Cheerleaders Don’t Fall For Nerdy Boys

By
Emma Dalton
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Copyright © 2023 Emma Dalton.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any
form without written permission from the author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are the
product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any
resemblance to real life, movies, television, games, or books is entirely
coincidental and was not intended by the author.
Cover Design by Wynter Designs

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Table of Contents
The Invisible Girls Club List of Characters
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
About the Author

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 The Invisible Girls Club List of Characters

1) Kara Gander is married to Brayden Barrington and they have three

kids:
Rylee, 16
Noah, 23. He’s married to Evie Hastings
Chloe, 22. Her boyfriend is Liam Hastings
2) Bailey Barrington (Brayden’s younger sister) is married to Zane
Hastings and they have two kids:
Zoey, 16
Brock, 14
3) Charlie Raine is married to Asher Park and they have two kids:
Mia, 16
Willow, 22. Her boyfriend is Colton Andersen
4) Ally Bensen is married to Zack Hastings (Zane’s older brother) and
they have three kids:
Evie, 23. She’s married to Noah Barrington
Liam, 22. His girlfriend is Chloe Barrington
Lily, 22. Her boyfriend is Xavier Hall
5) Dani Wood is married to Easton Knight and they have a daughter:
Ava, 22. Her boyfriend is Aidan West
6) Lexi West, 14, is Aidan’s little sister
7) Teagyn Myers is married to Brody Abberton and they have a
daughter:
Paisley, 22
8) Tiffany Myers, 16, is Teagyn’s niece
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 Chapter One
Rylee

Junior year has finally arrived and with it my chance to fulfill my dream
of being a cheerleader.
Glancing at myself in the mirror, I practice my routine a few times. True
tryouts won’t be until tomorrow, but it’s always good to be prepared, right?
I didn’t try out for the squad in my freshman and sophomore years
because I was nowhere near ready. And honestly, I didn’t think I had what it
takes. I also didn’t want to go through what my mom went through when
she was in high school and tried out for the squad. She didn’t have the best
routine and was humiliated in front of everyone by her classmate, Teagyn.
Now Teagyn Myers Abberton is the cheer coach. So yeah, I definitely
wasn’t too keen on dealing with a witch like her.
But I guess I’ve grown braver over the summer because I’m determined
to make it work this year. I can attribute a lot of that to Mom. She and I
have always gotten along great, but we’ve grown even closer over the last
few years and Mom has been telling me so many stories about her mom.
My grandmother died when Mom was thirteen, and that was why Mom
wanted to be a cheerleader in high school—because her mom was a
cheerleader for the Edenbury Lions, too. Her photo is in the school hallway
with the rest of her squad.
Getting closer to Mom has made me feel closer to my grandma, too, and
I want to keep her memory alive by being a cheerleader like her. I don’t
care if Coach Abberton will turn up her nose and look at me like I’m less
than the ants on the ground. I’ll show her what an amazing cheerleader I
will be and I’ll wipe that smirk right off her face.
 “Rylee!” Mom calls. “You’ll be late for your first day of school.”
Taking a deep breath, I let it seep out of my nose, nod at my reflection,
grab my backpack, and make my way downstairs, where Mom and Dad are
seated at the kitchen table. They both smile when I walk in and wish me a
good morning.
“Morning,” I greet as I lower myself at the table and reach for a
pancake. “No football practice this morning?” I ask Dad. My dad is
Brayden Barrington, a legendary former pro football player. He’s the
football coach at my school, Edenbury High, in Edenbury, Georgia.
He shakes his sandy brown head. “After school.” He smiles at me. “So,
first day of junior year, huh? How do you feel?”
“Like I’m ready to be the cheerleader I was born to be.” I cut into my
pancake and take a bite.
Mom’s brown eyes soften. “I love that you want to follow in Grandma’s
footsteps, but remember our rule. You can only be on the squad if you do
well in school.”
I duck my head as I cut another piece of pancake. I almost flunked out
of my sophomore year because I let my grades slip.
“You’re so smart, sweetie,” Mom says with a sigh. She pushes some of
my brown hair—the same shade as hers—out of my eyes. “I just wish you
put as much effort into your grades as you do in everything else.”
I puff out my cheeks. “I wish school wasn’t so boring.”
Mom gives Dad a look. “I don’t know how my own daughter finds
school boring. She must get that from you.”
Dad holds out his hands. “Hey, I didn’t find school boring all the time,
Kara.”
Mom focuses back on me. “Don’t forget to meet with Vice Principal
Rivera before class. She’ll introduce you to your tutor.”
 I twist my nose. “Do I really need a tutor, Mom? I can do well in my
classes on my own.”
She gives me a look.
“What? I can.”
“I wish I could trust you, honey, but this is too important. You know
very well that your junior and senior grades are very important for college.
You can’t afford to get anything less than a B in all your classes.”
With a frown, I play around with the syrup on my plate. It sucks. I just
want to have fun with my friends and not be so serious. But Mom’s always
loved school and can’t fathom her own flesh and blood not loving it as
much as her. I’m not like my older brother, Noah, or my older sister, Chloe.
They were straight-A students like Mom. I’m just…me.
“I have faith in you, sweetheart,” Dad says as he places his hand over
mine on the table. “I know you’re very determined once you set your mind
to something. I just can’t believe you’ll be turning seventeen this year.” His
lower lip quivers as his voice shakes, and his blue eyes get a bit glassy.
“Our baby will be out of the house before we know it.”
Dad gets very emotional sometimes, especially when it involves his
kids. It doesn’t bother me when he gets tears in his eyes, it’s just that it’s so
contagious and it won’t be long before Mom has tears, too.
“Thanks,” I tell Dad. “And don’t worry, Mom and Dad. I’ll be getting
straight As in the first weeks of school and will say ‘bye bye’ to my tutor.
Whoever she will be.”
“How are you so sure she’s a she?” Mom asks.
“Dad said he wanted me to have a girl so I won’t be distracted and will
focus on school.”
“It’s bad enough she’ll be distracted by the football players,” Dad
mutters.
 I cross my arms over my chest. “I don’t go crazy over football players.”
Dad scoffs at that.
Mom glances at the clock on the wall. “Okay, it’s time for me to head to
work. You two should be heading to school, too.”
My mom, Kara Gander Barrington, is a journalist for The Edenbury
Press, our local newspaper. I always love reading her articles. My twenty-
two-year-old sister, Chloe, has followed in her footsteps and is in college
for journalism. She hopes to work at The Edenbury Press after she
graduates.
“Have a great day, both of you,” Mom says as she plants a kiss on my
forehead and then pecks Dad’s lips. “And Rylee? Please be nice to your
tutor.”
I give her an innocent face. “Why would I be anything but nice?”
She sighs before grabbing her bag and leaving. Okay, maybe the rebel
in me has considered giving my tutor a hard time because I bet she’ll be so
serious and doesn’t have the word “fun” in her vocabulary. But I’d like to
think I’m more mature than that. Well, at least I’m trying to be.
“Ready?” Dad asks.
“Yep.”
We leave the house and head for Dad’s car. During the drive, we talk
about football and TV and music, and lots of other stuff. Dad and I can talk
for hours, especially about football. Our whole family loves it.
“Here we are, back at school after a long summer,” Dad says as he pulls
into his parking space.
“Not long enough,” I grumble as I undo my seatbelt.
Dad chuckles. “I hear you. Just try to do well in your classes, okay?
This is important to me and your mom, but it’s more important to you. I
know it’s hard to think about your future when you’re still a kid, but the
next two years will pass in the blink of an eye and you’ll find yourself about
to embark on the next stage of your life. Not that soon, though, got it? I’m
not ready for you to grow up.”
I sigh. “You’re sending me mixed messages, Dad. If you’re so worried
about me growing up and leaving the nest, you should want me to flunk out
of the school. That way, I’ll live with you and Mom for the rest of my life.”
His face blanches at the thought.
I laugh as I playfully slap his arm. “Just messing with you, Dad. You
know I plan to travel the world and go on adventures as soon as I graduate.”
“College,” Dad emphasizes. “As soon as you graduate college, not high
school.”
I lean forward to kiss his cheek. “Of course, Dad.” I reach for the door
handle, then look back at him. “Don’t be too hard on the football players
during practice, okay? My future boyfriend is among them.”
“Like I said,” Dad mutters as he undoes his belt. “Distracted by my
players.”
I wave and wish Dad a good day before getting out of the car and
heading into the school building. The place is bustling with students darting
over to their friends and gushing about their amazing summers. I scan the
hallway until I find my two best friends waiting at my locker. Zoey
Hastings, who is also my first cousin, has her sandy brown hair pulled up
into a high ponytail. As the only female on the football team—and the
quarterback!—I think she’s the coolest person in the school, along with me
and Mia Park.
Of course, the other kids don’t seem to share my view because we’re
invisible at our school. I call it the Invisible Curse. Our moms—who are
also best friends and coined themselves the Four Musketeers—were cursed
to be invisible in the same high school. So have our older sisters and their
friends, who have coined themselves the Junior Musketeers. No shock that
it’s been passed down to us. But in a way, I think it’s also kind of a good
thing because it cements our friendship and makes us appreciate each other
more. Along with the tradition of being Invisible Girls, my friends and I
have also started a book club, just like our moms and older sisters. And we
coined ourselves the Musketeer Trio.
As much as I love my friends, a part of me still yearns to be popular,
something I’ve wished for since I was a kid. Chloe always tells me to love
myself as I am and to not be afraid to show the world who Rylee Barrington
is, but I can’t help it. The popular kids seem to have so much fun.
Maybe making the cheer squad could change that for me.
“Rylee!” Zoey waves me over.
With a huge grin, I race to my friends and fling my arms around them.
“I’ve missed you guys so much!”
Mia laughs as I squish them to death. “We hung out all summer.”
“Except for when you visited your family in South Korea for two
weeks,” I remind her.
“And when you and your dad worked on your movie at the start of the
summer,” Zoey adds.
Mia waves her hand. “Yeah, yeah. The important thing is that we hung
out with each other most of the time and made the summer ours.” She sighs
dramatically. “Weeks I wish I could bottle and experience over and over
again.”
“With no school or teachers breathing down our necks,” I say as I open
my locker.
“And no homework!” Mia agrees.
“And no stressing out about football,” Zoey says.
 Mia pushes some of her straight black hair out of her brown eyes. “But
you love football.”
Zoey shrugs. “I do. But that doesn’t mean I don’t stress out about it. But
I’m not with you guys on the homework thing. You know I love school.”
Mia and I frown at each other. “We know,” we say.
“And speaking of which,” I say with a deep scowl. “I need to go to the
office to meet my tutor.”
“Ugh, your parents are really forcing you to have a tutor?” Mia asks.
“That’s so lame.”
“Right? She’ll probably be some snob who’ll make me feel stupid.”
“She?” Mia asks. “I thought he’d be a he and tutor you in other things.”
She waggles her brows. “Like the art of kissing.”
“Seriously, gross.” Zoey shoves her shoulder.
“Yeah, right,” I mumble. “My dad doesn’t want me to have any
‘distractions.’ So he’s making sure my tutor is a girl.”
I sigh heavily. Because none of us have been fortunate enough to kiss a
guy yet. Well, other than Mia, but that was for a movie. Does an on-screen
kiss count as a first kiss? I guess it should, but I don’t count it.
“Bummer,” Mia says.
“I still have my eyes on the football players,” I tell them. “Tell me the
scoop, Zoey. Who’s the sweetest and kindest guy on the team worthy
enough to deserve me?”
Zoey thinks about it for a second. She shrugs. “Honestly? No one.”
My heart drops. “No one?”
“They’re not interested in a real relationship. They are jocks, you
know.” She rolls her eyes. “As much as I love my team, they could be real
jerks sometimes.”
 “And no one else of the male species at school even knows we exist,”
Mia says.
I sigh again. “I guess we’ll all go another year without boyfriends.”
Zoey throws her arms around us. “So what? We have each other. That’s
all that matters.”
It’s easy for her to say that because she doesn’t want a boyfriend. Her
focus is on football and school. She’s the second female football player to
play for the Edenbury Lions. Her mom—my Aunt Bailey—was the first.
True, Mia and I don’t need boyfriends, but it would be cool to have one.
I mean, my parents are super in love and have told me—a million times—
about their epic love story. Growing up with parents who are that much in
love, how could I not want the same? Especially because my older brother
and sister have amazing partners, too.
“Shoot, I really need to meet with Rivera,” I tell my friends. “See you
guys later.”
“Good luck!” they say.
“Thanks.”
With an internal groan, I make my way to the office and let the secretary
know I’m here to see the vice principal. She tells me I can head into her
office. As soon as I walk in, I find her typing on her computer.
She looks up and smiles. “Good morning, Rylee.”
“Good morning. Before you say anything, I just want to let you know
that my having a tutor is completely unnecessary. School hasn’t even started
yet and you assume I’m going to need help. Doesn’t it make more sense for
us to see how I do on my own before forcing a tutor on me?”
“Unfortunately, your reputation precedes you.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I’ll do better this year.”
 “Your parents are very serious about this, Miss Barrington. And I think
you should be, too. The real world is very different from our insular world
here. You won’t have your parents bailing you out when you get into
trouble. You need some discipline.”
“Can’t I be disciplined after I become an adult? These are the last two
years I could get away with murder.”
She gives me a horrified look.
“Geez, I’m just kidding. But you get what I mean. These are my last
years to have fun before I need to be a boring adult.”
“Rylee, sit down.”
With another internal groan, I do as she asks.
VP Rivera interlocks her fingers as she focuses on me. “You’re not a
little kid, Rylee. You’re a young woman. Do you know what many kids
your age are doing? They have jobs. They have responsibilities. They don’t
have time for ‘fun.’”
I frown. “You’re saying I’m spoiled.”
“I’m saying you need to be more responsible. How else will you grow
up to be a responsible adult? It starts with school.”
“But—”
“Your brother was an exemplary student. As was your sister. I don’t
understand why you don’t strive to be more like them.”
My stomach twists at her words. “Why does everyone always compare
me to my siblings? I’m not them.”
“Of course you’re not,” she says. “You are your own person. But that
doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take school seriously. Chloe has gotten into one
of the best journalism schools in the country. She’s making her dream come
true. And Noah is so successful as a musician because he made sure to have
an education. He knows what to prioritize in life. That all started here, in
this school.”
I blow air out of my cheeks. I know she’s right. But ugh.
“Everything in life is about balance,” she says. “Working hard in school
doesn’t have to take away from your having fun. Just look at your friend
Zoey Hastings. She’s a straight-A student and quarterback for the Lions.
And she even makes time to volunteer at her mother’s charity organization.
And I assume she makes time to hang out with you as well?”
“Yes,” I mutter.
“Like I said. Balance.” She suddenly sits forward as her gaze flits to the
door. “Mason. Good morning.” She gestures to me. “Rylee meet your
tutor.”
Mason?
I twist around and find him standing in the doorway, eyes curiously
flitting toward me. We’ve known each other all our lives because we’ve
been going to the same school since elementary. He’s super smart and top
of the class, but I don’t know him well because we don’t hang with the
same people. He has dark hair and brown eyes and he always looks like his
brain is working non-stop.
“You’re my tutor?” I ask. “But you’re supposed to be a girl.”

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 Chapter Two
Mason

I’ve been called many things in my life—a nerd, loser, smart aleck—but
no one has ever called me a girl before.
The girl I’m supposed to tutor, Rylee Barrington, sits in front of VP
Rivera’s desk, her blue eyes flitting from me to the vice principal like she
has no idea what’s going on.
“Girl?” I ask as I step into the office.
“Yeah, my dad said my tutor is supposed to be a girl.”
VP Rivera sits forward, her hands clasped together. “I spoke to your
father shortly before you walked in here, Rylee, and he approves of Mason
Monroe. He’s the top student after all and your father wants only the best
for you. Mason, why don’t you take a seat?”
Pulling my huge, heavy backpack off my back, I swing it to the floor
and drop down on the chair next to my new tutee.
“I know it’s the first day and it can be a bit overwhelming getting used
to your classes and such. But this is very important to Rylee.” VP Rivera
fixes her gaze on me. “She must score at least a B in all of her classes.”
With her arms crossed, Rylee sinks a bit in the chair as though she’s
embarrassed. I’ve known her since elementary school, and I never took her
as the type of person to be embarrassed about her schoolwork. She and her
friends are always having fun, and they used to be sent to the principal’s
office a lot. Now that we’re in high school, it’s not as frequent as it used to
be.
I nod to the VP. “Sure, of course. Whatever Rylee needs.”
 VP Rivera smiles in appreciation. “Thank you. I know you’ll be busy
with your own schoolwork and mathletes, but I’m sure you can make time
for tutoring as well.”
“Yes, definitely.” I turn to Rylee to smile or show her I’ve got her back,
but she’s glancing around the room like she’d rather be somewhere else.
“Perfect,” VP Rivera says. “Decide among yourselves when and where
you’ll meet. Rylee, you have your work cut out for you, but I believe in
you. And I hope the next time you’re in here, it’s because I’m
congratulating you on your progress.”
“Uh huh,” Rylee mutters as she reaches for her backpack that’s sitting at
her feet. “Can I go now?”
VP Rivera gestures that we can. I sweep my backpack off the floor and
follow my tutee out the door and into the hallway that’s still filled with
students. The bell will ring soon, so everyone’s squeezing in as much
chatter as they can.
“Hi,” I say to Rylee’s back.
She turns around. “Hey. So can we maybe start this whole tutoring thing
next week? I’m trying out for cheerleading tomorrow and don’t want to get
distracted. I’ll text you when I’m ready.”
I take a few moments to study her. Why do I get the feeling she wants to
ditch? She looks so innocent, but I know there’s a mischievous mind in
there. Rylee is smart and adventurous and creative, and I can’t help
wondering why she doesn’t put those talents into her schoolwork.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. You might fall behind in your classes if
we wait until next week.”
She sighs. “Fine. You’re right. So…?”
“Meet me at the school library after your last class today.”
 “Okay.” From the look on her face, it seems like someone is pulling her
by an invisible leash.
“See you later,” I tell her before turning around and heading for my first
class, English with Mrs. Hastings. I find a seat in the front row, take out my
school things, then clasp my fingers together over my desk, ready for the
lesson.
A few seconds later, Rylee and her friends, Mia and Zoey, enter the
classroom. As they pass me, I hear Zoey whisper to Rylee, “Mason’s your
tutor? He’s the best student in the whole school. You’ll be getting As in no
time.”
I don’t know why that makes a smile crawl onto my face. I know I’m
the top student—most teachers don’t let me forget that fact. But I guess it’s
nice for my peers to acknowledge it. Most kids at school don’t pay much
attention to me. Some only realize I exist when they need my help or want
to pick at my brain.
Rylee says something to her friend, but they’re too far away for me to
hear. I hope she’ll take the tutoring seriously. I love helping people, whether
they succeed or not, though I hope she’ll succeed. It’s not my first time
tutoring a student, but I never had someone like Rylee who pretty much
needs help in every subject except for PE, English, and art. But I’m looking
forward to helping her.
“Good morning, class,” Mrs. Hastings greets as she enters the
classroom. Her eyes skim around, taking each of us in, and she smiles. “I
hope you had a good summer. And I hope you read the required reading.”
“Yeah right,” a girl mutters. “Who reads over the summer?”
A few kids chuckle.
I glance at the three books stacked on my desk. I read all of them and
wrote the essays as well. Everyone knows Mrs. Hastings doesn’t technically
require us to complete the assignments over the summer. But extra credit is
always nice. I emailed mine to our teacher weeks ago and she was very
pleased with my essays.
I’m not the biggest fan of fiction and only read when I need to for
school. I’d rather devour medical books and magazines, and math and
science books.
Mrs. Hastings starts the lesson and like usual, I’m completely absorbed
in this class. She just has that special something when she teaches. Other
teachers don’t have that.
The bell rings.
“Please read the next ten chapters for tomorrow. Have a great day.”
I, along with the other kids, spill into the hallway and make our way to
our next classes. I pass a few of my friends from mathletes on the way and
we wave at each other. We’ll have our first practice tomorrow and I’m
really looking forward to competing this year. Our team has been
dominating the competition and I hope to continue making our school, our
parents, and ourselves proud.
***
My lunch table is at the back of the cafeteria, where my friends are
already seated. With my full tray, I join them and sit down.
“Hey, guys. How are your classes?” I ask them.
Lindy shrugs, her blonde hair sweeping her shoulders. “Same old. What
about you?”
I also shrug. “Not challenging enough.”
Nico, Lindy’s boyfriend, points his fork at me. “That’s because you’re
not taking as many AP classes as us, man.”
“I’m taking advanced math.” I open my Coke and take a sip. “And I’ve
got tutoring this semester. From what I hear, I’ve got my work cut out.”
 Fred chuckles. “Is he dumb?”
“No,” I stress. “She’s not dumb. School isn’t her strength, which is
okay. Everyone’s got their thing. But I need to help her get at least Bs in all
of her classes.”
Orlando whistles. “Sounds like you’ll have zero fun.”
I give him a look. “You know I don’t mind. I’d rather spend all my time
helping Rylee instead of rotting my brain on Spill It! or watching mindless
TV.”
“Don’t diss Spill it!,” Lindy orders. “It’s the best social media app out
there.”
I wave my hand. “All social media is bad.”
“Get off your soap box, man,” Nico says. “I’m with my girl on this
one.”
“Whatever, but make sure your brains are sharp this semester. I need
you guys to focus on mathletes. I’m not losing our winning streak.”
“Yes, captain.” Fred salutes.
“Wait, did you say you’re tutoring Rylee Barrington?” Lindy asks.
I stab my fork into my food. “Yeah, why?”
Her eyes roam around until she finds my tutee sitting at the table in the
corner with her friends. “She’s cute.”
My cheeks feel hot for some reason. “I mean, I guess…”
Most would probably agree that she’s one of the prettiest girls at school.
She’s beautiful on the inside as well. She probably doesn’t remember this,
but when we were in first grade, there was only one book left in our class
library and she let me have it. I knew right then she was a good person.
“Don’t get distracted by her beauty,” Fred guffaws as he waggles his
brows.
 I roll my eyes at him. “Shut up, man. She’s not the first girl I’ve
tutored.”
“But she’s the prettiest.”
I don’t say anything as I glance in her direction. And my cheeks get hot
again as I watch her laugh with her friends. Now that we’ll be spending a
lot of time together, I’m suddenly nervous. And I don’t know why. It’s not
the pressure of helping her ace her classes. It’s something else, something I
don’t understand.
“I heard she’s trying out for the cheer squad,” Lindy tells us. “You ready
to tutor a cheerleader, Mason?”
Snapping back in, I face her. “Not all cheerleaders are bad.”
“No. Just the ones at Edenbury High.” Orlando snorts.
I’m about to refute and tell him not to clump all cheerleaders together,
when none other than the cheer captain herself, Tiffany Myers, sweeps up
to our table with a look of disgust as she eyes our food, specifically
Orlando’s sandwich. He’s got a long list of food allergies, so his mom packs
his lunch every day.
She wrinkles her nose. “Ew. That stinks.” She makes a gagging noise
before flipping her blonde hair and heading to the jock and cheerleader
table. Everyone sitting there gives her their full attention as though she’s the
queen of school. Many would argue that she is.
Orlando frowns at his food. I place my hand on his arm. “Ignore her.
Your mom’s lunches are great.”
“Yeah, I know.”
I’m about to talk about something else, but a voice says, “Hey, man.”
Looking up, I find my twin brother and wide receiver for the Lions,
Jason, standing there with a tray full of food he just bought.
“You okay?” he asks as his eyes sweep over me and my friends.
 “Yeah, we’re cool,” I say. “Thanks.”
He nods as he looks over at the jock table. “They give you crap, tell me
and I’ll set them straight. Yeah?”
I smile in appreciation. Jason’s always had my back, always protected
me from bullies when we were little. For the most part, the jerks at school
leave my friends and me alone, but sometimes Jason has to remind them. It
bothers me that I can’t stand up for myself, though I know one day I’ll be
brave enough. Maybe once high school is over and I’m a successful doctor
and they’re working crappy jobs that hardly pay.
“I’ll see you later,” Jason says with a grin before sauntering over to the
jock table. He bends to whisper something in Tiffany’s ear. She frowns,
nodding reluctantly as he takes the seat near his teammates.
My friends and I talk about random things until the bell rings, and then
we head to our classes. I have biology, my favorite subject other than math.
If it were up to me, I’d sit in the biology classroom the entire day. It’s just
never enough.
Rylee shares this class with me, and as Mr. Yate teaches the lesson, I
notice she’s barely paying attention. It looks like she’s thinking about
something else.
I quickly turn away from her, wondering why I’m suddenly paying
attention to her. I tell myself it’s because she’s my tutee and I need to get a
sense of what kind of student she is. But I’m not sure that’s the truth.

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 Chapter Three
Rylee

It’s probably bad that I’m late to my first tutoring lesson. It’s just that I
couldn’t separate from my friends because we always have something to
talk about. Especially books. Since our first book club meeting of our junior
year is canceled today because of my tutoring, we kind of had a mini book
club.
I know, I know. It’s terrible of me because my tutor is waiting. I don’t
want to be an ungrateful jerk, because he’s taking the time to help me. I
just…I don’t want a tutor.
But that’s not his fault and he doesn’t deserve this attitude from me. So
as much as this sucks, I adjust my backpack and make my way into the
school library. I’ve been here many times because I love books, but it’s
been a while because the library takes forever to receive new books. And
my friends and I devour them like candy.
I spot Mason sitting at one of the tables with a stack of textbooks. Ugh.
I can’t even think about schoolwork because I’m so nervous about cheer
tryouts. But I’m here, so that’s something, right?
He glances up and smiles, waving me over. Sighing, I make my way to
him.
He gestures to the chair across from him as he pushes some dark hair
out of his face. “I thought we could start with biology first, since we share
that class and I figured it’d be easier. Maybe we can do our homework
together.”
I throw myself down on the chair and cross my arms over my chest. “I
guess.”
 He watches me for a few seconds before nodding to himself and
opening his biology textbook. “Did you bring your textbook?”
My eyebrows furrow. “Was I supposed to?”
“Oh, sorry I forgot to tell you. I thought it was obvious. I’ll be clearer
next time.”
I gape at the stack of books on the table. “You emptied your entire
locker?”
“Well, I only took the subjects you need help with.”
I laugh lamely. “Which is, like, all of them.”
“That’s okay. We’ll get through this, one subject at a time.”
Grunting, I lean back in my chair. “How long will this take? I mean, I
don’t want to be ungrateful, but sheesh. It’s a lot.”
“Yeah, but you can do it.” He smiles encouragingly. “The important
thing is not to be overwhelmed. Let’s start with bio and we’ll move on to
algebra. Both those are my favorite subjects. What are yours?”
I push some of my long straight brown hair over my shoulder. “Don’t
have one. I hate school.”
From the look on his face, you’d think I hurt his cat.
He clears his throat. “Right,” he says, flipping through some more
pages. “Do you remember what we learned today in class?”
Nope. I’m pretty sure I was thinking about cheer tryouts. “Hey, cool
shirt.”
He glances down at his Swords and Legends themed shirt. It’s one of the
most popular fantasy TV series to exist. The shirt depicts my favorite
characters, Torenin and Aleriana, back to back, him holding a bow and
arrow and she a sword.
“You like Swords and Legends?” he asks, eyes wide like he can’t
believe such a concept.
 I frown. “Girls like that show.”
He quickly shakes his head. “Of course. I wasn’t insinuating that it’s
only for guys. I just don’t see you as a Swordie.”
“Well, the truth is I haven’t really been up to date with the show. My
sister Chloe and her boyfriend Liam are obsessed with it and Chloe and I
used to watch it together when I was younger. But I kind of forgot about it
until now. I miss it.”
He grins, his eyes sparkling. “The current season is the best one. But
um…” His grin drops. “We should focus on biology.”
“Ugh.”
He laughs lightly. “We’ll get through it. Maybe I’ll even convert you
into a bio lover.”
I snort. “Ha, sure. Don’t you dare.”
He looks at me for a few beats. “Is there something wrong with loving
school?”
“Nope. It’s just not for me. Give me a book, send me traveling around
the world. Just don’t, and I repeat don’t, give me homework.”
He’s still watching me. “But homework is a good thing. It helps you
retain what you learned in school that day. For example, if my history
teacher didn’t give oral quizzes every day, I wouldn’t review my notes and
would forget all the material by the time the test rolls around.”
I shrug. “I don’t plan to go to college, anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”
He blinks at me. “You’re not going to college?”
I shrug again. “My parents want me to, but it’s so blah. Like, what am I
going to study there, anyway? More stuff I’ll forget? What’s the point?”
“Because you’ll learn about yourself and what you want to do with your
life.”
 “I know what I want to do. Travel the world, meet new people, go on
adventures. And document the entire thing.”
He’s still staring at me.
“What?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Nothing. I just never met anyone like you. But I
haven’t really met many people and the kids at school pretty much ignore
me, so…” He shrugs.
“Yeah, my mom says I tend to get carried away.”
“Sorry, but we need to get this schoolwork done.”
“Right. To answer your question, no I didn’t pay attention in bio class,”
I say. “Sorry.”
He holds up his hands. “That’s okay. We’ll go over the material. But
please pay attention from now on. I can’t reteach you everything. We’ll just
keep falling more behind.”
“Okay. I’ll try.”
He goes over the lesson and of course my mind wanders. Bio is just soo
boring. He must realize I’m not paying attention because he suddenly stops
and plows his fingers through his dark hair.
“You’re not making much of an effort to focus. Do you want to pass
your classes or not?”
“Well, I don’t want to fail my junior year and have to repeat it.”
“Right. So how do you expect to pass your junior year if you don’t
focus on what I’m trying to teach you? I don’t mind helping you, but if my
words are leaving your ears the second they enter them, what’s the point?”
My eyebrows knit. “I’m dumb, okay?”
“You’re not dumb, Rylee. Let’s try again.”
As he talks about something bio related, my phone dings with a
notification. My hands automatically grab it to check what it is. Posts from
some people I follow on Spill It!. I scroll through more new posts, liking
and commenting as I go.
“Rylee?”
I snap in and find Mason watching me. “Oh.” I put down my phone.
“Sorry. Can I just quickly comment on—?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t do this. You don’t care about any of this, do
you?” He gets to his feet. “Whenever you’re serious about your schoolwork
and want to try again, text me.”
“You’re just leaving me?”
He gathers the stack of textbooks in his arms. “Yes, I am. Take a day or
two to think about what you want and then text me.”
He carries the textbooks out of the library, heaving them like they weigh
just as much as him. The door shuts behind him, leaving me alone, except
for the librarian who looks like she’s taking selfies to post on social media.
I can’t believe the dude just left me. Gave up on me. Fine, maybe I
wasn’t respecting him or the lesson, but can anyone blame me? School is
boring. And I can’t stop thinking about cheer tryouts and how nervous I am.
But he doesn’t care or get it. All that matters to him is schoolwork. There’s
more to life.
But I’m not going to think about that right now. I have cheer tryouts to
focus on.

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 Chapter Four
Mason

“How was tutoring?” Mom asks as I get in the car. “I was actually
surprised you texted me that you’re done so quickly.”
I stare out the window as she drives toward our house. “Yeah, the lesson
was cut short because my student refused to focus.”
“Hmm. So you just gave up on him?”
“Her. And no, I didn’t give up on her. I tried to get her to focus a few
times, but she kept talking about something else and scrolling on her
phone.” I mean, I had fun talking about Swords and Legends and
everything, but that’s not the point. I was asked to tutor her, not talk about
my favorite TV show.
Mom grins. “You’re tutoring a girl? Is she cute?”
I give her a look. “I need her to focus on the lesson, and until she can do
that, the tutoring is off.”
Mom’s quiet for a second or two. “Have you considered that maybe this
is difficult for her? Maybe she’s having a hard time and is distracted
because she’s embarrassed to ask for help.”
“No. Rylee’s not embarrassed about anything. She wasn’t focusing
because all she cares about is cheer tryouts tomorrow.”
“She’s a cheerleader?”
I give her another look. “Mom, come on. I know it was wrong to just
ditch her, but she’s at fault, too. And if she’s serious about doing well in
school, she can text me.”
Mom stops at a red light and places her hand on my shoulder. “Mason,
don’t be frustrated because she’s not an easy pupil. Text her and apologize
and ask her to meet with you tomorrow.”
I shrug her hand off. “She didn’t even try. If she was trying and was
struggling, of course I’d never abandon her, but she just didn’t care.”
“Text her,” she urges.
“You just want me to text her because she’s a girl.”
“No,” she stresses. “I don’t like the idea of you abandoning someone
when they need you. I raised you to be better than that.”
I bang the back of my head against the seat. I know it’s so unlike me to
walk away. But no one has ever disregarded my help like she did. And I
guess I might have been too hard on her, but if I stayed, she would have
continued spacing out.
I’m not saying she wasted my time, but that’s kind of true. I have my
own schoolwork and mathletes to focus on. I can’t waste away helping
someone who doesn’t want to be helped.
Mom squeezes my hand. “Just think about it, okay? Remember, she’s
probably just embarrassed to ask for help.”
“She’s not, but fine. I’ll think about it.”
“Good. Jason told me he’s hanging out with his friends at Mikey’s Diner
tonight, so it’s just you and me for dinner.”
“Okay.”
Jason is out with his friends most nights. It was hard when he started
getting popular in middle school and chose his friends over me, but we’re
growing up and will have to choose our own paths. We’re still as close as
we used to be, though, and we talk about everything. Though in his case, he
always talks about girls. He’s had quite a few girlfriends while I haven’t had
any. As much as I want a girlfriend and would like to fall in love, I doubt
it’ll happen until I’m much older.
 Mom and I stop off at the supermarket on the way home to buy food for
dinner. Then she heads to the kitchen to cook it and I get started on my
homework.
I glance at my phone that’s sitting on my desk. Should I text Rylee and
apologize? Was I in the wrong?
No, it’s best I give her time to focus on cheer tryouts. Contacting her
now would just be a waste of time.
After Mom’s done with dinner, we eat and talk about many things.
Including my dad. He died in a car accident when Mom was pregnant with
Jason and me. She’s told us many stories about him and I feel like I know
him. Kind of. Jason and I look very similar to him with our dark hair and
brown eyes. Mom’s hair is a very light brown and her eyes are green.
“Mason, you okay?” Mom interrupts me from my thoughts.
“Yeah, I’m okay. Dinner was delicious, Mom. Want help cleaning up?”
She waves her hand. “That’s all right. I’ll clean up and then read a book
or watch TV. Maybe I’ll turn in early.” Mom works for a large accounting
firm in the wealthy town of Silverton, the next town over. She and Dad
actually met at work all those years ago and it took a while for them to
realize they liked each other. Then Mom asked Dad out and they were
married six months later.
“Okay.” I stand. “Good night, Mom.”
“Good night, honey. Text Jason not to stay out too late, all right?”
“Sure.”
She makes her way to her bedroom and I go to mine. After texting
Jason, I plop down at my desk and finish my homework.
A few hours later, when I’m watching my favorite medical
documentary, Jason enters my room and drops down on my bed, his head
smacking my pillow.
 “Did you have fun?” I ask.
He sits up and shrugs. “Some of my friends got us kicked out because
they were flirting with a waitress.” He rolls his eyes. “Martha was blowing
things out of proportion.”
The owner of Mikey’s Diner is an older woman and everyone loves her.
She’s like a grandma to all of us.
“Did you flirt with the waitress, too?” I ask my brother.
“Nah. Well, a little. Come on, she was hot.”
I hold up my hands. “Not judging. So what happened after you guys got
kicked out?”
“Went to the park and met up with some of the cheerleaders. Then
Tiffany freaked out because she saw a raccoon or something and the girls
demanded we take them home.”
“Sounds like fun. You should get started on your homework,” I tell him.
“It’s getting late.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He gets to his feet and watches my medical documentary
for a few minutes. When it displays footage from a real-life surgery, he
shivers. “Man, how can you watch that?”
“It’s fascinating.”
He frowns. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”
I wish him good night and he exits my room. It’s hard for me to separate
myself from the TV—I could devour these documentaries for hours—but I
need to get enough sleep and have a sharp mind for tomorrow. Maintaining
a perfect GPA is my utmost priority.

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 Chapter Five
Rylee

I swallow as I peek into the gym after school the next day, my eyes
roving over every single potential cheerleading recruit. Why are so many
students trying out?
“I can do this,” I whisper to myself. It doesn’t matter how many people
try out. I just have to do the best I can and hope for the best.
Grandma’s spirit is with me. I can feel her. If it’s meant for me to be a
cheerleader, it will happen. But I certainly will try my darndest.
Zoey also peeks into the gym. “Wow. That’s quite a turnout.”
“But you’ve got this!” Mia says, eyes holding nothing but confidence in
me as she throws her arms around me. Mia is such a good hugger.
Seriously, all my troubles vanish into thin air when she engulfs me in her
embrace. “Zoey and I watched you perform your routine a million times,”
she continues. “It’s so solid.”
“And not to mention Dani helped, too,” Zoey reminds us.
Dani Wood Knight is one of Mom’s best friends—one of her
Musketeers. She’s a dance instructor at the Edenbury Dance Studio, and she
was also on Broadway. I do feel more confident in my routine because of
her help, but I’m worried my nerves will get the better of me and I’ll mess
up.
But I need to shake away those negative thoughts.
“Oh, before you try out!” Mia slides her backpack off her back and gets
down on her knees, rummaging inside for something. A few seconds later,
she produces a worn-out-looking orangish-pinkish bunny plush.
 I gasp as I gape at her. “You’re giving me Lady Bunny?” She’s Mia’s
good luck charm that she takes with her whenever she goes on an audition.
The Park family swears the bunny has magical powers that help her—and
sometimes her dad, Asher Park—book jobs. But Mia’s never once given her
to me or Zoey, not even before a big football game.
“Just to borrow,” she explains as she hugs the bunny to her chest. “I
know you’ve wanted to be a cheerleader for a really long time, and all I
want is to help make your dreams come true. So here you go.” She passes
her bunny to me.
“Thanks, Mia! That’s so awesome of you.” I take the bunny and hug her
to my chest. Do I really believe in Lady Bunny’s powers? Yes. Either way,
I’ll do anything to help me get on the squad.
Then I hug both Mia and Zoey, take a deep breath, and march into the
gym. Many of the other girls—and a few guys, too—are stretching. I
swallow again as I watch everyone. Why did I think I could compete with
all of them?
Some of the girls standing nearby glance at Lady Bunny and giggle,
bending to whisper to one another. Okay, I know I look silly holding a
stuffed animal like a little kid, but they don’t get how effective this rabbit is.
I lower my backpack to the floor and place Lady Bunny on top of it so
she doesn’t get dirty, then I start my stretches. It doesn’t take too long for
the assistant cheer coach, Paisley Abberton—Teagyn’s daughter—to come
in. Like many of the other hopefuls, I crane my neck right and left,
searching for the Head Witch herself. But I don’t see her anywhere.
“Attention, everyone!” Paisley claps her hands, causing everyone to
stop talking or stretching and to look her way. “Welcome to cheer tryouts.
Coach Abberton is out of town and can’t make it, so I and the head
cheerleader will hold the tryouts.” She nods at her cousin, Tiffany Myers,
who wears a proud smirk on her face. I try not to roll my eyes. Tiffany is
just as bad as her aunt. She has the same blonde hair as Teagyn and Paisley,
and the same bitter attitude. But she is a really amazing cheerleader.
“Okay, let’s start.” Paisley sits down at a table in front of the bleachers
with her cousin and the sign-up sheet. I know my name should be
somewhere in the middle, so I have some time to relax. But my heart’s been
pounding ever since I walked in and it hasn’t stopped.
“Psst!” someone hisses.
When I look to my right, I find Mia and Zoey sitting in the bleachers.
They wave at me. I’m so glad they’re here to support me. Just seeing their
faces fills me with confidence I seriously need. Mia points to Lady Bunny
and gives me a thumbs up. I sweep down to press my fingers to the top of
her head and then to my lips. Mia’s older sister, Willow, claims the plush is
full of gross diseases because Mia hasn’t washed her since the day her
parents bought it for her—after she booked her first show at age five. I bet
she and my sister would tell me not to touch my lips after touching the
bunny, but blah blah.
I try not to freak out as I watch all the other kids perform. Sheesh, their
routines are amazing. What shot do I have?
Be positive, I tell myself. Be positive. Be positive.
“Rylee Barrington?” Assistant Coach Abberton calls.
My heart has just catapulted out of my chest and ran away. I can’t move.
I can’t breathe.
“Rylee?” she calls again, her eyes sweeping over the hopefuls. Then
they land on me. “There you are. Come on, you’re up!”
Somehow, I get my legs to move, and I step closer to where they sit.
Just as I’m about to reach for the pom-poms on the table, Tiffany says,
“Wait, we’re letting her try out?”
 “She’s on the sign-up sheet, isn’t she?”
Tiffany stares at her cousin like she lost her mind. “Yeah, but—”
“Tiff, many more people are waiting to try out.” Paisley focuses her
attention on me, offering me a kind smile. “Let’s see what you’ve got,
Rylee. Good luck.”
Um…why is Paisley being nice to me? She’s the daughter of Teagyn,
the woman who made my mom’s life a living hell in high school. And
Paisley also picked on Chloe and her friends when they were in high
school. Is this some kind of trick or joke?
Tiffany narrows her eyes at me like she wishes the floor would swallow
me up so she wouldn’t have to look at me for another second.
“Rylee, we’re waiting,” Paisley says.
“Right. Sorry.” I glance at my friends and soak in their encouraging
looks. Forget Paisley and Tiffany and whatever they might have planned.
The only thing I need to focus on right now is my routine.
My legs don’t move at first, but after a few seconds, I get totally into it.
Every move I make is perfect, my words loud and clear as I cheer. The
pom-poms swoosh in the air with sharp and precise movements. I swear I
feel my grandmother with me, and my mom, too. Even though she’s at
work, I know she’s still with me.
I’ve never performed my routine so flawlessly before. And when I’m
done, all the kids stare at me like they can’t believe what they just saw. I
glance at Tiffany, and her expression tells me she wishes she could poke my
eyes out with her pen. Paisley, on the other hand, wears a proud and
impressed look.
“That was amazing, Rylee!” she says with a smile as she writes
something down on the paper before her. “Flawless routine. Great job.
Next, we have Tasha Williams.”
 I’m in a daze as I pass my pom-poms to Tasha and walk back to where
my backpack is. What the…did that just happen?
“Lady Bunny, you are a queen!” I snatch her in my hands and hug her to
my chest, pressing my lips to the top of her head, not caring about any
diseases. Those girls from before and many other kids stare or laugh or
make faces like I’m insane, but I don’t care. I wave her in the air as I smile
at my friends, and they whoop and cheer. I know I haven’t gotten on the
squad—yet!—but the fact that I knocked it out of the park is awesome.
When the last person is done with his routine, Paisley stands up. “Is that
everyone? Great. Results will be posted tomorrow. Unfortunately, we don’t
have many spots open and can only accept a handful of people. You all have
done a great job and should be proud of yourselves. Enjoy the rest of your
day!”
As the other kids start filing out of the gym, Zoey and Mia rush over to
me and fling their arms around me.
“You were incredible!” Zoey gushes.
“It was the bunny,” I tell Mia as I hand her to her. “She bestowed me
with her powers.”
“She helped, sure,” Mia says with a laugh. “But most of it was you.”
“Thanks.”
After placing the bunny in her backpack, the three of us leave the gym
and head for our lockers to grab the books we’ll need for homework.
“What was up with Paisley?” I ask as I open my locker. “She was acting
weird, right? Too nice. Especially to me. We all know the Myers and
Abbertons hate our families.”
“Yeah, she was totally weird,” Mia agrees. “I don’t trust her one bit.
Watch your back, Rylee.”
 I shrug. “I still can’t imagine her or her mom actually allowing me to be
on the squad. But I had to at least try, you know?”
Zoey puffs out some air. “Too bad Tiffany hates us, too. Maybe she
could have convinced her aunt and cousin to let you on.”
“Wait, I thought Rylee said she wants to be positive,” Mia says. “Forget
the Myers and Abbertons. If they knew what was good for them, they’d let
Rylee join because her routine was the best one.”
I stare at her. “Thanks, but we all know that’s not true.”
Mia throws her hands on her hips. “Are you calling me a liar?”
“Yes.”
“Dude, your routine was amazing. You definitely channeled your
grandma.”
My gaze moves down the hallway, to where the photo of Grandma’s
cheer squad is in the display case. “You really think so?”
“Duh,” both she and Zoey say.
That causes warmth to prick my insides. “Thanks, but I don’t want to
get too hopeful. There were so many people and so many great routines.”
Even though I’m secretly hoping and wishing…
“Well, I’ve got to head to the auditorium for theater,” Mia says. “Miss
Lane will probably be super ticked off at me for missing our first meeting.
But I had to support my bestie.” She hugs me with one arm.
“Thanks. But you shouldn’t miss your activities because of me.”
“She knows who I am. And she’d be nuts not to have me in her play.”
Mia winks.
I laugh. Mia doesn’t like using her fame to manipulate people. But I
guess the occasion called for it?
The weird thing about Mia being a somewhat famous actor is that she’s
still not popular at school. Maybe because all the students grew up with her
and aren’t star-struck? It’s nice in a way because having the spotlight
constantly on her—and us—would be so exhausting. Then again, I do wish
we were popular.
“Good thing football practice was canceled today,” Zoey says. “But we
have early practice tomorrow morning. Ugh, my muscles already hurt.”
“Oh crap,” I grumble.
Mia and Zoey look at me.
“My tutor. I’m supposed to text him. Can you believe he walked out on
me?”
“Well, you did give him a reason to,” Zoey points out.
I give her a look. “Whose side are you on?”
“Rylee, you need to take school more seriously. Aren’t you worried
about college?”
“Nope. I plan to—”
“Travel the world and document everything you see,” both she and Mia
say.
Then Zoey adds, “We know. But your parents want you to go to college
and get a degree, too. Just to have something to fall back on.”
I frown. “I guess you’re right. But ugh, maybe I should ask the office to
find me another tutor. You know, not someone who thinks fun is solving a
quadratic equation.”
“I love quadratic equations!” Zoey says.
“Awesome. He can be your tutor.”
All three of us laugh.
“Seriously, though, your parents will kill you if you don’t bring up your
grades,” Mia says as we start walking and stop before the entrance to the
auditorium.
 I wave my hand. “I know. Good luck with theater, Mia. Though I don’t
know why I bother. Everyone knows you always get the lead role.”
“Unless it’s a musical. You know I can’t sing.”
“Sure you can,” Zoey says.
“Thanks, but not good enough for a lead role. See you guys later.” She
waves and walks into the auditorium.
I wrap my arm around Zoey. “So do you want to come over and put
fake snakes in my dad’s home office? He hates snakes.”
“No, Rylee,” she stresses. “We’re not little kids anymore. I don’t want to
get in trouble again or get kicked off the team.”
I scowl. “Fine.”
“Anyway, I have a video call with my brother.”
“How’s Brock doing?”
Zoey raises her shoulders with a sigh. “I don’t know. He seems okay,
but it’s hard to tell with him.”
“You think he’s ready to move back home?”
She sighs again. “I don’t think so. Living with my grandparents in
Boston for the past two years has been good for him. I mean, we all miss
him like crazy, and all his friends keep asking me when he’s coming back…
especially Lexi…but I think he’s happy there.”
I give her an encouraging smile. “Well, I’m sure he’ll be okay. Maybe
he’ll be ready to move back sooner than you think.”
“Yeah. I hope.”
“My dad’s probably waiting for us in his office.”
After meeting my dad and informing him that cheer tryouts went very
well, we head to the car. The whole ride home, I imagine what it would be
like to finally be a cheerleader. I know I told my friends that I don’t think
I’ll make it, but I’m feeling good vibes.
OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Six
Mason

After I’m done with mathletes practice, I take the city bus home because
Mom’s staying late at work. I have my license, but we only have one car.
Mom wants to save up for a car that Jason and I will share. Both my brother
and I are okay with sharing because we know three cars are out of the
question.
Besides, it’s not like I have much of a social life, anyway.
Jason isn’t home, either. Most days, I’m used to coming home to an
empty house. Mom works very hard to provide Jason and me with
everything we need and I appreciate it so much. I don’t know how many
times I’ve told her that, but it never seems to be enough.
As I’m doing my homework, my gaze focuses on my phone. I don’t
know why I’m waiting for Rylee to text me that she’s ready to be tutored.
She had her cheer tryout today and I know school is most likely the last
thing on her mind. Still, I was hoping she’d take the initiative.
I still feel like a jerk for abandoning her. Truthfully, I thought about it
last night as I lay in bed and at school today. I passed her in the hallway
several times, but we barely glanced at each other. From the expression on
her face, she only had one thing on her mind.
Now that tryouts are over, will she maybe take school more seriously?
Sighing, I bend forward and brush my fingers through my hair. I don’t
know why I care about her schoolwork. I guess I feel responsible for her
possibly failing her junior year. It bothers me when someone needs help and
I don’t do anything about it. And I know this is on her, not me, but I’d still
like to help.
 Reaching for my phone, I tap out a text to her.
Mason: Hi, Rylee. I’m sorry for walking out on our tutoring session.
It was wrong and I apologize. Would you like to meet up tomorrow for
our next session?
I continue my homework as I wait for her response, but it doesn’t come.
When an hour passes, I figure she probably deleted it, or maybe blocked my
number. Either way, it’s clear she doesn’t want a tutor anymore.
I tell myself not to feel responsible—this isn’t really my problem—but I
can’t help feeling responsible. And I don’t understand why. Rylee cares
more about cheerleading than about school, so why am I wasting emotions
on her?
Maybe that’s my problem. I care too much.
Maybe VP Rivera has another student I can tutor so I won’t think about
Rylee’s grades slipping. Or maybe it’s not too late to sign up for more AP
classes like my friends.
“I’m home!” Mom calls from downstairs. “Mason, Jason, you guys up
there?”
I step out of my room and bend over the railing to show myself. “Hi,
Mom. It’s just me up here. Jason’s out with his friends.”
She smiles as she places her bag on the kitchen table. “I’m too tired to
cook. You okay with pizza?”
“Am I ever not okay with pizza? Should I order it?”
“Already did. It should be here soon. Have you finished your homework
yet?”
“Yeah.”
She smiles. “Want to watch a movie with your old mom? After a hard
day at work, I’m in the mood for a rom-com.”
 “Sure. Let me just send my assignment to Mrs. Hastings and I’ll be right
down.”
As I do that, the doorbell rings. Yes! Pizza is here.
I meet Mom downstairs, where she places plates on the table next to the
pizza box that smells like the most delicious thing in the world. Barnie’s
Pizzeria makes the best pizza.
After we each grab a slice, we settle down in the living room and Mom
searches for a movie she hasn’t seen yet. Rom-coms aren’t really my thing,
though I do enjoy a laugh here and there. I’d rather watch my medical
shows, but I love hanging out with my mom, so if she wants a rom-com,
we’ll watch a rom-com.
She gets comfy on the couch with her pizza and begins the movie. It
starts off a little odd, but I think that’s the point. Mom’s eyes are glued to
the screen and she hardly takes a bite of her pizza. I’ve practically devoured
mine.
“See that?” Mom nods at the TV screen. “They got into a fight and then
he’ll be her boss.”
When the woman starts her new job, sure enough the man she crashed
into and got into an altercation with is none other than her new boss.
“Predictable,” Mom says with a chuckle.
“But you love it.”
“I sure do.” She eyes my empty plate. “Want me to get you another
slice?”
“I’m good, thanks.”
I reach for my phone that’s sitting next to me on the couch and scan the
screen. Nothing from Rylee.
“Is something the matter?” Mom asks. “You seem distracted.”
 “Sorry. It’s just this thing with Rylee. I texted her and apologized for
ditching her, but she’s ignoring me.” I shrug. “I don’t know why I care so
much.”
She squeezes my shoulder. “Because you’re a sweetheart.”
I frown at her. “I was rude to her.”
“But you apologized. Try talking to her at school tomorrow and maybe
—” Her voice gets cut off as my phone dings.
“Is that her?” Mom asks as I scan the screen.
“Yeah.”
Rylee: I’m sorry for being distracted. Sure, we can meet tomorrow.
After school in the library?
Mason: Yes. I’ll see you.
Rylee: Okay.
Mom peers over my shoulder, reading my texts. “See. Things have
worked out.”
She sounds so excited, I want to roll my eyes. Just because she thinks a
girl is showing me interest—she’s not, for the record—she thinks I’ll fall
madly in love with her. I blame these rom-coms she loves.
But at the same time, I can’t blame her for wanting good things for me.
But if she’s thinking about a potential girlfriend for me, Rylee would be the
last person to ever be interested in me.
And anyway, between tutoring, mathletes, and school, I don’t have time
to think about girls.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Seven
Rylee

I’ve been nervous many times in my life, but I’ve never felt true
apprehension and anxiety like I do now.
The cheer tryouts results will be posted any moment now. How can I
concentrate on Great Expectations when I’m twitching here waiting for the
moment to arrive?
“Rylee?”
I blink and look up at Ally Hastings. She’s my English teacher and one
of Mom’s best friends. She’s also Zoey’s aunt.
She stands in front of her desk, clutching her copy of Great
Expectations, her brown eyes pinned on me. Her forehead is slightly
creased with concern. From her tone of voice, I think she called my name a
few times.
Some kids turn around to stare at me. Including Mason, who I expect to
look frustrated that I’m not paying attention. But he doesn’t look like that at
all, just curious.
“Um, what?” I ask my teacher.
“I asked if you can name some of the themes in the book,” Ally says.
“Oh…um…”
“Did you read the book, Rylee?”
“Yeah, I did! I swear. But…I can’t think straight.”
Her forehead creases with more concern. “Are you feeling sick?”
“No…it’s um…” I sink a little in my seat as more kids turn to stare at
me, some of them with expressions like they think I’ve lost it. “Coach
Abberton is supposed to post any minute who made the cheer squad and I
feel like I’m going to throw up.”
Ally’s eyes soften. “I understand how nervous you are, but I would
really love it if you tried to concentrate on the lesson. We can’t put class on
hold until after the results are posted.”
I nod as I open my book. “Yeah. You’re right. Sorry. The themes in
Great Expectations are love, wealth, poverty, social advancement…”
When I’ve finished, Ally smiles proudly. “Excellent!”
She continues the lesson, and I try to concentrate and not twitch like a
bug crawled up my pants. The minutes tick by slower than the slowest snail
on the planet. The only thing that makes it a little bearable is Ally’s lesson.
They’re always so fun and intriguing, not to mention it makes me love
books even more. Everyone loves Mrs. Hastings’s classes and hopes and
yearns they’ll have her that semester. Lucky for me and my friends, I’ve
had her for English since freshman year. I wonder if our moms being best
friends has something to do with it, though. Hey, nepotism isn’t always a
bad thing.
Finally, finally, the bell rings and I launch out of my seat, sweeping my
book and pens and notebook into my backpack and racing toward the door.
I think Mia calls after me, but I keep running until I’m in the hallway. I
don’t see any crowds gathered around. Darn it, it hasn’t been posted yet.
“Geez, Rylee,” Zoey says as she and Mia catch up, Mia a little out of
breath. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you run that fast before. If your dad
saw how active you could be, he’d make you run laps.”
“Don’t give him any ideas.”
Mia is still heaving.
I point my thumb in her direction. “She’s worse than me.”
Mia shoves some hair out of her eyes. “I’m an actor, not an athlete.”
 “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean—”
“They’re posted!” someone shouts. “The cheer tryout results are
posted!”
The largest gasp I’ve ever heard escapes my lips. My legs act before my
brain even has a chance to process, and I’m dashing to where Assistant
Coach Abberton is pinning the poster to the bulletin board.
Many other girls and guys push their way to the poster, too. And since
I’m practically invisible, I’m pushed and shoved away. Oh my gosh, where
did all these students come from?
Paisley escapes to safety before she’s crushed by the mob. The students
practically crash into the bulletin board as they hurry to scan the people
who made the squad. Some of them cheer, most cry. I’m still too far away
because I can’t get to it.
“I’ll get you through,” Zoey says as she takes hold of my hand and
makes her way through the crowd. Even though she’s tiny, she’s got some
serious muscles. But of course she’s making sure not to hurt anyone as we
push through the students.
“Thank you, Wonder Woman,” I say.
She chuckles. “Anything for my bestie.”
When we reach the poster, I feel like everything I ate today will shoot
out of my mouth. Every part of me is so wound up, I’m about to bounce off
the walls. And I can barely breathe.
“I can’t look,” I say.
“Want me to look for you?” she offers.
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
“Wait, no.”
“Okay.”
 “Actually, yeah. You look. I don’t think I can.”
She steps up to the poster.
I grab her arm. “No! I want to look. I need this moment.”
“Okay.” She steps aside.
But I don’t think I can look. What if I didn’t make it? I mean, I’m not a
math person like Zoey, but I know statistically speaking, I have a very slim
chance of getting on the squad. But even a small percentage is something,
right? Like my mom and dad always say, I should never give up hope.
Never give up on my dreams.
So taking a deep breath and releasing it, I step up to the poster and study
the names on the list.
Tasha Williams
Gabby Cortez
Tristan Patel
Rylee Barrington
Kailey Hughes, alternate
I release such a loud shriek that I nearly cause myself permanent ear
damage.
“Ouch!” Zoey slams her hands over her ears as she cringes like she, too,
will have permanent ear damage.
“I made it!” I grab her arm and jump in place. “Zoey, I made the squad!
And not as an alternate. I’m a cheerleader!”
“What?” She studies the list, running her finger down the names. “Oh
my gosh!” She spins around and flings her arms around me. “You made it!
You made it! You made it! I knew you would. I knew it.”
I can feel a lot of students watching us like we’re a spectacle at the zoo,
and normally that would make me feel a little embarrassed. But right now?
I don’t care about any of that. I’m a freakin’ cheerleader.
 “Rylee!” Mia launches herself into my arms and squeezes me tight.
“I’m so happy for you! And so proud. You’re going to be the best
cheerleader the Lions ever had.”
“Thanks so much!” I yank the two of them into my arms. “Thanks so
much for all your support. You’re the bestest best friends in the world.”
“Not a word,” Zoey’s muffled voice says against my shoulder.
“I don’t care,” I say with a laugh.
After hugging them for a few minutes, I get out my phone and text my
parents the good news. I don’t think Mom will have a chance to look at it
yet because she’s probably swamped with work, but Dad responds right
away.
Dad: Knew you could do it, sweetheart! I’m extremely proud of you
and so thankful that your dreams have come true. Celebration tonight
at home? Invite your friends and I’ll buy your favorite double
chocolate cake with pink flowers.
Rylee: OMG yes! Thanks so much, Dad.
I turn to my friends and beam. “You’re all invited to my celebratory
dinner tonight. Dad’s going to buy my favorite cake and I’ll eat half of it
with no shame.”
“With help, you mean,” Mia corrects.
“You bet your butt!”
“What is the commotion?” a voice calls from down the hallway. It’s VP
Rivera. When she notices that half the students are still gushing (or crying)
over the cheer tryout results, she shakes her head with a frown. “The same
thing every year,” she mutters. Then she claps her hands. “Okay, students!
The bell rang two minutes ago. Go to your classes before you all get
detention.”
 “Who can go to class now?” I grumble as my friends and I walk away
from her so we won’t get in trouble.
“I know, right?” Mia says. “See you guys at lunch.”
All three of us separate to our classrooms. My cheeks hurt from the
smile that hasn’t left my face since I saw my name on the list. Oh my gosh,
I can’t believe this is actually happening. I need to pinch myself to make
sure I’m not dreaming.
“Ow!” I cry.
Nope, definitely not dreaming!

