Page 35 of Escape Velocity
“Anyways, I was just telling you that this sudden random wave of Callum positivity is not so random. I was able to… I don’t know… tune into my old feelings for that article I guess.”
Jenna nods and goes back to typing on her computer, likely realizing how she can’t afford to get sidetracked with her assignment being due at midnight.
“And it’s only feelings you’ve had… in the past?” Jenna says, her eyes focused on her computer, but her tone is accusatory, like she’s seeing something in him that he hasn’t noticed in himself yet.
“Yes?” Mason replies, not knowing why she’s being so off.
“Hmm,” she replies, clacking away at her keyboard. Mason doesn’t like that “hmm.” It seems like an unconvinced “hmm.”
He wants to tell her his Callum obsession is a thing of the past, but then he figures she will push back on it, and they’ll end up arguing again. He doesn’t have time for that; he has a midterm to study for.
Mason gets an email from Fiona the following week asking for him to do another football game coverage for the first October issue ofThe Goldberg.
He mulls over going to another one since the one he originally went to, but he doesn’t see any point in going ifhe doesn’t have notes to take. If he focuses too long on the game or on Callum, he fears that he might grow attached to the actual game.
Sometimes Mason wishes they would let him do swim meets or basketball games. Anything except for football. Writing down his thoughts about Callum’s gameplay brings up feelings he doesn’t want to feel anymore and the more he gets to avoid it, the better he can write.
He tried asking Fiona again if they could put him on something else when he handed in another sample of his writing last week and he just got a blank stare from her. He wishes he hadn’t asked.
He’s on his way to his next class, traveling somewhere between the science pavilion and the Lawson Biology building when he hears someone yelling his name from behind him.
An unfamiliar voice, surely a football player voice, but not Callum’s.
“Mason!”
He whirls around and sees Callum’s best friend, Craig, along with Joel. He has this goofy smile on his face when he sees Mason.
Mason stops and sighs heavily, turning around and crossing his arms as Craig approaches him, with Joel squinting his eyes at Mason like he’s trying to understand how Mason could possibly receive any attention from a football player.
“That player profile you wrote about Callum wasawesome,” Craig says in his goofy tone.
Joel sneers, but Mason tries to ignore it.
“Thanks. I had to write about the team and how they played so I could get on the school paper and that was myfirst assignment,” Mason says, a small smile tugging on his lips.
“Well, you are theman, Fanning,” Craig says, punching Mason’s shoulder not-so softly, forcing Mason to let out a grunt and rub his shoulder.
Joel scoffs. Mason wants to ask him what his problem is, but Craig’s bubbly energy is harder to ignore.
“I have to write another piece about the next game so maybe I’ll see you there?” Mason says, not knowing how he’s able to hold a conversation or have something in common with the mammoth-like tight end player.
“Definitely, dude! I’ll let Brown know. I know he’sdefinitelygonna be looking out for you after how good that article was,” Craig says with his eyebrows high, nodding his head enthusiastically.
Joel’s sneer deepens. “Aren’t you a physics major? Why are you on the school paper?”
Mason opens his mouth “Well, I?—”
Joel interrupts him. “And why are you doing sports, anyway? It’s not like you know how to throw a ball let alone what a touchdown is.”
Mason huffs, he opens his mouth, but he doesn’t have a snarky retort to give back to Joel. He’s only able to do it in writing.
Verbal comebacks are a whole other ball game.
“Dude, he sodoesknow what a touchdown is,” Craig defends Mason, as he slaps Joel’s arm.
Mason grabs the straps of his backpack. “Football has a lot of physics involved, and math is the building blocks for any branch of physics. The vertical velocity and the angular momentum of the ball can all be derived using math.”
Joel closes his eyes and shakes his head. Craig’s mouthforms an “o” like Mason just said the smartest thing he’s ever heard.
