Someone Willing to Stay

M&M

Surprisingly I'm able to kick everyone out before midnight. By me, I mean Mason, who starts yelling something about the police and has the house cleared out in seconds.
      Every time I look over at him, all I can feel is his warmth when we danced, his lips on mine. He hasn't said a word about it, and call me a teenage girl, but I want to hit him for it.
      He can't just kiss me and then act like we don't even know each other. Tried the second part out once, it didn't work too well.
      Riley, Claire, David and Robert are sitting in the living room watching a movie while Mason is helping me pick up the kitchen.
      "I don't know where all of these solo cups came from." I mumble under my breath, picking up the cups and tossing them in a trash bag.
      "It's a party, they always end up showing up." Mason tells me.
At least Adam gives you answers, at least you know why Adam does what he does.
      "You can leave, you know. You don't have to help." I say.
      Mason looks over at me. I realize how weird he looks, standing over the sink with suds covering his arms all the way up to his elbows as he does the dishes.
      "Of course I'm staying."
     "Well I mean you obviously don't wanna talk to me. I totally get that, like it was just a kiss, even though it was my first, and it probably doesn't matter to you. But it matters to me and you're just acting like it didn't happen and I wanna know why you did it and-"
      Mason doesn't even dry off his hands before he comes up to me and puts them on my waist, causing me to drop the trash bag in surprise.
      "Mel," he saws lowly, "you're rambling."
     I blush and look down.
      He uses his finger to lift my chin up, "I kissed you because I wanted to. I thought you would understand that I wasn't talking about it because I didn't think I needed to."
      "Why?"
      "Because we both know it's going to happen again." He smirks.
     I scoff, "What makes you so sure?"
      He leans down, "Because we both stayed."
      He captures my lips on his again and it feels just as magical as the first time, except his hands are making my shirt damp from the dishwater.
      I push my hand against his chest and pull away, taking a deep breath.
      He smiles, "Told you so."
      "I know that I did not see what I just saw," Riley exclaims, "I know that my best friend didn't just have her first kiss in a dusty kitchen filled with half empty cups of beer."
      "You're right," Mason winks, "she actually had it a few hours ago in the living room while we slow danced to a Taylor Swift song."
      Riley completely forgets whatever reason she came into the kitchen for as she gasps and grabs my arm, pulling me away from Mason and to the living room.
"Claire! Ni-Ni and Mason are dating!"
"What? Oh my gosh, I knew it, as soon as I saw the kiss earlier."
"You saw it and didn't tell me?"
"Stop it, guys," I laugh, "we are not dating."
Adam would kill me.
      I liked the kiss, yes. A lot. And I like Mason. But after tomorrow, when I tell my mom, everything is going to be different. Everyone is going to hate me.
      "Could've fooled me." David says.
      I roll my eyes, "Anyone could fool you."
      "Ouch."
"Can we just not talk about this right now?" I plead with the group.
They go quiet but Rob changes the subject quickly, seeing how uncomfortable I am.
"I had a lot of fun tonight, and I even got three phone numbers." He boasts.
"Well I have a girlfriend."
Rob glares at David, "I could just strangle you with my bare hands."
David opens his mouth to retaliate but Mason steps in front of him.
"Let's not murder anyone yet."
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm exhausted," Claire says, "I'm probably gonna head home."
The others murmur in agreement and I give a small sigh of relief.
I need to be alone for a little while. Just to think.
You could just not tell her at all.
But then Mason would and that would break her even more.
"I'm pretty tired too." I tell them.
"Looks like we're heading home." Riley sighs.
Every year, she pleads with me to stay over so she can wake me up on my actual birthday, but that can't happen. I'm not allowed to be happy tomorrow. Frankly, I don't think I ever will be happy again.
Claire and Riley come up to me, hugging me quickly and wishing me a happy birthday.
David, Riley, Robert, and Claire leave together.
When everyone else is gone, Mason comes up to me and looks down.
"I just want you to know that whatever happens, I'm right next door," he whispers, wrapping his arms around my waist, "your birthday present is on your bed, by the way."
He pulls away, and I bite my lip to hold myself back from calling out. I don't want him to leave. I don't want to be faced with making the most difficult decision of my life.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Mel. Happy birthday," Mason says before he turns on his heel and walks away.
After he leaves I lock the door and head upstairs, ready to change the sheets on my bed. I'm sure Riley and David are more respectable than Mason hunted but you can never be too sure.
On my bed is a small gold box. I pick it up gently and open it.
There's a silver chain, a bracelet with a small charm that has three things engraved in it.
M&M.
There's a note stuck to the bracelet so I pull it off and open it.
For Mel and Mason, cuz we're best friends again and there's nothing you can do to drive me away.
Love, the devilishly handsome Mason.
I smile and laugh softly, tears building up behind my eyelids.
Slipping that bracelet on, I hide the box in my nightstand and begin to remake my bed.
Once I'm done, I fall into it in exhaustion, lifting my arm up to admire the chain on my wrist.
He said, Love, Mason.
Not Sincerely, or Your Friend, Love.
"M&M." I whisper with a smile.