WAY TOO IN DEEP

1

AMINA

"Just tell her Mason." I glance up at him, catching the slight frown he made when those four simple words come out of my mouth.

Mason has been in my life for as long as I could remember, he's been there with me through most of the stages of my life, from the awkward middle school years to the insecure years in high school, and now my last year in college. 

He was my brother's (Jimmy's) best friend, but after Jimmy died almost fourteen years ago now, even though I was only 8 and Mason was only 10, my world was shattered into pieces.

I remembered and I didn't utter a single word for weeks, but then one day out of nowhere, Mason came over to our house, with his idiotic jokes and his free spirit, and little by little he collected those shattered pieces and put them together.

He and I became inseparable since then. I guess we just understood each other, and that created a bond between us.

"Come on Mase you can't just keep playing with the poor girl's feelings like that." We were currently in my living room, Mason was sitting on the couch, and I was sitting on the floor with my head on his lap, while he attempts to help me take out my braids. I was doing most of the work, but like always, I give him some credit for at least trying to help.

"And why not?" He asks, closely examining the braid he's been unbraiding for the past eight minutes.

"Because it's wrong Masey." He hates it when I call him that.

"You want to know what's wrong?" His face was stern and I knew why.

"What?" I proceed acting clueless.

"You calling me Masey." He got off from under me, allowing my head to hit the leather seat, where he once sat.

"And maybe I do feel the same way about her Amina, would that be so wrong?" He continued, heading towards the open kitchen.

"So, you're in love with her?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"No, I've only known the girl for two weeks, are you crazy? All I'm saying is, maybe, just maybe, my feelings for her are progressing." He tried to amplify, but I wasn't buying it.

See Mason has this charm about him that no one hardly ever misses, he is just a people person, a ladies man per se, and he knows it too. he also takes full advantage of it, and the fact that he stood 6'5 with piercing blue eyes, with tattoos that ran down his arms and neck, didn't help him his case. College girls sure love tattoos.

"Are they now?" I ask, the sarcasm evident in my tone.

"Yeah." He answers nodding his head, while he pours himself a glass of coke, his signature smirk lingering on his full pink lips.

"You started talking to her because of her boobs," I whispered the last word, and that made him chuckled.

"Yeah so? I mean they are nice." I shook my head looking at him, it's not the first time Mason and I had one of these conversations, and I doubt this would be the last, but I hated the fact that the girls would get caught up in their feelings, and come to me afterward, begging me to talk to Mason for them.

"You know what? Do you, but tell that poor girl to stay fuck away from me, when you finish playing with her." I said slightly getting irritated.

"Com'on Amina, don't get upset." He was now back from the kitchen, sitting next to me on the floor, I look everywhere but him.

"Look at me." He demanded.

"No," I said intently.

"Why not?" He was faking the saddest in his tone.

"I'm mad at you." I was kind of tired of his immature games.

"I know you're mad, but at least let me stare into those big brown eyes of yours." I roll my eyes at his statement, still looking away from him.

"Fine, you win, I'll stop seeing her." He finally said, after his unsuccessful attempts to get me to look at him. That got me to glance up because that's not at all that I meant when I advised him to talk to her.

"No, that's not what I meant Mason," I stated, he was looking at me confused.

"Talk to her, tell her how you feel, for God's sake Mason, the girl told you she loved you, and you didn't say anything." I continued, and he was just staring at me.

"That's because I don't feel anything Amina." He took my hand into him, leaning his head on top of my shoulder, I stare at my dark hand inside his pale ones and how the colors contrast.

"I thought you just sai-"

"I know what I said, but I didn't mean it, and you should know that." And I did, but for some reason, it felt more believable coming out his mouth.

"Yeah, I know," I whispered sadly.

"You know you're the only woman I love." Mason always tells me he loves me, but I know it wasn't like that. I laugh and he chuckled, lightly caressing my hand with his thumb.

"Are you gonna help me undo braids or what?" I said, changing the subject.

"You only have one braid left." He mumbled, looking up at me, his minty Coca-Cola breath fanning my face, he was right I was halfway done with unbraiding my last braid, but I just didn't want him to leave, not yet anyway.

"I know, can stay for a bit?" I plead, he looks at me considering my offer.

"I'll even make taco lasagna for dinner, you're favorite." I offer even further, one of the two reasons I really wanted him to stay, was because I didn't want to be alone with my "crazy" roommate, and the other reason was, well it was Mason, and I'll never get tired of his company.

"You really went there?" He asks, shaking his head, I simply nodded.

"Unbelievable." He whispered, turning on the TV, I guess that means he's staying over.