Bianca and I stare at Peyton as she moves around their room, putting away all her things. Priya's driver just dropped her off.
"We met this girl," Pey takes off her shoes, "who I thought was really cool and hot..."
There's a short pause as she changes out of her t-shirt into a baggy hoodie.
She's telling us the story of some girl she met last night. Apparently it's worth putting away my school books for.
"Yes, and?" Bianca urges her on.
"But..." She continues, "out of nowhere Jesse shows up and kisses her."
"Now, I'm thinking this is one of his... Hook ups..."
"Was it?" I question, fully invested in this story.
Peyton was drunk and Jesse was there, with another girl, it has to be good.
"So I waited until he disappeared again and reapproached my new friend."
She sits down on the floor, placing her hands, palms down, behind her.
"I go over to her, drunk as hell, and start telling her every shitty thing I could think of of Jesse. I tell her how he has a girlfriend he claims to love but somehow he forgot about her whenever we were in his bedroom, car, restrooms-"
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!"
"Okay! That's enough." Bianca and I simultaneously stop her.
We turn to each other and realising our widened eyes and hands, hanging in the air, laugh.
"This is serious, focus." Pey whines.
"Continue, continue." Bianca waves a dismissive hand, still laughing.
"So I basically tell her everything Jesse has been doing, hoping I can trash his name and save this hot new girl from heartbreak..."
"She didn't listen to you?" I ask with a frown.
Peyton hangs her head and sighs.
"She was his girlfriend."
The smiles drop from our faces as I meet Bianca's gaze.
"Then Priya returns from the bathroom and I find out that this girl is not just his girlfriend but is... Is that girl that..." She looks up at me and sighs again.
"Mary?" Bianca and I speak simultaneously.
"Yes... You weren't kidding, she's gorgeous." She says to Bianca.
"Are you telling me she and Jesse might be over right now?"
"Hmm," Pey nods, "but I don't know. Jesse can be convincing, he might spin some story."
I don't know how to feel about this. On the one hand, it's kind of sad that Mary had to find out about Jesse in that way. She seemed to really like him.
On the other hand, if they actually broke up, that means she might be out of our lives. If she's smart, she won't go to either one of the colleges we attend. She'll find some other place.
"I think I'll be more at ease knowing that I don't have to worry about bumping into her at Jesse's."
"But wouldn't her being away from you guys prevent you from knowing her plans?" Peyton asks.
"Hmm?" I find myself humming because I do not know how to respond.
She has a point.
"Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer?"
"I'm not sure Mary Coleman is an enemy you want to take that risk with." Bianca remarks. "Especially if her recent behaviour has been a facade. That would mean she's got something really big planned."
"I don't think she's acting." Pey says, surprising me.
"Really?"
"Yeah, I mean, if she was acting, wouldn't it be just around you guys? Last night when we bumped into each other, Priya wasn't around, she wouldn't have known to act all sweet and genuine around me. Wouldn't she have been the witch you described her to be?"
Another good point.
"Not to involve my overactive imagination but if she actually has been planning this, she would know you." Bianca adds. "If she could have approached Jesse, she could do the same with you."
"I don't know anymore." Pey sighs. "How are your investigations going?"
"I haven't been doing much," I say, looking away, "but now I've got something in mind."
I get up from my bed and quickly grab my things. I take the backpack I had placed on my table, intending to take on my visit to the library later on.
"I'll see you guys later!" I yell over my shoulder as I head out the door.
I think I might know someone who can help. I'm not very happy with the idea but everyone, including Bianca this time, is at risk if we don't find out the truth.
***
I sit on Mason's bed and put my phone on speaker.
"Mom?"
"When do you want to hold the charity event?" She repeats her question.
"Oh, I was thinking on December 19th."
"That will be after your finals. Will you be able to cope?"
"Yeah, I'm not doing this alone. A lot of my friends are helping and so are Lilly and Brian." For some reason, I find myself withholding the fact that Mrs. Wilder is also helping.
"If you think you can handle it, I'll arrange everything. I've already spoken to Sarah about it."
Sarah, or Dr. Chu, my mom's college friend, has a sister who runs a foundation dedicated to helping children. Ah, it does help to know someone who knows someone who knows someone who can come in handy.
"Okay, thanks mom."
Mason has gone downstairs to help Chris with something. While waiting, I got a call from my mom. So far, I've been managing to arrange for the fundraiser without any issues.
"I'm back." He announces with a sigh as he re-enters the room.
"I think I know someone who can help." I state as he sits next to me.
"Who? Help with what?"
"With Mary." I put my legs up on the bed, preparing to explain the full story.
"So Mary and Peyton met last night."
"Last night?" He lifts a brow. "Jesse was out with Mary last night."
"Yeah, so all the beans kind of got spilled." I smile awkwardly and his eyes widen.
"You're telling me that's why he's locked himself in the basement drinking?"
He's what?
I better not tell Peyton about this. When they broke up, he probably moved on to one of his other girls the next day.
"According to Pey's testimony, she's an angel."
"What the-" He runs his palm over his face.
"Yup, hard to believe but absolutely true. These are the conclusions we came to; Mary is either acting, which means she did research on all of our friends and that's how she was able to target Pey and act all... Sweet."
"It's Mary, that's a possibility."
"The second one is that she has actually changed." I gulp nervously.
"Max, Justin and I have been trying to get into contact with Duncan and see if he can give us more information."
"I think there's someone else who can help."
"Who?"
