Coldhearted (9781311888433)

by Matthews, Melanie

  Edie felt like a celebrity and didn’t like it. “Oh, that’s nice, but—”

  “No buts,” Rebecca said, cutting Edie off. “Now what will you have?” Rebecca was waiting for Edie’s order, smiling, pen over pad.

  “Uh...” Edie shrugged, and then looked around at everyone else’s meals. “Burger and fries?”

  “’Kay,” Rebecca said, writing it down. “And to drink?”

  “Coffee, please,” Edie said, still feeling cold.

  This lingering finger on her neck was becoming worrisome.

  Mason chuckled, oblivious. “Coffee with burger and fries?” he said, as if it were the craziest combination. Yet he was smiling sweetly at her, as if it weren’t a sin.

  Rebecca gave him a light slap on his arm. “If that’s what she wants, then that’s what she gets. Now do you want your usual? Burger, fries, and a vanilla milkshake?”

  “Milkshake?!” Edie blurted out, laughing. “It’s freezing outside.”

  Mason smiled. “As you’ve reminded me, Edie, I’m hot all the time. I don’t feel the cold.”

  Rebecca bent over, her face close to theirs. Edie could smell cigarette smoke on her uniform. “You two going out?” Rebecca asked, curious, obviously in need of gossip.

  “No,” Mason and Edie said in unison.

  Rebecca stood and tapped the pen against the pad, twice. “You could’ve fooled me. Well…I guess if you won’t fess up…I’ll put your orders in, and then come back with your drinks.”

  When Rebecca left, Mason and Edie started staring at each other, smiling.

  “What?” Edie asked, still smiling.

  “Nothing,” he replied, still smiling.

  Then they laughed at the same time, giddy with each other’s company.

  Edie felt Mason’s scarf caressing her skin. “Thanks for this,” she said, holding up the tasseled end for him to see.

  “No problem. I wasn’t using it anyway. You can keep it, you know.”

  “Oh, no, I—”

  “Yes, stop. It’s yours.” He smiled. “It looks better on you anyway. It’s not red, but blue looks good on you too.” He lifted his hand to brush his hair back and winced.

  “Is your finger okay?” Edie asked.

  Mason appraised the bandage. “It hasn’t started bleeding again, but it’s still kind of sore.” He wiggled his finger. “I didn’t know paper cuts could be so brutal.” He sighed dramatically. “Well, it’s official. I’m never going to pick up a book again,” he declared.

  Edie chuckled. “What about your school texts?”

  “I’ll get the audio version,” he deadpanned.

  Edie chuckled again. “You’re silly, Mason Fenwick. No wonder all the girls have a crush on you.”

  He furrowed his brow. “Who told you that?”

  Edie hesitated, biting her lip, and then said, “Jules. She…also said you’ve recently gotten out of a bad relationship.”

  Mason frowned and took a glance around; perhaps on the lookout for his ex. Satisfied at not finding her, he gave Edie a small smile of relief, but then frowned again. “We dated for years. In the beginning it was…fun, but after awhile, she changed. I changed. I’d thought about ending it sooner, but I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, and I didn’t want to be alone. Late last year, she ended it, said she wanted to see other people. Little did I know that she’d been cheating on me already.”

  Edie gasped. “No. That’s awful.”

  Mason lifted one shoulder into a half shrug. “It’s in the past now. I’m over it. Over her.” He caught Edie’s eyes. “I’m ready to move on,” he said in a determined voice.

  Edie’s heart was racing like a jackhammer. Suddenly, she was hotter than a lava bed. She loosened Mason’s scarf.

  “Edie?”

  Edie looked up into Mason’s expectant eyes. “Yeah?”

  “Have you made up your mind about going to that sanatorium?”

  Oh. She wasn’t expecting that question. She was expecting something along the lines of: Will you marry me? Hey, it was possible.

  “Uh, I don’t know yet,” she replied. “I still have a few days to think about it.”

  “Remember, Edie, if you do go, I want to be there with you, okay?”

  Edie nodded and smiled. “Okay.”

  Mason opened his mouth to say something else, but Rebecca cut him off, arriving with their drinks.

