My Heart's Choice (On Hold)

Chapter 31

I climb inside Mason's car at the bus stop. He gives me a tight smile which I return.

"Good Morning," I squeak, trying to make this moment a little less awkward that it is.

"Good Morning," Mason returns, stealing awkward glances at me.

He can't look me in the eye now?

I click my seatbelt into place, hoping that Mason's awkwardness shall vanish any second now.

The engine races over the soft music playing over the radio, and the car pulls into the road. I can smell the tension in the air, along with his strong perfume and old clothes.

I let out a deep sigh.

"Look."

"Look."

Both of us say at the same time. The unexpected timing ignites another series of awkward glances from Mason.

Gosh!

"Go on. You first," he urges, his eyes sticking to the road.

I really don't know what to say. I feel like smacking my head with a pole or something, for trying to initiate a conversation with one stupid "Look."

What can I say? Mason, I'm sorry that I was mad at you for kissing me. Does that even make sense?

I mean this fake relationship package comes with all those kissing, right?

"What do you wanna say?" he frowns at my silence.

When did my opinion start to matter, anyway?

"Nothing, I guess," I say, feeling like a complete fool.

Mason lets out a long and exaggerated sigh. He runs a palm through his hair, messing it up.

"I'm...I'm," he looks like the words are stuck somewhere in his throat, "I'm sorry?"

"Are you?"

He lets out another deep sigh, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah," he says, "Yeah I'm sorry."

"What for?"

Don't blame me. He seriously did not mention that part!

"Gosh Dana!"

He pulls the car over. The hum of the engine dies down and he turns to look at me. His eyes look mad than ever. Did I just cross a line I wasn't privileged to?

"I'm sorry, okay! For kissing you last night," he says, "when I wasn't supposed to."

"Oh that," I sound nonchalant.

"What else?" he turns the key in the ignition and the car pulls back onto the street.

"Nothing. Is there something else that you are sorry for?"

He lets out a shaky breath and I can imagine him breathing fire through his nostrils.

Oops. I did definitely cross a line, right? When did I start being reckless?

"Who's the monster now?" Mason mumbles under his breath, perhaps hoping that I hear.

I hide a small smile tugging at my lips.

We spend the rest of the journey in silence, listening to slow music over the radio. I make it a point to stare out the window to stop myself from laughing out loud at his self defending complaints, which he keeps on mumbling under his breath.

Who took Mason Young to be a baby, afterall?

As he pulls into the parking lot and kills the engine, I wriggle out of the seatbelt and am about to hop off the car when his hand lashes out to stop me.