the other side of us | ✓

2.15 | beg me to stay

She'd forgotten how much she loved kissing Mason.

It wasn't just the act of kissing that she'd missed, Charlotte was realizing, it was Mason himself.

She'd missed the way he cradled her head gently in his hands, cupping the back of her neck delicately as he tilted her head back. She'd missed the way he always seemed to smell as if he'd just stepped out of the shower – crisp and clean and so distinctly Mason. She missed the way he wrapped an arm around her midsection to pull her tighter against the length of his body as she leaned into him. The easy way that his lips parted, and his hands slipped into her hair. How well they fit together when he tugged her towards the couch and how safe she felt when he wrapped his arms around her.

She'd forgotten how much she loved him.

When Mason finally pulled away from Charlotte, her heart was pounding so loudly that she was embarrassed that he'd hear it.

She pressed her chapped lips together as she looked through her lashes to find Mason gazing down at her.

Charlotte gave him a funny look.

"What?" She asked, her voice breathy.

"Say it again." Mason said, almost pleaded. Charlotte smiled at him, sitting up and resting both of her hands on either side of his face.

"I love you." She whispered.

Mason pressed their foreheads together and smiled.

"I love you, Charlotte Grace Evans."

*

When they were lying in bed later, Charlotte's head resting on Mason's chest, she ran her hand over the panes of his stomach.

"What does this mean?" She asked quietly. He shifted underneath her lazily.

"What does what mean?"

Charlotte gestured around her. "This? Are we . . . together?"

Mason paused. "What do you want?"

"It's my choice?"

"Charlotte," She loved the way he sighed her name. "I told you I'd be whatever you wanted me to be."

"Do you promise that you won't leave?"

The vulnerability in her voice scared her, and she felt Mason's arm around her tighten in response.

"I'm not going anywhere, Charlotte."

"But do you promise?"

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and she snuggled more securely into his side.

"I promise."

***

One Week Later

Mason's grip on the bouquet of daisies was tight, his sweat dampened palms leaving grooves in the soft tissue paper surrounding the stems. He didn't know why he was nervous; it wasn't like this was their first date ever, though it was their first dinner since their make up last week.

This was much more important than their first date.

Charlotte opened the door and smiled widely at the sight of the flowers.

"Hi."

"Hi." She said, grinning. "Are those for me?"

Mason handed her the bouquet and she took them gratefully.

"Just like our first date." Charlotte said happily. Mason grinned then. He knew she'd get it.

*

He'd done his best to recreate their first date, though without his truck, Charlotte had to drive. He'd sold it before moving to New York to help pay for the apartment that he and his mother had stayed in.

Charlotte drove with the windows down, and breeze cause tendrils of her hair to dance through the air. She batted at the strands in annoyance and Mason laughed.

Evie's Shake and Bake hadn't changed since their first date there all those years ago. They both ordered pancakes and Mason didn't spill water on himself. Everything was perfect.

On their drive back, Mason twined his fingers with Charlotte's, letting their joined hands rest on the gear shift. She smiled at him and he lifted their hands to press a kiss to the inside of her wrist.

"You're staring." Charlotte said as she turned into the parking lot behind Poppy's.

"Am I?" Mason said. "I guess I am."

Charlotte parked the car and twisted in her seat to look him in the eyes.

"I love you." She told him, her eyes twinkling.

"I love you." Mason repeated. He leaned across the center console to kiss her lightly and she leaned towards him to deepen the kiss.

Mason couldn't remember the last time he'd been so happy.

They walked arm and arm up the stairs, pausing every now and then to press a kiss to the other's cheek, lips, neck. They reached the top and Charlotte fumbled for her keys and then froze.

"Dad."

***

Charlotte wasn't quite sure why her father was standing on the small landing in front of her door, but he was glaring at Mason.

"Y-you!" He stuttered.

Mason took a step back. "Chief Evans."

"Dad, relax." Charlotte said, grabbing Mason's hand and yanking him towards the door. Clearly his fear of her father hadn't changed.

"What's he doing here?"

"Mason's back."

"I knew that." Her dad said gruffly. "Why's he here?"

"We're seeing each other." She told him; her speech oddly formal.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Charlotte brushed past her father to unlock the door and pushed Mason into the apartment. Her boyfriend stopped her with a hand on her shoulder and a meaningful look. A look that said If you can forgive me, why not him?

She hated that look.

With gritted teeth, she gestured for her father to follow her.

"Lottie? Why is Mason here?"

"I thought I told you I needed space, dad." Charlotte said, ignoring the question.

Her father shuffled his feet, and Mason retreated into the kitchen. Charlotte glared after him.

Traitor.

"It's been months, Lottie." He whispered. Charlotte's breath caught in her throat.

This was the man who had raised her, who had nourished her dreams and helped them become real. The man who had worked hard to help her keep a business alive while she struggled through college. When had he gotten so old? His hair was thinning, and the wrinkles on his forehead were more pronounced.

Charlotte's eyes moistened and she swallowed dryly.

"Dad," She said, taking a deep breath. He looked up at her. "Do you want to stay for coffee?"