Take My Breath | Catnipz

eleven

THE LOUD REV of an all too familiar Ford Mustang jolts me awake from my imperfect slumber of five minutes and no less.

I hear the car door open and close as I think about all the possible reasons as to why she's come to my house unannounced and at two thirty in the morning. I'd seen her several hours ago at school before her attention was inevitably taken away to the one girl she actually has feelings for.

I turn to my side and I pull the covers over my shoulder. My parents would disown me if I ever had anyone over at such an ungodly hour.

But Mara Jace has always been the absolute exception, and that alone has given her the luxury of a spare key and the ability to come over whenever she pleases; even when Mason's parents aren't home; like right now for instance.

The front door unlocks in haste, leaving my heart to inevitably beat two times faster than it should. I couldn't help but think that the latter had come to bear great news. It wouldn't struck me if Mavis had reciprocated Mara's feelings towards her.

It's MJ after all. How could you not fall for her? I would know. I knows how easy it all is now that I've done what I once deemed as impossible.

But it was now clear as day. It was not impossible to fall for Mara. In fact, it may have been the easiest thing that I have ever done in my life.

And to be truthfully honest, I'd never liked anyone before. Mara's my first crush. My first kiss. Maybe even my first love. But I didn't want to get ahead of myself. It was better to be sure than to get ahead of myself based on my  spiralling emotions. It's probably just hormones.

Right?

And while I manage to calm my nerves and my mind, I hear my bedroom door open gently. The soft evening breeze cools my skin as Mara walks in ever so quietly. What are you doing here?

Mara places her car keys and her other belongings onto my tiny bedside table and walked over to the other end of the room.

"Hmm."

The latter hummed as she opened the dresser. She pulled out an oversized tee shirt and her grey hoodie. The same grey hoodie that I had no intention of ever giving back to Mara.

"MJ?"

Mara turned around with her change of clothes in hand. She wore a black Nike top and bike shorts on with a ring on each finger and a red baseball cap to top it all off. The sight of her toned figure had left Mason feeling dizzy.

"Hi." Mara smiled.

"What are you doing here?" I wondered. She sat herself down on my bed and cupped my face. "I heard your car in the drive way." I yawned. "It's really early. Shouldn't you be going home?"

Mara slips on her grey hoodie. "But I am home."

My heart explodes. "Huh?"

The latter crawls into the king single bed beside me that hardly has enough space for myself as is.

"I'm home."

I begin to swallow the dryness that had become more apparent with time. I could hardly bat an eye or catch a breath; a reoccurring series of events that I soon realised have become inevitable in my best friend's presence. My heart rate had soared to new heights. I couldn't afford to buy myself enough time to calm me down.

Mara had tucked herself under the duvet and cuddled close. "I couldn't sleep." She threw an arm around my waist. "And I miss you."

I had unknowingly curled my fingers into tight fists. Again, like clockwork, it all started up again. I couldn't breathe with how close we were.

"I thought you were with Mavis."

My best friend hummed between the crook of my neck. "I was. But I went home after a little bit."

"That's it? You just went home?" My eyes were wide open. All I could do was stare at the ceiling and pray to the heavens that my beating heart was anything but apparent. "Why?"

I couldn't understand what ran through Mara's head or what her intentions actually were. The older girl had been talking my ear off about Mavis and "her unmatched beauty", which even I couldn't disagree with. Mavis had the beauty, the brains and even the wit that I knew that Mara loved more than anything.

"Why are you so curious?" Mara asked.

"I'm your best friend. Why can't I be?"

Mara moved her hands towards my lines. "I didn't stay with her long because she had things to do. It was nice. But I just went home after."

"Here? You came straight here?"

Her best friend nodded. "Mm. Home."

For some unknown reason, or a reason I wouldn't have the heart to admit; I felt my heart flutter. Mara came home. Here. To me.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

Mara used the tip of her index finger to trace my curves. "I didn't want to wake you. But it seems like I woke you up in the process." She chuckled softly. "Were you sleeping well though?"

Nope.

Not even.

"I slept for awhile and it was okay."

Mara hummed in response. "Are you still sleepy?"

I nod even though the latter now had her eyes shut closed. "I am. I'm starting to fall asleep again to be honest..." I lied. All the sleep that had washed over me mere moments ago had vanished into thin air. It had been replaced with a plethora of unanswered questions and a feeling that sank deep within my mind, body and soul.

I had lost my train of thought once again. It was extremely difficult for me to even formulate a logical sentence without sounding like I had a tomato for a brain. All my knowledge and experience had turned into a puddle of nothingness and evaporated into thin air.

All my mind could do was focus on the warmth that the latter had brought mixed with the feeling of my heart drumming against my chest.

My chest rises and falls with each heavy breath I took. All I could think about was the distance between us. If I had the courage, or even the heart to do so, I'd make the move and kiss her like the world would depend on it.

But that isn't who I an.

And I wasn't going to hurt myself further.

Not today.