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Eight
Mason

After school, I sit in the school library waiting for my tutee to show up.
I know she’s been distracted because she made the cheer squad—not that I
keep tabs on her, but there was quite a commotion in the hallway this
morning. I’m happy for her that she got what she wanted, but I really hope
she buckles down and concentrates.
It’s been ten minutes and she still hasn’t shown herself. I’m tempted to
text her, but figure she still has time. I don’t want to be too pushy.
I get started on my homework as I wait. Maybe I’ll have time to watch
more documentaries tonight if I finish my homework early.
As I’m finishing up my math, someone plops down in the seat across
from me. Rylee. She’s wearing a bright smile on her face and her eyes
shine. Pretty sure she’s been like that all day after receiving the good news
about cheer tryouts.
“Hi,” she says, still holding that smile. “Sorry I’m late. I was talking to
my friends and lost track of time. And I brought my textbooks.” She nods to
the pile in front of her on the table.
“Good, thanks for bringing them. Let’s start with—”
“Before we begin. Check this out.” She unzips her hoodie, revealing a
T-shirt in the theme of Swords and Legends. “Pretty cool, huh?”
I take a few seconds to absorb the design. I have many Swords and
Legends T-shirts, but not this one. “That’s a limited edition.” I’m practically
salivating now. “How did you get it?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. I picked it up at the mall before school today.
They only had a few left. Do you have this one?”
 I shake my head.
“Good.” Grinning, she reaches behind her and pulls out a folded T-shirt.
“Because I got one for you, too. As a peace offering and an apology for
being so rude to you.” She passes it to me. “I hope I got the right size.”
I accept it from her, unrolling it and staring at the artwork. It’s so
beautiful—the landscape, the characters, everything. “Wow. I don’t know
what to say.”
“You can say you accept my apology and maybe we can start over?” she
asks.
Nodding, I pull the T-shirt over my current shirt and then stare down at
it. “It fits perfectly. Thanks.”
She smiles again. “So is that a yes about starting over?”
“Yes. I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot. I should have understood
that you were distracted with cheer tryouts and I should have given you a
few days to focus on it. Congrats on making the squad.”
Her eyes glimmer. “Oh, you know I made it?”
I can’t help but laugh. “Everyone kind of made a scene in the halls this
morning. I’m happy for you.”
She twists her nose. “Really? Don’t you think it’ll take away from our
sessions?”
I shrug. “We all have extracurricular activities. You’re a cheerleader,
I’m a mathlete. We’ll need to prioritize and make time for everything. I
think I’m good at time management.”
“Right, you’re a mathlete. The captain, right? Nice. Our school won the
past few years, didn’t they?”
This time, I smile, my eyes shining. “Yeah. Silverton Academy for Boys
is our biggest competition, but we crush them every year.”
 “Yes!” She cheers. “The cheer squad beats Silverton Academy for Girls
every year at cheer competitions. It wasn’t like that years ago, but I’m glad
we’re owning them now. It’s about time they learn their place. They think
they’re so high and mighty.”
I blink at her. “I didn’t know you were so competitive.”
“I’m not. But my best friend Zoey is and I guess it’s been rubbing off on
me. And now that I’m part of the cheer squad, I want to do whatever I can
to help my team win.” She pauses. “But never mind that. Let’s focus on
school. So I tried to pay attention in all my classes today, but I’m not sure I
understood everything, especially in bio.” She glances away with red
cheeks.
“That’s okay. We’ll go over what you’re not sure about. Let’s open our
bio textbooks.”
We spend about an hour reviewing the biology lesson. Rylee’s surprised
to learn she remembers and understands more than she thought. And she
answers all the questions at the back of the chapter correctly.
I grin at her. “See? You’ll be all caught up in your classes in no time and
you won’t need me anymore.”
She snorts. “Yeah, right. It’s only the first week and it’s easy stuff. I bet
I’ll be totally lost throughout the next few weeks. And I’ll definitely need
help when we have a test.”
“Of course. Whatever you need. And you know you can always call or
text me if you’re confused about something.”
“Thanks. You’re a great tutor, by the way. Have you tutored before?”
“As long as I can remember.”
She pushes some brown hair out of her eyes. “Am I the dumbest?”
“Rylee, I already told you that you’re not dumb. Look how much you
accomplished so far.”
 She shrugs. “Maybe. Are we done?”
“No. Algebra is next.”
“Right. I had no idea what was flying in this class. It’s just so hard.
Letters and numbers and nothing makes sense.”
I shut my bio textbook and open algebra. “It’ll make sense after we’re
done. Promise.”
She shakes her head. “Doubt it.”
“I’m a magician. All I need to do is wave my magic wand and you’ll be
an expert on algebra.” I wave an invisible wand over her head.
She laughs. “I wish it were that easy.”
When I realize I’m being a complete dork in front of someone like
Rylee, my eyes widen and I drop my hand. Clearing my throat, I shift in my
seat. “Right. So let’s start.”
It’s hard for me to concentrate because of the magician thing and
because I made a fool of myself. But Rylee doesn’t look at me like I’m a
loser, like some of the other cheerleaders. She’s cool and nice and her smile
is so sweet.
I break my gaze away from her. Why am I thinking about her smile?
Yes, it’s electrifying, but I shouldn’t be thinking about it. I need to focus on
helping her ace her classes.
“I don’t understand anything you just said,” she says, exasperated.
“There’s no use. I’ll just fail.”
“No. I’m not giving up on you. Let’s try again.”
She slumps over. “Fine, but I’m hopeless.”
An hour later, she’s breezing through the first few problems at the end
of the textbook like she’s a pro. And I catch the smile she’s trying to hide.
“Done.” She drops her pen.
I pull her notebook toward me. “Now to check if you got them right.”
 “Oh.” She sinks in her seat. “I probably got them all wrong.”
“Feel free to scroll through your phone as I check over your work.”
“Okay, cool.” She reaches into her backpack for her phone and busies
herself with it. Looks like she’s scrolling on social media.
“Okay, you got five wrong,” I tell her. “That’s not bad.”
“Ugh! Five out of ten. That’s half.”
I lift a brow. “Look at the positive—you got five right. That’s progress.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “That would be a fail if this was a
test.”
“Believe me, when it’s time for a test, you’ll get all of them right.”
She gapes at me. “How can you know that?”
“I’m a magician, remember?” As soon as the words are out, I cringe.
Why am I saying such lame things around her? Why is she making me so
nervous?
She giggles. “I used to love magic when I was little.”
“Same. I had lots of magic kits and would do tricks on my mom and
brother all the time. My mom always supported me. I thought I wanted to
be a magician when I was older.”
“Really? Do you still do magic?”
“No. I grew out of it. But I still love watching magic shows.”
She smiles. “Me, too.” She bends close, so close I can see just how
beautiful her blue eyes are. “But maybe that’s because I used to love
playing tricks on people and getting into trouble.”
“Yeah, you and your friends were such troublemakers.”
She giggles again. “I know. Don’t ask how many times my parents
grounded me. But want to know a secret? My mom always cracked! I guess
I’m just so adorable.”
 “Yeah. I m-mean…” I stammer, my face and the room getting a bit
warm. “Let’s go over the problems you got wrong.”
“Okay. Thanks, Mason.”
I smile. “Just doing my job as your tutor.”
“No, I mean, thanks for putting up with me and not quitting on me.
Even though I deserved it.”
“Rylee.” I look into her eyes. “I won’t abandon you again. I swear. I’ll
be at your side until you know the material inside out and ace all your
classes.”
She smiles in appreciation. “It doesn’t seem so scary anymore.”
I lift a brow. “Maybe you’ll come to like school.”
She makes gagging noises.
I find myself laughing more than I usually do. I didn’t expect to have so
much fun with her. Rylee’s very easy to talk to and she listens to me. No
one has ever paid attention to me except for my mom, brother, and my
friends. The fact that Rylee, a cheerleader, is treating me as more than just a
nerd helping her, makes my insides feel a strange way they never felt
before.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Nine
Rylee

Today is my first cheer practice. I can’t wait to get my uniform and

pom-poms and learn all the cheers. I think this year is going to be one of the
best years of my life.
After school, I enter the gym and join the other cheerleaders who are
stretching. I stretch along with everyone else as we wait for Coach
Abberton and Paisley to arrive.
After what feels like forever, they finally enter the gym, with Paisley
holding a box I hope contains the uniforms and pom-poms for the new
cheerleaders. Coach Abberton faces us with a wide smile on her face.
Usually, her smiles are fake because I don’t think she’s a happy person, but
her smiles are always real when it comes to cheerleading. It’s her world.
“Welcome, new cheerleaders!” she calls, eyes sweeping over us. “I’m
sorry I couldn’t make it to tryouts. I was out of town. If you were chosen to
be on my squad, it means you are the best of the best—” Her voice cuts off
when her gaze lands on me. With a furious expression, she whirls around to
Paisley. “What the heck is Gander’s daughter doing here, Paisley?” she
demands.
Paisley stares at her mom before shifting her eyes to me. She looks back
at her mom. “She had one of the best tryouts. Actually, she had the best
one.”
The vein in Coach Abberton’s forehead pounds. “What did you just
say?”
“She had the best tryout, Mom—”
“I heard what you said!” Coach Abberton screeches.
 Paisley flinches.
Coach Abberton thrusts her index finger in my direction. “I won’t have
Gander’s offspring on my squad.”
“But—”
“How useless are you?” she spits. “I thought I could trust you to choose
the new Lions cheerleaders, but you’ve once again proven that I have the
most incompetent daughter in the world!” She whirls around to face me.
“You are not on my squad. Get out of here so I don’t have to see your face
again.”
It feels like someone took a boulder and placed it over my heart. My
ears feel stuffy and my breathing grows uneven. This can’t be happening…
“Are you deaf?!” Coach Abberton screams. “Get out of my face.”
I don’t move. I can’t. This isn’t right. I need to say something. But I
can’t.
Tiffany grins like she just got the best present in the world.
“You actually thought you could be a cheerleader?” Coach Abberton
scoffs at me. “You’re just like your mother. An uncoordinated wannabee
who will never be a cheerleader. You and anyone related to you are never
going to be cheerleaders. You understand? Don’t let the door hit you on the
way out.”
“Buh-bye!” Tiffany waves her pom-pom at me with a snicker.
I don’t want to cry. This is humiliating enough. But the tears prick my
eyes. I’ve always felt for my mom when she told me how awful she felt
after Coach Abberton humiliated her in front of everyone. I never imagined
I’d understand exactly how she felt.
I spin around and head for the exit.
“Paisley, I’m this close to disowning you!” I hear Coach Abberton yell.
 “All my life, you’ve taught me to hate the Barringtons. But why?” she
demands. “What have they done to you?”
I don’t hear the rest because I burst out of the gym and cover my face as
the tears shoot out of my eyes. Of course it was too good to be true. I don’t
understand why Coach Abberton hates us. My family has done nothing to
her. The only crime is that my parents fell in love. How could she be such a
witch to deny me this when I deserve it?
I lower my hands from my face. Can she really get away with this?
I march toward the football field, where Dad is calling out to his
players. I notice that Zoey is killing it out there. That makes a small smile
tickle my lips, but it’s quickly replaced with a frown. My dreams…crushed.
“Dad?” I ask as I approach him.
He turns around. “Hey, Rylee—” His lips snap shut and his eyes widen
when he takes in my face. “Are you okay, sweetie? What’s wrong?”
Even though the gorgeous football players are watching, I run into his
arms and sob into his chest. “Coach Abberton kicked me off the squad.”
“What?”
Through sobs, I tell him what happened in the gym. He’s so quiet that I
raise my head to see if he heard me or if I was a blubbering mess. The
expression on Dad’s face? Fury.
“Oh, heck no,” he says with a shake of his head. “Teagyn is not getting
away with this.” He turns toward the football players on the field and says,
“Take ten, everyone! I’ll be back in a few minutes. Come, Rylee.” He slides
his hand into mine and leads me off the field and toward the gym. Tears are
still raining down my cheeks, and the more I try to stop them, the more I
hiccup.
When we burst into the gym, we find Coach Abberton calling out
instructions to the squad.
 Still clutching my hand, Dad marches to Coach Abberton and says,
“You have some nerve.”
Coach Abberton twists around. When she sees it’s Dad with me behind
him, she rolls her eyes and focuses back on the cheerleaders.
“How dare you deny my daughter this?” he demands.
She doesn’t turn around.
“Teagyn, I stood by when you did the exact same thing to my wife when
we were in high school. But I’m not a teenager anymore. I won’t allow you
to treat my daughter this way. I won’t allow you to hurt my family like
you’ve been doing all these years. Whatever issues you have with us ends
right here, right now.”
Releasing the heaviest sigh like my dad is nothing but a pesky fly
buzzing in her ear, she turns around with an eye roll. “Brayden, your
offspring isn’t good enough to be a cheerleader. My daughter made a stupid
mistake. I thought I could trust her to pick the right students for my squad,
but your kid is just not good enough. Just like her mom wasn’t. The apple
doesn’t fall far from the tree. You need to accept it. I’m sorry, Brayden, but
you married an uncoordinated loser who birthed an uncoordinated
offspring.”
She’s about to turn around, but Dad lets go of my hand and moves
closer to her until there is barely any space between them. “If you say a
single negative thing about my wife or daughter ever again—”
She clutches her heart with exaggeration and huge eyes. “Are you
threatening me?”
“I can’t speak to your heart, Teagyn, because I really doubt you have
one. So I’ll play on your field. I never in my life thought I would threaten
anyone, but you asked for it. I’ll report this to Principal Nakamura. I have
more sway here than you do and I’ll make sure you get fired. My wife will
write about this in the Edenbury Press. This could destroy your family.” He
points to Paisley. “Do you want to destroy your daughter’s life?”
Coach Abberton’s eyes flit to Paisley. For a second, I swear I see
something shift in her eyes. Some sort of emotion. But it’s gone so fast.
Coach Abberton turns back to Dad and folds her arms across her chest.
“Brayden, your daughter isn’t good enough to be on my squad. I won’t ruin
the reputation of my squad—”
“Paisley.” Dad turns to the assistant coach. “How did Rylee do at
tryouts? Was she good?”
Paisley glances at her mother and bites her lip.
“Paisley,” Dad says in a softer tone. “You don’t have to be like your
mom. Please don’t be like her. Just speak the truth. How did Rylee perform
at tryouts?”
Paisley shuts her eyes for a second and puffs out some air. “She did
amazing. She had one of the best routines.”
Coach Abberton makes a face like she wants to throw her daughter into
a washing machine and have her return as a completely different person.
Dad now puts his attention on Coach Abberton. “My daughter is on the
cheer squad. If I hear any more problems, I won’t hesitate to go straight to
Principal Nakamura.”
Coach Abberton opens her mouth to refuse, but Dad gives her such a
look that her lips snap shut.
Taking me aside, Dad whispers, “Rylee, do you still want to be on the
squad?”
“I, um…I don’t know,” I admit.
He rubs my shoulders. “That’s okay. It’s up to you to decide. Just, I’d
hate for you to give up on your dream. If you want to be a cheerleader, go
for it. If you don’t want to, that’s fine, too. Just make the decision that’s
right for you, okay?”
I nod and wrap my arms around him. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Of course.” He presses his lips to my temple. “I love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you, too.”
“Are you on the squad or not, Barrington?” Coach Abberton spits.
I lower my arms from Dad. “Yeah.”
“Then go join the others,” she orders.
I nod and find my spot. Dad gives me a reassuring smile before leaving
the gym.
Paisley walks over with pom-poms. “Here you go,” she says in a shaky
voice. She’s probably super scared of her mom. I really hope she doesn’t
yell at her after practice is over. As much as I don’t like Paisley because of
how she treated my sister, no one deserves to have a mom yell at her like
that and say such awful things.
“Thanks,” I tell her as I take the pom-poms.
“I’ll give you your uniform after practice.”
“Okay, thanks.”
I’m a little shaky as we practice because I’m still messed up about what
happened. But I need to push that away and be the best cheerleader I can be.
Not that I have to prove anything to Coach Abberton, but the best revenge?
Showing that witch just how amazing I can be.
***
I text Mason, asking if we can cancel today’s tutoring session. I just
want to go home and forget what happened at cheer practice.
I was so ready to forgive and forget the way Coach Abberton treated
me. Move on and enjoy being a cheerleader. And yeah, kick butt and show
her how wrong she was for trying to kick me off the squad. But she
basically ignored me the whole practice.
I know she’ll have to acknowledge my existence at some point because
the only thing she cares about is making it to nationals. She wouldn’t
jeopardize that for anything. But being treated like you’re invisible or like
you don’t matter sucks.
Mason texts back, letting me know he’s fine with canceling the session
for today and asks me if I’m okay. I tell him I’m not feeling well. He wishes
me a speedy recovery.
As soon as Dad and I come home, I go up to my room and face-plant on
my bed with a groan. I don’t want to replay what happened over and over in
my head, but the memories are just too strong. Why does the Universe love
messing with people? It’s like it knows that the more you want something,
the more it blows up in your face.
My phone dings with a notification.
I slide my hand into my jeans pocket and yank it out. I hope it’s not kids
making fun of me on Spill It!. Gossip travels fast around Edenbury High,
and I wouldn’t be surprised if every student has heard the news.
It’s a text from Mason.
Mason: Hey, Rylee. I’m sending you some material that’ll help you
with homework. No pressure or anything, especially if you’re not
feeling well. But if you do plan on doing homework and need some
help, I think the material will be very useful. Let me know if you have
any questions. Again, hope you feel better!
I don’t know what it is, maybe because I had such a crummy day, but I
feel warm inside. Like I actually matter to someone.
I know he’s obligated to do this because he’s my tutor, but why do I get
the feeling it’s more than that? Mason seems like the kind of person who is
genuinely good-hearted and cares about other people.
Rylee: Thanks so much! I’m going to try to do homework now :)
I haul myself off my bed and settle down at my desk with my textbooks.
It’s best to get algebra out of the way. Thanks to Mason’s lesson yesterday, I
was able to follow along in algebra class today. But the notes he sent me
help a lot and they’re so clear. It’s almost like he’s sitting right next to me.
I don’t know how much time passes because I’m actually enjoying
doing my homework, when someone knocks on the door. Mom stands
there, eyes looking me over with extreme concern.
“Oh, sweetie.” She rushes into the room and gathers me in her arms.
“Dad told me what happened.” She kisses the top of my head and leans
back to look into my eyes. “How are you?”
“Um…I’m okay.” Sort of.
She pulls a chair over and sits down next to me. “I can’t believe Teagyn.
What a witch. Treating me like crap is one thing, but my daughter? I wish I
could…” Her hands fist at her sides, but then she takes a deep breath and
slowly lets it out. Her hands flatten. “No. I won’t let her turn me into
something I’m not.”
“I’m okay, Mom,” I lie. “You don’t have to worry about me.”
“I’m your mom, Rylee. I’m always going to worry about you.
Especially when you’re hurt. And especially because I know exactly how
you feel.” She takes my hands. “The way Coach Abberton treated you was
not okay. She’s faculty and you’re a student. I should complain to the
school.”
“No, please don’t. I don’t need the cheerleaders hating me because I got
their coach fired. She may be a witch, but she’s still a great cheer coach and
she did take a few squads to nationals.”
 Mom purses her lips as though she wants to march over to Principal
Nakamura and fire Coach Abberton’s butt this very second, but she sighs.
“Dad still plans to tell Principal Nakamura what happened so she’ll
reprimand her. But don’t worry, he’ll make sure she doesn’t lose her job.
Despite what you might think, Teagyn desperately needs this job. Her
husband has a drinking problem and from what I hear, he eats away any
money he makes. I don’t know if she or her daughter could survive without
their jobs. As much as I hate Teagyn, I won’t ruin her life like that.”
I offer my mom a weak smile. “You’re a much better person than her.”
She squeezes my hands. “Thanks, honey. But forget about Teagyn. I just
care about you. Are you okay? Talk to me, sweetie. I might be the only one
who understands how you feel.”
I lower my eyes to my knees. “I just really wanted to have fun,” I say,
tears blurring my eyes. “I want to be a cheerleader and be popular and just
enjoy the last two years of high school.”
Mom scoots closer, wrapping her arms around me. “You can still have
that, Rylee. You’re such a good kid. You’re fun and funny, and you have a
good heart. If your fellow cheerleaders don’t see that, it’s their loss. And
about being popular? I know it might seem like the popular kids and
cheerleaders have such amazing lives, but I guarantee you that they don’t.
They have problems just like everyone else. And honestly? Some of them
might not be the nicest people. I’m not saying you shouldn’t try to be
popular if that’s what you want, just remember that you’re perfect just the
way you are. Your friends love you for who you are and so does your
family. You don’t have to try to be someone you’re not. And you certainly
don’t have to try to earn the love and attention of people who might not
deserve you.”
 I’m quiet as I think over her words. Then I lower my head on her
shoulder. “I know, thanks. I think I can still be me and be popular. And I
wouldn’t push Zoey or Mia away. We’re a package deal, just like you and
your friends.”
She hugs me tight. “I’m glad to hear that.” She plays with my hair.
“Don’t let anyone make you feel small, especially someone like Teagyn.
She’s a bitter woman who I’m sure will never find true happiness. She
thinks stepping on other people and making them feel like crap will make
her happier. But it won’t. True happiness comes from being a good person,
staying true to yourself, and not letting anyone tell you who you are or what
you should be doing. Don’t let her bring you down, okay?”
“Okay.”
“That doesn’t sound very convincing.”
“I won’t let jerks like Coach Abberton ruin cheerleading for me.”
“Still not convincing.”
“I’m going to be the best cheerleader in the world! Coach Abberton will
be so shocked, she might just have to retire.”
Mom chuckles. “That’s better. Do you feel better?”
“A little,” I admit.
“Good.” She hugs me again. “I’ll make your favorite food for dinner.
Do you—?” Her lips snap shut as she takes in the schoolwork cluttering my
desk. “Wait a second. Are you actually doing homework?”
I laugh lightly. “Right? I can’t believe it myself. Mason is such a good
tutor. I don’t hate school as much as I did.”
That causes tears to gather in her eyes.
“Mom, are you crying?”
“Sorry. I’m just so proud of you, sweetie.” She gathers me in her arms
and splatters kisses all over my face.
 “Mom! I’m too old for this!”
“No, you’re not. You’re my baby. You’ll always be my baby. And I love
my baby so darn much.”
I give in because I know it means a lot to her. I’m not saying I’ll be top
of the class, but it feels good that I’m understanding school.
“Okay, I’ll let you get back to your homework,” Mom says as she
releases me.
After she leaves, I continue bio. But I don’t make it too far because my
friends video call me. I texted them earlier about what happened at cheer
practice, and they’re both really concerned. And super ticked off.
After we spend half an hour talking, I return to my homework. But
before I do, I send Mason a text.
Rylee: Mason, you really are a magician.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Ten
Rylee

What sucks about Mia, Zoey, and me having extracurriculars (and my

tutoring) is that we don’t have time for book club. Getting together at one of
our houses on the weekends doesn’t seem to be enough, either. So Zoey
suggested we have it during lunch.
So by lunchtime on Friday, we officially have our first Musketeer Trio
book club of the year.
Considering we didn’t have a chance to choose a book yet, we decide to
discuss a book all three of us love to death. It’s written by my Uncle Zane—
Zoey’s dad.
He’s published a few books over the years and they’re pretty successful.
He mostly writes fantasy, but Zoey’s cousin, Lily Hastings—Mrs.
Hastings’s daughter—persuaded him to put more romance in his books
because she’s a hopeless romantic. She was so convincing that Uncle Zane
listened to her. And that is why his books are as successful as they are.
“The kiss scene was so swoon-worthy,” I gush as I clutch my phone to
my chest. All three of us have our ebooks open because we didn’t have a
chance to bring our physical copies. “Every time I read the book, I go back
and reread the scene at least ten times.”
“Same!” Mia says. “I wish I could experience a kiss like that.” She
frowns. “But the kiss I got? Bleh.”
Zoey and I chuckle. Mia’s on-screen kiss for the movie they filmed last
year was so bad and awkward that he wasn’t asked to come back for the
sequel.
 I’m about to bite into my spaghetti and meatballs, when I hear laughter
at the jock and cheerleader table. I swallow as I watch them. I guess I don’t
feel part of the squad yet. That’s why I’m not sitting with them.
By now, everyone has heard about what happened at cheer practice
yesterday. Kids whispered, laughed, and pointed at me in the hallway all
morning. Yeah, I definitely don’t feel like I belong at the cheerleader table.
“You okay, Rylee?” Mia asks.
I yank my gaze from their table and give her a brave smile. “Yeah.”
“Things will get better,” Zoey promises. “Everyone will forget about the
latest piece of gossip once something else comes up.”
I shrug. “Maybe. But that doesn’t mean they’ll ever accept me.”
“It’s hard to adjust to a team. I remember when I first joined the football
team. I felt a little iced-out, too. Thankfully, they didn’t have a problem
playing with a girl like my mom’s teammates did when she made QB in
high school. But it’s hard to break into a new family. Most of the girls on
the cheer squad have been on the team since freshman year. Just give them
some time and you’ll feel like you belong.” She gives me an encouraging
smile.
“Thanks. I just worry about Tiffany. She’s the head cheerleader and she
basically owns the other cheerleaders. Seriously, they’re like her minions.”
“What is with the Myers?” Mia makes a face. “Even Coach Abberton’s
brother is as bad as her. Did you hear he wanted to demolish the public
library? He thinks libraries are archaic. What a barbarian. No wonder
Tiffany is so rotten.”
“And Tiffany’s been trying to earn her aunt’s respect ever since she was
a little kid,” Zoey says. “Who yearns to earn the respect of a witch?”
“I’ve never seen my dad so ticked off before,” I inform my friends as I
play around with my spaghetti. “You should have seen the way he yelled at
Coach Abberton yesterday. It was so awesome.”
“Your dad is so cool,” Zoey says. “Have you watched any of his games
in high school, college, and when he played for the Silverton Sharks? Such
a legend.”
I lift my shoulders. “He may be a legend to everyone else, but he’s Dad
to me.”
“And Uncle Brayden to me,” Zoey says. “Still, he had such an amazing
career.”
Just then, Lexi West passes our table, surrounded by a group of guys.
She’s a freshman at Edenbury High, and she’s always surrounded by guys.
We’ve known her for years because she is one of Zoey’s brother Brock’s
best friends. She’s also the younger sister of Chloe’s friend’s boyfriend.
The Four Musketeers, Junior Musketeers, and Musketeer Trio are so
intertwined that we’re basically one big happy family.
“Hey, Lexi!” I call.
She stops at our table and waves, her long curly brown hair that’s pulled
into a high ponytail bouncing against her upper back. “Hey, Rylee, Zoey,
and Mia!”
“How’s high school so far?” Mia asks her.
“It’s cool. A little daunting because there’s so much work, but we’re
having a good time. Right, guys?”
They all agree. And vie for her attention. I don’t know how she does it,
how she’s been doing it all her life. Guys just love her. Maybe because she
shares a lot of their interests or because she’s super cute and fun.
The guys are about to drag her away, but she turns to Zoey with wide,
sad, hopeful eyes. “Have you heard from Brock?”
Zoey swallows as she shifts in her seat. “Um, yeah. I spoke to him a few
days ago.”
 Lexi moves closer to our table, wringing her fingers against her
stomach. “And? How is he?”
“He’s doing okay.”
“Does he…?” She lowers her gaze to her shoes. “Has he asked about
me? About any of us?” She gestures to the guys standing behind her, who
also stare at Zoey with hopeful expressions.
Zoey releases a sigh. “He doesn’t talk much about his old friends.”
“So he made new friends?” one of the guys, Finn, asks.
“I think so.”
Lexi looks close to tears, but she puts on a smile and says, “Let’s eat,
boys. I heard the spaghetti and meatballs are super delicious. See you guys
later!” She calls over her shoulder to us as they head to the lunch line.
All three of us are quiet, not sure what to say.
With another sigh, Zoey stabs her meatball. “I just wish he would talk to
his old friends. At least once. It sucks he’s pushing them away, but I get it.”
“Not that I can pretend to know what he’s going through, but getting
over that kind of trauma could take a long time,” Mia says.
“I know. My grandparents have been taking him to therapists, and I
think it’s been helping. He’s definitely smiling more than he did before.”
I’m about to say something, but Mason stops by our table, carrying a
tray full of food. He smiles shyly at me. “Hey, Rylee. I just stopped by to
see how you’re doing.”
“Hey, Mason. I’m feeling much better, thanks,” I say, though I’m not
sure it’s entirely true. “Again, thanks so much for sending me those notes.
Doing homework was actually fun.”
His face fills with glee. “Really? I’m so glad to hear that. Are you up for
a session today?”
“Yep.”
 “Okay. I’ll see you then. Enjoy your lunch.”
“Thanks. You, too.”
I watch him join his friends at a table a few feet away and dig into his
food.
“Hold on a second,” Zoey says, causing me to pull my eyes away from
Mason to her. “Did you just say you enjoyed doing your homework?”
“Right?” I laugh. “Mason has magical powers—didn’t you hear?”
“So I see tutoring has been working well for you,” Zoey says.
“And I guess you didn’t ask the office to get you a new tutor?” Mia
teases.
“Mason is such an amazing tutor,” I tell my friends. “And such a good
guy. He was so sweet to apologize to me when I didn’t deserve it. I don’t
feel dumb anymore and don’t dread school as much as I used to. Actually,
he kind of makes me feel smart.”
“That’s awesome!” Mia says.
“Right? Algebra has always kicked my butt, but it’s not so bad.”
“I feel you,” Mia says as she holds out her fist for a bump. I bump it.
“Math has always kicked my butt, too. Remember when my parents hired
Colt to tutor me? Well, I guess he wasn’t hired because he did it for free.
But he also made me feel smart.” Her body sags with a sigh. “I miss him.
And Willow.”
Willow is Mia’s older sister and one of Chloe’s best friends. Colt is
Willow’s boyfriend. Willow’s currently at MIT studying software
engineering because she’s a genius in tech, and Colt is studying to be a
school guidance counselor.
Now I sigh. “I miss Chloe and Noah.”
“And I miss Lily, Liam, and Evie,” Zoey says, referring to her cousins.
“But it won’t be long before they’re done with college. I think they all want
to move back to Edenbury and get married and raise their kids like our
parents.”
“Well, except for Noah and Evie because they’re already married,” I
say. “And they’re always on tour. I watch their concerts online, but it’s not
the same as actually seeing them with my eyes.”
“When are they on break?” Mia asks me.
“I’m not sure. Maybe in a few months. I think they want to do a concert
here.”
“Ooh! That would be epic,” Mia says.
“Totally,” Zoey agrees.
I glance down at my phone that’s sitting before me. “Wait a sec. Weren’t
we in the middle of our book club?”
Zoey and Mia look down at their phones and chuckle. “Our first official
book club meeting was a bust,” Zoey says.
“Why is there always so much to talk about?” Mia groans. “Never
enough hours in the day.”
I glance at the time on my phone. “There are twenty minutes left to
lunch. Let’s squeeze in as much book club as we can.”
***
The cheerleaders, my squad, are gathered in the locker room before
cheer practice, chatting and laughing, talking about TV shows and music
and of course, the hottie football players. And I stand alone at my locker,
smoothing the wrinkles out of my blue and gold uniform. Normally, we
don’t practice in our uniforms but Coach wanted to make sure they fit us
right.
So far, no one has said anything to me.
I try to cling to Zoey’s words—that breaking into an established team is
super hard. But Tasha, Tristan, and Kailey seem to fit in immediately.
 If I want something, I need to go get it, right? That’s what Dad always
says. No one is going to fight for your dreams more than you. So after
taking a deep breath and giving myself a quick pep talk, I make my way
over to them.
They’re discussing a show called Moon Shadow. It’s been on the air for
many years and has gotten super famous, mostly because it features super-
hot vampires and werewolves and other mythological beasts and creatures.
Mia and I were into it a few years ago, but I guess we grew out of it.
“Moon Shadow?” I ask as I step closer to the group. “I used to love that
show! Wasn’t Neetra such a kickbutt shapeshifter? My favorite season was
when she changed into that vampire lord’s first officer…ugh, what was his
name again? And she took down the entire clan from within. It was genius!
I was at the edge of my seat all season.”
They stare at me like they have no idea who I am (even though they do)
or have no idea why I’m talking to them.
Then Tasha smiles at me. “Hey, Rylee. You look so cute in your
uniform.”
I beam as I stare down at myself. “Thanks. You look so good in yours,
too.”
She’s about to say something, but Tiffany throws her hands on her hips
and glares at her. Tasha looks like she wants to say something again, but
then she folds her arms over her chest, pressing her lips together.
“Did you want something, loser?” Tiffany asks me.
“No. I—”
“No one cares. No one likes you. No one wants you here. We have no
choice but to tolerate you because your dad abused his power at this school.
So until practice starts, can you just vanish from our sight?”
 “My dad didn’t abuse his power. Your aunt was completely out of line
—”
“Oh my gosh, did you not hear what I said? Go away.”
Some of the cheerleaders—Tiffany’s friends—motion for me to run
along as they whisper to each other and laugh. Majority of them look like
they don’t know what to do. But one thing I know is that no one on the
squad will run to my defense because they fear Tiffany’s wrath.
So with an internal sigh, I walk away.
“Such a loser,” I hear Tiffany snicker. “Thinks she’s part of us now.
Let’s take bets how long she lasts. My guess is she won’t show up for
practice on Monday.”
Some of the other girls and guys share when they predict I’ll quit the
squad, their snickers and scoffs scratching my heart.
“And oh my gosh, did you see her hair? I’ve never seen hair so greasy
before.”
“And she looks so ridiculous in the uniform. Blue and gold are
definitely not her colors.”
Tiffany laughs really loudly. “Even a pig would look prettier than her!”
I lower myself on one of the benches in the locker room and hug my
upper arms, biting hard on my bottom lip so my tears will stay hidden.
I don’t know what I was thinking. I could never be popular when
Tiffany is the queen. Could never be part of the squad. Maybe I should back
out. Why put myself through this if it’ll make me so unhappy?
“We’d better get to practice before my aunt has our heads,” Tiffany says
to everyone. “And to the wannabe loser who thinks she’s actually good
enough to be a cheerleader?” she calls out. “No one would bat an eye if you
never showed your face here again.”
They giggle as they leave.
 “Whatever,” I mutter as I hug myself tighter, once again biting my
lower lip to keep the tears at bay. It doesn’t matter what she says. It doesn’t
matter, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter.
But it does. And it hurts. Why do I care so much?
It’s probably a terrible idea to miss my second practice. I don’t need to
give Coach Abberton any reason to prove her right—that I’m not fit to be a
cheerleader. But I don’t know if I can go out there. Not when those kids will
make me feel so rotten about myself.
I don’t get why they follow her without question. Why does she have so
much power?
“Aren’t you going to practice?” a voice says from above me.
I turn my head and see that it’s Assistant Coach Abberton.
I turn away from her, not interested in dealing with anyone from their
family.
She stands near me for a short while before lowering herself next to me.
“I heard what Tiffany and her friends said. That wasn’t cool.”
“Maybe you need to knock some sense into your cousin.”
She sighs as she rubs her forehead. “There’s no getting through to
Tiffany. The best thing you can do is ignore her and not let her get to you.”
I scoff. “As if that’s so easy. She can turn the whole squad against me.
She already has turned them against me.”
“Look, Rylee, she’s just doing it to impress my mom. Ignore her and
focus on cheering. You’re really good at it. Trust me, she’ll eventually get
tired of messing with you.”
I turn around to her, narrowing my eyes. “You made my sister’s life a
living hell when you were in high school. Why should I listen to anything
you say?”
 She swallows as she tears her gaze away from me and stares at the spot
before her. “I know. I was horrible. It took me a long time to realize how
wrong that was. I shouldn’t have treated Chloe and her friends that way. I
regret what I did. I wish I could go back in time and make things right. I’m
trying to find the right opportunity to apologize to them.”
I keep my eyes narrowed at her, not sure I buy it. The Myers and
Abbertons are bad people. What if this is part of Coach Abberton’s plan to
take me down?
“I understand that you don’t trust me,” she says. “But I’m not my mom.
I don’t want to be even remotely like her.”
“Then why are you here?” I gesture around. “Why didn’t you run the
first chance you got?”
She stares at the spot before her again. “Cheerleading is all I know.” She
shakes her head. “It’s complicated.”
I think I know what she’s referring to. She thought the only way her
mom would love her was if she picked on my sister and her friends. The
more she picked on them, the prouder her mom was. It’s so messed up.
She stands. “You don’t want to miss practice, Rylee. Let’s go.”
I stand and reach for my pom-poms. “If you want to be a better person, I
think you should leave your mom and never talk to her again.”
When I get onto the field, Coach Abberton is instructing the
cheerleaders. She scowls at me with furious eyes. “Late on your second day.
First you get your dad to weasel your way onto my squad, and now you
don’t even bother to show up? If something like this ever happens again—”
“It was my fault, Mom,” Paisley says. “I kept her back to talk to her
about something.”
Coach Abberton watches her carefully. “What did you talk to her about
exactly?”
 Paisley glances at me for a second before shrugging. “Nothing
important. Go take your place, Rylee.”
Coach Abberton moves closer to her daughter and hisses, “You’re not to
talk to her privately ever again. You understand? One more slip-up from
you and you’re out of a job. I’m sure you can find a job washing dishes at
Mikey’s Diner.”
Paisley’s chest deflates as she nods and mutters an apology under her
breath.
The good thing about practice is that we need to be a team. There’s no
time for snide comments or scoffs, or faces. We need to work our butts off
if we want to make it to nationals. And I’m just as important as everyone
else.
But when practice is over and we’re in the locker room? I’m invisible
again.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Eleven
Mason

After Rylee and I are done with tutoring, we leave the school library
together. She turns to me with a smile. “Thanks again for today.”
I dip my head. “You don’t have to thank me after each session. Like I
said, I’m happy to help.”
She smiles in appreciation. “And thanks for not asking me details about
what happened at cheer practice yesterday. I really don’t want to talk about
it. Even if the whole school is.” She mutters the last bit under her breath.
When I entered school this morning, kids were talking about Coach
Abberton wanting to kick her off the squad. I know the cheer coach can be
really tough, but darn. Rylee didn’t deserve that. I saw some videos of the
tryouts on Spill It!, including Rylee’s, and not that I’m an expert, but it
seemed like she did very well. I enjoyed her routine more than the other
kids who tried out. I’m glad things have worked out, though, and she’s on
the squad.
I give her a smile. “No problem. And you have the weekend to review
everything you learned.”
“Yeah, I guess. What are your plans for tonight?” she asks.
“I’m meeting up with my friends to practice for mathletes. Then I guess
I’ll chill at home. Maybe I’ll hang out with my brother if he doesn’t have
other plans. What about you?”
“Hanging out with my friends and family.”
I play with the strap of my backpack. “Oh, no date?”
She laughs. “Me, a date? Yeah right.”
 I blink at her. Why is that such a crazy concept? I’d think someone like
her would have guys lining up.
My phone beeps with a text from Mom, telling me she’s here. “Oh,
that’s my mom,” I tell Rylee. “Do you need a ride home?”
“Thanks, but my dad’s waiting for me in his office.”
“Okay. Have a good weekend, Rylee.”
She waves as I push the door open. “You, too.”
Before I leave, I turn around and smile at her, waving back. Her smile is
sweet as she returns it, and my stomach gets a little fuzzy.
Mason, you really are a magician.
My stomach gets even fuzzier when the text she sent me last night plays
around in my head. I feel so…good.
I shake my head. What’s wrong with me? Rylee smiles at me and gives
me a compliment and I get all weird and fuzzy?
“Hey, honey,” Mom says when I reach the car. I don’t even remember
making my way here. I was too distracted ordering myself not to feel
anything for Rylee and to keep this professional.
“Mason?” Mom breaks me from my thoughts. She glances around. “Is
she around?”
“Who?” I ask as I get in the car.
“Rylee.”
Shutting my eyes, I bang the back of my head on the headrest. “Mom.”
Opening my eyes, I look at her. “Please stop trying to push us together. I’m
her tutor and that’s that.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I don’t want you to feel pressured to have a
girlfriend until you’re ready, but I also don’t want you to hold yourself
back. If you like a girl—”
“I don’t.”
 She’s quiet as she nods. Then she says, “I know it’s awkward to talk
about these things with me, but I’m here for you.”
“I know. Thanks, but I’m okay. I’ll find a special girl when I’m older
and ready. Don’t worry about me, I’m fine.”
She ruffles her fingers through my hair like she did when I was little.
I’m tempted to pull away from her, but I decide to let her have this.
“Drop me off at Nico’s, please,” I tell her. “We’re having a mathletes
practice at his house.”
“Sure. I have to run a few errands today.”
After she drops me off, I meet my teammates in Nico’s basement. He
transformed it into a “study room.” This is where he does his homework
and we practice for mathletes outside of practice with our coach, Mr.
Gomez, the algebra teacher.
I drop down on one of the chairs at the large, round table, joining the
others that are already seated.
“Hey, man,” Nico greets.
“How was tutoring?” Fred asks with a snicker. “Still can’t believe
you’re putting up with a cheerleader.”
I give him a look. “Don’t be a jerk. Rylee’s cool. And the tutoring went
very well.”
Orlando says, “You can’t blame Fred for hating cheerleaders and the
popular kids when they tormented us for years.”
Before I befriended them in freshman year, they were targets for the
popular jerks. But once we became a group, Jason protected them as well.
Bullying isn’t tolerated in Edenbury High, but it’s not like the teachers or
faculty can stop kids from making side comments or making kids they
deem inferior feel really rotten about themselves.
 “Rylee didn’t do anything to you,” I tell them. “So please don’t hate
her.”
Lindy nods in agreement. “Mason’s right. Rylee’s nice. She isn’t very
popular, anyway.”
“Except she’s with those kids now,” Fred reminds her. “Better hope she
doesn’t make you feel like crap, Mason.”
“Rylee’s not like that,” I say. “Her being a cheerleader does not mean
she’ll turn into a terrible person.”
I hope she doesn’t feel a need to change in order to fit in. She’s perfect
just the way she is.
“Enough talk about stuck-up cheerleaders,” Fred says. “Let’s start
practicing.”
All five of us breathe math, so we can go on for hours and it’ll never be
enough. But Nico and Lindy have a romantic date planned and the others
have plans as well, so after about an hour and a half we call it a day and
Orlando drives us home.
I’m surprised to find Jason sitting on the living room couch, his fingers
pounding his PlayStation controller.
“I thought you had plans,” I tell him as I lower myself next to him.
“Isn’t there a party or something?”
“Not tonight. And nope, no plans. I’m all yours, bro.” He wraps his arm
around me, yanking me closer with so much force that my chin crashes into
his shoulder. “Sorry, man.”
“It’s cool.” Sometimes I feel like I’m three years younger than him
instead of three minutes. I suppose it’s because he’s larger than me—being
a football player—and more confident. He doesn’t mean to make me feel
small, though, that’s just how it’s always been since middle school.
 “I can’t pass this part.” He nods at the screen, where the game is paused.
“Figured you could use that super brain of yours and beat it with angles or
whatever.”
“Sure.” I take the controller from him and pass the level in less than a
minute.
His jaw practically sweeps the floor. “Man, dude. How do you even do
that?”
I start explaining it to him, but his eyes glaze over. “Never mind,” I say
with a light laugh. “Want to play together?”
“Heck yeah.” He takes the second controller, loads another game, and
we play. We make a good team, since we have a connection many twins
have. Not like we share one brain because our brains are nothing alike, but
we just get each other. Mom used to joke that when we were little, all we
did was look at each other and we knew what the other was thinking.
“How’s football practice going?” I ask as we pound our controllers to
kill a boss.
“Great. Coach Barrington’s tough, but fair. And Zoey’s really killing it.
She’s awesome, the best QB Edenbury’s ever had. It’s going to be an
awesome season.”
I smile, happy for him. My twin wants to go pro when he’s done with
school, and I have all the confidence in him that he’ll follow his dreams.
It’ll be hard when we go our separate ways, but that’s life. I’m trying not to
think about it, though.
We chat about other topics as we continue playing. Then we decide
we’ve had enough with co-op and want to beat the living crap out of each
other in a fighting game.
Because I use my wit and he uses strength, I beat him every time. He’s
determined to defeat me, but so far he never has.
 “Darn it!” he grumbles as his guy crashes to the ground and I’m named
the winner. “You get me every time, man. I swear you’re cheating.”
I smile widely at him. “Looks like the nerd beat the jock. Again.”
He picks up his controller. “Again.”
“You’ll just lose over and over.”
He sticks out his tongue. “Maybe I can use my brain, too.” He frowns.
“Nah. I took all the brawn when Mom was pregnant with us and you took
the brains.”
I roll my eyes at him. This isn’t the first time he’s claimed such a thing.
“That’s impossible. We didn’t take anything from each other.”
He waves his hand like he doesn’t believe me.
I glance at the time. “Is Mom still running errands?”
“Oh, forgot to tell you. She was called in to work and will be home
later.”
I frown. “She’s been staying late at work a lot lately.”
“I guess? But she loves her job.”
True, but I don’t want her to overwork herself.
“I’m hungry.” Jason gets to his feet. “Gonna warm up some leftover
Chinese. Want?”
“Okay. Just save some for Mom.”
“You bet.”
We play and eat and talk. His guy dies every time, but he won’t give up.
That just makes me laugh. He would beat me in a fight IRL, but I’ve got
him hands down in a virtual world.
As we continue demolishing each other, his phone beeps with a text.
“Your friends?” I ask.
He scans the screen. “They want to hang out.”
“Nice. Have fun.”
 “You think I’m going to ditch my twin bro? Never.” He lifts his brows.
“Besides, I’m a man on a mission to beat you.”
“Your mission will fail. Repeatedly.”
He scoffs. “We’ll see about that.”
Half an hour passes and he still hasn’t won a single match. I could gloat,
maybe dance on the table like a dork—because I can’t dance for the life of
me—but I don’t want to rub it in his face. He’s never ridiculed me for my
shortcomings. He’s my biggest fan, other than Mom, and I’m his.
The door opens and Mom walks in, a smile on her face. “Hey, boys. Did
you eat?”
“Yeah. We saved you some Chinese,” I tell her.
She places her things down on the chair near the couch. “Oh, thanks,
but I already ate at the office.”
“Was work okay?” I ask her.
“Sure. Everything’s great. What have you been up to?”
We nod at the TV. “Jason’s trying to beat me, but he never will.”
“Yes, I will,” he argues. “One day.”
Mom chuckles. Maybe I’m seeing things, but she looks different.
Happier than usual. And she’s not exhausted like I expected her to be.
“I won!” Jason leaps on the couch, waving his arms over his head. “I
can’t believe I won.”
I stare at the screen, then at my controller. How the heck did that
happen?
He grins at me. “Next time, focus on the game and don’t get distracted.”
He laughs, holding out his hand. “Good game, bro.”
I accept the handshake. “Good game. But as long as you know I need to
be distracted in order for you to beat me, it’s all good.”
“Aw, man.” He frowns.
 We play some more games until we decide we’ve had enough and
separate to our rooms. His is right across from mine. We used to live in a
smaller house and shared a room. Then we moved into this one a few years
ago and each of us has our own space.
Our walls are adorned with many different posters. While his has
famous football players and his favorite video games, I have my favorite
posters from Swords and Legends as well as some from video games. I used
to beg my brother to watch Swords and Legends with me, but he never got
into it. He’s not much of a TV person and would rather watch football
games. But if a show is good and everyone’s talking about it, he’ll check it
out.
Since his door is open, I can hear him tapping on his phone. I wonder if
he’s texting a girl. He normally doesn’t introduce her to me or Mom unless
they’re serious. So far, he’s only had one girlfriend that lasted more than
three months, and that was two years ago.
I drag my tablet out from under my pillow and spend the rest of the
evening doing math problems.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twelve
Rylee

“And then she ran over my foot!” Mia says with a laugh during lunch
on Monday. “I would have sworn she did it on purpose, but she apologized
after and sounded pretty sincere. Well, as sincere as a robot could sound. I
can’t wait for Willow to visit over break so she could add more features to
her.”
Mia’s talking about the robot her older sister built in eighth grade. It’s a
two-foot human-looking robot called WillowBot. Since Willow is away at
MIT, she left her robot in Mia’s care, who promised she wouldn’t let
anything happen to her. The problem, though, is that WillowBot insists that
Mia eat healthy snacks instead of the junk food she loves. Which causes
them to argue. It’s pretty funny to see her fight with the robot. But I’m not
laughing along with Mia and Zoey now. I just feel so rotten about the cheer
squad.
Mia stops laughing and looks at me. “You okay, Rylee?”
“Hmm?” I pull my eyes away from the cheerleader and jock table. “Oh,
yeah. I’m okay.”
“You always laugh when I tell stories about WillowBot. And this one
was pretty hilarious! She yanked the chips out of my hands and then rolled
over my foot. Still not sure if she did that on purpose…”
“Sorry. I guess I’m a little distracted.”
Zoey nods toward the table. “Why aren’t you sitting with them?”
“Why don’t you sit with the football team?”
She raises her shoulders. “You know I’d rather sit with my Musketeers.”
“Same with me.”
 “You know we wouldn’t mind if you sat with them,” Mia assures me.
“I could just imagine it,” I mutter as I play with my chocolate pudding.
“Tiffany will make a remark and the cheerleaders will laugh. And it’ll be
extra mortifying because it’ll be in front of the football players. Yeah…no
thank you. I guess I’m only part of the team when we’re on the field. The
rest of the time? I’m just as invisible as I was before.”
“Sorry, that sucks,” Mia says as she rubs my arm. “They don’t know
what they’re missing out on because you’re so much fun to hang out with.
So forget them. Zoey and I will have you all to ourselves.”
“Things might get better,” Zoey says. “You never know.”
“As long as Tiffany is their queen, she’ll squash me like a bug.”
“She’s been poisoned by Teagyn,” Mia says with a face. “I don’t think
she’ll ever change.”
“Well, let’s not talk about them,” I say. “Let’s talk about Emerald
Badlands. The first official book we’re reading for book club!”
As my friends and I discuss the fantasy novel, I start feeling better. No
one could lift my spirits like my Musketeers. I think I’m okay with letting
go of my dream to be popular. Why do I need the popular kids when I have
two of the most amazing people right before my eyes?
“What?” Zoey asks.
I blink and realize I was just staring at them. “Sorry,” I say with a laugh.
“I was just appreciating you guys. I don’t know why I want to be popular
when I have you guys in my life.”
Mia shrugs. “Maybe you still can have it one day. When the
cheerleaders’ heads get screwed on the right way and they realize how
incredible you are.”
“Maybe,” I muse. “But I’m not going to let them or anything bring me
down.”
 “Good. Because I was starting to miss the old you,” Zoey says. “You
haven’t brought up a prank in days.”
I grin mischievously. “Fake snakes in my dad’s office?”
“I didn’t miss you that much!”
***
With my new attitude, cheer practice is much more bearable. In fact,
I’m actually enjoying myself. Instead of being so focused on what my
teammates think of me, I’m putting my all into the routine and am having
so much fun. Mom was right—who cares what people think? As long as
I’m being myself and am focusing on what I want, I’m the happiest girl in
the world.
I love cheerleading. No comments or scoffs from Tiffany and her
friends could take this away from me. Or scowls from Coach Abberton. She
still pretty much ignores me until she has no choice, but I’m not going to let
her or her niece get to me.
I may be seeing things, but I swear I catch some of my teammates
gawking at me as I do the routine. I’m really killing it today.
I feel someone else watching me, though. I glance around the football
field, searching for those pair of eyes. And then I spot him.
It’s Jason Monroe. Mason’s twin brother. He’s a wide receiver for the
Edenbury Lions and captain of the team. I’m about to look away because
I’m pretty sure he’s looking at one of my teammates and not me, but no. His
eyes are pinned on me, a smile on his face.
Oh my gosh. Is he checking me out? My face heats up faster than a
furnace.
“Monroe!” Dad calls. “Head in the game!”
“Sorry, Coach!” Jason says as he focuses on practice.
 I smile to myself and continue my routine. But it’s so hard to
concentrate. Is Jason interested in me? My imagination takes over and I
imagine the two of us going out and becoming a couple and falling in love
and living happily ever after. Just like Mom and Dad. That would be like a
fairytale for me. I’ve always dreamed of falling in love with a football
player like Mom did.
Maybe the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Ha, take that, Coach
Abberton! I just took her evil words and turned them positive.
Okay, okay. I’m getting way ahead of myself. But it can happen, right?
Especially because I catch Jason glancing at me every so often. He even
messes up during practice, which causes Dad to scold him. I really don’t
want to be the cause of his bad playing, but I’m thrilled by this. I’ve never
been noticed by a guy before, especially a football player.
“Barrington, have you turned into a statue?” Coach Abberton demands.
Whoops. I didn’t realize I stopped moving as I daydreamed. I quickly
continue with the routine, stealing peeks at Jason.
I don’t know him that well, other than he’s super cute and a really
talented football player. He has a reputation for being a player, but maybe
that’s because he hasn’t met the right person yet. Ooh, is that person me?
“Barrington!” Coach Abberton yells.
I really need to push Jason out of my head or else Coach Abberton will
burn me at the stake.
When practice is over, Tasha smiles at me. “You were amazing.”
I return the smile. “Thanks. You were amazing, too.”
“Thanks. Um, I’m sorry about what happened in the locker room on
Friday. Tiff can be so…” She raises her shoulders.
“It’s okay.”
 She smiles again. “See you later.” She waves and chases after the other
cheerleaders.
“It’s Rylee, right?”
I turn around and come face to face with Jason.
“What?” I squeak as I stare into his gorgeous brown eyes. They’re like
the color of yummy chocolate you just have to devour…
“I m-mean, yeah,” I stammer. “I’m Rylee. Hi, how are you?” I hold out
my hand.
His eyes drop to it before he chuckles and shakes it. “I’m Jason.”
“I know. Mason’s twin brother.”
“Yep.”
The two of them are pretty much identical. Same brown eyes and brown
hair and height. The only difference is that Jason’s hair is styled while
Mason just lets it be. Oh, and Jason is more buff because he plays football.
But they’re both cute and have those gorgeous eyes.
Jason grins. “I’m really glad you’re on the cheer squad. Now I have
something sexy to look at during practice and at games.”
I gape at him. “What?”
He grins again. “I’m glad you—”
“No, I heard you.” I narrow my eyes. “You think I’m on the squad for
your viewing pleasure?”
His eyes widen as his jaw falls open. “What? No, I meant—”
“I’m not on the squad as eye candy for guys like you. I worked hard to
get here. Jerk.” I throw my pom-pom in his face, then turn around and
march away. But ugh, I need my pom-pom. So with an internal groan, I
walk back to him and sweep my pom-pom off the ground, not glancing at
him for a second.
“Wait, Rylee, I didn’t mean—”
 Ignoring him, I storm into the girls’ locker room. Ugh, a guy finally
notices me—a football player—and he turns out to be a super jerk. Why is
the Universe so unfair?
“I wondered what that smell was.” Tiffany wrinkles her nose. “Oh, that
was just the trash that got swept into the room along with us.”
Her friends snicker.
I roll my eyes, wishing I could slap her. But the best action is no
reaction, so I grab my stuff and leave the locker room.
I can’t believe Jason actually said that to me. I guess Zoey’s right—
maybe all the football players at Edenbury High are jerks. I want someone
kind and sweet, someone who sees me for my personality and not my looks.
Maybe my perfect guy isn’t a football player after all.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Thirteen
Mason

