We're going old school and when I say old school I mean Carter and Mason in high school.

The chapter Playing Hooky is reference in this chapter.

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The normal sounds of everyday school life buzzed around Carter and she filtered it out like the annoyance it was. Though somethings couldn't be filtered out when they appeared right next to you as you stood before your locker.

Though Carter really wished she had a special filter for this one person. At least she managed not to react when Mason suddenly appeared by her locker.

"Owens," he said. "It's my birthday."

Carter knew it wasn't. His birthday had been two weeks ago but decided to go along with it for the time being.

"I apologize," she said. "If I'd had known I would have worn black to mourn the occasion."

"Hilarious. My sides are killing me from how hard I'm laughing," Mason said.

Carter didn't look at Mason as she exchanged her notebooks. "I'll work harder next time so they finish the job."

"You are a bucket of happiness I wish someone had tossed out."

"Where would you get your laughter from if I wasn't here?"

"I don't know, the death of a beloved pet."

"If that's a hint at what you're asking for your birthday you're going to have to hint to someone else," Carter said, closing her locker. "I don't do birthday gifts to people I don't like."

When she walked away, Mason followed her. Carter ignored him but going on two years of dealing with him understood the futility of trying to ignore him. Why they still interacted at all, Carter wasn't completely sure about but there they were, talking.

"I told you it's my birthday for a reason," Mason said.

"To garner attention and somehow make me care that you were born. Not gonna happen."

"No, it's because I'm having a party tonight at the Bradford hotel ballroom and for some reason, my father believes it's diplomatic if I invite everyone in my class. I say it's a way to pander to the parents of my classmates but he denied it when I said this."

"Good to know. No need to feel like he's pandering to my dad, I won't be going."

Mason stopped and Carter continued on. For some reason, instead of using the break to let their conversation end, Mason rushed forward, catching up to her.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"Go to a party for someone I don't care about and be surrounded by people I don't like at a place that I don't feel any attachment to and spend hours mindlessly ignoring everyone involved? You're right, how can I say no to that?"

"But you could make fun of everyone there."

That was a solid argument but not one heavy enough to outweigh the negatives of the whole thing. She could easily make fun of everyone as easily at school than having to go somewhere else to do it. What would a change in location offer? Nothing that she could think of.

"I can do that here," Carter said, "without feeling the need to buy someone a gift they won't like."

"You don't have to buy me a gift."

"Great. Then I still won't come and won't feel guilty about not caring about getting you something."

Mason grabbed Carter's arm, stopping her from walking. They created a pocket in the middle of the hallway, no one wanting to accidentally pump into Mason and no one daring to knock Carter. It didn't mean the surrounding students didn't slow their steps though. Everyone knew at this point the type of antagonistic relationship Carter and Mason had. Free drama was free drama. But Carter didn't care.

"You should come," Mason said. "I know how you love making people miserable with your presence."

Carter looked at Mason and past his taunting grin, to his eyes. It never felt natural for his eyes to look so human, so vulnerable. In fact, it freaked her out when he did convey a depth of human emotion.

"You sound like you actually want me there," she said.

Mason let go of her arm and laughed as he took a step back. "Only passing on my dad's wishes. Don't go looking for something that isn't there, Owens."

"I wouldn't dream of it. Enjoy your party, Mason."

Carter turned away as Mason spoke, his voice not at all convincing when he said, "I will."

**********

Carter sat in a booth in the deli, headphones on, eyes closed, ignoring the homework in front of her. The faint noise of the families eating filtered through her music but it was a familiar noise. It was more tolerable to her than the noise of her peers.

A hand nudged her foot that rested on the other seat and Carter opened her eyes. Maggie grinned at her and Carter removed her headphones.

"I have five minutes," she said. "Anything interesting happen at school?"

Carter hesitated and Maggie curled her lips in curiosity.

"This should be interesting."

"Who said anything interesting happened, I could be thinking."

