Page 24

24

MASON

Three Years Earlier

‘WHO’S BLOWING UP YOUR PHONE?’

Following Zayden’s gaze, I look down at my phone. I shrug. The locker room is eerily quiet. It’s not often there isn’t at least one other person in here. ‘Probably a group chat.’

‘We’re in all the same chats, dude,’ he replies, waving his phone around. ‘No notifications for me.’

I shrug again. ‘Check yourself if you must know.’

Zayden leans over, swiping my phone from the bench. He lets out a low whistle. ‘Oh, boy, you’re in trouble.’ He hands it over to me.

Twelve missed calls. Ten unread texts.

‘Shit,’ I mutter, dropping my head into my hands. ‘I was meant to go to dinner with Chelsea tonight.’

‘How late are you?’ Zayden asks, looking at his watch.

‘Forty-five minutes.’

He winces. ‘You better buy her flowers or something. That’s not cool.’

‘I lost track of time.’

‘I’m convinced you don’t even like this girl.’

I rake my fingers through my sweat-drenched hair. This isn’t fair on her. The fights and arguments have become too much. She’s convinced there’s something between me and Anya, and we haven’t been able to move past it. Trying to ignore my feelings for Anya was the whole reason I agreed to go out with Chelsea. I’ve tried my best to forget about her and push the feelings aside, but it obviously isn’t working.

‘You’re right,’ I mumble. ‘I need to break it off.’

Zayden offers me a sympathetic look. ‘Sorry, man.’

I bang my head back against the lockers behind me.

I need to get out of this damn town.