Rylee’s very into the session as I go over what she learned in history
today. There’s not much to teach, since it’s basically remembering facts.
But I give her hints to help the information stick in her brain. Then we
move on to the other subjects she needs help with.
“What’s it like being a genius?” she asks as we’re doing quiet work—
she algebra and me psychology.
I glance up at her. “Huh? Me?”
“Yeah, you’re a genius, aren’t you?”
My cheeks flame. “N-no, I wouldn’t say I’m a genius. I just do well in
school.”
She’s quiet as she rubs the back of her pencil against her lips, pondering
my words. “I still think you’re a genius.”
“Thanks.” My cheeks feel even warmer now.
She’s still gazing at me. “So what do you want to do after you graduate?
Go to college, I’m assuming. And then what?”
“I want to be a doctor.”
She smiles. “That’s awesome. What kind?”
I shrug. “I haven’t really decided, but I think I’m leaning toward an ER
doctor.”
“Wow. That could get intense, though, right?”
“Yeah, but I think it’s very rewarding.”
“Dr. Mason Monroe,” she says with another smile. “Has a nice ring to
it.”
I laugh. “You think?”
 “Yep.”
We smile at each other, and my heart skips a beat. I told myself today
I’d focus on the lesson and not the sweet girl sitting across from me. But
she’s so in awe of my dreams and aspirations that I can’t just shut my
emotions off. My confusing emotions.
“Sorry for getting sidetracked,” she says asks she tucks some hair
behind her ear.
“That’s okay. Breaks are good. Gives the mind a chance to recuperate.
That was a lot of history information we ingested.”
“No kidding. But history’s interesting, isn’t it?”
“Everything in life is interesting, I think,” I tell her. “When I was little
and learned that humans breathe in oxygen that plants release, and plants
need the CO2 that humans exhale, I thought that was the coolest thing in the
world. Like we need each other in order to survive.”
She’s quiet as she thinks it over. “That’s cool. When I was little, I was
trying to figure out my next adventure with my friends.”
It must be nice to have such close friends, a bond that goes way beyond
friendship. As close as I am to my friends, it’s not a deep friendship. It
didn’t bother me much when I was younger because I had Jason, but once
we entered middle school and he got popular, things shifted. Of course
nothing really changed between us at home, but everything was different at
school. He tried to include me with his friends, but it was too weird and
awkward. So I sat by myself most of the time. Until I befriended Nico and
Lindy in our freshman year.
“Mason?”
I blink and glance at Rylee. “Sorry, what?”
“It looks like you traveled somewhere.”
 “Oh.” My cheeks grow warm again. “Was thinking about something…it
doesn’t matter. What did you ask me?”
“How was your weekend?”
“It was okay. I didn’t do anything important. Homework, watched some
TV shows.”
“Swords and Legends?”
“No, a few medical documentaries.”
“I watched one once,” she tells me. “Was interesting, but scary. Like I
don’t need to know all the terrible things that could happen to the human
body.”
I bend forward. “But that’s what’s fascinating about it. The human body
is so complex and wondrous…” I laugh awkwardly, pushing my fingers
through my hair. “Sorry.”
She holds up her hands. “No, that’s okay. Go on. I never met anyone
who wants to be a doctor. What made you first interested?”
I tap my pen against my chin. “Not sure. I think I saw a doctor save
someone’s life on TV once and I told my mom I want to do that when I’m
older. Also…” I shift in my seat, averting my gaze. “After my dad got into a
car accident, doctors tried to save his life, but it was too late. I guess I want
to help people, save loved ones. I don’t want anyone to go through what my
family went through.”
Her eyes go wide. “Oh, I didn’t know your dad died. I’m so sorry. How
long ago?”
“Before I was born. My mom was pregnant with Jason and me.”
Her eyes bug out more. “Oh my gosh, that’s terrible.”
I nod slowly. “It was very hard for my mom. But she did a great job
raising me and my brother. I owe her everything.”
She smiles. “Sounds like an amazing woman.”
 “She is.”
The library is quiet, except for the librarian whacking away on her
computer. Rylee watches her for a bit before bending close. “You’d think
she was chatting with a guy,” she whispers, trying to hold back a giggle.
I join in her laughter. “Except she’s happily married for twenty years.”
“How do you know that?”
“She’s celebrating her anniversary today. She told me as soon as I came
in. I guess she needed to talk to someone?”
Rylee smiles. “She told you because you’re very easy to talk to. Like,
you don’t judge.”
“Thanks,” I say. “You’re very easy to talk to, too.”
“I am?”
“Sure. I don’t…” I shift in my seat again. “I don’t talk about my dad
often. Or talk to many people in general. You make me feel very
comfortable. But, um…”
“Yeah, we should get back to algebra or we’ll be here all night. My
sister’s boyfriend Liam sent us a new pasta recipe that Mom’s dying to try
out for dinner. I’m very excited. He’s currently working at a two Michelin
star restaurant.”
“Wow. That’s great. So he has a cookbook or something?”
She snorts. “Ha. The guy can’t write a decent recipe that people can
follow. Even after so many years. Chloe’s been trying to help him, but…”
She shrugs. “I think it’s because it’s all in his head. Maybe one day he’ll
write a decent cookbook.”
“Sounds great. Hope you enjoy dinner.”
“Thanks. Sorry, back to homework.”
It’s weird that it doesn’t feel so pressing for us to continue the tutoring. I
like chatting with her. But I know that’s wrong. VP Rivera asked me to
tutor her, not to talk about food or my future plans. I don’t want Rylee to
fall behind just because I enjoy talking to her.
After she finishes the problems and I check them over, she corrects the
ones she got wrong. There are only three, so she’s getting better. And it’s
not because of me—it’s because of her. She’s applying herself now.
Before we move on to the next subject, I find myself asking her, “Is it
okay if I ask how cheer practice is going?”
“Sure. Still a little rocky, but it’s getting better.”
“That’s great. Some people don’t see cheerleading as a tough sport, but
it is.”
“Thank you.”
“Can I ask what made you want to be a cheerleader? Or is that
something most girls want? Sorry, I don’t really know anything about…” I
shake my head, not wanting to tell her I’m completely clueless about girls.
“That’s okay. I don’t think most girls want to be cheerleaders.
Everyone’s into their own thing. But you know there are also guys on the
team.”
“Yeah, sorry. I don’t know much about it.”
She smiles. “Maybe you can come watch us practice one day. Or you
can come to the games. Do you like watching football games?”
“I go to support my brother. And…” I lift a brow. “I like playing
football on my PlayStation.”
She chuckles. “Not the same thing. But to answer your question, I
wanted to be a cheerleader because my grandma was a cheerleader. She
died when my mom was thirteen. My mother tried out for the cheer squad
when she was in high school—she wanted a connection to her mom—but
Coach Abberton made her feel like a loser for even considering. I wanted to
feel a connection to my grandma, too. I don’t know if that’s weird.”
 “It’s not weird at all. I think it’s sweet that you want a connection to her.
I’m sorry Coach Abberton treated your mom that way. And you, too.”
Her gaze drops to the floor. “I’d rather not talk about that, if that’s
okay.”
I hold up my hands. “Of course. Sorry for prying.”
“No. You’re not prying. I guess we both shared something special and
private with each other today.”
“You’re right. We did.”
We smile at each other for I’m not sure how long before we’re
interrupted by the librarian talking on the phone.
Rylee glances at her. “I thought you’re supposed to keep your voice
down in the library,” she whispers.
“Maybe it’s an important phone call,” I whisper back. “Maybe her
husband has a romantic evening planned for them in honor of their
anniversary.”
She laughs and then I laugh. Then we realize the time’s passing quickly
and we need to get a move on tutoring or we’ll be here all night, locked in
the school with no means to get out.
It’s a shame. I’d talk to her for hours if I could. But she has a social life
and it’s not fair for me to keep her here.
“I think we’re done for today,” I tell her after we’ve reviewed the last
subject she needs help with. “Don’t forget to email your assignment to Mrs.
Hastings tonight.”
She cringes. “I’m lucky she’s giving me another chance. I totally forgot
to email it to her last night.”
I wave my hand. “Mrs. Hastings is very understanding and fair. I think
that’s why so many kids love her class.”
 “And they’re interesting,” she adds. “Sometimes, when she, my mom,
and their friends have their book club at my house, I stay in the room just to
hear Mrs. Hastings’s thoughts on the book.”
My eyebrows furrow. “Book club?”
“Oh, sorry. My mom and her friends started a book club when they were
in Edenbury High and they still keep the tradition today. You know there’s a
book club at school, right? My friends and I are the only members, though
we’d love to have more.” She lifts a brow. “Interested?”
“As interesting as that sounds, I’m not much of a fiction reader. I’ll read
them for class, but I prefer medical literature.”
She playfully jabs her elbow into my ribs. “Of course, Dr. Mason. But if
you ever change your mind, let me know.”
“Thanks.”
We gather our stuff and leave the library, making our way outside. After
wishing each other good night, she leaves to Coach Barrington’s office and
I head to the parking lot.
Mom texted me that she’ll be a bit late because she has a work thing. I
lower myself on the steps and scroll through my phone.
“Mason? You’re still here?”
I glance up, finding Rylee and Coach Barrington standing there. “Yeah,
my mom’s running a little late and I don’t have enough money for the bus.”
“We don’t mind giving you a lift,” Rylee’s dad says.
“Are you sure?”
“Of course,” he answers with a kind smile, one similar to his daughter’s.
I rub the back of my neck. “Oh, I don’t want to inconvenience you…”
Coach Barrington shakes his head. “It’s no bother at all.”
“Thanks. Let me just text my mom that I have a ride.” After I do that, I
haul my backpack onto my back and follow the coach and Rylee to one of
the only cars left parked in the lot. Rylee offers me the passenger seat, but I
decline, feeling more comfortable in the back.
After we get in, Coach Barrington pulls out of the lot and heads toward
my house.
“How’s the tutoring going?” he asks, glancing at Rylee and then me
through the rearview mirror.
“Good,” Rylee says. “Just like I told you last night.” She playfully rolls
her eyes as she turns to me. “He’s been on my case. So annoying.”
“That’s because I love you and I want the best for my little girl.”
“Dad…” she hisses.
He just chuckles, squeezing her hand that’s resting on her lap.
I swallow as I watch them smile and laugh with each other. I never had
a dad, so I feel like I’ve been missing something all my life. Seeing Rylee
and her dad and what a great relationship they have makes me wonder what
my relationship with my dad would have been like. Would he support my
dream of being a doctor? I hope so. I’d like to think he and Mom would
have been my number one supporters.
Shaking those thoughts away because I don’t want to feel sorry for
myself, I join in the conversation Rylee and her dad are having about news
going around Edenbury.
Then they talk about the dinner their mom has planned for tonight.
“Mason, would you like to join us?” Coach Barrington asks.
“That’s okay, thanks. My mom’s expecting me. But I’d love to hear how
it turned out.”
“Sure. I’ll text you later,” Rylee tells me.
Coach Barrington pulls up before my house, and I thank him before
getting out of the car. After wishing me a good night, they drive off and I
enter my house.
 Since I’ve finished all my homework, I practice for mathletes. A little
while later, Jason steps into my room and face-plants on my bed.
“Imsedup,” his muffled voice says.
“What?”’
Lifting his head, he says, “I messed up.”
“What did you do?”
Sighing, he rolls onto his back and stares at the ceiling. “A cute girl
caught my attention and I tried talking to her. But I guess I said the wrong
thing because I ticked her off.”
“That sucks.” I return to my math.
He sits up fully now. “It does suck. I don’t even know what I did wrong.
Every time I try that line on a girl, I get her number like that.” He snaps his
fingers. “But this one…I don’t know. She got very upset.”
“What did you say?”
Groaning, he slams his face into my pillow. “Doesn’t matter.”
“Jason, if she doesn’t like you, then she’s not worth it. And why are you
taking it so hard? Normally, you just move on to another girl.”
He looks up at me. “But this one is special. I know I could be the right
one for her. I just need to try again.”
“Okay.” I resume my math.
“Yeah.” He nods to himself. “I messed up, but I can fix it. Start over.”
He grins at me. “Thanks, man.”
I shrug. “Didn’t really do anything—” I cough as he claps me on the
back in gratitude. “No problem. Glad to help.”
He hums to himself as he leaves my room.
Later, after Mom comes home from work, she, Jason, and I eat dinner.
Jason’s eyes are unfocused like he’s thinking about someone else, most
likely the girl he likes. My thoughts wander to Rylee and how enjoyable our
session was today. And I can’t stop the smile that crawls onto my face. I’m
really looking forward to spending time with her tomorrow. As tutor and
tutee, of course. Not as…
Squeezing my eyes shut, I blink that thought away.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Fourteen
Rylee

“It’s supposed to be epic,” Mia tells Zoey and me Tuesday morning as

she opens her locker. “The first party of the year thrown by Omar, who
always throws the best parties. The whole school will be there. You guys
want to go?”
Zoey twists her nose. “It’s Friday. I have a game.”
“No, you don’t. Come on, it’ll be fun!”
Zoey sighs like someone’s holding a knife to her throat, but then she
nods. Parties aren’t her scene, but she knows Mia’s right. It doesn’t matter
where we are or what we’re doing—as long as we’re together, we’ll have
fun anywhere.
“Cool, she’s in. And I know you’re in, Rylee.”
Now it’s my turn to sigh. “I don’t know…”
Mia’s eyes bug out. “What do you mean? You love parties. You always
say it’s the perfect place to find a boyfriend.”
I frown. “And the perfect place to fail at getting a boyfriend.”
“Like I always say, who cares about boyfriends?” Zoey says. “Let’s
have fun just hanging out with each other.”
“It might be the perfect place to try to break into the cheerleaders,” I
muse. “Maybe things will be different outside of a school setting.”
“Yeah, that’s a good point,” Mia says. “You can work your charm.”
I snort. “What charm?”
“The Barrington charm. The one you inherited from your dad. That’s
why we never got into too much trouble when we were younger. Because
you worked your magic.”
 “Ha.”
“I’m serious!”
“Well, if I did have a charm, it’s definitely worn off in my old age. Or
else I wouldn’t have such a hard time fitting in with the squad.”
“They’re just a bunch of stuck-up witches—” Zoey starts to say, but a
few football players pass by, laughing and being loud like they always are.
All three of us turn around to look at them with everyone else, and my eyes
catch sight of Jason. Before his gaze could connect with me, I quickly spin
around and focus on getting something out of my locker. Except, it’s not my
locker but Mia’s.
“Are you organizing my books?” she asks.
“Huh?” I ask, my head buried in her locker. “Oh, yeah. Just lining them
up in order of height.”
Mia giggles. “I didn’t know you need things to be in order like Noah.”
I scoff. “Thankfully, he’s not so bad anymore. Thanks to Evie.”
“Rylee?” a masculine voice says.
I squeeze my eyes shut. Darn it, why is Jason here?
“Um, Rylee?” he asks, voice wavering.
I continue putting Mia’s textbooks in order.
Someone grabs my arm and pulls me out of the locker. Mia. “Here she
is!” she says. “She must have been so focused on making my locker neat
that she didn’t hear that a hottie football player was talking to her.” Her
eyes widen when she realizes what escaped her mouth and her cheeks go
red. “I m-mean…”
He grins at her. “Hey, Park. I loved your latest movie.”
Her eyes go even bigger. “You did? Cool.”
“What was with the sudden exit of that guy, though? They give him the
axe or something?”
 Mia freezes as her cheeks grow even redder. “I…um…” she stammers.
How could she explain that the kiss was so bad the producers decided to get
rid of the guy altogether? They kept the scene because it was important to
the plot. Her dad—on-screen and off-screen—was supposed to have a mini
heart attack when he found his daughter kissing a thug.
“Something like that,” Mia finally mutters.
Jason looks confused, but he shrugs. “Cool.” Then he focuses his
attention on me. “Hey, Barrington. How’s it going?”
Ugh, is this guy for real? Speaks to me like that and expects everything
to be all fine and dandy? I turn my back on him and continue organizing
Mia’s books.
“Uh…Rylee?”
I continue ignoring him.
“You look really sexy today.”
I turn my head to glare at him. Then I return my attention to Mia’s
locker.
Everyone is quiet. Talk about awkward. But I’m not turning around.
“Come on, bro, this is lame,” one of the football players says. “Let’s
meet up with the cheerleaders.”
I don’t know what happens next because my back faces them, but then I
hear footsteps as they walk away.
“Rylee!” Mia gasps.
“Is he gone?” I turn my head slightly to take a peek at who’s behind me.
It’s just Mia and Zoey. “Finally.” I do a full one-eighty. “Good riddance.”
Mia’s jaw is practically kissing the floor as she grasps my arm. “Jason
freakin’ Monroe tried to talk to you. A hottie football player. And you
dissed him? Are you crazy?”
 Zoey doesn’t care about boyfriends and how hot Mia and I think her
teammates are, but even she looks super shocked at my behavior. She steps
forward and touches my forehead. “No fever.”
“I’m fine, guys,” I assure them. “Jason Monroe is the biggest jerk in the
world. You were right, Zoey.”
“What do you mean he’s a jerk?” Mia asks. “You interacted with him
before?”
“Yesterday during practice, I caught him watching me and—”
Mia squeals. “I knew you becoming a cheerleader would catch a
football player’s attention!”
“Mia, let me finish. It’s not a happy ending.”
She frowns. “Oh.”
“He said he’s glad I joined the cheer squad because now he’ll have
something sexy to look at during practice.”
They both scowl.
“He really said that?” Mia asks, disappointment etched into every
feature on her face. “What a—”
“Jerk,” Zoey says with another scowl. “Where is he? I’m going to chew
his head off. You don’t talk to girls like that. Especially my best friend.”
She makes a move to storm after him, but I grab her hand.
“Zoey, let it go. It’s not a big deal, anyway. Some girls like that, and he
can go after those kinds of girls. Besides, it’s for the best because now I
won’t pine after him.”
Zoey shakes her head. “I won’t make a big issue, but I’m still going to
yell at him at practice.”
I fold my arms over my chest. “Whatever. Anyway, how ridiculous is
he? He thought he could talk to me like nothing happened? And then he
said I looked sexy?”
 “That was a compliment, wasn’t it?” Mia asks.
“Sure, but he focused on my looks again. And he didn’t even
apologize.”
Mia thinks it over. “True.”
“See?” Zoey throws her hands up. “Obsessing over boys just makes you
unhappy. Me, on the other hand? Totally content with my life. All I need is
my family, you guys, and football, and I’m good.”
“I need to make up for that gross kiss,” Mia whines dramatically.
That makes Zoey chuckle. “You will. When the time is right and you
meet the right person. Both of you.”
Mia and I exchange a look. Zoey’s right. But we’re sixteen. Of course
we’re going to go a little nuts over boys.
The bell rings for first period.
I put my arms around both of them as we head to English. “I’m not
going to give up on boys, or on the football players. Love is in the air for
me this year. I can feel it.”
***
Cheer practice sucks.
Well, only for me. Because the lovely Coach Abberton is picking on me
for no reason.
I tell myself the problem is her and not me. Maybe she’s in a bad mood
because of something that happened at home and she’s taking it out on me
for some reason? I mean, I’m messing up here and there, but so is everyone
else. But does she stop every five minutes to call them out? Nope.
Of course her precious niece is milking this. Thankfully, Coach has
banned anyone from taking videos or photos of cheer practice, or else I’m
sure Tiffany would post this all over social media.
 “Barrington, how many times do I have to tell you to lift your left leg
and not your right one?”
It’s so hard to fight the urge to quit. Why did I even want to be a
cheerleader? Right, to feel closer to Grandma. But I’m pretty sure she
would be fine with my quitting…
No, no, no. I love cheerleading.
Do I?
“Barrington!”
Grrr.
I keep my eyes away from her as I do whatever I can to get the steps
right. Not that it’ll do any good because I’m sure she’ll find something to
reprimand me about. And that’s when I notice someone sitting on the
bleachers. Girls usually sit on the bleachers to watch the football players,
but this person is a guy and he’s sitting all by himself on the side.
Mason.
He sits there with a textbook, though he’s not reading it but watching
the cheerleaders. As soon as he realizes I see him, his face brightens and he
waves enthusiastically.
A grin spreads over my face as a warm feeling gathers in my stomach.
Mason is here. I know I asked him to come watch me practice, but I never
imagined he’d actually show up. It makes me feel…I don’t know. Good.
“Barrington, what the heck is with your form? And do you know how to
use pom-poms?”
Coach’s words don’t bother me anymore. I wear a huge grin as I do the
routine. Knowing that Mason is here and is watching me fills me with a
kind of energy I’ve never felt before. Any insecurity I felt before
completely vanishes as I cheer and chant and move my body flawlessly.
 When we’re done, I look at Coach. She scowls like she’s super ticked
off that I did a good job. Instead of telling us we’re done for today, she
makes us do the routine again, causing some of the kids to groan. I don’t
groan, though. I’m happy.
I glance at Mason as I do the routine, wondering if he got bored and is
reading his textbook. But nope, his eyes are still glued to the cheerleaders.
Glued to me. And he wears a bright smile that once again warms my insides
and makes me feel all toasty.
Unlike his twin brother, I know he’s not just here to watch a cheerleader
shake her body. No, Mason is here to show me his support.
When practice is over, I meet him at the bleachers, where he’s once
again wearing a bright smile as he stuffs his textbook into his backpack.
“Hey, Mason,” I gush. “Thanks for coming to watch me practice. I hope I
was good,” I say with a nervous laugh as I tuck some hair behind my ear.
“Coach was being hard on me…”
“You were amazing,” he gushes, too, his cheeks a little pink. “I couldn’t
keep my eyes off you because you were so good. You’re so talented. I don’t
know what was up with your coach. You’re perfect.” He cringes as his eyes
get wide. “I mean, your cheering was perfect.”
My insides feel all warm and toasty again. “Thanks. That’s so kind of
you.” I tuck some more hair behind my ear.
“Of course.”
We both stand here. In awkward silence.
Mason shifts to his other foot. “Um…do you need a few minutes before
tutoring?”
“What? Oh, tutoring! Right. Um, no, just give me a bit to change. It
won’t take long. We can meet at the library.”
 “It’s okay. I’ll wait for you outside the locker room and we can go
together.”
“Okay. Cool.”
I turn and crash into a wall.
“How did that get there?” I say with flaming cheeks as I chuckle lightly
and then practically flee to the girls’ locker room. Ugh, did he see that? He
definitely saw that.
After changing into my clothes, I leave the locker room and find Mason
standing outside, scrolling through his phone.
“Spill it!?” I ask.
He shakes his head as he tucks it into his pocket. “Just checking when
the new season of my favorite medical TV show comes out.”
“The one that shows all the things that can go wrong in the human
body?” I shiver.
He laughs as we head toward the library. “I know that show isn’t for
everyone, but for people who don’t mind it, it’s so fascinating.”
“Well, I guess as the future Dr. Mason, you should find it interesting. I
mean, you should be interested in all that body stuff because you’ll dedicate
your life to making all that weird body stuff go away, right?”
He looks at me for a second and smiles.
“What?” I ask.
He quickly shakes his head as he averts his gaze to his sneakers, his
cheeks pink again. “Nothing. Just…it’s cool that you support my dream.”
I playfully slug his shoulder. “Thanks for supporting my cheerleading.”
We’re silent as we enter the library and sit down at our usual table.
Mason wastes no time getting down to business with algebra first.
Luckily, my homework isn’t hard, so the lesson is pretty light. We finish
in nearly half the time.
 “Are we really done?” I ask.
“Yep,” he says with a grin as he packs away his stuff. “You have an
extra hour to have fun.”
I frown. I don’t want to have fun. I kind of don’t want to leave.
“Are you sure there’s nothing else we can study for?” I ask. “Maybe get
a head start on Friday’s algebra test?”
“But we already studied for it,” he says. “All that we reviewed was
studying. And we’ll do a final study tomorrow and Thursday.”
I frown again. “Do you want to get ahead in history?”
He stops packing his stuff and glances at me. “I don’t think we should
do more than we need. I want you to still have fun and focus on
cheerleading.”
But I don’t want to say goodbye for the day…
“Hey, do you want to go for ice cream?” I ask.
“Ice cream?”
“You do like ice cream, don’t you?”
“Of course. Who doesn’t?”
“Zoey. She’s more of a slushie girl,” I tell him.
“Oh.” He stands and slides on his backpack, his eyes slowly moving to
me. “You want to go for ice cream with me?”
“Sure. I mean, if you want. Unless you have something else to do…”
“No! I m-mean, no.” He laughs shyly as he runs his hand through his
hair. “It’s been a while since I’ve had ice cream…”
“Cool. I know the perfect place.”
While he texts his mom, I stop off at my dad’s office to tell him I’m
hanging out with a friend. Since the ice cream shop is only a few blocks
away from school, Mason and I can walk there, and we’ll ask our parents to
pick us up later.
 We meet at the school exit and make our way down the stairs. The area
is pretty devoid of students or faculty, since most of the extracurriculars are
over and everyone has already left.
“Have you ever been to Madame Freezie before?” I ask as we head
toward the direction of the ice cream shop.
“Yeah. A long time ago. I don’t remember it much, though. My family
usually gets our ice cream from The Frosty.”
“Madame Freezie’s ice cream and milkshakes and slushies are so
freakin’ delicious. Did you know they started as an ice cream stand at the
mall? It got so popular that they opened their own shop.”
“That’s cool.”
“And they have so many flavors to choose from. Trust me, you’re in for
a real treat.”
He smiles shyly again. It makes him look so darn cute.
“Thanks for inviting me,” he says as he plays with his backpack straps.
“I have such a craving now.”
“Same. I’m going to stuff myself so much my mom will be upset with
me for spoiling my dinner. But it’s so worth it.” I wink.
He laughs shyly again, once again playing with his backpack straps.
We continue walking to the shop. It’s weird that I don’t have a need to
fill the silence. Sometimes when I’m with someone who’s not family or my
best friends, I can’t stand the awkward silence. But it’s not awkward. It’s
nice. Peaceful. Like we’re comfortable enough in each other’s presence.
But at the same time, I wish I knew more about him. He doesn’t seem
like the kind of person who shares much about himself. I wonder if it’s
because he thinks no one would care enough to get to know him. Because
that’s total BS. Or maybe he’s just shy?
 Either way, I don’t have a chance to ask him anything because he gets a
call from one of his friends. They’re discussing mathletes.
“Nico, sorry, but I can’t talk right now,” Mason says, eyes flitting in my
direction. “Just tell Fred to brush up on his trig… Nico, really, I need to
go.”
He hangs up and offers me an apologetic smile. “Sorry for taking the
phone call. It was so rude of me.”
“What? No, it’s fine. This isn’t like…um…I mean, it wasn’t rude.”
“It’s just that Fred’s freaking out about mathletes. He’s not that great
with trig and our team always gets the trig questions.” He laughs softly.
“Fred swears they do it on purpose. There was this one time when—” His
lips snap shut as he shakes his head. “Sorry. I don’t mean to bore you with
all of this.”
“I’m not bored! Not at all. I think it’s so cool that you compete in math.
I could never do that.”
“I’m sure you could,” he assures me. “If you study hard like my friends
and me, I know you could do it.”
I wave my hand. “That was sweet of you to say, but I highly doubt that.
Anyway, cheerleading is my calling. At least in high school.”
He’s about to protest that I can do it, but we’ve arrived at the ice cream
shop. I reach for the door, but Mason stumbles toward it and closes his
fingers around the handle, accidentally knocking his elbow into my rib.
“Sorry!” he says as he pulls open the door. “I, um, wanted to open the
door for you.”
“Thanks,” I tell him. “That’s so kind of you. And it’s okay, I’m not
damaged.”
“That’s good. Because I wouldn’t want to damage you…” He makes a
face like he wants to kick himself.
 I smile. “You’re funny.”
He stares at me. “Me, funny? No way.”
“Yes way.”
He’s about to say something, but someone calls. “Smiley Rylee! Long
time no see!”
“Hey, Giovanni.” I wave and hurry over to the freezers that hold the
many, many, many different flavors of ice cream. And behind the freezers is
the owner of Madam Freezie, Giovanni, and his staff. “Can you believe I
haven’t been here in a week?”
Giovanni grins as he scoops up bubblegum ice cream for a little girl and
her mom. “We were about to send a search party.”
“Good thing I decided to stop by. How have you guys been?”
“Busy, busy,” Lenny says with a smile as he works on a customer’s
milkshake. “Your mom’s article has definitely given us a boost. We’re so
thankful for her kind words.”
I beam. “That’s my mom. Always striving to make Edenbury—and the
world—a better place. Oh, this is my friend, Mason,” I say as I nod toward
him. “He hasn’t been here in a long time. Isn’t that like the biggest crime in
the world?”
Marie chuckles. “Hello, Mason. Rylee believes our little ice cream shop
is the center of the Universe.”
“It is!” I urge. “No one makes ice cream like you guys.”
Giovanni smiles. “Thanks, honey. Would you like some samples?
We’ve developed two new flavors.”
“Are you kidding! Of course I want samples. And can Mason have
some, too?”
“Sure. A friend of Rylee’s is a friend of ours. What would you like?”
I gesture to Mason. “Go ahead.”
 “Oh, that’s okay. You can go first.”
“I don’t mind. I’ve tasted most of the flavors a million times.”
“Okay, thanks.” Mason peers at all the flavors, looking a little lost.
“Wow. There are so many to choose from…” He points to the double
chocolate fudge. “Can I try that?”
“Sure. Coming right up!”
“And what would you like, Smiley Rylee?” Lenny asks, holding up his
scoop.
“Can I try one of the new flavors?”
“Of course. We couldn’t wait for our favorite taste tester to stop by. It’s
espresso and cotton candy with a hint of mint. Let’s see what the expert
says,” he says as he passes the small cup with my sample over to me.
“Thanks. This looks interesting.” I dig in my spoon and taste it.
“Hmm…not the biggest fan of the expresso, but I love cotton candy! And
the mint isn’t so overpowering, which is perfect. Mason, you need to try it.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I already got a sample.”
“We make an exception for our number one customer and her friends,”
Giovanni tells him with a wink as he gathers a sample for Mason. “Let’s see
what you think.”
Mason slowly licks the ice cream, a thoughtful expression on his face. It
looks like he’s trying to solve a complicated math equation. Okay, he looks
pretty cute…
His eyes get huge. “Wow. This is delicious!”
Giovanni chuckles. “I gather you’d like two scoops?”
“Make it three, please.”
“Coming right up!”
“And I want one scoop of cotton candy, one scoop of birthday cake, and
one scoop of chocolate chip, please,” I say. “My regular.”
 “Your wish is my command,” Lenny says with a grin as he scoops up
my ice cream into a cone. He even adds half another scoop because he’s
awesome.
“Thanks so much!” I say as I pay for my cone. After Mason pays for
his, we make our way to the back of the shop and search for an empty table.
The place is pretty packed, but we manage to find a small one for two on
the side.
“They really love you here,” Mason says as we sit down and lick our
cones.
“I’ve been coming here since I was really small. Giovanni has been
working here forever, and I basically grew up with him always being here.
He was supposed to retire last year, but he just loves working here so
much.” I lean in closer and whisper, “I’m the only one in the world who’s
allowed to have unlimited samples. But shhh, don’t tell anyone.”
He smiles. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“Thanks. Anytime you want free samples, I’m your girl. Just tag along
with me and I’m sure they’ll let you have unlimited samples, too.”
He smiles again. “Thanks. What did they say about your mom writing
an article about them?”
“You know my mom works for the Edenbury Press, right?”
He nods. “I read her articles sometimes. She once did a feature on the
new pediatric wing Edenbury Medical Center opened two years ago. It was
so informative. She’s very talented.”
I beam. “I know! She’s awesome.”
Mason gestures around at the packed shop. “Seems a lot of people love
reading her articles, too.”
“Yeah. When I was younger—like, really really small—I thought I
wanted to be a journalist, too. My older sister Chloe dreamed of following
in our mom’s footsteps, so I thought I should do it, too. Weird how much a
person can change as they grow up. Did you know from when you were in
preschool that you wanted to be a doctor?”
Mason quickly licks some ice cream that’s dripping down the side of his
cone. “Pretty much.”
“I know you’re going to be the most amazing doctor in the world.
People will come from all over just so they could be fortunate enough to
have you care for their medical needs. But not me,” I say with a laugh.
“Because that would be weird.”
He laughs. “I guess it could be weird.”
“My doctor was also my mom’s doctor. Isn’t that so wild? But I guess
that’s how it is in a small town like Edenbury. Do you think you’ll work at
Edenbury Medical or do you want to work in a larger hospital?”
“Not sure,” he admits. “But I love the idea of giving back to our town.”
“Yeah, that would be so fulfilling, right?” I bite into my cone. “Gosh,
even their cones are delicious. I almost forgot. I don’t know how I’ll have
enough room for dinner. But you know something? Who cares about
dinner! I’d have ice cream for dinner every day if I could.”
“It’s not very healthy, though,” Mason says. “You need to eat proteins
and have your daily fruits and vegetables and…Sorry.” He hangs his head.
“We’re not in class.”
“That’s okay. You can totally geek out on me. When you’re a famous
doctor who finds the cure for deadly diseases, you won’t even remember
me. So I want to hog as much of you to myself as I can.”
He goes still for a second, then laughs lightly and continues licking his
ice cream. He takes a small bite of his cone and gasps. “It really is
delicious!”
“Right? Tell me this is the best place a girl has ever taken you to.”
 “This is the best place anyone has ever brought me to.”
“Yay! I love introducing people to things they’ve never seen or heard of
before. That’s why I want to travel. There’s so much out there to explore
and learn about. Ooh, do you know there’s chocolate on the bottom of the
cone? I think I reached it.” I sigh happily as I fall back in my chair. “Ice
cream is the best invention in the world.”
“Along with cheerleading?” he says with a grin.
“Yes! You know me well, Dr. Mason.”
He shakes his head. “I could spend a million years with you and I still
would have loads to learn about you.” His eyes get huge. “I m-mean…” He
turns away from me and takes a huge bite out of his ice cream. Then he
grabs his head. “Ugh. Brain freeze.”
“Patience, young master,” I say in a slow, deep tone. “One must eat his
or her ice cream slowly and savor every lick, or he or she will be subjected
to the awful condition known as The Brain Freeze.”
He rubs his forehead. “It’s over. Yeah, I need to slow down. This ice
cream isn’t going anywhere.”
“Yeah, it is,” I say. “Into your…STOMACH!” I giggle. “Okay, that was
lame. I think my ice cream has too much sugar. Cotton candy and birthday
cake…My mom always jokes that too much sugar makes me super hyper.
Looking back at myself all those years…she was totally right.”
Mason laughs. “You gave your parents a hard time, huh?”
“Totally!”
“I could so picture it. But I bet they secretly loved it, too. Made their
life much more interesting.”
I smile. “I think you’re right.”
We finish our cones in silence, smiling at each other every so often.
Again, I don’t mind the quiet. There’s something soothing about sitting
across from Mason and just looking at him without having the need to talk.
“What?” he asks. “Do I have ice cream all over my mouth?”
I shake my head. “No. I’m having a lot of fun with you, Mason. I’m
glad I didn’t ask VP Rivera to find me another tutor.”
His eyes widen and his jaw falls open. “You wanted to fire me?”
“Whoops. I probably shouldn’t have admitted that. Sorry! Sugar is like
wine to me. All my secrets come out. But really, I’m sorry I wanted to
replace you. I thought you were rude because you abandoned me. But I was
the one in the wrong. You never abandoned me. You’re too awesome to do
something crappy like that.”
Mason averts his gaze. “I was rude to you—”
“No way, dude. I just gave you a compliment. Don’t apologize for
something that was my fault.”
“But I—”
“Nope. Not going to hear it. As long as I’m here, we don’t crap on
Mason, okay? We can crap on Rylee, but not Mason.”
He watches me for a few seconds before shaking his head. “As long as
I’m here, we don’t crap on Rylee, either.”
I smile. “Deal.”
He returns the smile.
“I feel like this calls for a hug.”
He goes still. “You want to hug me?”
“It’s okay. We don’t have to. I’m kind of a hugger, but it’s okay if
you’re not.”
“No, I don’t mind,” he says. “My mom always says I give great hugs.”
He cringes and makes a face like, Why did I say something lame like
that???
I grin as I stand. “I think I deserve one of your awesome hugs.”
 He stands, too, and we meet halfway. I put my arms around him, and he
slowly wraps his arms around my waist. He feels so warm, and for some
reason I feel loved and protected.
He moves his lips to my ear and whispers, “I’m having an amazing time
with you, too, Rylee.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Fifteen
Mason

“Mason, are you with us?”

I blink and find my coach and teammates staring at me. We’re at
mathletes practice after school. How long have I been spaced out?
“Yeah,” I say. “I’m here.” I may or may not have been thinking about a
certain awesome brown-haired girl with pretty blue eyes and a killer
personality. I told myself to stop obsessing over her—it’s not healthy or
appropriate. But I guess I can’t help it. She makes me feel heard. Important.
Mr. Gomez talks about something, but my mind wanders again. I hope
she’s having a good time at cheer practice.
“Mason?”
I look up at my coach again. “Sorry, what?”
My friends stare at me again. It’s not like me to be distracted during
practice. But I’ve never felt these weird feelings about a girl before.
Actually, I’ve never had any feelings for a girl until Rylee entered my life.
“Maybe we should call it a day,” Coach suggests, his eyes flicking to
me. “Mason, may I talk to you?”
Orlando pats me on the back as he and the others leave the classroom,
wishing our coach a good day. I’m still sitting in my seat, wondering what’s
wrong with me.
Mr. Gomez walks over to me, lowering himself in the desk across from
me. “Everything okay?” he asks, brown eyes swimming with concern.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nod. “I’m okay.”
He studies me for a bit. “You sure?” He waves his hand around the
room. “Whatever you tell me won’t leave this room.”
 “Thanks, I appreciate it. But I’ll be okay.”
He places his hand on my back. “Life is hard at your age. I remember
being in high school like it happened yesterday. You’re confused and are
learning about yourself…Are you sure there isn’t anything you want to talk
about? No pressure of, course.”
It’d be nice to sort through my confusing feelings with my coach, who’s
the closest thing I have to a dad, but I don’t know. I guess I kind of feel silly
for feeling this way about Rylee when she doesn’t see me as anything but
her tutor. And maybe a friend?
If I talk about this with Coach, my feelings will become real and I’m not
ready for that.
I force a smile. “Thanks again, but I’m good.”
He nods slowly. “All right. I’ll see you at our next practice.”
As I stand and gather my things, he says, “One more thing, Mason. I
can’t have you distracted during practice. You’re dragging the rest of the
team down.”
Swallowing, I push some hair out of my eyes. “Yeah, Coach. Sorry. It
won’t happen again.”
He places his hand on my back again. “You’re a good kid and you have
the ability to chase whatever dreams you want. I’d just hate for whatever is
bothering you to take away from those opportunities.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
As I leave the classroom, I internally reprimand myself. Why can’t I
stop thinking about her and the fun we had yesterday? Or our conversations
during our sessions?
Yes, I enjoy spending time with her, but I can’t let this go on. So at
today’s lesson, I’ll make sure we focus on school and not let ourselves
wander to other topics.
 It sucks, but for my own sake, I need to stay focused.
I make my way to the library, surprised to find Rylee already there,
flipping through her bio textbook.
“Hey!” I say. “You’re early today.”
She grins. “Yep. Proud of me?”
My heart leaps as I take in her sweet smile and kind eyes. And…is she
excited to learn? Why does that make a warm feeling flow through me?
“Mason?” she asks.
I clear my throat, averting my gaze. “Yeah, sorry. Had a tough time
during mathlete practice.”
Her eyes soften. “Really? What happened?”
Shaking my head, I wave my hand. “Oh, I don’t want to bore you with
all this math talk.”
“I don’t mind.” She gestures to the chair across from her. “Why aren’t
you sitting down?”
“Oh. Right. Sorry.” I drop down, taking out the books I’ll need for our
session. “How was cheer practice?”
“Good.” She spends a few minutes talking about it and I find myself
bending close, drinking up her words like they’re my favorite drink. Then
she laughs shyly. “Sorry for rambling. You’re probably not interested.”
“Of course I’m interested. I’ve never been friends with a cheerleader
before.” I shift in my seat. “I mean, if we’re friends.”
She smiles sweetly. “Of course we’re friends. I don’t just go out for ice
cream with anyone. And I’ve never met anyone with a superbrain like
yours.” She squints. “Actually, that’s not true. Mia’s sister and mom are
geniuses, too.”
“Charlie and Willow Park, right? My friends and I kind of worship
them. They left quite a legacy for us nerds.”
 “I’m sure Willow would love to know she has fans,” she says with a
chuckle.
“Total fan. I heard she built a robot when she was eight.”
“Yeah! Mia takes care of WillowBot now. She’s hilarious and so much
fun.”
We smile at each other. Then it hits me that we’re distracted again.
Didn’t I tell myself to focus on schoolwork? Rylee just makes me have a
good time.
I clear my throat. “Right. So let’s start with bio. Then we’ll do algebra.
You have a test on Friday.”
She bangs her head into her textbook. “Ugh, don’t remind me.”
“We’ll study hard and you’ll ace it. Promise.”
She lifts her head. “You can’t promise that.”
“Magician, remember?”
She laughs. “Okay.”
We get through bio fairly quickly because she remembers mostly
everything we learned in class today. Algebra takes us longer because I
have to review everything from the beginning. It’s not a lot of material, but
first tests are always difficult.
“Why do we have a test so early?” she groans. “It’s only the second
week of school.”
“That’s how it is with math. Mr. Gomez likes giving tests frequently so
the material will stay in his students’ heads.”
She raises both eyebrows. “And tell me why we’ll need algebra in our
daily lives when we’re older?”
I start talking about the times I needed algebra that weren’t school-
related and her eyes roll over.
 “Okay, okay. Forget I asked,” she says with a chuckle. “Are you sure
I’ll do well on the test?”
“Rylee, you won’t do well. You’ll ace it.”
Her eyes playfully narrow. “And what if I don’t? What if I pull off a
C?”
I rub my pen against my lips. “Not going to happen.”
“What if it does?”
“Not going to happen.”
She gapes at me. “Are you that confident?”
“I’m confident in you.”
She just stares at me with wide eyes.
With my cheeks heating up, I shift in my seat. “I mean—”
“I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
I rub the back of my neck. “Oh, um. That can’t be true. I’m sure people
say nice things to you all the time. You’re great.”
She continues staring at me.
My gaze drops to the textbook. “Uh, should we get back to…?”
“Yeah. Of course.”
My voice trembles a bit as I review the math with her. I don’t know why
I let it slip that I think she’s great. I mean, she is great, but maybe she
doesn’t want me to say those things to her. Unless…maybe she does? Does
she…? I mean, could someone like Rylee go for someone like me?
“Mason? You just stopped talking.”
“Huh?”
She taps the textbook. “You were explaining this problem and then just
stopped. Did something happen?”
I glance around the library. “Uh, it’s a little stuffy in here.”
“We can ask the librarian to open a window.”
 I wave my hand. “That’s okay. I think I just got a little worked up over
algebra.” I laugh lamely. “You know me and math. Well, actually, you don’t
really know…” I press my mouth shut.
“We might not know each other well, but I definitely know math is your
thing. And science and—”
“Nerdy stuff?”
“You say it like it’s a bad thing. There’s nothing wrong with the way
you are. I mean, I could never love math or school in general, but the fact
that you do is mega cool.”
Now it’s my turn to just stare at her. “I think that’s the nicest thing
anyone has ever said to me.”
“Nuh-uh.”
I twist my nose. “Well, except for my mom, but she doesn’t count.”
She laughs. “True.”
We smile at each other again.
“Uh, so thanks for saying those nice things,” I tell her. I’m about to say
something else, but footsteps approach our table. Turning my head, I find
Tiffany Myers standing there, a group of girls behind her.
Her eyes move from Rylee, to me, back Rylee. “What is this?” she asks,
laughter and mockery attached to each word. She takes in the textbooks
scattered on the table and chortles. “You have a tutor? Are you that dumb?”
My gaze slowly moves to Rylee. Her eyes are downcast as she bites her
lower lip and curls her hands into fists.
“Surprised you’re on the squad,” Tiffany continues, still in that
derogatory tone. “How could someone as slow as you manage school and
cheer?”
She and her friends giggle.
 Rylee’s head snaps up and she glares at her like she wants to say
something, but it seems like the words are caught in her throat.
After the giggling is done, Tiffany turns back to her, eyeing the
textbooks and papers again. “Are you getting help in all subjects? Wow,
how dumb are you?”
Before I know what’s happening, I shoot to my feet. “Don’t call Rylee
dumb.”
Tiffany looks at me like she has no idea who I am or what planet I came
from.
“It’s okay, Mason,” Rylee says in a quiet voice. “Just ignore her.”
Tiffany’s lips curl into a smile. “Aw, how sweet. Tutor and dummy are
getting along so nicely.”
Rylee glares at her. “Go away.”
“Nope. We have a silly project to do for history and we’re not allowed
to do research online. Unlike you, dummy, we’ll be out of here in a
second.”
Again, I have no idea where this is coming from, but I find myself
stepping closer to Tiffany. “I told you not to call Rylee dumb.”
Tiffany gapes at me for a moment, then guffaws to her friends. “She’s
such a loser that she has a nerd for a bodyguard!” She pins her focus on me,
eyes scanning me from the top of my head to my slightly-dirty sneakers.
“Talk about a pair of losers. That’s the ugliest shirt I’ve ever seen. And
those sneakers? Did your mommy buy them for you? Ugh, your hair is
horrible. No wonder you’re the biggest loser at school and are on the lowest
rung on the social ladder. No one wants to be around you.” She wrinkles her
nose. “Ew. You’re gross.”
Rylee stumbles to her feet, eyes furious as she glares at Tiffany. “Leave
Mason alone. Say whatever you want to me, but keep him out of it.”
 Tiffany’s eyes get huge as she stares between me and Rylee. “How cute.
Two losers trying to stand up for each other. So sweet. The dummy and the
biggest nerd at school. And I thought you couldn’t sink any lower,
Barrington. How embarrassing that you need a tutor.”
Rylee’s hands fist at her sides again. “I told you to go away.”
Tiffany fastens her eyes back on me. “How is she paying you for
services? A kiss? More? Nerdy guys like you don’t get any action, so you’ll
take what you can get. Even from a zero like her.” She shivers in disgust.
“Gross.” The other girls join in her laughter. “See you later, loser one and
loser two.” With a flip of her blonde hair, she leads the others out of the
library.
Rylee remains standing for a few seconds, her chest heaving, before she
plops down on her chair. She crosses her arms over her chest as she glares
at the table. “Witch,” she grumbles.
I sit back down. “Are you okay?”
She looks up. “Me? Are you?”
“I’m more concerned about you.”
She glances away. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
“Rylee, you know what she said isn’t true. You’re not dumb. Not at all.
Don’t let her get to you.”
She doesn’t say anything as she continues to avoid my eyes.
“Rylee, are you sure you’re okay? I wish I could…I mean…” I shake
my head.
“Thanks for sticking up for me,” she says with a sad smile. “I keep
telling myself not to let her words bother me, but…” She sighs. “It’s one
thing when she messes with me in the locker room and at practice, but this
is completely different.”
“You know it’s not embarrassing to have a tutor, right?”
 She throws her hands up. “I know that, but I don’t need her rubbing it in
my face all the time. She…” Her voice shakes. “She won’t let this go. It’ll
be her new ammunition now.”
“I know I have no right to tell you what to do or how to feel, but you
should be very proud of yourself. You’ve accomplished so much, you’re a
cheerleader, you’re going to ace your tests. You’re amazing. Don’t let her
ruin it for you.”
She smiles through her teary eyes. “Thanks. You’re so sweet. And
you’re not any of those things she said. You’re not gross.”
I stare down at my T-shirt. The one Rylee bought for me last week. And
my sneakers that are also Swords and Legends themed. “Thanks. I guess we
both need to ignore what she said. But sorry you need to see her at cheer
practice every day.” I wish I could be there for her, to support her. I’d do
anything to wipe away that sad look in her eyes and make her smile.
“I’ll be okay.” She forces a wide smile.
I bend close. “Ten to fifteen years from now, you’ll be traveling the
world and will be having the time of your life. While she’ll be miserable
working at a job she hates.”
She laughs. “Doubt it. She’ll be like her aunt and will become the next
cheer coach.”
I lift my brow. “And you think that’ll make her happy? From what I saw
at cheer practice yesterday, neither Coach Abberton nor her daughter
seemed particularly happy.”
She’s quiet as she thinks it over. “Yeah, that’s true. But cheer is their
world and the only time they’re truly happy.”
I shrug. “Let’s not talk about them. They’re not worth our time. Are you
feeling better?”
Her smile is shy, but full. “Yeah, loads better. Thanks, Mason.”
 I return her smile. “Of course. Are you up for more algebra?”
“Sure.”
We spend another half an hour studying for the test. Rylee seems to
have forgotten about Tiffany and she’s back to her fun, happy, sweet self.
As we leave the library together, we talk about Swords and Legends and
other TV shows she’s watching.
“Oh and I love football,” she tells me. “My entire family loves it. It’s,
like, a huge deal in my house.”
“Nice. Jason’s been playing football for years, but I still don’t really
understand the sport. Makes no sense to have guys crashing into each other
all because of a ball.”
She bursts out laughing. “Mason, Mason. You have so much to learn.”
We stop at the school doors, where she explains the sport to me, her
eyes shining. She’s so happy and excited that my heart soars to the sky. I
love watching her light up like this. I love just being with her.
“What?” Her cheeks redden. “Am I talking too much?”
Some hair has loosened from her ponytail and my fingers urge me to
tuck it behind her ear, but I fist my hand. I doubt she’d want me touching
her.
“Of course not. I love listening to you.”
Her smile is even sweeter. “Thanks.”
I don’t want to part for the day, but we have to. So after giving her a
smile and a wave, I get into Mom’s car.
“Someone’s in a good mood,” Mom says as she pulls out of the parking
lot.
She has no idea.
***
 Jason enters my room while I’m doing homework and drops down on
my bed, burying his face in my pillow. “Imesupagin.”
“What?”
He raises his head. “I messed up again. More than once.”
“What did you do this time?”
Sighing, he drops back down on my bed, staring at the ceiling. The
expression on his face? Like he thinks the world is coming to an end.
“So you know the girl I ticked off on Monday?”
“Yeah.”
“And I told you I was going to try again?”
“Uh huh.”
Slowly, he sits up and turns to me, eyes troubled, bothered, frustrated.
“Well, seems like I ticked her off even more. I tried to talk to her yesterday
and today, but I guess I must have said the wrong thing.” He drops down on
my bed again. “I don’t get it. I never have problems talking to girls. Why’s
she different?”
I shrug. “Maybe she doesn’t want a boyfriend.”
He lifts a brow. “Pretty sure she does. She looked happy and excited
when I walked over to her on Monday. Then I opened my stupid mouth and
ruined everything.” He groans again.
“You’re acting like she put a spell on you or something.”
“She did. She’s cute and sexy and so hot. And I want her, bro. I really,
really want to be with her.”
“Who is she?” I ask.
“Rylee Barrington. She’s a new cheerleader. Super sexy.”
My heart stops pumping as hot liquid fills my head. Rylee? The girl he
likes is my…is Rylee?
“You okay, man? You’ll tear all the pages out.”
 I don’t realize I’m scrunching up the pages of my textbook. “Oh.” I
drop my hands. “So you like Rylee Barrington.” Something pokes me in the
heart over and over again as I say—heck, think—those words.
“I like her a lot,” he gushes. My twin brother never gushes about
anyone. “I can’t stop thinking about her, Mason.”
My heart’s poked another time. No, stabbed. “I, uh…” I rub the back of
my neck. “That’s cool. You know I’m tutoring her, right?”
Like he’s suddenly been zapped with super speed, he leaps off my bed
and zooms over to me, taking hold of my shoulders. “Seriously, man? I
knew you were tutoring someone, but I didn’t know it was Rylee. Can you
put in a good word for me? She thinks I’m a jerk, but you can tell her what
a nice, charming guy I am.”
Something the size of a bowling ball gets stuck in my throat.
Swallowing a few times doesn’t seem to help. And my lungs feel like
they’ve turned to stone.
Jason shakes my shoulders. “Please, man. Will you help me? I need to
talk to her, to be with her. I’ll go insane if I don’t.”
“W-why…” I clear my throat. “What do you like about her?”
He sighs like he’s in heaven. “I don’t know. She’s pretty and she looks
hot as heck in the cheer uniform.”
“What about something other than her looks?”
He blinks at me. “Well, sure there’s more to her. And that’s why I want
to get with her. So I can learn more about her.” He drops down on my bed,
spreading his arms on either side of him. “I’m telling you, man. I’ve never
felt about any other girl the way I feel about her. She keeps me up at night,
bro.”
She’s been keeping me up at night, too, but of course I don’t tell him
that.
 He sits up, turning to me. “So? Will you put in a good word for me?
Please?”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to refuse, to tell him I like her, too. But I
can’t do that. For one thing, I don’t want to hurt him. Second, Rylee would
never choose me because football players and cheerleaders go together.
That’s how it’s always been at Edenbury High. Third, my brother has
always helped me, been there for me, protected me. He’s never asked me to
do anything for him. Now he’s begging me to help him out and I can’t say
no.
So even though it hurts, I nod to him. “Okay, I’ll talk to her.”
“Yes! Thanks, man. I owe you.” He fist bumps me and leaves my room.
I need to push aside my feelings for Rylee. It stabs my heart even deeper
than it did before, but I need to back away and let my brother have a shot
with her. After all, all I want is for him to be happy.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Sixteen
Rylee

I can’t hide the wide smile on my face as I make my way to the library
for my next session with Mason after cheer practice on Thursday. It’s weird
that I’m looking forward to doing schoolwork. Who am I and what
happened to Rylee Barrington?
Well, she’s right here and she’s ready to own the session. My heart skips
a beat at the thought of spending time with Mason again. He’s just so nice
and makes me feel comfortable to just be myself. When I’m at cheer
practice, I kind of put a wall around me to protect myself from Tiffany and
her evil minions. But it’s not like that with my tutor.
“Hey!” I smile as I drop down on the chair across from him. “Am I
late?”
He glances up. “No, you’re right on time. Let’s start with history. Then
we’ll do bio and then focus on the algebra test.”
“Okay.”
I’m a little disappointed that we’re getting right down to business, but I
guess considering I have a test to ace, I shouldn’t complain.
He instructs me to answer a few questions at the back of the chapter.
He’s stiff, has a small smile on his face as opposed to his usual bright ones,
and he’s just…different.
“Is everything okay, Mason?” I ask.
He nods, eyes meeting mine for a second before he yanks them away.
“Of course. Everything is great.”
He focuses on his schoolwork, leaving me to work on mine. Why am I
getting such cold vibes from him? I think he wants to be here, but at the
same time, he doesn’t. That’s never happened before.
“I think I need help with this one.” I point to the question. “We didn’t
cover it in class or in our sessions.”
He bends closer to take a look. “You can find the answer in the
textbook.”
I nod, waiting for him to say more, to talk about something other than
schoolwork. But he pulls back and returns to his work.
“What about this one?”
“Rylee, please. We can’t spend so much time on history. I need to help
you do well on the test.”
I lift a brow. “You mean ace the test,” I remind him.
He just nods, keeping his focus on his textbook.
I finish the questions, then he reviews bio with me. He’s talking in a
monotone, looking at me, but it’s like he’s looking through me. The
expression on his face makes me think someone hurt him.
“Are you really okay, Mason?” I ask. “Is it Tiffany and her evil witches?
Did she say something else to you? Or are you bothered about yesterday?”
He looks at me—truly looks at me—and from what I can tell, he seems
to be in pain. “No. I’m not thinking about Tiffany at all. I don’t care what
she calls me.”
“Then what’s bothering you?”
He shrugs. “Nothing. Just tired, I guess. I didn’t sleep well last night.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe we can end the session early so you can
get some sleep.”
He shakes his head. “I think we need an extra hour to study for the
algebra test.”
“Sure, I can stay an extra hour. Thanks.” I smile in appreciation.
He just nods, not cracking a smile or anything.
 As he reviews bio, he’s nice and patient like usual, but there’s
something in the air around us, something I don’t understand. Mason is still
giving off cold vibes, but he said he’s okay, so I don’t want to push him.
And anyway, we’re not that friendly and he probably doesn’t feel
comfortable pouring out his heart to me. Maybe he’s dealing with a
personal matter that’s not my business. Sure, I’d like for him to confide in
me, but maybe I’m not the right person.
“Let’s take a ten-minute break,” he says once we’re done bio. “We’ll
focus on the algebra test after.”
“Okay. So how was your day?”
“Was fine.”
I wait for him to say more, but he takes out his phone and busies
himself with it. I watch him for a little bit, waiting for him to look at me or
something. He doesn’t. He seems fascinated with whatever he’s looking at.
I take out two bags of honey barbecue potato chips I prepared for us this
morning and hold one out to him. “Thought maybe you’d like some potato
chips. They’re my favorite.”
He eyes it for a bit, as if torn between taking it and refusing. Shaking his
head, he says, “No, thanks. But thanks for thinking of me.”
I just stare at him again. Why is he being so cold and distant? Where’s
the sweet, fun, kind guy who laughed with me at the ice cream shop and
makes me feel like I’m important?
He suddenly laughs at something on his phone. “Jason just sent me the
funniest photo. His favorite memory. Look.” He holds out his phone to me.
After taking it, I scan the screen and see a picture with the twins making
funny faces, their arms wrapped around each other. A waterfall is behind
them. They must be on vacation somewhere.
 Their faces are identical, but their bodies look completely different. So
are their expressions. Mason has softer features because of his kind eyes,
but Jason looks more cocky and confident. Like he knows he’s hot and
popular and owns it.
“Jason always makes me laugh,” he continues, talking to me like we’re
back to how we used to be, before he started acting all weird. “I think he’s
got that touch, you know? A genuine, happy person who makes the people
around him happy.”
I shrug. “If you say so.”
He lifts a brow. “You don’t think so?”
I hold up my hand. “I’d rather not talk about him, if that’s okay.”
His eyebrows knit. “Why?”
“Look, he’s your brother and I don’t want to talk crap about him. So can
we please drop the subject?”
He thinks about it for a little while. “Did he hurt you?”
“No, of course not. He was just…” I sigh, throwing my hands up. “Fine,
I’ll tell you. He was a jerk to me. Said some stuff that made me want to
punch him.”
“What did he say?”
I shake my head. “I’d rather not talk about this, Mason.”
He nods quickly. “Of course. Sorry for making you uncomfortable.”
“I think it’s best that we don’t talk about him at all. And please tell him
to stop running after me and trying to talk to me. I don’t want anything to
do with him.”
“He’s a good guy, Rylee,” he says. “He knows he messed up and wants
to make things right.”
“You’re defending him? I mean, he’s your brother, so of course you
would.”
 He holds up both hands. “I’m just saying that people make mistakes.
But if you don’t want to talk about him, we won’t.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry for saying those things about him. I know he
must be an amazing brother, but…” I shrug. “I really don’t want to talk
about him anymore.”
He nods. “Our break is up. Are you ready for algebra?”
He’s back to using his monotone voice and being all business-like and
not fun. I tell myself it’s because of the test and that he feels responsible to
make sure I do well. But I’m not so sure. Maybe it’s the Jason thing? But
that doesn’t seem to be the answer, either.
Or perhaps this is the real Mason. Maybe he realized he doesn’t like
hanging out with me after all. Maybe all he cares about is school and
making sure I pass my classes. Maybe we’re not the friends I thought we
were.
I guess if he wants our relationship to be all about tutoring and nothing
else, then that’s how it’ll have to be. It sucks because I really loved hanging
out with him.
“Rylee? Are you concentrating?” Even his tone is so distant, lacking the
warmth it usually has. But his eyes—they still hold the pain they carried
when we started the lesson two hours ago.
“Yeah. I’m concentrating. Sorry.”
I force myself to focus on the math and not on our crumbling friendship.
The important thing is that I pass my classes—it doesn’t matter that the guy
who made me feel so special is gone, replaced with a robot.
Mason doesn’t leave until he’s confident I understand the material. I do
see bits and pieces of the old Mason surfacing, but it’s so rare I wonder if I
imagine it.
 “Okay, we’re done. Let me know if you have questions,” he says as he
packs away his things. “You can call me anytime, even at three in the
morning.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t want you to lose sleep because of me.”
He hauls his overstuffed backpack onto his back. “That’s all right. I’m
your tutor and it’s my job to make sure you’re prepared for your test.”
“Right, it’s your job,” I mutter as I gather my things. “I’ll study more at
home and I’ll call you if I have any questions.”
He nods once. “That’s it, then. Good luck with studying.” He walks out
of the library, not smiling, not waiting for me so we can walk and talk as we
head for the school doors.
“Everything okay, sweetie?” Dad asks after I’ve entered his office and
sat down on the chair in front of his desk.
“Yeah. Just nervous for my algebra test tomorrow,” I lie.
Dad places his hand on mine. “Don’t put so much pressure on yourself.
All your mother and I want is for you to put in the effort and study. At the
end of the day, all you can do is your best.”
That’s true, but I want them to be proud of me. Just like they were proud
of Noah and Chloe. I know I’m not my siblings, but it would be nice for me
to do well on the test.
“Thanks, Dad.”
I eat dinner in my room because I want to squeeze in as much studying
as I can. My parents take turns checking in on me from time to time, but for
the most part I’m left alone to concentrate.
My mind wanders to Mason and what happened at our session today. I
hope whatever was bothering him worked out and he’ll return to his sweet,
happy self.
Reaching for my phone, I scroll to Mason’s name in my contacts.
 Rylee: Hey, Mason. How are you doing?
His response doesn’t come.
I distract myself with algebra, trying not to obsess over the fact that he’s
ignoring my text.
His answer comes a few hours later, when I’m in bed and am reading
the book for book club. It’s a thumbs-up emoji.
A few minutes later, my phone beeps gain.
Mason: How is the studying going?
He’s actually texting me? Wants to have a conversation with me? My
fingers quickly tap out a text like they’ve been charged with energy.
Rylee: It went well. I think my brain can’t handle any more
algebra, so I decided to stop and read a book. What are you doing?
I can see him writing out a response, but then he stops.
He doesn’t text me back.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Seventeen
Rylee