  “Here you go,” Rebecca said, “and your orders should be ready soon.”

  “Thanks,” Mason said, taking his milkshake.

  When Rebecca put the coffee in front of Edie, she was so hot, she couldn’t drink it.

  “Problem?” Rebecca asked, surprisingly observant. Then again, she was a waitress.

  “Uh…can I get a milkshake too?”

  “Of course,” Rebecca said. “Be right back.”

  Mason slid his over to Edie. “Take mine.”

  Edie waved his offer away. “It’s okay. I can wait.”

  “I insist. Or better yet...”

  With a spoon, Mason dipped out some of his milkshake and stirred it into her large cup of coffee, mixing the two extremes.

  “This tastes way better. Try it,” he insisted.

  Edie watched Mason dip a straw into the milkshake/coffee mixture, and then motioned for Edie to do the same. She did, and then took a small sip, not sure, but she was surprised at how good it tasted.

  “See?” Mason said. “Better, right?”

  Edie nodded, silent, and continued sucking on her straw. Mason was staring into her eyes, as he did the same. Then he stopped, but continued staring at her.

  He smiled. “We look like a commercial for Valentine’s Day.”

  Edie loosened her lips and pulled away. “Huh?”

  “Yeah, like those commercials about two lovers, sharing a milkshake, or walking hand-in-hand along the beach, then he gets down on one knee, and proposes to her.”

  Edie’s heart was racing again. “Oh, really?” she asked, sounding blasé, and then went back to her concoction.

  “Yeah, but obviously that’s not what we’re doing. I mean, I haven’t even picked out a ring yet.”

  Edie nearly swallowed her straw.

  “You okay?” he asked, after she’d coughed up her lungs.

  “Yeah,” she replied in a scratchy voice, keeping her head down, embarrassed.

  “Sorry for implying I wanted to marry you. I know how ugly I am.”

  Edie looked up to see his teasing smile. She chuckled. “Yes, you are hideous,” she agreed, playing along.

  Mason covered his face with his hands. “Don’t look at me. I’m a monster!”

  Edie was still chuckling when Rebecca came with her milkshake. “Thanks,” Edie told her, and then slid the glass over to Mason. “I’ll finish your witch’s brew.”

  ****

  When they were done eating, Edie excused herself to go to the restroom. It was on the other side of the restaurant, away from the patrons, and there was a long line waiting to use it. But Edie was content with a smile on her face, thinking about Mason, when suddenly, a dark shadow fell in front of her face. Edie jumped back from the two girls, who were staring at her, as if Edie were their archenemy.

  “You,” the first girl called out, making it sound like an accusation.

  The girl with dirty blonde hair clearly had an attitude. The other girl with dark brown hair, dyed blonde, said nothing, but her nose was wrinkled in anger.

  At me? What’d I do to them?

  “Yeah?” Edie ventured to ask.

  All the other girls were staring at them, enthralled at the drama unfolding.

  Dirty Blonde Girl said, “You going out with Mason?”

  “We’re just friends,” Edie said, a bit too quickly.

  It was the truth but Edie wished that she’d let the girl fume a bit before answering.

  “Don’t look like it,” her friend said in a nasty tone.

  “Hush, Ravenna!” Dirty Blonde Girl held up her hand, silencing her friend, but she
never took her eyes off Edie. “Word of advice, new girl: don’t play if you’re not willing to get dirty.”

  She stormed off, swinging her wide hips as she went, with Ravenna following behind like a lost puppy. All the girls, except two, went back to staring at their phones while they were waiting in line. The show was over. Undoubtedly, a few had recorded the confrontation and was now uploading it online. Edie hoped that they’d gotten her good side.

  A girl with curly brown hair, who was standing by Edie’s side, turned and greeted her. “Don’t worry about her. She’s super crazy. I’m Diana, by the way, Diana Christensen.” Diana gestured at another girl with wavy red hair and a face full of freckles, standing beside her. “This is my friend, Madelyn Corrigan.”

  “Hey,” Madelyn said. “And you’ve just met Mason’s ex, Rochelle Lafayette, and her only friend in the world, Ravenna Gallo.”

  “I figured as much,” Edie said. “Honestly, Mason and I are just friends.”

