Logan laughed as Mason went back to his seat. “Wondered how long you were going to let me go.”

“Yeah. Until now.”

I got another wink from Logan and he leaned over his plate to eat.

Mason nudged my plate over. “Eat, Sam.”

I did. I was happy to do so.

Analise had been watching the interaction and when I began eating my pasta, she ducked her head down. Her hand lifted and she wiped at a tear, then she rolled her shoulders back and started eating herself. James frowned, glancing around the table, but then he sighed and followed suit.

I never moved back in with Analise and James. I lived with David. When his relationship deepened with Malinda Decraw, I moved with him into her home. We were across the street from Mason and Logan. The first month, Mason snuck in at night. After we kept getting caught, he just blatantly came over to spend the night. There’d been a meeting between the parents how to handle the situation, but nothing came from it. Malinda returned to the house that night irate at my mother.

No one blamed her.

Malinda never approved of Mason sleeping over, but she said they were both welcome at any time, any day, and any moment. That was followed up with a gruff, “Take that, Analitch,” under her breath and went to her bedroom.

Garrett took a job in a law firm. Bella was promoted to the head chef at the country club. Because I stopped going to the country club with the Academy Elite, I didn’t see her anymore. The only interaction I had with Garrett was through a phone call. He called David to ask if I wanted to come for dinner.

I didn’t go. He had his wife move back in and disappeared from my life before. I wasn’t ready to handle my biological father. There was an open invitation for me to go any night for dinner. All I had to do was tell David when I wanted to go. He would let Garrett know, but I hadn’t gone. I would someday, but that day hadn’t come yet.

As for my future, it was up in the air. Mason convinced me to transfer to Fallen Crest Public School, so I assumed it would be with Kate and her friends. Things escalated at the last party where I saw them. Kate called me a whore, and I slapped her. We were separated right away, but I knew they would be a problem.

That was the next thing for me to handle.

“Sam?” Mason called, coming down the stairs.

My door was open and I rolled over on my bed. “I’m in here.”

He appeared in the doorway and paused there. His eyes darkened with promise. “Is Mark here?”

I shook my head, a grin teasing the corner of my mouth. I knew what he was thinking.

He came inside and closed the door. “Malinda and your dad weren’t upstairs either.” He locked it next.

I rolled to my back and said, “Turn the lights off.” I wanted to enjoy just the feel of him.

The end.