"Nope," Maggie said, pointing at Carter. "I know your thinking face and that wasn't it." She twirled her finger. "That was something else. Spill the beans, sister.

"No one says things like that."

Now smiling wider than ever, Maggie tugged at Carter's arm, playfully.

"It must be really interesting if you're avoiding the question. Come on, spill it."

Carter almost smiled but held it back. At times it shocked her how comfortable she felt with Maggie. How she felt seen, looked after by this woman. A woman who hadn't even been in her life three years ago.

It scared Carter a little as well. A person like her who came easily into her life could just as easily leave it as well.

But with Maggie looking at her like Carter was someone special, Carter nudged her feelings into a corner, hoping she never had to see that corner darken.

"Fine," Carter said. "Mason Douglas invited me to his party."

Maggie didn't respond beyond a doubtful look. Yeah, Carter had that feeling as well when Mason asked. Though maybe it wasn't completely far-fetched, Carter had played hooky with him two weeks ago. It hadn't been her choice, she felt it her duty to follow him to keep him safe...

She might have also wanted to escape that day as well.

But still, they weren't friends.

They were...

Enemies?

Antagonists in each other's life story?

She had no idea and didn't want to try and figure it out.

"Isn't Mason the-" Maggie started.

"The First Son?"

"-The boy that you are always annoying and arguing with?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"What?"

Maggie shrugged but the curl at the corner of her lips said that her shrug wasn't as causal as she wanted it to be.

"Nothing. I do think you should go," Maggie said.

Carter let out a loud unamused laugh which attracted a few curious looks.

"Funny, but that's not happening."

"You never know what might come of going and simply being a friend to Mason."

"Oh, I know what comes. A murder and life on the run. Nope, not happening."

Maggie eyed her for a minute but Carter decided it was time to take her homework seriously. Not that she wanted to but it would be better than Maggie's look.

Carter knew that whatever she was to Mason and he was to her she didn't want to change. Not for the better and not for the worst. They had an understanding, they both annoyed the hell out of each other. Why ruin a good thing?

"Are you going to do homework and ignore me?" Maggie asked.

"Yup, besides, I think your five minutes are over."

"All right but I think you're afraid to make a friend."

"Yup, that's it," Carter deadpanned. "Friendship terrifies me and that's why I don't want to go to a party. You found me out."

Maggie laughed and Carter dove into her work, not wanting to think about whether what she had said was the truth or not.

She was fine with how her life was right then. She didn't need friends...

She was fine.

Eventually, the sun vanished outside and the lights in the deli grew brighter. Checking the time, Carter collected her things and packed them up. She approached the counter and Maggie slid two sandwiches toward her.

"You should rethink going," she said.

Carter tilted her head and put on a ponderous expression. "Ummm... No. Happy?"

Maggie shook her head. "Making friends isn't a scary thing."

"Clearly you've never met any of the kids I go to school with."

Picking up the sandwiches, Carter left, knowing Maggie watched her. Sometimes Carter liked being seen, sometimes it was better than she wasn't seen so much.

When she entered the apartment, she knew Captain was already home. His suit jacket hung off the back of the armchair along with his tie. Carter smiled at the sight and let out a little breath. From the hallway, Captain appeared and Carter tossed him a sandwich.

"Heads up!" she said.

Her father easily caught the sandwich. "Is that what you're wearing for tonight?"

Carter looked down at her school uniform. One that had seen better days but still fit so it wasn't getting tossed out just yet.

"You're right," she said. "I forgot we wear formal attire for our dinner of sandwiches. I shall change at once. I shan't be but a moment."

Leaving her backpack by the door, Carter headed to her room but paused.

"I mean to Mason's birthday party," Captain said.

Slowly, Carter turned around to face him, wearing the exact expression she imagined anyone would wear when their father suddenly started spouting nonsense.

"What?"

"Mason's birthday party, the one you are going to tonight?"

Carter held out her arms and searched the family room frantically with her eyes. "Captain! Captain are you here? Has someone tied you up and taken your place? Mumble loudly if you need me to rescue you!"