I’ve been nervous many times in my life, but to be so nervous for an

algebra test? Who have I become?
But as I gather some stuff from my locker on Friday morning, I realize
that I like the new me. I like that I’m doing better at school. I’m still me,
just an improved version. An enlightened Rylee Barrington. Mason showed
me that learning could be fun and rewarding.
Mason…I try not to sigh when I remember how cold he was to me at
yesterday’s lesson. I really hope I didn’t do anything to upset him.
“Hey, hey,” Mia says as she and Zoey walk up to me. “Who’s excited
for tonight’s party?”
Zoey sighs heavily. “You know I’m not.”
“We have to get through a whole day of school before we can have fun.
And I have Mrs. Cosner for psychology. Her lessons are so hard and they
make me think. Why do we have to think so much? Can’t we just exist?”
Zoey laughs. “They don’t send us here to learn to knit.”
Mia pokes her elbow into my rib. “Rylee, why are you so quiet?”
“Huh?” I blink at her.
“Aren’t you excited for tonight’s party? We’re all single and ready to
mingle.” She does a dorky dance that only she can pull off. It has me and
Zoey laughing.
“I have to get through my test first,” I grumble.
“That’s right!” Zoey says. “You have an algebra test. Are you nervous?”
“Shaking in my pants here.”
“You’re wearing a skirt,” Mia points out.
 “But you’re ready, aren’t you?” Zoey insists. “Mason prepared you for
it.”
Without meaning to, I sigh. Mason…
“What did I say?” Zoey asks.
I shake my head. “Nothing. Yeah, Mason prepared me for it. I’ve never
felt so prepared for a test in my life.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“I’m just worried I’ll let everyone down. My parents and myself. And
Mason. What if I flunk the test? All the work we did the last two weeks
would be for nothing.” I scratch my head. “Do you hear me right now?
Look at how I’m freaking out over a test. That’s so not me. Ugh, I take it
back—I liked it better when I didn’t care about school. There was no stress
or pressure.”
“Breathe, Rylee,” Mia says. “You’ll be okay. Just pretend that Mason is
sitting next to you.”
That would be a good idea if I wasn’t so bothered by his cold attitude.
Imagining him sitting next to me during the test might have the opposite
effect.
“Well, at least the test will be over by the time we’re at the party,” Mia
says. “So we could get our mingle on.” She does the dorky dance again.
The early bell for first period rings.
I release a shaky breath. “I should probably get to class a little early and
get settled and prepared for the test,” I say. “Coming late would totally
throw me off.”
Zoey grins. “That’s such a mature attitude. I’m proud of you, Rylee.
Look at you, being all responsible.”
“Thanks.”
 We head in the direction of our classrooms, talking about various things.
Then my feet come to an abrupt halt when I spot Mason heading over to
me.
He keeps his eyes on me for a few seconds, an unidentifiable look in his
eyes. Then he smiles at me and my friends. “Hey, Rylee, Mia, and Zoey.
Good morning.”
“Good morning,” they say. I open my mouth to say something, but it’s
like I’m frozen in place. Is he here to talk to me? Maybe he’s not upset with
me? But he’s not really looking at me…
His gaze shifts over to me and he offers me a small smile. “Are you
nervous for the test?”
I just stare at him, trying to dissect the expression on his face. Was that
a friendly smile? A fake one? A nervous one? Is he asking me if I’m
nervous because he’s supposed to, or does he genuinely care?
Wait. Am I seriously analyzing him like he’s some alien that got
beamed down from space?
“She’s so nervous she’s shaking in her pants,” Zoey offers.
“Skirt!” Mia insists. “Rylee is wearing a skirt!”
“Why are you being so literal?”
“It’s for a character I created. Her name is Leah Literal. Like, that’s
literally her last name. And she takes everything way too literally…” She
giggles. “Count how many times I say literal!”
Mason’s confused eyes move from Zoey to Mia. “Um, what exactly are
we talking about?”
“Don’t mind me,” Mia says with a laugh. “I’m always doing improv. A
good actor is always practicing.”
Mason smiles. “That’s cool. I don’t know if I ever told you that I think
you’re so talented.”
 Her eyes light up. “Really? Thanks! You’ve watched my movies and
TV shows?”
“Uh…not really. I usually watch medical documentaries. But I’ve seen
you in all the school plays.”
“Medical docus?” Mia asks.
“Mason wants to be a doctor,” I explain. “An ER doctor to be exact.”
“Ooh, like that super-hot doctor in Hudson Medical. It’s currently my
dream to have a role on the show. My dad once had an offer, but he dropped
out because of scheduling conflicts.”
“Oh my gosh, you want a role on the show just to meet the hot actors,”
Zoey says.
“That’s not true! Well, not entirely true. You can learn so much from the
show.”
“Mia, Mason doesn’t care about that stuff,” I tell her. “I’m sure we’re
boring him out with a fictional hospital and not a real one.”
Mason holds up his hands. “I’m not bored at all. You guys are funny.”
Mia raises her chin at me. “Your tutor has good taste.”
“Thanks,” he says. Then he focuses his attention on me, finally looking
at me straight in the eyes. “Rylee, I just wanted to wish you good luck on
the test.” The expression on his face is soft and sweet. Like the way he was
before yesterday. “I believe in you and know you’re going to do amazing.
Just remember to show your work, and if you have time, try to do the
problems again to see if you get the same answers. The best thing about
math is that there is only one correct answer to every equation.”
I nod as I release a heavy breath. “Thanks. I think I’m ready.”
He gives me such a sweet smile that melts something inside me.
“You’re more than ready. Good luck again!”
 For a second, it looks like he wants to hug me. But I must be imagining
it because he stiffens, nods, and walks away.
I release another huff. “Okay. Let’s get this over with.”
Mia and Zoey walk me to algebra, then we say goodbye and they part to
their classes. As I settle down at my desk, clearing everything but a pencil,
a few football players who share this class pass by my desk. Unfortunately,
Jason is among them.
He stops and smiles at me. “Rylee, hi.”
I try not to frown. Did Mason talk to him and tell him to leave me
alone? If he did, it doesn’t seem like Jason cares. Ugh, how could they have
shared a womb and be so different? Mason is so sweet and Jason…well,
he’s not.
“Wanna meet up in the hallway after you’re done with your test?” he
asks.
Keeping my eyes on my desk, I say, “No, thank you.”
“Aw, you sure? Hanging with me will be fun. I can tell you all about—”
“I said, no thank you.” I fold my arms over my chest and turn my back
to him.
His friends howl with laughter as they walk away, hauling him along.
“Dude, give up on her,” one of them says. “She’s not even that hot.
Tiffany’s the sexiest cheerleader on the squad. Tasha, too. Man, her eyes are
so pretty…”
I roll my eyes.
My phone beeps with a text. I reach into my bag and fish it out.
Mason: Not sure if you’ll see this, but remember the trick I taught
you on how to solve quadratic equations. You’ll definitely have those on
the test. And remember that—
 “Phones away,” Mr. Gomez says as he enters the room. “Desks clear
besides for a pencil.”
I quickly turn my phone to silent and drop it into my bag. But my lips
lift in a grin. Mason’s text relaxes me. The fact that he took the time to text
me last-minute tips means he still cares about me. And not just because he’s
my tutor.
I hope I ace my test and make him proud.
***
I aced my test! An A+.
Mr. Gomez always has the exams graded by the end of the day, so I
logged into my school account to check as soon as last period ended.
Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I got every single question right. That has
never happened to me in…probably ever. Wow, I never imagined it would
feel so good. No wonder Chloe and Noah have always strived to do so well
at school. This is freaking awesome.
I grab my phone and text Mason.
Rylee: I got my test score! Mason, you’ll never believe it!
Like yesterday, it takes him a while to respond.
Mason: Did you get an A?
Rylee: A+! Squee!
Mason: Congrats. I knew you could do it.
I wait for him to text more. Maybe add some emojis. Exclamation
points. Something. But that’s it. Just seven bland words.
Why does that tear at my heart? But what do I expect? For him to jump
on the table and dance with joy because he’s super happy for me? Because I
worked my butt off?
Kind of…
 Rylee: I couldn’t have done it without you. You’re awesome, Mason.
Such an amazing tutor and person altogether. Thanks so much for
being so patient with me. And kind :)
Again, it takes a while for his text to come. And I see him typing and
stopping and then typing and stopping again.
And then it finally comes.
Mason: No problem.
My heart sinks. That’s it? I chuck my phone into my backpack.
A second later, it dings with a text. I quickly fish it out, my heart
beating with anticipation.
Mason: No session today. You earned an afternoon off. I’ll see you
on Monday. Have a great weekend.
Again, his words are so dry. So cold. He’s back to how he was
yesterday.
I don’t get it. What did I do wrong? Did I even do anything wrong? I
guess he just wants to keep this professional…
I don’t even know why I’m so bothered. A guy like him wouldn’t think
twice about someone like me. He’d want someone at his level.
It’s time to forget about him and move on.
***
To celebrate my perfect test score, Mia, Zoey, and I head to Mikey’s
Diner after we’re done with our extracurriculars. It’s within walking
distance of the school, and we get there in ten minutes.
The place is a popular teen hangout, so it’s no surprise that many kids
from Edenbury High are here. Thankfully, neither the football players nor
the cheerleaders are here. My friends and I can enjoy delicious food and
great company without worrying about certain football players and certain
cheerleaders ruining our afternoon.
 The owner, Martha, greets us with a smile as she passes by on her way
to the storage room in the back. Even though most of her staff takes the
bulk of the work, she’s always here to make sure everything is running
smoothly and the guests are happy. Mikey’s has been around forever—even
my mom and her friends came here when they were our age, and they still
do now. I think that’s one of the reasons I love coming here, because there’s
so much history.
One of the servers, Macy, heads over with her tablet to take our orders.
She went to high school with Mom and Mia’s mom and has been working
here since she graduated. She was also one of Coach Abberton’s best
friends and gave my mom a hard time. She used to be rude to our families,
but now she takes our orders, barely glances at us, then walks away.
Mikey’s is known for its fast service, so it’s not long before our food
arrives.
My friends and I waste no time digging into our burgers, fries, and
onion rings. We don’t even have a chance to talk because we’re all
preoccupied with devouring this yummy food.
When I only have a few bites left of my burger, I ask Mia, “How’s the
play going?” She, of course, has snagged the lead female role. “What’s the
play even about?”
“It’s something one of the seniors wrote.” Mia dips a fry in ketchup.
“It’s about loss and heartache. I’m going to have to cry on cue.”
“So?” Zoey says as she finishes off her burger. “You’re great at crying
on cue.”
“Yeah. It’s just a little different on stage in front of a live audience. I
usually don’t get stage fright, but this play is intense.”
“I know you can do it,” I tell her with a smile. “You’ll knock the
performance right out of the park.”
 “Definitely,” Zoey agrees.
She gives us an appreciative smile. “Thanks. I know I can count on my
besties to raise my confidence.”
We continue to eat and chat. I slip my hand into my backpack and fish
out my phone. No texts from Mason.
I don’t know why I expect him to say anything. And it still stings.
But I’m not going to let him bring down my mood. So I dump my
phone into my backpack and continue celebrating with my friends.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Eighteen
Mason

Everyone’s been talking about the party tonight. Well, everyone except
for those who aren’t interested in it, like my friends and me. Nico, Lindy,
Fred, Orlando, and I meet at my place after school to practice for mathletes.
Then the lovebirds leave for a date. Fred mumbles that his parents are
forcing him to visit his aunt and he’s been dodging his mom’s texts all
afternoon. But once she calls, shouting at him so loudly all of us can hear it,
he sinks in his seat and tells her he’ll be home soon.
“Darn it,” he mutters as he gathers his things from the dining room
table. “That woman always pinches my cheeks like I’m five years old. And
I tell her I’m too old for that crap and she just pinches them again.”
As irritating as that is for him, he’s lucky he has family. My mom
doesn’t have siblings and neither did Dad, and all four of my grandparents
passed away years ago. So it’s just Mom, Jason, and me.
“Good luck,” I tell him. “Didn’t you say your aunt makes the best
cakes?”
He scowls. “Her cakes do not make up for my bruised cheeks. Anyway,
see you guys later.”
Orlando and I chuckle as Fred drags himself out the front door like he’s
got weights attached to each shoulder.
Orlando leans back in his seat. “What’s the plan for tonight?”
I shrug. “Probably going to watch my favorite TV shows, maybe hang
out with my mom. What about you?”
He shrugs. “My brother and his wife invited me to watch a movie with
them.”
 “That’s fun.”
“I guess. She’s all right and all, I just feel weird being there. Like I get
in the way or something.”
I shut my math textbook. “If they invited you, it means they like
hanging out with you. Maybe his wife wants to get to know you better.”
He’s quiet as he thinks it over. “Guess so. I’ll catch you later.”
“See ya. Enjoy the movie.”
He sweeps his backpack off the chair, waves, then leaves the house. I
clean up my stuff, tidy around for a bit, then plop down on the couch to
watch TV.
A few minutes later, Jason strolls in, a wide smile on his face. He drops
down next to me, frowning at the TV, where a doctor is talking about new,
unknown diseases.
Turning away from the screen, he says, “Party tonight.”
“How could I forget about the biggest party of the semester? It’s not like
everyone didn’t talk about it today.”
Rolling his eyes, he playfully whacks me in the chest. “Hey, man.
Parties are important.”
I snort. “It’s an excuse to get wasted and do stupid things.”
He tsks. “So judgy, bro. Maybe you should go to one before dissing
them.”
“Pass.” The thought of going to a party full of kids doing who knows
what? Never in a million years. Besides, nerds like me get eaten alive at
parties.
“I heard Rylee will be there.”
My eyes snap to his. “Oh, really? That’s cool, I guess.” Clearing my
throat, I avert my gaze so he won’t see me getting all weird. It’s still hard
for me to keep my distance from her. I hated the way I treated her at our
session yesterday. I could see how much it hurt and confused her. But what
else could I do? My brother’s trying to get with her and when she
eventually comes to realize he’s not a bad person, I’m sure she’ll like him
too.
“I know she told you to tell me to leave her alone, “Jason says, “but I
figured maybe if we’re in a more chilled setting, like, not at school, maybe
she’ll give me a chance.”
I don’t say anything as my gaze roams around the living room.
He talks more about Rylee and the party and honestly, I can’t bear to
hear any more. Luckily, Mom comes home with Mexican food for dinner.
Hmm. That’s odd. We usually don’t order takeout, but we’ve been doing it a
lot lately. Maybe Mom’s too tired to cook, but why do I get the feeling it’s
more than that?
The three of us gobble down the food, chatting about our day. Jason
goes on and on about the party and how awesome it’ll be. The first party of
the year is the most important, so everyone has to be there. I guess in his
circles if you don’t go, you’re no longer cool and are booted from the
popular crowd?
We may be identical twins, but we live in two different worlds. I’m glad
I’m not in his. Seems too stressful to constantly worry about what other
people are doing or what they think of you. And going to those parties. I
just want to sit on the couch with my math or medical books and my TV
shows.
“Can I be excused?” Jason asks. “Need to get ready for the par-tay!” He
starts dancing in his seat.
Mom’s eyebrows furrow. “Didn’t you have an algebra test today?”
He shrugs as he continues to dance while sitting. “Yeah.”
“How did you do?”
 He shrugs again. “Mr. Gomez said most of the kids failed and he’s
letting us redo the test over the weekend.”
Mom blinks at him. “Hold on. You failed your test?”
He stops dancing. “Uh…everyone did.”
“No,” I interject. “Not everyone.”
Like Rylee. She texted me earlier that she aced her test. I was so happy,
I wanted to run over to her and spin her around in my arms. But of course I
couldn’t do that, so I just responded with a “congrats” text.
Jason looks at me. “Dude, what the heck?”
“Sorry.”
Mom focuses on my brother. “You failed your first math test and didn’t
bother to tell me?”
He holds up his hands. “Geez, Mom. I just told you my teacher’s letting
us redo the test. I’ll pass it, I swear.”
She nods curtly. “Yes, you will. Forget going to that party. You’re sitting
on your butt and are completing the test.”
His eyes bug out. “What?! I have the entire weekend to work on it. Why
can’t I go to the party? I swear I’ll finish it tomorrow.”
Mom shakes her head. “I won’t allow you to go to a party when you’re
not concentrating on your schoolwork. If football wasn’t so important to
you, I’d take that away too.”
Jason and I exchange a glance with wide eyes. Mom’s never this tough
with us.
“Are you okay, Mom?” I ask her.
She rubs her temples. “I had a difficult day at work, but that’s beside the
point. Jason, we agreed that you could only play football on the condition
that your grades don’t slip. You failed your math test and I won’t have you
failing again.”
 He gets to his feet. “I just told you I’ll work on it tomorrow.”
She holds his gaze. “What if your friends call you tomorrow? What if
you’re distracted by something else? Besides, you shouldn’t be rewarded
with a party for failing your test. You’ll sit on our butt tonight and work on
your test. If you’re not done, you’ll work on it tomorrow as well. I want you
to get at least a B.”
He throws his hands up. “This is so not fair, man! Everyone will be at
the party!”
“I don’t care what everyone else is doing. You’re not going anywhere
tonight.”
Jason drops back down on his chair, crossing his arms over his chest
and gritting his teeth. Mom rests her hand on his shoulder. “I know this is
hard, sweetie. But I love you and want what’s best for you. You can’t start
the year with a fail. You’ll only go downhill from there. There will be more
parties.”
He pulls away. “Not like this one. Everyone will wonder where I am.”
“You can tell your friends you’re doing your homework.”
He rolls his eyes at her. “Yeah, sure,” he mutters. “So there’s no way I
can go?”
Mom pushes some hair out of his eyes. “I’m sorry, honey.”
He yanks away, muttering a curse under his breath. “This is BS!” He
leaps to his feet and storms out of the room.
Mom gives me a small smile. “It’s hard right now, but one day he’ll
understand.” She rubs her temples again. “I can’t believe he failed his test.
He can do better. I know he can.”
I place my hand on her arm. “Of course he can. Do you need me to
make sure he buckles down and concentrates?”
 She shakes her head. “No. Go enjoy your weekend. I’ll make sure he
doesn’t get distracted.”
I help her clean up, then make my way upstairs to Jason’s room. He’s
slumped on his chair, his feet sweeping the floor. His arms are crossed
tightly over his chest and he’s scowling like someone took away his favorite
football player poster.
“Hey.” I lean on the wall near his door. “You okay?”
“No. I can’t believe her. I need to be at the party, Mason. Everyone is
going to be there.”
I wish I could understand why it’s so important to him. But I want to be
supportive, so I sit down on his bed and smile encouragingly. “Maybe
everyone won’t be there.”
He scoffs. “Yes, they will. And this will be the most talked-about party
of the year. Man, I can’t believe I can’t go.” He sinks even more in his
chair. “She was in high school so many years ago, she doesn’t remember
how important this is.”
“Look, it’s like Mom said—there will be more parties.”
He laughs bitterly. “You guys don’t understand! There won’t be as many
parties as this one! This is the party of the year and nothing else will match
up to it. You know what a loser I’ll be if I don’t go?”
Not really, but I don’t say anything.
“I’m sneaking out,” he says as he sits up sharply. “Can you cover for
me?”
“I’m not covering for you because you’re not sneaking out. This
makeup test is important and you need to take it seriously. Mr. Gomez
won’t give you another chance, will he?”
He frowns. “No. If I fail, I fail and there’s no redo.”
“Then you’re sitting on your butt and getting it done.”
 “You sound just like Mom!”
“Well, she’s right.”
He glares at me.
“I know your grades have been slipping in some of your other classes,
too,” I say. “Jason, do you want her to take away football? You know she
will if you keep messing up.”
He sits forward, dragging his fingers through his hair. “I guess I’ve been
distracted and stressed.” He sighs. “But why can’t I have one fun night and
finish the test tomorrow?”
“You know Mom. She doesn’t like pushing things off for the next day
because you never know what might happen.”
He doesn’t say anything as he stares at the floor. “I can’t just skip out on
tonight. There has to be a way for me to convince her…” He curses. “Of
course there’s no convincing her. When Mom’s mind is made up, it’s made
up.” He gets to his feet and starts pacing. “She’ll be watching me all night,
so I can’t sneak out of the house. And you won’t cover for me.” He looks at
me with hope, but I shake my head. “Thanks, a lot, bro.”
He continues to pace. “If only I could be in two places at once. Like, if I
could split myself in half. One half will be here doing that darn test and the
other will be at the party.”
“Yeah. I’m not a real magician, sorry,” I tell him. “I can’t help you.”
He whirls around to face me. “Wait a second. You just gave me an
idea.”
“Cool.”
“You can take my test for me.”
“What? No way.”
He’s at my side, grabbing hold of my shoulders. “Please, Mason. Do the
test for me so I can go to the party. Please.”
 I shove his hands off me. “First of all, that’s cheating. And anyway,
Mom could tell the difference between us. She’ll know in a second that it’s
me.”
He frowns. “You’re right. Of course she’ll realize right away.” He rubs
his chin. “So if I need to be here…” His eyes light up. “That means you
have to go to the party.”
“Huh?”
“As me.”
“What are you talking about?”
He looks like a mad scientist now as he paces his room again. “I need to
be in two places at once, but I can’t split myself in two. Both places are
equally important, so I can’t choose one over the other.” He stops and turns
to me. “Considering you won’t take the test for me, you have to take my
place at the party. You’ll dress in my clothes and I’ll style your hair to look
exactly like me.”
I slowly get to my feet as my mind spins with a million thoughts. “I’m
not going to the party and taking your place. Are you crazy?”
“No, not at all. We’re identical twins, man!”
“We’re so different,” I argue as I gesture between us. “Our faces are
identical, but our bodies aren’t. You look like a football player and I look
like the wind can knock me to the ground. Don’t you think people will
wonder how you shrunk?”
He smiles mischievously as he dashes to his closet and rummages
through it.
“What the heck are you doing?” I demand.
He continues rummaging until he pulls something out, still grinning
widely at me.
 “No!” I say in horror as I take in the thing he’s holding before me. It’s a
suit that makes the wearer look like he has large muscles. He bought it this
past summer because he wanted to prank his friends by having us switch
places. I refused to wear the suit, so it’s been collecting dust for the past two
months.
I tried it on once, only to humor my brother. The muscles in the suit are
hard and feel like real muscles. If one didn’t know better, they’d think they
were the real deal.
If I wore it, I could technically pass as Jason.
“No way in heck am I wearing that,” I tell him.
He pouts. “Come on, man. If you put this on and wear my clothes,
everyone will think you’re me. You can go to the party in my place!”
I give him an exasperated look. “Will the world come to an end if Jason
Monroe misses this party?”
“Yes! Like I told you a million times: Everyone will be there. I can’t not
show. People are expecting me. Besides…” He huffs as he drops down on
my bed. “This is the perfect opportunity for me to make things right with
Rylee.” He sighs. “For some reason, I keep saying the wrong thing to her.
Maybe if you went and talked to her as me…”
I tear my gaze from the suit in his arms to him. “You want to play a
trick on her? No way. I’m not comfortable with that.”
He frowns. “But you could say the right thing. Look, it’ll just be this
once. Maybe you’ll get her to lower her guard around me and then I’ll take
it from there.”
I shake my head.
“Help your one and only brother out. Your twin. Please, Mason.”
“No.”
“Please, Mason. Please. I really like her.”
 I can’t stand him begging like that. I hate refusing him. But how can I
take his place like it’s no big deal? How can I lie to Rylee like that?
I shake my head at him. “It’s wrong.”
He stands and places his hands on my shoulders. “This girl is very
important to me. I don’t know what it is, but I really like her. And I’ve been
trying to talk to her all week, but I messed up—”
“Exactly. What makes you think she’ll talk to me at the party if she
hates you?”
“Because I keep saying the wrong thing. You might say the right thing.
You know her, right? You’re her tutor. Maybe it’ll be easier for you to talk
to her.”
“Who said she’ll even be there tonight?” I ask.
“I overheard her talking with her friends. She’ll be there.”
“Jason, I can’t. It’s not right.”
He doesn’t remove his hands from my shoulders as he gazes into my
eyes, pleading. “I think I have strong feelings for her, man.”
My eyes widen. “But you don’t know her.”
“I know, but it’s chemistry or whatever, right? My body feels these
things—”
“Dude! I get it. Fine, you have strong feelings for her. So you need to
figure out how to talk to her without ticking her off.”
Sighing heavily, he lowers himself on my bed. “Are you really going to
deny your twin a chance at happiness? I want her to see I’m not the jerk she
thinks I am.”
“Okay, so try again on Monday.”
“No! I’ve been trying all week and failed. But you’re different. You’re
nicer and sweeter and you always say the right thing. You can make me
look good.”
 I hold up my hands. “Tricking Rylee is wrong.”
“It’ll just be this once, I swear. You’ll make me look good, show her I’m
a great guy, and then the rest will fall into place and you won’t have to
pretend to be me again. I swear.”
Puffing my cheeks, I bend forward. “You’re putting me in a tough spot.”
He falls to his knees before me. “I’ve never begged you for anything.
I’ve never gotten upset with you. Even after you broke my favorite toy
when we were little, I forgave you.”
“Pretty sure it was you who broke my toy—”
“I’m asking you for one favor, Mason. Just one favor. I’ll never ask you
for anything again.”
I avert my eyes from him to the floor. He’s right. He’s never asked me
for anything in all our sixteen years on this planet. He’s always been there
for me, protected me from bullies and others who treated me like crap. If
not for him, I’d probably be lonely and miserable and unhappy.
He’s asking me to do one thing. One small—maybe not so small—
thing. I can do this for him, pay him back for all that he’s done for me.
Anyway, there’s no guarantee that Rylee will even talk to me, so maybe
it won’t matter that I’m pretending to be my brother.
I look at him. “If I do this, I’ll have to pretend to be you to everyone
there. Your friends, girls, the entire school.”
He nods, smiling widely. “You’re agreeing to this?”
“I can’t be you. Just look at me.” I point to myself.
He gets to his feet. “That’s why I’m going to coach you to be me. How
to walk the way I do, talk the way I do.”
My insides fill with dread. “Am I going to regret this?”
He flings his arm over my shoulder. “When everyone talks about the
party on Monday and how awesome it was that I was there, and when Rylee
and I walk down the halls together and I’m the happiest person on the
planet, you won’t regret it at all.”
I shut my eyes for a second before opening them. “Fine. Let’s do this
before I back out.”
I go through an hour of torture as Jason teaches me how to be him. Then
I put on the muscle suit, he dresses me in his favorite T-shirt and jeans,
styles my hair with some guck or whatever, then we stand before the mirror.
Blinking a few times, I can’t believe it. The muscle suit makes my body
look pretty similar to his. Not identical, but pretty close. It’s nearly
impossible for anyone to tell us apart. And it’s oddly more comfortable than
I thought it would be.
Jason waggles his brows. “This is awesome!” He pulls me into his arms,
accidentally slamming me into his chest because he’s so excited. “Thank
you, thank you, man.”
I cough as he pats my back. “Sure, no problem. Just promise me two
things.”
He draws back and nods. “Of course. Anything you want.”
“Ace your makeup test.”
“You got it.”
“And when you get together with Rylee, promise you’ll be the best
boyfriend in the world. Treat her like she’s the most important person in
your life. Treat her right.”
“I will,” he says. “I swear.”
My stomach gets twisted, but I push it away. “Okay.”
Jason gives me a few more pointers as I stare at myself in the mirror. I
don’t know who is staring back at me. I just feel all wrong. Well, I suppose
that makes sense because henceforth I’m no longer Mason Monroe, but his
popular, smooth, and cool twin brother Jason.
OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Nineteen
Rylee

As soon as my parents come home from grocery shopping, I call them

into the living room and hold out my phone. “My algebra test score’s been
posted!”
“So soon?” Mom drops the grocery bags on the floor and hurries over to
take my phone. She releases an excited gasp, then passes the phone to Dad
and gathers me in her arms. “A perfect score! I’m so proud of you,
sweetie.”
“Thanks. I’m proud of myself.”
“See what we’ve been trying to teach you?” Dad says as he smiles down
at my phone screen. “Working hard pays off. That goes for school,
cheerleading—every part of life. I’m so proud of you, too, sweetheart. I
never once doubted that you could do it.”
“Thanks. So…I deserve a big reward, don’t I?”
Mom laughs to Dad before turning back to me. “I guess you deserve
some positive reinforcement. So, what do you want?”
I tap my chin. “Hmm…what can a sixteen-year-old possibly want?”
“Money,” they both say.
I beam. “Wow, fifty dollars for me? Shucks, Mom and Dad. You
shouldn’t have.”
“Fifty?” Dad exclaims.
“A hundred?” I gasp. “Oh my gosh, Dad! You’re so generous.”
Shaking his head with a smile, Dad reaches for his wallet and produces
fifty dollars. “We spoil you too much.”
 “I am your baby,” I remind them. “Too bad you decided to stop having
kids after me. “Thanks.” I stuff the money into my pocket.
Mom leans forward to kiss the top of my head. “We want you to enjoy
your reward, but we hope doing well on the test is a reward in itself. You’re
not doing this for anyone but yourself.”
“I know. I already told you that I’m proud of myself. But it’s been a
while since I’ve gone on a shopping spree.”
“Okay. Do you have any plans for tonight? Your dad and I want to binge
a new crime show. Want to join us?”
“Sounds tempting, but there’s a party that’s supposed to be the party of
the year. Everyone’s going to be there.”
“Just remember the rules,” Dad reminds me. “No drinking, no drugs, no
going anywhere alone with a boy. If you feel unsafe or uncomfortable, call
Mom or me immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”
“How are you getting there?”
“Mia’s dad’s giving us a lift.”
“Okay, have fun,” Mom says. “And check in every once in a while.”
“Yes, ma’am. But before I get ready, let me help you with the
groceries.”
“Thanks, sweetie.”
Once Dad, Mom, and I put everything where they belong, I go up to my
room and open my closet, not sure what to wear. It’s a normal party, so I’m
not supposed to dress up. But I do want to look amazing if I plan to catch
the eye of a guy.
I start a video call with Mia and Zoey.
“Hey, what’s up?” Zoey asks.
“What are you wearing to the party?”
 Zoey shrugs. “The same thing I wore to school.”
“Ugh, Zoey. Didn’t you shower?”
“I showered after practice. What? I smell good. And my outfit is
banging.”
I glance at her clothes. She’s wearing a sweatshirt with the Edenbury
Lions logo and jeans. She does look great in it. It’s so her. “Okay. What
about you, Mia? Ooh, are you curling your hair?”
“Yep,” she says as she curls a strand of her hair around the curling iron.
“I hate how straight my hair is. It has no life to it.”
I lift my straight brown hair and let it fall down my shoulders. “Same
with me. Should I curl mine, too?”
“I think both of your hairs look beautiful just as they are,” Zoey says.
“Thanks. Maybe I’ll do something with it after I shower. What should I
wear?” I face my camera to the closet.
“Rylee, you have a million clothes in there,” Zoey complains.
“You obviously don’t know the concept of having a closet full of
clothes and nothing to wear,” I inform her.
Mia brings her phone closer to her face. “What about that black dress?”
“This one?” I pull it out. “I wore it to my grandpa’s birthday party.”
“Yeah, I think it’s perfect! Not too fancy, but not too casual either.”
“Zoey?” I ask.
She shrugs. “I have no opinion on the subject.”
“You could be triplets with my mom and Willow,” Mia says with a
laugh. “They don’t care about dresses or girly stuff, either.”
“Neither do my mom and Chloe,” I say with an eye roll. “Thank
goodness for the internet.”
Zoey shrugs again. “I’m a tomboy like my mom.”
 “But she likes girly stuff, too,” I remind her as I place the dress over my
body, imagining how it would look at the party. “She loves sparkly things
and pink.”
Zoey makes a face. “Thankfully, I didn’t inherit that part.”
“Your poor boyfriend will have no idea what gifts to buy you,” Mia says
with a giggle.
Zoey laughs, too. “Just tell him that all I need is chocolate and slushies
and he has my heart.”
“We are so finding you a boyfriend this year,” Mia promises.
“You are so not,” Zoey says with a scowl.
“Guys, I need to finish getting ready,” I tell them. “So final thoughts.
This dress?”
“Rylee, you’ll look great in whatever you wear. You, too, Mia. Ugh, just
please don’t burn your hair off with that thing.”
“I am a professional,” she says with a chuckle.
“Sure you are,” Zoey mutters.
“I’ve watched my hairdressers do this a million times when I was on
set,” she tells us. “I know what I’m doing.”
“There’s always YouTube,” I remind her.
“So true,” Mia says. “And Rylee? You’ll look great in the dress.”
I smile. “Thanks. I’ll text you when I’m ready.”
After ending the call, I hop into the shower and then get dressed in the
black dress. Mia’s right, it’s not too fancy and not too casual.
My friends and I have been to parties before, but we’ve always been
invisible. Now that I’m on the cheer squad, maybe I won’t be invisible?
Maybe this dress will help me stand out.
As for my hair? I blow dry it and let it cascade down my shoulders.
After putting on some makeup, I text Mia and Zoey that I’m ready. Mia
informs me that she and her dad are headed out to pick up Zoey and will be
at my place soon.
I go downstairs and find my parents making out on the couch, with the
crime show playing on the TV screen. In the past, I always used to grumble
and complain about their display of affection, but I guess it’s grown on me
over the years. Or maybe I dream of having what they have one day, too.
What’s so amazing about my parents is that neither of them changed
anything about themselves. They loved each other for who they were. I
mean, they fake dated in high school because Dad wanted to impress
Mom’s dad, who was a sports recruiter for Astor University. But they fell in
love for real in the process. A fairytale ending.
I sigh just thinking about it.
I guess my sigh was too loud, because Mom sits up, removing herself
from Dad’s arms, and glances at me. Her face softens with love. “Oh,
Rylee. You look beautiful.”
“Thanks.” I spin. “Do you think it’s too much for a party?”
“I think it’s perfect,” Mom says.
I notice Dad’s lower lip quivering.
“Oh don’t you start, Dad,” I warn.
“You’re so grown up,” he says, emotion attached to every word. “Soon
you’ll be going off to college and getting married and having kids…”
Mom playfully slaps his shoulder. “Don’t make me a grandma already.”
“Well, it won’t be long before Noah and Evie decide to—”
She takes a cushion and gently whacks him in the chest. “I’m not ready
to be a grandma yet!”
With a chuckle, he tackles her to the couch and kisses her. “You’ll be a
smokin’ hot grandma.”
“Not hearing this!”
 “And I’ll be a smokin’ hot grandpa.”
“Oh my gosh, no!” Mom tries to cover her ears, but Dad kisses her
hands.
“So…I’m going,” I say as I walk backward to the door. “You two just…
continue doing whatever you’re doing. Bye!”
Mom waves in my direction as she and Dad continue making out. When
I get out the door, I find Mia’s Dad, Asher, pulling up to the house.
“Hey, guys and Asher,” I say as I hop into the car.
“Evening, little miss.” He tips an imaginary hat.
“Dad, don’t be a dork,” Mia says.
“Tonight, I’m not your father,” he says as he steps on the gas. “I am
Lorenzo. Your chauffeur.”
“Okay, Lorenzo,” Zoey says. “Please take us to Omar’s party.”
“Right away, miss.” He tips his imaginary hat again.
“Oh my gosh, your hair looks amazing,” I gush to Mia. “Love the
waves.”
“Thanks! And I didn’t burn a single strand.” She gives Zoey a pointed
look.
She raises her hands. “What? You could have.”
“You have no faith in me.”
“All this dress up is so pointless,” she whines. “The party is pointless. I
could be watching a game right now with my mom and dad.”
“Stabbed me right in the heart.” Mia doubles over in the passenger seat
and makes a sound like she’s dying. “My own best friend refuses to hang
out with me.”
Asher cries, “Oh no! Do we need to go to the hospital? Help! My boss
isn’t going to make it.”
 “To die so young,” Mia cries, half-lying on the seat—as much as her
seatbelt allows her. “To undergo such pain…”
“To feel the pain of my lady as though I’m going through it myself,”
Asher cries, too. “I think…I see the light.”
“Me, too…” Mia lifts her hand toward the dashboard.
“And scene!” they both say.
I clap my hands enthusiastically. “Awesome! Loved it.”
“A little over the top,” Mia says as she and her dad slap hands.
“Maybe a little,” Zoey admits. “But still fun.”
“You were impeccable, as always,” Asher tells Mia.
“Not as impeccable as my dad.”
He tips his imaginary hat again. “Why thank you. And here we are,
ladies,” he says as he slows down before Omar’s house. He frowns at the
loud music. “Remember, girls—”
“No drinking,” Mia says.
“No drugs,” Zoey adds.
“If we feel unsafe, call one of our parents immediately,” I supply.
“We might sound like a broken record, but the rules are extremely
important,” Asher says. “I was in high school once. I’ve been to many
Hollywood parties. Things can escalate very quickly. We just want to make
sure you kids are safe.”
“We know, Dad.” Mia leans forward to kiss his cheek. “Thanks for
looking out for us.”
“And Mia? No boys.”
“Ha.”
We laugh as we get out of the car. Asher says the same thing to her
nearly every time she goes out. Obviously he wants her to be happy and
won’t deny her the chance at having a boyfriend, but if it was up to him, he
would want her to stay his little girl forever. Just like my dad.
Zoey’s lucky she’s not the youngest like me and Mia, but that also
means she’s more responsible and less spoiled than us.
Asher lowers his window. “I’m picking you up in an hour.”
“Thanks, Asher. We’ll see you in two hours,” I clarify.
“I said—”
“Wait, three?” I ask with huge eyes. “Wow, you’re so generous.”
Asher makes a face. “I’ll see you in two hours.” He lowers his window
and drives away.
I chuckle. “Works every time.”
“The Barrington charm,” Mia says.
I shrug. “The Rylee charm.”
Zoey nods toward the house. “Let’s get this night over with.”
I sling my arms around both of them. “How about you remove your
grumpy face and have fun with the two amazing people in the world?”
“Who exactly are we talking about?” Zoey moves her head from right to
left, backward and forward.
I playfully hit her shoulder.
“I was just kidding! Fine, I’ll try to have fun. Just please don’t abandon
me when you find cute guys to dance with.”
“What are you talking about?” Mia says. “You’ll be dancing with a cute
guy, too.”
“Pass.”
“Heck no.”
“Heck yes.”
“Heck no!”
“Heck yes!”
 This goes on until we reach the door. I’m about to knock on it, but it
springs open and a guy pushes his way out, nearly forcing us apart.
“Ouch!” Mia says as she rubs her arm. “Rude.”
“See? It’s not too late to turn back and call your dad.” Zoey makes a
move to spin around, but I grab her shoulders.
“We’re not going anywhere. Ooh, look! I see food.”
It’s not much, just potato chips and popcorn and Cheetos. Mia, Zoey,
and I stuff our faces, and my eyes flit around the area. The place is pretty
packed, with practically the whole school here. Some kids are dancing,
some are making out. Most are just mingling.
“There are the cheerleaders,” Mia points out.
They’re in the center of the room, chatting and giggling and playing
with their hair whenever a cute guy passes. Some football players are with
them, too.
“Didn’t you say you want to try to fit in with the cheerleaders?” Zoey
asks.
I stuff a potato chip into my mouth. “Maybe later.”
“Seems like you have an opening now,” Mia says. “You might not have
a chance later. They might go off making out with guys.”
Hmm. She has a point.
“Okay.” I take a deep breath and let it out. “I’m going in.”
No big deal, right? Just mingle with the cheerleaders as though we’re
friends. But ugh, Tiffany is in the center, most of the other cheerleaders
surrounding her. Still, I can’t let her get to me. This might be the only
chance I have to make friends with them.
“Hey, everyone!” I say when I’m standing right before them.
They stop talking and look at me.
 With a smile, Tasha is about to raise her hand to wave, but Tiffany
pushes it down. “Do you want something, dummy?”
I glare at her. “Don’t call me a dummy.”
“Why not? That’s what you are. I told you guys she has a tutor, right?”
She guffaws so loud, I bet they can hear her on Mars. “She needs help in
every subject. How pathetic.”
“Just because someone needs a tutor, it doesn’t mean they’re dumb,” I
say, crossing my arms over my chest. “And by the way, I got a perfect score
on my algebra test. What did you get on your test?”
Tiffany snickers. “Algebra? I’m in calculus.” She once again guffaws
with her friends.
“I’m in algebra, too,” Tristan tells me with a smile. “I have Mr. Gomez
last period—”
“Tristan, shut up,” Tiffany hisses.
“I heard your sister was super smart,” Jade says with a scoff. “And your
brother. What happened to you? Are you adopted or something?”
“No—”
“I bet she is!” Tiffany says. “I bet your bio mom took one look at your
ugly face and threw you away.”
“No, she didn’t—”
“Why are you even here? Does it look like any of us care about
anything you have to say?” She looks me up and down. “What the heck is
with your dress? This isn’t a funeral.”
“At least my dress doesn’t make me look like I’m trying too hard,” I
say.
All of them, especially Tiffany, gape at me.
My neck feels warm. I don’t know how I was brave enough to say that.
 She moves closer to me, eyes narrowed. “Like I told you before, the
only reason you’re on the squad is because your dad abused his power. If
not for Daddy, you would be cheering in your room. He might get you on
the squad, but I have the power to destroy you. So maybe next time think
twice before you try to insult me.”
Two of her friends move in on me, too.
I glance at some of the others to see if they’ll have my back, but they
seem powerless to help me. Tiffany and her aunt are just too darn powerful.
“Now my squad wants to enjoy ourselves at this party,” Tiffany says,
shooing me away. “Run along to where the losers and the dummies hang
out.”
I press my lips together. There’s so much I want to say, but it’s not
worth it. Tiffany is a horrible person, and nothing I say will change that. So
I spin around and march back to my friends.
“I’m guessing it didn’t go well?” Mia puts her arm around my shoulder.
“She’s such a b-word,” I grumble.
Zoey puts her arm around me, too. “Forget her. Let’s have fun.”
Mia stares at her. “Did you just say you want to have fun at a party?”
Zoey smiles. “As long as we’re together, we’ll have fun wherever.
Right?”
“Duh,” Mia says. “Let’s go far away from her and the other
cheerleaders. The backyard? We’ll take some snacks with us.”
“Okay.” I force a smile. “Thanks, guys.”
They smile and squeeze me. “Of course.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty
Mason

My hands clutch the steering wheel of Mom’s car so tightly my fingers

hurt. I’m a few blocks away from Omar’s house, but I can’t move another
inch. So I’m just sitting here on the side of the road, my breathing strained.
How did I get myself into this mess? What was I thinking?
Right. I want to pay back my twin brother for everything he’s done for
me over the years. And will probably continue to do for me in the future. So
here I am, about to do something I’ve never done in my life. Something I’m
still not comfortable with, but at the same time I want to do this for him.
“Come on, Mason,” I mutter to myself as I glance around. Many cars
pass by, some I’m sure are headed to the party. According to Jason, the
place will be packed with kids. I’m not the greatest with crowds, but this is
for my brother, not me.
After glancing at myself in the mirror to make sure I can pass as him, I
relax a little. Looking like him is half the battle. The second half is actually
transforming into him.
The more I sit here, the more I’ll chicken out. So after taking a few deep
breaths, I drive down a few more streets until I’m pulling up to Omar’s
house. There are cars all over, and I have no idea where I’m supposed to
park.
“Jason!” a voice calls in the distance. Lowering my window, I spot
Isaiah gesturing toward a spot next to what I assume is his car. “Here’s your
spot!”
Right. Of course. As one of the most popular kids at school, Jason has a
reserved spot. I wave at Isaiah, then pull into the spot.
 “Thought you were a no-show,” Isaiah says as I get out of the car, about
to run my fingers through my hair, but then I remember it’s gelled and I
probably shouldn’t mess it up.
Isaiah blinks at me. “You okay?”
“Y-yes!” I say, a bit too enthusiastically. “Totally okay. Why are you
asking?”
His eyebrows furrow.
Darn it. I’ve been here for less than three minutes and I’m already
messing this up. Straightening out, I give him a wide smile. “Fashionably
late, you know how it is.”
Releasing a chuckle, Isaiah throws his arm around me, hauling me to his
chest. “We don’t want to keep the ladies waiting.”
“Is Rylee here?” I ask before I can stop myself.
He groans. “Not again. Dude, just forget about her.”
“No, man. After tonight, she’ll be my girlfriend. Just wait and see.”
He scoffs. “That I’d love to see. Hey, Jessa, Mina! Wait up.”
Yanking me along with him, we make our way over to the two
cheerleaders walking toward the entrance to the house. They turn around,
giving me flirty smiles.
“Hey, Jason,” one of them gushes as she twirls her hair around her
finger. “Save a dance for me?”
“And me!” the other chimes in.
“Uh…”
What would Jason do in a situation like this? He’s trying to get with
Rylee, so it wouldn’t be fair to go with another girl. Considering my brother
keeps messing up, he would probably promise the girls a dance.
But I’m not going to hurt Rylee like that. Besides, if I’m trying to make
Jason look good in front of her, it’s a bad idea to give other girls attention.
 “Sorry, girls, I’ve got plans tonight.”
Sauntering the way Jason taught me, with my hands in my pockets, I
enter the house, with Isaiah and the girls trailing me.
Darn, the place is packed. There are so many people here there’s hardly
room to move or even breathe. But this is my brother’s world, and tonight,
I’m part of it.
Isaiah rushes over to get a drink, but I don’t drink alcohol. Maybe Jason
wouldn’t like that, but I don’t care.
Scanning the area, I search for Rylee, but can’t find her anywhere. Just
as I’m about to weave through the many bodies dancing, chatting, or
making out, fingers clamp around my bicep. I don’t really feel it because of
the fake muscles, but I see the fingers and stop walking.
Turning around, I find Tiffany standing there, a flirty look in her eyes.
“Jason! You made it!”
“Here I am,” I force out.
Her eyebrows furrow. “Well, of course you’re here. Parties aren’t the
same without you.” She squeezes my bicep, but I once again don’t feel
anything. “Wow. You’ve been working out.”
I guess I should be glad my fake muscles pass the squeeze test or this
would end very badly. I force one of Jason’s famous cocky smiles. “Gotta
keep fit if we want to make it to state.”
She beams. “Of course you guys will. And we’ll be cheering for you
every step of the way.” She moves closer to me. “Want to dance?”
“Actually, I’m looking for someone. Have you seen Rylee?”
She makes a face like I asked her to stick her head into a mud pit. “Why
would you be looking for that loser?”
Backing a few feet away from her, I shoot her another smile. “She’s the
prettiest girl at school, so why shouldn’t I be looking for her?”
 Her eyes bug out. “Prettiest—what the heck? No, she’s not!”
I shrug smoothly, as I’ve seen my brother do many times. “Sure, she is.
Have you looked in the mirror lately? Those bags under your eyes, those
early wrinkles. All that stress can’t be good for you, Tiff.”
Her eyes nearly pop out of their sockets now. “W-what?” she sputters.
As I walk away from her, not hiding my chuckle, I catch her frantically
digging in her bag for her tiny mirror.
Man, that felt good. Maybe I was a little harsh, but she deserved it for
calling Rylee dumb the other day and making her feel terrible about herself.
As I pass many kids, a few slap my hands or clap me on the back. The
entire school knows me and wants to smile, talk, interact with me. I return
their smiles and greetings, nodding to a few people. Wow. I knew my
brother was popular, but not like this. No wonder this party is so important
to him. He lives off those kids’ attention.
A few girls ask me to dance, but I decline. Maybe that’s not something
Jason would do, but I have a task to talk to Rylee and that’s what I’m going
to do.
I still can’t find her. Darn it. Maybe she left? I ask a few kids if they’ve
seen her, but they give me looks like they have no idea who I’m talking
about.
“Jason!” Some guys from the football team wrap their arms around me,
hauling me to where they’re playing games. I have no idea what kinds of
games they are. Several girls are playing as well, each giving me flirty
smiles.
I try to get out of playing, but they won’t hear it. So I just endure
because I’m supposed to be Jason, but I’m not having a good time. This
place with these people is not my scene and the only person who can make
this bearable is Rylee.
 But then again, once I talk to Rylee, she’ll think I’m my brother, not me,
which will make me feel like such a fraud.
But I’m doing this for Jason. For Jason. Because he deserves happiness.
And he promised to be the best boyfriend to Rylee. One thing Jason never
does is break his promises to me.
I manage to excuse myself from the game and continue my quest to
locate Rylee. Once again, many kids greet me with smiles and slaps. It’s
kind of getting exhausting having to smile and talk to so many people. How
does Jason do it?
Being popular is much harder than I thought it was.
I’ve checked the entire house except for the bedrooms, but can’t find
her anywhere. Maybe she really did go home. I’m about to text Jason that I
can’t find her, when I notice some kids leaving through a back door, which
must lead to the backyard.
After following the crowd, I realize the area behind the house is nearly
as packed as the interior. Wow. So many people…
My heart skips a beat when I spot Rylee chatting with her friends. She’s
as beautiful as always, wearing a black dress and the sweet smile I love
seeing on her as she laughs at something Mia says.
I was so prepared for this, but now that I’m standing only a few feet
away from her, I can’t do it. I can’t lie to her. As much as I want my brother
to be happy, I just can’t.
Just as I’m about to turn away and go back inside, someone crashes into
me, sending me flying toward Rylee. I slam right into her, sending her
crashing toward the ground. But before she makes contact with the ground,
I slide my hands around her waist and lift her a few inches.
With wide eyes, she stares into mine. But they harden the second she
realizes who’s holding her.
 I slowly and carefully set her on her feet, pushing a Jason smile onto my
lips. “Hey, Rylee. You okay?”
“Wow,” Mia says, also with wide eyes. “You’ve got good reflexes.”
“Well, he does play football,” Zoey says. “Nice catch, man.”
I bow. “Thank you, thank you.” Turning to Rylee, I say, “Are you okay,
Rylee? Sorry, but someone pushed me.”
With her arms crossed, she turns her back to me and continues talking to
her friends. I just stand there watching them.
What am I supposed to do now?
Jason asked me to try to make things right with her, but how can I do
that if she won’t even look at me?
“That algebra test was so hard,” I find myself saying. “But I heard you
got the top grade in the entire class. Nice!”
She still ignores me.
I rub the back of my neck. “Rylee, can I get you a drink?”
“No.”
Sighing, I squeeze my eyes shut for a second before opening them.
“Look, Rylee. I’m really sorry about the things I said. It’s just that…” I rub
the back of my neck again. “I get so nervous around you that I say the
wrong thing. You’re like…like a goddess and I’m a lowly servant who
doesn’t deserve to breathe the same air as you. When I’m around you, I get
so tongue-tied when all I want to do is tell you that I think you’re amazing.
And I’m really, truly sorry for the pain I caused you. If you want me to
leave, I will and won’t bother you again.”
I turn around, ready to head back inside, when she says, “Wait.”
I go still for a second before slowly twisting around, my eyes meeting
her beautiful blue ones.
 She narrows her eyes. “Do you really mean that?” she asks. “About
being nervous around me?”
“Yeah. I think you’re great. I’m really sorry if I hurt or offended you.”
Her features soften. “Thanks for apologizing. I appreciate it.”
“Sorry I didn’t say it earlier. I could be a bonehead sometimes.” I laugh
awkwardly.
She joins in my laughter.
“But I really am genuinely sorry for saying those things to you. Maybe
we can start over, if you’d like?”
She smiles. “Okay, sure.” She holds out her hand. “Rylee Barrington. I
just joined the cheer squad.”
Returning her smile, my heart galloping in my chest, I slide my hand
into hers and say, “J-Jason Monroe, wide receiver for the Edenbury Lions.
Would you like a drink, Rylee?”
“Yes, I’d love a drink. Thank you, Jason.”
I dip my head. “It would be my pleasure. What would you like?”
“Coke, please.”
“Coming right up.”
I’m warm all over and my cheeks are scorching as I head for the kitchen
to fetch Rylee her drink. I think I did it. I think Jason has a shot at being
with the girl of his dreams.
My heart stops pumping for a second when I realize I just made my
brother look good to the girl I’m trying not to crush on.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty-One
Rylee

As soon as Jason walks away, Mia grabs my hands. “Oh my gosh! Jason
is totally into you.”
“You think?” My heart starts to pound with thrill.
“Duh,” Zoey says. “He did just say he thinks you’re great and that he
gets nervous when he’s around you.”
“So I didn’t imagine it?”
“You didn’t.”
My cheeks lift in a large smile. “For the past week, I thought he was the
biggest jerk on the planet. But I guess I had the wrong impression of him.
He was just nervous because he…likes me?”
Mia squeals. “Yes!”
There are so many emotions flitting throughout my body right now.
Elation and excitement and shock and nerves and hope. I think I might
explode. For years I’ve yearned to fall in love with a football player like my
mom did—could it be another one of my dreams will come true?
When we catch sight of Jason heading our way, holding two Coke cans,
Mia releases my hands and straightens up like we weren’t gushing about
him for the past two minutes.
As soon as he reaches me, he offers me such a sweet smile it causes my
heart to gallop in my chest. It’s the kind of look I see all the time when Dad
and Mom look at each other, and when Noah and Evie lock eyes—like he
truly sees me for who I am and appreciates everything about me.
“Here you go, Rylee.” With another sweet smile, he passes one of the
cans to me. His hand shakes a little, which makes me try to hide a smile. Is
it rude of me to like the fact that he’s so nervous around me? It shows that
he truly likes me.
“Thanks so much.” I take a sip. “Ooh, it’s still cold.”
“Swiped them from the fridge.” He takes a sip from his drink and
smiles. “Perfect temperature.”
“Totally.”
We both stand there quietly as we take more sips. I’m reminded of the
calmness and peace I felt when I was alone with Mason. Like I didn’t feel
the need to talk. It’s the same with his brother. I guess they’re more alike
than I thought. I was wrong to judge Jason. He’s just as sweet as Mason,
with that same smile that makes my insides feel all mushy.
“So…I think we need more snacks,” Mia says as she wraps her fingers
around Zoey’s arm and backpedals toward the entrance to the house. “See
you later!”
I try not to laugh. They both have enough snacks to last them the night,
but they want to give me and Jason some privacy.
With another smile, he says, “Want to take a stroll around the backyard?
We won’t wander too far from the house,” he quickly says, as though
worried I’m scared he’ll try to murder me behind some bushes. Obviously I
know he won’t hurt me, but I did promise my parents I wouldn’t be alone
with a guy.
“Sure. Sounds good,” I tell him.
Together, we make our way toward the backyard, which is like a small
garden. There are many trees and shrubs and flowers, and there’s also a
pool that’s currently empty.
“Pool parties here must be fun,” I say.
He looks at me with confused brows. “What?”
 I nod toward the pool. “I’m sure Omar has invited all the football
players and cheerleaders and popular kids to his pool parties. They must be
epic.”
“Right.” He clears his throat. “Yeah, totally epic. The best parties I’ve
ever been to.”
Again, I try not to smile at how adorable he is when he’s nervous like
this.
We walk in silence, and I’m once again surprised by how nice it feels to
just walk side by side with him without needing to talk. It’s like we’re
sharing so much without having to talk. I notice the way Jason keeps
glancing back at the house to make sure we haven’t ventured too far, all to
make me feel comfortable. And every so often, he points out dangerous
areas on the ground I should avoid, like uneven land and broken branches
and twigs.
“Oh my gosh.” I grab his arm when I see a large weird-looking bug
crawling in the distance. “What is that?”
We stop and watch it scurry into a bush.
“No idea,” Jason says. “But it’s gone. We can head back if nature is
getting to you.”
“Oh, I don’t mind,” I say. “I love being outdoors. Just…not when there
are huge freaky bugs like that,” I add with a laugh.
He laughs, too. “I know what you mean. I’m not that scared of bugs, but
J—I mean, yeah. I’m not the biggest fan of bugs, either. But Mason is,
though. He was fascinated with them when we were younger. Wanted to
have jars full of them, but of course my mom didn’t let.”
“Well, he’s great with bio, so he must know a lot about the
environment.”
 “Yeah, I guess so.” He coughs. “Why are we talking about my brother?”
he asks with a light laugh.
“Good question. So tell me something about yourself. Something the
whole school doesn’t know.”
“Something the whole school doesn’t know…okay. For a long time, I
needed to sleep with a nightlight. I was kind of scared of the dark.”
“Really?”
He laughs awkwardly as he rubs the back of his neck. “Maybe I
shouldn’t have admitted that. It’s not cool.”
“No, I love it! I can so picture cute little Jason Monroe snuggled under
the covers and scared the bogeyman will come get him.”
He laughs like he’s embarrassed. “I don’t know about the cute part, but
you’re definitely right about the bogeyman part. I made my mom look
under my bed every night.”
I laugh. “That’s adorable.”
“And one time, I woke up in the middle of the night to complete
darkness. The nightlight’s bulb burned out—it was one of those old ones
that barely lasted a few weeks. I woke up to the sound of frantic yells—I m-
mean, my mom and brother probably woke up to the sound of me yelling
like I was being burned alive or something.” He laughs awkwardly again.
“Sorry, I’m such a dork.”
“No, I love this. Thanks so much for sharing it with me.” I give him a
big smile.
He returns it. “No problem. Just, uh…can this stay between us? Because
if my broth—I mean, I’ve got a reputation to keep, you know.”
I zip an invisible zipper across my lips. “Your secret will never leave
these lips.”
 Jason’s eyes fall to my lips for a second before he yanks them back to
my eyes. Even though it’s pretty dark out, the surrounding lights illuminate
his slightly red face. “Thanks.”
We turn around and start heading back to the house.
“So…is there anything you can tell me that no one else knows?” Jason
asks. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
“No, it’s only right that I return the favor. Um…let’s see…I guess one
of my biggest fears is not reaching the level of happiness my parents and
siblings have.”
He pauses for a second as he glances at me. “What do you mean?”
“Well, my parents had an epic love story. They met in high school and
fell in love. The odds were against them because they came from two
different worlds. He was the popular quarterback and she was basically
invisible.”
“But true love won in the end,” he says. “When something is meant to
happen, it’s meant to happen.”
“Do you really believe that?” I ask.
He nods. “I do. I mean, it’s hard to accept it sometimes when bad stuff
happens, but I think I believe it.”
I lower my eyes to my shoes. “Are you talking about your dad?” When I
lift my eyes to his, I see how uneasy he looks. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.
Mason was okay with talking about your dad. Sorry for assuming you’re
comfortable, too.”
He’s quiet for a few seconds, like he’s contemplating if he wants to
open up to me. Then he offers me another sweet smile. “Thanks for being
so understanding. I, uh…yeah, I don’t talk to my friends about my dad,
but…”
 I hold up my hands. “It’s okay. No worries. As I was saying, my parents
have a great marriage. And my older brother, Noah, and his wife, Evie,
have a great marriage, too. I guess I want the same.”
“Why do you think you won’t have that?”
I shrug. “I’m so different from them. And I know I can be a bit too
much.”
“You’re not too much,” he assures me. “You’re perfect just the way you
are. I m-mean, I don’t know you well or anything, but you seem real and
genuine, and really, any guy would be lucky to be with you.”
With a smile, I playfully jab my finger into his shoulder. “You shouldn’t
say that to me when we’re hanging out. Or else you might drive me to
another guy.”
“O-oh,” he stammers, laughing lightly and running his hand through his
hair. “For a second, I forgot…I mean…”
I laugh. “You don’t have to be so nervous around me. I’m not that
intimidating, am I? I mean, I do have a basket full of fake snakes that I’m
supposed to prank my father with, but I’d never use it on you.”
He gapes at me for a few seconds, then chuckles. “You’re funny,
Rylee.”
Now my cheeks heat up. “Thanks. And you’re much sweeter than I
thought.”
“Oh, thanks. Yeah, that’s me. Jason the sweet guy.”
We return to the house, and Jason asks, “Can I get you anything? Maybe
another drink?”
“Thanks, but I’m okay.” I notice one of his friends surveying the area.
“Is Isaiah looking for you?”
“What?” He spins around and frowns. “Oh. Maybe.”
“You can go to him,” I say. “I’ll meet up with my friends.”
 “I don’t need to go to him,” he quickly says, then shakes his head. “I
mean, I’m having a great time with you, Rylee.”
I smile. “Thanks. I’m having a great time with you, too. I can’t believe I
thought you were the biggest jerk on the planet. I guess I’m clueless when it
comes to guys.”
“I don’t think you are. Not as clueless as I am about gir—” His eyes
widen. “I mean, you’re fine. You’re great.” He gives me a large smile. “And
it’s okay that you thought I was a jerk.”
“No, it’s not. I’m sorry I didn’t give you a proper chance and that I
ignored you when you tried to apologize and explain. I never imagined
you’d be nervous to talk to me. I mean, you’re Jason Monroe. You’re so
cool and collected when you talk to girls.”
He rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah. I mean, I guess I was never
nervous around girls until I met you.”
I play with my hair as my gaze drops to my shoes. “There’s nothing
special about me.”
“You’re wrong.”
I raise my eyes to his.
“Of course you’re special, Rylee. I never met anyone who’s as brave
and fearless as you. You know what you want and you go after it.”
“But I can be pretty rude…”
“I don’t think so. You’re always nice to everyone.”
That causes my stomach to twist in a good way. “Thanks.”
He smiles. I return it.
“Yo, Jason!” Isaiah calls.
Jason closes his eyes for a second. “He found me.”
Isaiah barrels over and throws his arm around him. “What you doing out
here? Man, you’re missing—” He cuts off when he sees me, and a large
grin takes over his face. “My man, Monroe! You snagged your lady!”
His lady?
Isaiah slaps his chest. “Nice, man. Well, bring her along! You’re
missing all the fun.”
“Oh, that’s okay,” Jason starts to say, but I hold up my hand.
“You guys go have fun. Mia’s dad is going to pick us up soon anyway.”
It looks like Jason doesn’t want to leave, but Isaiah practically hauls
him away. “I’ll see you on Monday!” he calls after me. “Can I walk you to
your classes?”
Oh…wow. Walk me to my classes? “I’d love that! Thanks.”
“Okay. See ya.”
I wave. “See you.”
Once they’re gone, Mia and Zoey run over to me. “So how did it go?”
Mia asks, eyes the brightest I’ve ever seen.
My cheeks hurt from my huge smile. “It was great! I was so wrong
about him. He’s so nice. Perfect boyfriend material.”
She jumps in her place. “Yay! The Invisible Curse is officially broken.”
Zoey hugs me. “Congrats. I’m happy for you.”
“Well, he’s not exactly my boyfriend or anything. We just hung out. He
offered to walk me to my classes on Monday.”
“Ooh,” Mia says. “He’ll totally be your boyfriend soon. And you two
will be the perfect couple.”
“I hope so.”
My cheeks feel like they’re on fire from all my smiling. I’m feeling
good about him. About us. Wow, this might be one of the best years of my
life!