  Diana gave Edie a smile. “That’s not what we’ve seen.” When she studied Edie’s worried face, she quickly added, “Oh, Madelyn and I haven’t been spying on you and Mason or anything. It’s just well…it’s hard not to notice. If you’re just friends now, I can bet you’ll be going out by the end of the week.”

  “Yeah,” Madelyn said, smiling. “Mason’s crazy about you.”

  “Not Rochelle Lafayette-kind-of-crazy,” Diana corrected her friend. “The good kind of crazy; the kind involving love and finding your soul mate, you know, romantic. Not demented,” she added.

  Edie liked Diana and Madelyn. They had a great sincerity about them and seemed like God-sent angels after Edie’s encounter with Rochelle and Ravenna. Edie had no great expectations, but she hoped Diana and Madelyn would be her new friends.

  They chatted some more, waiting, and discovered they had the next class together. After they’d done their business, they promised to meet up later at school.

  Edie was beaming when she went back to her table with Mason.

  But he wasn’t smiling. “You were gone for a long time. I was worried.”

  Edie’s grin faded into a small smile, knowing that he’d only been concerned at her long absence. “Oh, I’ve just met Diana and Madelyn and we got to talking. Do you know them?”

  Mason smiled and Edie felt a rush of relief. She didn’t like it when he wasn’t smiling.

  “Yeah, they’re cool. Besides me, those two are probably the only people I’d recommend you being friends with. I’m worried about Jules with the whole ghost-hunting thing, but…I’m not going to tell you what to do. There are worse people to hang out with.”

  Edie grimaced. “Yeah, I met Rochelle and Ravenna.”

  Mason’s jaw clenched. Then he loosened it to speak. “What did Rochelle say to you?”

  Edie furrowed her brow. “How’d you know?”

  He sighed, aggravated. “She always has something to say to any girl in the general vicinity of where I am.” He shook his head. “I don’t get it. She was cheating on me. She ended it with me.” He sighed again. “What’d she say to you?”

  Edie didn’t want to start a fight.

  “It’s okay. It’s nothing,” she lied.

  Mason reached across the table and clasped her hand. “Please, Edie, tell me.”

  Edie bit her lip, and then said, “Something about how I shouldn’t play if I don’t want to get dirty…or something like that. I’m paraphrasing but that’s basically what she said.”

  He shook his head and groaned, agitated. “That girl’s crazy. I’m sorry she said that to you. Let me know if she does it again.”

  “What will you do?”

  “Tell her to shut her mouth,” he said through clenched teeth. Then he started looking around the restaurant. “As a matter of fact…I might just do that right now.”

  Edie squeezed his hand. “No, Mason, don’t. Just let it go. She didn’t get to me. I’m fine.”

  He squeezed her hand back. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.” She gave him a smile. “Thank you.”

  He smiled back. “There you go again, thanking me. What’d I do this time?”

  Edie placed her other hand on his, carefully, so as not to further hurt his wounded finger.

  “I’m thanking you for being you, Mason Fenwick.”

  Rebecca chose this moment to return with the manager, Jack—who claimed to be Edie’s uncle’s biggest fan—and told them that the meal was on the house. Edie and Mason gave their thanks, and then Mason left a tip for Rebecca.

  As they were leaving the restaurant, with Edie’s arm wrapped around Mason’s, she heard someone call her a “bitch.” She didn’t turn around. She assumed that it’d been Rochelle, venting. Yet when she sat inside Mason’s truck and adjusted her seatbelt on, she heard the offensive word again. She rubbed her ear, hoping this simple action would make the voice inside her head stop.

  Yes, she was hearing voices. Jules had been right.

  But was it paranormal? Or was Edie not normal?

  Chapter 7

  “Well, this is where I leave you,” Mason said.

  They were standing at the threshold of Edie’s next class. She could see Diana and Madelyn, waving at her to come inside and sit next to them. Edie held up her forefinger, telling them that she’d be there soon.

  She turned back toward Mason, who surprised her with a quick kiss on her cheek.

  When he pulled back, he was blushing. “Call me,” he said, and it was almost a plea.

