I woke up Friday morning oddly excited for the day. 

I get to perform tonight! 

With that thought I shot out of bed and got ready for college. Out in the kitchen Lexi was leaning against the counter texting and giggling.

"Oh my God, Zach, you're so bad." She muttered under her breath.

"Lover boy texting you?" I teased puckering my mouth making kissing sounds.

"Shut up! As a matter of fact he is. Said he's playing tonight and wants to pick us up."

"Us?" I cough choking on my water.

"Yeah, you and me. Mason's coming too." She smiled mischievously.

"You mean you and I." I corrected, trying to be a smart ass.

"And I can't go, I've got my first gig tonight, remember?" I leaned on the arm of the couch.

"No biggie, we can go see the boys first because they're playing early tonight and then all carpool our way to your show. It's a win/win." She said as she clapped her hands once and rubbed them together with an evil excited grin on her face. It suddenly clicked.

"You told them about my job, didn't you?" I asked and she immediately paused.

"Who, moi?" she places her dainty hand on her chest.

"I'm so getting you back!" I pointed at her. I was actually sort of grateful she had. The thought of having support was something that was really growing on me.

"You can thank me later when you and Mason have three beautiful babies, a mansion, a massive rock on your finger..." My mouth hung open as I pushed her out the front door.

"Come on woman, we're gonna be late for class with you standing around making ridiculous life plans." Laughing and shoving one another we finally make it to the car after Lexi almost made me face plant into the ground.

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The first 2 periods were music. I stood just inside the doorway of the classroom trying to figure out where the hell I was going to sit since Lexi had Biology instead. I hadn't made any friends apart from the band. 

Suddenly I feel a strong arm link in mine and lead through the middle rows. I look and notice it's a tattooed arm and it belongs to none other than Mason. He looks down at me as we're walking and gives a cheeky smile.

"You never said anything about arm linking, ergo, the linkage." He rasped, nodding to our entwined arms.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"The middle here. It's the best seat in the house for acoustics. Trust me, I know from trial and error." He clapped his books down on the desk. 

Did he want me to sit next to him?

"Uh-oh, someone's looking a. Little. Too. Robotic." He said in a monotone voice mimicking a robots stiffness.

"Let's grease up the hinges a bit Tinny." He said pretending to squirt oil with his finger into my joints. I bit my bottom lip trying not to laugh like a moron and sat down next to him. 

Tinny? If he nicknames me again I'll have no choice but to stab him with my pencil. I smile to myself.

As the lecturer was going through the list of songs we could choose to perform for our practical exams, Mason leaned over and started writing on my notepad.

MASON: So you've got your first gig tonight?

ME: Yeah. Lexi said you guys were coming?

MASON: Wouldn't miss it if there was a zombie apocalypse.

I laughed through my nose trying to imagine Mason as a zombie. A shirtless, tattooed zombie... 

I'd let him turn me... 

I suddenly felt guilty for thinking about him that way, or any way for that matter. I felt my cheeks flush in embarrassment so I kept my head down making my hair shield the sides of my face. Mason nudged me gently and mouthed What's wrong? I didn't want to get any closer than I had to so I wrote on the piece of paper.

ME: Just thinking about the songs on the syllabus.

One of his eyebrows cocked up as if to say he didn't believe me.

MASON: You're a terrible liar.

He watched my face as I read his note. I didn't know what to do, so I didn't write back. I tried to avert my focus off Mason and onto the lecturer since that's where it was meant to be anyway.

MASON: You have a tell. You can't look people in the eyes and you start playing with your gloves.

As I was reading I looked down at my hands and sure enough I was fiddling with my gloves. How was it possible that he could pick up those things unless he was actually paying attention to me? I felt torn between wanting him to notice me but also not wanting him to so I could get through this year of college without any distractions. I squinted at him.

"Okay Sherlock S Holmes." I whispered waving him away with my hands jokingly.

"What does the 'S' stand for?" he asked, confused.

"It stands for smart ass." I didn't realise I had said 'Smart ass' loudly until the whole class was looking in my direction, along with the lecturer.

"Mr Ambrose and Ms Eden, you two can be the first to choose and perform your practical exam next week which means you have a week to prepare. You are not to rehearse together as this is an improvisation exam testing how well you can work together as a duet while thinking on your feet."

I swallowed hard. 

Duet, with HIM? What have I gotten myself into?

"Mr Ambrose? Would you care to come and pick a song out of the musical hat?" Ms Roberts was quite eccentric, as most creative art and music teachers were, but she took it to the next level. Musical hats, odd mismatched clothing which definitely came from a thrift store and peculiar musical ornaments from different countries splayed all over her classroom. Her hair was even an oddity with assorted pens twisted up in there which frizzed out at the edges like a mousy brown halo. Despite all of that, she pronounced her words perfectly and was quite lovely... until she decided to torture me by pairing me with Mason. 

What a sweet but bitter torture.

"It would be my pleasure." Mason smiled with the most sycophantic voice he could muster. He gave me a thumbs up as he bit his bottom lip and descended down the stairs to draw out a song. 

Oh god please don't let it be a love song. I'm already sick of him thinking he can romance any lady off her feet and into their panties.

He flashed the small piece of paper to Ms Roberts and she nodded and took down the name.

"The band music will be provided for you by my sophomore class. All you have to do is memorise the song and we will review it in a weeks time. Remember to bring your own flavour to the song, this is not karaoke people. Who's next?" she rubbed her hands together as if preying on her next musical victims.

Once Mason sat back down I his seat I just had to know.

"What did we get?" I said covering my face, waiting for the inevitable. He pulled my hands down from my face, tucked the paper inside and closed my fist. He smiled his devilish grin as his eyes focused on mine. 

Just as I started to open my hands the bell rang for break.

"I gotta go meet Zach. I'll catch up with you later." Mason took his books and hi-fived a few guys on his way out. I waited for the people traffic to die down before I made my way to the door. After shoving my books into my bag I un-scrunched the paper in my hands and it read

I really like you by Carly Rae Jepson

Fan-freakin-tastic. At least we didn't have to rehearse together which I guess is a pro to all the cons that have happened since we decided to be friends? All I know is I sure as hell am not going to be another notch on his belt, or another Polaroid on his wall, which is what I've heard he does after every girl he nails according to Malia the gum popping bimbo who speaks far too loudly behind me in class. Every English class i'm caught up on her daily affairs and screw of the week. I try to tuck the Polaroid rumour away and gather my things as i brace myself for lunch.