stolen smile - a mason mount story

e l e v e n

"You actually came and met me." He smiled slightly at her. Her eyes were fixated to the floor, watching an ant scurrying along on the pavement carrying a crumb, following the creature until it was out of her sight. She felt a wave of insecurity hit her as she sat next to him on the park bench, wearing a jumper that was three sizes too big. Her hair unstyled and tucked behind her ears. She had worn her glasses to the meeting, anticipating the tears that would come once she looked at him. He looked over, seeing the tears drip on the floor. He knew she was hurting badly. He blamed himself for it all.

"I saw that you picked the puppy up. I'm so happy for you! I know how much you loved him when we saw him."

"Thanks."

The silence began to overwhelm Mason. He began to fidget, playing with the bottom of his top. He glanced at her once again, she had moved her focus from the floor to something on her right. He followed her gaze to the field where two dogs played alongside each other. He noticed the corners of her lips had upturned into a slight smile.

"Look, I don't know why you agreed to meet me but I ju-"

Mason was interrupted by the girl, who now had looked at him for the first time since she arrived. "I really didn't have the strength to stay away from you. What you said really fucking hurt but I can't find it in myself to be angry at you anymore."

"I know, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it like that, I was jealous. I guess a part of me thought you were stringing me along, playing me like a fiddle. I wasn't thinking at all, Flo. I dunno it just felt like you were more interested in Trent than me."

"Mason, oh my God! Hasn't it been obvious that I want you? Every single glance, every stolen smile. I savoured it. I was using everything in me to hold back because I am so painfully in love with you. Every minute, of every day."

Mason couldn't hold back the smile from forming on his face. He looked at her, his eyes gleaming with joy. The girl he had been pining for, for nearly a year just told him she loved him. He was ecstatic. He grabbed her hand and held it in between his.

"Everything that happens is from now on." He paused for a minute, thinking of something to say. "You know, I've been infatuated with you since that first night Jack told me you could do cool flips."

"You're not forgiven yet. You've still got a lot of making up to do."

Mason nodded his head. He knew what he needed to do to gain her full forgiveness and to make the hurt he had caused to go away.

There was another bit of silence as Florence played with the ends of her sleeve, staring out at the dogs playing. "How is he settling in?"

"He's great, training's gone really well! He's an absolute saint of a dog, hasn't peed on me at all!"

More silence, it was eating him up that the usual chatty Florence wasn't around. "Hey, Mase, I've got to go. It was nice seeing you." She stood up, with Mason following her closely. The area on his arm where she touched him burned as he yearned for more, he had missed her with every fibre of his being and the brief meeting wasn't enough for him. "I'll see you soon?"

"The sooner the better!" He smiled at her, pulling her in for a hug. "I've missed you so much. Thank you for seeing me."
---

Dec Rice
Yesterday 22:41

Went on a dog walk with her today
mate, she didn't seem like she slept
at all! You know what she's like, she
insisted she was fine. Worried for her!

Great, Dec! Just want I wanted to
hear. I feel bad, man

I love you, bro but you deserve to
feel bad, you were a dickhead!
Proper did a number on our girl.