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty-Two
Mason

I get in my car after leaving the party and lean on the steering wheel.
Phew. I actually made it through the night without anyone suspecting I
wasn’t Jason.
But the most important part? That Rylee didn’t see through my act. I
had a few hiccups, but overall, I was pretty convincing.
I had such a good time talking to her, but I know it was all fake.
I try not to think about her as I drive home. As much as it still hurts to
help my brother get with her, I know it’s the right thing to do. So I won’t
torment myself over it anymore. There’s someone out there for me, I just
haven’t found her yet.
The drive home is fairly quick since most of the roads are empty at this
late hour. Jason’s in his room, working on his test while Mom, thankfully, is
in bed. I don’t have to worry about sneaking past her like I did when I left
the house a few hours ago.
His head snaps up as soon as I enter the room. Eyes widen in excitement
and he leaps to his feet. “Darn, it’s like looking in the mirror. How did it
go?”
I pull his T-shirt over my head. “This thing is starting to get itchy,” I
mumble as I toss his shirt on the bed and then slip off his jeans and reach to
take off the muscle suit.
“I meant with Rylee,” he says.
Once I’m free from the suit, I change into my favorite Swords and
Legends themed shirt and matching sweatpants. “Burn this thing,” I say as I
hold out the suit to him. “I don’t want to see it as long as I live.”
 He frowns at it. “Did something happen?”
“Nope. It passed the muscle-squeezing test. Worked like a charm.”
He grins. “Nice. We’ll keep it in case.” He throws it on his bed. “Tell
me everything.”
“Don’t you have to finish your test?”
He waves his hand. “Before Mom went to bed, she told me to finish
tomorrow since I’ve been at it for hours. So…what happened?”
I plop down on his bed, reaching into the back pocket of his discarded
jeans and tossing him his phone, which I borrowed for the night. In case
someone at the party texted him. “I apologized to Rylee for you and she
forgave you.”
He lifts both brows. “Just like that?”
“No, not just like that. I was sincere, something you should have been.
All she wanted was an apology, Jason.”
He’s quiet as he thinks it over. Then he shrugs. “Okay. Point is she’s
talking to me now, right? Did you talk to her all night?”
“Mostly, yeah. We talked about…” My voice trails off as he starts
pacing his room.
“This is awesome,” he says, like when we were six and Mom took us to
the candy store and told us to go wild. “Rylee likes me now.”
The excitement in his voice cuts through me, but I shove it aside. It’s
selfish of me to think these thoughts when he’s so happy. Swallowing the
lump in my throat, I force a smile. “Yeah, she likes you. You offered to
walk her to her classes on Monday, so you need to meet her before her first
class.”
His eyebrows knit. “Walk her to class?”
“Yeah, you know. Walk and talk and spend time together. Carry her
books for her if she wants you to.”
 His eyes brighten. “We’ll walk down the halls and all eyes will be on us.
Everyone will see me walking with the prettiest girl at school.”
“More importantly, it’s for the two of you to get to know each other and
for you to show her what a nice guy you are.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know that.” He sits down on his bed, still wearing that
bright smile. “Wow, man. I can’t believe you actually had a conversation
with her without ticking her off.” His eyes narrow as he looks at me. “She
didn’t suspect that you were me, did she?”
“Not at all. She thought she was talking to the real Jason.” I get to my
feet. “I did what you asked. Please don’t ask me to do it again. I don’t like
fooling her.”
He nods quickly. “Of course, bro. Now that she’s into me, I don’t need
you anymore.”
“Thanks,” I mumble.
He chuckles. “You know what I mean. I’ll always need you.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m tired. Going to bed.”
I’m about to leave his room, but he flings his arms around me. “I know I
said this already, but thanks, man. Really, I appreciate it so much.”
Drawing back, I force another smile. “You don’t need to thank me. We
Monroe twins need to stick together. I’d do anything for you.”
He grins widely. “Same for me. If anyone ever starts up with you, tell
me, yeah? Don’t keep it to yourself like you did in middle school.”
I nod. “Yeah, okay.”
When we just started middle school, kids were giving me a hard time
and Jason had to practically force me to tell him what was bothering me. I
was too ashamed to admit it, but once he got the information, he threatened
the bullies to back off. Luckily, things are good now and barely anyone
gives me a hard time, if you don’t count Tiffany Myers.
 I can’t hide the chuckle that escapes me as I remember how she freaked
out at the party tonight when I told her she needed to look in the mirror.
“What?” Jason asks.
“Nothing. Was just thinking about something funny I saw on TV.”
“Okay. I’m going to play Street Brawl: Remastered. Wanna join?”
Honestly, I’m pretty beat after pretending to be him, but we don’t spend
much time together thanks to him being so popular, so I agree. We go down
to the living room and load the game. Like usual, I beat him, but I don’t
think he cares tonight like he usually does. From the look on his face, I
know he’s thinking about his future girlfriend. I don’t want to think about
what will happen on Monday. Will they make it official? Will Jason say the
wrong thing and upset her? It’s not really my problem and I wonder why I
care so much.
Am I secretly hoping things won’t work out between them because…?
No, that’s crazy and selfish and makes me sound like a jerk. I want both
of them to be happy and from what I felt tonight, Rylee likes Jason. Or…
she’ll like him on Monday. I know it, I can feel it.
“Holy crap! I won!” Jason yells.
I stare at my guy sprawled on the floor, dead. “That can’t be.”
He beams at me. “That’s two times now. You’re losing your touch, little
brother.”
I just blink at the screen, still not understanding how this happened.
Again. I was distracted the first time and now…
Now I guess I was also distracted. With the whole Rylee thing. Like I
kept telling myself this week, I need to stay away. But it was wrong of me
to give her the cold shoulder during our lessons. When she and my brother
start dating, I’ll need to learn to interact with her with the kindness she
deserves. I’ll have to bury my feelings for her. I’ll have to…deal somehow.
 “You okay, Mason?” Jason breaks me from my thoughts. “Did someone
say something to you? Hurt you?”
I appreciate that he’s always asking and always looking out for me, but
at the same time, it’s a little frustrating that he sometimes treats me like his
little brother. “I’m fine,” I tell him. “Bummed about losing to you.”
He chortles. “Better get used to it. I’m a man in love and nothing and no
one could get in my way.”
A boulder gets stuck in my throat. How could he love her when he’s
barely spoken to her? But I push my feelings aside and force myself to be
the supportive brother he needs.
“Want tips on how to talk to her on Monday?” I ask him.
He waves his hand. “No offense, man, but I know how to talk to the
ladies more than you do.”
“True, but Rylee’s—”
“I got it, thanks.” He smiles. “Really, thanks, Mason. I can’t thank you
enough. You’re not just my twin bro, but my best friend.” He stretches his
arm over me, hauling me to his chest.
“You know you’re killing me, right?” I mutter into his strong muscles.
He releases me. “Sorry. Sometimes I forget you’re tiny and delicate.”
I give him a look. “Delicate?”
He shrugs. “Wouldn’t kill you to work out a little. Grow some muscles.”
“You know working out and I are a bad, bad combination.” I don’t want
to think about the many accidents I got into while working out with him.
They weren’t serious or life-threatening, but enough to make me conclude
it’s not for me. Yes, exercise is important and I try to squeeze in as much as
I can, but it’s hard with school and mathletes.
I pick up my controller. “Another round?”
“Prepared to be smoked!”
 I beat him a few more times, much to his dismay. It doesn’t feel good at
all, not because I feel bad for owning him—I don’t—but because I keep
thinking about Rylee and how much fun I had with her tonight. Then I
remember I was tricking her and that just makes me feel like crap.
After we’re done playing, Jason reaches for his phone and starts texting.
“Rylee?” I ask as something grips my heart.
He shakes his head. “Nah, not gonna text her yet. I don’t want to look
desperate or clingy, you know? Might scare her off.”
I actually think she’d appreciate a text from him, but what do I know?
“I want to do this right,” he continues. “Be a good boyfriend like you
said.”
“Good, but you’re not her boyfriend yet, remember? You’re just
walking her to class and spending time with her. Take things slow, if that’s
what she wants. Don’t rush things.”
He places his hand on my arm. “Thanks for the advice, but I’ve got
this.”
“Right.” I avert my gaze. “Of course you do.” I get to my feet. “Going
to bed. Night, Jason.”
“Night, man.”
After dragging myself up the stairs to my room, I plop down on my bed
and stare at the ceiling. No matter how many times I tell myself not to think
about my night with Rylee, I can’t help it. I love talking to her during our
sessions, but it was a little different tonight. Not because I was pretending
to be Jason, but because we didn’t have the weight of school over us. We
were just free to relax and enjoy each other’s presence. I’ll miss it, but I’ll
cherish it forever.
I lie on my bed for a bit before taking a shower and once again allowing
my mind to wander. Then I shake my head, letting the water sprinkle all
around me. I need to forget about her. It’s wrong to think about her that way
when my brother is going to date her.
I’ll focus on school and mathletes and my friends. Somehow, I’ll make
it through the days.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty-Three
Rylee

As soon as I walk into school on Monday morning, I spot Jason leaning

against my locker as he scrolls through his phone.
Every so often, one of his friends or a popular kid passes him and they
slap hands or fist bump. My hands get a little clammy as I watch him. I
must be dreaming, right? Because there’s no way the hottie Jason Monroe is
actually waiting for me.
“Are you just going to admire him from afar?” a voice says.
Releasing a small yelp, I nearly fly through the roof. When I spin
around, I find Zoey standing there.
“You scared me!” I clutch my heart. “Don’t sneak up on someone like
that.”
“Sorry. You were so absorbed in your man that you weren’t paying
attention to anything else around you.”
“He’s not my man.”
“Yet,” she stresses. “What are you waiting for? For some vulture to
swoop in and snatch him? Go to him!”
I keep my eyes on him for a few seconds, noticing the way a strand of
his dark hair falls into his left eye. He doesn’t push it away. I wish I could.
Blinking, I glance at Zoey. “What if he thinks he made a mistake and
wants to end things with me? For all I know, I could be walking to my
doom.”
“Why the sudden insecurity?”
I rub my upper arm. “I don’t know. He didn’t text me once all weekend.
Maybe he wasn’t as into me as I thought he was.”
 Zoey rolls her eyes. “He’s probably playing hard to get. Or he probably
doesn’t want to seem desperate.”
“You think?”
“I spend way too much time with him and the other guys. The last thing
any of them want is to be seen as desperate.”
I take a deep breath. “That makes me feel a little better.”
Zoey places her hands on my shoulders, looking into my eyes. “You,
Rylee Barrington, are awesome. If Jason doesn’t see that, it’s his loss.”
I nod and lift my head. “Thanks. Okay, I’m going in.”
Just as I approach him, a group of football players surround him,
blocking him from view. Great, how am I supposed to get to him now?
Maybe I’ll meet with him in class?
No. If I want something, I have to go get it. So taking another deep
breath and releasing it, I push my way through the crowd, saying, “Excuse
me. Sorry. I’m trying to get to my locker…”
Jason notices me, his eyes lighting up. “Rylee! Hey. You’re finally here.
Feels like I’ve been waiting for eons. Guys, move.” He shoos at them.
“Give the girl room.”
Some of the football players glance at me like they have no idea who I
am or why the heck I’m in their presence. But Jason pays no attention to
that. He offers me another smile and wraps an arm around my shoulder.
Oh, wow. I so was not expecting that because he didn’t hug me at the
party. He smells really good, and his muscles are super hard, but for some
reason, my heart doesn’t race the way it did on Friday night.
“So how about the game last night?” he asks his friends, his arm still
wrapped around my shoulder.
They all start discussing the game. Jason smiles at me from time to time
as he argues and agrees with his friends, but I still kind of feel ignored. I try
not to let it bother me. I love football as well and try to join in the
conversation, but it’s hard to talk over all their animated voices.
Slipping out of Jason’s arm, I open my locker and take out the books I’ll
need for class. When I steal a peek at Zoey, I find that she and Mia are
watching us, encouraging smiles on their faces. I glance at Jason, who is
arguing over player stats with some of the guys. But he must feel me
looking at him because his eyes meet mine. His face lights up with another
smile and he shoves some of his friends away. “You’re distracting me from
Rylee. Get out of here.” He pushes them away, but they just tease him,
making kissy faces, which causes my cheeks to heat up.
When they finally disappear, Jason gives me an apologetic smile.
“Sorry. Kind of hard to get rid of them when we argue over a game. So,
how are you? Your weekend was good?”
“Yeah. I mostly hung out with my friends. We had a book club
meeting.”
His eyebrow rises. “A book club?”
“It’s a tradition my mom and her best friends started when they went
here. My friends and I love to read, too, and we’re always looking for new
members. Do you want to join?”
He wrinkles his nose. “I can’t remember the last book I read.”
“Aren’t you reading Great Expectations with Mrs. Hastings?” He and I
don’t have her class together, but she usually teaches the same lesson to
every class of the same grade.
He shrugs. “Could be. Not sure. Anyway, I was out most of the
weekend with my friends. We—”
“Yo, Jason!” Another football player rams into him, giving him a half-
hug. “You watch the game yesterday?”
 They start discussing, arguing, and laughing about the game. I rub my
upper arm as I kick my shoe into the floor.
“Dude, get out of here,” Jason says as he shoves him away. “I’m talking
to Rylee.”
“Who’s Rylee?” The guy turns around and pins his eyes on me. “Hey,
she’s a cutie. Nice taste, man.” He smacks him in the chest, then turns to
me. “When you get sick of this moron, hit me up.”
“Get lost.” With a strong shove from Jason, the guy is gone. “Sorry
about that,” he says with a laugh.
I wave my hand. “It’s okay. You’re one of the most popular guys at
school. I guess I should get used to it.”
“Can I walk you to class? I can carry your books for you.” He raises his
hands, then drops them to his sides. “Or not. Am I supposed to offer that?
Not sure if it’s offensive, because you can carry your books yourself. But
isn’t it that thing…what’s it called that knights did back in the day that
some girls find hot?”
“You mean chivalry?”
He snaps his fingers. “That’s it! Do girls even like that sort of thing
anymore?”
“I guess it depends on the girl.”
“Okay. So what does Rylee Barrington like?”
I try to fight a smile. “She likes the idea of a guy offering to walk her to
class and carrying her books for her.”
He grins. “Awesome.” He takes my books from me. “And your bag?”
“That’s okay. I wouldn’t want you to strain yourself before the big game
on Friday.”
We make our way toward English.
 “Thanks,” he says. “But it’s not such a big game. Barefield High’s team
is a joke. The guys and I are already taking bets how long they’ll last before
we cream their sorry butts. Their QB has nothing on Zoey. Now Linston
High? They’re monsters. Beasts. Honestly, it has some of the guys
shaking.”
“Well, as long as there are no bogeymen, I have all my faith in you that
you’ll annihilate them.”
He pauses mid-walk and stares at me. “Bogeymen?”
I laugh lightly as I play with my hair. “I was trying to tie it back to our
conversation at the party. Sorry if it was lame.”
He looks even more confused.
“You know, about your nightlight?” I whisper so no one would
overhear.
He goes still for a second as his eyes grow large. Then he chuckles. “Of
course! The nightlight. I knew you were talking about that because we
talked about it at the party.”
“Should I not have brought it up? Sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you
—”
“No, no. You’re good.” He gives me a wide smile, and we continue to
my English class.
That’s when I notice everyone staring at us. Staring at me. Most of their
jaws are practically sweeping the floor. Some of them whisper to one
another, a few point, one or two even wrinkle their noses at me.
They can’t fathom that someone like him is actually walking down the
school hallway with a nobody like me.
When I glance at Jason to see what he thinks about all of this, it seems
like he doesn’t even notice. Or maybe he’s used to being stared at? Has he
ever walked with a nobody before? I don’t think so.
 As for me…I have no idea how I feel. On the one hand, it thrills me a
little that so many girls look jealous of me. On the other hand, the way
they’re whispering and pointing makes me feel like I’m not good enough
for him.
But I don’t dwell on it too much because Jason tells me what he did last
night. He, his teammates, and the cheerleaders all hung out together at
Mikey’s Diner. Of course Tiffany hadn’t invited me.
“Why weren’t you there?” he suddenly asks.
“Oh, um…” The last thing I want is for him to know that I wasn’t
invited. He’d think I’m a total loser. So I just shrug and say, “I had other
plans.”
“Cool, cool. But you’ll hang out with us next time, right?”
I lift my shoulders. “Maybe.”
We’ve reached Ally’s classroom. Jason carries my books to my desk,
once again not seeming to notice that practically every single student in the
classroom is gaping at us. He slides my backpack off my shoulders and
lowers it to the floor near my desk. “Looks like you’re all set,” he says with
a grin. “If you want to sneak me some texts during class, I wouldn’t hate it.”
“Tempting, but I always pay attention to Mrs. Hastings’s lessons.
They’re amazing.”
His brows furrow. “Yeah?”
“Of course! She makes me see things in a way I’ve never seen them
before. Opens my mind to new possibilities.” I play with my hair again.
“Okay, that might have sounded lame, but it’s true.”
He tucks some hair behind my ear. “Nah, you’re cute. Maybe I’ll try to
pay attention in her class. See you later.” He winks and saunters away.
Oh wow. Jason touched my hair.
 And did I just make another kid interested in school? Mason would be
so proud of me—
Mason. I can’t believe I haven’t thought about him much the last few
days. I guess Jason has been like the only thing on my mind since the party.
I miss Mason. It feels like forever since we’ve interacted with each other.
Maybe because he made it seem like he doesn’t want to be friends with me?
We have a session after school today. I hope things will be back to
normal between us.
“She’s totally spaced out.” Mia’s voice yanks me out of my thoughts.
“That must be a good sign.”
She and Zoey are seated in their desks next to mine, Mia’s eyes large
with excitement. Zoey looks extremely curious and a little wary.
Some kids are still staring and whispering about me, but for the most
part, everyone seems to have gone back to their own business.
“Did you guys say something?” I ask my friends.
Mia has a huge grin. “Yeah. When will you and Jason officially be
boyfriend and girlfriend?”
I shake my head as I sit down in my desk. “He hasn’t said anything
about me being his girlfriend.”
“That’s okay. There’s still time,” she says.
“So how did it go?” Zoey asks. “It looked like you were upset about
something in the hallway.”
“What? Oh.” I wave my hand. “That was nothing. Jason is super
popular and kids will always come up to him. I guess it’s something I’ll
have to get used to.” I gesture around. “Just like I’ll have to get used to all
these kids staring at me like I’m on display at the zoo.”
Zoey rolls her eyes. “Don’t they have their own lives to worry about?”
 “I bet it won’t be long before Jason gives you his undivided attention,”
Mia says. “He’ll be so obsessed with you that he won’t care about his
friends anymore.”
“And maybe people will stop staring at you like you’re a spectacle,”
Zoey adds.
“I’d still want Jason to make time for his friends,” I say. “Just like I will
still hang out with you guys. But I’m getting way ahead of myself. There’s
no guarantee he’ll ask me to be his girlfriend.”
“He will,” Mia insists. “I know he will.”
I’m about to say something, but Ally walks in. Whoever is still staring
at me focuses on her lesson and no longer on me.
For the rest of the morning, I try to concentrate on my classes, but it’s
extremely hard. All I do is replay the conversation I had with Jason over
and over in my head. I wish I hadn’t brought up the bogeyman and
nightlight thing. I guess it felt good that he shared something so personal
with me and no one else. Like it’s our special thing. But it’s obvious he
regrets telling me. Note to self: never bring up the nightlight again.
There’s something else that’s bothering me, though. Something I can’t
really pinpoint. Maybe things seem a little different because we’re at
school? Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s no big deal. If Jason really is interested
in me—and it looks like he is—I’m sure everything will make sense and
fall into place.
Because my thoughts are stuffed to the max with Jason, lunch rolls
around faster than the speed of light. I find myself standing in line with
Zoey and Mia, holding my tray.
“I wish we had pizza every day,” Mia is saying. “It would elevate my
learning experience and help me pop out straight As.”
 “You and your family.” Zoey chuckles. “The Parks are obsessed with
pizza. If you keep this up, you’ll turn into one.”
“I wonder if Jason likes pizza,” I muse. Then my eyes widen. “Did I say
that out loud?”
“Yes,” they both say.
“I’m not obsessed with him,” I quickly say.
“You are,” they both say.
“What’s with you two twinning today?” I grumble.
“You’re making it very easy,” Zoey responds.
“Ooh, it’s our turn.” Mia snatches her pizza, then Zoey and I do, too.
After grabbing some drinks and fries, we make our way to our usual table in
the back.
“Yum,” Mia moans as she practically devours her pizza. “Either I’m
starving or this pizza is delicious.”
“Can you believe they used to have crappy food here?” I ask as I bite
into my pizza, which is totally yummy. “My mom and dad always tell me
how much the food sucked after they got rid of Vivian Wood.”
“When Vivian was still the lunch lady, Aunt Ally literally counted down
the hours until lunchtime so she could eat the delicious food,” Zoey says
with a laugh.
I laugh, too. “I know! Can you imagine our moms and their friends our
age?” I gesture around. “They ate here, in this very cafeteria. At this very
table. How wild is that? And my grandmother was a cheerleader here a
gazillion years ago. It kind of brings tears to my eyes that my family has so
much history here.”
“Do you think we’ll be like them?” Zoey asks as she dips her fry into
ketchup. “Settle down here and start families, too?”
 “Do you think our siblings will?” Mia asks. “Because I always heard
them saying that they want to.”
“I want to, too,” I say with a smile. “I want to continue the traditions my
family started here.”
“Me, too!” Mia says. “But with an acting career, I don’t know if it’ll be
possible.”
“I’m sure you can do it,” I assure her. “Just like your dad makes it
work.”
“Well, he is a famous actor and he’s in pretty high demand. Not sure if
that’ll happen to me.”
Zoey and I start to berate her for thinking so low of herself, but my lips
snap shut when a figure looms over me. I raise my head and find Jason
standing there.
“Jason, hi!” I say.
He smiles. “Do you want to sit with me?”
I just stare at him. “You want me to sit at your table?”
“Shouldn’t you be there because you’re on the cheer squad?”
“Well, yeah. Technically. But…uh…”
“She likes hanging out with her besties.” Zoey throws her arm around
me. “Just like I do.”
“Still lame, Hastings,” he says.
“Takes one to know one.”
Jason focuses on me. “So what do you say, Rylee? You in?”
“Of course she is!” Mia says. “There’s nowhere else she’d rather be.”
I give Mia a look. She just gives me a “you’re welcome” smile.
“I’d love to,” I tell him.
“Great. Let me get your tray for you.”
 “Oh, that’s so kind of you,” I say as I get up and follow him toward the
jock table. I glance back at my friends and wave. Mia gestures for me to
forget about her and Zoey and focus on Jason.
As we approach the jock and cheerleader table, my palms get a little
clammy and my knees shake. I haven’t tried to sit with my squad before
because they would have rejected me, but would they accept me now if
Jason brought me?
Would Jason still want to be with me if he saw how much my team
dislikes me? Or will I finally be popular like I’ve dreamed?
“What’s up, my peeps?” Jason says as he lowers my tray on the table.
“You guys know Rylee, right? She’s one of the newest members on the
cheer squad.”
Some of the football players glance at me, then look away like there’s
nothing special about me. A few members of the squad, like Tristan and
Tasha, smile, but Tiffany? She looks like a ticked-off bull.
“What the heck is she doing here?” she demands.
“She’s on your squad, Tiff,” Jason replies.
She rolls her eyes. “I know that. Not that she earned her spot. But why
the heck is she here?”
“I invited her. You can sit next to me, Rylee.”
“Thanks.”
I’m about to pull out the chair, but Jason rushes to do that for me. “I got
that for you.”
“Thanks.”
“She can pull out her own chair,” Tiffany says.
“Haven’t you heard of chivalry, Tiff? It’s not dead.”
“Uh, yeah it is,” Jade says with a disgusted face. “Why would I need a
guy to pull out my chair for me? I have hands and can do it myself.”
 “Uh…” Jason rubs the back of his neck, and for a second, he looks so
similar to Mason. He glances at me. “Rylee, want to take this one?”
“Of course you can pull out your own chair,” I say as I lower myself on
the chair. “And you can open doors for yourself and carry your own trays.
But when a guy offers to do it, it makes a girl feel good. Respected. Like
he’s taking the time to be kind and considerate to her. How would you feel
if he let the door slam in your face? Jerk.”
“Maybe in Loser Land,” Tiffany says, causing some of the cheerleaders
and football players to chuckle.
“No, I agree,” Tristan says. “I’d want a girl to appreciate me going the
extra mile to accommodate her.”
Tiffany glares at him. “No, it’s something only losers do.”
“I bet no guy has ever held the door open for you.” The words fly out of
my mouth before I can stop them. Oh, shoot. My goal here is to fit in with
the popular crowd, not have them reject me again.
Tiffany’s nostrils flare. “Guys worship me. They know how lucky they
are when I give them the time of day.”
I press my lips together. Sure they do. But to make sure I don’t let the
words slip out again, I focus on eating my pizza.
“Oh my gosh,” Tiffany says. “How could you eat that? It’s so oily and
has a million calories.” Her eyes do a quick scan of me. “Huh. That
explains a lot.”
“You nuts, Myers? This pizza is sick,” Jason says as he takes a huge bite
of his slice. He has two more sitting on plates.
“You need the calories, Jason.” She leans over to squeeze his bicep,
seeming pleased with what she feels. “Her on the other hand? She can do
with a lot less calories. Maybe then Coach wouldn’t have to stop her every
five seconds for messing up the routine.”
 My eyes lower down the length of my body. I know I’m at a healthy
weight, but like most girls my age, I’m self-conscious about the way I look.
“What are you talking about, Tiff?” Jason says, his normal cheerful
voice now angry. “Are you calling Rylee fat?”
Tiffany raises her shoulders. “If the shoe fits.”
“Maybe you need glasses. Because she’s perfect. She’s even skinnier
than you.”
The most horrified look I’ve ever seen takes over Tiffany’s face. She
stares down at her body like she’s worried she might grow another set of
arms.
I wish I could fling my arms around Jason and give him the biggest hug
in the world. Maybe even slip in a kiss…
“That’s not true,” Tiffany mutters as she pushes her plate full of salad
away. “She’s not skinnier than me.” She looks at Jade, who sits next to her,
for assurance.
“Of course!” Jade says. “Oh my gosh, Tiff, you’re so thin. Honestly,
maybe you need to see a doctor.”
Tiffany seems placated by that, but she still doesn’t touch her salad.
I’m about to take a bite of my pizza, but then I notice that not a single
cheerleader is eating the pizza. They all have salads. I’m about to offer my
pizza to Jason or another football player and get a plate of salad for myself,
but I shake my head. No. One thing my parents have always taught me is
not to fall to peer pressure. Of course there’s nothing wrong with eating a
salad, but if I want the pizza, then I should eat the pizza.
So even though they make faces like I’m eating the grossest thing in the
world, I continue eating my pizza, and having an enjoyable time doing it.
The conversation at the table revolves around the game against
Barefield High this Friday. The football players aren’t worried because they
don’t see Barefield as competition, but the cheerleaders are worried we
won’t have our routine down in time.
“I don’t know what my cousin was thinking, letting certain people on
the squad,” Tiffany says as she applies lip gloss to her already-shiny lips. “I
knew Coach shouldn’t have entrusted her with that big decision. That
person is going to hold us back and make us look like real idiots at the
game.”
As if it’s not obvious she’s talking about me, Tiffany looks straight at
me with a look like I tortured her pet or something.
“No one cares how you do the routine,” a guy called Brooks says over a
mouthful of pizza. “All that matters is if you look hot doing it.”
Most of the other football players agree and cheer. Many of the
cheerleaders look pleased at that, but a few don’t, like me. We’ve been
working so hard on our routine and deserve to be appreciated for that, not
just for how cute we’ll look in our uniforms.
Jason cheers with his teammates, but he must sense me watching him
because he glances at me. His eyes widen with realization and he hits his
fist on the table. “Hey, hey!” he calls. When everyone settles down, he says,
“That wasn’t cool, guys. The cheerleaders aren’t here only to look hot.
They’re here to cheer us on and show us their support. We all know we
would play crap without their cheers.”
I try not to frown. That’s not exactly the words I wanted to hear, but I
guess he tried…right?
“We do look hot,” Tiffany says, holding her head high. “Well, most of
us anyway. I’m still hoping my aunt will get rid of our weakest member.
Because we all know you’re only as strong as your weakest link.”
She gives me another pointed look, like it’s not obvious again that she’s
talking about me. Ugh, I don’t want to sit here anymore. I miss sitting with
my friends. Do I really want to be popular and hang out with these kids? It
doesn’t seem like a fun place to be. Even if Tiffany wasn’t a witch to me, I
can’t imagine having to constantly try so hard to fit in and not be
comfortable being yourself. Seems exhausting.
Glancing back at my table, I find Mia and Zoey talking and laughing.
They seem to be having so much fun. Every part of me urges me to take my
tray and return to them. Forget these people and go back to where I belong.
But…
Jason.
The cheerleaders.
Being popular.
It’s what I’ve dreamed about for years. I might finally have the
opportunity. Do I throw it away?
“You okay?” Jason asks me.
I turn away from my friends’ table and look at him. “What? Oh, yeah.
I’m great, thanks.”
He leans forward to whisper, “Don’t mind Tiff. We’ve all learned to
tolerate her. But it’s probably best to try to stay on her good side. She’s got
her aunt wrapped around her finger and could get you kicked off the squad
if you tick her off.”
I almost scoff. If she and her aunt had their way, I would have been off
the team two weeks ago. “Thanks for the advice,” I start to say, but his
teammates are having a hand wrestling match, and my words get drowned
out.
“What?” Jason asks, putting his ear close to my mouth.
“I said, thanks for the advice,” I repeat.
He grins. “Sure.”
 The only way I heard the words is because I read his lips. My gosh, I
always knew the football players were loud and rowdy, but I can barely hear
myself talk.
“Do you want to go to the hallway?” I ask.
His brows come together. “Did you say you want to go out to the
hallway?”
“Yeah. It’s so noisy here, I can barely hear myself think.”
His brows are still drawn. “But we’ll miss all the fun.” He focuses on
the match and cheers. “Isaiah! Isaiah! Isaiah!”
I try to ignore the disappointment that washes over me. Maybe it’s not
the right time to have alone time with him.
The wrestling match lasts until the bell rings. Then all the football
players and cheerleaders get up to leave, throwing out their food and
placing their trays on the designated table with everyone else.
“It was fun having you with us,” Jason tells me with a smile as he and I
head to the trash cans. “You’ll sit with us from now on?”
“Uh, I’m not sure. I mean, I might want to sit with my friends, too.”
“Okay, cool. I’ll catch you later, Barrington. I mean, Rylee.” He gives
me a quick hug and chases after his friends.
I watch him joke around with his friends as they leave the cafeteria with
the cheerleaders, feeling very confused. Why aren’t I happy?
“Hey, Rylee!” Mia says as she and Zoey join me at the table full of
discarded trays. “How was it? Did you have fun?”
“It didn’t look like you were having fun,” Zoey adds.
I shake my head. “The scenario was better in my dreams.”
“And now you see why I don’t sit with them at lunch,” Zoey says. “I
tried it in freshman year and couldn’t last more than five minutes. Nothing
beats hanging out with two of the most incredible people in the world. You
don’t have to sit with them if you don’t want to, Rylee.”
“What about Jason, though?” Mia asks.
“Oh. Right. Hmm…Does she have to sit with him at lunch?”
“Isn’t that something couples do?” Mia asks.
“You’re asking me?”
“I wish we could have gone somewhere private,” I say. “It’s hard to get
to know him when we’re surrounded by his super loud friends.”
“Obnoxious friends,” Zoey corrects.
“You’re dissing your teammates,” Mia says.
Zoey shrugs. “They are obnoxious, though.”
“Not Jason, right?” Mia says. “I thought you said he was sweet, Rylee.”
“He was.” My brows furrow. “He was so sweet at the party. It’s like he
turns into a different person when he’s with his friends.”
“Maybe he’s embarrassed to be sweet and kind,” Mia says.
Zoey rolls her eyes. “Football players.”
Mia chuckles. “You keep dissing your teammates.”
“You would, too, if you had practice with them every day.”
“The bell will ring any minute,” I say. “We’d better head to our classes.”
“Are you okay, though?” Mia asks with concerned eyes.
I put on a brave smile. “Of course I am. One of the most popular jocks
is interested in me. How could I not be okay?”
As we make our way to our lockers, I tell myself that everything is
okay. It makes sense that Jason would behave a little differently in front of
his friends than when it’s just the two of us. Guys like to tease each other
when it comes to the mushy stuff. I know that Jason is really sweet because
he showed me his true side at the party. Maybe in time, he’ll be comfortable
to be himself around his friends. All that matters is that I know who the real
Jason is.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty-Four
Mason

“I’m here,” Rylee says as she lowers herself on the chair across from
me. It’s after school on Monday and we’re about to have our next tutoring
session.
“Hey,” I greet with a smile.
Her entire face is bright, and I can only attribute that to her excitement
about Jason. She wore the same look when they walked down the school
hallway this morning.
She gives me a small, hesitant smile. Things have been strained between
Rylee and me ever since I started pulling away from her, but I want that to
end today. We won’t have a good tutor-student relationship if I keep my
distance from her. And anyway, like I said, if she and Jason become a
couple, I’ll need to figure out how to have her in my life without feeling
like there’s a stone in my stomach every time she’s around me.
“Before we begin, I want to apologize for being rude to you last week,”
I say. “It was wrong of me and I’m sorry.”
She rubs the back of her pencil against her lips. “That’s okay. I figured
you were going through something.”
My gaze drops to the table. Yeah, I was going through something all
right. A moment of insanity. Rylee is nice and sweet and amazing and no
one should ever treat her like she’s less than that. “Right.” I clear my throat.
“Was having a hard time, but that’s not an excuse to treat you the way I
did.”
She waves her hand with a smile. “Apology accepted. Is everything
okay, though?”
 I return the smile, though the corners of my mouth tremble a bit.
“Everything is great, thanks. By the way, congrats on the algebra test. I
should have told you that in person instead of over text.” I shake my head.
“I don’t know what came over me. I’m very proud and happy for you.”
“Thanks! I’m really proud of myself, and my parents are proud, too.”
I bend close, taking in her beautiful eyes that always carry so many
emotions. “Told you that you’d ace it, didn’t I?”
“Must be those magical powers of yours.”
I shake my head again. “No, it was all you. I just gave you the tools you
needed.”
She smiles again. “Even though a few days have passed, it still feels
surreal. I hardly ever ace tests. Never math tests. And I don’t care what you
say—I couldn’t have done it without you. So thank you, Mason.”
I dip my head. “Of course. I told you I’d never abandon you. So let’s
keep this winning streak up and start the session?”
She nods and we begin. I feel so much better than I did last week. Rylee
and I get along so well as friends. I mean, sure it’s still hard, but the more
time I spend with her as a friend, the easier it’ll be, right? I hope.
She’s breezing through the algebra problems like a pro. I barely have to
teach her anything because she knows the material very well. It’s a little sad
that we might end the session early, but I tell myself it’s a good thing.
Wouldn’t a tutor want his tutee to do well?
“Mason?”
I blink and look at her. “Yeah, sorry. What?”
She points to the problem. “I got this wrong and you were explaining it,
but then you just stopped talking.”
My cheeks feel warm. “Sorry.” I clear my throat. “Got a lot on my
mind, I guess.”
 “Mathletes? When’s your first competition?”
“Not for a few weeks. But that’s not really on my mind…I mean, it is,
but…” My eyebrows furrow because I have no idea what I’m saying.
She bends close, sympathy and concern floating in her eyes. “Do you
want to talk about it?”
“No! I mean, thanks, but I’ll be okay.” I quickly avert my gaze so she
won’t think I’ve lost my mind. I can feel the confusion dripping off her, but
thankfully, she doesn’t press me to talk about it.
I continue reviewing the one problem she got wrong and have her do it
again.
“Perfect.” I smile once she gets it right. “You’ll be a genius in algebra in
no time.”
She laughs. “Just keep waving that invisible wand over my head
because it’s been working so far.”
I join in her laughter and am about to wave that wand around, but I stop
myself. Being friendly is one thing, but it’s probably best that I don’t get too
close to her because it’ll hurt too much.
Rubbing the back of my neck, I say, “Let’s do psychology next.”
She groans. “I hate that class.”
“Yeah, it’s not my favorite, either, but we have to get it done. You have
a test at the end of the week, right?”
She lifts a brow. “Let me guess. Dr. Magician Mason Monroe promises
I’ll ace that one, too?”
I rub my chin. “Hmm, that’s a good question. Yes!”
She laughs and I laugh. Then I once again catch myself and clear my
throat, opening my textbook. “So let’s read the chapter together and make
sure you understand the material.”
 Call me crazy, but she looks a little upset that I’m steering us toward the
lesson and not joking around with her.
The fact that she can be so playful with me without feeling things makes
me conclude that she truly only sees me as a friend. Which is how it should
be, since you know, she’s getting close to Jason and everything.
A short while later, we decide to take a break. Rylee takes two bags of
potato chips out of her backpack and holds one out to me. “I wasn’t sure if
you’d want one today, so I packed it in case. It’s okay if you don’t want. I
won’t get offended.”
My stomach feels warm at her kindness. “Thanks.” I take the bag from
her. “I love potato chips. Sorry I refused them the other day. I really wasn’t
myself.”
She nods in understanding. “Like I said, it’s okay. I wasn’t sure what
flavor you like, but I love honey barbecue, so I brought one for you, too.”
She opens her bag.
I open mine. “I like all flavors, so this is great. Thanks.”
We don’t say much as we munch, just smile at each other. I force my
thoughts away from her and let my eyes wander around the library. It’s
mostly empty, except for a few kids browsing the shelves, some reading,
and of course the librarian whacking away on her computer.
“So I heard the entire school went to Omar’s party on Friday,” I say
before I can stop myself. I have no idea why I brought that up.
She nods as she swallows. “Well, not everyone. You weren’t there.”
Oh, she noticed that? I mean, I figured that with “Jason” around, she
wouldn’t think twice about me.
“Parties aren’t really my scene,” I tell her. “Nerds like me get eaten
alive.”
 She opens her mouth to say something, but I say, “But Jason told me he
chatted with you practically all night.”
She smiles. “Yeah, we talked a lot. He’s very nice, so different from
what I thought. I’m sorry I said those things about him.”
I hold up my hands. “He means well, he just doesn’t know how to say
the right thing sometimes. But um…” I clear my throat. “Did you enjoy
talking to him on Friday?”
“Yeah….” Her eyebrows furrow like she’s confused why I’m talking to
her about my brother.
“It’s just that I worry about him, you know?” I quickly sputter. “He
really likes you and I don’t want him to mess it up.”
“He really likes me?”
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nod. “You’re all he talks about.”
Her face is very red as she tucks some hair behind her ear. But the
expression on her face? Pure glee.
“So…he liked talking to me on Friday, too?” she asks.
“Well, he wouldn’t walk just anyone to their classes unless they mean
something. But yeah, he really, really loved talking to you. Like really.” I
shut my mouth before I say something stupid, like the truth. “Did you…I
mean, you had a good time, right?”
She nods in excitement. “I had a great time with him. He’s very sweet
and kind. It’s funny how similar you guys are, but so different, too.”
“Yeah…” I play with the hem of my T-shirt. Luckily, she can’t see how
nervous I am because my hand is under the table.
“Were you guys always so different?” she asks.
“No. When we were little, we were exactly the same. We liked the same
thing and hung out with the same kids. His friends were my friends. But
things changed when we entered middle school. He got popular and I
didn’t.”
Her face washes with understanding. “That must have been hard. Did
you feel like he left you behind?”
I shrug. “I mean, it was hard in the beginning, but we were meant to go
down different paths. He started getting into sports and I loved school. I
miss how we used to be, but that’s growing up, I guess.”
“Yeah. It was kind of the same with me when my brother Noah went off
to college. I was eleven and it was such a big change. Not seeing him every
day, the house being a little emptier. Video chatting with him. And then it
happened again when my sister Chloe left. But you get used to these
changes.”
I nod. “The only way we can survive is by learning to adapt. Despite us
being so different, Jason and I are still very close. We don’t hang out
together with friends because we’re in different social circles, but we’re like
almost glued together when we’re at home. We love playing video games
together and he’s always so upset when I beat him…” I rub the back of my
neck. “Sorry. I’m talking too much.”
“No, please continue. I’ve never really met identical twins before. I
mean, I know a few twins—Noah’s wife, Evie, has twin siblings—but I’ve
never really gotten so close to any. Did you ever play tricks on anyone?
Obviously you can’t now because your bodies are so different, but what
about when you were younger?”
I nearly choke over my spit. She has no idea we switched places on her
just a few days ago.
“Yeah. Our bodies are very different. So different that if you cut off our
heads, you wouldn’t think we’re related.”
Her eyebrows furrow. “Right...So did you ever trick anyone?”
 I shake my head. “I was too much of a goody-goody. Boring old
Mason.”
“You’re not boring, Mason. Not at all.” She’s about to say something
else, but her phone dings. After scanning it, she smiles. “Jason texted me.
He’s on a short break from football practice and wants to know what’s up.
Do you mind if I text him?”
I swallow. “Not at all.”
I try to glance away as she texts him back, but my eyes refuse to leave
her face. She’s happy. He’s happy. They’re both happy. And I helped that
happen. That’s a good thing.
So why is this so hard for me?
I flip through my bio textbook to distract myself. After she’s done
texting, we continue the session. We don’t wander to different topics and
focus solely on the lesson. The time flies and it’s time for us to end for
today.
“I’m heading to the football field to meet up with Jason before I go
home,” she tells me as she packs away her things. “Want to come with me?”
“No thanks. I’ll stay here for a little bit and finish my homework.”
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow, Mason.”
“See you. Good night and sweet dreams.”
With a smile, she waves and leaves the library.
***
“What the heck, dude?” Jason storms into my room later that evening.
He just came back from hanging out with his friends. “You told her about
the nightlight?”
I lower the science book I’m reading and look up at him. “What’s the
big deal?”
 He scowls. “That’s the most mortifying thing in the world. You don’t
tell the girl I like that I used to be terrified of the dark! You were supposed
to make me look good.”
“No. I was supposed to make you look like a decent human being whom
Rylee would want to be with. Telling her about the nightlight makes you
look vulnerable and she liked that. I did you a favor.”
He lowers himself on my bed. “She liked it?”
“Yes, she liked it. Telling her that made her feel closer to you.”
“Oh. But couldn’t you tell her something less embarrassing? Like when
I accidentally broke my desk in middle school because I was getting too
strong?”
“That wouldn’t have impressed her.”
He flexes his biceps. “Sure, it would have. Checks these babies out. The
ladies love them.”
I roll my eyes at him. “It’d help if you stopped calling them ladies.”
He scoffs. “Dude, I know what I’m doing.”
I hold up my hands. “Fine. I’m sorry I embarrassed you. I just had to
tell her something that would make you look more endearing, you know?”
His eyes roam around my room like he’s hardly listening to me. Maybe
he’s thinking about talking with Rylee today, maybe walking down the
hallway together.
“Did she make fun of you?” I ask.
“Nah.”
“So why are you getting so bent out of shape? Besides, it’s normal for
kids to have nightlights.”
He frowns. “It’s not normal for Jason Monroe. What if the guys on the
team find out about it? They’ll laugh at me.”
 I sigh. “Rylee won’t tell them. Besides, they’re not your true friends if
they laugh at you.”
“Don’t diss my friends, man.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to. I’m just saying you shouldn’t be embarrassed.
Even if you are Jason Monroe. Jason was a kid once who needed a
nightlight. What’s the big deal?”
He shakes his head. “Next time, keep my embarrassing stories locked
up behind prison bars, got it?”
“There won’t be another time, Jason. I told you I’m done.”
“Yeah, dude. I know. Just in case you and Rylee talk about me or
whatever, don’t tell her anything like that.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Why would we talk about you?”
He grins. “Because everyone talks about me.”
Well, he isn’t wrong. Rylee and I did talk about my brother today. But
that was because…because…well, because I wanted to know what she
thought of me as Jason. Man, that’s messed up.
The whole situation is a mess and I’m glad I’ll never have to pretend to
be Jason again.
“Jason? Mason?” Mom calls from downstairs as she enters the house.
“Can you guys please come down here? I need to discuss something with
you.”
“Sure, Mom,” I call back.
Jason and I leave my room, heading down to the living room where
Mom is sitting on the couch. She pats the spots on either side of her and my
brother and I sit down.
“Is something wrong?” I ask.
She shakes her head as she takes my hand in her right one and Jason’s in
her left. “No, everything is great. I’m great, actually.”
 She’s smiling in a way she’s never smiled before. Cheeks are flushed
and I notice she’s wearing more makeup than she usually does. “I want you
boys to know that I’ve been seeing someone.”
“Like a shrink?” Jason asks.
“No. A man. I’m dating someone.”
Jason and I exchange a glance. I guess we never really thought about
Mom dating. It was just the three of us all our life.
“Who is he?” I ask.
“A guy from work. His name is Dennis and we’ve been going out for
about six weeks.”
Jason lifts a brow. “Six weeks and you haven’t told us?”
“It only started getting serious in the last two weeks or so. I didn’t want
to tell you guys about him until I was sure he was the one.”
“Is he?” I ask.
She smiles as she pulls me to her chest. “I think so. I haven’t felt this
way since I met your father all those years ago.” Drawing back, she looks
from me to Jason. “I don’t need your permission to date him, but I want to
know how you feel about it.”
Jason shrugs. “If he’s a decent guy, I’m happy for you, Mom.”
“Me, too. When do we meet him?”
“I’ve invited him over for dinner tomorrow. He’s really looking forward
to meeting you two.”
She tells us a little bit about the guy. His wife died many years ago and
he never had kids. He’s always wanted, but it didn’t work out. From what I
can tell, he seems okay. But Jason and I will have to see tomorrow and if
we don’t think he’s good enough for our mom, he’s getting the axe. Because
my mom has done so much for us and she deserves a guy who will treat her
like the queen she is.
 “Weird,” Jason tells me as we return to my room, him sitting down on
my bed while I take my desk chair. “Mom dating.”
I shrug. “We’ll be leaving for college in two years, so it’s great that she
found someone she might want to share her life with.”
He nods as he thinks it over. “Yeah, you’re right. Never imagined Mom
would fall in love, though.”
“I’m happy for her.”
He grins. “I’ve got a girl, Mom has a guy. And you have your nerdy
school stuff. We’re all killing it at life.”
I force a smile as he leaves my room, humming. I wish things were how
they used to be and I was satisfied with school, mathletes, my friends, and
my medical books and documentaries. But it’s not enough anymore. And I
don’t know why.
Rylee’s smiling face floats before my eyes and I quickly snap them shut.
What’s wrong with me? Why am I thinking about the girl my brother’s
interested in? That’s like breaking the number one rule of bro code.
“Mason?”
I nearly shoot to the ceiling as Mom stands in the doorway.
“Whoa. You’re jumpy today.”
I push some hair out of my eyes. “Sorry. Was thinking. What’s up?”
She searches my eyes, then sits down on my bed. “Just wanted to make
sure you’re cool with my dating Dennis.”
“Why wouldn’t I be cool with it?”
She hesitates. “Some of my coworkers told me that some children have
a difficult time with their parent dating and I just want to make sure you’re
okay. Talk to me if you’re not. I just want you to be happy.”
I stand and wrap my arms around her. “I’m happy if you’re happy. And
Dennis sounds really great. I can’t wait to meet him.” My brows draw
together. “Is that why you were being so secretive? And always bought
takeout? I knew something was up.”
She laughs. “Nothing gets by my little genius.” She ruffles my hair.
“Mom,” I groan as I fix it.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty-Five
Rylee

I’m in such a good mood on Tuesday morning because Jason and I

spent hours texting last night.
Of course a lot of it was flirty, and Jason didn’t open up to me like he
did at Friday’s party, but we had some fun conversations. We texted about
childhood memories and shared funny stories. It felt so good to have his full
attention, unlike when we were with his friends.
He’s at my locker when I walk into the building, a smile on his face.
“Hey, beautiful. I had so much fun texting last night,” he says.
“Me, too. You kept me up way too late.”
He grins. “What do you need to be awake for anyway? It’s just school.”
“True, but I’ve actually been doing much better in school. I don’t want
to lose my streak.”
He snorts. “Doing well in school is for nerds.”
“No, it’s for everyone.”
He snorts again. “Now you sound like Mason.”
“You guys are identical,” I point out. “Don’t you have the same brain?”
He shakes his head. “Doesn’t work like that. When we were in the
womb, I stole all the brawn and he stole all the brain.”
“I don’t think it works like that, either.”
“Sure it does. He and I are living proof of that.”
I laugh and turn to my locker to get my books. “I’m surprised you’re not
being interrupted every five seconds by your friends.”
He shrugs, waving his hand. “Probably found girls to make out with.
So, want to go out tomorrow night?”
 I pause gathering my books and turn to him. “Like a date?”
He grins. “You bet.”
He wants to go on a date with me?
“Sure. I’d love to!” I say a bit too enthusiastically.
His grin widens. “Nice. I’ll pick you up at sixish?”
“Okay.”
“Can I carry your books to class?”
I’m about to tell him he can, but the secretary announces over the
intercom, “Rylee Barrington, please report to Vice Principal Rivera’s
office.”
Jason gasps. “Oh no. What did you do?” he jokes.
“I put a fake snake in my dad’s home office,” I say. “But I don’t think
that’s why she wants to see me.”
“You put a fake snake in your dad’s office? Nice.” He slaps my hand.
I laugh. “He has yet to find it, though.”
“You are so awesome, Barrington.”
My cheeks heat up with glee. “Thanks. You’re so awesome yourself.”
He flexes, waggling his brows. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
That has me laughing again. Then I frown. “I should probably go see
why Rivera wants me.”
“Just text SOS if you need help and I’ll come save you.”
“And how exactly would you do that?”
He shrugs. “I’ll think of something. Cause some sort of diversion. Don’t
worry, girl, I got you.”
“Thanks. But I’m sure I’ll be okay.”
He holds up his phone. “I’ll have this near me just in case.”
I make my way to the office, wracking my brain trying to figure out
what I could have done to get in trouble. As far as I know, I’ve been a
perfect angel since the start of the semester. But I guess you never know.
“And Mason Monroe, please report to the vice principal’s office as
well,” the secretary announces over the intercom.
I stop in my tracks. Why is Mason also being called to the office?
Oh, of course. VP Rivera said she was going to check in to see how the
tutoring is going.
I continue to the office, reaching into my pocket for my phone to text
Jason that there won’t be a need for an SOS.
“Oomf!”
I find myself flying backward. Then warm, protective arms wrap around
me. For a second, I want to snuggle into those arms because they’re so
comfortable, but then the rational side of my brain yells, Hello! A stranger
is wrapping his arms around you!
But it’s not a stranger. It’s Mason. And my nose is basically smashed
into his shoulder as I gaze up at him.
He gazes down at me, too.
I don’t think I’ve ever been this close to him before. It causes my
stomach to twist in this agonizingly good way, and my heart bounces in my
chest. His eyes are just as gorgeous as they’ve always been, but there’s
something about them. A sweetness and softness, and an insatiable curiosity
and thirst to learn all about the world and the people in it. And just looking
into his eyes is like looking into his heart, which is humongous and full of
care for other people.
“No wonder you want to be a doctor,” I blurt. “Because you care so
much about other people.”
Mason’s brows crease. “What?”
When I realize what just came out of my mouth, I sputter something
unintelligible under my breath and yank myself out of his embrace. “S-
sorry. I think the pain in my nose went to my brain.” I rub my forehead.
“Did I hurt you?” he asks, nothing but extreme concern floating in those
darn gorgeous eyes. He raises a hand like he wants to touch me or
something, but he quickly drops it to his side. “Did I break your nose?”
“I hope not! Does it look broken?”
He studies it closely, then smiles and boops it. “It’s just as cute and
perfect as it’s always been.”
I laugh and play with my hair. “That’s good. Because you would have a
lawsuit on your hands. See how ahead of the game you are? Not even a
doctor and already almost getting sued.” My eyes widen. “Ugh, that was
supposed to be a joke, but it was so not funny. Of course I wouldn’t want
you to ever get sued. I mean, you’ll never get sued because you’ll be the
best doctor in the world.” I shake my head. “I really need to shut up because
my brain isn’t working right now.”
He still has that worried look on his face. “Are you okay, Rylee? I never
imagined I was strong enough to hurt anyone. I’m so scrawny.”
“Well, you are a guy,” I point out. “And I’m tiny. But I hope I’ll get
more muscles the more I cheer.” I lift my arms. “Look at them. They’re
noodles.”
Mason laughs before lifting his. “Mine are worse.”
I cover my mouth as I giggle. “Not going to lie. You’re right. Do you
have any muscles there at all?” I step closer and squeeze his bicep. “There’s
something there.”
Mason’s shoulders droop a little. “Not enough. I guess I could work out
more, but I’d rather work my brain.”
“Hey, that’s totally fine with me,” I assure him with a smile. “You don’t
need to work out if you don’t want to. You’re perfect just the way you are.”
He smiles shyly. “Thanks.”
 “Miss Barrington and Mr. Monroe,” the secretary calls from inside the
office. “This isn’t a social gathering. Vice Principal Rivera is waiting for
you in her office.”
For a second, I forgot where we are and that we’ve been called to the
vice principal’s office. I guess I was having too much fun with Mason. He
and I make our way to the VP’s office, and she gestures for us to sit down
on the two chairs before her desk.
Clasping her hands together, she smiles as she gazes from me to Mason.
“Hello, Rylee and Mason. How has the tutoring been going?”
“Great!” I tell her. “Mason is the best tutor on the planet. He’s so smart
and patient with me.”
“She’s an amazing tutee,” Mason says.
I lift a brow. “Tutee? Is that what you call me?”
Mason shrugs. “It’s what I call all the students I tutor. Tutee. It’s what
you call a person who is being tutored.”
“Tutee.” I roll the word on my tongue, then laugh. “That sounds like a
candy flavor. Tutti-Frutti. Shucks, Mason, I’m not that sweet.”
“Rylee, please focus,” Rivera says.
“Oh. Sorry.”
Mason’s trying to hide a laugh, like he thinks what I said was cute or
funny.
“I’ve heard wonderful things about your academic progress, Rylee,”
Rivera says as she pins her eyes on me. “You received a perfect score on
your algebra test and all your teachers tell me you’ve been doing really well
on your quizzes and assignments.”
I beam as every part of me beats with elation. Adrenaline. All the good
stuff. Wow, it really does feel good to be acknowledged for doing well in
school.
 “I spoke to your parents last night,” she continues. “And as far as they
and I are concerned, you don’t need a tutor anymore.”
I blink at her, not sure I heard her right. “What?”
She grins. “You’re free, Rylee. You’re no longer required to have a
tutor.”
It feels like the walls are closing in on me. Like cotton has been stuffed
down my throat and my brain is getting squashed. No more lessons with
Mason? No more gathering together at the library, just the two of us, talking
and having fun while studying?
“But…but…” I glance at Mason to see his reaction. He seems confused,
too. “But I still need him,” I quickly say. “It’s only been two weeks. How
do you know for sure that—?”
“Your parents and I have faith in you, Rylee,” she says. “You’re a smart
girl and only needed the motivation. It’s our hope that you’ve learned the
value of studying and doing well in school and that you’ll continue down
this path out of your own sheer will. No slacking off or being lazy. You’ve
proven that you can do it.”
“No, I can’t.” I feel like I’ve fallen into the ocean and am trying to grab
onto a Mason life ring. “I can’t do it on my own. I need Mason—”
“It’s not as daunting as it sounds,” she says with a chuckle. “Mason
provided you with training wheels. Now you’re ready to take them off.” She
turns to Mason. “Mason, I already have a new student in need of a tutor. His
name is Beau Thompson and he’s a freshman.”
As she continues telling him about his new tutee, my head feels even
more squashed. Is she really replacing me, just like that? Mason and I…the
lessons mean so much to me. Being in the library with him felt like we
traveled to another world, where it was just him and me. Nothing else
mattered but the lessons he taught me, and the fun conversations we had.
And all of it is getting snatched away from me because…I did well? Isn’t
that so messed up?
Mason listens carefully as he learns about Beau, nodding and even
writing down a few notes. My heart wrenches when I realize he doesn’t
seem to be as bummed as me. Is it just business as usual for him? Off with
the old and on with the new?
Why does it hurt so much?
When Rivera is done giving Mason all the details of my replacement,
she turns to me and smiles. “Your parents and I are so proud of you, Rylee.
Just as I know you’re proud of yourself. And I’m sure Mason is proud of
your progress as well.”
Mason smiles that sweet smile that makes my heart twist again, though
this time it’s only in an agonizing way. “I’m super proud of you. I always
knew you could do it. And now your afternoons will be free and you can
have your book club with your friends.”
He’s even being selfless now. Oh my gosh…I’m going to miss our
lessons. Miss him. Are we even going to hang out at all?
I bound to my feet and grab my backpack from the floor. “Thanks, Vice
Principal Rivera. I’ll do my best to keep my streak. See you, Mason.”
I rush out of the office before he has a chance to say anything and
march to my locker so I won’t have to say a single thing to him. Tears prick
my eyes, which makes me feel pathetic. Am I really so upset that I no
longer need a tutor? Two weeks ago, I would have jumped for joy. Now I
feel like the world is crashing down on me.
“So what did you do?” a humorous voice says.
I jump. Then I realize it’s Jason. He’s been waiting at my locker all this
time? “What?” I ask.
“Did you get in trouble?”
 “Oh. No. I just learned I’m free from tutoring.”
“Nice.” He holds out his hand for a high five, but I don’t give it to him.
He frowns as he lowers his hand. “Aren’t you happy about that? I mean, my
bro is great, but I know how annoying he can be sometimes.”
My eyes flash to his. “He’s not annoying. He’s far from annoying. He’s
the best tutor anyone can ask for.”
His eyes widen as he holds up his hands. “Sorry. I didn’t mean he’s
annoying. I don’t think he is, but…it’s sometimes hard to know what you’re
thinking. Most girls would be super happy to no longer need lessons, but
you seem…upset?”
I shake my head. “No, I’m happy I don’t need lessons anymore. It’s just
that…”
“Hmm?”
I shake my head again. “Never mind. Are you walking me to class?”
“For sure.” He grins as he takes my books. “And I’ll tell you all about
yesterday’s practice. You have no idea what Coby did that ticked off your
dad…”
As he walks me to class and tells me funny stories from practice, I look
over my shoulder for Mason. To see if he’s upset about our canceled
tutoring.
But I don’t see him anywhere.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty-Six
Mason

Mr. Gomez lifts his eyebrow at me. We’re at mathletes practice after
school, though I haven’t really been paying attention. I know that’s bad and
irresponsible of me, but I’ve been distracted ever since VP Rivera told
Rylee and me this morning that the tutoring is over.
Of course I’m glad that Rylee doesn’t need me anymore. As her tutor, I
should dance on the clouds because she’s doing well in her classes. But
everything feels so off now. So different. We were starting to build a
friendship and now we’ll hardly see each other because we don’t hang out
in the same circles.
“Mason?” Mr. Gomez says.
But the worst part? Rylee doesn’t seem to care that we’re no longer
tutor and tutee. We passed each other in the hallway a few times today and
exchanged hellos, smiles, and nods. She pretty much treated me like a
schoolmate. Which, again, should be a good thing because Jason likes her.
I don’t know why it bothers me so much. I should be relieved that I’ll
no longer be hanging out with her alone in that quiet, empty library.
Sighing, I bend forward. I don’t know what I want. I’ve never been this
confused before.
A hand rests on my arm. Glancing up, I spot my coach standing before
me, concern floating in his eyes.
“Everything all right there, Mason?” he asks.
My friends blink at me. This isn’t the first or second time I’ve been
distracted during practice. Darn it, if I don’t pull myself together, we won’t
win our competitions later this semester.
 Forcing a smile, I nod quickly. “Yeah, I’m good. Just…things have been
happening at home…” I cringe at how lame that sounds.
Mr. Gomez addresses the others. “Take ten minutes, everyone, and we’ll
resume.” While my teammates empty out of the classroom, he keeps his
eyes on me. “Anything you want to talk about?”
I shake my head.
He lowers himself in the desk across from me. “I know you’re dealing
with a lot at your age, but like I keep telling you, my ear is ready and
willing to listen.”
I stare at my desk. “It’s really nothing, Mr. Gomez. Just like…stuff.”
He watches me. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it? I’m
concerned about you, Mason. If you keep this up, I’ll have no choice but to
replace you.”
My lungs stop working for a second. “Replace me? Mr. Gomez, please.”
He bends close to whisper, “You know you’re my favorite student, but I
need to consider what’s best for the team. And if you’re slipping…”
I shake my head. “I’m not. I just…” I rub the back of my neck. “Things
are happening at home. Changes, I mean.”
He nods for me to go on.
“My mom’s dating someone and he’s coming over for dinner tonight.”
“I see.”
I’m only using Dennis as an excuse for him to get off my back. It beats
telling him about the whole Rylee thing. That’s a secret I’ll take to the
grave.
“It’s just been on my mind,” I go on. “But I’ll have a sharp mind at our
next practice. You have nothing to worry about. And if…” I swallow. “If
you feel like I’m not up to par, then I’ll have to step down.” The thought
makes my stomach churn, but I don’t want our team to fail because I’m
distracted.
“My parents divorced when I was thirteen,” he tells me. “Both parents
dated new people. It was hard. Change is hard, but it can be good.”
I nod. “I’ll be okay.” I force another smile.
The rest of my teammates return to the classroom and we resume
practice. I push all my worries about Rylee and Jason and the tutoring out of
my head and focus. Mr. Gomez is pleased with my change in behavior and
—not that I’m bragging—I’m totally showing everyone else up. As our
captain, it’s my job to keep everyone together and motivated.
I feel good, accomplished, as the others and I leave the classroom once
practice is over.
“You’ve been acting weird,” Lindy tells me as we walk down the
hallway.
Nico narrows his eyes. “Yeah, really weird. What’s up?”
I shrug and tell them about Mom’s new man.
Fred chuckles. “Dude, a stepdad?” He laughs. “Good thing you’ll be out
of the house soon.”
I frown at him. “My mom likes him. Well, I think she loves him. He
must be amazing.”
Fred snorts.
I give him another look. “She hasn’t dated anyone since my dad died.
So I figure this man must be quite special.”
Orlando grins at me. “I’m happy for your mom.”
“Thanks. Dennis is coming over for dinner tonight. I’m a little nervous
to meet him, but I’m also looking forward to it. In the slight chance that
he’s a jerk, Jason and I will show him what’s what.”
 Fred chuckles. “Your brother could take him, hands down. I still
remember when he tried to teach us wrestling two years ago. That dude is
strong.”
I try not to laugh at how lame and awkward we were trying to wrestle.
Jason got so fed up with us that he quit.
“Hopefully, Jason won’t need to tackle anyone,” I tell them as we reach
the end of the hallway. “See you guys later.”
We wish each other goodbye, then they leave through the front door and
I make my way to the library. After a few steps, I remember I have no
reason to go to the library today. I’m no longer Rylee’s tutor and I’ll meet
my new tutee tomorrow.
So I just stand there, unsure what to do. Weird, I’ve been so used to
studying with Rylee that I’m so out of my element now.
I guess I should go home. I reach into my pocket to text Mom to pick
me up, when I remember she’s either still at work or at home preparing
dinner for tonight. I don’t want to disturb her.
So I take the bus home.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty-Seven
Rylee

