The boy next door

Chapter Forty Seven: Christmas Spirit

Even when Kailani and I met up later to shop for Christmas gifts, I just couldn't help but wonder what he was lying to me about...I had to find out. But how? If I questioned him he'd know I was snooping through Kailani's phone, which would get me in trouble with both him and Kailani.
I was at a crossroads.

Mason opened his window to greet me, and I smiled back at him. "Merry Christmas Mason!" I cheered across to him and he grinned.

"Feliz Navidad, amour." He replied with just as much enthusiasm, a tired croak to his voice.

Mason looked different today.

Bags dressed under his usual bright hazel eyes, that looked a dull brown on this particular day. His wavy nest of curls was pushed under a beanie, and his cheeks appeared just the slightest bit sunken, barley noticeable. For his outfit, Mason wore a navy fleece robe and black and blue striped pyjama pants.

But most of all, he looked tired. Like he hadn't slept in days. Mason would usually rock eye bags, but today for some reason they looked more evident.

"What did you get for Christmas? If you got anything that's if." Mason asked me, yawning. I shrugged. "Clothes, equipment and whatnot. You?"

"Haven't got out of bed yet." He said back and I looked at him weirdly. I checked the time on my watch and frowned, looking up at him.

"Mason, it's going for one in the afternoon. And aren't you supposed to be having dinner at my house today for Christmas?" I referred back to Aunt Em telling me so this morning.

Mason shrugged, clearly not in the Christmas spirit. I vaguely remember Kailani telling me Mason never enjoyed the Christmas holidays, and always found it as unnecessarily useless.

"I'll be there." Mason assured, but I still remained frowning.

"What's up with you?" I asked him, searching his face for any hints of the truth. That message he sent to Kailani had been bugging me all morning. I was dying to find out what he was hiding from me.

Mason shook his head, dismissing the short-lived conversation. "Nothing, Sofia. I just slept last night." He lied, and I pretended to feed into it.

"Well, okay. Just make sure you're more energised for the Christmas dinner. I can't have you ruin the holding spirit." I tutt and receive a throaty chuckle in response. Mason had already started to close his bedroom window.

"Laters." He waved goodbye, but stopped to say one last thing. "And you look absolutely ethereal today." Mason winked, and finally shut his window leaving me taken aback.

He catches my reaction through his window and I earn a smile from him. He blows me a playful kiss before he shuts the blinds, abandoning our brief window talk.

The frosty weather outside had left my nose red, so I closed my window knowing Aunt Em would tell me off if she knew I exposed myself to the bitter weather for so long. Seconds later, I regretted ever opening that damn window because now I'm shaking with chills running down my spine.

I slowly walked back from the window to my bed, and get into the warm covers where a hot water bottle lay inside. I pull the bottle close to my shivering body, hugging it close to my chest.

I'd give mother and Selena their presents later.

Even though I still had an estimated five to six months to live, each day that passed by I got weaker. These days, all I wanted to do was nest in my warm covers with a bowl of soup next to me on my nightstand.

My friends would often check up on me throughout the day, but still none of them had known about my relapse just yet.

I'd tell them after Christmas.