Life Is Life a Twisted Fate Manga

The morning sun slowly crept into Mason’s room giving way to a wonderfully warm sensation she most enjoyed in the mornings. Normally that’s what she would think but today was the first day of another school year. Starting her first day of Junior year in high school Mason couldn’t help but feel irritation toward having to step foot in those drama-filled halls for another year. She wanted nothing more than to graduate and get out of this place.

Mason uncovered herself from the blankets that looked like they had been through a tornado, she must have slept hard last night, and lazily walked toward the bathroom running her hand through her tousled hair. Reaching the bathroom she stopped to gaze at her reflection in the mirror, she definitely had slept hard, her hair was all over the place. With this being the first day of school she wasn’t sure what to do with her hair yet. Her dirty blonde hair fell just below her shoulder blades in beautiful but chaotic curls from the restless night. This was not something she wanted to handle at the moment so Mason decided that a simple high ponytail would do the trick, she wasn’t going to school to impress anyone anyway. She just wanted to ensure her hair did not drop down into her face or eyes while she was trying to study and take notes. She examined herself in the mirror moving her head back and forth to make sure she didn’t miss any strands of hair; she didn’t want any strays to tickle her shoulders or back during the day. Her high ponytail and curtain bangs seemed to illuminate her squared facial features, hazel eyes, freckles, and pouty lips more than they used to. She had heard as you get older your features can change slightly or significantly, and then hairstyles or makeup could make you look like a whole new person. Mason liked her natural features so she could never see the point of using makeup and she felt applying makeup also took up too much valuable time, sleep was a much better idea. In her freshman year of high school, a couple of girls had complimented her on her looks but she never thought of herself that way and decided to ignore them completely. The thought had come to her that she probably could have thanked those girls but felt it might have given them the wrong idea. With her main objective for school being to study and push for a scholarship to a top school so she could get out of this town, having friends was not something she could condone.

Her life wasn’t always like this, she had friends throughout most of her middle school year. Once her parents started traveling for work, and they were consistently gone the feel of loneliness felt like it crept into her soul and mind. They only sent money so she could buy any necessities needed throughout the week and made excuses of why they couldn’t make it home on holidays. Some time had passed before she started to pull herself away from any friends she once had, and the feeling of resentment crept in toward her parents. She wanted out. No distractions could be tolerated. Mason made her way out of the bathroom and across her room to the small walk-in closet, poking through her clothes she decided on a pair of plain dark denim skinny jeans, a black baggy graphics T-shirt with one of her favorite anime, and of course her beloved black Converse high tops. Taking what she had chosen back to her bed she slipped out of her pink silk pajamas and placed them on the end of her bed. She quickly slipped into the clothes she had chosen for the day and walked over to her body mirror that stood by her bathroom door to her reflection.

“Not too shabby I’d have to say. Well… time to catch the bus!” Mason said as she took in her reflection one last time.

Luckily, the bus stop was just a few houses down so leaving her house late did not make much of a difference. Mason quickly climbed aboard the bus just like she had every first day of school, it was starting to feel like déjà vu. She quickly noticed the rowdy bunch that had taken over the back of the bus, mostly juniors and seniors who still ride the bus. There are two boys specifically that always tend to stand out, the twins Caden and Shayne. These two always seem to get themselves into plenty of trouble, sadly they were also juniors this year. They are your typical skater boy types though; both have light brown hair that is just past their eyes and pushed off to the side. You could almost say they are identical if it weren’t for them having different eye colors. Caden has bright sky-blue eyes while Shayne has more of a light green olive color to his. Compared to the beauty standards in this country, they could easily become models if that was something they were interested in. The only way Mason could describe them is from pictures in some of the manga she had read over the summer. With their slightly elongated face, beautiful almond-shaped eyes, and pouty lips. The type of guys that always attract tons of girls, if they didn’t have everyone scared of them at least. The villains with good looks. They always used to wear skinny jeans in the prior school years but this year their style has seemed to change. They were both now sporting light-colored boot-cut jeans, they appeared to be taller and bulkier than she could remember as well.