Doing my homework sucks. Because it reminds me that my tutoring

with Mason is over.
I know we could still be friends—and I think we sort of are—but it’s not
the same as actually having a reason to hang out. We barely have any
classes together and I’m busy with cheerleading and he with mathletes. We
smiled and said hello to each other in the hallway between classes, but that
was it. Is that how it’s going to be from now on?
I’m not even sure he’d want to hang out with me outside of tutoring
anyway. He’s so smart and I’m nowhere near his league.
I don’t know why I care so much. I have Jason to obsess over.
But Jason isn’t Mason. Mason has become a good friend. Rather, he was
a good friend. “Ugh.” I cover my face. “Why is everything so
complicated?”
My phone rings with a video call. I quickly snatch it up, hoping it’s
Mason, but of course it isn’t. But a huge smile captures my lips because it’s
my sister Chloe.
“Hi!” I greet as her face appears on my screen.
She waves from where she’s sitting on her bed in her college dorm
room. “Hey, Rylee! How have you been? Feels like forever since we
spoke.”
“Just a few weeks, since you went back to college. Ooh, is that your
new dorm room? It looks cool.”
“Thanks. Look how I decorated it.” She turns the phone around to show
me her walls. They’re covered with Swords and Legends posters, and some
quotes from famous journalists. It’s similar to her dorm room from last year,
but it looks like she has more posters of Torenin and Aleriana, her favorite
Swords and Legends couple.
“Nice,” I say. “Feels like you’re right at home.”
“Thanks. So how have you been doing? I heard you made the cheer
squad! Congrats, Rylee. That’s so amazing. I knew you could do it. You’ve
definitely inherited Grandma’s genes, unlike me who has two left feet.”
I laugh. “Thanks.”
“Sorry I didn’t call or text earlier. I’ve been so swamped with the new
semester.”
“More like you’ve been trying to squeeze in kissy time with Liam.” I
roll my eyes.
“That’s not true!”
“Yeah, right. Is he there? I want to say hi.”
“He should be stopping by any minute. He wants to say hi, too.” Her
face suddenly gets serious. “Rylee, Mom and Dad told me what Coach
Abberton did to you. She’s such a jerk. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay,” I tell her with a smile. “Dad took care of it. You
should have seen him, Chloe. He was so cool. I’ve never seen him go into
Papa Bear mode before.”
“Me either.”
“Too bad he didn’t stand up to Coach Abberton for Mom when they
were in high school. I bet she would have asked him to marry her right on
the spot.”
Chloe laughs as she pushes some brown hair out of her brown eyes.
“That’s the good thing about growing up. You get stronger and don’t care
what bullies like the Myers and Abbertons say. I hope you’re not letting
them get to you. Because high school doesn’t matter in the long run.”
 “I know, but I still have to get through the days. Coach Abberton
basically treats me like I’m invisible and only acknowledges me when she
has to, but I’m trying not to let her get to me. I can’t wait to see the look on
her face when I kill it at our first competition.”
Chloe smiles. “That’s my little sister.”
“So how are the Junior Musketeers doing?” I ask. “And the guys? I miss
all of you so much.”
“We miss you and Mia and Zoey and Lexi and Brock, too. Willow and
Colt are doing great. She’s having an amazing time at MIT and he’s super
excited to graduate so he can get a job as a high school counselor. Lily’s
still studying for her marriage counselor license and Xavier’s looking
forward to playing on a professional basketball team after he graduates. Ava
is still in school learning business so she can start working at her family’s
company, and Aidan is right by her side, studying business, too, so he can
help her. And then of course there’s me still in journalism school, and Liam
is still in culinary school and also working as a sous chef at a two Michelin
start restaurant not far from my school.” She smiles. “We’re all doing really
well, but we miss Edenbury a lot.”
“I’m so happy that you’re all doing well, and Edenbury misses you
more! When are you coming to visit?”
“Probably over Thanksgiving break, or maybe winter break.”
I frown. “That’s so far away.”
“I’ll try to video chat with you more often, but my classes are so hard
this semester.”
“It’s okay. Now that I’m doing well in school, I get it.”
Chloe’s eyes light up. “Mom told me you have a tutor. How has it been
going?”
 “So well that I’m already replaced,” I mutter, trying to ignore the pang
in my chest.
Her brows draw together. “What?”
I shake my head and force a smile. “It went so well that VP Rivera and
Mom and Dad decided I don’t need a tutor anymore.”
“See! I told you that you’re very smart. Looks like you’re more like
Mom, Noah, and me than you thought.”
“I guess.”
“What’s wrong?”
I don’t want to unload all my problems on her when she’s so busy with
school, so I just shake my head. “Nothing. I’m good.”
She grins. “I also heard about the boyfriend.”
My cheeks flame. “Oh my gosh, do Mom and Dad not hide anything
from you?”
“They didn’t tell me. I’m a good journalist.”
I give her a look. “You saw photos of us on Spill It!.”
She laughs. “Guilty. Soooo, give me details about your boyfriend!”
“Well, he’s not really my boyfriend yet…”
I spend a few minutes telling her all about Jason, how we started off on
the wrong foot, but then he showed me how sweet and kind he really is.
“Sounds like a dream,” Chloe says. “I’m super happy for you. You
snagged a football player like you’ve always wanted.”
“Thanks.”
“So does that mean you’re popular? I had a feeling you would be.”
I lift my shoulders. “I don’t know. Kind of? Being Jason’s, um, sort of
person kind of makes me popular. Everyone stares at me in the hallway like
they know who I am, and some kids say hi to me. A girl asked me for
fashion advice the other day.”
 “Fashion advice? I would never be able to give any advice on that.”
“I think she liked my skirt. But yeah, I’m no longer invisible and I think
people like me. Well, stupid Tiffany still looks at me like she wants to stake
me and turn me to dust. But some of the newer cheerleaders are nice to me.
They haven’t yet been brainwashed by the evil queen.”
Chloe smiles again. “Sounds like you’re having a great year so far.”
“Yeah…” If I don’t count the fact that I’m not sure if my friendship
with Mason is over.
“And how are your partners in crime?” she asks.
“Mia and Zoey are great. Zoey is still killing it as QB and Mia got the
lead role in the play.”
“Again,” Chloe adds.
I beam. “Again.”
“It sounds like the three of you are having lots of fun. I miss the good
old high school days and hanging out with my friends. I can’t wait until
we’re all done with school so we can return to Edenbury and start the next
chapter in our lives.”
“So is that the plan?” I ask. “You’ll all move back here and get jobs and
get married and have kids and grow old together?”
Chloe chuckles as she holds up her hands. “One step at a time, Miss
Speeding Train. But yeah, that’s the plan. We were worried about Willow,
but Easton already offered her a job at his tech company, and she’s probably
going to take it as soon as she graduates. And Liam…” Her voice trails off
as her eyes move toward the door, and her face lights up. “Liam! Speak of
the devil.” She drops the phone on the bed and dashes away. The only thing
I’m left with is the view of her ceiling.
Super. She went to make out with her boyfriend and abandoned me.
 “Look who I’m video chatting with,” I hear her say before the camera
moves and then I see both their faces.
“Liam!” I wave. “Hi! How are you?”
“Look at you, Rylee!” he says with bright gray eyes. “A junior in high
school. My, they do grow up fast, don’t they?”
“That, they do,” Chloe says.
“Did you just get back from the restaurant?” I ask. “What’s it like?”
“Hectic,” he says with a chuckle as he rubs his forehead. “But very
rewarding. Especially when I can visit this special person nearly every day
after school.” He leans forward to kiss Chloe’s cheek.
“Aw, you’re so sweet,” Chloe says, looking like she has hearts in her
eyes.
“Chloe told me you got yourself a football player boyfriend,” Liam
says.
I throw my hands up. “Does my life get broadcasted to all of you?”
“The baby of the family gets no privacy,” Chloe says.
I grumble as I fold my arms over my chest.
“According to Rylee, the guy isn’t her boyfriend yet,” Chloe informs
him. “So when the day comes, we’d better get ready for a party.”
“I already bought balloons and streamers.”
“Why do you tease me so much?” I demand.
“Because it’s fun,” Chloe says. “But we’ll stop if you don’t like it.”
I wave my hand. “Knock yourselves out.”
“How are my cousin and Mia doing?” Liam asks. “Are you three getting
into mischief?”
“No. Not anymore. Apparently, we’re too old for it. But I did put a fake
snake in Dad’s home office. He has yet to find it, though.”
Chloe laughs as she shakes her head. “You haven’t changed much.”
 I grin. “Thank you.”
We talk for another ten minutes before I decide to let them have some
time alone. School and work have left them with barely any time to hang
out.
“Thanks for calling,” I tell my sister. “I’ve really missed you.”
“And I’ve missed you, too. Liam and I are so glad to hear that the
Musketeer Trio are doing well. Savor every moment you can, Rylee. It’s so
hard to be separated from your Musketeers.”
“I will. And I hope we’ll be together forever, too, just like you guys
plan to be.”
“Of course you will!” Chloe says. “If that’s what you want, you can
make it happen.”
“I hope so. After I travel the world for a few years, I’ll settle down in
Edenbury with my hunky football player boyfriend and I’ll be the cheer
coach.”
Chloe’s eyes widen. “Is that the dream?”
I nod. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. Coach Abberton is so
horrible. As much as the squad respects her, they’re all terrified of her. I
want to be a cheer coach and create a fun and accepting place for anyone
who wants to join. All they’ll need to do is work hard and have fun.”
Liam smiles. “That sounds amazing, Rylee. Throw the evil witch off her
throne and take her place.”
I hold my head high. “That’s the plan.”
“You’ll have to work with Dad, though,” Chloe points out.
“So? You’ll work with Mom at the Edenbury Press.”
“If I get accepted there.”
“Of course you will.” Liam leans over to kiss her temple.
 “Thanks. And working with Dad could be fun,” she tells me. “As long
as he doesn’t treat you like his baby.”
“Oh, he will,” I say with an eye roll. “But it’ll be worth it. You think
it’ll be fun to work with Mom at the Press?”
“Yeah. I know I could learn so much from her.”
“And your evenings will be filled with cooking and baking with me,”
Liam tells her with another smile.
She returns it. “You bet it will.”
“Ugh, your lives sound so perfect,” I say. “I want something like that.”
“You will have it,” Chloe says.
“One hundred percent,” Liam agrees.
“Just stay true to yourself and be the best person you can be,” Chloe
adds. “Everything else will fall into place.”
“I hope.”
Chloe is about to say something, but a voice yells, “Rylee Barrington!”
I duck like the house might collapse.
“Is that Dad yelling?” Chloe asks with huge eyes.
I giggle. “I think he found the fake snake.”
“You’re on your own. Bye!” She hangs up before I can say anything.
“Rylee Barrington, you are so grounded until your hair turns gray!”
Mom yells. “A freakin’ snake in your dad’s office? Get down here this
instant, young lady!”
I can’t help but giggle.
It was so worth it.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty-Eight
Mason

Mom’s still hard at work on dinner when I go down to the kitchen for
Coke.
“Hey,” I say as I open the fridge and grab a can. “Smells good in here.
What are you making?”
She squints as she thinks and starts naming the dishes. Then she shrugs.
“Well, I’m attempting to make them.” She points at the cookbook that’s
covered in food stains.
I take a peek at it. “The picture looks good and I’m sure it’ll turn out
great. Want help?”
She pushes some hair away from her face. “Thanks, but I think I need to
figure this out on my own. I want you and your brother to finish your
homework before Dennis arrives. Where’s Jason?”
“Out with his friends.”
“Text him to come home. I don’t want him to be late for dinner.”
I smile as I take her in. “You really like this guy.”
She laughs lightly. “I’m making it quite obvious, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, but that’s a good thing. And I’m sure he’ll appreciate all the hard
work you put into dinner.”
“Thanks, sweetie.”
“I’ll finish my homework and help you. Maybe we can figure out…” I
glance at the cookbook. “Beef Wellington together.”
She laughs again. “Okay. Don’t forget to text your brother.”
“Sure.”
 As I make my way upstairs, I shoot Jason a text, reminding him that
Dennis is coming for dinner and that he should come home before he
arrives.
In my room, I continue my homework. A little while later, I hear the
front door open and Jason greets Mom. She tells him to finish his
homework as well.
He groans, but tells her he’ll do it.
As he passes my room, he stops and looks inside. “She put you to work,
too, huh? How long is this Dennis guy gonna stay anyway? I’ve got time to
finish my homework after he leaves.”
I shrug. “You know she doesn’t like us pushing it off.”
Shaking his head, he sits down on my bed. “It sucks, you know. Mom
being so hard on us to do well in school. Well, hard on me. I’m going to
play pro football after I graduate college.”
I sit back, eyes on him. “You never talk about what you want to do after
football. Coach like Coach Barrington?”
He rubs his chin. “I don’t know. Haven’t really thought about it.”
“Okay, there’s no rush, but you should at least have an idea. What do
you want to major in?”
He blinks at me. “Don’t know. Geez. I can’t imagine the future. We
didn’t even graduate high school yet.”
“I know. But the future will come whether you’re ready for it or not.
And it’s a good idea to be prepared.”
He gets to his feet. “I’m going to play pro football for as long as I can.
Everything else will work out.”
I frown. “Okay…”
“Quit looking at me like that, bro. Not everyone has everything figured
out.”
 “I don’t have everything figured out.”
He throws his hands up. “You’ve wanted to be a doctor since you were a
little kid.”
Maybe. But he’s so confident with girls, he won’t have a problem
getting married and settling down one day. With Rylee. Assuming they
work out.
But if they don’t work out…am I hoping they don’t? Wow. I’m such a
jerk. But in the slight chance they don’t…
“What?” he says. “Why did you get red all of a sudden?”
My eyes widen. “What? I’m not red.” Complete lie. I can feel my
scorching cheeks without even touching them. “Anyway, how are things
with Rylee?”
He grins. “Perfect. She’s so hot.”
“And?”
He rolls his eyes. “Lay off me, man. I like her for who she is, too.”
Turning around, he walks across the hall to his room and shuts the door.
I finish my homework, then join Mom in the kitchen. She’s basically
done with everything, so I help clean up. Then we get ready for Dennis to
arrive.
We gather in the living room, Jason wearing the nicest T-shirt he owns,
I’ve got on a blue dress shirt and slacks, and Mom’s wearing a new dress
she must have bought today.
“He’s late,” Jason says, glancing at his phone for the time.
At that second, the doorbell rings. Mom shoots to her feet, tucking her
hair behind her ear and smiling shyly. “He’s here.” Taking a deep breath,
she smooths some wrinkles on the dress, something she does when she’s
nervous.
 Jason and I follow her to the door, where she opens it. My brother and I
stand a few feet behind her as she greets a man with graying brown hair.
“Dennis, hi.”
“Hailey.” He bends forward to kiss her cheek, then presents flowers.
“These are for you.”
It’s kind of sweet how nervous he is. Jason and I exchange a glance. So
far so good.
“Thanks so much! Come in.” Mom widens the door for him to step
inside. Then she gestures toward Jason and me. “These are my boys, Jason
and Mason. Boys, this is Dennis.”
Dennis holds out his hand to Jason with a wide smile. “Pleased to meet
you, Jason.” They shake hands, then he holds out his hand to me. “You as
well, Mason. Your mom has told me so much about you.”
Jason narrows his eyes with a snort. “Like what? Baby stories? Lame.”
Dennis chuckles. “No. She told me you love football, Jason.” Reaching
into the bag in his hand, he pulls out a football. “Signed by Gideon Adaway.
I heard you’re a fan.”
Jason’s eyes grow so wide, Jupiter can fit inside. “Holy crap!” He grabs
it from him. “Gideon Adaway? He’s my favorite player. This is awesome,
man!”
Dennis smiles. “I love football, too. Maybe we can catch a game
sometime.”
Jason nods, barely listening to him as he studies the signature.
Dennis turns to me. “And I heard you want to be a doctor. And you love
math. So while I can’t help you with the doctor stuff…” He reaches into the
bag, producing an advanced math book. “I thought you might be interested
in this.”
 I take it from him, scanning the title. “This doesn’t come out for another
few months.”
He grins. “I know a guy who knows a guy.”
“Wow. Thanks!”
He smiles again. “I was a mathlete back in the day, too. Maybe we can
geek out over math.”
“Sure.”
Jason looks up. “Normally, I’d be a little suspicious that you’re trying to
bribe us with gifts, but this is so neat that I don’t care.”
“Jason,” Mom hisses.
Dennis chuckles. “That’s okay, Hailey. I wasn’t trying to bribe you
boys. My mother always taught me to never come to dinner empty-handed.”
“Let’s sit in the living room and chat,” Mom suggests. “Dinner will be
ready soon. I’ll go put these away.” She nods at the flowers.
Jason and I lead Mom’s man to the living room and we sit down, Jason
and me on the couch and him on the chair next to it.
We look at Dennis and he laughs easily. Not awkwardly. “How’s
school? Your mom tells me Mason is at the top of the class and Jason’s the
number one football player.”
“Well, I don’t want to brag, but after our quarterback, yeah, I’m the
best,” Jason says. He scans Dennis, from his dress shirt to his shiny black
shoes. “Didn’t think you’d be a football guy.”
“Why? Because I work with numbers all day?”
Jason shrugs. “Kinda. You seem cool, man. But if you hurt our mom…”
“Dude,” I hiss. “What the heck are you doing?”
He shrugs. “Warning him not to hurt Mom.”
Dennis smiles. “You boys have nothing to worry about. Your mother
means the world to me and I’ll never hurt her.”
 “You love her?” Jason asks.
He pats his chest. “With all my heart. She’s the first thing I think about
when I wake up and the last before I go to sleep.”
Jason chuckles. “That was lame.”
“No, it wasn’t,” I argue. I face Dennis. “You seem like a good person
and I’m happy for you and my mom.”
He dips his head. “Thank you, Mason. Like I said, your mother is my
world and the last thing I want is to see her in pain.”
Jason studies him for a bit, probably noting the genuine look on his
face. From what I can tell, the guy’s not lying. He really does love our
mom. “Fine, you pass the test,” Jason tells him.
Mom enters the living room, sitting between Jason and me. “Are we
getting along well?” Her eyes move to Dennis. “Are they giving you a hard
time?”
Dennis smiles. “No. Your boys are perfect.”
Mom gives him such a pleased and happy smile. “Thanks, Dennis.”
We talk about random things. Dennis isn’t trying too hard to get to
know Jason and me because it comes so naturally to him. It’s almost like
we’ve known him all our life. Both my brother and I tell him as much about
our lives as we can.
And the conversation keeps flowing as we eat the delicious dinner Mom
prepared. Dennis gives us his full attention, seeming very interested in our
lives. From the shine in Mom’s eyes, I know this dinner turned out even
better than she hoped it would.
Dennis stays a few hours after dinner and we chat some more and play
board games. He’s so relaxed, not competitive like my brother tends to be.
He and Mom give each other lovey-dovey faces all evening and it’s really
great to watch my mom be this happy.
 Eventually, Dennis has to go. He promises to come for dinner again
soon, and he tells Jason he’ll make arrangements for them to go to the next
Falcons game together. And he promises to cheer for him at his football
games and me at my mathlete competitions.
“Dang,” Jason says once he leaves and we’re all staring at the closed
door. “How did you find someone so…perfect, Mom?”
Mom’s eyes gleam. “Do you really like him, guys? I was so nervous…”
I wrap my arms around her. “Dennis is great, Mom. We’re happy for
you.”
Jason nods in agreement. “Definitely a keeper.”
Mom’s got tears in her eyes. “You have no idea how glad I am to hear
that. I wanted you boys to like him because he’s very special to me.”
“We know, Mom,” Jason says with a chuckle. “You’ve been staring at
him all night like you wanted to kiss him.”
She blanches. “Oh, well, I…”
Jason laughs again as he turns to the stairs. “It’s not too late, you
know…he’s probably not far…”
“Jason!” Mom’s face is bright red now. But she laughs and rushes out
the door, texting on her phone.
Jason turns to me with a grin. “Dude, I was trying to find something
wrong with him all night, but I couldn’t find anything. Well, except maybe
he’s nerdy, but Mom likes that.”
“She’s so happy,” I say. “I never really thought Mom was lonely all
these years because she had us, but it’s a different kind of lonely. She’s
glowing now.”
Jason chortles. “Yeah. I guess you can say she’s glowing. Nice. Good
for Mom.” He squints at the door. “How long do you think she’ll be out
there? Could be hours.”
 I can’t help but laugh.
We go up to our rooms and he grabs his phone. I lie down on my bed,
staring at the ceiling. A million thoughts crowd my brain, but the one that
sticks out the most? Rylee, no surprise.
Jason’s probably texting her right now, maybe telling her about Mom’s
amazing man. I wish I had someone to tell, too—someone who isn’t my
friend. I mean, my friends are great and all, but it’s not the same as telling
the girl you like.
Laughter comes from outside, and when I go to the window, I find Mom
in Dennis’s arms and they’re laughing at something he says. Even from
here, I can see the way they look at each other. With so much love. It seems
as though they don’t want to part for the night, but eventually they have to.
Mom still wears that glowing smile as she heads toward the front door of
our house.
Dennis waves at her and gets in his car. Rolling down his window, he
blows her a kiss before driving off.
I wonder if a girl will ever smile at me the way Mom smiles at Dennis.
I’m not jealous of my mom—I honestly want her to have the best of the
best—but maybe I kind of am. And I feel like a jerk for feeling this way.
Maybe everything will go back to normal when I tutor my new tutee
tomorrow. I won’t think about Rylee anymore and hopefully my feelings for
her will start to diminish.
I can hear Jason talking on the phone and I try not to picture Rylee
sitting on her bed, smiling as she talks to him.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty-Nine
Mason

I nearly collide with someone as I make my way to my locker on

Wednesday morning. Glancing up, I’m surprised to see Rylee there.
“Sorry,” she says with a small laugh as she tucks some hair behind her
ear. “We have to stop doing that.”
I smile. “It’s okay.” I shift in my spot, hiking my backpack up my
shoulder. “How are you?”
“Good. You?”
“Good.”
We just stand there in awkward silence. Kids walk around us, but I don’t
pay much attention to them.
“I guess I’ll…see you around,” I tell her, pushing another smile on my
lips.
She nods slowly. “Yeah. See you around, Mason.”
I look at her and she looks at me. I have no clue how much time passes
before I blink, give her a lame wave, then make my way to my locker.
From the corner of my eye, I catch Jason easing over to her, scooping
her up close to his chest and making her giggle. I keep my gaze on the
books I’m unloading from my locker, forcing myself not to look in their
direction.
Luckily, the bell rings and it’s time for first period. I don’t look at Rylee
throughout the lesson and keep my attention on Mrs. Hastings as she
discusses the book we’re reading for English.
I get through the rest of the day and lunch and then it’s time for my
tutoring session with my new tutee, Beau. I’ll be meeting him in the library.
Like with all my tutees, I vow to help him pass the classes he’s struggling
in.
After entering the library, I scan the area for Beau. But I don’t see him
anywhere. A silly part of me hopes Rylee will be sitting at our usual table,
but of course she’s not there. It’s empty except for a college prep book.
I choose another table, since that one reminds me of Rylee, and drop
down on a chair, taking out the math textbook the freshmen are using. Beau
needs help with math and science.
Drumming my fingers on the table as I wait for him to arrive, I do my
homework. Ten minutes pass and he still hasn’t shown up. Hmm. I’ve dealt
with many different kinds of tutees—the responsible ones who want to do
well, the ones who don’t think they can do it but are surprised when they
do, then of course there are the slackers who don’t care about school at all. I
wonder if Beau falls into the last category.
After another ten minutes pass, I’m about to leave the library and tell
the office that he hasn’t come, when a short guy walks in, hands in his
pockets, his backpack hanging off his shoulder like he doesn’t give a crap if
it’s there or not.
Yep. Definitely category three. This is going to be fun.
I wave him over with a smile. His eyes lazily move in my direction
before he releases a heavy sigh and slowly—like at a snail’s pace—walks
over to my table.
“Hi,” I greet with another smile. “I’m Mason. Please be on time for our
next session. We have a lot to cover.”
He still wears that lazy look. “Whatever,” he mumbles as he plops down
on the chair across from me.
“Did you bring your math textbook?”
 His eyebrows shoot so high they nearly disappear into his hairline.
“What? I don’t have a math textbook.”
“You didn’t get one on the first day of school?”
He thinks it over for a bit. “Oh. Probably.” He shrugs. “Stashed it in my
locker and never once took it out.”
“How do you learn during class if you don’t have a book?”
He shrugs again.
I try not to grit my teeth. “From now on, I’d like you to bring your
textbook to our sessions and I highly recommend you bring it to class as
well. I’m surprised your math teacher lets you get away with it.”
He snorts. “The dude’s got his head buried in math he doesn’t know
what’s going on around him.”
“I remember when I had Mr. Webb for math in my freshman year. It was
a fun class.”
His eyebrows shoot up again. “Okaaay. Are we doing this or what? I’ve
got somewhere to be.”
“I know you don’t want to be here, but this is important. If you don’t
catch up now, you’ll only fall more behind. And I doubt you want to repeat
your freshman year, do you?”
His eyes widen. “No way!”
“Right. So we’ll share my textbook for today, but please remember to
bring it tomorrow.”
“Hold up. Tomorrow? I made plans.”
I flip to the right page in the math book. “Considering you have a
science test on Friday, we’ll need to study together.”
He snorts. “Nah. I can do it on my own. Don’t even know why my
parents insisted on a tutor.” He mutters the last bit under his breath.
 I want him to do well—feels like a crime to me when someone fails
their test—but for some reason, I’m not that determined to help him ace his
classes like I was with Rylee. Same with my former tutees. Of course I
wanted them to do well, but with Rylee it was like I had this need to help
her get straight As.
But why?
Shaking that off, I focus on Beau. “I’m sorry you’re frustrated, but I’ve
been tasked with helping you and that’s what I’ll do. Please complete the
first ten problems so I can see where you’re holding.”
He glances down at the equations like they’re as boring as the wood on
the table. “Meh. Fine. The faster we do this, the faster I can meet up with
my girl.” He chuckles. “Parents are out of town and we have the whole
house to ourselves. Gonna throw a party—just the two of us and some
friends.”
“Okay.”
He laughs again. “I heard you’re the top student at Edenbury High and
that’s why you were chosen to be my tutor. Do you have a girl?”
“No.”
“Figured. Guys like you end up in those genius TV game shows, don’t
you?”
“Not all of us.”
He laughs again. “The only time nerds are cool is when they win lots
and lots of money on those shows.”
“Can you please concentrate?”
“My girl was a nerd, too. But her friends gave her a complete makeover
and now she’s hot.” He whistles. “She goes to Silverton Academy for Girls.
Only hot people go there.”
I rub my forehead. “How is any of this relevant to math?”
 He shrugs. “Geez, man. Lighten up. No wonder you don’t have a
girlfriend. Girls don’t like guys like you who only care about school.”
I swallow as I glance away from him. Is that true? Is that why Rylee’s
interested in my brother and not me?
“I can’t do this,” Beau complains, throwing his pencil on the desk. It
bounces off, crashes to the floor, and rolls to my side. “See, even my pencil
doesn’t want to be here.”
Sighing, I pick it up and hand it to him. “Please concentrate and don’t
throw your pencil around. I don’t want to be here all night and neither do
you.”
“Heck no.”
I explain the math to him, then he works on the rest of the equations on
his own. When he’s done, I check them over, explain what he did wrong,
and then we move on to science.
“Do we get a break? I want to call my girl.”
I gesture with my hand. “Sure, go ahead.”
He remains at the table, but I go for a walk around the library. This
sucks. I miss Rylee. Miss talking to her, laughing with her, doing
schoolwork with her, munching on potato chips together.
Sighing again, I drop to the floor near the teen books section and glance
around. Rylee likes reading these kinds of books. Pulling one out with a
cover of a guy and girl hugging, her face pressed to his chest and him
holding her like he wants to protect her, I stare at it. I wonder if she read
this one. Maybe I can check it out of the library for her?
I quickly shake that thought away and return the book to where it
belongs. What was I thinking? Getting my brother’s girl a book? That’s
something Jason should be doing, not me.
 After getting to my feet, I go back to my table and find Beau still
chatting with his girlfriend. I motion a few times for him to hang up so we
can continue with science, but he turns away, ignoring me.
I try not to get too irritated because this is just the first session and he
needs to get used to this. But darn it. I wish Rylee were here.
***
“How’s the new student?” Mom asks as I get in the car two hours later.
She was waiting in the parking lot for over an hour because I had to finish
the lesson with Beau before leaving for the day. It took quite a bit of
convincing to get him to hang up with his girlfriend. On any other occasion,
it’d be sweet that he loves her, but there’s a time for that and there’s a time
for schoolwork.
“Don’t ask,” I mutter as I shut the door and pull my seatbelt across my
chest.
She studies me for a bit. “Are you okay? You’re tense.”
“Fine.”
“Mason.” She rests her hand on my arm. “This isn’t like you. I’ve never
seen you so frustrated before.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, not wanting to tell her how much I miss Rylee.
“It’ll take some time for him to adjust, but we got the work done.”
She’s quiet as she continues watching me. “You can always quit if it
gets to be too much.”
I shake my head. “I don’t quit on my tutees.”
“I know, but if you’re overwhelmed or not into it, you need to take a
break. Focus on yourself instead of others. You’re always looking out for
other people, but you need to look out for yourself, too.”
“Thanks, but I’m okay. It’ll be better tomorrow. No, not tomorrow. He
made plans.” I take a deep breath. “Sorry, but I really don’t want to talk
about it.”
She squeezes my shoulder. “Okay, but remember what I said. If it’s too
much, tell the vice principal to choose someone else to tutor that boy.”
She starts the car and drives us home. We don’t say much for the first
few minutes, and then she tells me about her lunch date with Dennis today.
“You know that food truck that’s stationed in the park near my job?
We’ve wanted to try it out for some time, but never had the chance. We
tried it today and I have to say it’s the most delicious food I’ve ever eaten in
my life. It was so good that Dennis bought two more portions for us and
one for you and one for Jason.”
“That was very nice of him.”
She smiles. “He already sees you as his kids. I hope you’re okay with
that.”
“Sure. He seemed to like us last night.”
“He loved you and your brother. Honestly, I didn’t expect you guys to
get along so well.” She continues talking about the love of her life, and I try
to listen, but it’s hard when my heart and stomach are still in knots.
Will I ever stop feeling this way?
Maybe years from now when I meet someone and fall in love. But I
can’t imagine myself feeling for another girl the way I feel about Rylee.
And I know it’s wrong, but I can’t exactly shut off my feelings, no matter
how much I want to.

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 Chapter Thirty
Rylee

Tonight is my first date with Jason!

After Mom and Dad calmed down last night, they found the whole fake
snake in Dad’s office a funny prank, and my punishment only lasted a few
hours. Which is a good thing because if I was grounded and couldn’t go on
my date with Jason, I would just die.
Mia and Zoey are on video call with me as I get ready, helping me
choose the perfect outfit to wear. He’s not taking me anywhere fancy, just to
Barnie’s Pizzeria, so I don’t have to dress up. But obviously I still want to
look beautiful.
So after an hour of contemplation and discussion, my Musketeers help
me settle on a cute floral dress and sneakers. I study my reflection in my
mirror and spin around, squealing because I think I look super cute.
“Adorable!” Mia says.
“You look amazing,” Zoey tells me.
I press my hands to my hot cheeks. “Thanks, guys! Oh my gosh, I’m so
nervous. I can’t believe I’m actually going on a date. My first one.”
Mia sighs. “I shall live vicariously through you.”
“You’ve gone on first dates in some of your movies,” Zoey points out.
“Not the same thing. In my movies, the guy was supposed to be into me.
But what’s it like to go on a real date with a real guy who really likes you?
Ugh, Rylee, I’m so jealous of you. Even though I’m so freakin’ happy for
you.”
“I wish both of you could feel the way I feel. Maybe now that the
Invisible Curse is broken, both of you will find guys really soon, too.”
 “Pass.” Zoey waves her hand.
“No pass,” Mia insists. “If Rylee and I will be happy, so will you.”
Zoey raises a brow. “Are you insinuating I can’t be happy if I don’t have
a boyfriend?”
“Of course not. But you have to admit you’re jealous of—ouch!” She
glances down at her leg and frowns. “What the heck, WillowBot? Why did
you ram into my leg?”
“As a sixteen-year-old high school junior, your sole focus should not be
on the opposite gender,” she says in her female robotic voice. “Your focus
should be on school and on your friends.”
Mia gives Zoey and me a look. “Can you believe her? Willow’s robot
wants to deny me love.” She reaches down and places the robot on her
desk, so Zoey and I can see her. “WillowBot, you do know that Willow fell
in love in high school, right? She met Colt and they’re living happily ever
after.”
WillowBot is quiet, which is super weird because she always has
something to say.
“Did she break?” Zoey asks.
“I hope not. I have no idea how to fix her.” Mia looks behind her and
raises a finger to press one of her buttons, when WillowBot suddenly turns
her head a full three-sixty degrees.
“Do not perform maintenance on me when you do not know what you
are doing!” she scolds.
Mia jumps back, picking up her hands. “Sorry! I thought you broke.”
“I was merely recalibrating my thoughts. Yes, Mia Park, you are correct
that your sister found love in high school, but statistically, that kind of
relationship is unlikely to last, and therefore I do not believe it is a viable
—”
 “Oh come on, WillowBot! We have to at least try. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Is it not more imperative that you try to do well in school?”
“And why can’t I have both?”
“Because you are Mia Park.”
Both Zoey and I burst out laughing.
Mia gives us a face before focusing back on her robot. “I’ll prove you
wrong, WillowBot. I can still do well in school and have a boyfriend.
Whenever he’ll grace me with his presence,” she mutters.
“I must disagree, Mia—”
“I love you, WillowBot, but please stay out of my and my friends’ love
lives.”
“As you wish. However, I would like to wish Rylee good luck on her
date.”
“Aw, WillowBot,” I say. “Even though you want us to focus on school,
you still want to wish me good luck. You’re so sweet.”
“I do not have emotions or a personality, for I am merely a robot,” she
says. “Therefore, I cannot be ‘sweet.’”
“Oh, you definitely developed a personality all right,” Zoey says with a
chuckle.
“Knock, knock!” Mom says from the doorway. She’s also dressed
nicely because she and Dad are having dinner with some of his high school
buddies and their wives.
“Oh, you’re on video call with your friends.” She smiles. “I’m sure
they’re helping you get ready for your date.”
“I should really finish getting ready,” I tell my friends.
“Is that Kara Gander Barrington?” WillowBot asks. “Hello, Mrs.
Barrington. I advise you to have a talk with your daughter regarding her
date. A young woman could very much gain a lot from having a deep and
meaningful conversation with her mother about this exciting yet anxious
experience.”
Mom laughs. “Of course, WillowBot. Thanks for looking out for the
girls.”
“It is my pleasure. Now, please place me back on the floor, Mia, so I can
continue cleaning your room.”
“If you insist. You just love working, don’t you?” Mia puts her down,
then faces the camera. “We should let Rylee get ready for her date.”
“Okay.” Zoey waves. “Good luck, Rylee! And make sure to call us as
soon as you get home.”
“Of course,” I say with a smile. “Talk to you guys later.”
As soon as I end the call, Mom sits down next to me on the bed, a
loving smile on her face as she takes me in. “I can’t believe how grown up
you are, Rylee. You look so beautiful. How do you feel? Super nervous? I
know I was so nervous when your dad and I went on our first date. And I
mean our first real date, when we were real boyfriend and girlfriend.”
“You were still so nervous even after you declared your love for one
another?”
She leans forward, her brown eyes shining. “Want to know a secret?”
“Yes.”
“I still get butterflies when Dad and I go out on dates.”
I smile. “That’s so sweet and romantic. Do you think I’ll feel that way
about Jason when we’re your age?”
“I don’t think you should compare yourselves to us or put any pressure
on yourself or on him. Just enjoy your time with him, savor every moment.
Always remember to be yourself around him and don’t try to be someone
you’re not. If he’s the right one for you, he’ll like you—and maybe love
you one day—for who you are, not who he thinks you are.”
 I nod and wrap my arms around her. “Thanks, Mom. I think he
appreciates me for who I am.”
“He’d better if he had good taste.”
I laugh. “I love you, Mom.”
“Love you, too, sweetheart. Make sure you say goodbye to Dad before
we leave. The poor man is beside himself with heartache.”
“Because his baby is growing up?”
Mom chuckles. “Yes.”
I sigh heavily. “He’ll still think of me as his baby at my wedding.”
She kisses the top of my head. “You’ll understand when you have kids. I
just came in here to wish you good luck and make sure you’re okay. If you
need anything, just call me, okay?”
I nod. “Thanks, Mom.”
“Of course, sweetie. Just try not to grow up too fast.”
I lift my shoulders. “I can’t make any promises.”
Dad peeks into my room. “Ready to go, Kara?” His gaze settles on me
and his lower lip quivers. “Oh, Rylee. You’re so beautiful. So grown up.
Where have the years gone?”
“Dad…”
He gathers me in for a massive hug. “My little girl.”
“Dad…”
“Okay, okay. As hard as this is for me, I hope you have a great time on
your date with Jason.”
“Thanks.”
After another hug, he and Mom leave for their dinner.
I walk to my mirror and stare at my reflection, wondering and hoping
Jason will love what he sees. I know I shouldn’t be so focused on how I
look because I want him to like me for who I am, but I know he cares about
looks. I wish he didn’t, though. But I guess that’s normal.
My phone dings with a text. It’s from Jason! Ooh, is he texting me
sweet words before he picks me up in twenty minutes?
Jason: Hey, Rylee. Change of plans. The guys are going out to
Mikey’s tonight for a team hang. We need to reschedule the date.
Maybe for next week?
I stare at the words, an iron clamp closing around my heart and
squeezing tight. Jason wants to cancel the date?
I call him.
“Hey, Ryls,” he answers in a cheery voice. “You got my text?”
“Yeah.” My voice sounds extremely hoarse. I cough. “I mean, yeah.
Your team is hanging out at Mikey’s tonight?”
“Yeah. It was totally last-minute. It’s cool if we push the date to next
week, right?”
I’m quiet for a long time as my stomach spins around and around like a
gymnast, a million thoughts racing through my mind. I just spent over an
hour getting ready. I was so excited for the date. Is he not excited to spend
an evening alone with me?
“Rylee, you’re cool with pushing it to next week, right?”
“Um…yeah. Sure,” I find myself saying. “We can push it to next week.”
“You’re so understanding, Ryls. Thanks! There’s no one like you. So I’ll
see you at school tomorrow?”
“Yeah.” Tears make my voice wobbly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He ends the call.
I slowly lower myself on my bed, my phone slipping out of my hand
and dropping on my carpeted floor. I don’t get it. He seemed like he was
really into going out with me. He mentioned a few times today at school
how he was looking forward to it. And he just cancels because he wants to
hang out with his friends?
Am I making a big deal about it? I know his friends are very important
to him, and since he’s so popular, he needs to make appearances at social
gatherings. But to cancel on a commitment he made to someone? That’s
wrong, isn’t it?
I also don’t want to be so judgy. But it hurts.
A part of me wants to call my friends or parents, but I don’t want to deal
with anyone right now. I just want to disappear from the world for a little
bit.
I crawl into bed with my stuffed bird and reach for a book. It’s the only
thing that can make me feel better.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Thirty-One
Mason

I’m a bit surprised to find Jason standing in front of his mirror when I
come home after tutoring Beau. We went overtime because it took him a
while to pay attention.
“Hey,” I say as he fixes his hair. “Hot date?” I joke.
He shrugs. “Rylee and I were supposed to go out on our first date
tonight, but I canceled. The guys are meeting up at Mikey’s for guys’
night.”
I blink at him. “Does Rylee know the date’s off?”
“For sure. She was so chill and cool about it. Most girls are so high
maintenance, but she’s very laid back.” He chuckles. “Being with her is a
breeze.”
I stare at him for a beat or two. “Are you sure she’s okay with it?”
“Yep.”
“Did she tell you she was?”
He stops fussing with his hair and turns to me. “Geez, Mason. I told you
she was okay with it.” He smiles at his reflection, giving himself two
thumbs up. “Handsome devil.” He winks at himself. “Well I’m out. See you
later.”
Since Mom’s on a date with Dennis, it’ll just be me alone in the house.
I follow my brother as he heads for the door. “You’re absolutely sure
she’s okay with it?”
Sighing heavily, he faces me. “Why are you getting all up in my
business?”
“It’s just that—”
 “You don’t know Rylee. Just because you tutored her for, like, two
seconds, does not make you an expert. I know what I’m doing, Mason.
Have a little faith in me. See you later.” He slips out the door.
I’m about to call after him, but I stop myself. Maybe he’s right. Maybe
this isn’t my business and I should stay out of it.
But as I make my way up to my room, I can’t help picturing Rylee’s
disappointed face. True we were only tutor and tutee for two weeks and I
don’t know her well, but I feel like I know her well in this situation. Rylee
was most likely looking forward to her date with my brother. I mean, I see
the way she looks at him in the school hallway and how she looked at me at
the party.
She likes him. So one can assume she’d be very disappointed that he
canceled their first date.
I could be wrong, but something in me knows I’m right. I don’t exactly
know what it is or understand it, but I have a feeling. And my gut feeling
normally isn’t wrong.
As I plop down at my desk, I try to get the image of her despondent
expression out of my head. I wish I could do something, but what?
Reaching for my phone, I tap on Rylee’s name and bring it to my ear.
“Mason?” she asks.
I smile even though she can’t see it. “Hey, Rylee. How are you?”
“I’m good.”
“That’s great. I just wanted to uh…catch up and stuff. You know, with
your classes and everything. How’s it going?”
She’s quiet for a second or two. “My classes are fine.”
I wait for her to say more, but it’s dead silent on her end, other than her
soft breaths.
 “That’s great!” I say, maybe a bit too enthusiastically. “You know, my
offer still stands about you calling me if you need help. Just because I’m not
your tutor, doesn’t mean I can’t help you.”
“Um, yeah, I know. Thanks.”
I smile, hoping for some silly reason that it’ll travel through my phone
to hers and enter her heart. She sounds so down, so not like herself.
“Is everything okay?” I ask her.
“Yep.”
“You sure? You sound a little off.”
She sighs heavily. “Nothing. Just…I had plans for tonight, but they
were canceled and I’m a little bummed about it.”
My heart squeezes at the broken tone in her voice. Forget the smile. I
wish I could travel through the phone and hug her. I’m not sure she’d like a
hug from me, but I’d definitely offer one.
“Oh, that sucks,” I say lamely. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
She’s quiet.
Normally I’m okay with us being quiet like this, but not tonight. It’s like
there’s this heaviness between us that I need to get rid of.
“It’s just me alone in the house tonight,” I tell her. “Everyone’s out
except for me. But I’m happy Mom’s out with Dennis. He’s been so good to
her.”
“Who’s Dennis?”
I freeze in shock for a second. “My mom’s boyfriend. Wait, Jason didn’t
tell you about him?”
“No.”
But I could have sworn he did. He was on the phone for hours last night
after Dennis left our house.
 “I’m sorry,” I say. “I’m sure it just slipped his mind. I think he doesn’t
think straight when he’s with you because he likes you so much.”
She doesn’t say anything.
Feeling this need to fill the silence, I say, “I think my mom wants to
marry Dennis. They’re getting quite serious.”
“That’s good.”
She sounds even more down than she did a few minutes ago. Darn it.
Maybe I shouldn’t have brought up Dennis. I honestly had no clue Jason
didn’t tell her about him.
“I’m really sorry your plans got canceled. Is there anything I can do to
make you feel better?” I ask. “Maybe I can come over and we can watch a
movie or something?”
She sighs again. “No, thanks. I just want to lie in bed with my book.
Good night, Mason.”
I want to ask her not to end the call, to talk to me so I can try to cheer
her up. But she wants to be alone—that much is obvious. So I say, “I hope
you feel better.”
“Thanks.”
I pull my phone away from my ear and am about to end the call, but I
hear her say, “Mason?”
Quickly pressing my phone to my ear, I say, “Yes?”
She hesitates. “Actually, I changed my mind. Can you come over?
Please?”
I’m on my feet in seconds. “Of course! I’m leaving right now.”
“Thanks.”
“See you soon.”
I’m like The Flash as I fly out the door. Since I don’t have a car, I walk
to her house. But before I turn toward her block, I stop off at the public
library to fetch something I think she’d like. It’s the teen book I found in the
school library. I check out two copies, one for her and one for me. Maybe if
she’s feeling up for it, we can read the book together.
I head to her house, and it’s not long before it comes into view. I up my
pace, like I want to get there as quickly as possible and try to get her to
smile.
I ring her bell and a few seconds later, the door opens to reveal Rylee
dressed in a cute dress with flowers, and sneakers.
“You look amazing,” I tell her with a smile.
She glances down at herself. “Oh. I forgot I’m still dressed up.”
Jason is an idiot.
Laughing lightly, she widens the door. “Come in.”
I glance around as I step into her house. It’s a very nice house, and it
looks like it’s full of love. “Are your parents home?”
“No. They went out. I hope it’s okay that it’s just the two of us.”
“Sure, as long as it’s okay with you.”
She smiles. “It is. Want to go up to my room and watch a movie?”
I place my hand on her shoulder. “Before that, are you okay?”
She looks at my hand, and I quickly remove it. “Sorry,” I say.
“No. That’s totally okay. Sorry for…”
I shake my head. “It’s fine. I just want to make sure you’re okay. I was
really worried about you.”
She stares at me. “You were?”
“Yeah. I hate…I hate seeing—or hearing because we were on the phone
—you so unhappy.”
She searches my eyes. “How did you know I was upset?”
“Jason told me he canceled your date to hang out with his friends, so I
wanted to see how you were.”
 “Oh. That was so sweet of you.” Her cheeks redden. “Want to go up to
my room?”
“Okay.”
We don’t say anything as she leads me upstairs. Once we get there, I
take a look around. The place is decorated in a cheerleading theme and
she’s adorned the walls with pictures of her friends and their adventures,
and her family.
“So cute,” I tell her. “I love it. Especially that picture.” I point to the one
where her siblings are younger and she’s a baby. Her older brother holds her
carefully in his arms, a nervous expression on his face.
“Noah was terrified he’d drop me. And ever since that day, he’s so
overprotective of me. Chloe, too.”
“That’s because he loves you and wants to make sure you’re safe.”
She smiles. “Yeah, I know. It’s not so bad for me because he and his
wife are on tour with their band, but he was much worse with Chloe. But
she and I understood he was just looking out for us.” She tucks some hair
behind her ear. “Do you want to sit down?” She gestures to her bed.
“Yeah, thanks.”
We sit side by side, our shoulders only a few inches apart.
I face her. “Rylee, I’m really sorry Jason canceled your date. That
wasn’t cool of him.”
She shakes her head. “He wanted to hang out with his friends, so how
could I say no? He sounded so excited.”
“He shouldn’t have chosen them over you.”
“I don’t think it’s right to judge him. I mean, I’m very sad that we didn’t
have a chance to go out, but he’s Jason Monroe. Big man on campus.”
It’s still not an excuse to treat her that way, but maybe she’s right. I
don’t know what it’s like to be him—I only got a taste at Omar’s party—
and I shouldn’t judge him. But he’s getting an earful from me when he
comes home.
Rylee’s kind to be so understating. She’s a better person than me
because she’s choosing to try to understand him.
My eyes roam her room until they settle on a fake snake hanging off her
dresser. I get to my feet and take hold of it. “What’s this?”
She giggles. “The fake snake I put in my dad’s office. He found it and
he and my mom were so angry. But then they laughed about it.”
I laugh. “That’s awesome.”
She laughs, too.
“Still a troublemaker, I see.”
She grins in such a cute way that it makes my heart pound. “You can’t
get it out of me.”
“You know, I love your smile,” I blurt. My face feels hotter than an
oven. “I mean…”
Her face is a bit red, too. “Thanks. I love your smile, too. I’m really
happy you came, Mason. I was feeling so crummy and you’re making me
feel better.”
I head back to the bed and sit down. “I’m very glad to hear that.”
“You’re a good friend.”
“Thanks. You’re a good friend, too. Talking with you is the best part of
my day.” My eyes widen when I realize what I just said. “Sorry. I mean…”
I squeeze my eyes shut. “I know we haven’t hung out much since I stopped
being your tutor, but I really enjoy your company.”
She stares at me. “You really mean that?”
“With all my heart.”
She slides her hand over mine, and I immediately feel its warmth and
softness. “Thanks. I like your company, too. I love talking to you. I love
that you’re so raw and open with me and you’re not embarrassed to say
how you feel.”
My cheeks are hot as my gaze shoots to the carpeted floor. “Is that a
good thing?”
She squeezes my hand. “The best thing.”
I bring my eyes to her and smile. “I guess it’s because I feel comfortable
around you. Like I can tell you anything.”
“Me, too.”
We just stare into each other’s eyes. Until I remember my brother likes
her and I shouldn’t be feeling things that are amazing but also feel wrong.
“So, uh.” I clear my throat. “About that movie….maybe we can do
something else instead? I got something for you.”
Her eyebrows furrow as she watches me pull the books out of my bag.
“I stopped off at the library to get these. I thought we could read them
together. If you want.”
She accepts one of the books from me with confused eyes. “But you
don’t like reading fiction.”
“True, but I thought maybe you’d like us to read together and we could
discuss it. But if you don’t want to, that’s fine. And if you want me to go,
I’ll leave.”
She shakes her head so fast she’s blurry. “I don’t want you to go,
Mason. Not at all. I’m so happy you’re here. And sure, I’d love to read the
book.”
“Have you read it yet?”
“No.”
“That’s good.” I rub the back of my neck. “Honestly, I wasn’t sure if
you like these kinds of books. But I saw it and thought of you.”
 She smiles that warm smile that once again makes my heart pound. “It’s
perfect. Thank you. Want to start?”
We get comfortable on her bed and start reading together. The book is
funnier than I thought it’d be and both of us roll with laughter.
I can’t know for sure, but it seems like Rylee’s not thinking about Jason
at all. Or if she is, she’s not letting it down her mood.
I have no idea how long we read and discuss the book before her
parents come home. Coach Barrington and Mrs. Barrington are surprised to
find me there.
“Hello, Mason,” Coach says with a kind smile. “We didn’t know Rylee
had company.”
From the looks on their faces, they’re confused why she’s home and not
out on her date with my brother.
“We’re reading a book together,” Rylee informs them.
“That’s great. Would you like a snack, kids?” Mrs. Barrington asks.
Rylee grins at me. “You have to try my mom’s chocolate chip cookies.
My dad is obsessed with them.”
Coach Barrington chuckles. “I am and won’t deny it.”
“Okay. I’ll try some, thanks,” I tell Rylee’s mom.
She nods with a kind smile that’s just like her husband’s. “Coming right
up.”
The cookies are as amazing as her dad claims and I’m not ashamed to
eat more than is probably healthy for me.
I remain at Rylee’s house for a bit longer before it’s sadly time for me to
go home. I wish I could stay here forever.
“I had a great time,” I tell her with a smile. “I hope you’re feeling
better.”
 She returns my smile. “Much, much better. You really are a magician,
Mason.”
I bow. “And for my last trick, I shall make myself disappear!” I rush out
of her room. Then I peek back in. “Good night, Rylee.”
She giggles as she gets to her feet. “Let me walk you out.”
We head down the stairs and I realize I’m not embarrassed about being
a dork in front of her like I used to be. I guess I really am very comfortable
around her.
She’s a great friend and one can’t have too many friends, right?
Who am I kidding? I’ll never see Rylee as just a friend.
Her parents wish me good night as we pass them. Her dad offers me a
ride home, but I reassure him that I’ll be okay. I want to walk so I can clear
my head.
As much as it was hard for me to spend time with her as a friend and not
much more, I’m happy I was there for her and was able to cheer her up.
Lame as this might sound, as long as she’s happy, I feel like all is right in
the world.
Mom and Jason still aren’t home when I enter my house and sit down at
my desk. I can’t stop smiling as I relive the evening I had with Rylee.
A little while later, Jason comes home, sauntering toward his room with
a grin.
I peek my head out. “Hey. How was guys’ night?”
“Was fun, man.” He lists all the things they did, but I’m hardly paying
attention to him.
“Jason, how could you cancel your date with Rylee?”
He groans. “Not this again.”
“You promised you’d be good to her. That you’d treat her right. And
you cancel your first date?”
 His eyes get hard. “I told you a million times that she was cool with it!”
“Yeah? Then why was she close to tears when I called her after you
left?”
His face changes. “She wasn’t. You’re lying.”
“I’m not. I had a feeling she was upset, so I called her and talked to her.
She was so sad she hardly spoke. She told me she was bummed that her
plans were canceled and that she wanted to snuggle in bed with a book.”
“Okay.”
I throw my hands up. “Okay? What okay?”
“She wanted to snuggle up in bed with a book.”
I rub my hand down my face. “You’re missing the point, Jason! She
wanted to comfort herself with a book!”
He flinches. “Why are you yelling at me, man? She said she was cool
with it, so why would I assume otherwise?”
I drop down on my bed, rubbing my face again. “And you call yourself
an expert on girls.”
“If a girl says she’s cool with it, she’s cool with it.”
“You’re not supposed to just take her words at face value. Get a sense of
how she’s feeling through those words. Does she sound hurt?
Disappointed?”
His eyebrows furrow. “I’m not a mind reader. How am I supposed to
sense what she’s feeling?”
I shake my head because I don’t know what to say. “And why didn’t
you tell her about Dennis?”
His eyebrows knit. “She doesn’t want to hear about that stuff.”
“Yes, she does! She wants to know what’s going on in your life. She
wants you to talk to her. Confide in her. Geez, Jason. All this should be
pretty straightforward.”
 “Sorry I’m not a genius like you and don’t know these things.” Crossing
his arms over his chest, he leans on the wall near my room. “Why do you
care, anyway? You’re getting so worked up over the girl I like.”
“Because you promised me you’d treat her right, Jason.”
He puffs up his cheeks. “I really messed up, didn’t I? I should probably
call her and apologize.”
“Might be a good idea, yeah.”
He stands and turns to go to his room, but then he faces me. “Look, I
don’t know how to be like…boyfriend material, okay? I’m learning. I made
a mistake, but it won’t happen again. Thanks for making me see reason. I’m
going to call her right now and apologize. Thanks again, man.” He holds
out his hand for a slap.
I eye him. “You swear you’ll treat her right?”
He nods. “I will, I will. I won’t upset her again. I’ll try not to. I’m not
perfect!”
“I know. But Rylee…she deserves better, okay? She deserves the best.”
He nods again. “You got it. From now on, she’ll be my number one
priority. My friends can take a hike.”
I narrow my eyes as I study him. He seems genuine and my twin
telepathy tells me he’s serious about this and about Rylee.
I slap his hand. “I’ll hold you to that.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Thirty-Two
Rylee

My phone rings with a video call from Jason.

