Living With Mr Mysterious

Chapter Nineteen - New Nightmares and Nighttime Talk

New Nightmares and Nighttime Talk

It had been weeks since Mason's last nightmare, so I was surprised to be woken in the middle of the night by his cries. I ran next door and woke him up, calling his name several times before I managed to pull him away from whatever he was seeing.

"Mason!" I shouted, "Mase, it's okay! It's just a dream!"

He eventually woke up, shot upright in bed and threw his arms around me. His sweaty bare chest was pressed firmly against me and he was holding me painfully tight but the discomfort was worth it to know that Mason was okay. "Lina," he whispered hoarsely, the nickname still awakening butterflies in me even though I heard it so often lately.

"I know, it's okay," I told him, running my hands over his back.

His breathing hitched and he pulled away from me only far enough to rest his forehead against my own. My heart sped up and now we were both breathing heavily, arms wrapped around each other, eyes burning into one another and filled with the intense longing that remained unspoken but sat heavily in the hot, sticky air between us.

He's emotionally unstable! You know you can't date someone like that! Fiona's words echoed in my mind and I pulled away just as Mason leaned forward. "Mase, I'm sorry, I-I can't do this." Then before he could reply, I dashed out of the room and back to my own, heart racing and tears stinging my eyes.

I leaned my back against the door and tried to make my breathing more regular. But then I heard Mason's knock from the other side. "Lina . . . ?" In that one word, I could hear how confused and broken he was. "Please, talk to me . . ."

I allowed the tears to fall. This wasn't fair! Not to Mason and not to me! I wanted to scream and throw things, but all I could do was cry silently and listen to Mason on the other side of the door. "I don't know when it happened, Lina but you've managed to make me care. Not just about you but also about life. It's good and fun and normal again, and I know that you're the reason. You didn't give up on me. You made me face the things I'd been trying so hard to ignore. You gave me a reason to live, because there is now at least one person I couldn't bear to leave behind and that's you, Lina. I-"

He was cut off by someone in the hallway. It was Barbara. She was staying with us while she and mom sorted out who was going to look after Mason.

I stood leaning against my bedroom door for another half an hour or so and Mason didn't speak again, so I assumed that he'd gone back to bed. I eventually did the same, eyes swollen, face soaked with tears and heart aching.

Hey, guys! This one is really emotional, I hope you enjoy it. It's also very sad, I just realised. Let me know in the comments if it's any good! I love you all! <3