The painful truth.

A crowd of people gathered in a circle and I fought my way through and into the middle. Once I got a good look at who was fighting, my first instinct was to break it up. Everyone chanted and I stepped into the two guys.

Unfortunately, my heroism was thrown in my face and so was a fist. I stumbled back a few and cupped my eye. Mason stopped punching when he noticed me grabbing at my eye, a few tears spilling from my eyes. "Charlotte!" He ran over to me. "Oh god, I'm sorry." I mustered up a small smile.

"Its Okay, you didn't do it." Mason looked over towards Tyler and I grabbed his arm. "Please don't Mason."

He turned back to me and looked down at my hand on his arm. "He's a dickwad Charlie." I smiled and nodded. He was a dickwad, but I definitely did not want the reason Mason got suspended be me. "Lily and him had a bet going on. If he could get you to sleep with him, he'd get 200." I looked up at Mason and frowned. "I broke it off with Lily, and then I punched him in the face."

I let a stray tear fall down my cheek. I was half crying because, he'll my face hurts and I'm almost positive it's going to be a black eye, and half because I actually fucking trusted him. I pushed Mason sideways and went over to Tyler. And I slapped him. My hand stung as it hit his face but I felt so much relief and I couldn't help but smile.

Lily came into the middle of the crowd, which was still formed. I walked over to her and lifted my hand but before I could officially slap her, someone caught my hand. A arm wrapped around my stomach and slowly pulled me back. I knew it was Mason because he was wearing the cologne I had left on the sink for him as a gift. "Let me go." He bent down to my height and whispered that she wasn't worth it.

"Not only did I offer him the 200, but I also offered a night with me. He tried to sleep with you, for one night with me!" I don't think she realized how much of a whore she sounded like. I wanted to say something but Mason's hand clamped over my mouth. The words were muffled but they came out nonetheless. His other hand found mine and he dragged me away from the scene. While we were walking, I saw the principle and assistant principle walk into the middle of the circle and I was so thankful to have Mason.

He took me to the nurses office where she put ice on my eye and told me it was bruised. I resisted telling her no shit, I got punched in it, but as I opened my mouth Mason gave me a scolding look and suddenly reminded me of his mother. I studied his face and smiled as I saw that he had Kelly's kind eyes and when he smiled, they looked exactly alike. And his jawline was sharper than my eyesight.

The nurse snapped her fingers in my face and a snapped back to reality. "Mason is going to take you home, I'm afraid you might have a concussion. Whatever happened, it happened pretty hard. Wait a few hours to go to sleep. Other than that, both of your absences will be excused. Feel better Charlotte Rose." I smiled and hopped off the table. I lost my balance a little and Mason's hands immediately caught me.

We walked to the parking lot, but when I turned to walk to my car, Mason caught my wrist and frowned. "Where are you going?" I pointed over to my car and he leaned sideways to look over at it. He shook his head no and smiled. "You're coming with me. It's my birthday and I want you to see something before we go home." I agreed but only because it was his birthday and I didn't want to upset him.

He dragged me over to a motorcycle and snapped off the extra helmet. I frowned as he passed it to me. "What is this?" He rubbed the motorcycle and patted the side of it

"Mine." I shook my head. "A birthday gift from your dad." He held up his helmet and smiled. "This ones from my mom. Extra padding for extra safety." He laughed.

"I Am not getting on that... death trap." I handed him back his helmet but he grabbed my wrist again and pulled me close to him. He brought his face down to mine and smiled. I was entranced long off enough to not notice that he snapped the helmet on. He got on the bike and patted the seat behind. He pouted his lip and frowned deeply, highlighting his features greatly. I sighed and climbed on behind him. I saw his cheeks raise as he smiled triumphantly. "Don't make me regret this Mason."

"You will." And then he took off. A scream was caught in my throat as he pulled out of the school parking lot. He was laughing. I wrapped my arms tightly around his stomach, he groaned a little so I loosened my grip and he slowed his speed.

He turned in the opposite direction of our house. We drove past the forest and stopped at a lake. There was a dock that led to the lake. The wood looked old, and you could hear the creek with every step. Mason took off his backpack. "I was going to come here after school, that was the original plan, so of course, I planned ahead." He smiled happily. He pulled out two towels and tossed one to me. I caught and looked at him. He started to take his shirt off and then his pants. I frowned as he winked at me and then ran and jumped off the dock.

He sprung up from under the water and smiled at me. "Oh no no no. Mason. I agreed to get on that thing!" I pointed to his motorcycle, which he had parked in the grass. "I am not going into that lake." He frowned. "I don't even have a change of clothes."

