Chapter Five - Dreaming

"You will be working with the person in front of you. I've left the equipment on your desk, so join with your partner and start." Mr. Kennedy, my chemistry teacher announces.

We were doing the foldable egg experiment and I was excited. I love chemistry, because of the experiments. I love to try things and find out how they work out for myself, not just watch or be told. I find it amazing how we can create things from science.

Maybe I am a nerd.

Zeke, will you stay out of my head please?

"I guess I'm working with you," I look up and find Mason Conway sitting in front of me.

I smile, butterflies arising in my stomach.

He brings a chair to my table and we start the experiment, putting holes on each end of the egg.

"Would you like to do the honours?" He asks, holding the straw out for me.

"Sure," I smile happily and take the straw, then blow through it, making the egg yolk come out into a beaker.

"So, has Zeke Blakely done anything else to you?"

I put the straw on the table and put the egg into vinegar. "No, we've not spoken much since the sand thing."

Although we have; I babysat him. But of course I can't tell Mason that or who knows what Zeke will do to me.

"That's good. He's not the kinda guy someone like you should be around."

"Someone like me?"

What's that supposed to mean?

"I mean you seem very sweet and innocent, wouldn't want him to screw you over."

"What do you mean?"

He looks behind me. "Well, look at him."

I turn around and see Zeke making out with his partner.

Ew.

"He knows how to trick girls into bed with him, Mason continues, "It would be a shame if he took advantage of you."

For some reason this made me kind of mad.

"I'm not stupid, you know. I'd never let him touch me."

"Good," he smiles. "I like that you're not like the other girls. You know? You have self respect."

I feel myself blush.

Gosh, Marnie, get a grip.

"Hey, Im having a party Friday night, wanna come?"

Did I seriously just get invited to Mason fricking Conway's party?

I think I might die.

Parties aren't really my thing... but how can I turn this down?

"Sure. Is it okay if my friend comes?"

"Of course," he smiles his dimply smile.

Zoey will cry when she hears about this.

+++

"Oh my god!" She shouts, causing people in the cafeteria to glare at us.

"Shhh!"

"I can't believe this! Mason Conway. Mason. Conway. Invited you. To his party."

"Yes, Zoey, we covered that five minutes ago."

"I'm so fucking shook!"

"Language!" I cover my hand over my best friends mouth.

"Marnie!" Someone yells over the noise in the cafeteria.

I turn my head to look for the culprit, and see Cole, Zeke and Isaac walking our way.

Oh God.

"What's up, Marnie?" Cole shouts.

Oh God.

People start looking at us and pointing.

"Could you draw anymore attention to us?" I ask with a low voice.

"Hmm, maybe," Cole presses his lips together, thinking. Then he shouts, "YO, I THINK I'M PREGNANT!"

The place falls silent and everyone looks.

Oh God.

I want to hide under the table.

Cole and the boys sit down.

"I hate you," I murmur to Cole.

"Love you too, babe."

Zeke rolls his eyes. "Would you hurry up?"

"Okay, calm down," he starts patting Zeke's hair, trying to fix it. Zeke slaps his hand away.

I glance at Zoey who looks a little shocked. Same, girlfriend, same.

"So, Marns," Cole starts, "You up for a Fifa rematch?"

"I don't see the point, I'll just beat you guys again."

Cole slaps his hand on the table, making more noise so that the people who turned away, look back at us again.

"We should put money on this! What do you say? 200 dollars says we win."

"Bro, I don't have 200 dollars to give to Blakely and Sand girl." Isaac states.

Sand girl?

"You won't need to, because we'll win," Cole explains.

"What the hell are you guys talking about?" Zoey asks.

"Fifa. Marnie's a pro," Isaac says, smirking at me. "You play?"

She shakes her head.

"Mason's staring at you," Zeke blurts out. His eyes focused on the jock table.

I look over and meet eyes with Mason, he smiles and I smile back before we both look away.

"What the fuck was that?" Zeke asks harshly.

"I ship it!" Zoey exclaims.

We all look at Zoey with raised eyebrows.

"What a jackass."

Next, we all look at Zeke.

"What has he ever done to you?" I ask.

"Nothing, he just annoys me."

"Everyone annoys you," Isaac laughs.

"Not me though," Cole nudges Zeke, "he loves me."

Zeke punches Cole in the stomach before getting up and walking away.

+++

"Hold still!" Zoey scolds as she tries to apply eyeshadow to my eyelids.

"This is taking forever."

"I need to perfect it. Need I remind you that we are going to Mas-"

"-on Conway's party," I finish for her. "You've already reminded me 500 times this week."

She rolls her eyes. "Just close your eyes. I'm almost done."

When she finally finishes with my makeup, I stand up and look at myself in the mirror.

I look... different.

I am wearing a tight black dress that comes down a little past my thighs. A little out of my comfort zone, but Zoey said I had to wear it since it was Mason freaking Conway's party.

I swear if I hear his name one more time I think I might explode.

"You look amazing! Mason will die when he sees you," Zoey elbows me, smiling.

She was wearing a grey crop top with black ripped shorts, and she specially died a strand of her hair black for the party.

"So do you! And thank you for doing my hair and makeup."

