Who am I, a heroine?

Chapter 7

“Hey, are you okay?” Cayden asked when we arrived at the cinema. I guess he noticed that I was quieter than usual.

He was right though. I was quite on the way here and just listened to him talking about how nice of a girl Katie was. That’s the name of the girl he was watching the movie with. The movie which he was supposed to watch with me. I couldn’t help but feel totally jealous and I thought it was better if I just stayed quiet before I said something I would regret later.

This will be harder than I thought, but I need to be strong and get over him as soon as possible before I ruin our friendship.

“Yes, I am fine. She sounds like a nice girl.” I said with the fakest smile ever, but I tried, I really did.

“She really is,” he said with a smile. He bought our tickets and we were just waiting to get into the movie hall while we were ignoring the people whispering around us and staring. We were already used to it.

When we were kids, it irritated Cayden a lot and he used to tell them that they should mind their own business and staring was mean. He was always my hero.

“She is so nice and kind…” so he started it again. He didn’t even notice how fake I sounded. I guess it was true when they say ‘you are blinded by love’. I mean… he doesn’t even love her yet and I hope he won’t either, but it could be something like that.

I just let him talk about her and sometimes say ‘oh, that’s cool’ or laugh when he laughs. I totally feel like a sh*tty friend who can’t be glad for her friend’s happiness, but I can’t help it.

“… so what do you think I should do? How should I ask her out?” He asked helplessly. She was the first girl he liked. Of course, he needed some advice from me, from his best friend, and I will help him as much as I can, even if it breaks my heart.

“Honestly? I don’t know a lot about dating, since I never had a boyfriend before , but I think you should just be confident and walk up to her and say…

‘Do you want to hang out with me after school?’

…I think that would do.” I told him with a shrug of my shoulders.

“Yeah… that’s simple and straightforward… I like it.” He said with a smile and I couldn’t help but smile back at him. “What then?” He asked excitedly and it was kind of good to see him like that.

“Ask her what she would like to do after you invite her to eat somewhere. You can go from there. You will get to know her better, so you will have more ideas for the next date.” I said and his eyes were shining from the excitement. “But no matter what you do, just be yourself. She will like you, I am sure about that.” I added, and his face lit up even more. Of course, she would like him. Maybe she already does.

“Thank you so much, Sera. I don’t know what I would do without you.” He said and pulled me into a hug. That sentence made me really happy. I was glad I, at least, was important in his life, one way or another.

“What are friends for, huh? Now let’s go to watch that movie.” I said with a smile and we could finally take out seats and the movie started.

*

*** Mason’s POV ***

*

Me: Where are you, man?

I sent a text to Cayden after school. I was waiting for him so we could go home together. Serena wasn’t in school anyway, so he could come with me freely, without her being the third wheel all the time.

Cayden: I'm busy.

He replied shortly and I rolled my eyes. He was still upset with me. I shouldn’t have been so smug earlier at lunch, I admit. It was stupid of me. Of course, he started to suspect that I had something to do with this whole thing with Serena. I had, but not the way he thought I had.

To tell the truth, I didn’t have a date planned with Annie. I just asked her and Katie to go to the movies with me and Cayden. I wanted him to like someone else than Serena. I don’t know if he likes her like that, but I think he does. Otherwise, why would he hang out with her all the time? I just don’t get it. She was beautiful and smart, but everything else was fake about her. She was acting all naive and shy when people approached her, but I don’t think she was like that. I think in reality she liked all the attention she got and I hate fake people. She thinks she was like a god damn princess.

Me: Oh, come on. Katie was asking about you.

I sent the text and waited, just waited and then boom. My phone started ringing.

‘I know you, my friend.’ I let out a chuckle before answering the phone.

“So you are not that busy when it comes to Katie, huh?” I teased him.

“Shut up. What did she say?” He asked impatiently. His voice turned excited and I started dancing in my head. My plan actually worked.

“She asked what was wrong with you at lunch and later she asked where you disappeared.” I told him. It was true, she really did ask. “I also want to know, by the way. Where are you? I am waiting in front of the school.” I told him as I looked around.

“Don’t wait for me, I am at the cinema with Sera.” He said and my smile faded right away. Damn it. Again her.

“Sera? Did you guys talk then?” I asked curiously, but then I remembered he actually accused me earlier today. “So you know that I didn’t tell her anything, right?” I asked him disdainfully.

“Yeah, we are good and sorry for blaming you.” He said and I let out a sigh. At least he liked Katie. I just needed to be patient. I didn’t want him to be friends with Serena at all. He didn’t need fake friends like her. She was totally in love with him. She was not his real friend. She just wanted him for herself. I wonder if she was a half witch. You never know around here, but then we have a big problem.

“Oh, okay. I am going to hang out with the girls later, wanna come?” I asked him. I had no plans, but since he was with Serena, I needed to play dirty to spend time with my friend.

“I will check with Sera, but I need to go now. People are complaining.” He said and hung up on me when I heard someone shushed him in the background.

I let out a frustrated groan and started walking to my bike to go home.

Why the hell did he say that? Does he want to bring her as well? I can’t believe this guy. Why can’t he be without her for a day or two? We had a lot of attention on us everywhere we went when she was there and I always hated it. I hated it when people were staring at us because she was there. Like a f*cking celebrity.