I hesitate for a moment before accepting the call. Jason’s smiling face
appears on my screen. “Hi, Rylee. How are you?”
“I’m okay,” I respond, noticing how stiff and wary my voice sounds.
He must notice it, too, because the smile vanishes from his face.
“Listen, I really messed up. I just got an earful from Mason. Seriously, I
won’t be surprised if the guy is hoarse tomorrow.”
“Okay…”
He’s quiet for a bit before sighing. “I’m really sorry for canceling our
date. I…” He rubs the back of his neck. “I guess I didn’t notice how upset
you were. When you told me you were fine with it, I just took it at face
value. But I should have paid more attention and realized that you weren’t
okay with it.” He sighs again. “I guess I’m not as much of an expert as I
thought when it comes to girls. Or maybe I never liked anyone as much as I
like you.”
The wall I built around myself starts to chip away, and I give him a soft
smile. “Thanks for apologizing. I really appreciate it. And the truth is, I
should have been upfront with you and told you how I really felt. I guess I
didn’t want to seem too clingy.” I shake my head. “Sorry, that probably
sounds so lame.”
“No, I get it. We’re still trying to impress each other. I guess we still
have a lot to learn about each other, huh?”
I smile again. “Yeah, we do.”
 He’s quiet for a moment, drumming his fingers on his desk. “I’m not
good with this apology stuff, or this emotional stuff.” His chest puffs up as
a breath leaves his mouth. “Man, that wasn’t easy. But at least it’s out of the
way. We’re good, right?”
“Yeah, we’re good.”
“Good. You’ve got to hear what Brooks did at Mikey’s…”
The truth is, I’m not interested in stories about his friends. I want to
know about him. I want him to share about himself. But maybe he’s not
ready for that yet. I’m okay with going with whatever pace he’s at.
I’m just really glad he apologized and we can move past this. Like I told
Mason, I want to be more understating. Everyone makes mistakes, and the
important thing is that we learn from them. Jason seems genuinely sorry,
and I’m pretty sure he’s learned from his mistake. He deserves another
chance.
And I’m looking forward to continuing to grow in our relationship.
***
You know what’s awesome about Friday? Not that the Lions are having
their first football game—which is pretty amazing—or that this will be my
first time cheering with the squad at a game—again, which is pretty
amazing—but the fact that Jason asked me if we can sit on the bus together!
The day passes slower than a slug because the Universe likes to torture
me. And because I promised myself, my parents, and my vice principal that
I won’t stray from the Straight-A Path, I need to force myself to concentrate
in my classes, which is inconvenient because all I want to do is daydream
about Jason.
But the good thing about torture? It eventually ends. When it’s time to
head to Barefield High for the game, I race to my gym locker to get dressed
in my cheer uniform with all the other cheerleaders. I silently squeal as I
spin around in it. I love the cheer uniform.
I join in some of the conversations my teammates are having, staying
far away from Tiffany. She scowls at the kids who are talking to me,
looking like she wants to behead them. But I’m sort of part of the popular
crowd now, since I’ve been sitting at their table with Jason during my lunch
periods. He has never shown interest in wanting to hang out with my
friends. I mean, he already knows Zoey because they’re on the team
together, but they never really hang out outside of football. But I think he
needs time to get used to having me in his life. I’m sure it won’t be long
before he sits at our table during lunch.
Once we’re all ready, we head out to the school bus with the football
players that will take us to Barefield High. Dad, Coach Abberton, and
Assistant Coach Abberton take attendance to make sure we’re all here. Of
course Coach Abberton barely looks my way. Mom, Mia, and Zoey’s
parents, as well as the Four Musketeers, will be there, too. But this time,
they’re not just coming for Zoey, but me as well. It’s so awesome that Zoey
and I can share this.
As soon as I get on the bus, my eyes scan around for Jason. He’s sitting
in the back with his football buddies, laughing and joking around with them
like he usually does. As I approach, his eyes land on me and he waves. I’m
about to wave back, but he focuses back on his friends and continues to
laugh, totally ignoring me. I wait a little bit, expecting him to turn his
attention back to me and offer me a seat, but he doesn’t look at me once.
I wait a little bit longer, but he doesn’t even look in my direction. I don’t
understand. Why does he keep breaking his promises to me? It’s like he’s
back to Jerk Jason. What happened to Sweet Jason from Omar’s party?
 With my chest twisting, I turn around and make my way down the aisle,
stopping by Zoey’s seat, where she sits alone. My mind is in a daze as I sit
down next to her.
“Hey. Why aren’t you sitting with Jason?” she asks.
“I don’t think he wants to sit with me,” I say quietly.
She gives me a confused face before lifting herself a few inches off the
seat so she can look at the back row. Then she plops back down. “He and
his buddies always sit in the back like that. Maybe he forgot he made plans
to sit with you.”
“He thinks so highly of me that he forgot already?” I can’t hide the hurt
in my voice.
With a sympathetic expression, Zoey puts her hand over mine. “People
deal with stress and anxiety in different ways. He might not show it, but
Jason gets nervous before games. We all do. Even if it’s against Barefield
High. Maybe this is his way of unwinding before a game.”
“That’s fine, but why did he ask me to sit with him?”
She puffs out some air. “Maybe he didn’t realize how nervous he’d be?”
“I don’t know…first he cancels our date and makes me feel so rotten.
Then he apologizes to me and makes me feel like the happiest person in the
world. Is that even normal? Sometimes it seems like there are two parts to
him. Half the time he’s nice to me and the other half he treats me like I’m
not as important to him as football or his friends. It’s almost like…” I
squeeze my eyes shut and let out a breath. “Like he only wants me around
when it’s convenient for him.”
“Rylee, if you’re not happy, maybe he’s not right for you.”
Are relationships supposed to be this confusing? Am I supposed to feel
so hurt? I don’t think so. Mom and Dad don’t seem to go through this and
neither does Chloe or Noah. I want to be with someone who makes me feel
good all the time. Someone who’s there for me, who truly cares for me, and
would do anything for me.
Someone like Mason.
My eyes widen to epic proportions when I realize what thought just
flew into my head. When Mason asked to come over on Wednesday night
after Jason canceled our date, I didn’t know what to think. I felt ashamed
and embarrassed, and I wanted to just disappear from the world so I
wouldn’t have to be me and deal with the pain. But he wanted to make me
feel better. He picked himself up and actually came over to make sure I was
okay. He even brought over a book for us to read together. He’s always
been so sweet and kind to me. Always gave me his full attention and
seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say. He appreciated me for the
person I am. He’s one of the most selfless people I know.
“I’m not happy with Jason,” I announce to Zoey. “I don’t think I’ve ever
been. But Mason has always made me feel good.”
“Mason?”
“He always listened to what I had to say,” I continue. “He thought
highly of me even when I didn’t think highly of myself. I was never
anything but myself when I was around him, and I never had to earn his
friendship. I was confused, but I think I understand my feelings now. I
thought I liked Jason, but all this time…it’s been Mason.”
Zoey just stares at me. “Wait a sec. Are we talking about Mason
Monroe? Your former tutor? Jason’s twin brother? You like him?”
I nod, sighing. “I like him a lot. But he’d never want to be with
someone like me. He’s so smart and I’m…”
“You’re smart, too,” Zoey argues.
I slowly bring my eyes to her.
 “Look, I’m really confused about this whole Mason thing because it’s
coming out of nowhere, but if you like him, go for him. Don’t put yourself
down, Rylee. You’re amazing.”
“Thanks. But it’s not coming out of nowhere,” I clarify. “Mason and I
got close during our tutoring sessions. I loved being his friend, and it killed
me when he distanced himself from me. I never really understood why it
hurt so much, but now I do. I think…I think I have strong feelings for him,
Zoey.”
She’s about to say something, but we’ve reached Barefield High.
I follow her off the bus and am about to head out to the field with the
other cheerleaders, when Jason calls, “Hey, Barrington!”
I turn around and find him sprinting toward me.
“I mean, Rylee,” he says with a laugh. “Are you going to wish me good
luck? All the other girls are wishing their guys good luck.”
I take a good look at him, studying him closely. What did I even see in
him? He has nothing on Mason. I know it’s not right to compare the
brothers because they’re individual people, but Mason is such a good
person. So selfless and caring and sweet and kind. The only thing Jason
cares about is football, his friends, and being popular.
I deserve so much more than that.
My mouth opens to tell him I don’t want to be with him anymore, but I
clamp my lips shut. This is the first game of the season and the last thing I
want is him playing badly because of me. Whether he has true feelings for
me or not, no one wants to get dumped, especially before a game. I’ll have
to tell him after the game, or maybe tomorrow.
“I really need to meet up with the cheerleaders,” I say as I head toward
the field, feeling his confused eyes following me. “But good luck!” I call
over my shoulder.
 Breaking up with Jason might mean I’ll no longer be as popular as I am
now. But you know something? I don’t care anymore. Being popular isn’t
what’s important. Being happy is. And I wasn’t happy one bit with Jason.
“Zoey!” I call.
When she comes over, I throw my arms around her. “Be a kickbutt like
you always are.”
She winks. “I never disappoint. And good luck cheering! I know you’ll
be amazing.”
“Thanks.”
Spectators start to arrive, including Mom, her friends, and their
husbands, Zoey’s parents, and Mia and her parents. My eyes move over the
crowd, searching and hoping for a certain guy with brown hair and
mesmerizing brown eyes. And then I spot him sitting next to a woman and a
man. I assume those are his mom and Dennis? When Mason notices me, a
huge, adorable smile captures his face and he waves enthusiastically.
I turn back to see if he’s waving at Jason, but he’s not around right now.
Which means Mason is waving at me. And that smile? It causes my heart to
dance and then float up to the sky.
I wave just as enthusiastically as him, maybe more. And then I keep my
eyes on him, soaking every part of him into my brain. Mason Monroe, the
sweetest, smartest, kindest, selfless, caring, amazing guy I have ever met in
my life. How could I not have seen what was right in front of me all this
time?
My attention is yanked away from him when Coach Abberton gathers
the squad for last-minute tips. I’m surprised that she doesn’t call me out for
some reason or another. In fact, for the first time, she doesn’t look at me
like I’m the scum of the Earth. I guess this is too important to her and she
doesn’t want to down anyone’s mood?
 And as for me? I’m super excited for this. To finally cheer at a game…
I’ve been waiting for this moment for years.
The game begins and I focus on our routine. I’m so in my element as I
cheer with my squad, loving how in sync we all are. I don’t think we’ve
ever been this perfect before. Even the crowd cheers for us.
I catch Jason glancing at me from time to time, but I don’t pay any
attention to him. I smile at Mason every time our eyes meet, and he returns
them, making my heart burst with so many good emotions.
Barefield doesn’t stand a chance against the Lions, so no one is
surprised when the Lions annihilate them. The football team throws Zoey
onto their shoulders and chants, “Hastings! Hastings!”
I laugh along with everyone else as I exchange hugs with some of my
squad. It’s so incredible to be part of this. It really is a dream come true.
Jason bounds over and spins me around. “Did you see me? I was
amazing!”
“You were,” I say once I’m on the ground. “As was the rest of the
team.”
“I loved seeing you cheer for me. Thanks.”
I shrug. “I cheered for the entire team.”
He chuckles. “Barefield is such a joke. They should just forfeit before
every game because their playing is so pathetic.”
“That’s a little mean…”
He laughs again. “You’re right. Everyone deserves a chance to try to
defeat us. Hey, Coby! Sick tackle!”
Coby slaps his back. “You were amazing, dude.” He runs off to slap his
other teammates.
“Jason?”
He glances at me. “Yeah?”
 “I need to talk to you about something. Can we meet at one of our
houses?”
“Tonight? The team’s going to Mikey’s to celebrate.”
“Oh, right.” The football team and cheerleaders always hang out at the
diner after a game. “Maybe we can meet up tomorrow?”
“Sure. You’ll be at Mikey’s, right?” Jason asks.
I lift my shoulders. “Not sure.”
“Isaiah! Wait up!” Jason focuses on me. “I need to catch up with my
team. See you at Mikey’s!” He gives me a quick hug before dashing away.
“Rylee!” Mom rushes over and flings her arms around me. “You were
amazing!”
“Thanks.”
Dad yanks me into his arms next. “We’re so proud of you, sweetie.
You’re doing well in school and on the cheer squad. See how you can have
everything you want if you just put your mind to it and work hard and never
give up?”
I squeeze him. “You and Mom are always right. Thanks.”
Dad chuckles. “Can I get that in writing so I can frame it?”
“No way.”
After Zoey’s parents hug her to death, they hug me as my parents hug
her. Then Mia pulls both me and Zoey into her arms. “You were both so
incredible!”
“Thanks.”
Zoey and I receive more hugs from the rest of the Four Musketeers,
each of them telling us how wonderful we were. When I finish hugging the
last person, I find Mason standing before me with his mom and Dennis. I
don’t see Jason anywhere.
I wave at him with a smile. “Hi, Mason.”
 With a smile of his own, he moves closer to me. “You were so amazing,
Rylee. I know all your friends and family have been saying that to you, but I
really mean it.”
“Thanks. It’s different coming from you.”
His eyes light up. “It is?”
“Yeah.” I avert my gaze to the ground as my heart gallops so fast I hear
it in my ears. I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous around anyone before.
“Is this Rylee, Mason?” his mom asks.
“Yeah. Rylee, I’d like to introduce you to my mom, Hailey. And this is
her boyfriend, Dennis.”
I shake her hand and then his with a smile. “Pleased to meet you. Mason
is such a great tutor. He took me from the bottom of the class to nearly the
top. He’s really special.”
Mason shakes his head. “The credit goes to you, Rylee. You worked
really hard. You’re the special one.”
My cheeks feel warm. “Thanks, but I couldn’t have done it without
you.” I might sound like a broken record, but it’s the truth. Mason has
changed my life.
“Are you going to Mikey’s?” Mason asks me.
I shake my head. “I have no interest in going there.”
A look of confusion passes over his face, like he’s wondering why I
don’t want to hang out with Jason. I wish I could tell him that all I want is
to hang out with him, but it’s not exactly the right time or place. Besides, I
need to break up with Jason first before I even think about…
Well, assuming Mason even feels…
I internally sigh. These are too many emotions for one night.
“I’ll see you on Monday?” Mason asks.
I nod. “Yeah. See you.”
 “Good night. And again, you were amazing.”
With another sweet smile, he waves and walks away with his mom and
Dennis.
And I go home feeling much better than I did only a few hours ago.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Thirty-Three
Rylee

I text Jason on Saturday morning, asking him if I can come over to talk.
He tells me he has plans later that night and that I can come over whenever
I want. So when the afternoon rolls around, I ask Mom to drive me to the
Monroe house, wringing my hands in my lap the entire way. I don’t know
why I’m so nervous. Maybe because I’ve never broken up with anyone
before. Even though I know Jason’s not the right one for me, I don’t want to
hurt him. I have no idea if he ever had feelings for me, but no one likes
breakups.
“Are you sure you want me to wait?” Mom asks once we get there.
“Aren’t you hanging out with your boyfriend for a while?”
I release a breath. “He won’t be my boyfriend anymore. Well, I guess he
technically was never officially my boyfriend…”
Mom’s eyes grow a little wide with surprise. “Oh, you’re here to…Got
it. Take as long as you need. I have a lot of research to do anyway.” She
takes out her phone and gives me a loving and reassuring smile. “Good
luck, sweetie. You’ll be okay.” She leans forward to kiss my cheek. “Just do
whatever is right for you.”
I nod. “I’ll be okay. Thanks, Mom.”
I get out of the car and make my way to the front door of the house.
After taking a few deep breaths and releasing them, I ring the doorbell.
A few minutes pass, and then the door flies open. I expect Jason to be
there because I texted him in the car that I was on my way, but Mason
stands before me. I don’t know what it is—maybe because I’m super
nervous to end things with someone—but the sight of Mason warms me up.
It feels like I’m coming home.
But I need to push my feelings for Mason away. My focus needs to be
on his brother right now.
His face washes over with surprise. “Rylee, hi!”
“Hi…”
He just stands there looking at me, and I look at him. From his
expression, it looks like he has so much to say to me, but he shakes his
head. “You’re here to see Jason.” He widens the door.
“Thanks.”
“He’s in his room. I’m sure you can go up.”
I nervously rub my arm. “I think I’d rather talk to him down here, if
that’s okay.”
Mason looks extremely confused, and I swear I see a million questions
bursting to come out of his mouth, but he nods and turns toward the stairs.
“Jason!” he calls. “Rylee’s here!”
“Tell her to come up!”
“She wants to talk to you down here!”
I hear some footsteps upstairs, and then Jason comes down, a similar
look of confusion on his face that his brother carries.
“Hey, Ryls.” He comes over and reaches to put his arm around me, but I
step back. His brows dip. “What’s up?”
“Can we sit? We need to talk.”
Jason whistles. “Those four dreaded words. That can’t be good,” he
jokes. But when he sees I’m not smiling, his expression changes. “Uh, we
can sit here.” He gestures to the couch.
He and I sit side by side, and I make sure to keep some distance
between us. Mason wavers in the doorway for a few seconds, like he’s not
sure what to do with himself. But then he says, “I guess I’ll give you guys
some privacy,” and leaves.
Jason turns to me, pushing a smile on his face. “Why so serious, Ryls?”
He playfully punches my arm. “You look like your dog died or something.”
I keep my eyes focused on the spot before me, trying to rehearse what
I’m going to say. I need to find the right words because I really don’t want
to hurt him. Just in case he cares more about me than he lets on.
“What?” he asks.
With my eyes still focused on the empty spot before me, I say, “I don’t
think this is working out, Jason.”
“What are you talking about?”
I finally look at him, gesturing between us. “Us. I don’t think you and I
are a good fit.”
He stares at me for a moment, then chuckles. “Of course we’re a good
fit. We’re the perfect fit. You’re the hottest girl at school and I’m the hottest
guy.”
“If that’s your criteria of establishing whether you and I are a good fit,
then it just proves that we’re not.”
He’s quiet for a beat before saying, “Come on. You know I’m just
joking around. I see you for more than your looks.”
“Do you?” I stand and turn around to face him. “All you care about is
your image. You need to look cool in front of your friends, Mr. Popular
Jock. Heaven forbid you show an ounce of mushiness, lest your friends
make fun of you.”
“Are you honestly telling me you want the mushy stuff?” he asks in
disbelief.
“Yes,” I say, realizing how much I desperately want it. “I want all the
mushy stuff. I want all the cheesy stuff.”
 “Rylee, you and I could be a power couple. We could be the most
popular kids at school. The IT couple everyone envies and worships.”
“I don’t want that.”
“Pretty sure you do. Didn’t you tell me it was your dream to be
popular?”
“I thought it was my dream. But I don’t belong in your world. And I
should be with a guy who treats me better than you treated me.”
He rolls his eyes. “Oh, come on. I treated you right. I was a good
boyfriend.”
I throw my hands up. “You were never my boyfriend. You never asked
me to be your girlfriend.”
“Did I really have to?”
“Yes!”
He holds up his hands. “Geez. Why can’t we just be together without
having to label it?”
“Because it shows you’re committed when you agree to be someone’s
boyfriend. This just proves you never wanted me to be your girlfriend.”
“Yes, I did. I wouldn’t have spent all that time with you if I didn’t want
to be with you.”
“Like the time you spent with me on our first date?”
He blows out a breath. “I apologized for canceling our date.”
“And what about the bus ride to Barefield High yesterday?”
His brows crease. “What are you talking about?”
“You asked me to sit with you on the bus. Do you know how excited I
was? I was looking forward to it all day yesterday. I thought that finally you
and I would have some time alone to talk because throughout our
relationship, I felt like I was playing tug-of-war with your friends.
Constantly vying for your attention. I convinced myself it was okay because
it must be hard to balance a social life with a personal life. I still think it’s
hard. But when we were on the bus? You didn’t even think twice about me.
You were too caught up with your friends.”
He sits still as his brain absorbs the information I just presented to him.
Then he turns to me. “I guess I forgot that I asked you to sit with me. I
always sit in the back with my friends.”
“I don’t care about your excuses, Jason. I deserve better. So you and I…
we’re over.”
“Can I have another chance? I promise I’ll do better.”
I shake my head. “I gave you enough chances. There’s a girl out there
for you, but she’s not me. I hope we can still be friends, since we’ll
probably be crossing paths often.” I head toward the door, then turn around,
finding him sitting on the couch with a forlorn look on his face. “I really
hope you meet the right person when it’s the right time, Jason. I think you
have the potential to be a great boyfriend.”
I spin around and continue toward the door. Just as I close my fingers
over the knob, footsteps sound behind me. Assuming it’s Jason trying to
beg for another chance, I continue turning the knob, but then a softer voice
says, “Rylee?”
I twist around. It’s Mason, and he has a concerned look in his eyes.
“Mason,” I say.
“Are you okay?” he asks, the concern growing even stronger.
Did he overhear the conversation between Jason and me? It’s obvious
he did. I’m not upset about it, though. I want him to know that we broke up.
I take a deep breath and release it, offering him a smile. “I’m okay,
thanks. It was the right thing to do.”
Mason nods, though he still looks concerned. “Can I hug you?”
“Of course.”
 He steps closer and closes his arms around me, holding me so gently,
but also so protectively, like he wants to shield me from all the pain in the
world. I melt into his chest as I wrap my arms around his waist, not
knowing until this moment just how much I needed to be in his arms.
“Thanks,” I whisper against his chest.
“No problem. How are you getting home?”
“My mom’s waiting outside.”
“Okay.” He steps back and offers me a kind smile. “I’ll see you at
school?”
I nod. “See you, Mason.”
When I get in Mom’s car, she stretches her arm around me. “How did it
go? Are you okay?”
I laugh lightly. “Everyone keeps asking if I’m okay. It sucks that I broke
up with someone who I thought was the right one for me, but I know he’s
not the right one for me. So I’m okay. I just hope he’s not too hurt.”
Mom squeezes me. “Sometimes, you need to care more about your own
feelings than the other person. You need to do what’s right for you.”
I nod.
“I’m proud of you, sweetie. You’re growing up to be a very mature and
responsible young woman.”
I give her a wry smile. “I bet you never thought those words would
come out of your mouth.”
She chuckles. “I’ve always had faith in you, Rylee. I’ve never been
prouder to have you for a daughter.”
“Thanks.”
***
Once I’m home, I ask Mia and Zoey to come over to my house. There’s
a lot I need to update them on.
 The three of us settle down on my bed like we’ve done so many times
throughout the years, especially when we had sleepovers. It feels like only
yesterday when we were giggling and whispering about the next adventure
we had planned.
“Is this about Jason?” Zoey asks. “Did you talk to him?”
“I did.”
“How did it go?”
Mia looks between Zoey and me with a perplexed expression. “Why do
I feel like I’m missing some vital information?”
“Oh, I thought Zoey told you,” I say.
Zoey shakes her head. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to talk about it.”
“Can someone please tell me what’s going on? I hate being in the dark
like this.”
“I broke up with Jason,” I say.
Mia’s eyes grow huge. “You broke up with him? But he’s your dream
boy.”
“I thought he was my dream boy, but it turns out he’s not the right one
for me.” I tell her how he ignored me on the bus after promising to sit with
me, not even realizing how much it hurt me.
“Wow, jerk,” Mia says. “Good thing you broke up with him. He doesn’t
deserve you.”
I give her a thankful smile. “I don’t think Jason is a bad person. He just
has different priorities than I do. We can’t understand what it’s like to be
popular. It’s probably more stressful than we think.”
“Does that mean you don’t want to be popular anymore?” Zoey asks.
“Because breaking up with someone like Jason Monroe? There’s no
guarantee what your social status will be like.”
 I lift my shoulders. “I honestly couldn’t care less about my social status.
I’m realizing it’s not as important as I thought it was. I thought being
popular would be so much fun and so cool, but I was never happy there. I
missed you guys so much. And I also missed Mason.”
Mia’s eyebrows furrow. “Mason?”
I nod, a smile tickling my lips. “Yeah. I like Mason.”
“Like…as in you like like him?”
I nod again, warmth spreading throughout my body. “He and I got close
during our tutoring sessions. I didn’t realize then how much I loved
spending time with him. I knew he was sweet and kind and so
understanding, but I didn’t know I was developing feelings for him. And I
didn’t think someone like him would ever go for someone like me.”
“Of course he would,” Zoey says again. “Anyone who ends up with you
will be a lucky guy.”
“Thanks.”
Mia’s face shines. “So you and Mason? You’ll make such a cute
couple!”
I hold up my hands. “You’re getting way ahead of yourself, Mia. No
one said he and I will get together or anything.”
“But you have to tell him how you feel!”
“I don’t know. I just broke up with someone. I need some time. And that
person happens to be his brother. Isn’t it against bro code to date your
brother’s ex or something?”
“Ugh, enough with those stupid rules,” Zoey grumbles. “If Jason was a
good brother, he would encourage Mason to go out with the girl he likes,
even if it’s his ex.”
“Assuming he even likes me…”
“The only way to know is to tell him how you feel,” Mia says.
 “Maybe one day. Right now, I need to focus on myself and how I feel.
But I want to be friends with him. I want to get closer to him.”
“Your whole face shines when you talk about Mason,” Zoey says with a
grin. “That never happened when you talked about Jason.”
I press my hands to my flaming cheeks. “Really?”
Mia grins, too. “Totally. I hope you get your happily ever after with
Mason, Rylee. You deserve to be happy with a sweet guy like him.”
“Thanks.”
“So homecoming is in two weeks,” Mia says. “We assumed you’d go
with Jason, and Zoey and I would go together…”
I shrug. “I guess the Musketeer Trio is going together,” I say.
“You don’t think Mason will ask you?” Zoey asks. “Or you can ask
him.”
“I don’t think it’s the right time for him and me to…I don’t know…”
“It’s two weeks away,” Mia reminds me. “Maybe things will change by
then.”
I shrug again. “Maybe. But if not, I’ll be super excited to go with my
Musketeers.”
We gather in for a group hug, holding on to each other for a long time. I
have no idea what the future holds for us, whether we’ll live close to each
other like our parents and siblings. But these girls will be my best friends
for life, I just know it. I couldn’t have gone through the last sixteen years of
my life without them and I know they’ll be with me for the rest of my life,
too.
“I love you guys,” I tell them.
“And we love you.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Thirty-Four
Mason

After Rylee leaves, I shut the door behind me, leaning against it and
trying to hide my smile. On the one hand, I’m happy she and Jason broke
up—because there’s hope for me. But on the other, they broke up and I
know breakups are never easy.
When she first came over, I thought for a second that she was here to
see me. But of course she wasn’t. But when I overheard her telling Jason
she wants to end things with him, it was like I got zapped with energy. It
only lasted a short while because I knew she was hurt and I had to know if
she was okay. Hence the hug to try to make her feel better.
The hug that felt so wrong but so right.
I know she’ll be okay because she’s Rylee and she’s strong. The
question is, how is Jason taking the news?
I go upstairs and find him in his room, sitting on his bed and staring at
the floor. I’ve hardly ever seen that look on his face. It’s very rare for Jason
to get dumped.
“Jason.” I step into the room. “How are you doing?”
He turns to me, eyes hard. “Thought you could just swoop in and steal
her from me?”
“What?”
He gets to his feet. “I saw you hug her after she broke up with me. And
it wasn’t a friendly hug. You like her.”
My mouth opens and closes, but no words come out.
He scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest. “So that’s it, then, huh? She
broke up with me because of you.”
 I hold up my hands. “Jason, that’s not true. She doesn’t like me like
that.”
He glares at me. “BS! I saw the way she looked at you.”
She looked at me in a specific way? I mean, she’s always smiling
sweetly at me and my stomach somersaults over itself, but…Rylee doesn’t
like me like that. We’re just good friends.
“Jason—”
“You’re supposed to be my brother,” he nearly spits. “My twin. And
then you betray me like that?”
“I didn’t betray you.”
“All my life, I protected you and looked out for you and made sure you
were happy. And this is how you repay me? Get away from me.”
I inch closer to him. “I’m trying to tell you that there’s nothing going on
between me and Rylee. We’re just friends.”
He scoffs again. “BS! Tell me to my face that you don’t have feelings
for her.”
My gaze drops to my sneakers. I could never lie to him, and he knows
it.
“All this time, you were trying to steal her from me,” he says as he
throws his hands up. “She was my girl, Mason. Mine.”
I glare at him. “Stop talking about her as if she’s property. She wasn’t
yours and I didn’t steal her because she’s not something to be stolen. And
how many times do I have to tell you we’re just friends?”
He rolls his eyes, “And the lies keep coming.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “Fine, maybe I do like her as more
than a friend, but I’ve never tried to make a move on her or try to get with
her. She was into you.”
 “Was, until you swooped in with your sweet smiles. You completely
confused her.” He moves closer to me, eyes on mine. “Stay the heck away
from her.”
I hold his glare. “She made it quite clear today that she’s not interested
in you.”
He laughs haughtily. “Yes, she is. She’s just confused.”
“Maybe if you would have treated her right, she wouldn’t have broken
up with you.”
He just stares at me. “Wow, Mason. Way to be a jerk.” He tightens his
arms over his chest, turning away from me, “Get the heck out of my room.
We might be twins, but I’m not your brother anymore.”
“Jason, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I know you were trying with
her.”
He whirls around. “As if you’re such an expert on relationships. You’ve
never had a girlfriend, hardly ever spoken to a girl. And you think you’re
qualified to criticize me?” He snickers. “Just get the heck away from me,
man.” He turns his back on me again.
I step even closer to him. “Jason, come on. Let’s talk about this.”
He twists around, eyes the angriest I’ve ever seen. There’s a bit of pain
mixed in there, but it’s so small I can hardly see it. “I’m done watching over
you. I’m done making sure you’re happy and protected. You can protect
yourself from now on. I don’t give a crap if someone gives you a hard
time.”
“Jason! You’re not being rational.”
“I’m being rational all right. You stole her, Mason!”
I grit my teeth. “I just told you she’s not property to be stolen. Maybe
that’s your problem. Maybe you should start seeing girls as people and not
pretty things that need to be displayed to the world.”
 With his hands fisted at his sides, he curses under his breath. He lifts his
fist like he wants to take a swing at me, but I duck out of the way. But he
lowers his fist anyway. “Like I’d punch you,” he mutters. “You wouldn’t
stand a chance.”
“Will you just calm down?”
“No, man! I liked her.”
I give him a look. “No, you didn’t. Because if you did, you would have
treated her the way she deserved to be treated. You hurt her twice, Jason.
Gave her empty promises. And you expect her to be fine and happy about
it? Of course she was hurt.”
“Quit acting like you know everything. Because you don’t.”
“I would have picked up right away that she was unhappy. You freakin’
dissed her when she wanted to sit on the bus with you. You hurt her. And all
you care about right now is yourself. You’re not thinking about her needs at
all.”
“Get out of my room!”
“What on Earth is all this shouting?” Mom asks as she stands in the
doorway, her gaze moving from Jason, to me, and back to Jason.
Jason keeps his angry eyes on me. “My brother is dead to me.” He plops
down on his chair and turns away from us.
Mom faces me. “What’s going on? Jason, turn around.”
“I want to be alone. Tell him to get the heck out of my room. I don’t
want to talk to him as long as I live.”
Mom looks at me, confused.
“Get out!” he nearly howls.
Mom turns to him. “Don’t you dare shout at me, Jason Monroe,” she
warns. “I’m your mother and I deserve to be treated with respect. Now, I
want to know what happened between you boys.”
 Jason grunts. “Don’t want to talk about it. I want to be alone.”
Mom releases a sigh. “All right. I’ll let you guys cool down. But I
expect an explanation. Dinner will be ready soon.”
“Not hungry,” Jason mutters. Again, he sounds more angry than hurt,
but I know he’s in pain.
Mom and I leave his room. A second later, the door slams.
Mom flinches at the loud sound. “Want to tell me what that was about?”
she asks me.
I puff out my cheeks. “Rylee broke up with him.”
Her eyebrows furrow. “Rylee…your Rylee?”
“She’s not my Rylee.”
“You know what I mean. The girl you like.”
My eyes widen. “I don’t…I mean…” My cheeks heat up. “She and
Jason were kind of dating and she ended things with him today. He’s angry
because he thinks she broke up with him because she wants to get together
with me.”
Mom nods slowly. “Is that true?”
“No! Rylee just sees me as a friend. She broke up with him because he’s
not the right one for her.”
Mom rubs her temples. “He’s in pain and he’s lashing out. I’ll let him
calm down before I talk to him.” She looks lost, like she doesn’t know how
to handle this. Yeah, because Jason has never been dumped before. He’s
always the one doing the dumping. And he never felt bad about it. Same
way he didn’t care that he was hurting Rylee.
Mom goes downstairs to finish dinner while I go to my room. I drop
down on my bed with my face buried in my pillow.
My emotions are a mess and I can’t make sense of them. I feel for my
brother, I really do. I think in some weird way, he did have feelings for
Rylee. Maybe not deep ones, but something.
At the same time, I’m so happy she ended things with him. It opens the
door to a possibility between us.
But…how can I try to get together with her when Jason is hurt? As
much as he hates me right now, I could never do that to him.
Sliding off my bed, I grab my phone from my desk, return to my bed,
and call Rylee.
“Mason! Hi.”
“Hey, Rylee. How are you feeling?
“I’m okay. Still a little crummy, but I know I did the right thing. It’s a
relief, you know? Like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I feel
free.”
“That’s good. I know it’s not my place, but I’m sorry for everything my
brother put you through.”
“Thanks, but you’re not the one who should be apologizing.”
I kind of am. I’m sort of the one who brought them together. If not for
taking Jason’s place at Omar’s party and apologizing for him, chances are
he and Rylee wouldn’t have gotten together. She wouldn’t have gone
through all that pain and disappointment. Jason would have eventually
moved on to another girl.
I can’t be responsible for my brother’s behavior, though. He’s the one
who didn’t treat her right, not me.
Not that I’m complaining that he messed everything up. And while I
know it’s wrong of me to have hope for more than friendship with Rylee, I
can’t help my feelings.
But I’ll give her time. Besides, I doubt she likes me as more than a
friend.
 The hug sure felt like it had a special meaning that’s not reserved for
just friends, though...
“So what are you doing?” she asks.
I’m about to tell her about my fight with Jason, but I stop because I
don’t want to upset her. She’d feel bad and think we’re fighting because of
her. While that’s true, I don’t want her to blame herself.
So I go with, “Just sitting at my desk. Thinking.”
“You’re always thinking.”
“How do you know that?”
“You have this look on your face. Like your wheels are spinning. It’s
mesmerizing to watch.”
My cheeks heat up. “No one has ever told me that before.”
“Good. Makes me special,” she jokes.
“You are special Rylee.”
And words can’t encompass just how wonderful she is.
“I’m not feeling so special right now,” she tells me. “I feel like an idiot
for liking him. But let’s not talk about him.”
I lie down on my bed. “Okay. What do you want to talk about?”
“Honestly? Anything. I’m so comfortable with you.”
I smile, my stomach swooping. “Thanks. Same with me, but I already
told you that.”
She laughs. “That’s okay. I love hearing you say it. Do you want to talk
about the book? I finished it last night. Did you?”
“I did. Was upset with the ending.”
“Yeah, they didn’t get together and the guy moved away. But I predicted
it.”
I sit up. “Sorry. I thought it’d be a good book. I was rooting for the girl
to end up with the guy, but…”
 “That’s life,” she finishes.
We’re quiet.
She laughs. “I didn’t take you for a romantic, Mason. But I should have.
You’re the sweetest person I know and you have a huge heart.”
My neck heats up. “Oh, I don’t know about that.”
“You do.”
“Thanks. But your heart is bigger.”
We argue back and forth, then conclude we’re both kind and sweet.
Then we spend about an hour talking about the book.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Thirty-Five
Rylee

As soon as Mason enters the school building on Monday, his eyes scan
around until he locates me. A smile forms on his face as he waves.
I wave back, wearing my own smile. Just seeing him makes me feel so
much better after a hard weekend. Even though we texted and talked on the
phone, it’s not the same as seeing his face.
He makes his way over to me, that smile not faltering. “Good morning,
Rylee.”
“Good morning.”
“Are you feeling better?” he asks, eyes carrying nothing but kindness
and concern.
“I am, thanks.” I glance around and spot Jason surrounded by his
friends. “How’s Jason doing?”
He shrugs. “He was a little upset, but as you can see, he’s back to his
old self.”
I’m about to say something, when I notice Mason watching his brother
in a strange way. Like he misses him?
And I also notice Jason glancing at his brother every so often, though he
looks ticked off as opposed to sad.
“Did something happen between you guys?” I ask Mason. “He looks
like he wants to punch you.”
Mason releases an awkward laugh. “Yeah. I think he would have if I
wasn’t so scrawny. Good thing my muscles are pretty much nonexistent,
huh?”
Both my eyebrows lift. “Wait, are you guys fighting?”
 He nods.
“Because of what happened? Why does he blame you when it’s between
him and me?”
He hikes his backpack strap up his shoulder. “So you know after you
ended things with him and we hugged? He kind of saw that. And he thinks I
‘stole’ you from him. Yes, he actually said stole.”
I frown. “Why does he think you stole me from him? We just hugged.”
Even though that hug meant so much to me. Did it mean the same to
Mason?
“Yeah. That’s what I was trying to tell him. Your breakup had nothing to
do with me. But he doesn’t believe me.”
I glance at Jason again. He’s chatting and laughing with his friends like
nothing happened. “So you guys are fighting because of me.”
Mason places his hand on my arm. It feels so warm that a zap shoots
down my back. “I didn’t want to tell you because I don’t want you to blame
yourself. Our fight is between us. Not you.”
“Have you guys fought like this before?”
He thinks for a second. “Sure, we’ve fought. But they never lasted more
than a few hours.”
“Great. So now I ruined your close relationship with your brother.”
He shakes his head. “No. This isn’t on you, Rylee. Please don’t blame
yourself. Jason’s being unreasonable.”
“Will you guys be okay, though?”
He holds up his hands. “I have no problem with him. I’m not mad at
him. It’s all up to him now.”
I nod as I watch Jason again. I know Mason told me not to blame
myself, but I feel bad. I shouldn’t have come between them.
Mason takes hold of my hand. “Are you okay?”
 Snapping back in, I smile sadly at him. “I just feel bad. He’s your twin.”
“I know, but if Jason doesn’t want me in his life, then…” He puffs out
his cheeks. He’s trying to be strong for me, but it’s obvious this fight is
hurting him.
My eyes widen. “Could a high school breakup between Jason and me
destroy you guys forever? I mean, he didn’t even like me that much.”
He puffs up his cheeks again. “Of course I miss him, but what can I do?
Like I said, it’s up to him to decide if he wants me in his life. But let’s not
talk about him, okay? I want to be happy.”
I nod. “You’re right. If he’s acting like this, then that’s on him. We’re
moving on with our lives and having fun.” I tuck some hair behind my ear.
“Do you want to sit with me and my friends at lunch? Or did you make
plans with your friends?”
He smiles. “I didn’t make plans with my friends. Of course I’d love to
eat lunch with you, Mia, and Zoey. But aren’t you sitting with the jocks and
cheerleaders?”
I shake my head. “I don’t belong there. I belong with my friends. And
with you.”
He smiles again.
“You bet your butt you belong with us,” a voice says from behind us.
Turning around, I spot Zoey and Mia standing there.
Mia wraps her arm around me. “I know sitting at that table was
important to you, but we’ve missed you like crazy.”
Zoey nods as she hugs me from the other side. “But we want you to do
what you feel is right.”
I grin from one friend to another. “What was I thinking sitting at that
table? Most people don’t want me there and I don’t want to be there. I want
to sit with you guys and Mason.”
 Zoey and Mia turn to him with smiles and waves. “Hey, Mason,” they
say.
“Hey, guys. Great game on Friday, Zoey.”
She beams. “Thanks.”
“And I heard you’re killing it at the play, Mia,” he adds.
Mia bows dramatically. “Why, thank you.”
Obnoxiously loud noises come from where Jason and the jocks and
cheerleaders are gathered. I glance at them, and for the first time in I don’t
know how long, I don’t feel anything. When I was younger, I used to yearn
to be part of the popular crowd. Now? I feel nothing. Right here, with my
friends and Mason? It’s exactly where I want to be.
“Mason’s sitting with us at lunch, if that’s okay with you guys,” I tell
Mia and Zoey.
“Of course it’s okay,” Mia says with a smile.
“The more the merrier,” Zoey adds.
The bell rings. We grab our books and make our way to Ally’s class.
***
What a relief to be back at my usual, invisible table with the people who
mean the world to me. And that includes Mason. Though he hasn’t entered
the cafeteria yet.
“Looking for someone?” Mia asks with raised brows.
I pick at my food. “No one specific,” I lie.
Zoey snorts while Mia makes a face like she knows better.
“Where are you guys right now?” Zoey asks. “In terms of your
friendship. Or is it more than that?”
I shake my head. “Still just friends.”
“Why don’t you tell him that you like him?” Mia urges. “You guys are
so cute and sweet together. And he’ll be the perfect boyfriend.”
 “I don’t know. I don’t want to lose what we have. And anyway—”
“Mason! Hi,” Mia says with a bright smile. “Come join us.”
He’s standing at our table with his tray, his eyes making their way over
to me. Did he overhear our conversation? I hope not. From the look on his
face, it doesn’t look like it.
“Are you sure this is okay?” he asks. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
I gesture for him to sit down. “Of course it’s okay. We’d love to have
you.”
Zoey and Mia nod in agreement.
“Thanks.” He sits down across from me. “Food looks good, doesn’t it?”
Mia takes a bite of her mashed potatoes. “It’s delicious, but I’d prefer to
have pizza every day.”
Mason’s eyebrows dip. “It’s okay to eat pizza every so often, but every
day isn’t so healthy. They can be high in calories and carbs and—” He
laughs, cheeks red. “Sorry. It’s the doctor in me.”
“No, that’s okay,” I say. “As much as I love the food, you’re right.
Healthy options are good. You know…healthy.” I cringe as I play with my
food. “So…who’s ready for the bio test on Thursday?”
Mason leans forward, catching my eyes with his. “I know you’ll ace
that test, but remember my offer. Call me anytime you need help.”
I nod in appreciation.
“You guys, too,” he tells Mia and Zoey. “If you ever need help with
school, I’m your guy.”
Mia frowns. “But aren’t you tutoring someone? You don’t need us
bugging you with our problems when you’re so busy.”
He waves his hand. “That’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”
“Well, it would only be me and Rylee bugging you,” Mia says. “Zoey’s
pretty good at school.”
 Mason smiles at her. “I know. If you weren’t so busy with football, I
would ask you to join the mathletes, if you’re interested.”
“Thanks, but football is more my thing.”
“Cool.”
We talk about other things, having fun, and I don’t think about Jason or
the popular kids once. Until heels clack on the floor and I sense an evil
presence.
Glancing up, I’m not shocked at all to see Tiffany standing there. Her
gaze roams over the table and she snickers.
“Wow. The dummy loser is back at the loser table where she belongs.”
I roll my eyes. “Go away, Tiffany.”
She bends close. “We all heard Jason dumped your butt. What a loser!”
“Actually, Jason told everyone it was a mutual breakup,” Zoey corrects
as she glares at Tiffany. “No one dumped anyone.”
We all know the truth, but I guess Jason doesn’t want to look bad in
front of his friends. It doesn’t really matter who broke up with whom,
anyway. The important thing is that we’re in a much better place. Well, I am
at least.
Tiffany snickers at Zoey. “Whatever, loser. If you weren’t quarterback,
no one would even know who you were.” She turns to me. “How sad that
you and Jason won’t be going to homecoming together.”
“I think I’ll survive.”
She gapes at me. “What? You should be crying because he’s not taking
you.”
Jason never even asked me to go to homecoming with him. I guess if we
were still together, it’d be understood that we’d go together.
But I don’t care.
There’s one person I would want to go with, though.
 I give Tiffany a wide smile. “Looks like you’ll be the one crying at
homecoming.”
She snickers as she flips her hair. “Please. Guys will line up at the
chance to take me.”
“Yeah, maybe. But would they want to truly be with a witch like you?
Or will you just be arm candy for them?”
Her eyes get so wide they nearly pop off her face. “What the?—How
dare you talk to me like that? Ugh, you’re so not worth my time.” She
whirls around and marches away.
I stare after her, not understanding where the heck that came from.
“Nice one!” Zoey says as she holds up a hand for a high five. I give it to
her.
“Do you have a death wish or something?” Mia asks. “You know she
won’t leave you alone now.”
I shrug. “You know something? I don’t care. I have you guys.” I look at
Mason with a smile. “All of you.”
He returns the smile.
“I have my family and people who love me,” I continue. “I don’t care
about her or the popular kids or anyone else.”
“Yes!” Mia cheers as she pumps her fist. “The Musketeer Trio for life.”
“And Mason,” I say.
“And Mason,” both Zoey and Mia echo.
He holds up his hands. “That’s okay. It’s nice of you to include me, but
you don’t have to.”
I take one of his hands in mine. “Yes, we do. Of course I’m not saying
you should sit with us and hang out with us all time. You should spend time
with your friends. I’m just saying there’s always a spot for you right here.”
And in my heart.
 He smiles as he takes my other hand. Staring into my eyes, he says,
“Thanks.”
***
I turn toward the bleachers during cheer practice and am surprised to
see Mason sitting there. He waves, a cheerful grin on his face.
I had no idea he came to watch me practice. I suddenly feel a little self-
conscious, and I don’t know why. On the one hand, I’m so comfortable with
him. On the other, I’m a little nervous.
He waves to me again when our eyes meet. Gosh. I really, really like
him. So much it hurts.
When practice is over, he rushes over to me. “Rylee. You were great.”
He flings his arms around me and I’m engulfed in his Mason smell.
“Thanks. I thought you had tutoring.”
Drawing back, he says, “I did. We ended a little early and I decided to
watch you practice. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course it is. I love when you watch me.”
His smile suddenly drops as he bends close. “Rylee, there’s something
really important I need to tell you. Is it okay if I come over to your house?
Or do you have plans?”
I shake my head. “No plans. Of course you can come over, but you’re
scaring me a little.”
He smiles nervously. “It’s very important.”
Is he planning on asking me to be his girlfriend? I would say HECK
YES! A MILLION TIMES YES!
I know I said only a few days ago I wasn’t ready for a relationship yet,
but…it’s Mason.
“Okay.”
 We meet Dad in his office, get in the car, and drive toward my house.
Dad talks about random things, and I answer, but Mason seems distracted.
He’s very quiet as he looks out the window. I’m tempted to ask him what’s
wrong, but figure he must be thinking about whatever it is he wants to tell
me. Is he nervous to ask me to be his girlfriend? It must mean so much to
him if he’s so anxious.
We reach my house and Mason follows me up to my room. I cringe
when Dad yells after us to keep the door open. Seriously, parents…
Mason and I sit on my bed, side by side. He wrings his fingers in his lap
and I just watch him, trying to get a sense if maybe this is more serious than
I thought. Why is he so nervous?
The room is bathed in silence for I’m not sure how long.
“Mason? What’s wrong?”
He’s quiet for a bit. Then he says, “I have to tell you something, but I’m
worried it’ll upset you and that’s the last thing I want.” He turns to me with
troubled eyes. “You mean so much to me, Rylee, and I don’t want you to
think low of me. Or to hate me.” He keeps his gaze on the floor.
I place my hand on his chin, slowly lifting his face so our eyes meet.
“Nothing you say or do could ever make me hate you. You’re the sweetest,
kindest, most generous person I’ve ever met.”
He pulls away, sighing deeply. “Don’t say that until you hear what I did
wrong.”
I scoot closer to him. “What you did wrong?”
He squeezes his eyes shut, a tremor going through him. “I don’t know
how to tell you this, but please don’t hate me, Rylee.”
I rest my hand on his shoulder. “You’re really scaring me, Mason.”
His eyes open. “Remember Omar’s party? You and Jason spent hours
talking?”
 My eyebrows furrow. Why is he bringing up Jason right now?
“Yeah…?”
He hesitates. “It wasn’t Jason that night. It was me. I was pretending to
be him.”
“What?”
He takes another deep breath. “Jason tried to talk to you for days, but
you didn’t want anything to do with him. So on that Friday, he begged me
to take his place and talk to you for him. He really liked you, but for some
reason kept saying the wrong thing. He thought maybe if I took his place,
I’d say the right thing and maybe you wouldn’t hate him anymore. I’m
really sorry, Rylee. I hate that I fooled you. I don’t know what came over
me. I was torn between helping my brother—who always protected me my
entire life—and fooling you. I didn’t want to hurt you, but Jason told me
that he really liked you. I figured it was just a one-time thing. I’d pretend to
be him, show you he’s a decent person, and then you guys would hit it off. I
swear it was just that one time.”
I just stare at him as a million thoughts and feelings wash over me.
“You’re saying it was you at Omar’s party? But how? You guys are
identical, but your bodies…” I glance down at his skinny body, trying to
make sense of it. “I mean, you’re not a real magician and didn’t conjure up
fake muscles, did you?”
He laughs a little. “No. I put on a muscle suit. It made me look nearly
identical to Jason.”
My eyebrows furrow.
“Rylee.” He takes my hands. “I just wanted to make my brother happy. I
didn’t mean to hurt you. But I made a mistake and I needed to come clean. I
hate myself for doing that to you. I honestly thought I was doing the right
thing at the time.”
 I don’t say anything as I think over his words. Then I say, “So it was
you at Omar’s party. You were the one who apologized and talked so
sweetly to me.”
“Yeah. Like I said, I’m so sorry I fooled you—”
His words get cut off as I fling my arms around him. “Oh my gosh, I’m
so relieved,” I say as I bury my face in his chest.
He pulls away. “What? Relieved? You’re not mad at me?”
I shake my head. “I should be upset, but there’s something you don’t
understand. Actually, I didn’t understand it myself. Ever since Omar’s
party, I was looking for that sweet side to Jason. I didn’t understand how he
could be so nice and sweet to me at the party and then so different after. But
now I know why. Because it was you at the party, not Jason. You’re the one
I had feelings for, not him.”
His eyes widen. “Feelings?”
I push some hair away from my eyes. “Yeah. I like you, Mason. I like
you a lot. I think I have for a while. I just never realized it.”
His arms come around me. “Rylee. I like you, too. I think I’m…I mean,
my feelings for you are so strong I can’t even breathe.”
We press our foreheads together, our chests heaving.
“I liked you for so long, but my feelings started growing after we went
out for ice cream,” he tells me. “Then Jason told me he liked you and I
knew I had to keep my distance. That’s why I was so rude to you. I’m
sorry.”
I draw back. “Why did you pull away when you found out Jason liked
me? Why didn’t you fight for me?”
He sighs as he bends forward. “Because I didn’t think you’d ever like
me.”
“Why?”
 He motions at himself. “Look at me. I’m a nerd. I’m scrawny, weak. I
have no muscles. I’m no match for my brother.”
“Mason.” I cup his face in my hands and stare into his eyes. “You’re a
hundred times better than your brother. I know I sound like a jerk for saying
this, but it’s true. He might have the muscles and be a football player, but
you have a heart of gold. That’s what I care about. For years I thought I
wanted a football player boyfriend, but I was wrong. I found the guy I like.
The guy who has stolen my heart. It’s you, Mason. Sorry I didn’t see it
earlier.”
He wraps his arms around me, pulling me close to his chest. “I should
have been braver and told you how I felt.”
“Me, too,” I say as I bury my face in his arm. “But I didn’t think you’d
want someone…not as smart as you.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re the top student and I thought you’d want someone at your level.
I’m too dumb for you.”
“Rylee.” He holds me close and looks into my eyes. “Please don’t call
yourself dumb. You’re far from it. You’re at my level in every way. I found
the girl who has stolen my heart, and she’s you, Rylee Barrington.”
I just gape at him, unable to comprehend what is happening right now.
Mason likes me. He’s liked me for a while. And I liked him. Why were we
so scared to admit our feelings to each other?
I press my forehead to his again. “I’d really love for us to explore our
feelings for each other, but I just got out of a sort-of-relationship and I’m
not sure I’m ready.”
He nods. “Of course. I understand. Also, Jason is still hurt and we
should consider his feelings.”
 “Yeah. You’re right.” I look into his beautiful brown eyes. “But I want
to spend time with you. Get to know you better. Can we take things slow?”
“Yes. Whatever you need.”
I smile and bend forward to kiss his cheek. “Thanks so much, Mason.”
His eyes are wide and he touches his cheek like he can’t believe that just
happened. Then he gives me a shy, but happy smile and bends forward,
brushing his lips against my cheek.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Thirty-Six
Rylee

When I come to school Tuesday morning, I spy Mason waiting at my

locker. The largest smile I’ve ever had takes over my face. I want to spend
the rest of my high school life walking into school to that sight.
As soon as I approach, he notices me and throws his arms around me.
“Good morning, Rylee.”
I squeeze him, pressing my cheek to his. “Good morning, Mason. How
are you?”
“I’m good.”
“Are things still strained between you and Jason?”
He puffs out his cheeks. “Yeah. Honestly, I thought we would make up
by now.”
Once again, guilt eats away at me. “Do you want me to talk to him?”
“Thanks, but it’s okay. We need to figure this out ourselves.”
The guilt continues to eat away at me. If only I paid attention to my
feelings earlier and realized how much I cared for Mason. All of this could
have been avoided.
Mason rests his hand on my arm. “Hey, it’ll be okay,” he says softly. “I
hate how torn up you are over this.”
“You guys are best friends,” I say. “And I ruined everything between
you two.”
“We’re brothers above everything else. Jason will come around, you’ll
see. Just please don’t get upset over this. Years from now, we’ll laugh about
it.”
I sigh. “I hope you’re right.”
 Mia and Zoey meet us at my locker, and the four of us discuss random
topics until the bell rings. We make our way to Ally’s class, Zoey, Mia, and
I trying to convince Mason to join book club. He really wants to join, but
he’s not sure he can commit to it with tutoring and mathletes.
“How much longer are you tutoring Beau?” I ask. “Are you making any
progress with him?”
Mason tries to fight off a profound scowl, but he’s failing miserably. “If
we’re making any progress, it’s at a snail’s pace. The guy doesn’t care one
bit about school.”
I duck my head. “Sorry I was just as much trouble.”
“No way, Rylee. You were never trouble. You might not have been into
it in the beginning, but once we got past our initial setback, you were the
perfect tutee. You were so eager to learn and worked hard, and I loved
seeing your eyes light up when you understood the material.”
My heart races at his kind words. “That’s so sweet, Mason. Thanks. But
I doubt I was eager to learn.”
He laughs softly as he takes my hand. “You were, even if you didn’t
realize it.”
“Maybe you’re just an amazing magician,” I say.
“You’re the magical one.”
Again, my heart races and my cheeks flush. The area where his skin
touches mine tingles, and it travels to every part of my body.
Mia subtly pokes my rib and mouths, “Oh my gosh! Swoon.”
Zoey looks like she’s swooning, too. And she never swoons.
I’m about to walk into English with my friends, but someone grabs my
arm and pulls me to the side. I’m about to yell bloody murder, but then I
notice it’s Jason.
 “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” he says. “And I concluded that you
made a big mistake.”
I try not to sigh as I fold my arms over my chest. “I did?”
“Yep. You shouldn’t have broken up with me.”
“Jason—”
“We were good together. I know I made mistakes, but I promise I’ll be
better. Dating you is a little different from when I dated other girls. I guess I
was more casual with them. But we don’t have to be casual. I can commit to
you.”
This time, I do sigh. “Jason, I appreciate you talking to me, but I’m
sorry. You and I aren’t a good fit.”
“Rylee—”
“I need to get to class.”
He calls after me, but I ignore him. I know this must be hard for him,
but he’ll be okay. He just needs time to come to terms with it.
But I guess him coming to terms with it isn’t as easy as I hoped. He tries
to talk to me throughout the day, exchanging words with me in the halls
between classes. He keeps trying to convince me that I made a huge
mistake and that I should give him another chance. He’s not coming off too
strongly or anything, but I feel bad that I’m the cause of his pain. I guess he
did care about me more than I thought.
Just as I’m about to head to lunch, he pops up before me, blocking my
path.
“Jason…”
“Look, just please give me another shot. I know I messed up, but you’re
so understanding—”
“Jason, I’m sorry but you and I are over. We’re not good for each other.
Getting together would only hurt us in the long run. I know you’ll meet the
right girl one day and be the happiest person on the planet. But for now, you
need to take some time and assess your feelings. And you need to make up
with Mason.”
His eyes that were sincere and full of pain suddenly turn hard. “I’m
never going to talk to him as long as I live.”
“Jason, I’m sorry I got between you guys—”
He snorts. “You got between me and him? He’s the one that got between
you and me.”
“That’s not true—”
“He stole you from me! All this time, the nerd was planning to swoop in
when I least expected it.”
“Hey, don’t call him a nerd in such a derogatory tone.”
He bursts out laughing. “You’re sticking up for him?”
“He and I got close during our tutoring sessions, even before you and I
met. I didn’t realize it at the time, but—”
“Wow. Just wow. You were accusing me of not committing to you when
all this time, you secretly liked him behind my back?”
“No, it wasn’t like that! I didn’t know I liked him. But I liked you, too,
and I never thought about him when you and I were together.”
He runs a hand down his face.
“Jason, I’m sorry—”
“What do you even see in him?” he demands as he drops his hand.
“What can you possibly like in a nerd like him?”
“Please stop using that derogatory—”
“He has no game. He thinks girls are impressed by how much he knows
about math and science. He thinks a hot date includes watching one of his
medical shows and then spending hours discussing it.” He snorts. “My
brother is a joke.”
 Anger flashes through me, and I step closer to him, narrowing my eyes.
“How can you say that about your own brother?”
“He’s not my brother—”
“You’ve got to be the lowest, most selfish person on the planet, Jason
Monroe. Why can’t you be happy for Mason? He’s been nothing but a good
brother to you. He tried to help you get together with me when he had
feelings for me. Do you know how selfless that is? It must have been so
hard for him to pretend to be you and win me over when all he wanted was
to be with me. But he did it for you because he loves you. Because he
would do anything for you. Because he’s a good brother and a good person.
Would you do the same for him? Would you sacrifice your happiness for
his?”
Jason’s mouth snaps shut and his brows furrow. His face that was so
furious now looks…sad.
“You claim you’re hurting because of our breakup,” I continue. “You’re
trying to win me over with guilt and pain. But I know the real reason you
want to get back together with me. It’s because of your ego. Your pride.
You can’t stand that your ‘nerdy’ brother got the girl and you didn’t.”
Jason opens his mouth to say something, but then he shuts it.
“A good person would be happy for his brother,” I say. “He would do
whatever he could to help his brother have the happily ever after he
deserves. But Jason Monroe? No, he has to be better than his brother. His
own brother who would die for him.”
Jason doesn’t say anything, just stands there frozen in place, his features
contorted with pain and confusion.
I step closer and touch his arm. “Mason doesn’t deserve this from you,”
I say softly. “He needs his brother back.”
I remove my hand from his arm and walk away.
 “Rylee?” he calls.
I turn around.
“You’re right. All that you said is true.” His lips quiver as a small,
thankful smile crawls onto his lips. “Thanks. And I’m sorry for all the pain
I caused you.”
I nod. “It’s in the past and I forgive you. Now please make up with
Mason.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Thirty-Seven
Mason

I’m texting Rylee in my room after school, laughing at how sweet and
funny she is, when footsteps sound in the doorway. It’s Jason, leaning
against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.
We haven’t said a word to each other since our fight on Saturday.
Mom’s been trying to get us to make up, but he’s not interested. I’m willing
to talk things through, but he’s pretending like I don’t exist. I’m dead to
him, as he claimed.
“Can I come in?” he asks.
“You’re always welcome in my room.”
He nods once as he heads inside and lowers himself on the bed. I’m
sitting at my desk chair and give him my full attention. “What’s up?” I ask.
He looks at me, then away. “I’ve been a jerk.”
“It’s understandable. You were hurt.”
He shakes his head. “Rylee talked to me today. She set me straight. She
made me realize that I’ve been the biggest jerk in the world.” He stands. “I
did like her. Honestly, I cared more about her looks than I did about her as a
person at first. But the more I got to know her, the more I liked her.” He
faces me. “But I didn’t like that I had to be a boyfriend to her, you know? I
wanted her to be around when I wanted her to be.” He lowers his gaze to
the floor. “And that was a very jerk thing to do.”
He drops back down on my bed. “Rylee was right when she told me I
was selfish. I only cared about myself and not you. You liked her way
before I did, but I never noticed it. All I cared about was myself and didn’t
realize you had feelings for her. And then you took my place at the party.
You did that for me, even though you liked her. You were willing to give up
your feelings for her because you wanted me to be happy. I could have
gotten any girl I wanted, but you wanted that one girl: her. And I messed
everything up for you.” He looks at me. “I’m sorry. And then I accused you
of stealing her from me. You were just trying to comfort her. I see that now.
You’re a better person than I’ll ever be. I thought I knew about girls and
relationships, but I don’t know crap. You, Mason, know how to treat a girl
right. You’ll treat Rylee the way she deserves. You guys should be with
each other.”
“Thanks for saying that. It means a lot. I should have told you I had
feelings for her instead of keeping them to myself. Maybe we could have
worked something out. We would have saved Rylee so much pain.”
He nods. “I was a big jerk to her.” He holds up his hands. “Don’t worry.
I apologized to her. I never meant to hurt her. I just didn’t want to be her
boyfriend.”
I get up and place my hand on his arm. “Thanks for the apology, Jason.
I hope we can move past this and go back to how things used to be. I want
us to be twins again. Brothers. Best friends.”
“I want that, too. I still feel so terrible.”
“I think I know what your problem is. Why you messed up with Rylee.”
He looks up at me with a raised brow.
“You want to have fun with your buddies and girls. You don’t want to
get serious with anyone. And that’s okay. We’re only sixteen and you can
have as much fun as you want. But if you just want to have fun with a girl
and not be serious, you need to tell her upfront. No hiding things from her.
Be genuine.”
He nods as my words sink into his brain. “That’s great advice, bro.
Thanks. Yeah, I just want to have fun and am not ready for a girlfriend. But
you are and you and Rylee deserve to be together.” He grins. “I’d tell you to
treat her like the queen she is, but I don’t have to remind you. You’ll treat
her more than a queen. You’ll treat her like a goddess.”
“I’ll spend my days striving to be the person she deserves.”
He waves his hand. “You already are and she knows it.”
I smile. “Thanks, Jason. That means a lot.”
“Boys?” Mom steps into the room, gaze flitting from Jason to me.
“What’s going on? You’re talking again?”
Jason smiles at her. “We are, Mom. I’m sorry I’ve been such a jerk.” He
gets up and wraps an arm around her. “You and Mason didn’t deserve that.”
Mom hugs him. “I’m so glad you guys made up. A bond between twin
brothers is so special. Always remember that.”
Jason and I nod. Mom reaches for me, adding me to the Monroe hug.
“You boys are my world,” she whispers. “And even though Dennis will join
the family soon, nothing has to change, all right? You are, and always will
be, my number one.”
“He’s number two,” Jason jokes as he points his thumb at me.
Mom and I laugh. “You’re both my number one,” she says.
After she leaves, Jason says to me, “So we’re good, right?”
“Yeah. We’re good.”
“Nice.” He holds out his hand for a fist bump and I give it to him.
“I don’t need your permission to go out with Rylee,” I say. “But I don’t
want to hurt you.”
He shakes his head. “Nah, that’s okay. Go for her, bro. Don’t take my
feelings into consideration at all. I want you guys to be together. I’m happy
for you.”
“Are you sure?”
 “Yes. She means more to you than she ever did to me.” He slaps me on
the back before leaving my room.
I settle down on my bed with my phone and continue texting Rylee all
night. Who knew just lying on my bed texting the girl of my dreams could
be one of the best moments of my day?