"No problemo, sister. Now come on, let's get to this party."

+++

We arrive at Mason's house, Zoey knew how to get there – I don't know how, but she did.

"I'm nervous," I admit as we approach the front door.

"Don't be, just have some fun – loosen up! You owe yourself a night off from all that studying."

"How do I loosen up?"

She laughs. "Drink a little, dance, kiss strangers; I don't know. Just have fun."

I don't think i'll be doing anything on that list, but I decide not to tell her that.

The door is open, the music blaring and teenagers are dancing everywhere, some drinking from bottles and cups, others sitting on the floor using their finger to draw shapes in the air.

Oh god.

This is not my scene.

"There's Mason!" Zoey shouts over the music. She points across the room to where he is. He's talking to one of the other jocks, Rory, I think his name is.

Should I go say hi?

No, I don't want to interrupt his conversation.

But today in chemistry he said he was excited to see me there.

Maybe he changed his mind and i'll just annoy him by talking to him.

"I can see those wheels turning in your brain," Zoey says, "You're overthinking, aren't you?"

"Pfft, no," I lie.

"Marnie, just go talk to him."

I sigh.

Maybe I should just do it...

Hell no.

"Okay," I say to Zoey then walk towards Mason. Once I look back and see that Zoey is now talking to a girl from school, I walk away from Mason and over to the seating area.

My heart stops when I see Zeke sitting there, Isaac beside him.

I don't know why my heart reacted the way it did, but if better stop.

I mean, of course not stop. I don't want my heart to stop beating. I want it to stop reacting the way it has every time i've seen Zeke.

Our eyes meet, and my heart stops again.

Stop it.

His eyes trail down my body in the sexiest way. Why am I suddenly feeling insecure. What if he thinks I look bad in this dress?

Why do I care anyway?

I walk over and take a seat next to him.

"Nerd, what a surprise," he smiles.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be grounded."

"Yes, I'm supposed to be. But I snuck out."

"Zeeeke!" I whine, "that's bad!"

"Yeah, dude," Isaac laughs, "That's fucking bad. How could you?"

I roll my eyes, knowing he's mocking me.

"Why are you even here?" I say to Zeke, "It doesn't seem like you and Mason like each other very much."

"Nah, we're cool," he takes a drink from his bottle of beer.

I notice Zoey in the crowd, taking a drink from someone's cup. 

Doesn't she know not to trust people who offer her a drink at parties?

I groan, "I need to go."

As I'm making my way over to Zoey, someone taps my shoulder.

"Marnie?"

I turn and am met with the grey eyes.

"Hi, Mason," I smile.

"Wow, you look amazing."

"Thanks, so do you."

I mentally face-palm. Why did I say that? I haven't even looked at what he's wearing.

"Do you want a drink?"

"No thank, I don't drink."

He nods. "Wanna dance?"

"I don't dance either."

He frowns, "Please, just one dance?"

How could I say no to those eyes?

+++

A couple of hours pass, and what was just one dance with Mason, turned out to be dancing for half an hour.

We were now in the kitchen, sitting at his glass table, me with a glass of water.

"Tell me about yourself," he says.

"What do you wanna know?"

"Everything. Your favourite colour. Your favourite TV show. Your first kiss..." he trails off.

"Yellow. And my favourite TV show... I don't know. There's so many. Teen Wolf. The Vampire Diaries. Criminal Minds."

He smiles shyly, "I've never seen any of those shows."

"Oh..." Awkward. "My first kiss," I move on, "Was in seventh grade. It was a dare, pretty crappy way to give your first kiss to someone. I wanted it to be with someone special."

"That's usually what people say about losing their virginity."

"I also want that to be with someone special."

"You mean you're a virgin?"

"Yeah," I take a drink of my water, feeling my cheeks heat up.

"That's good. There aren't many of them left at our school," he laughs. "It's pretty cool that you've not gave yourself to some random douche."

I smile, thankful that he didn't laugh in my face.

We spend another hour talking, and I learn a lot about him. His favourite colour's green, he wants to be a soccer coach when he's older, he lives with his Mom and Dad, and younger brother and sister.

"You wanna dance again?" He asks, standing up from the table.

"Sure," I follow him back to the living room. I look at the couches when I walk by; Isaac isn't there anymore, but Zeke is. With a girl on his lap.

Gross.

Zoey stumbles over to me and grabs ahold of my arm. "Marnie!" She slurs, "there you arreee."

"Zoe, are you drunk?"

"Noooo."

I look at Mason who's seems a little concerned. "I should get her home."

He nods. "I'll help you get her outside." He puts his arms around her, helping her wobbly body walk outside. I lead him to where Zoey's car is parked and he lays her down in the backseats.

"Thank you," I say gratefully, "And I'm sorry I didn't get to dance with you again."

"Don't worry about it, there's always next time." He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and steps closer to me.

"I had a lot of fun with you tonight," he stares into my eyes. "You're different from other girls. I like that."

My heart beat rises. Am I dreaming?

He leans in and pecks my lips, then pulls back, waiting for my reaction.

I stare wide-eyed at the popular boy standing before me, then smile, giving him the cue to kiss me properly this time.

Yep, I'm definitely dreaming.