Chapter 4

Ophelia

After the teacher gives us instructions, she tells us we can scatter throughout the school and find a place to sketch. Without saying a word, Mason takes my hand and leads me out the door and out into the courtyard of the school. He takes a seat leaning against a tree and motions for me to sit as well.

“So you are the famous Ophelia?” I look at him like he has just dropped a bomb, and he chuckles at my look. “Maggie didn’t shut up about you when she came home. I was visiting Cole and heard her.” I shake my head in understanding. “Cole is her brother.”

“Oh, so that is the one that everyone is trying to sink their claws into.” I laugh at this. Mason smiles at me like he completely agrees. “Maggie was amazing last night. That girl won herself a spot in my heart.” I smile at him. “So, mind if I start first?”

“No, go right ahead. Mind if I talk while you do?” I shake my head no letting him know he is free to talk. “So you seem different from your sister. She came walking into the school like she owned the place. I can already tell she is going after that queen bee position.” He laughs as he says this. “Are you sure you two are related? You look nothing alike, and you defiantly don’t act alike.” He grins, and I think he knows he is getting on my nerves.

“I’m pretty sure we are related. My parents favor her more, so she became a spoiled brat, and for whatever reason, she hates me. Trust me when I say that she makes people’s lives a living hell when she wants. Alright, your turn.” I show him what I have so far.

“Damn. You’re good.” I smile at him and give him a quick thanks. “So Maggie warned Cole about her. Whether that will do any good or not, I have not got a clue. Cole tends to do whoever or whatever he wants.” He laughs as he says this.

“So are you saying your friend is a man whore?” I laugh at this. Mason laughs along with me.

“Just so you know, you intimidated me in the classroom. That staring made me feel like I was about as big as a mustard seed.”

“Sorry. I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about, and I saw it firsthand.” He laughs again. I raise an eyebrow at him because I have no idea what he was talking about. “Maggie and then all the whispers in the hall.” I nod my head in understanding.

“Maggie, I get but the whispers. It must be how the new girl is a letdown in the looks department.” I know that has to be the reason. No one in their right mind would think any different.

“You couldn’t be more wrong if you tried. You are far from a letdown. I would say most are trying to figure out how to either get in your pants or be your friend. Ophelia, you have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?”

I look up at him in shock, no one has ever said anything like that to me before. My parents do nothing but ridicule me for my looks, and I can’t figure out what Mason’s angle is in saying all this. We fall into a silence that isn’t uncomfortable at all, and he works on his sketch.

"Sooner or later Ophelia, you'll understand the effect you have on guys. Most of them are gonna be intimidated by how smart you are, so the only ones that are going to ask you out are the ones that have the balls to do it. Not everything in life is how you see it. It sounds like you are blinded by what your family says."

“We should head back to class and get our stuff. The bell will ring in about five minutes.” He stands as he says this and offers his hand for me to use to get up. “I think you and I are going to get along just fine, Ophelia.” With that, he takes my hand, kisses it, and walks off. I stand there, shocked for a moment. Did I imagine all that?

For the first time in my life, I am honestly perplexed by what a boy has done. Most of the time, I can reason out what has happened with simple logic. Boys are physical beings, who most of the time, only think about their physical needs. I know this sounds judgy, and maybe it is. The thing is that all my experience with boys has ended the same way, disappointment.

I need to stop thinking about this kind of stuff. It will only lead me to be heartbroken in the end. Guys don't like me like that. Mason must be messing with me because I'm new. That is the only thing that can explain all this. I need that to be the only thing that it can be. I've already let my guard down and let Maggie in. I can't just be giving everyone a free pass to break my heart.

Cole

I make my way to my locker and see a grinning Mason walking up to me. We have been friends for as long as I can remember, so I know that this look has something to do with something he knows that I don’t. I close my locker and look at him, silently telling him to spill whatever it is that has him grinning like an idiot this early in the morning.

“So, I met her. Not the bitchy one, yours.” I roll my eyes immediately know that he is talking about Ophelia. “She is one of a kind that one. She was in my art class, and that girl has some talent. She is just as amazing as Maggie said. I may have to snag her up for myself.” I give him a look that tells him that he had better shut up fast. “I know, she’s yours. But when you’re done, I may just be there to pick up the pieces. I could fall hard for her.”

“You just met her man. You’re willing to give up having anyone at any time to be committed to one girl?” I ask this in all seriousness. Mason never talks about girls at all. He just hits it and quits it without telling anyone anything. He thinks that a true man never reveals such things.

Mason is like most guys in that he likes the variety of any girl at any time. I myself am the same way. I think that if most guys were hones they would say the same. There is too much going on in life to settle down to one girl who is going to demand your time. I want to live my life for myself and no one else. A girlfriend just complicates that.

“For her yes, I would. Don’t break her man. I like the girl.” He walks off as he says this. I’ll admit that I have never shown this much interest in a girl before, but that doesn’t mean that I am going to fall in love with her. There is nothing that says I have to spend the rest of my life with her just because I took an interest. I make my way to English and notice that someone is talking to Mr. Nash the teacher. As I get closer, I see that it is Ophelia.

Nash looks like he just got to open a Christmas present early with the way he is looking at her. Nash is in his early twenties, most of the female population of the school thinks that he is good-looking. To me, he is just another guy. I notice that Ophelia seems to be slightly blushing and almost a little uncomfortable with the situation. I take that as my cue to walk into the classroom. I make sure that Nash doesn’t do anything to upset her. Once he notices me, he quickly wraps up what he was saying and points her to a desk to have a seat.

I make my way toward the back and sit at a seat where I'll be able to watch her. I’m curious as to what she has done to make Mason so infatuated with her. I know what my sister told me, and that's why I did take an interest, but there has never been anyone to capture my interest and most certainly not my heart.

I think that I need to get to the bottom of what makes Ophelia Harris such a big deal to the people that are around her. She is beautiful, but that doesn't mean that she is someone that people genuinely care about. There are tons of beautiful girls around, but most of them are the worst kind of people. People who expect things just because they are good-looking have ugly souls. Mason would never gush about someone like that. Just who are you