NEGLECTED

Chapter Thirty Seven

KEATON ADLER

I was half joking with Ffion when I said I'd only go to her brothers bachelor party if she went, but now I wish more than anything that I wasn't. Because now, here I was, standing out the front of a club, making sure nobody kidnapped Mason as he vomited his guts out and onto the bricks. I'd been the one to offer to stay sober tonight and I was regretting it now. I'd much rather be taken care of than have to take care of someone else. 

"Oh god, I think I'm dying" Mason groaned, still doubled over with his hand on his stomach as he tries to gulp as much air down as possible. 

"I don't think so."

"No, I definitely am" Mason heaved, letting me direct him over to the kerb before pushing down on his shoulders, forcing him to sit on the edge of the road. I lowered myself beside him, the both of us falling into silence as Mason tried to collect himself, and I day dreamt about the one person I'd rather be with.  

"I'm getting married tomorrow" Mason mumbled, a dry laugh escaping him as he sat forward slightly, staring at the building opposite us. 

"Nervous?"

"Bloody oath" Mason replied, nodding his head as he sucked in a deep breath, before exhaling loudly and slowly. 

"You know, I met my fiancé when she was with another guy" I turn my head and give Mason my attention. "To be fair, I didn't know she was already engaged until after I proposed." 

"That's fucked" I blurt before I give myself a chance to properly think of how to respond. Mason laughs, nodding along, thankfully agreeing. 

"Yes it is. But she broke it off and kept me from leaving. Promised I was the love of her life" I frown as Mason speaks. He wouldn't be telling me this if he wasn't drunk out of his mind, but it still felt like he was trusting me with his life and lord did I appreciate it. 

"You must love her heaps to stay" I state, Mason turning and smiling at me. 

"She's the love of my life. There isn't a single thing about her I don't adore" Mason looked away from me, closing his eyes to relax in the silence of the street. My own smile creeped up onto my face. That's exactly how I felt about Ffion. 

"If I seem off or over protective when it comes to Ffion, please don't think into it too much. And don't take it personally. I've been like this with all her boyfriends, but you seem to be the only one I can...trust" Hearing Mason tell me he trusted me meant so much more to me than it should've. Ffion and Mason were so close and she thought so highly of him, it was hard not to feel like this. Mason laughs to himself. 

"One of her old boyfriends thought into it too much and thought I was in love with her" My face heats slightly as I shift my body away from Mason so he can't see the guilty look adorning my face. Her old boyfriend isn't the only one. Mason turns towards me and I have to quickly mask the look on my face as he squints at me. 

"Can I trust you with something? Something I've never told Fi before? I feel like you deserve to know" The question makes my insides churn but I nod nonetheless, wondering what Mason is getting at. 

"About 5 years ago an old friend of mine was having a house warming party. Big house, a lot of people, a lot of booze, a lot of unguarded cups" Oh, I didn't like where this was heading. 

"I was supposed to be keeping an eye on Ffion cause she can get a bit carried away when it comes to drinking. I looked away for one second and when I turned back she was gone" Oh, I really didn't like where this was heading. 

"When I finally found her she was unconscious and that friend of mine whose house party it was, was on top of her" I'm not sure what makes me more sick, what I'm hearing or the look of guilt on Mason's flushed face.