  Before Edie could assure him that she would, he turned and started walking away. She watched him, feeling sad at his abrupt departure. At the end of the hallway, he halted and turned back toward Edie, giving her a smile and a wave. She returned both and he continued on his journey.

  If she were to die right now, she’d be happy.

  ****

  The desks for Mr. Ballantine’s psychology class were arranged into groups of three. Diana and Madelyn had an empty desk with them that’d recently been vacated. Edie was beginning to think that there was such a thing as fate.

  “Hey,” Diana and Madelyn greeted Edie in unison, smiling.

  “Hey,” Edie returned with a smile too.

  Diana pushed a textbook over to Edie. “Mr. B asked us to give this to you.”

  “Oh, thanks. Wait, Mr. B?”

  Madelyn explained, “I don’t know how it started, but it’s what we’ve always called him, and he doesn’t seem to mind.” She smiled. “It’s kind of cool, right?”

  Edie smiled back. “Yeah, it is.”

  Edie looked over to find the teacher, sitting at his desk in the front of the room. When he caught her stare, he quickly averted his eyes, as if he were afraid to maintain contact. Edie found his actions weird, but didn’t dwell on them, having Diana and Madelyn near her. They gave Edie a comfort that she desperately needed. Mason comforted her too, but his comfort was different than Diana and Madelyn’s. There was a friend’s comfort, and then there was a potential boyfriend’s comfort.

  Edie knew that she was probably jumping the gun, but she had hope, and besides Mason wasn’t exactly giving her the cold shoulder treatment. His care and concern for Edie was practically exuding from his body like the sun’s rays. In Edie’s book that was more than just being friendly.

  She wished that he were in her psych class, but having Diana and Madelyn with her was great too. She liked the group desk idea and hoped that Mr. Ballantine wouldn’t break them up.

  She dared to look at him again. He performed the same action that he’d done earlier, darting his eyes toward a blank space on the wall.

  Edie leaned toward Diana and Madelyn. “Is Mr. B always so nervous-acting?”

  Madelyn smiled at Edie. “You’ve noticed that, huh?”

  “He’s not weird or anything,” Diana said. “He’s just really shy.”

  “Then why is he a teacher?” Edie asked.

  Madelyn shrugged. “I think it’s something he doesn’t really want to do, but had no other choic
e. He’s not a mean teacher,” she added. “Nice.”

  Diana winked. “And not bad on the eyes, either.”

  For the third time, Edie appraised Mr. Ballantine, taking in his features. She couldn’t tell if his eyes were bright or dark; he kept looking away from her. Otherwise he was young and hip with shiny, chestnut-colored hair, parted to one side. He was tan, too tan for Grimsby, but Edie figured it was either genetic, or he frequented a tanning salon. He was wearing a white dress shirt, no tie, and when he stood, Edie noticed that he was wearing blue jeans. She guessed that he was in his late twenties, but could pass for eighteen, he looked so youthful.

  By the way all the girls—there were no boys in the class—were looking at him, they thought that he was dreamy. No wonder he kept looking away from Edie. He didn’t want to be accused of anything indecent.

  She scanned the classroom and found to her relief that neither Rochelle nor Ravenna were in attendance.

  “Where’s the terrible twosome?” Edie asked Diana, who was sitting across from her; Madelyn was at Edie’s side.

  Diana gave Edie a look. “Jennings had to put them in study hall for fourth period. Rochelle tried unsuccessfully to hook Mr. Ballantine. When he went to Jennings about it, she denied it. She had Ravenna lie and say it was him who initiated it.”

  “Yeah, it was a whole big thing,” Madelyn added. “There were meetings with their parents. The superintendent got involved and all that. Anyway, Jennings relocated them and class has been so much better without them. They’re like…a plague or something.”

  She shivered, but she didn’t look cold. “It’s like they ruin everything they come into contact with.”

  To Diana and Madelyn, Edie said, “That explains his behavior.”

  “What does?” Madelyn asked.

  “Well, ever since I’ve walked in, he’s refused to look at me, and after what you’ve told me about Rochelle, I think he’s not necessarily shy, he’s scared; scared another girl is going to accuse him of something.”

  Madelyn considered this, and then said, “Makes sense,” agreeing.