Living With Mr Mysterious

Chapter Six - Truth and Trust Issues

Truth and Trust Issues

"Mason!" I screamed, dropping to the tiled floor in front of him. He looked a little paler than usual and very weak. But his blue eyes still filled with panic when he saw me.

"Rosaline, I-"

"Why, Mason?" I asked frantically, reaching out to grab his wrists.

"I can't . . ." he whispered. "It's the only way."

I sighed, calming down a little. Standing up, I grabbed a washcloth, ran it under warm water and began to wipe away the blood from Mason's arms.

The cuts were quite deep and the culprit was still clutched in Mase's hand, the knuckles white. "Why did you do this to yourself?" I muttered. I didn't expect an answer.

It took a while, but I finally got him cleaned up. I covered his forearms with gauze and clean white bandages and told him to drink plenty of water. I then left him in the living room to go and clean the bathroom.

The grey floor was slick with blood and the bathtub had several smears of red on the side. I grabbed some rags and bleach and began to clean. Then I tossed the rags, washcloth and Mase's bloodied clothing into the washing machine and headed back to the living room.

"Mase," I called gently, approaching him slowly. He seemed more aware now, but still fragile. I gently sat down beside him and reached out toward him.

"Lina . . ." he trailed off, a fresh tear rolling down his cheek. 'Lina'? That was a new nickname.

"Why do you . . ." I couldn't continue. I didn't know how to say it.

"My mum," he said. "She committed suicide when I was twelve."

Wait, was this him opening up to me? Was he about to answer my questions? Then the full weight of what he'd told me sank in. Suicide. What an awful thing to see at such a young age.

Mase started sobbing and threw his arms around me, his head resting in the crook of my shoulder. I was shocked. He'd never touched me before and I'd never seen him in such a vulnerable state.

"You'll get through this, Mase," I told him soothingly, running my hands over his back while he cried.

"When I was fourteen," he continued, "my father killed my older sister and then himself. I told my girlfriend at the time and she left me, saying I was too weak for her." With that he broke down into sobs again and I just held him, not knowing what else to do. "You have to promise not to tell anyone, Lina," he sobbed.

I nodded. "Okay."

"No, promise."

He pulled back and stared at me. Staring into his eyes, I said, "I promise, Mase. I won't tell a soul."

This broken boy had finally shown me a piece of himself and his past. It was what I'd been pestering him about for a month. And now, I wished he hadn't.

Hey guys! So this one's shorter and obviously a lot more confronting. It gave us a lot more insight into Mason's past. I love you all! <3