richellemead-vampireacademy01-vampireacademy-110824015328-phpapp02

"You're welcome," he said drily.
"I didn't need your help.”
"Sure. You were doing just fine on your own.”
"They caught me off guard, that's all. I could have dealt with them eventually.”
"Look, don't take being pissed off at them out on me.”
"I just don't like being treated like…a girl.”
"You are a girl. And I was just trying to help.”
I looked at him and saw the earnestness on his face. He meant well. No point in being a bitch to
him when I had so many other people to hate lately.
"Well…thanks. Sorry I snapped at you.”
We talked a little bit, and I managed to get him to spill some more school gossip. He had
noticed Lissa's rise in status but didn't seem to find it strange. As I talked to him, I noticed the
adoring look he always got around me spread across his face. It made me sad to have him feel
that way about me. Guilty, even.
How hard would it be, I wondered, to go out with him? He was nice, funny, and reasonably
good-looking. We got along. Why did I get caught up in so many messes with other guys when
I had a perfectly sweet one here who wanted me? Why couldn't I just return his feelings?
The answer came to me before I'd even finished asking myself the question. I couldn't be
Mason's girlfriend because when I imagined someone holding me and whispering dirty things
in my ear, he had a Russian accent.
Mason continued watching me admiringly, oblivious to what was going on in my head. And
seeing that adoration, I suddenly realized how I could use it to my advantage.
Feeling a little guilty, I shifted my conversation to a more flirty style and watched Mason's
glow increase.