You Will Always be Our Little Girl

☆four☆

Mason's POV

-six years later-

-age: 14.-

"Hey, Mason!" I look over my shoulder to see Mae running up to me.I wave at her and smile lightly,"hey, Mae."

I haven't seen her all summer. Seeing her now looks like I'm best friends with a whole new person.

Her hair was cut to her shoulder and she was wearing some light makeup, "how was camp?" I asked her, taking off my headphones, "it was great! I met a lot of new people! Cut my hair, got another ear piercing, it was a lot of fun! How was your summer?" I look at the ground, "same old, same old."

"Aunts farm?" I nod, "yeah."

"I've known you for four years and that's still all you do. How about next summer, we spend it together! We can go stargazing and travel around Japan!" I smile lightly, she's always been this sweet, "that's a sweet offer.." she crosses her arms and grunts, "it wasn't an offer." I turn around and laugh, "suggestion?"

"No- hm..fine." She shrugs as we walk onto school grounds.

"So how is-?"

"Hey, Mabel! What's up!" This guy races over, wrapping his arm around Mabel's shoulder, "Hey, Daiki!" She smiles, "who's this?" He asks, pointing at me, "oh! This is my best friend! Mason Uenagi." I wave gently, "hi.."

"Hey. So, lunch?" Mabel smiles and looks at me, that smile turning into more of a grin, "uhm..I actually haven't seen Mason all summer. I was hoping to-" I glance over at the guy and he didn't look so pleased, "uhm...actually, Mabel, I'll have lunch alone...if that's okay..?"

"Are you turning me down?" I shake my head profusely, "n-no! I just..spend time with you friends. It's about time you have more than just me. I'll be okay."

"Okay..uhm..oh, right!" She grabs an extra bento out from her bag, "my dad made an extra for you! I tried to insist him on keeping it but he wouldn't let me." I reluctantly grab it from her and nod, "okay..thanks.."

"I'll make you one tomorrow! I'm really starting to get a hang of cooking!"

"Thanks, Mabel..I'm going to go to class."

"Oh...okay! I'll see you around, Ma- Hey!" She giggles as the guy who was with her pulled her to this larger group of people. They all looked like Mabel did. Some wore more makeup than others, but they all seemed to act the exact same way. None of them were different.

Dammit...

- - -

Ring!

I get up out of my seat and gather everything.

I just want to go anywhere but home.

I get all my stuff from the locker and toss my bag over my shoulder, "Hey, Mason!"

"Hm?" I turn around and see Mabel running up to me. We continue walking out the doors and down the stairs, "are you able to come over tonight?"

"Uhm...I can.."

"Even if it's just for supper, I want to catch up with you!" I nod, "okay.."

"Are you okay?" I nod again, "yeah, I'm okay. Are you?"

"Mhm! I'm always okay!"

Right, it's not like you're in a bad mood, ever.

"Right."

"Hmm...do you want to go to my dad's work? We can get some free food."

"Uhm..yeah, that's okay."

"Yeah, that's okay, as in like, it's okay to go, or no?" I chuckle, "it's okay to go."

"Perfect! Let's go!" She grabs my hand and races down the street.

- - -

"She's grown up, hasn't she?" I take my eyes off of Mabel and give my attention to her dad. He kept his eyes on the paper, writing things with a blue pen, "uhm..yeah." I chuckle, "a lot.." I look back over at Mabel, who was playing with some wooden toy cars with a kid, the smile on her face never leaving.

She loved kids. She always have.

"Hey, Mr. Sawamura..?"

"Hm?"

"Since she's got back, has she changed..? In a bad way...?"

"Hmm...she's changed, definitely, but I wouldn't say in a bad way." I sigh and look back at Mabel, "why do you ask?"

"No reason.."

"Hey, Mason, check this out!"

"A best friend's work is never done." I joke quietly to myself as I race over to the other side of the room to Mae, "what is it?" She looks up at me, as she was sitting and I was standing, "check this out." She pulls me down to to the ground, bending down to the floor to look under the small wooden fridge, "what are you doing-?"

"Look." She pulls me down so I was on the floor too, "see that small thing way back there?"

"Mhm.."

"Now look up, see that kid that's pouting over there?"

"Mhm.."

"Can you reach that toy from back there for him?"

"Why?" She looks at me as if I'm stupid, "fool! It's his toy! He doesn't know where it went." I sigh, "and you can't get this..why?"

"My arms are too short." I sigh, "a lot of things just seem too far for you, don't they?"

"S-Shut up! I'm still growing!"

"Uh-huh. You were tall for a 7th grader, but hen you just stayed that height for years to come." She crosses her arms, "just get the dang toy." I grab the toy and take it out from under the wooden fridge, giving it to her, "there. You happy?"

"If you weren't my best friend, I would beat you right here, right now."

"You do that all the time, so the reason isn't the point."

"You act as if I actually hurt you, Mason." I chuckle, "I'm only kidding." I get up, grabbing her hand to help her up as well, "sure."

"The real reason you aren't drop kicking me right now, is because we're in front of your dad and little kids." She nods, "true, true." She punches my arm lightly, "you will get it though."

"It'll be worth it."

- - - end of chapter - - -

song: snow - Ricky Montgomery

02-25-21 at 11:38 am.