Speaking Isn't My Strong Point

TWENTY THREE

I breathed in the fresh air as I smiled at the atmosphere around us. Little kids were being pushed down slides by their parents and they would let out a tiny scream every time they went down. It instantly brought a smile to my face just to know that kids were having a better child hood than mine.

I was envious, but no-one deserved the pain I went through. Being motherless for the majority of my life had been so difficult. Kids in my class at school would often wonder why I wasn't making a card for mother's day. It was just a mystery as much to me than them. I mean she wasn't dead, so why wasn't I making one? I didn't think they ever found out in the end. But I sure did and it pained me to know that my father was partially the reason to it.

"Let's take a picture by the swings!" Mason proclaimed, sprinting over to them childishly.

I chased after him however he was just too fast. Panting with a face that probably represented a tomato, I grabbed onto the swing set to keep myself upright.

"Y-You r-run fast," I choked out, trying to catch my breath.

Gosh, I was so unfit.

"Come on, Owens. It wasn't that bad," Mason chuckled with a look that had me internally curling up into a ball.

Oh, he thinks I'm unfit. I mean no wonder. I could hardly run that whole way without stopping once or twice.

"Mason we ran across that whole big field and just remember sports is not my thing, capiche?" I glared angrily, feeling absolutely humiliated and hoping the ground would just swallow me up completely.

Mason grinned cheekily before plopping down on the swing. I followed suit, huffing unhappily.

"I haven't been to the park in ages," Mason suddenly exclaimed in awe, staring around him in amazement.

"It's not that special Mason," I laughed out, grinning widely at his adorable face.

"It is!" Mason bickered back. "My mum used to take me."

My face dropped at the mention of his mum. I remembered him telling me that his mum was dead. It must had damaged him beyond repair.

"What happened? I m-mean to your mum," I stammered.

Watching his face morph from excitable to solemn, I quickly added, "If you don't mind me asking anyway."

"Can we take the photos?" He swallowed, a miserable and torturous look in his forest eyes. "Please."

I nodded whilst feeling awful about asking. It obviously was hard for him. Stupid Leia. Always mucking things up.

Taking the camera out of my bag, I began starting it up. I hadn't charged it in ages but luckily it still had a little bit of battery left for a few photos.

"Say 'cheese' or whatever your family says when you want to take photos," I rambled on.

"Take the damn photo," Mason growled out before smiling cheekily at the camera.

Woah, talk about mood problems.

I smiled at the camera but it seemed fake for some reason. It may had been because I asked him about how his mum passed and it was awkward afterwards. It must had been because of that.

Sighing once after enough photos were taken, I carefully put my camera back in my bag. All of the photos were on there so I couldn't lose it.

"Wanna go get an ice cream?" I suggested, trying to lighten the mood. It was my fault so I had to fix it.

"Sure," Mason muttered briefly before springing up from the swing and storming quicker than an arrow gliding through the air.

I watched as the swing, that he had previously sat on, viciously swing back and forth. The swing showed exactly how I was feeling right now. Lost. And not sure which direction to take. It was weird what us humans could get from the tiniest things. We were intelligent that was why. Well...some of us more than others.