She was lucky she was the daughter of the Alpha. That was the only reason I was not that mean to her… and Cayden, of course. He is overprotective of her. Otherwise, I would have bullied her even more. She is irritating me so much and I can’t really explain why.

*

*** Serena’s POV ***

*

The movie ended and Cayden was right. I really liked it. It was fun and unpredictable. I really like that kind of movie.

“So… Mason asked to hang out with them. He was with Katie and Annie. Do you want to?” Cayden asked me hopefully and I could see the excitement in his eyes. How could I say no to that? He looked so adorable.

“It’s okay, just go. I have a lot to do at home.” I told him with a smile, trying to support him. The last thing I wanted was to see them flirting. It was too soon for that, so I will just let him go alone.

“Like what?” He asked while he rolled his eyes. He didn’t believe a word I said. “Come on, I want you to meet Katie.” He whined and I let out a sigh.

‘He is my best friend. He is my best friend. He is my best friend.’ I was chanting in my head.

“Alright, Casanova, but I won’t stay for long.” I told him and he started jumping from happiness. He was always silly, but he was especially happy today and it was good to see him like that, even if I wasn’t the reason for his happiness.

“Thank you. You are the best. Come on. I am sure you will be good friends.” He said and I smiled at him. It felt good to know that he cared about what I thought about the girl.

We went back to the packhouse and Mason was already in the main hall with that girl, Katie, but I didn’t see the other one anywhere.

“Hi guys, where is Annie?” Cayden asked curiously and the two of them looked at each other.

“She needed to go home, her mom called her.” Katie said, and I got to look at her from close. She was a beautiful girl with blonde hair and brown eyes. She had a good figure and she was tall. No wonder Cayden liked her.

“Oh, okay. Katie, I want you to meet my best friend, Serena. Serena, she is Katie.” Cayden introduced us and I smiled at the girl as Cayden pushed me forward.

“Hi.” I told her shyly and she looked at me with a smile on her face.

“Hi.” She said and then turned back to Cayden. “I was waiting for you after school, I wanted to show you something, but Mason said you had already left. Can I show it to you now?” She asked him sweetly and I had a strange feeling about this girl. Don’t ask me what or why because I can’t explain, it just feels… strange.

“Of course, I will be right back, Sera.” Cayden told me and I nodded my head with a smile while he walked away happily with Katie.

“Your majesty,” Mason said mockingly and bowed his head in front of me.

“Very funny…” I said sarcastically, and sat on the couch opposite of him.

“Are you a masochist?” He asked and I narrowed my eyes at him. “Just asking, because you are here watching the guy you like, having fun with another girl. You must like pain.” He said with a chuckle and that was a low blow, really low.

“Stop that nonsense, Mason. If you have a problem with me being here, you should tell Cayden. He was the one who insisted. I didn’t want to come.” I told him. He was being nice the other day. I guess he was back to being an as*h*le.

“Whatever. I know you like him. You can deny it all you want, Princess.” He said smugly and I so wanted to put my feet into his mouth to shut him up.

What if he tells Cayden and he stops being my friend?

“You are delusional and annoying. I don’t even understand why a nice guy like Cayden is being friends with you.” I told him. He was the only person who could get on my nerves in a minute.

“I can tell the same about you. Exactly the same. Plus you are also fake.” He said as he narrowed his eyes at me. He wasn’t smirking anymore. “Do you think he would have even noticed you if you were just an omega? People only know you because of your parents and not because you are good at anything. You are pathetic.” He spat disdainfully and his words hurt me, I must admit. Especially the way he said them.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my tears in check. I didn’t need him to laugh at me for crying in front of him because he said something mean.

“I don’t know why you are hating me so much, Mason. What did I do to you?” I asked him frustratedly while I threw my hands in the air. I hoped Cayden would come back soon before this gets any worse.

“Tsss… your existence is hurting my eyes. I just can’t stand you, don’t you get it?” He said angrily, and I had never seen him like this before. He was suddenly furious.

“Why?” I asked him in a shaking voice. I didn’t like it when people were fake and too nice to me, but nobody talked to me before like he was talking to me, no one. My heart clenched in my chest and it literally hurt to breathe.

“You are really stupid.” He said as he rolled his eyes and let out a tired sigh. “I just hate you. I hate your whole being. There, I said it. I wish I would never see you again and I wish Cayden wasn’t your friend either. I can’t hang out with him because you are always there like a god damn leech.” He said and my breath hitched from his words. I felt the tears threatening to fall and I tried to blink them back. I won’t let him see me cry.

“You are unfair, Mason.” I managed to whisper. I was afraid I would burst into tears if I talked more or any louder. I couldn’t believe he told me that. I wanted to say more, but I couldn’t and didn’t even see the point in it, so I just stood up and walked away.

He didn’t stop me and didn’t say anything else that I was glad about. He said enough. His words were still repeating in my head.

‘You are like a god damn leech.’

‘I can’t stand you.’

I hurried upstairs and ran past my brothers who were arguing about something in the living room while tears were running down my cheeks.

“Sera? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Damien asked with wide eyes.

“Did someone hurt you?” Dylan asked with narrowed eyes, but I just went into my room and locked the door behind me. I didn’t want to deal with anyone. I just wanted to let it all out, hoping I would feel better after that.

Mason was never this harsh towards me. He never liked me and always teased me, but today, he was really mean and hateful. Like he had been holding back in the last few years. Today everything burst out of him and I learned my lesson.

I will stay away from him.