Staying away from Mason.

"Hi," Stacey mumbled to Adriel whom she had just seen before scooting away. Adriel ran after her, when she reached Stacey, she pulled her by the arm lightly.

"What's wrong Stacey? Are you okay?" Adriel's voice was soft with concern as she stared at Stacey who looked like she was going to burst into tears in no time.

"I'm fine Adriel," Stacey answered trying to put on a smile but from the look on Adriel's face, Stacey knew she wasn't buying it.

"No, you are not!" Adriel countered.

"If you are fine, why then is there tears in your eyes?" She asked placing her hand on Stacey's shoulder.

"I am fine, something got into my eyes." Stacey lied.

"Bye, I have to go now," Stacey rushed her words and ran off before Adriel could say anything else.

When Adriel got to the class, she saw Chelsey walking to Mason's seat, Adriel frowned when she noticed the huge grin on Chelsey's face like that of someone who had won a lottery.

"Hi, Mason." Chelsey smiled when she got to him.

"Hey," Mason replied not sparing her a glance.

Chelsey boiled with anger bothered by Mason's cold response, she blamed it on Stacey even though she wasn't in the class. Chelsey's eyes darted to Kayla who smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

Adriel watched them with a scrunched-up expression, it was clear to her that Kyla and Chelsey had a scheme in mind. Adriel felt Chelsey's shame but she couldn't understand how someone could be that shameless, Mason didn't want to have a conversation with her but she wasn't willing to take the hint. No doubt it was all their idea.

Hi, Finn." Chelsey turned to him.

"Hello," Finn replied taking his seat.

"How.." Mason started to say but Chelsey didn't let him finish before she answered.

"I'm fine." Chelsey's lips curved happily.

Mason's expression hardened, "I wasn't going to ask about you. I was talking about your sister, Is she okay?"

Chelsey's face turned red from embarrassment, Adriel was trying so hard to stop herself from laughing at Chelsey's expression, she looked like she was about to burst into tears but she quickly faked a smile.

"Yes she is ok, she just seeking attention. She does that always." Chelsey shrugged

Mason glared at her, "If there's anyone who seeks attention. It's you, Chelsey." Mason snorted.

"Do you have anything else to say?" Mason asked glancing at her.

"No.." She stuttered looking away.

"Good! You can leave then, this discussion is over." Mason stated. After one more fleeting gaze, he darted his eyes from her.

Chelsey was about to go away when Mason stopped her.

"wait."

She turned to him beaming waiting to hear what he was going to say to her. She thought Mason had a change of mind but his next words proved her wrong.

"You should try being nice to Stace. You are lucky to have a sister like her. Try caring for her rather than saying bad things about her." Mason let out.

Chelsey faked a smile before dashing back to meet Kayla, once again Stacey had succeeded in making her look like the villain.

Once Chelsey was gone, Adriel sauntered to Mason and Finn.

"Hi, Addie." Finn smiled. She smiled to herself, she loved the name it sounded like music to her ears.

"Adriel..." Mason called. She drifted out of her reverie and she saw both of them staring at her.

"Sorry, " she said.

"Are you okay?" Finn asked.

"How can she be okay? When you called her with an awful name." Mason teased earning a glare from Finn who hit him lightly on the shoulder, Adriel couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise it was awful." He apologised.

"No it's fine, Addie is cute and I love it." Adriel smiled.

"See she loves it, so shut up!" He turned to Mason who was laughing.

"I was just pulling your legs, I had no idea you could come up with cute nicknames." Mason smiled and Finn smacked him on the head playfully.

"Did you see Stace?" Mason asked turning to Adriel.

"I was just about to ask you, do you have any idea what is wrong with her?" Adriel inquired.

"Well, when she came into the class. I said hi to her but her response wasn't welcoming and when I asked her what was wrong? She asked me to stay away from her. I don't know why she said that."

"Do you know what's wrong with her?" Finn asked.

"I don't know what's wrong With her but I'll have to find out," Adriel told them, just then Stacey walked into the class.

She looked like she was lost in thoughts, Adriel walked to her but before she could say anything, a teacher walked into the class so she had to return to her seat.

"Your suggestion was a flop, Kay. He was uninterested in talking to me, he yelled at me when I told him Stacey was just seeking attention, I told you he already likes her. He even embarrassed me and told to me try caring for Stacey." Chelsey huffed in annoyance.

The teacher who had entered the class was yet to leave but it didn't matter to Chelsey who was still pissed off because of the embarrassment she received from Mason after adhering to Kyla's advice.

"I'm sorry that didn't work out, but Stacey has to pay, Mason spoke to you in that manner because of her, we have to embarrass her and also come up with a plan to make Mason hate her. And guess what I have the perfect plan for that." Kayla cackled whispering into Chelsey's ear as the teacher wrote on the board.

Stacey tried to pay attention to what the teacher was saying but her mind was elsewhere, her thoughts were messed up and dancing all over the place, and she could feel Mason's gaze on her throughout the teaching but she didn't bother looking in his direction.

