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Will

Mason avoids me right up until he can't anymore. Meaning I don't see him until Thursday when my dad pulls up in front of his house.

"Hey Mason, Hank! All aboard the camping express choo! Choo!"

Gage looks at me and I roll my eyes our dad is always embarrassing , but today I can't be bothered to care. Mason and Hank look at the car and Hank tilts his head.

"Soooo whose the lucky one that gets to sit next to me?!"

I don't answer, but I don't have to.

Mason grunts "I'm sitting next to Gage, you sit with...you sit there"

He gestures toward the seat next to me and I don't meet his gaze he can't even say my name?

Hank slides in next to me "hey cat boy"

I force a smile knowing despite my own miserable state I can't ruin Hanks excitement.

"Hey"

Hank looks at Mason before looking back at me and I have to wonder if my face is giving away my mood because Hank's immediately hardens. He flashes me a look of sympathy before glaring at the back of Mason's head.

I want to tell him not to be mad at Mason that it's not his fault, but it is. It's one thing to sleep with someone else after playing with my feelings, but it's another to avoid me as if I was the one in the wrong.

I wasn't.

Jenna made sure I knew that. When I confined in her everything that had happened and how I ended up at Kade's; she was livid. I had to practically convince her Mason didn't deserve the death penalty.

Her exact words were "he deserves everything coming to him Will, he's awful"

At that moment her words fuelled my anger, but now since thinking on it. It just hurts. Mason could never be awful in my eyes. Did he hurt me? Yes. Did he play with my feelings and lead me on? Also yes, but did he make me any promises? No. And I know deep down I have to account for the fact that I am just as much to blame as he is.

I knew who Mason was and what he does. I didn't set boundaries and I allowed him to weasel his way into my bed just like he did my heart.

I sigh turning and looking out the window. The worst part of it all is I still can't sleep, not like I could before him anyway.

I'm thankful the car ride to the campground isn't more then an hour and I can create some space between Mason and I. Despite not looking at him, sitting near him, or even talking to him the whole ride I still felt suffocated in his presence.

My dad claps his hands together as soon as we're all out of the car.

"Alright boys! We've got 3 tents, whose bunking with who?"

I swallow stiffly I had assumed I would bunk with Gage, but now that the options have been opened up I'm on edge.

Hank looks at me quickly before looking at Mason and blurting "I call Will!"

Gage shakes his head "no way in hell I'm bunking with Mason we're both 6 foot you think we're going to fit in a tiny fucking tent together?!"

My mom leans her head out of the back of the van "Gage! Language!"

He blushes bashfully "oops sorry, but seriously no. Hank you can bunk with me"

My eyes widen and I want to protest, but there's no way I can without seeming weird.

Mason grunts "Hank can bunk with me"

I cross my arms annoyed because even if I don't want to sleep in a tent with him it annoys me he's so adamant not to.

Gage rolls his eyes "does it matter? You won't even notice Wills there"

Mason grinds his teeth and looks like he wants to argue, but Gage sighs "I mean I can share with Will I just know he doesn't want to put up with my snoring"

Hank makes a disgusted face "and I do?!"

I bite my lip and finally decide to put my two sense in "I'll be fi.."

Mason grunts "whatever."

Gage nods and my dad grins "great! Gage and Hank can have the blue tent, Will and Mason the orange, and your mom and I will take the green one!"

He starts handing the tents out and I swallow stiffly this is going to be a long weekend.

Mason grabs the tent bag from my dad and walks over to the far side of our site. He unzips the bag and nods at me holding our tent poles.

I bite my lip and take them from him mumbling "I can share with Gage"

He chuckles, but it's humourless and dark "thank me when you don't have fucking bags under your eyes"

I flinch slightly and turn away laying tent poles down in a pile. He's right though I've had bags since he stopped sleeping in my bed and listening to Gage snore all night is only going to make it worse.

I don't try and talk to him the rest of the time it takes to set the tent up. He grunts and points to direct me, but for the most part we work silently. When we finish setting up our tent I move to the picnic table and Mason walks over to Gage and Hanks tent.

Hank looks to be struggling and Gage is glaring at him "we don't need help! Just listen to me would you?!"

Just as those words leave his mouth Mason grunts "your poles are all backwards"

Gage stops and his mouth drops open as my dad laughs "give it another go Gage you're almost there!"

Gage huffs and drops the poles he's holding and starts switching the others around "don't know how the hell Will and Mason got there's up so fast!"

My dad chuckles sitting across from me "they worked together"

My face sours at that, did we? I don't think so.

My mom huffs interrupting my thoughts "Gage! Enough with the swearing!"

Gage throws his hands up "oh are you kidding?! Hell! Even Hank says hell!"

My mom narrows her eyes and Gage is quick to change his tune "sorry mom"

She nods and gestures to me "go help your brother please would you Will?"

I want to say no, but stand slowly and walk over wincing when I see what a mess he's made with his tent poles.