I hesitate before speaking, I'm not so sure if he'll like this. He's been trying to get the person I have in mind far from criminal activities.
"Derwin."
"What? No, how could he even help?" He shakes his head. "No. I heard he got a job and he's actually been off the streets."
"Yes, I know that but he knows people. He doesn't have to get involved. He just has to give us names of people we can get info from. We're trying to find it in Lancaster but Mary hasn't been there in years. If we want to know what her intentions in San Fransisco are, we have to ask around here."
He sighs and looks away. For a moment or so, he remains silent.
"The people he worked for don't even deal with firearms, they deal with cars. He might not know anything."
That I did not know.
You're telling me they don't meet up once a month to share notes?
"Okay but let's just try. He might lead us in the right direction. We need to find out what's going on. It won't be long until Bianca's parents tells mine that Mary Coleman is here and once that'll secret is out, I can't tell what they'll do."
I know what they'll do. I'll be out of this country in hours.
Mason looks into my eyes and I see a glimpse of fear in his.
"We'll talk to Derwin; just a few questions."
I nod.
How the tables have turned. Before, I would've been the one to argue that we didn't need to involve someone else in illegal dealings, let alone a minor.
I look at Mason and smile. I guess this is why he did all the things he did. He wanted to protect me. He didn't want to live with this fear that something bad could happen to me. That I'd leave him.
That's how I feel right now. I don't want to risk his safety. I don't want us to get seperated.
"Well," I stand up, "I have to get going."
"Where are you going?" He looks surprised.
"I want to go the library."
"Why?" He pouts and lifts his hands up.
He takes mine in his and pulls me onto his lap.
"To get some studying done." I smile at his cuteness and he wraps his arms around my waist.
"But I miss you." He looks into my eyes and uses one hand to remove strands of hair from my face.
"I miss you too." I say and he kisses me.
"Mmh..." I nod but quickly change my mind. "Hmm?"
He looks into my eyes once more.
"I won't bother you, I'll just keep stealing glimpses of you while you get your work done." His smile grows.
"The library..." I honestly don't know what I'm saying. My mind is already made up; I'm not going anywhere.
"I don't know." I bite my lower lip and look away.
"You could just study here." He tilts my face to look back at him and kisses me again.
"Not if you keep distracting me." I deepen the kiss.
***
Mason's POV
I look up from my laptop at Maya and find her head hanging low. She's been studying for the past three hours, with breaks in between, but now I can see she's exhausted.
Knowing her, she probably woke up really early to make up for any hours she missed yesterday.
I put my laptop on the bedside table and make my way to her. I squat next to her and put my hand on her shoulder.
"May." I whisper as I gently shake her.
Her body jerks awake and she stared at me, half-alarmed.
"Hmm?" Her eyes return to her books and her hands begin to move them around.
"You should rest." I give her a small smile.
"I've got so much work to do." She replies in a soft voice.
"Yes but look at your eyes."
"I can't look at my eyes." She closes them and I smile.
"Smartmouth." I chuckle. "C'mon, a nap won't kill you. I also need some rest."
"Will you also take a nap?" She whispers and I nod.
She mimics my nod and opens her eyes, lifting her hands out to mine. I take them and gently pull her to the bed.
"Just close your eyes and let your body rest. Alright?" I say in a soft voice and she hums a reply.
She lays down on the left side of the bed and I grab a blanket and throw it over her.
"You said you'd also rest." She says, her eyes still shut.
I smile and climb up on the bed. She scoots closer to me and I wrap my arms around her waist. As I inhale the scent of her floral scented shampoo, I close my eyes and smile.
***
I'm typing away on my laptop when I notice, from the corner of my eye, Maya stirring. I look up from the screen and shift my attention to her as she sits up.
The look of confusion on her face, as her mind tries to recollect every event before she dozed off, is the cutest thing I've ever seen.
"Rested?" I smile.
"Yeah," she nods, returning my smile, "I feel better."
She slowly brings her feet to the floor and takes the few steps to the window.
"How long has it been?" She looks out, it's night time."
"Its been ninety minutes." I state, looking at the numbers at the bottom of my laptop screen.
"Ninety?" She mimics with a pout. "I should get going. I need to plan my week and prepare for tomorrow."
"Sure," I stare back at my laptop and save my work, "I'll drive you."
"I drove here, remember?" She walks to the desk and starts packing her things.
"I'll take a cab back. You're still tired. Don't worry, I'll drive you." I smile and she does the same.
"A boyfriend-slash-chauffer; I'm one lucky girl." She grins. "He's smart, kind... Oh and he cooks too."
I sit down on the bed to put on my shoes.
"One of us clearly got a good deal." I stand up and walk to the table where she is zipping up her backpack.
"One of us?" She turns her head around with a gasp.
"I'm kidding." I chuckle and hug her from behind.
She smiles and looks down at my hands, placing hers over them.
"Boyfriend," she says and I hum a reply, "can we have something to eat before we go?"
Her smile turns into a grin and I chuckle.
"What do you feel like?"
Hi guys *weeps because of how tired she is*
Updates might be very slow from- What am I saying? They've been slow for a while now. Okay, so this is my senior year and the workload is just something else. I basically have school or classes 7 days a week. I currently have a headache.
I love you guys and seeing your comments just makes my day. Please continue to show me some love 😬🥺❤️ and remember that I love you so much🥰😘
P.S. This chapter is unedited and I'll probably be posting unedited chapters from now on. I'm sorry.