"Fucking assholes!" I scream into the night

I start panicking as they drive away. My pride isn't paying off right now. It'd be better if a bear just came out and put me out of my misery. No one but my mom would miss me anyway.

The road is straight no curves I think for a few miles because I can see them. They stop a bit further. I'd say maybe a mile ahead. Do they want me to walk all the way?

Assholes.

Second lights come behind me and I feel relief. I turn and I start hailing them. Just when I am losing hope they are slowing down and my heart almost leaps with happiness. They must have rolled down the window because the music comes spilling out.

Liquid splashes on my face. "Stinker!" a high-pitched voice comes from the car and fits of laughter compete with the loud music as they drive away.

I scream into the night.

"Fuckers!"

They splashed me with beer. I hope it's just beer. I can't help it, but I let my tears fall. Why is all this happening to me? What have I done to anyone? All I ever did was being born. That's my only sin. I shake as I sob there alone in the side of a road. God and the angels must be having a good ole time laughing at my misfortunes.

Just then I feel warm arms pull me to a hard chest and in that moment, I don't care who it is. I let my sobs out.

"Shh, don't cry, little star."

Mason.

He feels like the boy I used to know. The boy who used to be my friend. The one who went to war for me and always defended me.

My Mason.

I let myself fall in the lie, even if it's for a few seconds. He brushes my hair and wipes my tears, after he comes to my front, and we stand there.

"Don't let them get to you, Zara. They don't matter." He says as he has me enveloped in his warm embrace

I rise my tear-stained face and I meet his moonlight face, now only inches from mine.

Why do devils have to look so beautiful?

He brushes my face with his hands, and everything is forgotten for a moment. His touch is so tender, so caring. And right then, I see him. My Mason.

He bridges the gap, and he captures my lips in his. His lips are soft, and he tastes like beer and weed and something better, him. I suck him deeper; I want to feel more of him. I should know better, but everything has been going so wrong for me I am willing to take the joy in the little moments, even if they won't last.

He explores my mouth with his tongue, and I return it. The kiss turns desperate. A lifetime worth of loathing, anger and so much more in this one moment.

I feel hot and awakened everywhere and my core clenches as wetness pools in my center. I moan in his mouth, lost, utterly lost.

"Mine." He groans between kisses, and I'll be damned if it doesn't send tingles all over my body.

The sound of tires pulls us out of the moment, and I jump back and out of his arms. He stands there unmoving, his eyes burning the side of my face.

The car stops next to us.

"Can we go now?" Jose's annoyed voice come from the rolled window. I swallow and I grab the passenger door. Mason's hands touch me, and I feel the electricity zaps me once more.

What the fuck is happening?

"Uh uh, Zara. We don't ride bitch."

I frown at him, and he stares at me so I can move. Leo gets off from the backseat and I huff but go there. I get in and I sit in the middle. Leo comes back in, and they both close their door.

I feel a bit weird. Me and Mason just kissed. Now I am sitting between Bas and Leo. I cross my legs when I can't move my focus on where our bodies are touching. I look to Leo's direction, and I find a small smirk on his face, illuminated by the moon, but he doesn't look my way. He just counts trees or whatever he is looking at outside.

"Were you really gonna walk all the way, Zar?"

I look at the owner of the question on my left. Bas.

"Yup."

He and Jose chuckle. "Still stubborn as ever."

I turn my glare to him, and he just grins wider.

"You are lucky we came; this area is known for dangerous animals and serial killers."

"I wish I would have been mauled." I say as I lean back in the seat, and I let out a breath.

"Last time we checked you were stronger than that."

"I didn't come here to be strong, asshole. I came to finish school."

"Careful." Mason's voice comes in warning, cold as ice and I can't help shrinking a little. None of the hunger from earlier. "You are still not forgiven."

"How long do you plan on hanging what my father did over my head? Can't we coexist?"

"How can we move on when you haven't even apologized for the role you played in the events that happened years ago? Jose almost lost his mother because of you when the Russians caught up with them in Cuba."

My mouth falls open and I look at Jose who says nothing and doesn't even look my way.

"Is it true, Joseph?"

"You haven't earned Joseph back, Willow." He says coldly, his anger biting at me

I exhale. I look at the window. If that's true, then maybe they do have a right to be mad at me.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." I mutter

"Yeah, well so are we." Jose speaks and I get the sense his words mean more than he is saying but no one expands.

The rest of the ride goes in silence, and I am submerged in my own thoughts. Mostly I think about that day. Five insanely happy kids. Everything was perfect back then. Before the cruel world bit into us and poisoned our innocence. But is it too late to fix things? Is it too late for us to go back there? Or even just not be enemies. This wasn't our fight to begin with.

"Is it too late for us?" I throw the question out there like a shooting star in the dead night

None of them answers me and I start thinking maybe they didn't hear me at all. We drive into campus and my chest is tight.

I mean I had known our friendship was over, but I didn't know it was over, you know?

When Jose stops at my dorm parking, none of us move immediately.

"Is it too much to ask for civility at least?" I try again

I am once again met with silence. Yet still none of them make moves to open the door.

We sit there for minutes in silence.

Then Mason opens the door, and they all do and get out. I scoot out too and they all come stand next to me. Mason jerks his head to my building, and I start walking. This all feels weird. They aren't saying anything.

We walk in silence into my building and in the elevator. We walk awkwardly to my door, and I turn when we get there.

I'm not sure what is happening here and why they are being so weird, and I don't want to open my door with them still here. They are sons of Dons, and I don't know what they plan to do.

"Um, so this is me." I say awkwardly

They stand circling me and their foreboding collective presence makes me want to shrink back in this wall, however there is no malice on their faces. They are just staring at me.

"Ok, you guys are creeping me out." I say when I can't stand it anymore

Bas is the first one to smirk. Mason comes close and I tense. He brings his face close, and he kisses my forehead. My body loosens involuntarily even in my shock.

"Sleep tight, Zara." He says in a soft voice then he backs away

Jose kisses my cheek and I frown. Bas kisses my other cheek. I swallow as my eyes get bigger. Leo finally gets closer, and he hugs me and kisses the top of my head.

"Sleep tight, Zuzu."

I frown as everything tugs at my heart.

Then he backs away and they turn and leave. Leaving me stunned and so confused.

What the fuck was that?