Archer Diaries

Four Years Past...

My first month in Saint Laurent has been good. Maya Rivera, Antoine's mum, is the sweetest thing ever. She reminds me so much of Mum when she wasn't spacing out. That warmth and love, I think I finally feel it in the depths of my shallow heart. Antoine plays the role of the big brother so well that it gets quite annoying sometimes. He's warned the chicos at the auto shop not to mess with me. That however fell on deaf ears. I need to toughen up and they promise to make a man out of me. I would be a pro in fixing cars soon, at least that's what Jorge says. It's been a good month, a very good month. However, in spite of it all, I can't help but feel I'm living a lie. A lie I can't get out of. A lie I don't deserve. I'm not a good guy so good things shouldn't happen to me. My nightmares remind me of the misery I left her in. I hate myself for being happy here while she is in that elegance cladded hell. I have come to know happiness but I'm not happy. I need to see her but alas...my time hasn't come.

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"Feliz Cumpleaños!!" everyone screamed as soon as he burst through the door but soon their faces turned into shock. The person they had been patiently waiting for in the backyard had blood and bruises lining his tanned face.

He gave them a toothy grin, "Gracias, todos! And please don't stop on my account."

"You heard the amigo, lets get this party started!" someone cried out sending everyone into a party frenzy. He scanned the room still with the stupid smile etched on his face. It soon disappeared when he saw the disappointment on her face from where she stood. She was mad at him... again. She silently walked past him urging him to follow like a sheep being led to slaughter. Once they were alone in the hallway.

"Maya..." he begun but was cut off harshly

"Don't... you dare say sorry. Je sais que tu n'y pense pas..." she scolded watching his bruised face hold that same emotion she'd seen more times than she would've want to, regret.

"Je suis très désolé, Maya" he apologised like he often did lately.

She sighed and pulled him into a hug. It was no use staying mad at him."It's fine, mon fils." She then pulled back and held his face. He had grown so much over the past fours years. He was no longer that cute helpless boy who came to her in desperation. That boy was gone and before her was a handsome man, a very handsome angry man. She grew sad at the thought but still managed to smile for him. "Now go clean up and come enjoy your party. It's not everyday one turns 22."

A smirk grew on his face and he hugged her again, "Merci, Maman!"

"Bon Anniversaire, mon fils." With that she watched him go up stairs and headed to the kitchen to put the finishing touches to his cake.

Mason winced as he tried to dap the alcohol soaked cotton on the corner of his bottom lip. He then heard a chuckle behind him and turned. Smiling at him from the doorway of the bathroom was Simone, his close friend.

"Here! Let me help you." she offered and took the cotton from him. She begun cleaning the cuts.

"Ouch..." he whined when she pressed too hard on the swell on his forehead.

"Serves you right..." Silence reigned for a moment before she spoke again, "What happened this time, Mason"

"Nothing. Just forget it!" he countered not really in the mood to explain his actions.

"I see. Did you see him today?" She saw a frown settle on his face for a moment before it disappeared.

"Yeah..."

"All done. C'mon I think I hear Maya calling."

"Okay, just let me change out of this clothes first."

"Okay" she walked out the bathroom leaving him to study his rugged face. He'd changed and he knew it. Hearing Maya call his name one more time, he walked off to his room, changed out of his clothes and ran downstairs again to his party.

The party was over and everyone except Simone had returned home. Apart from Mason's dramatic entrance, everything had gone well. His best gift, he shared was their presence. Jorge together with some of the guys from the automobile shop showed up along with the few friends he'd gotten the past years. The fact that they came warmed his heart making him forget his anger for the moment but now, it was all quiet as he stared at his ceiling, his thoughts creeping back in. Antoine was in jail and he felt it was his fault. He should've stopped him that day.

"Mason!" Simone called from the threshold. He looked momentarily at her before looking back up at the ceiling. He felt the bed push down under her weight and turned to look at her again. She was beautiful, really beautiful and that was what drew him to her in the first place.

He met her a year after he moved to Saint Laurent. He had accompanied Antoine to the main city and wandered off. As he walked along the paved sidewalk, he saw a girl kneeling to pick up something while mumbling obscenities. He was going to just pass by but stopped. She had pushed her auburn hair behind her ear revealing her face. He was awestruck immediately. She had blue eyes and full lips on her heart shaped face. She was neither skinny nor plump, somewhere in between. He found his steps leading to her and rest was history.

"You should get going. It's late" he adviced but heard her scoff.

"Tell me what happened first." she retorted "Have you started fighting again?"

"Simone..."

She sat up and shook her head, "You have, haven't you? Mason, you need to get over it already. It's not your fault Antoine is in prison. It was his doing and nothing you would've done could stop him."

"You don't know anything..."

"I do know you're messing your life going to that underground fight club. You could get arrested or worse still, get seriously hurt. Why the hell would you inflict pain on yourself intentionally?"

He sensed the anger in her voice but it wasn't enough to convince him. In fact, he had a fight scheduled for the next night and it was going to be a messy one. He sighed and turned to her with a smile. "You look cute when angry." he playfully said

She chuckled, count on Mason to get out of awkward situations. This was one of the reasons why she fell in love with him. He was so funny and serious at the same time. They had this sort of friends with benefit relationship. She was always there for him when he needed her emotionally and physically. However she couldn't say the same for him. He was there physically but she knew something was holding him back from giving his heart to her. What it was she didn't know and wasn't exactly eager to find out either.

"Take off your shirt" she demanded out of the blue causing him to raise his brows at her.

"I'm not really in the mood tonight, Simone"

"Just take off your damn shirt." He complied and took it off. She made him turn on his back and straddled his waist. She then begun massaging his shoulders and back, taking extra care at the reddened parts. Soon, she heard soft snores making her aware he was asleep. She kissed his bare back and got up from him. "Happy Birthday!" She whispered to his sleeping form. Turning off the light, she walked out of the house into the eerie night.

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Thanks for reading...^_^