Just Another Metro Station Romance Novel...

TRACES POV
After Travis fell asleep mason took his iPod back and hooked it up to he stereo. The acoustic version of “stay awake” by all time low came over the speakers and mason smiled, but it was soon replaced with a very focused look.

He stared out at the road ahead of us squinting every once in a while to look at street names and speed limits. Soon the song changed again to “dear Maria”, mason started dancing slightly in his seat. He seemed so innocent for some reason, just when you see him he seems… young?

He’s short and has a sweet smile, he seems timid when he’s meeting someone that he doesn’t know, and isn’t a fan. But then you hear his music or you see him at a club and your entire idea of him changes.

In fact, when I met mason I wanted nothing to do with him. He barely said anything, he didn’t look very happy, and he seemed like he was scared of me. But after we got to see each other alone at his house he opened up. He was making jokes and playing his music, just being cool.

That is until he played one of his more personal songs.

We where listening to the cd’s that we had ripped for each other and his voice came over.

“ Call me over, I'll be sleeping on your bed
Kill me softly, I'll be writing the words you said
I just wanna see your face
I just wanna, wanna see your face
Come and get me out of this place
Come and get me out of this place

Oh god I better figure this out
My heart is racing why are you layin’ down
You've got the answer on the tip of your tongue
I'll kiss you and touch you then the truth will come

Look in my eyes, I'm in love, please believe me
A kiss and a touch, now, you aim to deceive me
What am I supposed to do without you?
This is a game and I'll play if you want to

Call me over, I'll be sleeping on your bed
Kill me softly, I'll be writing the words you said
I just wanna see your face
I just wanna, wanna see your face
Come and get me out of this place
Come and get me out of this place

This is it, I'm leaving tonight
My back was turned and he used a knife
You broke my heart, you know damn well
Don't touch me now, don't cast your spell

Look in my eyes, I'm in love, please believe me
A kiss and a touch, now, you aim to deceive me
What am I supposed to do without you?
This is a game and I'll play if you want to

Call me over, I'll be sleeping on your bed
Kill me softly, I'll be writing the words you said
I just wanna see your face
I just wanna, wanna see your face
Come and get me out of this place
Come and get me out of this place

This is it
This is it
This is it
Bye, my dear

Call me over, I'll be sleeping on your bed
Kill me softly, I'll be writing the words you said
I just wanna see your face
I just wanna, wanna see your face
Come and get me out of this place
Come and get me out of this place

I had thought that I heard something, but I hadn’t been sure. “wow, that awesome. Can I hear that again? I’m not used to these speakers?” It had been an excuse, but I really wasn’t used to that kind of speakers.

“Um, yeah. Yeah…” he looked worried when he clicked ‘replay’, and at the time I didn’t know why.

About half way through the song I heard it again, “my back is turned and he used a knife”.

I decided to forget it and blame it on the speakers or the way that he recorded it.

After the song ended he ejected the disk and put it in its case. I gave him the c.d. that I had in my pocket and he put it in. After about 30 seconds “Danielle” played.

After we had finished listening, mason picked up a guitar. He played a few chords and squinted as he changed it slightly. Still not satisfied he tried it again, completely of tune. He sighed, “Here, let me try” I took the instrument and put my hand on the neck, and when I strummed the strings mason smile. “Nice, actually, perfect! That’s exactly what I was looking for!”

He had finally opened up to me, even if it was just a few words, it was something.

I wanted to know if he would really open up, but it would have to be something that would encourage him to let his guard down, maybe just give a hint of why he’s so shy.

“You seem cool mason. Some of my friends and I where going to go to this club tonight and see if we could find some chicks, but they bailed and I have nothing to do. So I figured that you might want to check out cali at night? It has to suck being stuck in here all of the time.”

He thought about it for a second and said “sure, where at?”

“Its more of a rave than a club, but its completely underground since its at an old house instead of a warehouse, I don’t have the address but I was there last night so I know the place. I can drive you.”

“Alright” he smiled and nodded, “what time should I meet you?” he glanced at the clock on his bedside table and muttered, “shit…”

“What?” I gave him the same look that I had when he had turned on the wrong road.

“Um, its nothing, you should go.” He bit his lip and looked scared.

I shook my head and said “so, ill see you at my house, ten o’clock, see you then” and I walked out of his door, or threshold rather, he had no door.

I hadn’t known then what I was going to see that night but I did have an idea stuck in my head. He did have a song that was filled with “hers” and “she’s” so I thought that the “he” thing was a mistake, or he was bi. It didn’t really matter to me at the time, as long as he didn’t hit on me.

On the way to the club I asked him if he was planning on drinking since I didn’t really want to be stuck with the “designated driver” role. He said yes like it was obvious and I rolled my eyes.

Once we got to the party a chick shoved a red cup in my face and I pushed it away. Mason got the same reaction from the girls and did the same as I had. what is up with this kid?

I watched him as he moved to the kitchen and came out with a red cup and a smile on his face. I kept the stare as he found a guy sitting on a couch with a rainbow ribbon tied around his wrist and started talking.

