Lessons from a Rude Boy

All That Matters

“Skipping school again?” Gary’s amused voice was the first thing that greeted us and it was soon followed by the clanging of symbols and blaring horns.

          “You know me to well,” Mason grinned, hand grasping mine more firmly as we moved toward the Goth giant, who looked very ungoth today.

          His dark blue eyes were no longer rimmed with dark black, they were left to smolder on their own, which they did oh so very well behind a pair of wire rimmed glasses. He smiled wild, disrupting the fierce demeanor the scar created, but it created a little crease on the other side of his face, mirroring puckered imperfection perfectly. He was still beautiful, but in a more natural way today. Gone was the black clothing I had been expecting, replaced with a purple button up shirt, sleeves rolled up so as not to look to polished an open vest covered much of his defined chest leaving a little polka dot bow tie to peak out just under his strong jaw. Who would have thought that the Goth God could turn Preppy King overnight in a seamless effort?

          “New look?” I smiled, pressing my hands to the cool glass display case.

          “Yea,” one large slender hand swept across his tall form, “you like?”

          I pursed my lips, pretending to think the matter over for a long minute, “It suits you,” his grin widened, “though at this point I’m almost positive you could roll around in mud and still look amazing.”

          “Hey,” Mason protested as Gary leaned in closer.

          “You little sweet talker you,” I laughed. “Mud huh?” his fingers scratched across his chin, “I might have to try that next.”     

          “Ohh with a pair of cowboy boots,” his eyes lit, “Yummy.”

          “Boyfriend standing right here,” Mason nudged me, glaring up at Gary.

          “Whoops,” I teased, turning back to him.

          “Boyfriend huh?” Gary sulked playfully. “Guess that means you’re taken.”

          “For now,” I joked, Mason scoffed.

          “So you could be swept away?”

          “By the right mud covered cowboy,” it was a lie, even with Gary covered in nothing but mud and that pair of cowboy boots I would only have eyes for Mason.

          “Stop it,” Mason grumbled.

          “Oh sweetie,” I pecked his cheek, “You’re cute too.”

          “Shut it.”

          “Get him out of here,” Gary laughed loudly, “his scowl is chasing away my customers.”

          “Will do sir,” I saluted, pulling Mason away from the counter and toward the room he had taken me to before.

          “Later love,” he called, Mason grumbled again.

          “Stop it,” I laughed, my hands circling his waist. “Look,” he refused to look down at me, “I’m right here,” my hands stretched across his back, “in your arms and Gary is stuck behind that glass case.”

          “Good point,” his glower did not disappear totally, but his hands did press against my lower back bringing us closer, “still,” he whispered leaning in, “I think I might just let him know anyway.”