Chapter Two - Eddie's POV
I can't believe I said that. I can't believe I said that. I can't believe that I said that.
The look on Mason's face was just so shocking. First he heard the news that the girl he loved escaped the school and was on the run, then found out that his best friend was in love with him. Why did I tell him that? I told myself that I was never going to tell him because I knew he wouldn't react well to it. I've probably just wrecked our friendship.
It didn't help that I had to spend the rest of the day with him. We hardly said a word to each other during our lessons or at lunch. And the moment the school bell rung to end the day I ran off back to the dorms so that I wouldn't have to face him for the rest of the day. I was punishing myself by not seeing him; how could I?
Right now it was about ten in the evening. I skipped out on dinner so I wouldn't have to see him and my room-mate had arranged to sneak out and go to his girlfriend's dorms as they were having a mini-party in her room. Normally I would had gone with him and enjoy the evening, get drunk then stumble back to the bedroom to crash on my bed and not wake up until halfway through the morning. But tonight I wasn't feeling like partying. So here I am, lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling and just waiting for the tiredness to take me into a dreamless sleep.
My mind was focused on Mason though so I couldn't sleep. I think I remember when it started. Growing up I always looked at both guys and girls. And it wasn't until I hit puberty when I realised that I was bi. I didn't want people to know because I was scared that they would think that I was weird.
I was probably around thirteen when I started to develop feelings for Mason. We were practicing some combat moves on each other and he managed to flip me over so I ended up on my back and he straddled above me. It was only then when I realised just how much his red hair brought out his blue eyes and the big grin he always gave me just made him look cute. From then on I just noticed him more then found out that I loved him when he told me about Rose and my heart felt like it shattered into pieces.
My body rolled over onto its side so that I was staring out the window. It looked so nice out there, the sunlight shining onto the school. The gentle breeze causing the trees, grass and flowers to sway, the white clouds drifting in the air without a care in the world. I wish that sometimes I could live a normal human life and walk around during the daytime, attend a normal school and have a normal life. Rose and Lissa have the opportunity to blend into a normal society, they're so lucky.
A knock on the door made my body sit up suddenly. It was way past curfew and too early for my roommate to walk in drunk.
"Eddie?" My heart skipped a beat. It was Mason. "I know you're awake. Can I come in?"
"Yeah..." The door slowly opened for Mason to walk in. Normally whenever we saw or met up with each other he always smiled at me. Not this time. He simply gave me a nod before closing the door and walked over to me. Awkward. "So...uh...what you doing here?"
"I came to see if you were okay." Huh? "After you said...that...you started to avoid me all day." His freckled cheeks went pink. Mason was getting embarrassed, how cute. No! Don't think that! Not now! "I was just wondering if you regretted saying that...because you shouldn't."
"What? Mason...what are you saying?" He couldn't look at me so directed his gaze to the floor while rubbing the back of his head.
"Rose may not come back to this school. As long as she plays the game right she should avoid getting her and Lissa caught. So...there's no point being in love with a girl I may never see again. And while you were avoiding me I started thinking about our relationship." Oh god, what is he going to say? "I really missed you today Eddie, I don't want you to be like this. I don't want you staying away from me. I want you by my side."
"Mase..." I was speechless. I had no idea on what to say to him.
"This is a little weird for me because I've never had a guy tell me that he loved me, let alone a friend. You're my best mate Eddie. I've must had hurt you a lot these past few years, emotionally. You've always been there for me. And I want to be there for you too. And that's why I want to ask you to go out with me."
It was as though time slowed down. Mason Ashford, my best friend, the guy who has been chasing after Rose for years, asked me out after I confessed to him earlier that day. It was like a dream come true...but what if he was doing this out of pity?
"I don't know what to say..."
"Say yes." Mason knelt down on the bed in front of me. "Look, I don't want to date you for the sake of making you feel better. I'm serious about this. It may take me a while because I've never gone out with a guy. But there's no point in me loving someone who's never going to love me in return. You care about me, and I want to care about you in the same way." He done his usual smile, washing away all my worries. "So will you go out with me?" There was only one answer for that.
"Yeah, I will."
