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••

Mason

After lunch the rest of the school day is pretty uneventful, aside from the fact that Gage has either been ignoring me while deep in thought or asking me many questions about Will and I.

"Did you like Will before all this?"

This one catches me off guard. Did I like Will before all this? I bite my lip.

"Honestly?"

Gage rolls his eyes "obviously"

I sigh "I wanted to fuck him"

Gage makes a disgusted face and shakes his head.

"What the hell bro?!"

I grimace "I'm being honest"

To both of us. All those guys I'd slept with subconsciously they reminded me of Will. I was always attracted to him, but he was off limits and I knew that. I barely knew him.

"We'll what the heck suddenly you're celibate?"

I shake my head "it's different now. I don't want to just sleep with Will"

Gage chuckles "that's ironic because that is what your doing"

I roll my eyes "you know what I mean"

He nods "so what now?"

I lift a brow prompting him to continue.

"You guys going to go on dates and stuff?"

I make a face. Not because I don't want to go on dates with Will, but because I hadn't thought about it. Dates? I don't remember the last time I've taken anyone on a date. Let alone someone I actually like.

"I don't know. I guess...I hadn't really..planned"

Gage holds up his hands "no no no your not dating my brother and being a shitty boyfr...whatever you are"

I cringe when he almost says boyfriend. I'm not Will's boyfriend, not yet anyway.

"Okay Gage I'll take him out somewhere I guess"

Gage makes a face nodding toward the clock "don't sound so eager, and we gotta go to practice"

I bite my lip getting up and following him toward our lockers as the bell rings.

"It's not that I don't want to, I just don't want to fuck it up"

Gage puts his books in his locker before turning to me closing his locker.

"Mason. I'm going to be blunt here man. You're a bit of a whore"

I glare.

Gage chuckles "dude I'm just saying you've taken so many girls out what's the problem?"

I sigh, but before I can respond Jenna does.

"We'll for one, Will isn't a girl"

Gage jumps turning around and facing Jenna.

"Damn Jenna are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"

Jenna rolls her eyes not bothering to comfort Gage.

"You."

I lift a brow and meet her steady gaze "yes"

She narrows her eyes "Will likes you. A lot, but I'll be dammed if I let his hopelessly devoted love for you blind him from his worth. You better treat him like a king"

My jaw tenses "ok"

She tilts her head as if considering my response. A few seconds pass before she nods.

"Will gets anxious going out to eat, or in public. Take him somewhere quiet, a park or a bookstore"

I actually listen to Jenna's suggestions knowing Will wouldn't like the dates I normally take girls on.

Gage laughs suddenly "I think I'm supposed to give him the I'm the big brother don't fuck up speech, but you got it covered"

Jenna smiles "thanks Gage"

With that she turns and starts walking toward the doors.

"Have fun at practice I have to go meet Will"

Gage turns to me grinning.

"That girl can take you"

I shrug "I know"

••

After a long and difficult practice Gage and I head to the locker room. As per usual Gage wants to shower and take his time while I just want to get home. I let him know I'm going to wait with Jenna and Will before heading outside. I turn the corner to the car and freeze when I notice Jenna and Will are not alone.

Instead Austin, Jack, and Tony are with them. Tony is standing close to Will, but Austin seems to have wedged himself between them as best as he can and for that I'm thankful.

"Hey"

Austin smiles, but looks between Tony and Will as if to point out the obvious. I return the favour with a tight lipped smile and quick nod.

"You guys heading home?"

Jack shrugs "nah heading to Gage's he said he unlocked a new level in determinator"

I try my best not to wrinkle my face in distaste and nod not bothering to respond with words. Instead my focus has shifted to Will and how he's tensed up watching Tony.

"Hey you guys ready to go?"

I don't look at Gage keeping my eyes on Tony despite the distribution. Everyone nods or responds with some sort of agreement before moving to their respective cars.

Tony however grins slyly.

"Mind if I ride with you?"

I clench my fists as Gage shrugs "sure man"

Wills eyes widen and he quickly turns to me. I walk quickly grabbing Tony's shoulder just as he's about to get in the back.

"Ride in the front"

He looks like he wants to argue, but instead grins thanking me and climbing in the front. Will gets in next to me and his eyes stay glued to Tony the whole ride home. We drop Jenna off and she glares at Tony as she gets out.

"You're still coming over after I'm done dance yeah"

Will nods "mhmm"

Jenna gives him a tight lipped smile her eyes darting to Tony again before she leaves. The second we get to Will and Gages house, Will tries to retreat to his room with me hot on his tail, but Gage grunts.

"You guys go downstairs"

The rest of the guys nod and head downstairs while Gage turns to us.

"Fuck no"

Will lifts a brow his cheeks bright red.

"We weren't going to do anything!"

At the same time Gage crosses his arms and huffs.

"I'm not losing my best friend over this"

They both pause and look at each other, Wills mouth dropping open.

"Oh"

Gage crinkles his face in distaste "ew Will"

Will blushes harder and I roll my eyes turning to Gage.

"You're not losing me. Tony's an ass"

Gage looks unsure "you sat in the back"

I nod "yeah, same reason"

Gage sighs "fine, whatever, you better not start ditching me for Will"

I walk toward him opening my arms "yeah yeah, come on bring it in"

Gage makes a face but reluctantly lets me pull him in patting his back. He pushes me away seconds later.

