The Denial of Hearts (COMPLETED) [wattys 2018]

24

"Sarina, wait!" Mason chased after her, but Sarina pulled out of his grip.

"No. Don't. I don't want to hear it." Sarina whispered.

It was that sentence that broke Mason. She didn't yell at him, she didn't accuse him. Mason let go off Sarina as she went up the stairs. He watched as she walked away, no signs of anger within her.

Mason's lawyer met him in the foyer. "Fix this!" Mason swore as he stormed off.

He ran his hands down his face as he circled the entry of his study.

"Fuck!" He screamed as he punched the wall.

Sarina was in her room, leaning against her door before she sunk to the ground in a pool of her tears.

"I'm a fool." She cried to herself as she hugged her knees. She had trusted Mason, she felt safe and secure within his arms. She even told herself to grow up and get over all the other times. She thought they had evolved from this forced marriage, make the best out of what they couldn't control.

But then this happened. She didn't scream or yell. She didn't want to. She found out about his little sexual preferences, is that what happened last night? She tried to be dirtier? She did remember snippets of last night but every time she tried to grasp it, it faded even more like a dream.

Sarina got up and pulled on some pants and slipped on some flats. Sarina put on a bra and a fresh shirt and grabbed her phone and wallet.

She got to the top of the stairs when she saw Mason at the bottom. Taking a breathe,  Sarina took the step down, then the next.

Mason met her half way, but Sarina brushed past him. "Sarina, let me explain this."

Sarina spun to him, her arm in his hand. "This was that bad press you said the other day, isn't it?"

Mason searched her eyes, he saw the hurt he had caused. "Yes. But..."

"No. I gave you everything. I trusted you."

Mason heard the heart break in her voice as she yanked her arm out of his grip.

"Let me go!" Sarina tried again and again.

"Sarina stop it!" Mason yelled as he tried pulling her towards him.

Sarina placed her hands on his chest and pushed off Mason. Her strength surprised her as she stepped back from Mason.

She couldn't understand why Mason tried grabbing her hand as he fell backwards. Mason landed on the next step up as Sarina fell backwards.

Sarina's hands flailed as she tried to grab something. As Sarina fell, she tumbled down each step as her head banged on the floor.

She heard the ringing in her ears as Mason slid down next to her.

"Sarina! Are you hurt?" Mason asked as he gently lifted her head.

Sarina groaned. "Ow!"

"Can you hear me? See me?" Mason asked as Sarina tried sitting up. "Are you hurt?"

Sarina shot him a look as she rubbed the back of her head. Mason offered to help her up, but Sarina declined.

"I don't want anything from you." Sarina muttered as she used the stair railing to stand up. "I want to go. Get away."

"We'll go wherever you want."

"I want to get away from you."

Mason was cut by the words.