We are only getting older baby
And I've been thinking about it lately
Does it ever drive you crazy
Just how fast the night changes
Everything that you've ever dreamed of
Disappearing when you wake up
But there's nothing to be afraid of
Even when the night changes
It will never change me and you
-Night changes, One Direction
12| Mason
"Just because I stole your burger, you are giving me yet another one?" She asked narrowing her eyes.
Mason shrugged. He had brought Evelyn to the nearest diner and it didn't have many choices for dinner. So burger it was, along with fries and a chocolate milkshake.
Evelyn stared at her food for minutes. Then she picked up a fry and managed to eat it in three bites. Three bites.
Who eats one fry in three bites? Evelyn and only Evelyn.
"So, I suppose I told you that I don't want to see you. Yet, here we are."
"Yes, here we are." Mason couldn't blame Evelyn for hanging out with his friends. Neither could he put down Jack's 'order' to come to the cinema hall. Or else, as Jack said, he might get pranked. So he had no other choice. Coming to the cinema hall was of course better than having shaved eyebrows.
"What did you say to Jack?" Mason asked eating his fries.
"Nothing, why?"
"He was shouting at me, saying I am stupid and all I can do is fight and I hurt people and don't take care and blah blah."
"Oh," Evelyn said still staring at her food.
"Why aren't you eating?"
Evelyn glanced at him. Then she looked at the food. Holding her stomach, she leaned back on the booth. "I can't."
"I thought you were hungry," Mason said.
"My stomach is in knots. I can't eat." Evelyn said shaking her head no.
"Is this the same thing that happens to you when you don't eat anything at lunch?" Mason asked abruptly.
"How many times do you stalk me on a daily basis?" She asked looking bored.
"Well, " Mason shrugged. He took a bite of his burger. "Why don't you take medicines?"
"It's complicated." Evelyn looked out the window. The street was dark and the glass window had become black in the lack of light. Nothing was visible on the other side. So Evelyn's own reflection stared back at her.
Mason took another bite, "The burger is good. You should try it."
"To be honest, the smell of food is making me feel sick now." Evelyn looked around.
"Oh." Mason stood up, After washing off, he paid the bills they made it out to the street.
Outside, the moon was shining brightly. As Evelyn stepped outside from the restaurant, moonlight gleamed on her. A strand of hair fell on her face as a gentle breeze blew. Mason felt the urge to brush it away.
Instead, he scratched the back of his neck.
"You really won't give up stalking me, will you?" Evelyn said as she fell on steps beside him.
"Ha-ha. Whatever helps you sleep at night," Mason rolled his eyes.
Evelyn stayed silent.
"Jack threatened me to come tonight," Mason added after a while.
Mason stuffed his hands inside his jacket's pocket. The air had turned a bit chilly. They turned on their way and he spotted the park. The same park he used to come to when he was a little child.
"So, that's the only reason you're here," Evelyn said quietly.
Mason nodded and walked forward. He really couldn't tell why he went to the hall. He knew Jack's threatening had nothing to do with his presence. He knew better than be scared of his empty threats.
We got a lot to figure out. His inner voice prickled.
Mason pushed open the park's gate. The gate cracked under his touch. Children didn't come here anymore. There was a new park in the rich neighborhood. This one was not in use. He walked inside and looked around. The rides were all in the same place like they used to be. Looking back at them, nostalgia washed over him.
"I don't like parks," Evelyn commented from where she stood.
"Tell me when you like something." Mason shook his head in disappointment and walked towards the swing. It was pretty stupid for someone his age to sit on a swing. But he wanted to sit and the swing wasn't that much of a bad choice. The air around them smelt like dry leaves. A few twigs broke under his feet as he walked.
He sat on one of them and it cracked. All of the rides were maybe as old as the park. Nobody took care of them. The place was abandoned like his childhood memories. He looked up and watched the moon in the sky.
Evelyn was stood in front of the other swing, frozen in her spot. Her eyes were threatening as if the swing was going to attack her.
"Anything wrong?"
"Why the swing?" She asked looking at it.
"I just wanted to sit." Mason clasped his hands together and took a deep breath of the fresh air.
Evelyn was still standing there. She looked back at him and then carefully took a step forward the swing. Turning around she held the ropes on both sides and settled herself on it.
"You know, swings don't bite."
"Shut up."
Mason looked away. Moments later, Evelyn spoke, "I am used to having a nightmare."
Mason turned his attention to her.
"In that nightmare, I walk around a small town with someone. Then I see a swing, I get excited like the spoiled child I am. I run for it. I sit on the swing and tell him to push."
She stopped for a moment and sucked in a breathe. "He pushes me and then the scene transforms. I find myself standing on the roof of a skyscraper. And when I say skyscraper, I mean the highest one of them. I am from New York, so trust me, I have seen plenty."
