It Was Always You

Chapter 2

I woke up the next morning instantly regretting what happened the night before. Why would I just let someone I barely know kiss me? Was I trying to get over Levi by finding someone else? Was I genuinely interested about Mason.

My thoughts were on pause when Charlotte texted me.

“Girl! Give me the details! Mason walked you to your car and now he keeps asking Devin when we can all hang out again. What did you do to this boy?!”

I closed the messaging app on my phone and just rolled over with a groan. But my mind kept wandering to Mason’s kiss last night. It was warm and soothing, almost like he really cared about me.

Jesus, Sutton! Get it together! You and Levi broke up not that long ago and it doesn’t look right to just move on to someone else after a break up. But Levi had no problem with that. I had always suspected him and this one girl were getting way too close in the hallways at school, and right after we break up, he’s holding hands with her in the hallway. What a pig.

Once I finally rolled out of bed to use the bathroom, I heard my phone ding again. I figured it was Charlotte since I didn’t answer her last text immediately and share the details she was waiting so impatiently on but instead I see a number I don’t recognize.

“Hey! I know it’s a little late to be texting this but I hope you made it home safely last night!”

Just from that one text, my stomach began to have butterflies. I didn’t have to ask who it was from because I already knew. I typed and then deleted, typed and deleted, and this went on for about a couple minutes. I didn’t want to seem too eager that he texted me and give him a “Hey! Yes, I made him home safely last night!” message. I finally settled on a response that I was hoping would open a conversation.

“Hey! Well I woke up in my bed this morning so I would say that I made it home last night. Lol. I never got your number to make sure you made it home las night safely. We can call this even.”

Good lord, Sutton. Just write the damn boy a book with that message. Would he think I was being funny or being a b***h for saying that? Why did I send that? Is there an “erase message” app for these phones?

After a minute of not getting a response, I decided to take a shower to clear my mind. But while I was in the shower, all I could think of was that kiss and how nice he was to me last night. My mind kept wandering off before I could even put shampoo in my hair. Focus, Sutton, focus. He’s just a guy you met last night and you’re not completely over Levi. Or am I?

I get out of the shower and see a text message from ten minutes ago. I feel like that was a good amount of time between texts. I didn’t want to look desperate like I was waiting on his response or anything.

“What are you doing today?”

In all honesty, I was doing absolutely nothing. I was off from work today and planned on staying home to sit in front of the TV to watch a scary movie and shove my face full of snacks. But I decided to text him a different response than my actual plans.

“Just took a shower and I was going to make some food to eat. What’re you doing?”

“Do you like four wheeling?”

I’ve seen music videos of people going through mud pits in their cars and always thought that was a little fun. I had never been, but I wasn’t sure what Mason was talking about.

“I’ve never been to be honest.” Just call me a wet blanket because I don’t do anything anymore.

“Want to meet me at my house in about an hour? I think you’d like it.”

I agreed to Mason’s invite but immediately began to panic. What would I wear? As cliched as that sounded, it was how I was feeling at this exact moment. I dried and straightened my hair, put on some make up, and after about three outfit changes later, I was in my car headed to the address Mason texted me.