Her father chuckled as he sank onto the couch. "Maggie called me. She made a good point that it might be good for you to go. You can see your classmates outside of school and it might help build some bridges."

"I've suddenly decided that woman no longer deserves to be in my life. Pack up, we move in the morning!"

"Sarge."

"Captain. Need I remind you that I'm grounded? I still have a week left on my sentence." She held up her hands. "I know, you are the parent and I must respect your decision to punish me. It's a hard punishment, but one I will see through to the end."

"I'm a forgiving judge and cutting your sentence. You've served your time. That means you're free to go tonight."

Carter stared at him, still not believing that he wanted her to go to this party. Something in his soft, steady gaze made her stow away her well of sarcasm.

"You want me to go?" she asked, quietly.

"I do. If it doesn't go well then you don't have to go to another one."

"All right. But I'm not getting a kid who has everything a present."

"Fair enough. Your presence will be enough."

Carter snorted. "Oh, I'm sure Mason will see it just like that."

**********

The entrance to the Bradford hotel was lined with secret service agents who nodded to Captain as he led Carter inside. She figured what he was actually doing was directing her since she had had the thought of sneaking away before she reached the ballroom. But he stayed with her through the security check and to the doorway to the ballroom. She looked up at him.

"It's not too late to go home and watch a movie," she said.

He kissed her head. "Have fun, Sarge. Text when you're ready to be picked up."

Carter instantly pulled out her phone but Captain put her hand over it. "Correction. I will be picking you up in two hours."

"Fine. I hate you," she said.

"Love you too."

When he didn't walk away, Carter knew he planned to watch her enter the ballroom and wouldn't leave before he knew she had. Maybe she could find a window to slip out through. Though with the number of agents around the place she'd likely be caught and reported to her father. Was the embarrassment of being caught worth it? She wasn't sure, she'd ask herself that question after half an hour.

Inside the ballroom, she found it didn't look like a ballroom at all but more of a nightclub with flashing lights, pounding music coming from a DJ stand, and a dance floor already crammed with people.

What didn't fit the nightclub vibe were the tables around the edges filled with food and the servers in white who stood behind them ready to assist. Circular tables took up spots where the food tables weren't located. A photo booth took up a large amount of space at the far end of the ballroom and already had a crowd of people waiting to take photos.

Carter scanned the entire room, not liking anything that she saw. How she was going to spend two hours here, she had no idea. Maybe she could hide in the bathroom and gather gossip. That idea wasn't at all appealing to her.

As she gave the room another once-over, she spotted the solution to her troubles. Grabbing a chair from one of the round tables, she hauled it behind one of the food tables. One that didn't have servers waiting on it but did have everything Carter needed: a chocolate fountain.

Carter pulled a tray of fruit, then one of sugary treats around to the back of the fountain. With a skewer, she stabbed one of the strawberries and poked it into the flowing chocolate. Two hours and a chocolate fountain to herself, well the night could be worse.

She knew she shouldn't have had the thought because someone approached her and she knew the world had wanted to contradict her.

"What are you doing, Owens?" Mason asked.

Carter only answered by eating the chocolate-covered strawberry and then stabbing a piece of pineapple. He didn't get her subtle threat, instead he found his own chair and joined her.

Carter planned to do some more overt stabbing to ward Mason off, but he didn't say anything, simply skewered a marshmallow and dipped it into the chocolate.

Maybe they both had the same idea: drown oneself in chocolate.

"Why are you having this party if you're not going to be a part of it?" Carter asked when she reached her limit of chocolate for the time being.

She wasn't done, merely giving her stomach time to expand to be able to consume more.

"I didn't want this party," Mason said.

"I find that hard to believe. Everyone is here to celebrate the fact that you were born and on top of that giving you gifts you don't need."

"And yet, I'm sitting here with you and no one seems to notice."

