I knew it was a game. Damn but a good game it was for as long as it lasted.
"Let me go." I whisper.
He stares at me. His face turning so cold. "Fine." He says letting up on the grip of my arm.
"I'm done playing this game."
...
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Mason leads us down a stone path to the Botanical Garden. I run my hands over soft, yellow flowers as we pass by them.
We stop at a small, old bridge. The wood is worn down and the strength of it deteriorated. I lean over the railing to look at my reflection in the glossy water. It wavers back and forth as the wind guides its way downstream.
"It's pretty here." I coo. Closing my eyes to take in all of the wondrous beauty that this garden has to offer.
Mason leans on the wood railing next to me. Staring at his reflection for only a moment before directing his view towards me. "It is." He says softly. His body relaxed into the bridge. His hands were folded together. "You know, my mamma used to come here often." He talks as if she's gone and he's reliving moments with her. "She hasn't come back or at least I don't think so. Me and my sister used to run around in the green grass and mamma would yell as she chased us around." A small smile pulled at the corner of his lips.
He let down part of his wall. Maybe it was nearly an inch but I still saw a glimpse of him, of the real Mason. "She sounds wonderful." I tilted my head slightly at him. "I like your sister more than you." I laughed.
"Yeah, most people do. Even my ex—" He choked on whatever words started to spew from his mouth. "My sister is kinder and more bubblier than me." He admits. He stands straighter, then lets his head fall between his shoulders. "I presume that's why I had no friends growing up." He smiles slightly to himself.
I can't help but sigh a laugh. "Doesn't surprise me Masy." I turned to lean backwards on the railing because my arms were tired.
He looked past me at something that lingered behind me. He sucked in a soft breath. "Stay here a second." I watched him walk past me to a bush of pretty pink flowers. He plucked one off and walked back towards the bridge.
Mason stopped right in front of me. His breath tickled my cheeks as he leaned forward. He watched me for a moment before tucking a piece of hair behind my ear with the pink flower. "There." He whispers. "It's a pinkcarnation." My body grew warm unwillingly.
"Tesoro, sei qualcosa di stravagante." [Translation: Darling, you are something extravagant]
I looked closely at him before speaking. "What does that mean? I don't speak Italian." I whispered between our two still bodies.
"I said we are late to lunch Ms. White." He pulled away and started to walk off the rickety old bridge.
I sighed. Right, of course.
There were a ton of people in the big open field. Some sat on picnic blankets as they laughed. Others stood underneath the shade and watched people walk around. Then flirty people kissed and hugged, maybe even whispered words into their partners ears that made them weak in the knees.
