Fallin' for ya... and for you, and maybe you too?

chapter 4

Brady found his way to Mack's home easily. He knew the path like the back of his hand so it was no problem riding his bike in the dark. His mind churned on the way. Maybe she was finally going to tell him what's been haunting her eyes. He had the feeling this had to do with Tanner and Lela, just because she had been really quiet about them lately.

"Here", he sent her. A few seconds later he heard the keys turn in the lock and Mack appeared at the door. 

"Hey, " she said in a breath. She lead him towards her bedroom.

Mack sat on her bed and motioned Brady to do the same. He closed the door, took off his shoes and joined her, sitting cross-legged in front of her.

"Well, this isn't awkward at all. Just us, in total silence, you avoiding my eyes..." At that, she jerked her head and finally met his gaze.

"I was just trying to figure out how to say it best," she said. She took a deep breath and apparently lost her nerve. Her mouth snapped closed and she lowered her head again.

This wasn't going to work.

Brady offered his hand, palm up. Mack grabbed it like a lifeline.

"Mack, you know you can tell me everything, right ? I won't judge you or think less of you, whatever it is you have to say."

He tried to sound confident and it seemed to work because Mack's shoulders deflated a bit.

"Okay. Let's get this over with," she said, "and please don't be mad and please believe me, because this is something I wouldn't believe either, but there I am." She lifted her head and met his gaze resolutely as she spoke the next words : "I have feelings for Lela."

She swallowed audibly, her eyes still on Brady's, daring him to not be okay with that.

And honestly, how could he not be okay with that ? He chuckled quietly. Mack stared at him, eyes impossibly wide. Her dumbfounded expression only made him laugh louder.

"I- I- ha ha ! I'm sorry, err, I didn't mean to laugh. But Mack. Seriously. "Please believe me" ? Mack, my sweet tropical mermaid, I'm sorry to break it to you but your crush on Lela is ten miles wide and..."

"Wait, what ? Brady, you knew ?" Her arms flailed around.

Jesus, this was torture. Her face! How could someone so cute look so much like a fish out of water?

"Mack, relax. It's okay. Really, I promise. After all, Lela was my first crush so it would be really hypocritical of me to hold your feelings against you." He saw when his point hit home.

"Yeah, but... you're not mad ? Because I have feelings for another person ?" Gosh, she sounded so insecure, so unlike Mack.

He took hold of her hands anew, his bigger palms completely covering her fists. He smiled gently at her.

"Do you still love me?" he asked quietly.

She went really still and let the tiniest smile tug at her lips.

"Yes, of course I do."

"Do you still want to move to Berkeley with me?"

"Yes."

"Then what's the matter ?" He added that last question at the sight of the moisture in her eyes.

"I was afraid to tell you. I knew you wouldn't leave me because of that but some part of me was still afraid, you know ? I don't want us going back to just friends," she admitted.

"Mack, you never have to worry about that. I won't ever leave you, okay ?" He squeezed her hands, trying to get the intensity of his certainty across.

"Okay. I won't leave you either," she whispered.

She closed the distance between them to leave a little kiss on his lips. He smiled and lifted his hands to cup her skull in them,  keeping her face close to his. He kissed her back, little featherlight touches all across her soft lips.

"How are you so perfect ?" she whispered in between kisses.

"I guess you got lucky," he teased.

"Yeah, I'm really lucky to have you in my life," she admitted, grinning.

"Likewise."

They fell silent for a moment, both lost in thought of each other.

"Brady...,"she started, "why did you laugh when I told you I loved Lela ?"

"Okay, Mack, don't take this the wrong way but... You kinda suck at knowing your own feelings? Like, I'm pretty sure I have known about your crush on Lela since before she went back to Wet Wide Story. Let's review. It was written all over your face when you said goodbye to her at the beach. And before that, the day she started looking normal ? You were constantly watching her. After she went back, you sighed every time a biker girl passed by you." He shrugged before continuing. "I admit I was jealous at first, and scared that you were going to leave me because you didn't love me anymore now that you loved Lela."

At that, Mack frowned and shook her head, as if to dismiss the idea that she wouldn't love Brady.

"Brady, I never wanted to leave you, you have to know that," she said a bit desperately.

"No, no," he said, "I know. But thanks for saying it out loud. No, what I meant to say is that I was afraid you'd leave me but you kept acting the same with me. It was like nothing had changed between us, like... whatever you felt towards Lela didn't influence the way you felt about me?"

She nodded in agreement. "Exactly."

"And well, I did some research on the Internet and... have you heard of polyamory ?" 

"Oh, I can see where this is going..."

"Yeah ? So, like, thanks to a few chatrooms and some tumblr advice,  I figured if you wanted to have two relationships at the same time I would be okay with that. You know, as long as you still find time to make out with me once in a while..."

Mack was staring at him. Really staring, like he was something she had never seen before and found quite fascinating. It made him queasy.

"Um,  Mack, you okay ?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I just... Brady. You have no idea how nice this is to hear and I think I've just fallen a little bit more in love with you. But."

Ah, there it was. Brady managed to hide the smile that was working so hard to reach his lips. He couldn't wait to tell her, but at the same time he wanted to tease her and make her beg for it. Not in that way, shut up, brain.

"But what ?" He asked innocently.

"But I'm never going to see her again. She's gone and she won't come back, Brady."

"Oh, don't worry. I'm working on it."