Carter didn't look at him, but looked at the hundreds of people enjoying themselves, and not one of them noticing Mason's absence. When she did look at him, he didn't look like he cared. But she wasn't sure she believed that.

"Why have the party?"

"It's my dad's way of trying to make up for the state dinner we had on my actual birthday."

"Ah." Carter poked a piece of brownie and angled the end of the skewer towards Mason without really looking at him. "You should try the brownie. It's good."

He plucked it off and put it on the end of his skewer. "Chocolate on chocolate. That is good. You should try the apricot."

Carter did and liked the blend of it.

"I didn't get you a present," Carter said.

"That sounds like you."

"I wouldn't even know what to get you."

Mason paused. "An old laptop computer. That's what I would have liked."

"Not a new one?"

"It's not fun to take apart a new one."

Carter nodded but didn't say anything to this, it was too much like they were getting to know each other. If they did that then they could start to think of each other as friends. And if they did that they wouldn't fight. And Carter might actually like him.

Leaning forward, Carter plunged her skewer into a grape that nearly exploded.

"Violent much," Mason said.

"You know this about me."

"Yeah and a reason I don't get close to you."

Though he meant it as a physical distance, Carter took it as an emotional one. Hopefully, he'd drawn his own line in the sand between them and didn't want to cross it, just like she didn't. That reassured her.

"You should go enjoy your party," Carter said.

"If it's my party that means I can do anything I want. I want to do nothing but stay here and eat chocolate."

Carter thought about leaving but figured she wouldn't find a better place to be.

"I don't like you enough to talk to you," she said.

"Good, you talking gives me tinnitus."

"Whenever you talk, I get a migraine."

Mason put his finger in his ear and wiggled it. "See there it goes, this high-pitched whining that never goes away."

"Easily solved," Carter said, putting a chocolate-covered cookie into her mouth.

"Now choke on it and all my problems will be solved."

Still chewing, Carter glared at him and he grinned back at her.

"We both know your problems go beyond me. It goes to your father and the issues you have there."

This time Mason didn't respond, using the excuse of eating something. When he swallowed his bite, Carter expected an equally cutting remark but Mason stood.

"You're right, I should enjoy my party. Stay here, Owens. I want to always know what spot to avoid."

Mason left and Carter sat back in her chair, not feeling the usual sensation of amusement when they verbally sparred.

But as she sat there alone, she figured this was better. Better to push away than risk getting closer.

At the two-hour mark, Carter stood on the curb and watched as Captain pulled the SUV next to her. She hopped in.

"How'd it go?" Captain asked as they drove off.

"What would you say if I told you I made someone cry at this party?"

"I would say you're not allowed to go to another party."

Carter grinned. "Okay, I made someone cry at this party."

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Bobbing Bobbleheads

(Question if the bobbleheads aren't bobbing then are they even bobbleheads to begin with?
Thank you for joining Random Pointless Questions with Joy)

Carter and Mason, the Happy Place that makes all other happy places look paltry. Well, I imagine it's that way, it is for me, and now that I doubt you must share your thoughts and tell me if they're your Happy Place too! 🗯💬💭🥰

Carter and Mason...

I will never get tired of writing them and if I ever do that's going to be a sad sad day indeed.

I think what I love about them is the fact that they bicker ALL the time. And Carter and Donovan don't do that. But then again they've never had an enemies to friends storyline.

Carter and Donovan had more of a suspicious start to friends to lovers type storyline. A classic in its own right but not the same.

Carter and Mason act like jerks to each other while unconsciously needing each other, it's great!

Them in high school is some of my favorite moments! So let me know if you have ideas for High School Carter and Mason situations I can write! 🤔

Before you leave me for some less wacky person or activity leave behind what matters... your love

Or simply a vote, comment, follow which is basically the same thing.

Comments from The First Son that out of context are hilarious!

😂😂 Well they made me smile hopefully they made you smile as well! Thank you for leaving comments that brighten my day! 💜

Because it's been too long since I've given you the chance to go 'awe' at my dog! You're welcome!