Mason (Trinity Academy 2)

The conversation is light while we eat, and I wait until everyone is done before I take Serena’s phone from my pocket and set it down on the table.

“The reason I wanted us all to meet for dinner is that Serena told me something right before the stadium erupted in chaos.”

“What?” Kingsley asks, leaning her elbows on the table.

I turn on the phone and bring up the messages between Serena and Mrs. Reyes.

My eyes go to Falcon, and I hand him the phone.

He reads the texts and then his mouth sets in a hard line.

“How do you want to handle this?” I ask him, feeling it’s only right he makes the decision seeing as it involves his mother.

He sets the phone down on the table, then bites the words out, “The same way we handled Serena. We destroy her.” He pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a couple of deep breaths before he looks at Layla. He reaches for her hand and holding it he explains to everyone else what’s going on, “Serena told Clare that she saw you had an allergy when she looked at your student file. Clare was the one who told her what to do.”

There’s a couple of seconds of silence before Lake asks, “Preston, can you hack into the bank and freeze her credit cards?”

“I haven’t done it before, but I can try,” Preston answers, already looking excited.

Falcon let’s out a bitter chuckle and shakes his head. “That’s not good enough. I want to hit her where it will hurt most.”

“Her status,” I murmur.

“I’ll have to talk to Julian and my father about this.”

“You want to go into the office tomorrow and see them?” I ask.

“We could always join our fathers for a round of golf. Mine keeps asking,” Lake mentions.

“That’s a good idea,” Falcon agrees. “Do you know on which days they like to play?”

“Thursday afternoons,” Lake answers.

“Tomorrow.” Falcon begins to nod. “I’ll call Julian and tell him to meet us at the golf club.”

“So, you don’t need me to hack into anything?” Preston asks, looking a little disappointed.

“Sorry, buddy,” Lake pats his shoulder which makes Falcon’s lips twitch. “Maybe next time.”

“Are you okay?” I ask him. Even though he doesn’t get along with Clare, she’s still his mother at the end of the day.

There’s a cynical pull on his face, “Can’t say I’m surprised by any of this.” He pauses and lets out a sigh, “I’m okay, though.”

His eyes meet Layla’s, and he whispers, “I’m sorry, my rainbow.”

She looks at him with so much love, it makes my heart feel at ease, knowing she won’t blame him for his mother’s actions. “Don’t apologize to me, Falcon. None of it was your doing.”

“Well, it’s a relief knowing I didn’t almost kill my best friend,” Kingsley suddenly mumbles.

“You know I never blamed you,” Layla says.

“I know, but it didn’t take the guilt away.” Kingsley shakes her head. “Why do people have to be so mean? Why can’t everyone just get along?”

“Greed,” Preston answers her. “The more you have, the more you want, and the more ruthless you become to get it.” His eyes widen when he realizes what he just said, and then he sputters, “I-I don’t m-m-mean you guys.”

“No, you’re right,” Lake agrees wryly. “That’s why I won’t join CRC.” His eyes lock on mine. “I’m not strong enough to not let that kind of power change me.”

“It’s an intense feeling,” I admit. “You’re instantly on a high.”

“I wish I was twenty-one,” Kingsley says. “I’d love a drink right now.”

I begin to laugh and shake my head at her. “When’s your birthday? I’ll make sure there’s plenty to drink for your twenty-first.”

“It’s on the nineteenth of July. I’m cancer.”

“I don’t know shit about star signs,” I mutter.

“When’s your birthday?” she asks.

“February fifth,” I answer.

“That explains everything,” Layla says, and she begins to chuckle.

“What?” I ask.

“You’re Aquarius, dude.”

“So?”

“Aquarius are detached, stubborn, and no middle path exists for them,” Preston reads off his phone.

“What he said.” Pointing at Preston, Layla tries to hold back her laughter.

“Your birthday is around the corner,” Lake murmurs. “We need to organize something.”

“Let’s get through the next week, and then you can throw whatever party you want,” I say, just wanting all this shit to be in the past already.“I hate wearing caps,” I grumble when Lake holds one out to me.

“You’re going to burn out in the sun. Take the damn thing,” he orders.

I take it and pull it onto my head. “Are we early?”

“Here they come,” Falcon says.

I turn my head in the direction he’s looking, and then a smile breaks out over my face. Mr. Reyes walks in front with Mr. Cutler right behind him and my father’s at the back.

“Preston asked me why we don’t walk next to each other.” I point at our fathers. “I should just take a photo and send it to him.”