Downfall | ✔️

Chapter 30.

"Who's this?" Jess asks as she smiles at Rebecca.

"This is Becca, she's new. Becca, this is Jess." I introduce the two.

"Nice to meet you." Becca smiles and Jess returns it.

"Do you want to sit with us?" I ask.

"We're just leaving, I've had way too much to drink and so has Jack." she laughs.

I look over to Mason who is giving me the 'save me' look. Or the 'I'm going to kill him' look, it's hard to differentiate between the two.

"Jack, come on!" Jess yells in frustration to which he attempts to fist bump Mason, with no returned effort besides a scowl. Painful to watch. Jack stumbles through the crowded room towards us and kisses Jess - making me just as weirded out as before, and judging by Becca's expression, she is too.

"See you, Mar!" Jess smiles as she eventually detaches herself from her vacu- I mean boyfriend, god damn it Mason.

"That was.. strange." Becca chuckles and I face palm.

"Another drink?" she asks and I consider it, mentally weighing the pro's and con's. I barely had any vodka in my last drink so I can barely feel a difference.

"Sure." I shrug.

"I'll pour, go make sure Mason survived.. well, Jack." she jokes as she exits the room.

I take my seat again to notice another empty cup beside Mason, and he looks reasonably more relaxed.

"He tried to fist bump me, Amara. He called me bro." Mason exclaims dramatically as he rolls his eyes.

"Mason, are you drunk?" I smirk.

"No, just tipsy." he smirks in return as his finger lands on my shirt just above my bra.

"You spilled something." he says calmly as his eyes remain on mine.

"I know." I mumble.

"Am I interrupting something?" Becca laughs awkwardly from behind us.

"No."

"Yes."

Mason and I say in unison.

"No, come sit." I say as I scowl at Mason, swatting his hand away.

"So how long have you lived here?" Rebecca asks Mason as she hands me my drink and I feel my heart sink slightly. It's such an innocent and natural question but I know how uncomfortable it makes him. I watch him, waiting for a reaction or for him to snap at her but it never comes.

"A lot of years now." he says calmly as his hand rests on my leg, I instinctively rest my free hand on top of his. I know even if it wasn't intentional, he did that in search of comfort. Reassurance. Even underneath the barrier of alcohol fuelled confidence, he's uneasy. I squeeze his hand gently to ensure he knows it's okay.

"That's insane. Can you say something in Italian?" she asks excitedly and I see him ponder for a second.

His eyes shift from Rebecca to me, looking directly into my eyes, "Sempre con voi, sempre e per sempre." he says quietly and my heart flutters like it does each time, without a doubt.

"What does it mean?" she asks.

"It's just something Amara likes." he brushes it off, his moment over. I still sincerely appreciate that he didn't snap at her, and that he said something I love to hear so dearly.

"Another drink?" a voice yells to Mason.

"On my way." he announces as he stands up, his hand dropping from mine.