"That's what the towels are for, just take off your shirt and pants. And you can dry off when we get out. Pleeeeeaaaaaasssee Charlie." I frowned.

"Fine! Turn around and no peeking."

"I've seen you nak--"

"Mason!! Turn around!" He chuckled slightly and put his hands over his eyes and turned around. I quickly stripped off my clothes and jumped into the lake. The water was cold and it kind of shocked me. Once I resurfaced, two hands wrapped around my waist and I felt myself being pulled into his chest. I hit his chest with a little oomf. I wiped the water out of my eyes and looked up.

Mason's eyes were sparkling as he looked down at me and I was lost. I don't know how long we stood like that, but moments later I was being picked up and thrown into the lake. "Dammit! Mason." I splashed water in his face and he laughed and splashed me back.

We went back in forth, splashing and dunking each other under water. It was when Mason went to pick me up, I grabbed his face and kissed him. We broke apart and I could practically feel the heat from my cheeks. "Oh God, I'm Sorry." He put me down and I quickly swam back to the dock. After getting back up there, I grabbed the towel and my clothes and dried off quickly. I was drying my hair when his hand touched my shoulder and turned me around. His lips met mine so fast I almost had whiplash. His hands found the small in my back and he pulled me closer to him.

We broke apart and I was breathless. "Happy birthday." I said in between breaths. He smiled and said thank you. We both dried off and dressed quickly. It was only 10 by the time we got home. My dads car was in the driveway, as was Kelly's. I turned to Mason and told him that my car was still at the school. He smiled and said he took my keys out of my pocket and gave them to Maya. I walked up to the door and I could hear yelling inside. Mason went to twist the knob, but I shook my head and put my finger up to my lips. He frowned but I put my ear to the door. It was muffled but I could make out some of what they were saying.

"How could you see her?"

"She called! I don't see the problem."

"The problem is that you were in LOVE with her! Michael, and you didn't tell me you saw her! And at her home? What am I supposed to expect! You could have at least told me. But no, I had to hear it from her, OVER THE PHONE!"

"Kelly, I'm sorry." You could hear sniffles and I assumed Kelly was crying.

"Mike, please just go, I need time to think." I backed away from the door and my dad stepped out, solemn on his face.

"How could you see her?" I frowned at him and he looked surprised to see me.

"Charlotte, what are you doing home?" He wiped a stray tears from his cheek.

"How could you see her? She broke your heart.... She left us, how could just voluntarily go to her?" He started to speak but I just pushed past him. And ran up to my room.

~~~

Kelly called me down into the kitchen and said that she had baked Mason a cake and wanted to surprise him. She asked me to get him from his room. Her voice was hoarse but she smiled.

I went upstairs and knocked on his door. He opened and he was shirtless. "Do you own a shirt or am I just crazy?" He smiled. "Come downstairs."

"Kiss me." I looked at him and shook my head.

"Your mom is waiting. Come down." I walked towards the stairs but he called my name and I turned around. He was right behind me and when I did turn around, he was kissing me. My hand instinctively went to his face and I brought his face closer. He broke apart and smiled.

"Now, we can go downstairs." When we got down there, his mom smiled and started singing. He laughed and kissed her on the cheek.

~~~

"Charlotte, have you heard from Michael?" I shook my head and continued eating. Kelly pushed around the food on her plate with the spoon. It was about 10:30 at night, and I did notice, it was later than dad really went goes out.

I finished my dinner and went to take a shower. When I was getting into bed, I heard a door slam. My dads deep voice boomed throughout the house. His words slurred and I frowned. I jumped out of bed and ran to the stairs. My dad was stumbling around the hall, the smell of alcohol drifted up the stairs. Dad had stains on his once white shirt and he looked more tired than usual. He was drunk.

Kelly called out his name and I saw him stumble into the living area before I ran downstairs and peered around the corner. "Michael, are you drunk?" He laughed and held up his hand.

"Just a little, but it's okay." He laughed again but then plopped down on the couch and grabbed the remote. He flipped on the tv and clicked through the channels.

"Michael..." He replied with a humble yes. "You smell like perfume." Even from here, I could see she was tearing up.

"It's yours honey." He was still clicking through the channels.

"You are so.... FUCKING UNBELIEVABLE." That was the first time I've ever heard her curse and I prayed it was the last. My Dad ignored her and continued to watch tv. "GET OUT!" She snatched the remote from his hand and turned off the tv.

"GO, NOW." The tears where streaming now.

"Fine." He got up and slammed the door closed.

I don't know when he's going to be back.