Mason saw her lips trembling. Nobody deserved a nightmare.
"Then someone arrives behind me. He asks me if he should push me. I beg him, I tell him not to. But of course, he does. He pushes me and I fall. I fall and I keep falling and I never see the end of it."
She sighed and looked up at the sky.
"I have never said this to anyone." She whispered.
"There is a first time for everything," Mason said quietly.
"Speaking of nightmares, I had one last night," Mason said as casually as possible.
Evelyn's head snapped his way, "I was running in the middle of the street hearing sirens of ambulance and police cars. And the more I run, the closer the sounds get. But I couldn't reach it." He said. "I woke up."
Evelyn snorted. "We are pathetic."
Mason smiled for no reason, "Yes, totally. Tragic."
This made Evelyn chuckle and Mason joined in. " Weird."
"What is weird?" Mason asked.
"The fact that I am laughing about my nightmare about the swing while sitting on a swing. Also, the fact that I am laughing with you."
"Yes, sometimes, I forget I am a robot designed to glare, stare, and frown." Mason joked and Evelyn chuckled.
"Mr. Frownface," Evelyn said and stood up. Mason followed.
"I really don't believe that anyway."
"Believe what?" Mason asked as they got on the street.
"The fact that you have to act a certain way. Yes, you are popular, I get it. People expect you to act some way. But it is totally up to you how you want to present yourself before others."
"It was not entirely my choice."
"Then why someone tells you, that you were trying to be him? You were different before, weren't you?" Evelyn asked.
"Things change and people change too. They made decisions, they made mistakes. They want to go back." Mason replied.
"I always wanted to ask this to someone. Speaking of the past, if you could change one thing, what would that be?"
Mason contemplated her question for quite some time. If could change one thing, what could it be? It was really simple. If he changed that, everything would change. Or would it?
"Nothing."
"So you are completely happy with what you have?"
"No, I guess we can't control what just not up to us. I can't change anything. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be."
"Huh." Evelyn snorted. "So if you see the world crumbling in front of you, you will just sit back and think, oh it's meant to be."
"No, I won't sit back and watch. I will try to prevent and do something because it's meant to be."
"There's no use arguing with you." She said and halted on her steps. They were in front of Evelyn's house.
"Yes, we will always end up on different sides, I guess," Mason said looking down at her. There was still the same strand of hair on her face and it was pretty distracting.
"And I don't really think, this 'I don't wanna see you, I can't be your friend thing' will work," Mason said.
"Oh, you don't think that, do you?" Evelyn asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"We have our seats next to each other."
"Because you exchanged first. And now you've gone back to your own seat. That's not a problem anymore."
"We have our locker next to each other."
"That can also be managed."
"We have the same friends," Mason said impatiently. He was running out of excuses.
"I can always make new friends."
"You haven't heard the rumors, have you?" Mason asked crossing his hands over his chest.
"What rumors?" Evelyn asked narrowing her eyes.
The rumors had started and Mason couldn't actually say that it wasn't entirely his fault. In the boys' locker room, he heard some guys talking about the yet new girl Evelyn. What the boys talked about in the locker room was appropriate to mention outside. They were not talking about decent topics for starters. So, he stopped in front of them and glared. Only glared and while crossing his arms. And that's all they needed. Now there was a rumor that Mason was dating Evelyn.
"Then I suggest not to hear them. All I want to say is, you will be judged. It will be hard to make new friends."
"What a surprise!" Evelyn mocked and rolled her eyes. "And what rumor again?"
"Rumors are for ignoring, so ignore," Mason commented.
"I need to know first then I will ignore."
"No, you don't."
"Then I most certainly will dig it out," Evelyn said.
"Of course, why won't you," Mason rolled his eyes.
They stood there staring at each other's faces. Moments later Mason couldn't help but ask, "I don't understand, am I a that bad friend?"
"It will be easier for me if you were a bad friend. But, of course, you won't be one, won't act like one." Evelyn huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. Mason smiled sadly pressing his lips.
"Sorry I can't help it." Mason took a careful step forward. He tugged the strand of hair behind her ear and said, "I can't be your not-friend. It's not possible for me."
Evelyn looked at him with the depths of her dangerous hazel eyes, threatening and fierce. Then she blushed. Her cheeks turned red and Mason could see it clearly under the bright moonlight.
The moon was a blessing.
Mason quickly took two steps backward and said, "Okay then, good night. Have a good night's sleep without nightmares."
He turned around leaving a startled-looking Evelyn behind. A smile broke on his lips and he looked back swearing to himself that it would be the last time.
She looked red yet but there was no strand of hair falling on her face.
• • •
Edited.