Consequences of a Friend (2)

-Chapter 14- Exhaustion and Smiles

After staying at the park to continue to catch up with his dad, and talk to his little sisters, Mason finally heads home. It was past noon, but Mason was already exhausted. He hadn't been prepared for his sisters' overwhelming amount of energy, but he was glad he was able to see them once again after such a long time.

Standing at the bus stop, Mason sighs. There were things he needed to get done, but he knew the best thing for him right now was to probably go home and take a nap. He was mentally and emotionally exhausted. Trying to get anything down while his head wasn't in the right place would spell disaster.

He wasn't sure if Sophia would be at the university or their apartment, but either way he hoped his roommate would leave him be for a while. As much as he appreciated her support, right now he just wanted to shut down and ignore the world for a while.

Shoving his hands deep in his pockets, Mason smiles at a couple that walks by, a small child swinging from their hands. It still stung to see happy families, but Mason knew that the sting would lessen over time. Hopefully.

There wouldn't be a day that went by that Mason wouldn't think about what he could have had, but he knew that it probably wouldn't have worked out any way. Not while he was still juggling work, university and all his other issues.

"Mace?" Mason jumps, spinning on the spot to see the last person he thought he'd bump into today.

"Ben?" Mason's face drains of colour, his previous smile dropping from his face at the sight on the man.

He looked the same, if not a little on the scruffy side. He was dressed in his mechanic overalls, a jacket thrown over the top. A five o'clock shadow dusts his face, but what really catches Mason's attention are the bags beneath Ben's eyes.

"I-what are you doing here?" Ben asks.

Mason tenses, "I could ask you the same thing."

Ben takes a step forward, but Mason only steps back, one eye on the road where the bus would be coming down at any minute.

"I uh, I was going to go see Bryan. Help him shut shop for the night."

Mason frowns. Ben had only really been friends with Bryan because Mason was friends with him. It didn't make any sense for him to be helping Bryan, of all people, close his shop.

"Since when were you such good friends with Bryan?" Mason bites out.

Ben opens his mouth before shutting it again, "Since... since you left."

Mason shrugs his shoulders up in disbelief, "So, I leave, and you suddenly think it's okay to be talking to Bryan about our past?"

Ben scratches at his scruff, "No I just, I was looking for you. Tobias wouldn't tell me anything and apart from Louisa, Bryan was the last person to see you—"

"Wait a minute," Mason takes his hands from his pockets to wave them around, halting Ben's speech, "You talked to my ex-boss about me? What were you thinking? I worked for him, Ben! You can't go asking him about my personal business!"

"I didn't know where you were, or- or if you were even okay! What was I supposed to do?" Ben takes another step forward.

Mason shakes his head, eyeing the incoming bus, "You let it go. You move on and get over it."

"How can you say that? Mason—" Ben reaches forward with a hand outstretched to grab Mason's sleeve, but he swiftly moves his arm away, flagging down the bus.

"Don't touch me. Don't talk to me, don't try to contact me and if you ever try to talk to Bryan about this shit again, I will beat the fuck out of you." He climbs onto the bus, watching as Ben stands crestfallen by the bus shelter.

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Slumping into the couch, Mason blows a breath through his lips, eyes falling shut as he lays on the couch with a pout on his lips. He wanted to be angry. Angry at Bryan for talking to Ben. Angry at Ben for talking to Tobias, Louisa and Bryan, but all his tired brain could come up with was the overwhelming notion to cry.

He didn't even know what there was to cry about! That his mother was a bitch? That his best friend tried to harass his friends? That he wasn't just a freak, but one of only twelve? That stuff wasn't worth crying about. Mason was an adult, and adults didn't cry over shitty things like that. At least, that's what he'd always thought.

His phone buzzes in his jacket pocket and reluctantly, Mason digs it out to answer, "Hello?"

"Hi, it's Max." Mason moves the phone from his ear for a moment to check the caller ID, wondering why his workmate was calling randomly during the day.

"Hi? Did you need something?" He doesn't try to sound cheery.

"I just wanted to call about your shifts next week, Mrs Collin asked me to sort them out. Are you okay? You sound kind of upset."

Mason sighs, "I'm fine. I just had a long day."

He hears Max huff on the other end of the line, "You and me both." The phone sounds muffled for a moment before Max speaks again, "Did you hear about the results for your appointment the other day? I know waiting can be a bitch."

Mason can't help but smile a little, still not used to hearing Max swear, "I heard back from them today actually. Nothing too bad, but I have to go back in for a few more tests."

He's thankful that Max doesn't ask for the details and instead listens as his co-worker sympathises with him, "That sucks. I swear they only want to practise stabbing people with needles."

Mason laughs into the phone, curling up a little on the couch, "I know. I've had enough needle stabbing to last me a lifetime."

Max hums in agreement.

It was nice, to have a conversation that didn't revolve around Ben or the specifics of Mason's condition. It made him relax knowing that Max wasn't trying to pry, and was instead only trying to show that he understood how Mason was feeling.

"Ah shit, right. I'm supposed to ask if you're okay with working Wednesday and Thursday next week," Max laughs over the phone, "I'll text you the shift times and you can let me know if they're okay."

"Yeah sure, that's fine. I'll let you know by tonight."

Max thanks Mason, and they reach their goodbyes. Only, before they hang up Max butts in gently, "Mace?"

"Yeah?"

"You know if you ever need a shoulder to lean on, or someone to talk to, you can always come to me."

Mason smiles despite himself, fingers picking at the couch cushion, "Thanks."

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