midnight rain | mason mount

xxxi

AUTHOR POV. 
SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 

"If that's the way you're feeling, you gotta tell her, mate." Declan said to Mason. The two of them were sharing a hotel room. They were in Naples, ahead of the Nations League fixture against Italy. 

"I know. But I don't think it's fair on her. I mean, she's had to live with her crazy, abusive ex-boyfriend for the past few weeks. He's finally gone, and she has some peace for the first time in weeks. I don't want to dump it on her." 

"That's fair, but at the same time, you guys are in a relationship. You guys need to be on the same page." 

Mason knew that Declan was right. Of course he knew what a difficult situation Charlotte had been in for the last few weeks, but what he didn't understand was why she hadn't been honest with him. She could've told him that she was compiling evidence to file charges against him, but she had chosen to keep him completely in the dark. 

"Have you guys talked about it at all?"

Mason shook his head. That night, after Luis had left once and for all, the two of them had gone home together. The entire car ride home, however, she hadn't said a single word, and even after they got home, she had immediately just gone to bed. The next morning, when Mason had tried to talk about it, she only responded by changing the topic and asking him about football. Eventually, Mason had stopped trying— it was clear that she didn't want to talk about it. 

He respected that, but at the same time, it was frustrating. Like Declan said, they were in a relationship. They needed to be on the same page. 

It was hard to be on the same page when she was constantly refusing to even talk about it. 

"Is she coming to watch the game?" 

Mason shook his head. "No, I told her to stay home. I reckon the two of us need a little bit of space." 

"Be careful of that. Too much space, and you're going to end up losing her. She's pushing you away, Mase, but you can't let her. Or else you're really going to lose her."

"I know." Mason sighed, burying his face in his hands.

"There's something else on your mind, isn't there?" Declan asked, giving his best friend a side eye. 

"No, there isn't. I'm just tired and stressed." 

"I can see right through you, you know." Declan replied, laughing. "C'mon. Tell me what's on your mind." 

Mason laughed— they were best friends for a reason. "Well, I mean, it's just that... Especially these days, it feels like there's three people in our relationship." 

"Phil?" 

Mason nodded. "Yeah. I mean I know they've been best friends since literally the moment they were born, but sometimes it's just a bit weird to me. Like before we moved in together, she asked Phil if she thought it was a good idea." 

"Did she tell you that?" 

"No, but I put two and two together when Phil and I were training together for England and he brought it up to me. I'd never told him about it, so.. Figures." Mason then added on, "And with everything that happened with her ex recently. Phil's obviously known her for much longer than I have, so I get that he knows her better than I do, but... I dunno. It just feels like whenever there's an important node in her life, he's going to be the person that she goes to, not me." 

"I think that's the exact type of thing you should be telling your Mrs., not me." Declan replied, chuckling a little. "Why aren't you telling her how you feel?"