Lost in her own thoughts she hadn’t realized her mistake until it was too late. Locking eyes with Caden she quickly made herself appear as if she were looking for an empty seat. Her insides felt like they were burning, and she let out a sigh, “What the hell was I thinking”! They were not the type to let something this trivial slide so easily. Spotting an open seat a few rows from the front she quickly sat down and released the air from her lungs that she didn’t realize she was holding in. “Not good! Not good! Not good!” Staring that long probably gave them the wrong idea.

As the bus came to a stop in front of the school Mason quickly exited and attempted to blend in with the other students to avoid any confrontation from the twins. The halls of this school never seem to change, there are always way too many people lingering in groups causing traffic jams. Most of the other students arrived before she did and had already found their seats. Scanning the room and found the only open seat that just happened to be right next to Mr. Caden himself. “Kill me now!”

“Ugh…” sighed Mason.

It didn’t surprise her that the only seat open was next to him and she had no other choice but to take a seat or else the teacher would assign it to her anyway. The key would be to not make eye contact and hopefully, that would be convincing enough that she had no interest in a conversation. She sat down in one swift motion and set her backpack next to the leg of the lab table for easy access and quick gathering. The stool next to her shifted slightly but she kept her eyes forward and on the board. Just as she was getting settled in the teacher walked in and the bell rang signifying the start of the class.

“Welcome to your first Biology class of the semester students! I hope everyone had a wonderful summer and is ready to get back to work.” Announced Mr. Preston. “We will start with a roll call to make sure we have everyone here today, please make sure to say ‘here’ when your name is called.” Well, if he didn’t know her name before he definitely would after roll call.

“Simon!”

“Here!”

“Shelby!”

“Here!”

“Caden!”

“Here!”

“Sally!”

“Here!”

“Mason!”

“Here!” Mason said almost robotically. The stool under Caden shifted again but this time she felt as though he had turned himself toward her. Mr. Preston discussed how the term would look and gave us a chapter to read for homework since it was only the first day, after what felt like hours the bell rang announcing the end of class. Mason tossed her books in her bag and quickly made her way out the door. The class had been relatively quiet but the stress she felt was immense, as she left the class there was an uneasy feeling of being watched. It made a tingling feeling go down her spine and she shuddered. “Next class, Next Class, just got to get to my next class! Don’t look around. Keep walking.” She was the first student in the classroom, which meant she could choose any seat she wanted. Front row far left right next to the windows, not only did this spot have a nice view but there were no obstructions to her view of the board.

She relaxed in the chair of her desk and closed her eyes to clear her mind before the class started. She could hear the footsteps of the other students entering the classroom as the bell announcing class would be starting soon. Letting out a sigh she opened her eyes and shifted her gaze to the door to watch as the other students entered and made eye contact with the spawn himself. Mason internally rolled her eyes. Caden did not break eye contact and took a seat at the desk directly behind her. Shayne followed Caden in and sat at the desk to the right of him. Her back felt hot and there was a lingering pressure on the back of her skull. Mason nervously shifted in her seat but managed to keep her eyes on the board. She twirled her pencil with her fingers and bounced her right leg nervously. It’s not that she was afraid of the twins instead she found them quite annoying. She always felt nervous around Caden, but she couldn’t exactly say why. She had watched him for years causing chaos amongst the other students and causing fights on the bus. She just didn’t want to cause trouble, but it appeared she had caught the attention of Caden somehow. Of course, it had to be the twin that made her the most nervous and the one who created weird feelings she didn’t know what to make sense of. Shayne had never shown any interest in Mason, which did not hurt her feelings honestly.

