CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Ever since the hall incident, as Cheryl liked to call it (even when Elijah noted that the name is clearly one that doesn't give off the essence of the real incident since she almost DIED. But the girl is an idiot, whats new?). She started behaving in a very concering way, even James, with his rivarly towards the white haired girl, started getting weirded out.

"I can't believe this" James mumbled in shock, his eyes going from Cheryl to Elijah, who was seatting next to him putting his hand on James' knee as Oliver was checking his injuries. "Is she for real?" Then he turned back to the girl who was putting on a silver opal shaped necklace "Are you for real?"

"Yes, why?"

At that exact moment Mason walked in, after finishing his walk around the castle in a mission to find the vampire that had made an attempt on Cheryl's life, or thats what they assumed he tried to do. Whatever his goal, his actions where going against the King, going after his daughter and against his orders was a direct insult to him.

The tall man froze at the sight of an injured James, seatting in the pink bed with Elijah by his side and Oliver checking on his wounds which would take at least a couple of days to heal. But that didn't mean that the sight of James torn back did not create a panicking feeling in Mason.

How could it not? They've been friends for.... well, forever. Or at least what felt like forever. He could remember the first time they met like it was yesterday;

Mason tugged at the collar of his wrong sized grey shirt for the sixth time in the last five minutes, and the training session of the day hadn't even started. He shouldn't have put the shirt in the dryer, he was trying to win time since he was far too lazy to do his laundry earlier and then he did, and in half an hour before the training session.

So, you could say he was paying for his own mistakes. And considering the shirt was also making him feel scratchy other than just small, then he was paying a heavy price.

Someone bumping into him in high velocity that almost knocked him down. Yet the person didn't even seem concerned as they continued walking away, totally unbothered. Now, considering Mason was suffering from a lack of sleep, too small for comfort clothes, that were also so fucking scratchy, and the fact that he wasn't even in the mood for training, he was kinda at his tipping point. And that's how the two ended up exchanging punches on the floor, Mason was proud to say that he was winning till the teacher came in the room, gave them a tired look and forced them apart before sending them to the infirmary of the Academy and then to the principal.

Seatting outside of the infirmary, both boys bleeding from various parts of their faces with pape stuffed in their noses that had began to turn red from the blood as they avoided eye contact. Mason, did so mostly out of shame and embarassment at his sudden outburst, sucking on the inside of his cheek trying to come up with a good way to apologize

'Sorry I hit you, but my shirt is too small' That didn't sound very good. Maybe if he removed the 'my shirt is too small' part and changed it with 'you bumped into me, you bastard', but propably without the bastard bit.....

"This is you fault" the boy next to him said

'I'll keep the bastard bit'

And once again, they got into an arguement that quickly became physical till the nurse came and pulled them apart and lead them into the infirmary where they sat in different beds, and the nurse made a point to pull the curtain in between them, he could tell these two were going to get into another fight for even one wrong look so it was best to keep them as seperated as possible.

Now, how that turned into a friendship is thanks to an incident that took place the very next night, when they were both put in detention for obvious reasons. That's a tale for another time, besides they both promised to never speak of it again.

Mason didn't have time to act on this feeling when Elijah redirected his attention with a question

"You got him?"

With a solemn look Mason shook his head in disappointment and shame at his inability to do what he was made to do, track. "It's weird, like" he took a seat next to them on the bed "he dissapeared off the face of the earth"

Mason looked at Cheryl who was putting on a pair of clip earrings on (girls got a tongue piercing but is too scared to get her ears pierced? Yes)

"He could be dead" Oliver suggested after he finished cleaning and patching up James back and he went to seat next to Mason, trying really hard not to touch the brunette while also trying not to ponder on the fact that Mason looked even better with a man bun and a slightly angry expression. "Its more difficult to track down dead people"

"If he is in the castle halls, I will find him. Dead or not." Then he asked "Why are you looking at Cheryl with a shocked expression?"

"She wants to go hang out with the King" explained Oliver, avoiding eye contact and instead chosing to focus on putting away the bandages. Mason made a choked sound

"You what?"