The Stars Are Fading Away

You're going through so much
But I know that I
Could be the one
To hold you

The car ride with Wren was silent again. I was getting nervous. I hoped I wasn't becoming some paranoid freak.

I stared out the window and bit my lip off. It felt like my phone was burning in my pocket because of Mason's newly entered number.

I tried to calm myself, but it wasn't working.

We pulled up in front of the building. Wren cut the engine and turned to me.

"I was thinking we could do something Sunday. Just you and me."

"O-Okay. Yeah. Sounds fun," I stammered. I sounded so nervous and guilty. I told myself there was no reason to feel guilty, but that wasn't working, either.

Wren gave me a small smile and leaned over to kiss me goodbye. I sighed into the kiss. It felt so good to have his lips on mine. I had fallen hard for this boy.

He pulled away and I opened the car door with a small wave good-bye. I climbed up the stairs to my room to do my homework. I dreaded it. The only thing I wanted to do was collapse into my bed.

I put my phone on the desk to charge later and opened my laptop. I took out my bag and started working.

After a few hours, my phone rang

I glanced at the caller ID, intending to ignore it.

The display name read:

--Mason--

It felt like my heart dropped through the floor. Why would he call me? If I didn't pick up would he assume Wren had done something to me? What if he called the police?

I stared at the ringing phone until the answering machine picked up. Then I snatched the phone from my desk and shoved it up to my ear.

"What do you want, Mason? Why are you calling me?"

"God, you're harsh."

"Why did you call? I'm busy."

"Sure you are."

"I'm ready to hang up, what do you want?"

"I don't know. To see if Wren didn't kill you."

This remark chilled me to the bone. Mason actually thought Wren would kill me? What kind of person did he think Wren was?

"Sorry. That was…"

"Yeah. It was. So, are you going to call me every night like this? Like on of those commercials that air at midnight? 'Do you know where your child is?' Can't you just mind you're own business?!" I snapped the phone shut and gathered up clothes to take a shower.

When I got back to my room, I couldn't fall asleep. I began thinking about Wren again. My thoughts gradually drifted over to Mason.

Mason was just trying to help me. Why was I pushing him away? He was nosy sometimes, but at least he cared. At least I had someone to run to. He called tonight to see if I was okay. Why was I such a bitch to him? Was I venting anger from Wren on him again? I sighed. I made no sense to myself. I pushed away the person who cared and embraced the person who hurt me.

I picked up my phone and looked for Mason's number in the contacts list. I intended to apologize.

I clicked on his number and listened to it ring one time before someone picked it up.

"Hellooo?" It didn't sound like Mason.

"Uh… hi, can I talk to Mason?"

"Oh cool, this is Mason's phone. Sorry, it was underneath the couch for some reason. I'll get him." I heard some footsteps and then someone knocking at a door. "Hey Mason, there's some chick on the phone for you!"

"Shit, where is my phone! God dammit—OH MY GOD THANK YOU DERRICK!" I took that to be Mason. I laughed.

"Hey."

"Hi. It's Amber."

"Oh, so you're deciding not to burn me out anymore?"

"Yeah… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so bitchy to you. You were just trying to help." I sighed.

"Okay. Sure. Thanks for apologizing. I do need to mind my own business a little more." He chuckled.

"Yeah. You do."

"Not nice!" He laughed.

"Okay, that's all I wanted to say. And… do you think we could be friends?"

"For sure." I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Okay." I smiled. "Bye."

"Bye, Amber."

I flipped the phone shut, curled up under the covers and went to sleep.