Page 44 of Escape Velocity
He has much more important things to do than to sit and wonder what all the pomp and show is for.
Mason grabs his bag and runs out the door. He’s going to get his mind off Callum and do what he does best.
He’s going to do some physics.
“Still feel like going to the party?” Mason asks as he slumps down next to Jenna on a picnic table on the quad.
She jumps as he startles her, and he smirks as she tries to maintain her composure.
“Can you please stop startling me?”
Mason smiles and shakes his head. “No.”
Jenna rolls her eyes.
“Anyway, what do you say? I know you’re just itching to see Callum.”
Jenna squints at him. “I think you’re getting me confused with yourself.”
Mason sighs and nods. “Very funny. Seriously, I’m down to go. We’re in desperate need to expand our social circles.”
Jenna squints and nods. “Okay… and where is said party? Did Callum text you?”
Mason nods. “He did, it’s at the Alpha Psi Kappa fraternity. I know a few of the people fromThe Goldbergare going, too.”
Jenna nods slowly. “Hmm.”
Mason furrows his eyebrows. “What?”
Jenna shrugs and starts eating some baby carrots from her bag. “Oh, nothing. I just thought that maybe Callumwas the reason you wanted to go, since you know, he invited you.”
Mason avoids her eyes.
She sighs. “But that shouldn’t be a problem, right? You and Brown are all buddy-buddy now I guess,” she says.
Mason twists his mouth. She’s playing mind games with him, and he refuses to play ball.
“I doubt he’ll even know I’m there. I just wanted to… I don’t know—get to know some other people. Plus, there’s a cute guy on the paper that’s going.”
Jenna raises her eyebrows. “Okay, now there’s therealreason I was waiting for. What’s his name?”
“Alex,” Mason says.
It’s a lie. He’s not sure if Alex is for sure going. He mentioned it in their lastGoldbergmeeting, but he’s hoping Alex meant it, just as a cover for Jenna.
Mason bites his lip and nods.
Jenna smiles. “Okay, well then, I accept your invitation. When is it?”
“Tonight.”
Jenna lightly shoves him. “Way to give a heads up.”
Mason puts his hands up. “Callum just told me this morning. He just said ‘soon’ last night when he asked us.”
Jenna rolls her eyes. “Whatever. I gotta get to class, I’ll see you tonight, okay?”
Mason blows her a kiss. “It’s a date.”
