Page 62 of Escape Velocity
Mason stifles a sneer at her and takes another sip of his apple cider. He’s quickly running out.
“I hardly think that’s a necessary comment, Jose,” his mom says, looking insulted herself.
“How do you mean? I just meant that he can do great things.”
His mom sighs. “He already is. I think hearing it from us is enough.”
Aunt Josie opens her mouth to retort, but the doorbell rings and his mom immediately gets up to answer it. Mason smiles at his mom’s ability to use her words to cut someone down. She used it all the time and they’ve destroyed people, some people who didn’t necessarily deserve it, but his Aunt Josie did this time.
“Elena! So glad you’re finally here!” his mom exclaims as she welcomes them in. Mason hears boots stomping and jackets being taken.
His father walks over and starts taking it from them, obstructed from view.
Something in his stomach twists as he thinks about who just walked into his house. He has this unsettling feeling that the evening is only going to get worse.
“The traffic was terrible, luckily Elena has the patience of a saint, unlike me,” a familiar voice says in the foyer. A voice that makes his skin crawl and his stomach sink. He already knows before he walks in that his night is truly going to get worse.
Elena walks in and exclaims. “Mason!” She runs over to him, and he gets up and she hugs him so tightly.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. And Mrs. Fanning, I’m Joel.”
He can’t even process seeing Elena again as his eyes lock on the foyer and the emerging figure.
He squeezes Elena tighter, trying to grab onto something stable. One last fleeting moment of happiness before cold, blue eyes meet his.
For a second, he thinks it’s a coincidence, but all his hopes and dreams crumble as Joel Whitlock walks into his living room.
Metal forks and knives clang on the china as everyone silently eats their dinner.
Mason and Joel have been making tense eye contact all evening but haven’t said anything other than “hello” to each other. Mason’s waiting for the shoe to drop.
To think that Joel could at one point be his family member if his worst nightmares comes true and Elena decides to marry him.
“So, Joel, what’s it like to be a Montgomery student?”his dad asks in between bites.
“It’s good fun. I’m on the football team,” Joel says as he makes unwavering eye contact with Mason.
Mason clenches his fork harder and cuts into his turkey harder.
Both his dad and mom glance at Mason with confused looks.
“So you both must know each other then?” his mom asks.
Mason nods. “Yeah. I’ve mentioned him in some of my game coverages.”
“We also went to Northwood together,” Joel adds.
His mother squints at Mason and glances between Joel and Mason like there’s something they’re not telling her. Technically there isn’t, she just doesn’t know how much they dislike each other.
“He’s made quite a name for himself reporting on Callum at Montgomery, though,” Joel says with a smirk on his face, glancing between the table to gage their reactions.
Mason wants to kick Joel’s shin underneath the table.
“You’re reporting on Callum?” his dad asks in astonishment.
Mason realizes through this question that his dad hasn’t been reading his pieces, only his mom has. He’s not sure if he appreciates it or not.
Elena looks troubled and is likely wondering why there seems to be so much tension at the whole table. Meanwhile, Josie seems to be eating it up, likely chomping at the bit to see trouble under her sister’s roof.
