His Playboy Ways

You're Not Alone

Dedicated to nanas_xo for her sweet comments :)

Silence.

Silence lingered between us for a long time, I found myself breathing uneven and just as the words came out of my mouth I realized what I said. I had told Mason, I told him something that nobody knew other than my doctor and me. Mason knew how to push my buttons and because of that he knew something that he shouldn't and even though I wanted to cover it up I couldn't, I'd already spilled too much to back away now.

Mason's eyes were wide and his mouth sat slightly agape. He took a small step backwards and after composing his shocked self he ran a hand through his dishevelled hair. I stood still and cautiously watched his every move, the silence that was lingering the air for a long while was becoming unbearable but I didn't dare utter a word, if Mason wanted to know more he would ask; I wasn't going to willingly give answers to unasked questions.

"What," he broke the silence looking at me before continuing, "What kind of sick joke do you think you're playing? Did you fall over and hit your head?" Mason asked sounding a little snappish.

I deciphered his words and when it hit me and I comprehended them I couldn't help but burst out laughing. I laughed so hard that I couldn't remember when last I laughed so much. I clutched onto my stomach and felt my eyes tearing.

Mason looked at me bewildered, he had frown lines covering his forehead and his eyes were slightly squinted as I carried on laughing. "What is wrong with you Carly? Have you completely lost your mind?" Mason shouted at me.

I controlled my laughter and took in a deep breath after wiping away the tears. "I'm not crazy Mason."

"How can I believe you when you tell me you're dying and then burst into a fit of laughter? If that's no crazy then I don't know what is!"

"I am dying Mason." I told him seriously and walked over to sit on a nearby bench, knowing it was going to be a long evening. "And I laughed because you have no idea how spot on you were when you asked if I fell on my head."

Mason took a seat next to me and looked at me with a frown. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I really did fall on my head and that's why I'm possibly dying." I answered flatly.

"What condition do you have?" Mason asked softly.

I took in a breath. "Something called Focal brain ischemia."

Mason looked at me as if I just spoke a foreign language, which was probably the same expression I gave the doctor when he explained what I had. "I have two rather large clots on the right side of my brain." I spoke to him in simpler words.

"How did you get that and how can you possibly think you'd be a disappointment if everyone found out?" he asked.

I gulped. "When you find out how I got it, you'd understand everything."

**Flashback to the past summer in New York**

"This isn't fair mom!" I said angrily stamping my foot.

"I don't care if it's fair or not, you are grounded and not to step out of this house for the entire summer." My mother told me sternly.

"But why? What did I do?" I asked.

"Carly Isabelle Edwards, I will not tolerate that tone with me young lady. I have given you far too much freedom that's why you're sitting on my head now."

I took in a deep calming breath. "Fine I'm sorry mother but I deserve to know for what I'm grounded right?"

"I cannot believe you actually have the nerve to ask me what you did wrong?" my mother asked.