Read Mason for Free Online Page B

fantasy. At some point you have to clue into the fact that life isn’t an Amanda Bynes film.”
    â€œMaybe. Sometimes I really envy Mason, because he never has to deal with it. I mean, he sees it happening but it doesn’t register, right? The rest of us have to watch everything around us turn to crap. All of the pretty shiny things get dark and nasty.”
    â€œAnd then we die,” Cassie said, too happily. “Welcome to the meaning of life.”
    â€œIt blows,” Rene said. “So, are we going to the Autumn Carnival tomorrow?”
    â€œOf course we are,” Cassie said excitedly. “Eric Crawford asked if I was going to be there.”
    â€œI didn’t know you liked Eric.”
    â€œI don’t know if I do yet.”
    â€œBut you think he’s hot?”
    â€œ Everyone thinks he’s hot,” Cassie said. “And now that he’s rid himself of Miranda Bocage, he’s fair game.”
    â€œUgh, Miranda.” Rene groaned. Miranda was a pretentious blonde whose father owned a chicken-processing plant that provided chicken to half the fast food chains in the South. She was rich and spoiled and full-on plastic. At seventeen, she’d already had hernose done and had gotten a boob job over the last Christmas holiday—like nobody would notice her jumping from an A-cup to a C-cup in, like, two weeks.
    â€œ Ugh is right,” Cassie said. “I’m just glad Eric snapped out of her evil spell.”
    â€œSo, should we connect with Lara?”
    â€œNot if she’s slumming around with Hunter. I am so not hanging with him. There isn’t enough antibacterial soap in the world.”
    Rene laughed. “I’ll talk to her. We’ll take her to the mall and have an intervention.”
    Cassie rolled her eyes. “What she needs is an exorcism.”

7
Exhibition
    The Autumn Carnival was a two-night celebration, held at Marchand’s Riverfront Park. The park was, of course, bordered on one side by the river. On the opposite edge, a steep slope of grass rolled up to Main Street. In between were vast lawns and concrete walks lit by ornate iron lamps, running the five blocks between the Main Street Bridge and Hyacinth Street. Strings of lights lined the walks like necklaces against the sky. During the carnival, the place became a sea of people, all laughing and chatting and jostling their way from the plywood shack where they bought boiled shrimp and corn on the cob to the air gun game beneath the bridge.
    The night was warm without the slightest hint of a breeze. Sweat clung to the necks of running children, strolling adults, and even the lazy folks who didnothing more than occupy the park’s benches, draining giant plastic cups of lemonade.
    Rene and Cassie stood next to the Crawdaddy Shack, waiting for Lara. Rene tried to keep her mind occupied. She played with the name of the booth, mixed up the letters, and decided with some amusement that Shawdaddy Crack was just gross. Lara had promised to meet them at eight thirty, but it was nearing nine and there was no sign of her. Rene had already left two cell messages. When she tried to text, she got an “away” prompt. Cassie was getting restless, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt and checking her nails.
    A cloud of steam from the shack rolled over them and Cassie threw her hands up. “That’s it. It’s bad enough Lara doesn’t have the common decency to call us, but I refuse to smell like a boiled mud bug for the rest of the night.”
    â€œYou’re right,” Rene agreed. “Let’s make a lap or two.”
    They left the shadow of the booth and stepped into the parade of people on the walk. Though it was only Friday night, the carnival was packed, and moving through the crowds was difficult. A big man with a beard running halfway down his chest bumped into Rene, nearly sending her to the concrete. He called“’Scuse me” over his