"Hank can you find all the yellow poles please?"

He nods "sure catboy"

I give him a look, but it doesn't deter him he just smiles cheekily and starts sorting the poles.

I'm thankful when we finish setting up their tent 10 minutes later. Getting up I go back to my seat at the picnic table and get a book from my bag. I read for the next hour while my mom makes dinner and Gage gives Mason and Hank a tour of the campground.

When they get back we eat our oh so fancy burger and chips before my dad starts the fire.

We sit around the fire for a little while and I do my best not to look at Mason. I'm anxious about spending the night with him. He clearly wants nothing to do with me and yet I'm still hoping he'll hold me once the zipper closes.

I shift anxiously when Hank announces he's going to bed and decide to follow in his footsteps. Maybe if I'm asleep when Mason comes in I won't notice.

That's not what happens. I can't sleep and spend the whole time imagining what Mason would do when he comes in the tent. I listen as my parents head to bed and another half and hour later Gage. My body tenses as I wait.

Mason doesn't come, not for a while anyway. It's almost an hour later when he finally heads to the tent. I jump when the zipper moves and quickly roll so I can face away from him not wanting him to know I'm awake.

He steps inside the tent and I listen as he shuffles around and unzips his sleeping bag before finally settling. I hold my breath waiting wondering if he's going to make a move to hold me or maybe just say something. Apologize, anything, but he doesn't.

I force myself not to cry, but I can't help the few tears that leak silently across my cheek. I shuffle deeper into my sleeping back and squeeze my eyes shut wishing the night would swallow me up and I'll sleep away this bad dream. Wishes don't come true, At least not mine. That was made clear when the one thing I've wished for decided to tear himself away from me without a reason why.

The night drawls on and I fade in and out of sleep. My body is stiff and I want to toss and turn over, but I don't allow myself. I force myself to stay still and face the side of the tent. To pretend Mason isn't here with me. That whoever isn't easy, I know he's not sleeping either. His breathing is quiet, but I've become used to the steady breaths he makes when he's sleeping and he's taken none so far. I bite my lip to resist calling his name, asking him to cute both our sleep deprivation and hold me. I'm able to hold off.

I leave the tent at 6:00am and although any other day I would find being outside at this time atrocious I'm thankful for the fresh air. I head to the picnic table at the other side of our site and grab the kettle. I walk the little ways to the water tap and fill it before heading back to our campsite and attempting to start a fire.

It becomes apparent quickly that I cannot start a fire and I groan loudly "stupid lighter!"

I hear movement in the tent and turn quickly I didn't want Mason coming out and saving the day. I don't need him.

He doesn't come out and I turn back to the fire trying again, but yet again can't do it and this time I burn my finger "ow!"

"You need some help?"

I jump and turn finding a guy probably close to my dads age walking across to our campsite from his own.

I force a smile feeling awkward "um..."

He chuckles holding his hands up "I get it if you want to keep trying it's a good skill, my own sons determined to learn before we leave tomorrow"

I shake my head slowly, but before he can help my dads tent unzips and he comes out.

"Oh hello, thought I heard talking"

The man smiles "hi I'm Frank, my family's set up across the lane here"

My dad smiles and they shake hands like old friends "nice to meet you Frank, how long you guys been here?"

Frank shrugs "just last night got here an hour or two before we saw you guys setting up shop"

My dad nods and I stand awkwardly putting the lighter down on the chair next to me.

Frank's notices and claps his hands "sorry! Did you still need some help? I gotta get back and help my son light our own fire"

I blink looking at my bashfully this is awkward.

My dad waves his hand "no don't worry I'll light the fire!"

Frank smiles "okay sounds good, when my boy gets up maybe we'll come over and say hello to the rest of your crew"

My dad smiles "sure sounds great!"

Frank heads back to his campsite and my dad looks up at me "making coffee? Your up early"

I nod "uh yeah"

He chuckles "not to comfortable in your tent?"

I laugh awkwardly because no it's not comfortable sleeping next to the boy who usually holds you at night, but has since decided to hate your guts all because you insinuated you wanted him to fuck you.

"No"

My dad rolls his eyes "this is camping Will it won't be glamours"

I force a smile and turn back towards my tent "I'm gonna go get dressed"

Despite not wanting to see Mason I needed to get away from that conversation.

I unzip the tent and step inside finding Mason sitting on the air mattress his phone in hand.

He looks up when I come in and grunts "who the fuck was that?"

I'm caught off guard by his tone. Why is he angry?

"Um...Frank?"

He huffs "yeah Frank and his son"

I narrow my eyes when I realize what this is; Mason's jealous.

I scoff and shake my head "no."

He looks at me confusedly and some burst of irritation and confidence encourages me.

"You don't get to be jealous"

He clenches his jaw and stands abruptly "whatever"

He leaves the tent and I drop down onto the air mattress putting my head into my hands frustrated.

Will I ever understand Mason?

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