"Alright piss off, I'm heading downstairs"

I nod "let me know when Tony leaves I'll come down"

Gage nods "sure man, sounds good"

With that Will and I head upstairs. Will sits on the edge of his bed and fiddles with the hem of his shirt anxiously.

I grunt "what?"

He blinks at me before shrugging.

"n nothing just worried"

I cross my arms watching him, annoyed.

"Why?"

He bites his lip and tells me what I already know.

"Tony...he said he couldn't wait to come over because he was ready to have some fun"

My eyes darken and I shift my jaw. The urge to go downstairs and beat Tony senseless is strong, but I know Will wouldn't want that and Gage wouldn't understand what's going on.

"We're going to the bar"

Will lifts a brow "what? I'm supposed to meet Jenna at 6:00"

I check my phone and sigh "we'll go to the bar for a few then I'll take you to Jenna's"

Thankfully Will doesn't argue, he just nods.

"o ok"

I head downstairs with Will following behind me yelling down to Gage.

"Gage! Will is borrowing the car!"

Gage makes a sound of protest, but ends up grumbling back a "whatever"

I grab the keys off the counter where Gage dropped them earlier and we head out to the car.

Will drives and it only takes us about 10 minutes to get to the bar. When we pull in the parking lot he bits his lip turning to me.

"It's okay if I'm here right?"

I roll my eyes "yes Will"

He looks unsure, but follows me inside. Gary lifts a brow the minute when he sees me walk in, but smirks the second he notices Will.

"We'll hello"

I roll my eyes "Gary"

He shakes his head and looks away wiping out a glass.

"You picking up a shift or just showing off?"

He gestures to Will who blushes at his comment and I shift my jaw.

"Just getting Will out of the house"

Gary looks up meeting my gaze "why?"

I huff "same problem from last time"

Gary looks genuinely surprised.

"you still haven't dealt with that?"

I grunt out a "no" and head behind the bar walking to the other end and starting to fill a glass for one of our regulars.

When I move back to the end where Will is sitting I hear Gary talking.

"So you two something now then?"

Wills cheeks heat up immediately and he bites his lip.

"Um...yea..maybe.."

I cross my arms and lean against the counter next to Gary drawing his attention. Annoyed by Will's answer.

"Yes. We are"

Gary lifts a brow while Will drops his gaze to the counter.

"I was asking Will, but thanks for clearing it up"

I shift my jaw "we're together"

Gary smiles "okay Mason you can chill out, I'm happy for you"

I roll my eyes because despite my hard exterior Gary is like a father figure and hearing him say he's happy for me feels good.

He claps a hand onto my shoulder and turns back to Will grinning.

"Make sure he treats you right"

I shrug his hand off my shoulder and am just about to tell him to shut it when a new voice cuts it.

"We'll he's off to a lousy start"

I turn and glare "what the fuck are you doing here?"

Hank rolls his eyes getting on the stool next to Will.

"Shawn has friends over"

I curse "shit! You good?"

Hank shrugs "I left before they even realized I was there"

I wince because Hank never should have had to deal with that. At least not alone.

"I'm sorry. I should have been home"

Hank rolls his eyes "to do what? Shawn would have just picked a fight with you if you tried to get anyone to leave"

I grimace because he's right, but that doesn't mean I like it.

"Fine. How was school?"

He shrugs "didn't go"

My eyes widen "what?! Why the hell not"

He barely looks up from his phone and nonchalantly responds.

"Scoring drugs behind the 7/11"

I narrow my eyes the second I realize he's joking and Gary laughs out loud tossing the bar rag over his shoulder.

"Hank you never fail to entertain me"

Hank laughs and nudges Will.

"Cat boy! Tell me you saw his face?!"

Will is laughing himself and nods.

"His eyes were so wide!"

I roll my eyes and shoot Hank the finger walking away and leaving them to laugh about me themselves.

Gary nods at me "hey, you know I love Hank, but he's either gotta be in the back or he can't stay"

I nod knowing the rules, having Hank up front is a liability and despite Gary being there for us risking his buisness would only make him unable to help us.

I serve one last beer before heading back to Will and Hank.

"Let's go"

Will looks surprised "where are we going?"

I nod for him to get up and answer as we head out.

"We'll you're going to Jenna's, Hank and I are going back to your place because when Shawn has friends over it usually lasts all night"

Will nods "oh. Okay...sorry"

Hank makes a face "why?"

Will blushes "um I don't know, Shawn"

Hank rolls his eyes "Catboy Shawn's an ass sure, but that's not your fault, we're crashing at your house tonight so we should be apologizing to you"

Will makes a face "no don't apologize to me, just don't wake me up by jumping on me"

Hank laughs "yeah right with Mason in there? Two reasons that's a bad idea. One; after last time he might kill me. Two; I don't want to see that!"

Will's cheeks turn bright red "we don't!...we haven't! I wouldn't!"

Hank laughs holding up his hands "oookay, either way I'm not going to wake you up"

Will gives Hank a weak smile clearly still embarrassed.

"Ok"

•••