Chapter Eight- This Wardrobe Definitely Wasn't Narnia☑
I had spent the whole weekend with Brie cooped up in my hospital room. We watched movie after movie and joked like old times. She filled me in on everything since we had our fight.
Turns out Brie had liked Laine just as long as I had liked him. But she kept her mouth shut about it because she didn't want me to get mad...because she cared. I felt guilty because she had to keep this secret to herself.
It wasn't until, over the summer when I was in North Carolina, she saw more and more of him. Turns out they went to the same party one weekend and she was in trouble with some drunk guy. He played her hero too and the rest as they say, is history.
They found they had a lot in common and they were both baseball fans. I wasn't a super fan like those two-so I guess it worked out.
Brie and Laine hung out afterwards and got to know each other even more. They shared their hopes and aspirations. Both came from big families and wanted one of their own- something I personally didn't want. Laine wanted to be a politician and Brie wanted to be a humanitarian. Which if you think about it-goes hand in hand.
One person wants to lead the community and the other wants to improve it. They could seriously be like the Obama's.
I expected to feel angry and hurt that they were perfect for each other. But as Brie talked more and more about Laine, I realized he wasn't all I had made him out to be. He was however everything Brie wanted and I couldn't have been any happier.
And yes, I was genuinely happy.
But the weekend was over and Brie had to be home. We had been once again joined at the hip. We were back to being Thelma and Louise. Back to ourselves at ground zero.
I checked out of the hospital Monday morning and it was a god awful day. Not because of my recent revelation, and all those years wasted drooling over a guy that was never meant to be. Oh no, it was much worse than that-more heart breaking. More epically tragic.
I was on mom watch all day. I swear if I had to eat one more bowl of, chicken noodle soup, I was going to croak! I'm stitched up-- not sick. And it was seventy degrees outside, I didn't need chicken noodle soup! I needed Ben & Jerry's!
"Alright sweetie I've brought you another bowl of soup. Eat up." Mom commanded as she barged into my room with the umpteenth bowl of the day. My face probably turned a garish shade of green because mom frowned, "You don't look so well, are you feeling sick?" She asked before she placed her hand on my cheek checking for a fever.
Yes. I'm sick of chicken noodle soup and your constant smothering.
"No mom. I'm actually feeling really-really good. So healthy and strong." I lied flexing my scrawny pale arms. I was actually feeling quite horrible. I was pretty sure that 80% of my body's weight was actually chicken noodle soup now.
"Fantastic! Now eat up my little monkey." She gushed, pinching my cheeks before strolling out of the room.
I sighed and looked at the ghastly soup. I pushed it away before something caught my eye-the window. Without a second thought I walked to my bay window, with the soup in one hand. I lifted up the seal, wincing a bit from the pain shooting up my side.
But it was worth it.
I glared at the soup one last time and uttered a few choice words. But I'll just give you the PG version of it.
"You are the worst thing that's ever happened to me. Burn in hell." I growled, before throwing the vile thing out the window.
Walking back to my bed I heard an ear-piercing scream. Running back to the window, I clasped my hand over my mouth, for two reasons. One out shock that the damn soup actually landed on someone, and two to keep from laughing. I made it rain chicken noodle soup on the bad boy.
I killed two evils with one act. Damn I'm good!
"Mason?" I laughed as the soup drizzled off of him. You could faintly see the steam rolling off of him.
"What the hell!" He yelled flinching, his cheeks were a tint of pink, probably from the hot soup.
"What are you doing here?" I asked my laughter replaced with curiosity. It was Monday afternoon and I hadn't heard from anyone. Just a few 'get well' texts from the gang and a couple other people from school. Shouldn't Mason be at work?
"I came to check up on you." He shook his head, trying to get rid of a piece of noodle stuck to his head. I chuckled silently, not wanting to embarrass him even more.
"Hold on." I smiled in amusement, "Let me go downstairs." I called down before I took the stairs.
I stopped laughing when I began to question why Mason was here in the first place. I didn't talk to Mason unless we were at work-and even then half of our dialogue consisted of yelling at each other. We weren't even friends, if anything at the very least co-workers acquaintances. So why was he at my house?
