Faking Perfection

5|Type

𝟝|𝕋𝕪𝕡𝕖

Word travels fast in a place such as Leighton Academy. Mason leaving me high and dry at Zane's party was the main topic of conversation, and everywhere I turned, hushed whispers and snickering followed. I get it, I've never been rejected before, and out of all people, Mason just had to be the first? It didn't make any sense.

I saw the way he looked at me after taking that shot. I've been around enough boys to know what that look meant. He wanted to take me on that damn countertop. That's the only explanation.

"It could be worse," Christy says reassuringly as she peels her banana. "At least you didn't try to go in for a kiss with him. It was just dancing."

"Oh, please." Willow snorts and rolls her eyes. "Kissing would have been a lot easier to explain why she was rejected. But to be rejected for just dancing? Total social suicide."

I glare at her. "You are not helping."

Truthfully, I'm surprised Willow is still sitting at our lunch table. I don't want to think so lowly of her, but she's so concerned with her social status that I wouldn't put it past her for this scandal to ruin our friendship completely.

"You should have just come and found me at the party," Willow continues. "I would have been able to steer you away from him in minutes. Why did you even want to dance with him, anyway? That's the real issue we need to be concerned about."

I put my face into my hands and let out a huge breath. My hormones got the best of me this past weekend. At least that's what I'm trying to tell myself. There's no way I actually want to sleep with nerdy, always-have-a-stick-in-the-ass Mason.

"You're going to tell me he's ugly?" I ask. "I know he's a nerd, but come on. He's hot. Can you blame me?"

Willow leans forward, resting her elbows on the circular table. "In order for someone to be hot, Izzy, the personality has to match. You can do so much better than him."

I don't know why I'm wanting to defend Mason when he left me like I was nothing at that party, but he's not all that bad. He may be into his studies, sure, and he may not have any social skills outside of the debate club, but underneath all of that... My cheeks get hot when I remember his stare after he drank that shot. Animalistic. Primal. Like he wanted to take me to the nearest room and have his way with me.

Willow barks out a laugh and sticks a finger in my face. "Stop it! Oh my god, your cheeks are red. This will not happen, Izzy. As one of your best friends, I'm not going to let you tank your reputation for some boy who walked out on you in front of the entire class. He's an arrogant prick who thinks he's too good for us."

Christy finishes her banana and rolls her eyes, beginning to put her long brown hair up into a ponytail. "I think you should do whatever makes you happiest, Izzy. Being good at school doesn't make you lame, despite what Willow thinks, and just because someone doesn't party and fuck every weekend doesn't make them arrogant. You should just talk to him."

"And chase after someone who left her alone?" Willow scoffs. "Over my dead body."

They fight back and forth over what I should do as if I'm not sitting right here with them. I scan the quad to see if I can find Zane, but he's not at his usual table with the athletes. Maybe he's upset because we didn't end up having sex at his party, but how could I after what happened? I've never felt so unwanted before. It was awful. The feeling is still lingering even after three days.

"Well, I think Mason is going to choose for us," Christy says smugly, pointing in the direction behind Willow. I whip my head around to see Mason strolling over to us in his usual school uniform—khaki pants and a navy blue polo.