Submerge

F R I E N D

J A C O B

Jacob's car sped through the darkened streets, the rhythmic thumping of music still echoing in his ears. 

His passenger, Mason, sat beside him, a silent and slumped figure. The drive was a blur of streetlights and shadows, punctuated by Mason's occasional, incoherent mumbles.

Jacob couldn't help but feel a strange mixture of concern and curiosity. He barely knew Mason, but something about the way he had pushed away Ethan had struck a chord. It was as if Mason was drowning, and Jacob had been the one to throw him a lifeline.

As they pulled up to Jacob's Mansion, he glanced at Mason, who seemed to be slowly returning to some semblance of awareness. The alcohol was still very much in his system, evident from the dazed look in his eyes.

"Hey, we're here," Jacob said gently, reaching over to give Mason's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Let's get you inside."Mason mumbled something incoherent but made no move to get out of the car. His gaze drifted out of the window, his expression vacant.

Jacob sighed and unbuckled his seatbelt, then moved to Mason's side. He opened the car door and, with some effort, managed to coax Mason out of the vehicle. The cold night air seemed to jolt Mason into a bit more awareness as he stumbled slightly.Jacob steadied him, his hand firmly on Mason's arm. "Come on, Just a few steps to the door."

They made their way up a dimly lit staircase and into Jacob's room. It was a far cry from the wild party they had just left. The contrast struck Jacob as he guided Mason to the bed.

Mason collapsed onto the bed, his head lolling back. Jacob couldn't help but notice the exhaustion etched into every line of his face. The weight of whatever demons Mason was facing was evident, even in his inebriated state.

With a sigh, Jacob disappeared into the small kitchenette. He returned with a glass of water. Setting it on the coffee table, he gently nudged Mason. "Here, drink this."

Mason blinked, his eyes slowly focusing on the glass. He accept it with a mumbled thanks and downed the water in one gulp.

Jacob took a seat opposite him, studying Mason for a moment. "You had quite a night back there," he remarked, his tone nonjudgmental. Mason's response was a bitter chuckle. "You have no idea."

Jacob leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You wanna talk about it?"Mason hesitated, his fingers tracing the rim of the now empty glass. 

The silence between them seemed to stretch on forever before he finally spoke, his voice low and raw. "my sister.. she died." Jacob waited patiently, allowing Mason to gather his thoughts.

"and her anniversary is..." Mason began, his words heavy with grief. "Two years today. I... I couldn't handle it. I still can't, So, I tried to drown it all out with alcohol." 

The pain in Mason's voice was palpable "it's like I'm still there still stuck in that night"

Jacob's heart ached for him. "I'm sorry" Jacob said softly. "Losing someone you love like that... it's unimaginable."

Mason nodded, his gaze fixed on a spot on the floor. "I've been a mess ever since. Nightmares, anxiety, the whole package. And tonight, I just... I wanted to forget or maybe die."

Jacob could see the turmoil in Mason's eyes, the guilt and self-blame that seemed to haunt him. 

"You don't mean that" he said gently. "There are people who care about you."

Mason's response was a bitter laugh. "Yeah, well, I might fucked that up, the last person who still cared about me was Ethan and I literally pushed him away"