Swinging the door open, I found a soup drenched Mason. His leather jacket slung over his shoulder and his shirt clung to his sculptured chest.
That chest...his beautiful, sinful.. stop it!
"Done checking me out princess?" He smirked when he caught my moment of insanity. I stepped out and closed the door behind me-the last thing I needed was mom eavesdropping on me.
Instead of answering him, I did what I did best. Fight with the dude.
"Is that really the nickname you're sticking with?" I shot back crossing my arms. Honestly, out of all the names he's called me he sticks with princess?
"Do you want me to call you something else?" He winked, inching closer. The smell of chicken noodle soup overpowered my nostrils, I had to step back.
"No." I firmly said. The last thing I wanted was another pathetic pet name.
"How about doll face?" He inched closer again
"How about...no." I rolled my eyes leaning back.
"Mm what about sweetheart?" I scrunched my face. "No? Okay, how about...kitten?"
"Dude just stop." I said flatly backing up again.
"What about Ally Cat?" He smirked as he inched closer to me. This time when I stepped back I hit the door.
Nowhere to go now, you're cornered Al.
"N-no that's Brie's nickname for me." I stuttered at the close proximity.
"You two aren't even friends anymore." He smirked inching closer, "So the name is vacant." Now it was my turn to smirk, because the name wasn't vacant.
"Oh you're so wrong Mase, Brie and I settled our differences. Looks like the name is still spoken for....oh and could you back up, you're stench is kinda making me gag." I scrunched my nose.
Mason smiled and it was quite shocking. It wasn't underlined with mischief or bitterness. It was an honest to god, real smile. The kind humans conveyed when they were genuinely happy.
Mason could do that? Well that was a new feature.
The door behind me opened as I reveled in my new findings. Before I could react, I fell flat on my ass. I looked up and found my mother's shocked face and Masons amused cocky smile.
I groaned as a sharp pain shot up my side. My mother quickly aided me as she always did. Mason helped my mother pick me up but I as quite weary of that.
"Baby oh my god!" Mom cried out dragging me to the couch with Mason's assistance "Are you okay?!" She yelled in my face.
"Mom I'm fine, just a little bruised, but ok." I joked for her sake.
Big mistake.
"Oh no! This is all my fault. I'm the worst mother in the entire world!" She cried out hysterically. "Sweetie I'm so so sorry. I thought you were upstairs eating you're chicken noodle soup and..." Mom stopped abruptly and sniffed around like a hound dog sniffing out new blood.
Not weird at all right?
Wrong.
She abruptly stopped sniffing when her gaze landed on Mason. Mom narrowed her eyes at Mason skeptically.
"...young man, why are you covered in my daughters lunch?" Mom demanded placing her hands on her hips.
For the second time today ladies and gentlemen, Mason was strucked....except instead of soup, it was a cold plate of mom scolding.
He turned a pale color and began stuttering. I didn't even bother stifling a laugh, not even when they both shot me daggers. It was too funny to even hide.
"Uh, you see...when I was walking a bowl of soup magically landed on me." Mason muttered lamely rubbing the back of his neck, nervously.
"Allyson did you throw your food out of the window!" Mom shrieked into an high octave that only dogs could hear.
Before I could even answer my dad came to my rescue . He was dressed casual...a little too casual. His board shorts and grey fit v-neck told me only one thing.
"Chrissy's coming over ladies--wait, who's he?" Dad asked, narrowing his eyes at Mason.
"Oh Derek, this is Ally's friend.The one who was with Ally when she had that nasty fall at school?" Mom reminded dad before she turned to Mason happily. "Oh why don't you stay for lunch, I'm sure we could give you something of Derek's to wear. It's the least we could do, since Ally...assaulted you....with soup." Mom offered Mason apologetically.
"Uh sure, why not." Mason shrugged, as noodles spilled off of him in the process.
"Ally could you show him your fathers closet. Make sure to pick out something for this nice weather, we're having. Lunch will be outside on the terrace." Mom said before her and dad went out back.
Dad turned one last time and gave Mason a death glare. But Mase didn't see because he was turned away from dad. I gave dad a confused look before he yelled out, "And no funny business in my room!...Or anywhere else for that matter!"