The two talked for a while, getting closer to each other every few sentences until they started to lean in, getting closer by the second.

Mason dove in and I looked away, rubbing my eyes and trying to get the image out of my head. I heard people “woo-ing” and whistling as the attention turned on the two on the couch. I looked back at them and waited for them to take a breath before I shook my head. god, I’m not even like that with a hot girl
He trailed his hand down his face sucking partners neck and I swear I could have heard one of them moan over the music that had been turned down and the people talking. The two broke apart and mason whispered something at the other.
I couldn’t see the other persons face, but mason smiled at whatever he had said back. Mason stood up and walked away with the random on his trail, up the stairs and undoughtably into one of the large bedrooms that had concealed (or not) countless hookups.
I roamed the room but found nobody interesting. I didn’t know anyone that I passed and I just wasn’t as interested as the girls in lowcut shirts and “stripper boots” as i called them.

Mason came down the stairs about forty-five minutes later with a confident and cocky smirk lighting his face.

I walked into the kitchen before he could find me and picked up a plastic, neon green, shot and threw it back. I let the liquid burn my throat before I listened through the crowd for masons’ voice.

I heard his laugh that I had already memorized and soon heard his voice, “yeah, I’m fine. I’m at a party actually, can I call you back?... well, then ill talk to you soon… alright, I miss you, I cant wait to see that picture… alright, then fine, bye.” I found him against a wall with his phone pressed to his face.

He smiled and shoved the IPHONE back into his pocket.

“Hey, are you ready to go? I have to get home before two or there is no way that I will get enough sleep to get up with Noah in the morning to get her breakfast and take her to ‘day camp” I rolled my eyes at my little sister who was still interested in cutting and pasting with a bunch of kids.

“Yeah sure…” he looked down like he was embarrassed.

A few minutes into the drive home I spoke “I really wasn’t expecting that earlier.”

He looked up suddenly. “Look, I didn’t mean to freak you out, and I never would have even done that if I hadn’t had anything to drink. It’s just that moving here, leaving my life in Texas, my friends, my extended family, my boyfriend, my past. It’s just stressful and I wanted to get away. Look, if you hate me then must drop me off at my house, or pull over and I can walk, I understand, I’ve done it before, its no big deal, just don’t yell or get mad.” He sighed and looked back down again.

“I’m not going to kick you out and I’m sure as hell not letting you walk home. I’m not mad and it okay.” He looked surprised, and then he smiled.

“I’m used to this and I really don’t care if you’re gay, just, do me a favor and don’t try anything. Seriously I don’t need another guy hitting on me, it really isn’t my thing” I laughed at the last part, remembering the parties that I had been to.

“thanks.” He smiled. A real smile that was warm and sincere and thankful. He kind of nodded his head a bit.

“So, who where you talking to earlier?” I said, trying to continue the conversation.

“My boy-“ he stopped himself “my ex-boyfriend. He just got a haircut and he wanted me to see it, so he emailed me a picture and he wanted to let me know so that I wouldn’t delete it before I saw it.”

“Your ex? What Happened?”

“Right before I moved here he decided that he didn’t want a long-distance relationship. He said that it would be too much work and there would be too much to miss out on. I got fed up with it and stopped returning his calls and I deleted his messages for a while, but I picked up earlier, almost on accident, when he called and we talked for a while. I’m not mad at him for what happened anymore, but its still strange to talk to him now.” He sure was doing a lot of talking.

“hm, so I guess you’re happy?” my voice was dripping with sarcasm. “so you get a one night stand and your ex back in one night?” this time not so sarcastic.

He laughed as he spoke. “Well I’m guessing that you don’t want to hear about what happened there and he and I are not back together, thank you very much.” He smiled.

“TRACE! What the fuck dude?!” he yelled at me.

I was back in the now. Mason was rolling his eyes at me and I just smiled at the beautiful boy.

The car had come to a stop at the hotel and mason was stepping out of the car. He went around to the backseat and opened the door. “Dude! Wake up!” he was just trying to get it over with.

“WAKE. UP. Get the fuck up Travis!” mason shook Travis and he just made a “get the fuck away from me” noise.

“fine.” He said with fake lure “just stay here. But I’m leaving the doors unlocked and I’m telling every girl around here that you are in this car just waiting for one of them to come and do him. Now I know that you don’t want that.”

He moved his hand around looking for something to throw at him. He found the headphones and weakly threw them at mason.

“HA-HA!” he started to laugh “you missed by a LONG shot! Come on! I swear I will drag you up to the room and you won’t like what happens after that…”

Travis shot up and spoke groggily “IM UP! IM UP! Just don’t try that, I may love you bro but not like that.” He laughed; unaware of what had happened earlier.

“Well then lock up will ya? I’m getting inside, it’s cold out here.” He walked away and gave me a ‘get-inside-before-he-does’ look and a wink. I smirked back, signaling that we where thinking the same thing.

I jumped out of the car and caught up to mason at the elevator, and right before he turned around, I sighed. well Cyrus, what was going to happen tonight?