Dodge Mason // Mystery Boy

19

I know you so well

—

"You get 'em tiger," I wink to Dodge right before giving him a quick peck to wish him luck in his tournament. Watching him like this in the zone is always so interesting because I can never really tell what he's thinking. Or if he's thinking of anything at all. But knowing Dodge, he was. He was always analyzing, planning, maybe even hiding things. He's a smart guy and I doubt he ever finds himself unprepared for anything. Oh and he's just super cute to watch. Especially on the majestic horses. He's like prince charming. A southern, athletic, smart prince charming.

"You did amazing out there!" I cheer as I jump into his arms. He lets me down with a peck on the forehead as we begin to walk.

"How did I look out there?" he asks grinning knowing he's already impressed me.

"Mmmm I think I was too distracted by this other cowboy..." I tease.

"Ha ha" he laughs dryly. "Very funny" the words come out flat but end in a smile knowing that I would never mean something like that. "Y'know you're lucky I know you so well that your little teases don't phase me." I laugh it off but then I ponder what he says a little bit more. I know you so well. It echoes in my brain. This summer has been filled with exhilaration and bonding over near death experiences but it has only been the beginning of a summer.

"How well do I know you?" I blurt without realizing the words slip off of the tongue.

"What?"

"Well, I just figure," I hesitate. "You know me so well but how well do I know you?" I add a joking tone to ease the tension, "ya know I love a good mystery but I feel like I'm missing some clues." He just stares at me for a while. What on Earth could he be thinking?

"Well what do you wanna know, Doll?" he asks sweet yet bitter.

"Dayna, your dad," I pause to analyze his face. Nothing gives. "I just feel like I don't know your character's backstory." He lets out a small laugh.

"Backstory? What am I a video game?"

"Maybe..." we take a stop and sit on some fence. "Depends on what you answer and how real it is." I surprise myself with how daring I am but try not to let it show on my face.

"Okay, Doll." He tells me about how Dayna used to compete. No, she used to win. His father was a rodeo Champion. He competed religiously, according to his mother that was basically his Church, and his parents split when Dayna and him were in grade school. He would be absent for days, weeks, months at a time and show up with trophies. His mother knew about the other woman that his father had in his life but she claimed that his trophies were with them, so it was as if his heart was with them. He says it unsure of whether or not she was trying to convince him and Dayna that, or herself.

I let it all sink in. I watch his face and he tells me everything, searching for more than just southern charm. I see glimpses of pain disguised as broken eye contact. He is either real or really good at showing just enough to make me believe it. Either way, I don't know how blinded I am by the butterflies in my stomach or if I am even willing to admit they are there. It becomes my turn and to lighten the mood I tell him about how I met Heather and Natalie.

Natalie used to pretend she was invisible and had 2 invisible ghost friends. She would "pull pranks on the alive people" and one day, in kindergarten, Heather went up to her and told her she liked her tattoo which was just a sticker of a flower. Natalie loves telling this story because of the significance of even one person seeing you means you're not invisible anymore. I sat on the sidelines watching. I had always been a wallflower. I love Natalie's story too because they saw me and I become more than just an extra in the background. Heather came up to me and asked me if I wanted to be an actress in the pretend movie she was making with Natalie as the star. For the first time, I wasn't an extra anymore. I got to be someone in someone's story. I got to be the someone in my story.