Mom quickly turned around and pinched dad by the ear, leading him out. "Derek so help me god if you embarrass her! He seems like a very nice boy, and they're so cute together! I want to have grand kids someday, lord knows I'll only murder you in our old age-" Mom chastised him, embarrassing Dad and I both.
Did she say we looked cute together- and grand kids? No! No way, mom had finally fallen off her rocker. She had officially hit the point of insanity where you have to consider if you just admit her into a ward or not. I'm opting for putting her in.
"I'm really sorry for that!" I blurted out before clasping my hands over my mouth. Did I just apologize to Mason?
Did I step into the twilight zone?
"It's cool." He shrugged. We stood there awkwardly staring at anywhere but each other, "So..." Mason dragged out ending the silence.
"Oh right the clothes!" I snapped my fingers before taking the stairs. The pain in my side had dulled again, thank goodness. Because my day had already been painfully awkward.
***
"Oh Mason you're too much!" Mom giggled leaning against dad for support. Dad looked a bit annoyed, but I think that was only because he really wanted to laugh.
You know when someone you don't like says something funny, and you can't laugh. Because that's like fueling the fire. Dad obviously didn't like Mason, but he was really dying to laugh.
But all in all, I think my parents were enjoying Mason. Even though dad didn't want to admit it, you could tell he was warming up to Mason. Mom on the other hand was blatantly enjoying Masons company more and more. I was almost afraid she'd ask to adopt him.
Can you imagine if he became my brother? That was a thought that was better left unsaid. It was a repulsive idea to even stomach.
The doorbell interrupted my dark reverie. Mom and dad excused themselves to go answer the door. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. Did it really take two people to answer the door? No. But my parents were weird and they did just about everything together.
It's mystery they hadn't got sick of each other.
"Ally doll!" Aunt Chrissie chirped happily, pulling me into a full embrace, ignoring my stiches. I groaned in pain and aunt Chrissie quickly released me, "Oh I forgot, I'm sorry sweetie." She frowned apologetically.
"It's fine, Aunt Chrissie." I assured her. Mom cleared her throat and introduced Mason, but I knew they were familiar. A little too familiar....
"Yes I'm aware of Mason." Aunt Chrissie said a little too coldly giving my mom a 'what the heck is he doing here' look.
"Mrs. Wallace, what a pleasant surprise." Mason drawled through gritted teeth, "I didn't know your aunt was the principal!" He hissed in my ear before giving my parents a charming smile.
"You never asked." I smirked feeling victorious for once.
"A little warning would have been nice." he grumbled. "She's not exactly in my fan club."
"Neither am I." I smiled, "She's my godmother too, and my mom's best friend." I said just to spite him, I knew Mason didn't like aunt Chrissie. They were both well acquainted with each other from the many visits Mason took to her office.
"Is Mason a friend of yours?" Aunt Chrissie asked me, settling in the seat between Mason and I.
"Uh..." Well I wouldn't say we were friends...okay I would never say we were friends. Ever.
Mason was more like a pimple you had. I wanted to pop him, but Davie would always stop me. So I just had to wait it out until the end of the year.
I think that described him well enough, a pimple on my life. Something I wanted to get rid of but couldn't because of job obligations. Plus he held the key to two mysteries I was dying to solve. The mystery of all who were involved in the vandalism, and the secret he held with aunt Chrissie.
"We're co workers." Mason filled in for me; "She's helping me out at the aquarium until my community service is finished."
He made 'community service' sound optional instead of mandatory. Like he was just helping out the community from the good of his heart, and not sentenced because he and few unknown hoodlums destroyed the one place I loved dearly. Yeah, he had a way of telling the ugly truth without it sounding ugly-did that make sense?
"Mrs. Wallace, you look lovely today." Mason complimented her before he mumbled something under his breath, along the lines of, "How's that manila envelope of yours."
"What was that?" She asked her hands clasping her hips. Aunt Chrissie looked peeved, but quickly smiled-an underlying of anger behind that facade. Both my parents were oblivious to the rising tension.
"I said how's that man of yours." Mason smiled leaning back with ease.
"My husband is fine, thank you very much." She replied before excusing herself. "I just had to run to the little girls room." Before long Mason also made an excuse and followed behind her.
"I'm going to check my phone. I left it in the laundry room." he smiled charmingly at my parents. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, however my parents remained oblivious to it all.
