Take My Breath | Catnipz

twelve

Maisie? What? Since when have they been on a nickname basis? And Maisie? Seriously? I turn my head to look over at Mason. "Maisie?"

Mason sets three cups of tea down for each of us. I notice that she's made mine in the mug she bought for me to use whenever I'm at hers. I feel a tug at the corner of my lips. A smile. Of course.

Mason and her small acts of kindness.

"Yeah. Riley thought of it once." Blunt.

I'm not sure whether I'm taken aback or disappointed; maybe both but who am I to feel either of those when I know her better.

Mason hates feminine sounding names or nicknames; hence the reason for her name now. It's the reason I refer to her as just Mace or even baby or my love. These endearments have definitely been used more often than not; I love making sure she feels comfortable above all else.

"And you're okay with it?"

I take a small sip of my tea. Mason nods beside me. The smile on her face grows little by little as she looks back over at Riley. "Mm. I am. It's cute."

I press my tongue against my cheek as I set the mug down on the bench.There's an overwhelming feeling brewing inside me—though I've never felt this before. I don't even know what it is.

I think back to all the other times I've tried to give her cute nicknames. "I don't like it, Jace." I could file through all of them one by one and give you the exact response, word for word, that Mason had told me whenever a new potential nickname had popped up into my head. Mace was the only nickname she'd let me call her. And now...

She's Maisie.

The same 'Maisie' I've known my whole life. The same 'Maisie' that I know better than the back of my own hand. The 'Maisie' that would come to me for anything and everything. My Maisie.

"I'm surprised." I roll my eyes. 

Riley hums after a of her own Green Tea. "Really, why's that? Is she not fond of nicknames?"

I look over at Mason who's still looking at Riley. "I mean it's not that. It's just that she—"

"I used to hate really feminine or cutesy names." Mason answers at lighting speed. "Though I don't mind this one. I think it's really cute. And it's better now that it's coming from you." She adds.

Though I don't mind this one.

I think it's really cute.

And it's from you.

I hear the same words play over and over in my head as if they were a broken record. "Huh. I guess you just changed overnight then?"

Mason shook her head. "No. But I can like different things now, Jace. Don't be silly."

Don't be silly. That's certainly a new one. Since when am I silly? I can't fathom any of this. No matter how hard I try. It seems to me that it's quite obvious that she's changing. I don't know what to think or feel. What does this all mean?

Riley smiles widely. "I'm glad you do. It really suits you." She giggles. "But look." She pulls out the same copy of It's Not Summer Without You that I saw in her book bag earlier. "I went to the store and I bought it! I finished the first book the other day and I just couldn't believe it was over."

Damn. Now they're book buddies.

Mason squeals excitedly beside me. "Riley! You have to tell me!" I know where this is going. The ultimate question that any TSITP fan would want to know the answer to. "I need to know if you're Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah because—"

Because she's Team Conrad.

The only boy she'd ever have a crush on. The kind of guy she'd want to date if she were into guys.

Conrad Fisher—tall, broad and beautiful. He would do anything for his family. Belly too.

And I would...

I would do anything for my family,

and for Mason most especially. Always.

"I definitely think we should study first." Riley laughs. "If we don't we'd never get the work done and we have so much to do! It's ridiculous."

I want to throw up.

"You're gonna study?" I look over at Mason. I'm not entirely sure what the dress code was but it certainly wasn't for study. I look at her from head to toe, and then her firm core. Whoa. Anyway. I shake my head. "Baby, you look like you're about to hit the gym. How are you gonna stu—"

Mason rolls her eyes. Classic Mason move. "I knew you were gonna nag me about this." She stands firm and crosses her arms. "And what if I was actually going to the gym huh? What then?"

I place my hands on either side of her waist, earning a look of surprise from the girl sat on the stool; I can see Riley's expression from my peripheral vision. "I know that you aren't."

Mason groans before shoving me aside. "Whatever. Give..." She gestures me to hand over the grey hoodie I'm wearing.

I point at the hoodie with a devilish grin.

"What?" I tease. "This?" I pull at the hem of the hoodie and dance around the kitchen as she tries to get me to settle down in my place.

"Mara Jace."

"Mace."

Mason took a deep breath and tugged at the hem of my grey hoodie. "The hoodie." She looks up at me with her cat like eyes. "Please, baby..."

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck!

The hoodie comes over my head before I even have a second to process what I'm doing. I take a deep breath and I fix my hair back in place before I hand it over. "Here." Mason smiles and kisses me softly on the cheek before walking away.

I feel my cheeks start to burn. Huh.

Riley clicked her tongue. "Are you..."

I shake my head. "No. We aren't." I don't take any chances to sound like I'm hesitant. "We're just friends. Best friends." I answer. "Always."

Mason cleared her throat. "Yeah. What she said."

Riley nods. "Okay..." She seems unconvinced. Do I let her think that? "You guys must close."

"Yeah." Mason and I answer in unison.

I watch Mason put my hoodie on. Meanwhile, Riley's prying eyes are still on us. "Look. I think I'm gonna get dressed then head out."

Mason knits her brows. "What? Where?"

I point out the door. "To Mavis." I croak.