The rest of the school day seemed to pass by quickly, she had no other classes with the twins, and the day passed with no incidents. The bus was crowded as usual, and the normal troublemakers were in their places in the back. She glanced quickly back to see the twins were in their normal seat and Caden had caught sight of her already. Mason sat in the front next to one of the younger kids, this would ensure she could make it off the bus before the others. The stops seemed to pass by quickly and many of the other kids had departed at their stops. Another stop came, she felt her hair shift slightly almost as if the wind had caught it but there was no wind. She wiped her head toward the center aisle only to see Caden sporting a big smirk on his face and his hand fell back to his side as he exited the bus. She was in shock and was sure her face portrayed the same feeling as the look of amusement he had displayed on his own face. The rest of the bus ride home was a blur and her mind along with it. Confusion filled her mind trying to make sense of what had just unfolded just moments before. Mason was pulled back to reality by the bus driver announcing they were at her stop. Still in a daze, she exited the bus and made her way across the grass toward the front door of her home. Putting the key in the door and entering her home she slapped her face between her hands to bring her mind back to reality. This is not what she needed to be thinking about and couldn’t let what had happened distract her. She inhaled deeply and blew the air out through her mouth. She turned and shut the front door and locked it like she did every day when she returned home. Making her way to the living room she got herself comfortable and began to work on the schoolwork she had been assigned.

Time felt like it flew by as she read her assigned chapters, looking up at the clock on the wall it read nine-thirty. She had stayed up later than she anticipated and thought about what to eat for dinner. Walking to the kitchen to find a snack before heading to bed, she felt as if something was off. A knock rang across the house, and it didn’t seem to come from the front door. Her head snapped in the direction she heard the second knock come from, outside the large window that was next to the back door stood Caden. She didn’t hide her eye roll and sighed loudly.

“What do you want?” Mason said in frustration.

“Just open the door. I just want to talk.” Caden pleaded.

Mason groaned and slumped her shoulders. She walked toward the back door unlocked it and opened it for Caden. “Fine. But only this one time Caden.” Mason stated flatly. She turned to walk back to the fridge and found something small to eat. Only looked back when she heard the back door close once Caden had entered the kitchen.

“So, what did you come here for Caden?” Mason said reluctantly.

“I wanted to talk to you,” Caden smirked.

“I see. You have known me long enough to know I do not associate myself with friends, so why me?” Mason asked placing her arms across her cheek.

“That’s exactly why honestly. You are the only one that ignores me, and I find that interesting. I felt compelled to know more about you, so I snuck out to come here.” Caden said shyly. His eyes seemed to be glued to the floor, this was something she had never seen before. She was officially intrigued; this was a new side of him she had never known. Maybe the twins had grown up but she wouldn’t get her hopes up.

“Have you eaten?” Mason asked tilting her head to one side. Caden looked up from the floor almost as if she had pulled him out of a daydream.

“Uh…. No, I haven’t.” Caden said quietly. Mason looked him over, not quite sure how to react to the situation she had been put in. If he hadn’t eaten yet she wasn’t going to just make her foot and eat in front of him.

“Sit at the table, I haven’t eaten yet either, so I’ll whip us something up really quick.” She stated as she turned back around to face the fridge.

Caden followed her movements and watched as she pulled a couple of ingredients from the fridge. The smell coming from whatever she was cooling filled his nose and made him salivate, he didn’t realize how hungry he was until his stomach growled. He watched Mason with amazement, but confusion filled his mind. Ever since this morning when they had locked eyes, he had a weird feeling. A feeling he had never felt before and he had to figure out what it was exactly. What were these warm feelings building up inside of him? He was pulled from his thoughts as a plate of delicious-smelling food was placed in front of him. He looked up and was met by Mason’s soft gaze that he had seen many times before. There was something else though, a distant look in her eyes showing she had been through a lot in the past few years. He had secretly been watching her and had noticed the change, but he was always too nervous to ask her if she was okay. He had discussed it with Shayne before, but he couldn't have cared less, he had no interest in her.

“Are your parents going to be mad if they find me here?” Caden questioned. He noticed this question seemed to create a reaction he wasn’t able to read. Her eyes seemed to glaze over in a way as if she were transitioning into another dimension of sorts.

“They haven’t come home in years, so you don’t have to worry about that,” Mason said sternly and she pushed the food around on her plate. Now he knew why she had changed so much, her parents decided not to be present, so she pulled away from everyone. He honestly couldn’t blame her for reacting this way, he would have done the same thing.

“Is that why you want out of this town so bad?” Caden said as he stuffed a bite of the food in his mouth. He looked up to see her reaction only to find her staring at him. “I am just curious.”

Mason sighed, “Yes. I want out of this town as soon as possible. That is why my studies are my priority.” He couldn’t tell if there was a slight sign of hurt running through her eyes. It made his chest tighten up, something he had never felt before, he wanted to comfort her, but he knew it probably wouldn’t help right now.

