, I told him I wanted to be alone."

"It's gratifying to think that you believe I could take Smith down from behind but I'm not delusional enough to believe that."

"I'm not delusional enough either, there's a backdoor in the library that not many know about."

"Your father will be pissed if you give Smith the slip."

Mason's grin was wicked and Carter understood, that was the point.

She didn't make any sign of planning to go with him. Sighing, Mason stood.