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Mason

Nerves. Genuine nerves. It's a foreign feeling for me and I have to admit I don't like anything about it. The way Will had practically ran up the stairs when Jenna arrived to get ready has me concerned. I didn't want this to be a big deal. Is he expecting something extravagant? Is taking him to the spot by the lake good enough?

I grunt and shift standing from my spot on the couch. Hank and Gage look at each other before Gage rolls his eyes.

"Would you chill out you can't even fucking sit still"

Hank nods agreeing with him "yeah it's weird"

I glare at both of them.

"I'm fine"

Hank scoffs "sure your going to tread a hole in the carpet in a minute"

I stop pacing and sigh running my hand through my hair anxiously.

"I don't want to fuck this up okay"

Gage chuckles "you're not going to fuck it up you've gone on a million dates"

I huff "not with Will"

Gage lifts a brow "that's different?"

I only grunt in response. Trying to listen for if Will's coming downstairs yet. Hank rolls his eyes.

"Stop stressing it's not like Will is going to break up with you over one date"

I drop my head into my hands groaning.

"obviously not, because we're not even fucking dating"

Gage nods not bothering to look up from the tv as he turns on a game.

"Hanks probably right I don't think Will has ever even gone on a date he won't even know if it's shitty...nothing to compare it to"

He shrugs like it's nothing and he's solved my problem, but he has in fact only made it worse because if Gage is right this means I'm Wills first date?!

I swallow stiffly, but Hank looks toward the stairs.

"oh here they come!"

I move quickly turning to face the stairs trying to see cool. Unbothered. Despite the nerves eating away at me. That being said I lose all thoughts when Will steps off the stairs.

He looks good, really good. I've never seen him in an outfit like he's in now and it's a good look for him. The kind of look that immediately has me wanting to take it off of him.

"Damn"

Wills cheeks flood with colour and Gage laughs.

"Cute"

Jenna glares "cute?! I worked hard on this to make him look hot not cute"

Gage holds his hands up in defence "okay I didn't say it was ugly, but I'm not calling my little bro hot...that's just weird"

Jenna huffs, but pins her attention on me. I swallow wanting to say the right thing.

"It worked"

Jenna grins "I knew he'd love it! You'll definitely get some tonight"

Hank immediately starts making barfing sounds and Will's eyes widen his cheeks darkening even more.

"Jenna?!"

She laughs "what?! I'm just being supportive"

Will shakes his head and looks at me shyly under his lashes.

"Sorry"

I shrug "you ready?"

Hank nods "yes please leave I can't handle anymore cringy moments"

I roll my eyes and fake punch him "shut up asshat"

He laughs and I nod toward Will "let's go" he thankfully agrees and we head out to my bike. Will bites his lip nervously making me roll my eyes.

"You've been on it before"

He shuffles on his feet.

"I know"

I lift a brow "then what's the problem?"

He shrugs looking at the ground.

"I'm just nervous"

I suck in a deep breath and clench my fists at my side before admitting I feel the same.

"Me to"

Wills eyes shoot up and meet mine.

"Really?"

I nod and rub the back of my neck awkwardly.

"I..." I blow out a puff of air "I've fucked up a lot Will, I don't want to keep fucking this up"

Will gives me a sympathetic look a small smile gracing his face.

"Your not going to fuck anything up Mason, besides if anyone is going to fuck up this date it's going to be me...I'm not exactly well versed in going on dates"

I chuckle "so I've heard"

Will squeaks "Gage told you this was my first real date?!"

I lift a brow and cross my arms leaning against my bike.

"Real date?"

Wills cheeks immediately heat up.

"Um yeah...Kade and I have like gotten food after....foolin.."

I hold up my hand stopping him.

"Never mind"

He winces, but I shake my head.

"It's fine, put this on"

I hand him a helmet before putting my own on and mounting my bike. Once Will gets his helmet done up he moves to climb on behind me and threads his arms around my waist. I pull out of the driveway and we're off.

The ride to the lake is only about 15 minutes, but I soak it in. Having people on the back of my bike normally ruins the experience for me. I struggle to just slip away and enjoy the moment, but with Will I find it comforting to know he's behind me. To feel his chest pressed against my back and his hands wrapped around me.

When I put the bike in park I'm almost disappointed. Wishing we could have driven further, stayed like that a little longer.

Will however smiles at me shyly.

"Um...what are we doing?"

I shrug "well I know how much you enjoy physical activity so I figured we could hike?"

Wills eyes widen and I struggle not to laugh at the way he immediately steps back as if he wants to run away.

"I'm kidding"

The second my words register he lets out a sigh of relief and shakes his head.

"You're an ass I genuinely thought I was going to have to hike"

I chuckle at his reaction "we're just walking a short distance through the trees to a small clearing at the edge of the lake"

He blushes and smiles nodding "okay"

Will starts heading toward the trees, but I quickly call his name stopping him.

"Will! Chill out I'm waiting for something"

He huffs "well I hope it's not the sun to set because I just know it's going to be beautiful behind those trees!"

I lift a brow before smirking "well someone's feisty today"

His face floods with colour and he ducks his head down "ah..I didn't"

I shake my head "you're good baby"

A car starts driving toward where we're parked and I step forward while Will looks at me confused.