Immediately after the teacher left the class, Adriel rose to her feet and sauntered to Stacey.

"Please exchange seats with me," Stacey mumbled.

"Why?"

"We are friends, right? Please just do this for me." Stacey sighed trying to convince her.

"Why are you avoiding Mason? Did he do something wrong?" Adriel's brows knitted in confusion.

"Thank you, I'll go to your seat now, " Stacey smiled ignoring Adriel's questions.

"I didn't say yes." Adriel protested but Stacey hugged her muttering another 'thank you.'

Stacey headed to her seat and took her backpack ready to walk away but Mason held her hand making her veer to face him. A scowl marred her face as her eyes darted to his hand which was still holding hers.

"Sorry, " he muttered letting go of her hand.

"Where are you going to? Are you leaving your seat?"

Stacey didn't give Mason a response she just walked away to Adriel's seat.

"Why is she doing this? She doesn't look okay." Finn muttered.

"Yes, she doesn't." Worry clouded Mason's features.

"Something is wrong but she isn't saying anything," Adriel murmured plopping on Stacey's seat which she had just left.

Stacey tried so much to concentrate on what the teacher was saying throughout the remaining classes but she couldn't, she was lost in her web of thoughts.

"Stacey let's go for lunch."

Stacey nodded and stood up together they walked to the cafeteria. On their way, they noticed a group of girls which consisted of their classmates pointing at Stacey while they gossiped.

"Yeah, she's such a lowlife and now she's pretending."

"Yes, that's why she left her seat beside Mason." Another cooed.

"She's such a desperate girl, she's not even his type I'm sure she just wants him because he is popular and so hot. The others added.

"Is this the reason why you were bothered this morning? And also why you've been avoiding Mason? Adriel asked turning to Stacey who wore a sad face as she listened to the girls speak.

"You should have told me instead of keeping to yourself," Adriel muttered.

Before Stacey could say anything in response, Adriel walked to the girls, they kept quiet immediately after they saw her in front of them.

"You all have nothing good to say or do rather than spreading rumours right?" She questioned.

"If you don't stop saying all those things about my best friend trust me I won't hesitate to teach you all a lesson that you'll never forget. Learn to mind your business, " She warned sternly.

The girls glanced at each other and then they walked away.

She sauntered back to Stacey, "See you don't have to worry about that anymore."

Stacey sighed, "You didn't have to."

"Why? You are my friend and whoever messes with you messes with me." Adriel mumbled.

"Thank you, Adriel." Stacey smiled. For the first time in her life, she was experiencing what it felt like to have a friend, a good and supportive one at first. Even though she was hesitant and didn't want to change her school she was glad she did because she got a friend like Adriel.

*****Classroom

"Won't you go for lunch?" Finn asked Mason who was still seated on his chair even though the bell signifying lunch time had rung minutes ago.

"I don't feel like going, I'm not hungry," he replied.

Finn scoffed, he didn't know Mason to be someone who would skip having lunch except he was troubled about something.

"Why don't you want to go to the cafeteria? Is it because of Stacey?" He questioned.

Mason chuckled, "Because of Stacey? Not at all."

"Are you sure, it's written all over you? I'm your cousin, I know how you are. You are worried because she's avoiding you."

"Yes. You are right but I don't know why I feel this way." Mason admitted.

Before Finn could say anything Adriel ran into the class.

"Mason, I know why Stacey is avoiding you."

Mason's face lit up. "Why? Tell me," he humbled inquisitively.

"Some students are spreading rumours and accusing her of throwing herself on you and saying other hurtful things. While we were going to the cafeteria they were laughing and taunting her." She explained.

Mason clenched his fist and took a deep breath. " What! She isn't doing any of that am sure someone from detention is responsible for spreading the rumour because of what had happened yesterday." He told Adriel and Finn.

"What happened?" They asked.

Mason narrated everything to them, telling them how the student bullied Stacey.

"We should go check on her," Mason uttered springing up to his feet and they did the same.

"Yes, we should." They agreed.

...

When Mason, Adriel, and Finn got to the cafeteria, some students were gathered around making it difficult for them to see what was happening in the circle that the students had formed.

Mason walked past the cluster of students trying to make his way in.

His jaw went slack when he got to the middle and saw Stacey was covered in all kinds of drinks and food. She was in tears.

"What's going on here?" His eyes flared with anger as he gazed at the students who were stunned to see him they looked like they had just been caught in the middle of a sinful act.

The students moved backwards whispering to themselves, most of them were junior students.

" Chelsey and Kayla ordered us to do it, We are sorry Mason."

Mason glared at them before averting his gaze, his eyes searching for Stacey but he didn't see her anywhere.

"Where did she go?" He turned to Adriel.

"She was right here Mason, I have no idea where might be." Adriel mouthed looking around but she couldn't find Stacey anywhere in the cafeteria.

"Adriel, Finn take care of things here. I'll go look for Stace," Mason muttered before dashing away.