"I really don't think you understand how ridiculous this all is." Mason stared blankly at his best friend and college roommate of a year as he leaned against the wall.

"You just don't understand the true meaning of youth," Josh responded exaggeratedly. "This is the essence of college life."

Mason rolled his eyes, "You sound like a fucking idiot dude."

"As if! You're just jealous you can't get in on this action," his roommate winked.

"I know a frat-boy named Josh did not just wink at me," Mason's mouth curled as he recoiled slightly.

"Says the guy named Mason," he snorted. "And what's wrong with being in a frat? I think it gives me character," Josh flexed his biceps.

"If by character you mean being a complete ass then I full heartedly agree with you there." Mason smirked as he moved away from the wall, stretching out his tense shoulders while Josh finished the first part of the prank. "What are you even doing again?"

"The most epic prank to ever exist!"

"Right," Mason drawled with another eye roll. "And who decided to name it that?"

"Me of course. Now will you help me or not? Cause if not then I know a girl that probably really wants your attention right about now." Mason stiffened and watched as a smug smile spread across Josh's face.

"Give me the fucking tape."

~~~

Five hours (and eight more rolls of painters' tape) later Mason collapsed on the floor, arms sore and numb as he examined the finished product.

All four walls of the common room were now covered in tape and every piece of furniture was wrapped with saran wrap. Josh had done the saran wrap by himself but Mason had covered most of the walls. So, suffice to say, he was exhausted.

"Now this is a masterpiece." Josh marveled as he too stared at the room.

"Hell yeah it is." Mason usually would've made fun of him for saying something so cheesy but - honestly - it really was impressive. "You should be glad I reminded you to get painters tape and not duct tape, otherwise we totally would've been fucked."

The conversation was interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing, on further inspection Mason realized it was his. "Shit," he mumbled after looking at the number. "How in the fucking hell did she get my goddamn number? I thought I blocked her." He was sure he did, had even gotten her number from her own roommate in order to block her.

"You did," Mason's head shot up at his roommate's words.

He wouldn't.

Would he?

"You didn't."

"Oh, I did."

"Fuck." Mason sighed and threw his head back before accepting his fate as the phone stopped ringing and then immediately started ringing again. "Hello," he answered after bringing the phone to his ear.

"Mason," a girl greeted on the other end with a high pitched squeal.

"What do you want Charleigh?" He would've tried to be a bit more polite on any other day. But not tonight; he was too tired to care to try.

"Don't be like that," she laughed and it felt as though his head was being split open. "I know you got my number from Emma." Mason was the idiot in this fucking situation; of course her roommate would tell her about it. "Why haven't you called me yet," she whined.

"Charleigh I've told you this before, multiple times even, but it seems you can't remember so I'll say it one more time. Just for you." He grit his teeth, holding back the anger currently heating his skin.

"And what is that?" There was now a slight quiver in her voice; Mason knew that she was most definitely well aware of what he was going to say.

"Leave me the fuck alone." He had only ever said this sentence to three people in his life. The first being his deadbeat father, the second being his even more deadbeat sister, and now this young woman. He meant it every single time.

Mason waited for a response, only hearing the sound of gasping breaths before the call ended with a resounding dial tone. He shut off his phone, rubbing his temples whilst releasing a heavy sigh.

"Why do you hate her so much? She seems like a nice girl from what I've seen." Josh's voice was tentative, as though he thought he might offend Mason by asking.

Mason scoffed, shaking his head as a wry chuckle escaped his mouth. "Trust me when I say she deserves everything I say to her. She probably deserves worse actually."

"What'd she do? Did you guys have a thing and she cheated on you or something?" His expression portrayed that he was sympathetic but Mason just wanted to laugh at the thought that cheating was the worst he could come up with.

"Or something."

While Josh had been his best friend since they were in high school, Mason still had yet to tell anyone of what had really occurred with Charleigh all those months ago. And - seeing as he planned to never voice it aloud - no one would ever know, even if that included his best friend of five years.

~~~

It was the next day, around eleven in the morning, when Mason realized he had made a terrible mistake.

He didn't lock the door.

He always fucking locked the bathroom door when he was showering because Josh was constantly messing with him and pulling pranks.

He only noticed because when he opened the shower curtain to grab the towel, it wasn't fucking there. And of course Josh had made sure to take anything that could've been used to cover him, even the fucking bathroom rug.

Mason dried off as best as he could in the shower, wiping his skin of any water and ringing out his hair as much as possible. He hesitated for a moment after leaving the shower, shivering at the cold air before opening the door just enough to see into the hallway. It didn't look as though anyone was home and while he wasn't sure where Josh could be, he knew that his other roommate had gone to a lecture an hour ago.

"Shit okay," he'd have to walk out and hope for the best. His room wasn't very far away but he would have to go through the living room in order to get there so he could only hope Josh hadn't invited someone over purely as a second part of the prank.

Mason had just barely crept into the living room when he noticed a girl standing next to the front door, very obviously looking at him.

~~~