"Whose that?"

I don't answer him instead moving to meet the guy climbing out of the car. He looks between Will and i inquisitively making me annoyed.

"What the hell are you staring at? Can I get my pizza or not?"

He nods barely mumbling an apology before leaning in the backseat and grabbing the pizza box. He hands me the pizza still watching Will which only annoys me further.

I huff, but he doesn't seem to notice, instead he nods.

"Hey Will"

I lift a brow and turn looking at Will who grimaces "hey Kyle"

I turn back to the guy annoyed whose this now? Another Kade Johnson?

I practically shove a $20 at him and the guy quickly grabs it his eyes widening.

"Sorry thanks....bye Will!"

Will gives him a small wave and we both watch until he's gone before speaking.

"Who the fuck is that?"

Will swallows "Kyle"

I scoff "Kyle? That's it?"

Will rolls his eyes "he's in my English class Mason"

I shift my jaw "why were you uncomfortable?"

Will bites his lip.

"Uh...I just..he probably realizes this was..."

I lift a brow "a date?"

Will nods slowly "mhmm"

I roll my eyes "so what? who fucking cares?"

Will drops his eyes to his feet.

"Um...well I do"

He mumbles it and immediately I feel like shit.

"Oh fuck sorry Will I didn't mean to be an ass, I just forgot you weren't out yet"

He shrugs "I'm not...mad if he realizes just..nervous it's an adjustment for people to know and because it's you people will talk"

I scrunch up my face "because it's me?"

He nods "yeah, if I just come out it won't be that big of a deal, but if I come out and people find out we're...whatever this is"

He shakes his head almost laughing.

"It'll be a scandal for sure"

I roll my eyes "well people should fuck off"

Will laughs and I tilt my head "what?"

He shrugs "nothing it's just that, that is exactly why people care so much about you. You're mysterious"

I scoff "mysterious...you think I'm mysterious?"

Will pauses as if considering it.

"Maybe I did before, but not anymore"

I lift a brow "is that why you liked me?"

Will blushes having been reminded of his crush.

"No, I liked you because you were...um.."

I smirk "it was my dashingly good looks you can say it"

He shakes his head "why say it when you already know?"

I shrug chuckling "might give my ego a boost"

Will rolls his eyes "like you need that"

I shake my head and point to toward the trees.

"Let's go"

We start walking toward the spot and I glance down at Will's hand for half a second before deciding fuck it and grabbing it intertwining our fingers.

Will looks startled for half a second before his cheeks fill with colour and he drops his gaze to his feet holding my hand back. My chest swells and I curse myself for feeling dare I say it, giddy?

A branch snaps in the distance and Will jumps.

"Are they're bears out here?"

I roll my eyes playfully, chuckling.

"No Will there's no bears, we're almost at the spot"

He nods and shuffles closer to me.

"ok"

When we finally get to the clearing by the lake I walk over to a large smooth rock right on the edge of the lake and put the pizza down tugging on Will's hand.

"Sit"

He looks around and at the pizza before smiling and sitting down on the rock.

"This is a nice spot"

I nod "I've been coming here since I was a kid, I'm sure other people know about it, but it's always quiet when I come and I like to think it's a secret"

He smiles "that's sweet, how'd you find it?"

I wince nothing like a sob story to kill the mood.

"My mom"

Instead of looking at me with pity or sadness Will smiles"

"I remember her you know"

I lift a brow genuinely surprised, my mom passed away before Gage and I started hanging out.

"You do?"

Will nods tossing a rock into the water.

"She used to help me find the perfect books to read, she would always let me check out an extra book even though my library card was at its limit, I remember when she died no one told me I saw it in the newspaper"

He sucks in a breath.

"I cried for her...I hadn't seen her in a year or two, but I have so many good memories of your mom Mason, she was a great librarian and the swee.."

I don't let him finish what he's saying, instead the second he turns his head to look at me I dive down and capture his lips with my own. Will gasps a little into the kiss and I only use that to my advantage deepening it. His hands move forward and find my shirt gripping it tightly. I press one last hard kiss to his mouth before pulling back.

We're both breathing heavy and he looks at me eyes wild.

"What was that for?"

I love you.

It's my first thought and the second it pierces my brain I freeze. My eyes widen and the way Will's face changes I know he's noticed so I react quickly, I don't say it. Instead I do what I planned on doing while we were sat here anyway. I ask him to be mine.

"Be my boyfriend Will"

He blinks once, twice, three times before he suddenly smiles and nods.

"Yes please"

I grin and push those three intense words to the back of my brain. This right here right now is good. Will is my boyfriend, I'm his boyfriend. We've made it to a spot we've never be.

We finish off our date with a few slices of pizza, and conversation. A lot of which was Will telling me memories of my mom. I never thought I'd be able to talk and hear about her and not be sad, but with Will it's different. He talks about her like she's still here, like she's not some sad story. He laughs and smiles as if reliving the good times himself and it makes me laugh and smile imagining it. Little Will grinning as my mom winks at him reminding him to keep their secret when he ticks that 5th book into his bag.

Will leans against me watching as the sun sets past the trees across the lake and I let out a content sigh wrapping my arm around him. Wishing we could freeze time and stay just like this.

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