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Thirty-Eight
Rylee

“What’s the surprise?” I ask Mason for the millionth time on Thursday
night. He just took me to his car and helped me get in, all while I’m
blindfolded.
We spent a few hours watching Swords and Legends together in his
room. I’ve missed the show and am glad I get to share with him something
that means so much to him.
“I can’t tell you that,” he says with a chuckle. “It’s a surprise,
remember? Don’t worry. It’s not far.”
I groan as he starts the car and drives us to wherever. He talks about
various things and I try to pay attention. I’m just so curious and excited for
what he has planned.
“We’re here,” he says a short while later. “You can take off the
blindfold.”
After tearing it off, I glance around the area. We’re still in Edenbury, but
close to Silverton. We’re outside a building with the words, “Come see
Mauricio the Magnificent! Let him enchant you with his magic!”
I blink at the words a few times before turning to him. “A magic show?
I love it!” I throw my arms around him. “Thanks so much.”
He holds me close. “I thought it would be something we could do
together.”
“I’m so excited.”
He takes my hand, smiling that Mason smile. “Me, too. Doesn’t matter
where we are or what we’re doing. I’m just happy to be with you.”
“Me, too.”
 He squeezes my hand, then we get out of the car. The building is pretty
large and there are quite a few people here. I’ve never heard of this
magician before, but whoever he is, he seems to be very famous.
After we find our seats, I turn to Mason. “Are you familiar with him?”
“Saw him on TV once or twice. He’s pretty good. Sometimes I could
guess how the magician does his tricks, but Mauricio always stumps me.”
I tap my chin as I squint. “Mason being stumped?” I tease. “Is there
even such a thing?”
He chuckles. “The world’s coming to an end.”
The place is filling up, with many parents and kids, as well as couples. I
spot a few kids our age, but don’t recognize them. Maybe they’re from
Silverton or another town.
Mason’s hand rests on the armrest next to mine and I place my hand on
his. “I’m so happy you brought me here, Mason. It’s something special just
between the two of us. I love it.”
He smiles. Good thing the place isn’t dark because it’d be a shame for
that sweet smile to be lost in the dark. “I thought you might. And I also love
that we have something special only the two of us share. I want to share so
many more things with you, Rylee. Maybe I can dig up an old video of me
doing magic tricks when I was a kid.”
I laugh. “I’d love to see little Magical Mason wowing his mom and
brother.”
He laughs, too.
I rest my head on his shoulder. “It’s too bad we weren’t friends when we
were younger. I think we would have gotten along great.”
“I don’t know. You and your friends were always getting into trouble
and I was so good I wouldn’t leave the house if my shoelace was untied.
But yeah, I would have loved to be your friend.”
 “At least we’re together now,” I tell him.
He presses his head to mine, like he wants to get closer to me. “Yeah. I
wouldn’t have it any other way.”
We talk a bit more, then the show begins. Mauricio the Magnificent
isn’t the first to come on the stage. There’s another magic act opening for
him. Then the audience roars with applause as Mauricio walks onto the
stage. He bows, then waves his hands around as he tries to get the crowd to
quiet down.
“I’d like a volunteer from the audience,” he announces. A woman walks
up to the stage and he begins his act.
“This is so cool,” I whisper to Mason.
His hair brushes my cheek as he nods. “His magic tricks are so real you
don’t feel like you’re watching a show.” He bends close. “Seeing it on TV
vs. real life is so different. Wow.”
“Maybe we could see magic shows more often,” I say.
“Sure, I’d love that.”
We’re quiet throughout the rest of the show. I’m so mesmerized, and it’s
like Mason said, this feels like real magic. The guy is so talented. No
wonder so many people come from all over just to see him.
I’m a little sad when it’s over, but Mason and I will have lots and lots of
opportunities to see more shows in the future. I can’t wait to get even closer
to him.
“What?” Mason asks as he catches me watching him. We just stepped
out of the building and are looking around for something to eat. We already
had dinner, so maybe a milkshake or something would be a good idea.
I push some hair out of his gorgeous eyes. “Nothing. Was just thinking.”
He lifts a brow with a teasing smile. “I thought I’m the only one who’s
allowed to think.”
 “What can I say? You’re rubbing off on me, Mason Monroe. But I don’t
mind it one bit.” I lock my arms around his waist, pressing myself close to
him.
He rests his forehead on mine. “I had such a good time with you
tonight,” he murmurs. “I’m so lucky to have you in my life.”
“No. I’m the lucky one.”
“No. I am.”
I laugh. “To think all it took was for me to nearly fail my classes or else
we’d never talk to each other.”
He chuckles, too. “Yeah. Weird. Life has a way of making wonderful
things happen, doesn’t it?”
I press myself closer to him, not caring that there are many people
around. “Yeah. It does.”
We find a diner at the end of the block and order milkshakes. He gets
chocolate and I choose strawberry. After we sit at a booth in the back, we
try to figure out some of the magic tricks Mauricio did.
Mason shrugs. “Maybe we should just let the magic be magic.
Everything in life doesn’t need to have an answer.”
I suck up some liquid and feel it go down my throat. “Well, it’s not
math. So there’s no definite answer.”
He nods. “That’s true.” He drinks from his milkshake. “How’s
cheerleading going? Has Tiffany or the others given you a hard time? What
about Coach Abberton?”
I shrug as I play with my straw. “Coach Abberton treats me the same.
Most of the cheerleaders are nice to me. Tiffany, on the other hand, doesn’t
let me forget that I was once semi-popular and now I’m ‘crap.’”
He takes my hand that’s resting on the table. “You’re not crap, Rylee.
You’re far from it. Please don’t let her ever make you think you’re anything
but special.”
I smile at his sweet words. “Thanks. Yeah, it’s hard not to let her words
bother me. I mean, even if I know they’re not true, it still hurts hearing
them.”
He nods in understanding.
I squeeze his hand. “Let’s not down our mood by talking about Tiffany.”
We chat about fun and interesting topics. He tells me about the medical
shows he saw on TV the other day. And normally, those things would freak
me out. But I find myself captivated by his words.
“What?” His face is red as he stops talking. “You’re staring at me. Am I
talking too much?”
“No way. Keep talking, Mason Monroe. Because I can listen to you for
hours.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Thirty-Nine
Rylee

When I’m finished with cheer practice on Friday and head to my locker
to gather the books I’ll need for homework, I’m surprised to find Mason
standing there.
“Hey!” I say as I throw my arms around him. “What are you doing
here?”
“I know we just hung out yesterday, but I already miss you. Do you
want to hang out again?”
“I’ve missed you, too. What did you have in mind? Ooh, do you want to
go to Madam Freezie again? I bet Giovanni has new flavors ready to be
sampled by his two favorite testers.”
“That does sound fun, but I was thinking something else.”
“Okay…should I be worried? You don’t want to take me to like a frog
dissecting class or something, right? I mean, if you really wanted to go, I’d
join you because I want to share your hobbies and interests, but…”
Mason bursts out laughing. “You’re so cute.”
I laugh nervously as I play with my hair. “Thanks…”
“You don’t have to worry. There are no frog dissecting classes on the
schedule.”
“So what is on the schedule, then?”
He smiles. “Do you remember when we were in fifth grade and our
class went to the park for a trip? They had a truck there that rented roller
skates.”
“Oh yeah! That day was so fun.”
“You know what I remember most about that day?”
 “What?” I ask.
“You. How you put on your skates and went flying without a drop of
fear in your body.”
I play with my hair with a smile. “You noticed me back then?”
“I remember how in awe I was of you because of how fearless you
were. And you encouraged Zoey and Mia to be fearless, too. You three
looked like you had so much fun.”
I smile as the memory plays in my head. “We had a blast.”
“So…” He grins. “Do you want to go roller skating with me?”
“Oh my gosh, really? Yes. A hundred times yes! Now?”
“Yeah, if you want.”
“Of course I want. I can’t remember the last time I went roller skating.”
“I have to warn you, though,” he says. “When Mason Monroe put on his
skates for the first time, he fell flat on his face.”
I laugh as I wrap my arms around him. “Aw, you must have been so
cute. But don’t worry, I’ll hold your hand. I won’t let you fall, ever.”
He envelops me in his arms. “And I won’t let you fall ever, either.”
We remain in each other’s arms for a short while before he says, “Ready
to go? Can I carry your books and your backpack for you?”
“Oh, thanks. That’s so kind of you. But your backpack looks like it’s
exploding.”
He turns his head to try to get a glimpse of it. “Yeah,” he says with a
sheepish laugh. “I guess I overstuffed it…like usual.”
“Thanks for the offer, but I’d like my Mason’s back to stay intact.”
He laughs softly as he and I head to the exit of the school building. “I
guess it wouldn’t be a good idea to break my back because of school.
Imagine how mortifying it would be for me to end up in the hospital
because I broke my back from carrying two backpacks.”
 “I know, right? Your future coworkers might be working there.”
Mason stops for a second as his eyes grow big. “Oh wow. I never even
thought of that. That would be super mortifying.”
We laugh as we continue toward the exit. But I suddenly make a short
stop. “Wait a second. Don’t you have tutoring now?”
Mason waves his hand. “Already canceled it so we could hang out.”
My eyes bug out. “You canceled on your tutee?”
He shrugs. “Beau doesn’t give a crap about his schoolwork, so why
should I? I’d rather hang out with the most amazing person in the world.”
He throws me a sweet smile before walking out the school doors.
I remain planted in my spot as his words spin around in my head.
Butterflies the size of Jupiter flap around in my stomach.
“Look at you,” I say with a laugh as I hurry after him. “You’re such a
rebel.”
“Adventurous,” he says with a wink. “I learned from the best.”
I think I just melted into a puddle.
We take the bus to the skating rink. We talk about so many things on the
ride and don’t have any silent moments. I can’t believe we have so much to
talk about. It’s like we both want to learn so much about each other, and it’s
never enough.
Then we arrive at our stop. The skating rink is only a block away from
the stop, and we continue talking about everything as we make our way
over there. Mason has always seemed comfortable with me in the past, but
now he looks even more comfortable. In a way, I feel like I’ve known him
all my life.
When we reach the rink, Mason and I rent our skates and head over to
the benches to put them on. “I’m not going to lie,” he says as he slips his
right foot into the green skate. “I’m a little nervous. I guess I don’t want to
look like a fool in front of you.”
“You don’t have to be embarrassed in front of me,” I tell him with a
smile as I lace my dark purple skates. “I’d never make fun of you. I hope
you’re comfortable being one hundred percent yourself in front of me.
Because I love every part of you.” I freeze mid-tie and look up at him. “I
mean…” My cheeks feel super hot.
Mason offers me a sweet smile. “I love everything about you, too,
Rylee.”
Okay, we’re using the L-word. But what do we mean by that? Did we
just admit that we love each other? Is it too early for that?
For some reason, it doesn’t feel too early. Because I’ve never felt this
strongly about anyone before. I know, I know, I’ve never had a boyfriend
before—not counting Jason—but I just know.
“You ready?” I ask.
“I think so. Are my skates tight enough?”
“Let me help.”
Once I make sure we’re both good, I hold out my hand to him. He slides
his into mine and off we go.
Mason wasn’t kidding. He can barely keep balance as we skate around
the rink. He clutches my hand for dear life, squeezing so tight he’s nearly
stopping my blood flow. But I don’t let go of his hand. Like I told him, I’ll
never let him fall.
“You’re so good at this,” he says with a nervous laugh as he tries not to
fall on his face. “You’re so carefree, so fearless. You inspire me, Rylee.”
I laugh lightly. “Like being so fearless is a good thing. Ask my parents
how many times it’s gotten me in trouble.”
 “Everything is about boundaries,” he says. “You have to know when to
hold back. Maybe you might have gone a little overboard when you were a
kid, but I think you have a better grasp on it now.”
“Thanks. You might be right. I have matured over the years. And you
made me the responsible young woman I am today.”
“I did?”
I nod. “Yeah. You taught me the value of hard work. How rewarding it
can be. I always thought studying and schoolwork were so boring, but now
I see how beneficial they are. Feeling accomplished feels so good. I really
can have it all.”
“You can for sure,” he says.
“But of course I still need to stick to my roots,” I say with a wry smile.
“Maybe a fake snake in my parents’ bathroom?”
Mason bursts out laughing, and then he loses his balance and crashes
down to the floor, taking me down with him.
“Ow.” I rub my shoulder.
“Sorry!” he says as he grabs my arms, looking over me like I broke.
“Are you okay? I told you I—”
I chuckle softly. “I’m okay. Are you?”
“Well, I don’t exactly appreciate the way that little kid is laughing at
me, but other than that I’m okay.”
I stand and hold out my hands to him. He must have underestimated my
weight because when he tries to pull himself up, he brings me down again.
“Ow.”
“Sorry! Maybe this was a bad idea. Athletic activities are really not my
forte.”
I just laugh again. “You kidding? I’m having loads of fun. Let’s try this
again.”
 This time, I manage to hold myself in place as I help him get up.
Success! We clasp hands and skate around the rink, talking, laughing, and
sharing more about ourselves.
“Check this out.” I take his hands and skate backward, leading him as I
go. “Pretty cool, huh?”
“You are an expert,” he jokes.
“You know there are professionals who do all these extreme stunts with
skates? It’s so cool.”
“A future profession for you?” he asks with a grin.
“Nah. I’ll stick to traveling the world and then settle down back here as
the cheer coach—”
One of my skates gets stuck behind the other and I pivot forward,
knocking into Mason. We tumble down to the floor and roll over each other
twice. And then I find myself lying on top of him.
“Oh my gosh, are you okay?” I ask. “I can’t believe I fell.” I laugh
lightly. “I guess even experts can take a tumble, too?” I lean closer to him
and look at his face. “Sorry for my rambling. Are you okay? I hope you
didn’t hit your head.”
I didn’t realize how close my face is to his. His eyes are such a
mesmerizing, beautiful brown. I can get lost in them for hours. My
breathing grows heavy when I notice my lips are only a few inches from
his.
He slowly brings his hand to my face and strokes my cheek. “Rylee,
you’re so beautiful,” he murmurs. “And I don’t mean just on the outside. I
mean on the inside, too. You’re one of the most amazing people I’ve ever
met. I’m falling in love with you.”
Every part of me heats up and my heartbeat shoots through my body.
With my voice shaky and barely audible, I say, “I’m falling in love with
you, too.”
His eyes drop to my lips. Mine drop to his. Slowly, I bring my face
closer to his, feeling his warm breath on my cheek as he moves his face
closer as well. My eyes flutter shut as my lips inch closer to his, slowly and
slowly…
And then our lips meet.
We’re hesitant, as though we’re both too scared to take this step. But
then our lips rove over each other’s more fervently, all trace of fear gone.
Because there’s nothing to be scared of. This right here is right. It’s perfect.
As fast as our lips dance over each other’s, we start to slow down, as
though we wish to savor every moment. Mason wraps his arms around my
waist and hauls me closer to his body, cradling me to his chest, our bodies
nearly fusing into one. There are so many things we’re promising each
other in this kiss. That he and I will do whatever it takes to make each other
happy. There’s no one else out there for me, and there’s no one else out
there for him. Yes, I know we’re only sixteen, and yes, I know most high
school romances don’t last. But Mason and I will be together forever. Just
like my parents. He’s not the type of guy you let slip through your fingers.
No, you hold onto him with both hands because you know he’ll be an
amazing boyfriend, and an amazing husband one day. For years I yearned to
have a future like my parents and siblings. Looks like my dreams are
coming true.
I can make out with him for hours—and a huge part of me demands that
I do—but we’re in the middle of a skating rink. With little kids skating
around. So reluctantly, I pull my face away from his and wrap my arms
around him, resting my head on his chest and snuggling close to him.
“You’re not going anywhere, Mason. You’re mine forever and ever.”
“The same with you. I love you, Miss Fearless.”
 I look into his eyes that are full of so many emotions. “I love you too,
Dr. Mason.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Forty
Rylee

Two weeks later

Tonight is the homecoming dance!

Mason and I have officially been boyfriend and girlfriend since he
asked me at the skating rink. He also asked me to homecoming. Of course I
didn’t hesitate to say yes. There’s no one else I’d rather go with, well,
except for my Musketeers. But Mason and I will hang out with them
practically all night, too. It’s going to be so much fun.
I stare at myself in the mirror as I get ready. I can’t believe how much
my life has changed in such a short amount of time. I’ve always wanted a
boyfriend, but I never imagined how incredible he would be. And how
wrong was I to want a football player? I laugh just thinking about it.
Just as I’m about to call Mom to help me with my hair and makeup, my
phone rings with a video call from my brother.
“Noah!” I say when he and his wife appear on the screen. “And Evie!
Hi!”
They both wave. “Hey, Rylee. How are you?” Noah asks.
“We heard it’s the homecoming dance tonight,” Evie adds. “We’ve been
so swamped with the tour and everything, but we wanted to make sure we
took the time to wish you to have a good time. We heard a very special boy
is taking you.”
My heart bursts with all the happiness in the world. “Mason is the best.
The sweetest boyfriend in the world.”
Noah’s face gets serious. “Rylee, I hope you’re careful with—”
 “Oh my gosh, Noah. Don’t you start. I know Mason will never hurt me.
You don’t have to be so overprotective.”
“I know. I’m just—”
Evie takes her husband’s hand and squeezes it. “She’ll be okay,
Shnookums,” she says, using the nickname she coined for him when they
were pretend husband and wife for a project in high school. “She’s not a
little girl anymore. She’s growing up to be a remarkable young woman.
We’re both super happy for you, Rylee, and for Mason.”
“Thanks. When are you guys coming to visit?”
“We have a concert in Edenbury coming up,” Noah says.
“And we’re completely sold out!” Evie says.
“Well, duh. Everyone wants to hear their favorite rock stars live.
Listening to your music online doesn’t compare.”
Evie sighs. “I know. We wish we could have more concerts in Edenbury,
but our schedule is pretty packed.”
“Knock, knock,” Mom says as she enters my room. “I came to ask if
you need help getting ready.” Her eyes catch sight of the faces on my phone
screen. “Are you chatting with Noah and Evie?” She hurries over and pulls
a chair next to me. “How are you? How’s your art, Evie?”
“It’s going well, thanks. It’s a little hard to find time to squeeze it in
between rehearsals and performances, but I’m making it work.”
“And they’re as amazing as ever.” Noah lifts her hand and kisses the
back of her palm.
“Aw, thanks.” She pecks his lips.
We spend the next few minutes catching up. We would talk to them for
hours because there’s so much news to exchange, but it’s getting late and I
need to get ready for the dance.
 “Have fun, sis-in-law!” Evie says with a wave. “Make sure to enjoy
every minute of it. I miss high school dances.”
“You can always come as a chaperone,” I joke.
A look of horror passes over her face. “Me, go back to high school? No
way in heck.”
Noah shrugs. “I wouldn’t mind coming back. If we retire from the band
one day, I could see myself teaching at Edenbury High.”
Evie gapes at him. “Well, you’re definitely braver than me.”
He chuckles and kisses her temple.
“I think Rylee needs to finish getting ready,” Mom informs them.
“We’re looking forward to your concert, and to finally see you face to face.
Good luck with everything you do, and know that Dad and I always love
and support you.”
“Thanks. We’re actually going to call Dad now,” Noah tells us. “Rylee,
have fun at the dance. But not too much fun.” He winks.
I groan.
After they hang up, Mom smiles at me. “I’m not the greatest with
dressing up, but I’ll try my best. You know…” She reaches for my makeup.
“This brings me back to my homecoming dance with your dad.”
I know the story very well. Mom and Dad were fake dating in high
school, and Dad asked her to be his date. She was super excited because she
was secretly in love with him and she hoped that the dance would bring
them together for real. But then Coach Abberton’s mom—who was the
cheer coach back then—set up this whole plan to force Dad to take Coach
Abberton to the dance instead. Considering Mom wasn’t his real girlfriend,
she didn’t fight for it.
But the amazing thing? Dad ditched Coach Abberton to dance with
Mom. And they had the most fabulous time.
 “Back then, did you ever imagine this would be your life?” I ask as
Mom applies my makeup.
She laughs. “Never. I hoped and dreamed I would be his girlfriend, but I
didn’t think it would actually come true. Or that your dad and I would
create such a beautiful life together, and such beautiful children.” Tears
prick her eyes.
I smile as tears prick my eyes, too. “I learned all about love from you
and Dad. I think it helped me find my way to my special guy. Thank you for
everything.”
She leans forward to kiss my forehead. “Thank you for being such a
great kid. I know I said it before, but you’re growing up to be such a
wonderful young woman. I can’t wait to see you continue to be wonderful
in the years to come. And Mason is such an amazing guy. I’m so glad you
found each other, and I hope your love will blossom like your dad and
mine.”
I hug her.
After my makeup is done, Mom helps me with my hair. Then I dress
into the beautiful dress Mom, Mia, and Zoey helped me pick out at the
store. It’s a long lavender dress with a slit on the left side.
Mom’s eyes well with tears as she takes me in. “Oh, honey. You look so
beautiful.” She throws her arms around me, though she’s careful not to
mess up my hair or makeup. “My baby is all grown up and going to
homecoming with her boyfriend and friends.”
It’s a little hard for her to relinquish me, but our chauffeur “Lorenzo”
will be here any minute. Of course I need to say bye to Dad first. He takes
one look at me and is close to tears. He also squeezes the living daylights
out of me, no matter how many times I protest that he’s messing up my hair
and makeup.
 “Why do you have to grow up?” he whines.
“Like I said—it’s not my fault you stopped having kids after me.”
“Can we find a genie who will grant us a wish to make her stop
growing?” Dad asks Mom.
She sighs. “If only.”
The doorbell rings. “Ooh, Asher and Mia are here!” I give both parents
a quick hug and wave. “See you later.”
“Have fun!” they call after me.
When I open the door, I find Mia standing there in an emerald dress
with sequins.
“You look stunning!” I tell her.
“You look stunning!”
Together, we make our way to Asher’s car. After he and I exchange
hellos, he drives to Zoey’s house next.
“You think she’ll wear the dress?” I ask Mia.
She nods resolutely. “She’ll wear the dress.”
Both Mia and I ring her doorbell. After a moment or two, Aunt Bailey
answers the door, and she smiles when she takes us in. “Oh my. When did
all of you grow up? You look beautiful.” She hugs us. “Zoey! Mia and
Rylee are here.”
Footsteps sound on the steps and then Zoey comes down, wearing the
beautiful sleek sapphire dress Mia, her mom, and I insisted she buy. My
eyes nearly pop off my face. Wow. I knew Zoey was pretty, but oh my gosh,
she looks gorgeous.
“I know, I know,” she says as she passes us. “The ugly duckling has
transformed into a swan.”
“You’re not an ugly duckling,” Mia says. “You’re always a swan.”
Zoey shrugs. “Thanks.”
 “Have fun!” Aunt Bailey wishes.
Once we get in the car, Asher says, “Next stop, the high school.”
“What about Mason, Lorenzo?” I ask.
“Mason who?”
“My boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend? I wasn’t aware one of the Musketeer Trios has a boyfriend.
Oh no. Am I out of the loop? And here I thought I was the cool dad.”
Mia rolls her eyes. “Quit kidding around, Dad. Don’t you see Rylee is
having a mini heart attack?”
“I’m not having a mini heart attack! I just promised Mason we’d give
him a ride to the dance.”
Asher chuckles. “I’m just messing with you, kid. Of course I’m going to
pick up your Prince Charming. Just give me the address and I will drive
your chariot to his palace.”
“Such a dork,” Mia mumbles as she falls back in her seat, hiding a
smile.
When we pull up to Mason’s house, I get out and walk up to the door.
Butterflies flap around in my stomach, which causes me to smile. I asked
Mom a few weeks ago if I will also have butterflies with my guy. I’m
pleased to see that I do, and I have a feeling I always will.
After I ring the doorbell, the door opens to reveal Mason’s mom. Her
eyes soften as she takes me in. “Rylee, you look lovely.” She puts her arms
around me.
“Thanks.”
“I know I shouldn’t say this because it might embarrass Mason, but he’s
been looking forward to dancing with you for days. It’s all he’s been talking
about.”
That causes my heart to flutter. “I’ve been feeling the exact same way.”
 “Is that Rylee?” Mason calls from inside the house.
“Yeah! Your beautiful girlfriend is here,” his mom calls back.
Mason hurries to the door. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.”
He smiles with love in his eyes as he takes me in. “You look so gorgeous,
Rylee.”
“Thanks,” I say as I take in how dashing he looks in his black suit. “You
look gorgeous, too. I mean handsome. You look handsome.”
He steps forward and folds me in his arms. We stay in each other’s arms
like this, just enjoying being held by one another. As much as I love kissing
him, just holding him like this could last me a lifetime.
“We love that you’re in love, but we don’t want to be late to the dance!”
Mia calls from the car.
Mason and I break apart with a chuckle. He holds out his arm to me.
“May I escort you to your car?”
“My chariot,” I correct.
“Okay. May I escort you to your chariot?”
“Nothing would make me happier.”
Once Mason and I get in the car and hellos and hugs are exchanged,
Asher drives us to the dance. My hand is clasped in Mason’s the entire ride.
Even though we’ve been boyfriend and girlfriend for two weeks, it still
feels like the very first day.
Asher stops the car before the school, and the four of us get out. “Have
fun, kids,” he wishes. “I know the other adults in your life have told you to
cherish every moment, but you won’t have nights like these when you’re
adults. So make the most of it.”
“Thanks, Asher,” I say.
We all turn to head toward the entrance.
“Mia?” Asher calls.
 We turn around.
“No dancing with boys.”
“Ha.”
All three of us laugh as we head to the door.
“What does he mean by that?” Mason asks. “We’re at a dance. How
does he expect you not to dance with anyone?”
Mia giggles. “It’s a joke me and my dad have. He can’t stand the
thought of me growing up, so he puts all these ridiculous rules on me. We
both know I won’t keep them, so it’s become a joke.”
He smiles. “Nice. You guys are so lucky to have such amazing dads.”
I slide my hand into his. “I know your dad would be super proud of you
if he were alive.”
His eyes get clouded with emotion. “Thanks,” he says in a choked-up
voice. “And I know he would have loved you.”
“You think so?”
He nods with another smile. “I know so.”
I lay my head on his shoulder as we continue toward the gym. As soon
as we step inside, we stare at the incredible decorations. The theme is starry
nights, and the fake stars look absolutely breathtaking. It really feels like
we’re standing outside under the stars.
“Hey, guys.”
I yank my attention away from the fake sky and see Jason standing
there. Tasha is by his side. Ooh, is she his date?
“How’s it going?” he says with a smile. “You guys all look so good.”
“Love the dresses, Rylee, Mia, and Zoey,” Tasha tells us.
“And you look amazing, too!” I tell her. She has a long red dress that
looks so elegant and refined on her.
 “We’re all good, right?” Jason asks as he glances between Mason and
me. “No hard feelings?”
“No hard feelings,” I tell him with a smile.
“We can be one big happy family,” Mason says.
Jason chuckles as he puts his arms around us. “Cool. Cool. We’ll see
you inside. Have fun.”
“Thanks, you, too,” we wish him.
We make it only a few steps when Mason’s friends, Nico, Lindy,
Orlando, and Fred walk over to us.
“Hey,” Lindy says with a wave. Then we compliment each other on our
dresses and makeup while the guys talk about guy stuff.
I’ve gotten pretty friendly with Mason’s friends. They’ve been so kind
and accepting of me and never once made me feel like an outsider for not
being at their academic level.
We all chat a bit more before they walk off.
Lexi passes by with her group of guys surrounding her. She’s wearing a
bright pink dress that reaches just above her knees. She looks so adorable,
in a teen sort of way. Each of her guys looks cute in his suit.
“Hey, Lexi!” I call.
She stops walking and heads over to us with a smile. “Hey! Ooh, you all
look so pretty.”
“So do you,” Mia tells her.
“Love the color,” Zoey adds. “You’re totally pulling it off.”
“Thanks.” She smooths her hand down her dress. “This is our first high
school dance. It’s so exciting.”
I lean closer to whisper, “So which guy are you going to dance with
first?”
 She playfully pushes me away. “Ew. I don’t like them like that.” Her
eyes suddenly take on a sad look, and I mentally kick myself. We all know
she’s thinking about Brock and how much she wishes he were here.
She clears her throat. “So the guys and I are going to hang out. See you
all later!”
Once she’s gone, Mia turns to Zoey. “Has Brock mentioned anything
about his old friends?”
Zoey shakes her head with a sigh. “And I have no idea if I should bring
them up.”
After Mia and I rub her arm, we make our way to the dance floor, where
fast-paced music is playing. The four of us get really into it, not caring if
we’re making complete fools of ourselves. Mason completely lets go and
goes all out, creating these dance moves that are both dorky and awesome.
The rest of us mimic him, laughing at how ridiculous we probably look. But
that doesn’t matter. The only thing that does is that we’re having fun.
After a while, someone announces on the mic, “It’s time to crown
homecoming king and queen!”
Everyone stops dancing and pins their eyes on her.
“Our homecoming king is…Jason Monroe!”
Jason grins as everyone claps. Mason and I cheer very loudly, super
happy for him. I know how much this means to him, and he deserves it.
“And our homecoming queen is…Tiffany Myers!”
Tiffany makes a big show of it, looking so shocked as though she never
in her wildest dreams thought this could happen to her. Oh, please. She had
it in the bag before the school year even started. Good for her, I guess.
After the king and queen take their first dance, the rest of the students
follow suit. I glance at Mia and Zoey. “Uh…”
 “Are you asking permission?” Mia pushes me to Mason. “Go dance
with your man!”
“Ow,” I mutter when my nose crashes into his shoulder.
“Oops! Sorry.”
“And I thought I had the muscles,” Zoey says with a laugh.
“Are you okay?” Mason asks as he places his hands on either side of my
face. “Is your nose okay?”
“I hope so! Does it look broken?”
He smiles as he boops it. “It’s as cute and perfect as ever.”
And I melt into a puddle again.
We tell Mia and Zoey that we’ll see them later and join the many other
couples on the dance floor. I wrap my arms around his neck and press
myself as close to him as possible.
We stare into each other’s eyes as we sway to the slow song, both of us
getting lost in one another.
“I know I said it already, but I’ll say it a million times,” he whispers,
caressing my cheek. “You are so beautiful, Rylee. Inside and out. I’m so
lucky to have you in my life.”
“And you’re beautiful inside and out, too, Mason. I’m the lucky one to
have you in my life. And…” I lean forward to whisper. “The only thing I
want to do right now is kiss you until our lips fall off.”
Mason chuckles. “How badly do you want to be here? Because if you
want to risk getting kicked out…”
“We need to get rid of the chaperones. I’ll create a diversion.”
Mason’s chest rumbles with a chuckle. “Still scheming, I see.”
I smile against his welcoming and protective chest. “Always. But you
know something? As tempting as it sounds to get in trouble for kissing you,
I want to spend this magical night dancing with you under the stars.
Although, I wish they were real stars.”
“One day, we’ll dance together under real stars,” he promises.
I lay my head on his chest and snuggle into his arms. “I like those
words. One day. It means so many possibilities. Possibilities with you.”
He presses his lips to the top of my head. “I can’t wait to experience all
of our one days together.”

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 Chapter Forty-One
Mason

Having the girl of my dreams in my arms at the homecoming dance is

something I never expected would happen to me.
Me, Mason Monroe, the nerd of the school, is dancing with the
sweetest, kindest, prettiest girl I have ever laid eyes upon in my life. And
she’s my girlfriend.
My girlfriend. I know, I know, two weeks have passed and I should be
used to it by now, but I feel like I need to pinch myself every so often to
make sure I’m not dreaming.
No. This is real life. And real life is incredible.
Now I know exactly how Mom and anyone else who’s fallen in love
feels. It’s something you can’t put into words. It’s all-consuming. It makes
you feel like you’re on top of the world. Like you want to dance around and
announce to everyone that you’ve found the girl you’ve always wished for,
and that she’s amazing.
Rylee shifts on my chest. “Mason? You’re quiet.”
I brush my lips from her cheek to her ear, where I whisper, “I can’t stop
thinking about how lucky I am to be dancing with you. And I’m honored
that you chose to love me. Boring Mason.”
She glances up with a frown. “You’re not boring. You’re the most
interesting person I’ve ever met.”
I smile as I dig my nose in her neck, inhaling her scent. “Mhm. I know.
I just love hearing you say it.”
Laughing, she playfully hits me in the chest. “And I’m still a dummy.”
 Lifting my head, I catch the mischievous smile on her face and chuckle.
“You want me to compliment you, huh?”
She raises her chin.
I wrap my arms tighter around her, pulling her close like I can’t get
enough of her. “Rylee Barrington, you are the smartest, kindest, sweetest,
prettiest, most amazing person I have ever met in my life. And I love you.”
Her lips move toward mine, but she frowns and stops herself before we
get kicked out. “Mason, you’re the sweetest, smartest, handsomest, cutest,
adorable, mesmerizing person I have ever met in my life. And I love you.”
I bend close to sweep my lips across her cheek. “You’re my world.”
“And you’re mine.”
My eyes scan around at all the dancing couples. Everyone seems to be
having a good time, but no one is having a magical night like Rylee and me.
I know I can’t possibly know that, but that’s what I choose to believe.
Because no one’s got this wonderful girl in their arms.
Jason, with Tasha pressed close to him, catches my eyes and smiles. He
gives me two thumbs up as he watches Rylee and me sway on the dance
floor together.
I smile back, noting how genuinely happy he is for Rylee and me. There
are no hard feelings between us. He wishes only the best for me and my
special girl.
I notice a few others staring at us, as if they can’t fathom Rylee dancing
with a nerd like me. Or maybe they’re wondering how Jason lost her to his
nerdy brother. That’s not true, but I don’t really care what they think. Let
them look. Let them point and laugh at us. We’re happy. We’re shining
brighter than the sun.
I bring my lips to Rylee’s ear, “Want to get out of here?” I murmur.
“What?”
 “Want to go somewhere, just the two of us?”
She lifts her head, her eyes wide. “But we’re not allowed to leave.”
I shrug, my own mischievous smile on my face. “Since when does
Rylee Barrington follow the rules?”
She grins.
We look around to make sure the VP and other chaperones aren’t
watching and run into the hallway, hand in hand. I lead her further down
until we push through the door to the place that started everything.
Rylee smiles as she looks around, knowing exactly why I brought us
here and how special this place is to us. “The library.”
I return her smile as I hold out my hand. “I thought maybe we can dance
privately in here. With no one looking.”
“How romantic of you, Dr. Mason.” She places her hand in mine. “I’d
love to dance with you.”
“Right this way. Oh, shoot. Music. One sec.”
Still holding her hand, I place my phone on the nearby table, find the
playlist I made with romantic songs, and let the music fill up the room.
I twirl her around like I’ve seen the men in Mom’s rom-coms do and
catch her before she crashes into my chest.
“Wow.” Rylee laughs as I twirl her again. “You’ve got quite the moves.”
I spin her until she faces me, and I press my cheek to hers. “I want this
night to be special for us,” I murmur in her ear. “I hope I’m doing a good
job.”
“The best,” she whispers back. “I’m having the time of my life. And
that’s all because of you.”
I wrap my arms around her and she locks her hands around my neck,
and we dance to the soft music.
 My lips trail from her ear to her cheek, sending shivers all over her. I
shiver as well at these wonderful feelings that aren’t confusing anymore. I
know exactly what they are and I hope to feel them every second of our
days together.
Forever.
She lifts her head, bending close, so close that only inches separate our
mouths. I lower my head, she raises hers even more, and soon our lips
connect.
We kiss like we’ve been waiting years for this moment. I pull her close
to me, showing her just how much she means to me. Through my kisses, I
want her to know I vow to treat her like the goddess she is. I’ll love her and
cherish her all my life. I’ll protect her if she needs it, I’ll be there for her, I
won’t ever leave her side. Even when med school will take a toll on us
because I’ll be so busy, I promise her I’ll never push her aside. I’ll be the
best boyfriend—or husband—in the world.
“I know,” she whispers against my lips. “I know, Mason.”
I kiss her with everything I’ve got, making it clear to her just how much
she means to me.
There are so many variables and unknowns in our future. Like, she
wants to travel the world and I want to go to med school. How will we
make it work?
But I’m also confident that we’ll figure it out. Because this girl? This
wonderfully amazing girl is worth fighting for.
What started as an innocent tutor and tutee relationship turned out to be
so much more. And I’m glad and honored I was there for the ride.
And I can’t wait for what’s in store for us in the future.

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 Chapter Forty-Two
Rylee

“How about a pirate romance?” Mia suggests. “Willow told me they

were super popular when she and her friends were our age. Action and
adventure with romance, too. Sounds right up your alley, Rylee.”
That gets me all giddy with excitement. “It does! Let’s ask Willow and
Chloe for recommendations.”
“Sounds fun,” Zoey agrees. “But just in case they’re not our cup of tea,
what else have we got?”
I glance at Mason, who stands next to me at Mia’s locker, his hand
interlocked with mine. Every chance they get, our hands find their way to
each other. It’s like they never want to let go. Ever. “Any suggestions,
Mason?”
He lifts his shoulders. “I don’t know if I can make it to the club,” he
says. “It’s usually the same time as my tutoring.”
I frown. “Bummer. Has tutoring gotten any better?”
It looks like it takes everything he has not to groan. “Not really. Beau is
still…challenging.”
I lean in to whisper, “What he means is, the dude is a pain in the butt.”
Zoey playfully jabs her elbow into my rib. “You were a pain in the butt,
too.”
“The difference is that I’m so loveable and it’s hard to stay mad or
annoyed at me for long.”
Mason chuckles. “You’re certainly right about that, Miss Fearless.” He
looks to his right and left before giving me a quick peck on the lips.
“Thanks, Dr. Mason.”
 He’s about to say something, but just then Ally passes by with a tall guy
walking beside her. A guy I have never seen before. He has light brown hair
that reaches past his shoulders and ice-cold blue eyes. He doesn’t wear
much of an expression on his face, but I do sense a bit of…anger, maybe?
Irritation? It looks like he wants to be anywhere but here. He’s carrying a
black backpack that hangs off one of his shoulders. It doesn’t look like
there’s much in it.
Ally leads him to the office, where they disappear inside.
“Who’s that?” I ask. “New student?”
“I have no idea,” Mia says with wide eyes. “But he looks a little…
intimidating.”
“I think that’s the guy Aunt Ally and Uncle Zack are fostering,” Zoey
informs us. “My dad told me they might be taking in someone temporarily.
I don’t know much about him, other than he’s had a pretty tough life.”
“Wait, Mrs. Hastings and her husband are foster parents?” Mason asks.
“Uncle Zack works with kids in the system,” she explains. “He makes it
his life mission to help as many kids as he can because he and my dad were
in the system, too. Ally’s dad basically saved his and my dad’s life, and he
wants to do the same for other kids.”
“That’s amazing,” Mason says.
“Yep. He and Aunt Ally don’t really foster kids, though, since Uncle
Zack has his plate full with the kids he works with. But this must be an
emergency.”
“And he’s going to attend Edenbury High?” I ask.
“Looks like it,” Mia says. “I wonder if he’s in our grade.”
Ally walks out of the office with the guy trailing after her, holding a
stack of textbooks that are probably for him. It seems my friends, Mason,
and I aren’t the only ones curious about the new kid. Practically everyone in
the hallway is staring at him. I catch some girls whispering that the guy is
really hot and they’re wondering who he is and where he came from.
His jaw clenches as his eyes rove over the many students watching him
like he’s a spectacle. His hands clench and unclench at his sides.
Ally stops before a locker and gestures for the guy to put his stuff
inside. He shrugs his backpack off his shoulder and dumps a few items in
there, as well as the textbooks Ally hands him.
Zoey lifts a brow. “Looks like Edenbury High just got a bit more
interesting.”

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Stay tuned for Zoey’s book, coming soon!

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Thanks for reading!
If you enjoyed this book, please leave a positive review on Amazon.
For updates on future releases, join my Facebook group and/or sign up to
my newsletter and/or click on the “follow” button on my Amazon author
page here.

Did you know that Rylee’s parents, Kara and Brayden, have an epic love
story of their own? Check out Quarterbacks Don’t Fall for Invisible Girls,
available here.

And did you know that Mia’s parents, Charlie and Asher, have an epic love
story of their own? Check out Movie Stars Don’t Fall for Nerdy Girls,
available here.

And did you know that Zoey’s parents, Bailey and Zane, have an epic love
story of their own? Check out Rebels Don’t Fall For Tomboys, available
here.

And don’t forget to check out the rest of the Invisible Girls Club series here.

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The Invisible Girls Club Series

Quarterbacks Don’t Fall For Invisible Girls (Kara and Brayden)

Billionaires Don’t Fall For Awkward Girls (Dani and Easton)
Bad Boys Don’t Fall For Shy Girls (Ally and Zack)
Movie Stars Don’t Fall For Nerdy Girls (Charlie and Asher)
Rebels Don’t Fall For Tomboys (Bailey and Zane)
Jocks Don’t Fall For Bookworms (Lily and Xavier)
Rich Girls Don’t Fall For Poor Boys (Ava and Aidan)
Best Friends Don’t Fall For Best Friends (Chloe and Liam)
Popular Boys Don’t Fall For Geeky Girls (Willow and Colton)
Enemies Don’t Fall For Enemies (Evie and Noah)

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Read on for a sneak peek from Quarterbacks Don’t Fall For Invisible Girls
(Rylee’s parents, Kara and Brayden’s, love story) available on Amazon

Chapter One

Brayden Barrington has got to be the most gorgeous quarterback in the

history of Edenbury High.
And I’m not just saying that because I have a major crush on him.
Sitting on the bleachers on this beautiful mid-September day, I can’t
blink away as he and his teammates sprint around the football field. It’s like
there’s a spotlight on him, illuminating everything that is Brayden
Barrington. Star quarterback with a killer smile. The sexiest guy in the
whole school—no, the universe. Even under all that gear, I can see his
muscles bulging out…and my mouth drops open as I imagine touching that
hard chest. Sliding my hand up that huge bicep, giving it a gentle squeeze.
Heat rushes to my cheeks as my thoughts drift to Brayden sweeping me into
those strong arms and whispering sweet words in my ear…
A whistle tosses my thoughts away. Peering around, I spot Coach Papas
shouting directions at the team. They swallow up his words, each wanting
to improve so they can be on their A game Friday night. I haven’t missed a
single game since Brayden became the quarterback last year. My friends
would call me obsessed—if I had friends, that is.
As the coach continues to bark at the team, I flip through the papers on
my lap. There must be at least ten club signup sheets, and yet I can’t seem
to find one for me. Chess? Not skilled enough. Science? Not smart enough.
Orchestra? Not talented enough.
Do you see a pattern here?
 Dad told me I need to look interesting on college applications, which is
why I’m hoping to join an after school activity. But the truth? I just want
friends, or at least for people to acknowledge that I exist. I’m a junior and
have been invisible at this school since the first day of freshman year.
Sighing, I continue flipping through the pages, then return my gaze to
the beautiful quarterback at the center of the field. He’s waving his hands
around as he calls out to his teammates. And they drink up his words like
Gatorade. One thing Coach Papas loves about Brayden is his
sportsmanship. He loves the team like they’re his brothers. He’d take a
bullet for them.
Practice is over and the guys rush toward the school building to shower.
I gather my papers and make my way down the bleachers. As I step off the
field and head for the doors, a brick wall slams into me and I fall splat on
my butt.
“Oof!” The wind is knocked out of me and the papers fly out of my
hands.
“Sorry, you okay? I didn’t see you there,” a deep voice says from above
me amid fluttering papers. Glancing up, I stare into gorgeous sky-blue eyes.
Eyes that belong to Brayden Barrington.
Someone giggles loudly a few feet away. “And Invisible Girl strikes
again.” Head cheerleader Teagyn Myers barks out in laughter. She and the
other pom-pom twirlers are practicing here, too, under Teagyn’s mom’s
supervision, Coach Myers. As a former cheerleader herself, she knows a
thing or two about the subject. Coach Myers was also my mom’s best
friend, but that doesn’t seem to make a difference at all. Her daughter has
pretty much treated me like crap since we were in diapers.
Oh, and that whole Invisible Girl thing? Story of my life.
“Did I hurt you? Can you stand?”
 I glance up at Brayden holding out his hand to me. I have no idea how
long he’s been standing there, and like I’ve lost my brain, I just stare into
those beautiful eyes.
“Do you need to go to the hospital?” he presses.
I shake my head quickly and shoot to my feet like a canon. “I’m okay.”
My cheeks heat up even more as it dawns on me that I fell on my butt.
Right in front of the Brayden Barrington. Someone kill me now.
He bends to collect the papers, hands them to me, then advances toward
the school building. And I stare after him, taking in each and every part of
him, etching him into my memory. Because this is the most I’ll ever see or
interact with the star quarterback.
Invisible girls are meant to be invisible after all.
***
“Dad, you home?” I call as I chuck my backpack on the hallway floor
and pop into the kitchen. He’s at the stove wearing one of his “Dad” aprons.
Today it’s “There’s No Chef like Papa.” Mom would give him one every
year on his birthday, and he would sweep her up in his arms and lay a big
one on her, telling her over and over how much he loves her. I would watch
them with my cheeks burning due to the humongous smile etched into my
face. I would imagine what it would be like to have that one day with
someone special.
But there haven’t been any new “Dad” aprons or passionate kisses in the
last three years. Because my mom’s dead.
Trying not to sigh or let the pain prick my insides, I throw on a smile
and walk up to Dad, who is so caught up in the soup he’s mixing that he
doesn’t hear me approach. I give him a peck on the cheek before wrapping
my arms around him. “Hey, Dad.”
 “Pumpkin!” He drops the wooden spoon and returns the hug. “How was
school?”
It takes everything I have not to groan out of sheer embarrassment. How
was school? I basically lie to him every day so he won’t suspect just how
miserable I am—I can’t bear him worrying about me—and after my epic
flop in front of Brayden, I want to pretend today hadn’t happened. No, I
want to pretend my life hasn’t happened.
“Kara?” he asks, eyes narrowing in concern. “Is everything okay?”
I paste on a smile. “Of course!” I say too cheerily. “School was great, as
always. How was work?”
“Great. Got a new recruit for Astor University,” he says as he turns back
to mixing the pot. “He comes from a broken home. I’ve never met anyone
so resilient.”
Dad’s a college football recruiter for Astor University. The school is
about an hour away from our small town of Edenbury, Georgia. He loves
his job because he meets so many kids from different backgrounds and
makes their dreams come true. He’s very dedicated, maybe because poring
himself into his job helps him forget the pain of losing Mom. It’s been three
years, but when you have that kind of love? I don’t think the pain could
ever disappear.
I swallow hard as a lump the size of Jupiter attacks my throat. Mom was
my…everything. My best friend. My confidant. The one person in the
world who understood me. And now she’s gone and I have to navigate life
all by myself. I mean, I have Dad, but he’s so clueless sometimes. And I’m
so scared of hurting him. I just want him to be happy.
He announces that the soup’s ready and we settle down at the table.
Dad’s not the greatest cook—that was Mom’s department—but the food’s
pretty decent. I can’t complain, I can’t cook worth crap.
 “Any luck finding more extracurriculars?” he asks.
The image of me splatting on my butt in front of Brayden flashes before
my eyes. “Ugh!” I groan.
Dad’s eyes widen. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I quickly say. “I just feel so awkward sometimes.”
He nods slowly like he’s a little confused. “Isn’t that normal at your
age?”
“Not for people like Teagyn and all the other cheerleaders,” I grumble.
“What was that?” he asks as he takes a spoonful of soup.
I paste on another smile, this one probably showing too much teeth.
“It’s okay, Dad. You don’t have to try to understand the teenage girl brain.
I’ll survive.” I hope.
A serious expression crawls on Dad’s face as he lays his spoon in his
bowl. “Honey, I hope you know you can talk to me whenever you need to. I
know it was always your mother’s department…” He shifts in his chair.
“But I’m fully capable of…er…helping you navigate these confusing and
nervous years?”
I burst into giggles. “Dad, you look like you’d rather jump into a lion’s
den.”
“I’m trying to be serious here, Kara.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh at you. But you have nothing
to worry about. I’m fine. And I’ve got…friends to help.” Ugh, I hate lying
to him.
He nods slowly, relief clouding his features. “Yes, I suppose that’s true.
You have your girlfriends to help. Because they’re going through the same
things as you.”
Yeah, if only the sky would open and a group of girlfriends would rain
down on me.
 Sick of lying and this conversation, I steer the conversation to
something my dad loves—football. All his worries about me fly out the
window. As for my worries? Unfortunately, they’re still stuck to me like
glue.
I offer to do the dishes, but he shoos me away to my room to get started
on homework. I plop down on my bed with a heavy sigh, my body sagging
into the soft mattress. Putting up the façade that I’m happy and everything
is perfect is so exhausting. Why can’t I have at least one friend? Someone
who actually sees me. Then maybe Dad would stop worrying that he’s
doing a bad job at this single parenting thing.
Reaching for my phone, I open up the Spill It! social media app. It’s all
the rage these days. It was created a few years ago by multi-gazillionaire
Easton Knight. His son, Easton Jr., is a new student at our school this year.
He’s already fitting in so well with the popular kids—and look at me. I’ve
been with these kids since ninth grade, some of them in elementary school,
and they still don’t know I exist. It’s not because I’m ugly, right? No, if I
was ugly I’d still be noticed. I guess I’m just plain and boring.
My fingers bring me to Brayden’s page. He’s posted and tagged pictures
with the football team and cheerleaders. They’re at Mikey’s Diner and are
having the grandest time. They’re not stuck at home with no friends like
this pathetic loser.
I zoom in the picture to his face. He’s such a hottie. Strong features, a
chiseled jaw, the whitest of teeth. Zooming out, I catch the person he’s
smiling at—Teagyn Myers. The gorgeous blonde who’s all legs and enough
body to command the attention of every guy in the room. The way she grins
at Brayden, it’s like she’s got him in the bag. That might as well be true—
girls like her always get their way.
 But my mom was a cheerleader, too. Her team won nationals when she
was a junior. She wasn’t a witch like Teagyn. She raised me to believe that
you can achieve anything you want—as long as you’re kind to everyone
around you.
I zoom back in to our star quarterback, scrutinizing that perfect face. As
if someone like Brayden would ever notice someone like me.
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Read on for a sneak peek from Don’t Kiss The Boy Next Door, available on
Amazon

Chapter One
Katie

“Oh my gosh! Two hotties are moving in next door,” my best friend
says from the window, where she’s peering out like a creeper. She whips
around to stare at me with shining hazel eyes. “Did you know about this?”
Rising from my bed, where I’ve been diligently practicing for my
audition tomorrow, I join her at the window and look out. Two guys with
identical shades of black hair are carrying things from the moving truck into
the Westons’ old house. They lived there practically my whole childhood,
until Mr. Weston died and his wife was placed in a nursing home a few
months ago.
I guess the house will be this new family’s now.
“No, I didn’t know,” I tell my best friend. Dad probably did, but it’s not
like he and I talk much anymore, anyway.
Phoenix presses her face to the glass, her breath fogging it up. “They
look our age, don’t they?”
I no longer have a clear shot of the guys because Phoenix is hogging the
whole window. I only manage to see the top of their heads as they go to and
fro from the truck to the house.
“Maybe,” I say.
“You’re so lucky,” she says, her face practically fused to the window.
Any more and she’ll crash right through. “I wish two hot boys moved in
next door to me. But nothing interesting ever happens on my block. All the
good stuff happens on yours. Ooh!” She squeals when the two of them turn
at the exact same time toward the direction of my window. “You think
they’re twins?”
Because she moved over, I have a slightly better view of my new
neighbors. Their faces are pretty similar and they’re tall, but everything else
about them is so different. One of them, the one with the shorter hair, is
built up like an athlete. His brother is much lankier, with hair that reaches
just above his shoulders. He carries the stuff a little more carefully than the
bigger guy, like he doesn’t want to damage his hands. I wonder if he’s some
sort of artist.
Phoenix sits back with a sigh, pushing her dark red hair away from her
face. “I can watch them all day.”
“That’s stalking,” I point out.
She shoos me away and strains her neck as far to the right as possible.
The guys have brought in most of the stuff and are now standing in front of
their new house, trying to make order of the huge mess before them.
“I guess the show is over?” I say.
“No way.” She stretches her neck so far back I swear it’s longer than a
giraffe’s. “I can still see a little from here. There’s a woman. Must be their
mom. Where’s their dad? Maybe he didn’t come yet.”
I walk back to my bed and plop down with the lyrics to “Home.” I know
this song by heart, but I haven’t stopped memorizing it over and over again
since Miss Diaz, the director of the musical, emailed the students to inform
us we’ll be performing Beauty and the Beast this semester. It’s been my
dream to play a Disney princess since I was a little kid. I’m nervous I’ll
botch up my audition tomorrow.
“Aw, c’mon!” Phoenix complains as she presses her face to the far right
of my window. “I can’t see them anymore. Ooh, there’s a motorcycle! You
think it’s one of the guys’?”
“Don’t you have to start your live stream?” I ask.
My words seem to fly right past her ears.
“Phoenix?”
“Ooh, I caught a glimpse! C’mon, twin hotties, go get something else
from the truck so I can see your beautiful faces.”
I roll my eyes and laugh. “I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to ogle
them when you come over again. Which is like every day.” She practically
lives here.
Again, she doesn’t seem to hear me.
“Uh, Phoenix?”
Nothing.
“Earth to Phoenix?” I reach for my pillow and chuck it at her, smacking
her in the back of her head.
“Hey!” she yelps, spinning around. “What the heck was that for?”
“Aren’t you supposed to start your stream?”
She blinks at me. “Stream?”
“Um, your channel? Have I completely lost you to Boy Land?”
“Oh.” She sweeps my pillow off the floor and glances out the window.
“I forgot all about it.” She shrugs as she turns around and heads to where
she set up on my desk. “The guys have gone into their house, anyway.”
She sits down and adjusts the microphone, then puts on her headphones.
After reminding her fans on social media about the live stream, she checks
a few more things and is ready to go.
“Good afternoon, FireBirds! How’s everyone doing on this fine Sunday
afternoon? It’s the last day of summer here. I can’t believe school starts
tomorrow. How am I doing? I’m great. Don’t you love it when a hot
neighbor moves in right next door to you? It’s like the gods of love are
offering you a present.” She laughs as she reads some of the comments. “I
know, right? It’s like I’ve finally done something good this month and am
getting a major reward. And I’m telling you, the guys that moved in? Total
hotties. I can just melt into a puddle right here. But enough about that.
You’re here to watch me kick some gaming butt. So sit back and enjoy, and
let’s blow up some zombies!”
She loads her favorite first-person shooter and starts to take down the
bad guys, talking smack and yelling at her screen like she always does. I’ve
learned to tune her out when I’m in the middle of doing work, but usually I
enjoy watching her. She’s so entertaining and hilarious, which might be one
of the reasons why she’s accumulated so many subscribers. And the fact
that she slays at video games.
But right now, I need to get this audition down. I’ll be really bummed if
I don’t get Belle.
“Gotchya!” Phoenix throws her hands up and does a little dance in her
seat. “Who’s amazing? Who’s amazing? We are! We are!” She sits forward
to read her comments. “Yeah, you can send me a request to join my team,
but please don’t bombard me all at once. Last time, you crashed my game.”
She laughs. Her eyes rove over the comments. “Nah, it’s okay if you’re not
the greatest player. My FireBirds are awesome no matter what.” A grin
captures her lips. “Yeah, of course my bestie is here. You guys know I
stream at her place because my house is a total nightmare. Katie, they want
you to join the stream.”
I wave my hand, muttering the lyrics under my breath.
“Katie, the chat is exploding with your name.”
I shake my head and continue to mutter.
“Sorry, guys. My girl’s preparing for her audition tomorrow. Our
school’s putting on a production of Beauty and the Beast the musical. Poor
Katie’s been sitting there for hours memorizing the song when she knows
the thing like the back of her hand. She wants it so badly.” She leans
forward to read the comments. “Totally! Katie, they’re wishing you lots of
luck and say you’ll knock it out of the park. Katie was born to play Belle. I
mean, just look at her hair. If that doesn’t say Belle, I don’t know what
does.”
“I’d be wearing a wig,” I remind her. “But tell everyone thanks.”
“Katie’s super grateful to all of you!” Phoenix says. “So much that
she’ll come over right now and thank you personally.”
“Phoenix,” I groan.
She motions for me to get my butt over there.
“But I look like crap,” I whine.
She rolls her eyes. “You’d look good even if you wore a skunk on your
head. Now get your little butt over here before everyone murders me for not
including you in the stream.”
With a sigh, I pull a chair over and drop down next to Phoenix. She’s
got over a thousand viewers right now. Super intimidating. You’d think I’d
be used to it…but nope.
Throwing her arm over my shoulder, she grins at the camera. “And here
is the future Belle now!”
The comments fly by so fast it’s hard to read them all. But I catch
glimpses here and there.
Hi, Katie!
Katie, finally! Why aren’t you in Phoenix’s streams more often?
I love seeing the two of you together. You’re hilarious!
Ugh, Katie’s so pretty. I’m so jealous. But I love you so much!
Break a leg, Katie! You’ll do awesome tomorrow.
 Wow, you were totally made to play Belle! You definitely look like
her.
Yay, Katie’s in the stream again finally! Can you sing some show
tunes? I miss hearing your amazing voice.
Hey, is Katie single? So freakin’ hot!
And of course there are the nasty comments that Phoenix immediately
deletes. All these comments…I don’t know how it doesn’t make her head
spin. Because it feels like mine’s about to roll off my neck.
Phoenix giggles as she squeezes me closer to her. “Katie’s still a little
camera shy. But we love having her here, don’t we?” She nudges me with
her shoulder. “Say something.”
“Uh…hi?”
OMG, so jealous of your friendship! Wish I had a best friend like
yours.
Katie is adorable! Don’t be shy, Katie. We love you!
I came here to watch a hot chick play video games. So stop your
yapping and play!
“Uh, excuse me, Smellysox,” Phoenix says. “Yes, I called you out. My
stream isn’t about a ‘hot chick’ playing video games. It’s so much more
than that. So if you don’t like it, get the heck out.” She rolls her eyes with a
groan. “Anyway, we’ll let Katie go so she can practice for her audition. But
you’ve got nothing to worry about, bestie. You’ve got it in the bag.”
I doubt that, because nothing is sure in theater. I can practice my lips off
and still not get the role. But Mom always told me to be positive. That I
should face a situation with raised shoulders. But it was so much easier to
do that when she was alive. This is the first audition I’ll have without her…
and I feel so lost.
 “Bye, guys.” I wave with both hands. “Thanks so much for your
support.”
“Yeah, I know you guys are sad to see her go. But let’s get back to the
game! Who’s ready to kick some more zombie butt?”
I’m about to return to my bed, when I notice that Phoenix left the shade
up. I walk over and reach for the chord to close it, then realize the other
window is wide open. While the air conditioner is on. Ugh, I must have
forgotten to close it.
I make my way over and shut it, then reach to pull the chord, and that’s
when I notice one of the guys standing in the room across from mine. It’s
the lankier twin, with the long hair. His head immediately snaps in my
direction, his eyes zeroing in on me. Releasing a silent yelp, I pull the cord
and slam the shade shut.
I slap my forehead. Shoot, shoot, shoot! What the heck did I just do?
How rude was that? I just closed the shade on my new neighbor’s face. I
reach to open it, but no…that would be even weirder. Ugh! Now he’ll think
I’m being unneighborly.
But I can’t worry about that now. I need to focus on my audition. I get
back on the bed and continue memorizing the song, my eyes creeping
toward the closed shade every few minutes.
I’m the worst.
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About the Author

Emma Dalton is a sweet young adult romance writer. When not writing,
you can find her devouring heart-melting romance novels. Her titles include
the Invisible Girls Club series, the Hotties Next Door series, and Don’t Kiss
The Brooding Artist. She loves hearing back from her readers. Email her at
[email protected] or follow her on Facebook. For updates on
new releases, click on the “follow” button on her Amazon author page here.
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