mason-lockhart:
Mason said nothing at the other rules, merely offered a nod here and there before accepting the pen. He looked down at the list, taking a deep breath. This was what he wanted. Wasnât it? Without a second thought, he lifted the pen and signed his name beside hers, marking the document as officially as he could. He tossed the pen into the container afterward, waiting for the ink to dry before carefully folding up the document. He didnât know what theyâd do with it. If they lost it, would it make their rules any less significant? And if they didnât, would they still have its hold? Mason didnât know. All he knew was that he found himself agreeing to her plan. âOne last time,â he agreed, handing her the paper.Â
Mason rose from his spot, pulling on the discarded jacket heâd taken off when entering her room. âLetâs do it now. Just get it over with,â he said. The sooner this was done, the sooner they could move on. Yet, when he turned back, he didnât know whether to offer his hand or to just gesture forward. How did they work as friends? They had been enemies and lovers for so long, Mason didnât think he remembered. He offered his hand regardless. âOnce and for all.â
Lily didnât know the rules anymore as he held out his hand to her. The rules between friends cloudy when it held him as the subject. She hesitated, thoughts churning as she decided. In the end she found herself stepping forward and linking her fingers through his, as she wouldâve done with Carter. âWe should go now, before someone else comes along,â she said. The Billings girls, while now under her rule, could still be demanding. Lily lead them both out of her room, staying silent as they made their way across campus hand in hand.Â
It felt so formal, so definite, the contract between them set in place like the last nail of a coffin and there was no going back. Blue eyes settled on his, the feeling of every mistake made with him sinking into the pit of her stomach as she stepped away from him and tugged on the door to Gwendolyn Hall. Her lungs filled with air as she took one last breath before entering, the dark hallway smelling of dust and stored memories. She didnât turn to meet his eyes when she felt him step in after her, instead she held her head high as she made her way towards the room that served as their own. âI heard theyâre thinking about tearing this place down.â She said, dragging her finger across a dusted covered table. She could remember every kiss shared with Mason in this room, the way goosebumps would spread across her skin when his lips grazed her neck, her heart racing at the thought as she swallowed hard. âProbably for the best.âÂ
Each step closer to Gwendolyn Hall was heavier than the next. His breath hitched as they reached the grand entrance of the once formidable Gwendolyn Hall. Mason prided himself of being a risk taker. Brave but stupid was used to describe him on more than one occasion, but heâd never felt so petrified as he did in that moment. This was final. The final nail on the coffin. He wondered if Lily could feel how sweaty his hand had gotten. For that reason, he was glad she was the one who opened the door. Taking a deep breath and releasing his hold of her, he followed in after.Â
The room was quiet, not a mouse in sight, but all he could hear was the echoes of their laughter. His hands traced the desk where he carved their initials, under the many other couples of the past, with hearts around their names and promises of forever ever after. He wondered if any of them ever made it either.Â
âHere,â he announced, looking up at her as if it werenât the hardest thing he had done. âWe should put it inside this desk,â he said, lifting the wooden section. Removing the contract from inside his jacket pocket, he tucked it carefully inside the empty desk, that was now coated in dust. He shut the desk, yet not before staring at the carving once more.
âI still remember when I did this. We were fooling around and you got mad at me for some reason and started chasing me around. I uh, fell over this desk. Then we saw all these names.â He left his eyes fall over the rest. His mouth parted as if he were going to say more, but no sound came. He tore his eyes away, both from her and the desk. âSorry. Right. Rule Number One. No talking about the last two years.â He laughed, a distorted sound that didnât sound very funny. âThis is starting out great, donât you think?â He dared to look her in the eye.Â
âWhat do we do now,â he asked, hurt and confused, guilty and broken all at once. What had he just done.Â
















