Downfall | ✔️

Chapter 38.

*Morning, plant killer. I'm sorry I was a dick to you, coffee?*

I chuckle at the message and the use of my familiar nickname, it's Mason through and through. The sound of coffee makes me sigh in relief. Today is the day that Jess arrives home and I promised I'd spend time with her, and for that — I need coffee.

*Apology accepted. I'll meet you at my usual place in half an hour:)*

I drag myself out of bed and hop in a warm shower to try and rinse off the embarrassment and drilling pain inside my head. If I feel like this, I wonder how Matt feels. I step out and wrap a towel around myself, drying my hair as quickly as possible — realising I seriously underestimated how long it takes me to get ready.

I throw my hair up and grab the first outfit I see, I look like death personified but I'm past the point of caring.

Once I arrive at the coffee shop I see Mason already seated at my usual table with a latte for him, and an iced coffee for me. He knows he has some grovelling to do.

"Hey." I say as I sit opposite him and take a sip of my coffee.

"Hey, how's the hangover?" he asks, scratching his head awkwardly.

"Kicking my ass, but the coffee will help hopefully. And the Advil I took before I came here." I chuckle.

"I'm sorry for being such an asshole last night, I'm just really fucking stressed and I missed you." he groans.

"It's okay, really. What are you stressed about? Talk to me." I say reassuringly as I sip my coffee, hoping for my hangover to mysteriously disappear.

"You know how much I hate living in dorms, right?" he sighs.

"Yes?" I say anxiously, I have no idea where this is going.

"I want to buy my own place. I have a lot of money that I've been saving since I moved here to buy an apartment. But, I need some sort of income." he rambles, growing seemingly more sheepish as he continues.

"Jake offered me a job at the diner, I said I'd think about it but I don't know if I can work with him all the fucking time." he explains monotonously, I can tell how much he hates the idea.

"Can't you get a job elsewhere? If it's going to stress you out so much?" I ask.

"No, I've been looking everywhere — the diner is always so busy so it's good money, I just wish Jake didn't work there." he sounds stressed, and looks like he didn't get much sleep.

"You've been looking? Mase, why didn't you tell me?" I ask confusedly, I had no idea he even wanted a job, or his own place.

"I just didn't want to put it onto you. And.." he scrunches his nose up.

"And what?"

"And I was wondering if you wanted to move in with me. Just to split the cost, and I thought that-"

"Mason." I interrupt.

"We can't move in together, we haven't been together that long, it's only been five months — and I can't leave my mom just now. I'm sorry, but no." I say clearly, there's no way we can move in together and I don't want to sugarcoat it.

"No? Just a flat-out no? You don't even have to think about it, Amara?" he mutters, clearly annoyed — again.

"I'm sorry Mason, it's just a step too far. We can't." I stand my ground.

"Okay, Amara. Forgive me if I'm a little hurt you didn't even have to wait till I finished my sentence to answer me." he scoffs, sitting back in his seat and I realise I may have been a little harsh.

"Mason, I didn't mean it like that. You know how much I adore you — but I don't want to move in together." I try to explain.

"You've made that pretty clear." he mutters.

"You don't have to be so hostile, I was just being honest." I say with annoyance, to which I don't get a response.

"Mason, you're projecting your stresses onto me, again." I shake my head.

"Sorry, Amara. I forgot only one of us are allowed to get our feelings hurt." he snaps and I stand up with my coffee in hand.

"I'm going to meet Jess. We can talk later." I sigh, walking out of the coffee shop.

Mason and I have been biting each other's heads off for two days now. It's clear that both of us are on edge, I'm worried about Carol and Mason, Jess and Matt. Mason is worried about a job, affording his own place, me. We're just clashing right now and I need to spend some time with Jess to get rid of my petty streak.

I wait around the corner for Jess to pick me up, I don't want to run into Mason on his way out, that would be pretty awkward. I just wanted to make a point by walking out on him, but now that I have I just feel guilty. I shake off my pettiness and I see Jess' car approaching, she needs my support right now, not the opposite way around.

"Hey stranger." I tease as I climb inside the car.

"I've missed you so much." Jess whines as she wraps her arms around me, stopping me from breathing for a few seconds.

"I've missed you too." I choke, returning the hug.

"How's the hand?" she cringes as she examines it.

"All better, it hurt for a while but it was worth it." I smirk, meaning it.

She drives us to her house where we eat and talk, she tells me how good it was to get away for a while and how refreshing getting a break from the same daily routine was for her after everything. She asks about Mason, and I refrained from the petty argumentative details. We talked and laughed and my mood instantly felt better, I reassured her that Matt was doing better and she seemed relieved to know so.

"Jack called me last night." she exclaims nonchalantly, scooping some nachos and dip into her mouth.

"He what? Why?" I gape in awe that he has the audacity to even exist near her.

"He wanted a second chance." she shrugs, avoiding eye contact.

"And? You told him to go to hell, right?" I scoff,

"Right?!"

I earn a sigh and a furrowed brow from her, "Jess! Please tell me you didn't say yes." I whine in disbelief.

"I didn't, I promise. It's just hard." she tells me, the pain evident in her voice once more. "I really thought he was a decent guy, Amara. He had his faults but I truly thought he cared about me and he just, didn't. It's going to take time to get to grips with." she sighs, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath in.

"Come here," I pout, wrapping my arms around her and staying in the embrace for what felt like forever. Sometimes that's all you need, someone to just be there — even in silence.

"That guy from the party was cute, what was his name.. Taylor." she mumbles into my hair.

"No way," I scoff, holding her out at arms length. "Taylor is the biggest player ever, Mason warned me about him the first time I met him."

"I don't want a boyfriend, just a rebound." she smirks, chuckling under her breath.

"So, his number?" she scrunches her nose up. I punch her shoulder playfully, "Not happening."

"Worth a try." she rolls her eyes, grabbing the bowl of nachos.

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