Untitled Document

Untitled Part Four - Mason

I'm weak. I told myself I wouldn't go crawling back to Anita after she left me with no explanation and yet here I stand at seven AM on the dot outside of Anita's house, too scared to knock on the door. I lay my suitcase down on the grass still damp from the morning dew, the sun's been up for hours and I've been up with it but it's not hot enough yet to be without a sweater. I sit on the porch and wait, Anita's family will come out when they're ready, I don't want to rush them. My family didn't even ask any questions when I told them last minute I was going away for the summer with the girl I haven't spoken to since last summer. I don't know how Anita's parents reacted though. I can't imagine them being upset, maybe they knew I was coming before Anita did and she was just banking on me saying yes.

Porridge, the May family cat, pops her head out from underneath the front steps. Her meows make me nearly jump out of my skin. The cat jumps up onto my lap and stretches out, taking her time. I'm glad she remembers me at least, "hi Porridge." I scratch behind her ears and she purrs loudly before jumping down again and running to hide in the backyard. I assume she hears the frogs croaking in the pond.

My back cracks upon shifting my position and I remember I haven't stretched this morning, I'm sure Jannett won't mind if I use the front porch briefly. I strip my sweater off and lay it down on the ground to use as a matt and begin my routine. The motions are comfortable and familiar, they sweep me away into normality and calm my mind. I count the steps and the time I've held a position, occasionally I hear a bird cawing in the distance, it echoes through the neighbourhood and makes them sound closer than they are. I'm holding my spine stretches when the porch creaks, my eyes snap open to see who's caught me loitering in front of their door. They meet Jannett's, and the content on her face is prominent; a wide smile and squinted eyes, she's basically shaking with excitement. "Maisy!" She squeals as I push out of my stretch into a stance, I'm nearly as tall as her now, my eye meeting her nose. Without hesitation she pulls me into a hug and holds me there for a long time, eventually I bring my arms up to hug her back. For just a moment, being able to smell her vanilla scented soap, I miss my m- I have to stop myself mid-thought. Now is not the time for this.

"Haven't seen you in forever girlie! How've you been? Better question: where have you been?" Jannett releases most of me, she still holds my hands as she looks slightly downwards at me.

"Oh y'know, just super busy with dance and stuff." I don't even have to try and pretend to be happy to see her, Jannett's always been my mother figure. As she looks down at me I know she knows I'm lying; apparently I'm not very good at it. She doesn't say anything though, just nods her head slowly, her eyes finding my suitcase strewn on the ground.

"Right. How's your father?"
Now I laugh because man has she ever missed out on the gossip, unless of course she's been speaking to my dad without me knowing. "He's been spending lots of time with his boyfriend, it's looking good for him."

Jannett's eyes widen and her eyebrows get lost behind her bangs, "boyfriend hmm? Well," she nudges my shoulder with her own, "I'll have to come around sometime and meet this man for myself." She laughs lightheartedly and skips down the stairs to the car. "Now go get your suitcase off the wet grass and go give that daughter of mine shit for not meeting you out here."

As she said, I pick my suitcase off the grass and put it in the back of the car. Then I make my way into the house slowly, trying to prolong it as long as possible but I can feel Jannett's eyes following my slowness. In the front hall Billiam struggles to put his running shoes on and balance against multiple suitcases at the same time. His eyes meet mine as I close the door and walk past him. "Mason," He says, nodding and smiling politely. I wave shyly as my heartbeat and breathing begin to speed up. He makes it his mission to try and frighten people as a joke. Normally it wouldn't bother me but on top of everything else today it just makes me nervous. I try to keep my rising panic under control, counting my breaths and fidgeting with my fingers.