Me, You, and Mason

36

"Oh, shut up," she playfully rolled her eyes.

He sat down at the edge of his bed.

"You all set for the show?" She asked.

"Yeah... I just keep thinking about everything that could go wrong."

"Welcome to my world," she simpered.

"I don't know how you do it."

"Reassurance sure helps. You know, the sky isn't falling. You've been preparing for this before you even knew this was what you were preparing for... and... you'll make a lot of people proud just by getting up there. Good or bad, you'll still be loved. You'll still be you. You'll still have... me, at least."

He smiled slightly, laying back against his mattress.

" 'Preciate that, Darcy-Ann. That sure helps a lot," he could feel the storm in his bones dissolving. His anxieties melted off as her words cycled through him.

"Yeah, no problem."

"How was it, with your mom?" He took his turn to ask a question.

"Could've been worse. She stayed until Aria came back home. We barely talked. I think that's the only way we can keep from bickering."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah... How was it when you were with her? You was wit' her for a minute. You usually eat lunch wit' me."

He chortled. "It was a'ight. She said we need to be careful, next time."

"Mm-hm. What else?"

"She told me how she met your dad."

Darcy rolled her eyes and thought, "They haven't been together for a long time. What is she reminiscing for?"

"What else did she say?"

"That I need to take care of you."

She kissed her teeth. "She swears I need somebody to care for me. She thinks it'll make up for how she didn't care."

"She might just think that you need care because— well— everybody needs care."

"Sage, can you stop playing devil's advocate for one second? Can I hate her in peace?"

"My bad... I'm just sayin'."

She sighed, turning over in bed.

"This my last thing, and I'll stop givin' my two cents on it," he prefaced.

Reluctantly, she allowed it. "Go 'head."

"Hatin' her isn't gon' make you love her any less."

She knew that. She'd been made aware of it just by dialing the woman's number. Hearing him say it only validated its reality.

It also showed just how well Sage knew her. She couldn't hide from him, not even when the emotions weren't reserved for him.

That scared the shit out of her.

"You really know me, don't you?" She asked.

"I try."

"We gon' need some space after this, Sage."

"I thought we were friends," he chuckled.

"We are. I just... This is too real now."

"It's been real."

"I know."

"I never played about'chu, Darcy-Ann... You know that... Right?"

"I know it now."