“I want out too, I’m tired of this place.” Caden sighed deeply. He looked up to catch Mason’s gaze and he could tell she was confused. Why wouldn’t she be honest, he and Shayne had always been troublemakers. He was pretty sure she wouldn’t have ever thought they would change, at least Shayne hadn’t yet. Caden was tired of the same old act they put on; he wanted something more. When he first met Mason, something had clicked in his mind but the courage to speak to her was non-existent at that point. He had to give himself an intense pep talk just to have the courage to come here tonight. Knowing that she wanted to leave this town made him feel uneasy, if she was leaving, he wanted to go with her. There was an intense feeling that made him feel that wherever she was he wanted to be. Was this what they call loving someone? He had never experienced it before or known anyone experienced it either. His parents hated each other, and this caused a lot of issues in their home, he wanted out. He may end up sounding crazy, but he had to tell her. “Mason.”

“Yes,” Mason said looking up to meet his gaze.

Caden took a deep breath and gathered his courage to say what was on his mind. If you leave, can I go with you? That’s all he had to say, why was it so hard?

“Mason… ca… can I go with you when you leave this place?” He said in a rush. He sat there in silence trying to read her expression, she seemed even more confused than before. “I… I… have been wanting to tell you for a long time. I have wanted to know more about you since I first met you but could never find the courage to talk to you.” Caden said dropping his eyes to the table. He was nervous to see the look on her face, he was nervous she was going to reject him and tell him to leave. A few minutes passed in silence, but she didn’t say anything or kick him out. He knew she was still sitting there because he didn’t hear the chair move, it was almost as if she was frozen in place. His heart was pounding in his chest, but he had to know so he took a deep breath and lifted his head. He was taken aback by the stray tears falling from her eyes as she stared back at him. He jumped out of his chair and wrapped his arms around her, he couldn’t hold back the tears that formed in his own eyes. “Please don’t cry. I want you to be happy.” He placed his hands on each side of her face and slid his thumbs across her cheeks to clear the tears that stained her cheeks. “We don’t have to let anyone know and school can be the priority for both of us. I wouldn’t mind if you could help me study honestly.” Caden stated with a giggle. What he didn’t expect was to hear Mason giggle in response. He kissed her forehead and wrapped her in another hug. His heart skipped a beat when he felt her place her hands on his back and grab a handful of his shirt.

“Okay, Caden. Let’s plan to get out of this place together.” Mason said in between sobs.

He couldn’t help but smile, this made him so happy. “I wouldn’t want it any other way, Mason. I want to be where you are, I will go anywhere you want.”

Mason for some reason couldn’t help but feel joy. She wasn’t sure why the tears started and when they started, she couldn’t stop them. The loneliness she felt just seemed to melt away while she was wrapped in his arms, she had almost forgotten how it felt to be hugged and held by someone who cared. It wasn’t that he wanted to ruin her goal to get out of this place, he had the same goal and he wanted to be part of her life. He wanted to go anywhere she was going, and his words rang in her head over and over. He wanted to make her happy. What had happened to him these past years to make him this way? It seems they were a lot more alike than she originally thought. She wasn’t sure what the future would hold for them, but she would take her chances.

The night of senior graduation seemed to drag on, this was their moment to leave this place, a promise they had made at the beginning of their junior year. Surprisingly the studying Caden had done with Mason seemed to pay off, he was walking as an honor student, unlike his brother. Mason and Caden had received scholarships and had chosen the same college to attend in a completely different state. They were set to leave once graduation was over. She had more hope for their future at this moment than she did the night they originally made the promise. Now she couldn’t see it any other way and didn’t want it any other way. Mason wanted him in her life as much as Caden wanted her in his life. They would face any challenges that came their way together. With suitcases in the trunk of Caden’s car and the money they had saved in their pockets, they didn’t save any time for goodbyes as so many others did. With Caden in the driver’s seat, they made their way out of the town that had brought them together but also created many bad memories. Caden pushed the rearview mirror toward the ceiling of the car, they never wanted to look back. Only forward.