Something strange was going on, and I didn't like it. My godmother and...Mason had a secret and I was itching to find out what it was.
"Sweetie it's really not lady like to chomp on your nails like that." Mom pointed out pulling me out of my reverie.
"Sorry." I mumbled, wringing my hands in front of me, embarrassed.
"Anyone up for ribs?" Dad asked before he realized he forgot the barbeque sauce. He too left, to retrieve the barbecue sauce. Inside you could hear him clashing pans together looking for the bottle, soon mom left to go help him.
I sat outside by myself, idly wondering what Mason had against my aunt. My godmother may have been a hated figure in our school-and that's because she's the principal- but she was truly a good person. She was like my second mother, and she was family to me. What was she hiding that she didn't want Mason to expose?
My curiosity got the best of me as I was left alone. I clambered out my seat and snuck into the house. Might I add that I was very discreet? I got down on all fours and crawled the floors, even when I got two splinters on my palms from the terrace, no one suspected a thing. I didn't even blow my cover when I bumped my head on the coffee table, in the foyer. Or when dad caught me crawling and gave me an odd look.
"I'm urm...looking for my contact." I lied.
"Uh okay sweetie, good luck." He whispered as to not gain mom's attention. My dad was ridiculously gullible, I didn't even wear contacts!
I finally made it towards my dads study and hid to hear more of their conversation. Have you ever tried hiding in a wardrobe? No. Well let me tell you, it's not the most comfortable place to play spy. This wardrobe definitely wasn't Narnia. I had dads' coats and pantsuits whacking me in the face as I tried to listen.
I did catch that they were in a heated argument. In fact, I think they were in the climax of it, because Aunt Chrissie was red in the face and looked ready to murder him.
"Why is this so important to you?" She snapped. Mason didn't even flinch, but he didn't quite meet her gaze.
"It's fun messing with you principal Wallace." Mason said after a long pause, this time taking the time to meet her gaze with a smirk.
"Drop the act kid, you have an ulterior motive. What's you're angle Reynolds, and don't lie because I know you don't care about anyone but yourself." She smirked as she crossed her arms over her chest.
This really seemed to had gotten to Mason though, because now he was seething. But I could see him pinching his hands with his nails as if to calm himself. What's got him so bent? And why is aunt Chrissie pushing him? What do these two have to hide? I'm dying with anticipation!
"I don't care about anyone." He simply said unable to keep the edge out his tone.
"Oh I know. You're just like your father, not caring for anyone- only looking out for number one." She laughed a humorless laugh, "You know you're the bastards spitting image, inside and out. Face it Mason, you can run as far away as you want but you'll never escape him. You'll see him everyday-ever morning in the mirror." She continued before walking away, only stopping by the door to give her final word, "The deal is still on the table if you choose to keep your mouth shut."
She waited by the door waiting for an answer before Mason spoke, "Why don't you want her to know? Don't you think she deserves to know about the truth?"
Aunt Chrissie stilled, the menacing woman wiped away and replaced with the woman I had loved. My godmother's face as sweet and scared as a child woken from a nightmare. "She's safest if this was under wraps. Everyone's safer." She replied her mind obviously somewhere else. As if recollecting a horrid memory she wished she didn't live.
"Then my answer is yes. Yes I'll keep this under wraps." Mason sighed. He seemed torn; he wanted to tell the truth-but knowing what Aunt Chrissie knows he's willing to keep this person safe. But who was the girl?
Aunt Chrissie left soon after, I expected Mason to leave too, but he didn't. He stayed behind and paced dads' office as if regretting his decision. Why did he agree to keep the secret then? As a third party with absolutely no interest in the matter- I would tell him that the truth never hurts.
But I can't because he doesn't know that I know that he knows what he's not supposed to know. Urm... I totally made myself confused. Okay I know that there's a secret no one's supposed to know about. Grr I just want to know the damn secret! I thought angrily.
I must have been really angry because I knocked over an umbrella knocking it on my head. The wardrobes doors flew open as I fell face first onto the ground.
Crap I just exposed my cover! Maybe I'm not that good of super secret ninja...
"Ally what the heck are you doing?" Oh god he's gonna kill me.