Saved Or Broken?

Chapter 16

I wake up to the heavenly smell of coffee.

When I open my eyes I don't recognize this space. I'm on a small room with a window on the left side of the bed, and two doors on the right. I remember using one: the bathroom, so I guess the other one is the closet.

Right in front of the bed there is a wall full of photographs.

I don't recognize the clothes I'm wearing and I feel confused. I know this is Mason's apartment and I came here because I was too drunk to go back home alone.

I get up and open the door to find a small living room with a small window, a couch and a TV.

When I turn to the right I find the kitchen at one side and a large corridor with two rooms following it.

Mason's room is clean and organized but the rest of the apartment is a mess.

Mason is on small open concept kitchen making coffee.

"Good morning" I say as I sit on one of the 3 chairs around the table, feeling sick.

"Good morning beautiful" he hands me a cup of coffee "how do you feel?"

"My head is pounding and I want to die" he laughs and gives me two small pills.

"Hangover life. Take those, they are natural, you'll feel better in some minutes. Is this the first time you get drunk?" His question seems innocent, but with Mason, who knows the intention?

"Yeah. I mean, I've drunk before, but never this much" he takes a sit in front of me.

"Why did you do it yesterday?"

"I don't know I just... I was on a bad mood" To be honest I don't know why I did it,

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want to go the party"

"And why did you go then?" Mason please just let it go, my head is going to explode...

"Because Morgan invited me and..." he looks anxious "and she told me you wanted me to go" I look down... I'm ashamed.

"And I did" he makes me look at him.

"And then I couldn't find you anywhere and I remembered all the stupid things you did to me and how stupid I was for letting you do them, and those girls offered me drinks and... yeah well, I'm not proud of what happened" I look at him and he looks sad, like if he was disappointed.

"I made you do that" he looks away.

"What? No you didn't!" This was probably the only bad thing he didn't do "I just wanted to do it, this is not for you. But you helped me afterwards so I'm thankful for that" I rest my hand on his and give him a small smile.

I know this is not right. I know he doesn't deserve me trying to make him feel better... but the look on his face makes me want to do anything to make him feel well.

"Why are you like this?" He looks at my eyes.

"W-what?"

"I keep on making you feel like shit, and you ask me to stay away, but I come back and I'm cruel with you... and you forgive me and are nice to me" he looks confused and vulnerable, as if he was not used to having people caring about him.

"I- I don't know... I just think you deserve a second chance, Mason " I feel my eyes full of tears.

He stands up and comes closer, pulling me against his body and kissing me. His lips are soft, they feel like heaven, his moves are gentle and full of...admiration? Caring?

I move my hands to the back of his neck and he hugs me harder as he speeds the moves of his lips.

We break apart to breathe when someone comes into the kitchen.

"Oh man, Mason, you have a room for that!" A girl with blue hair who is only wearing a small t-shirt and panties opens the fridge. She has a tattoo on her butt and a piercing on her lower lip, like Mason, and her makeup, probably from last night, is all over her eyes.

"Fuck you, Mery" he holds my hand and walks to his room.

"You must be special, he always fucks them at their houses" she says looking at me and Mason closes the door.

"Sorry about that, she is Mery, one of my two roommates"

"Oh, it's okay" I find my clothes on the floor "I'll go get dressed".

I come into the bathroom and, as the rest of his room, it is perfectly clean. I wear the clothes from last night, wash my face to remove the makeup and put my hair on a ponytail.

When I go outside, Mason is sitting on the bed.

"Well, em... thank you for letting me stay here, I'll take a bus to the dorms" I tell him walking to the door.

"I can drive you, I need to go to campus anyways" he grabs his keys.

"Thank you"

We pass the kitchen and I wave at Mery, I don't like her, but I know what she said is true; it is no big surprise that he is constantly having sex with a lot of people.

We drive back to college and he parks close to my building.

'He always fucks them at their houses' this sentence doesn't go out of my mind.
I don't know what to tell him because this situation is really awkward. We are not friends, but we make out. We don't like each other, but we sleep together... I simply say bye and walk to my dorm.

Morgan is inside and there is a package on my bed.

"Oh thank God, Jess! Where you with Mason?" she asks dramatically.

"Em... yeah... it's a long story. What is that?" I point to the box trying to avoid a conversation about last night.

"It came on the mail today, it's from Spain" that must be Lola's surprise!

I open it and I find a book with a picture of us on the cover. I go through the pages and find photos and short poems.

"Aw she must be the cutest little sister ever" Morgan is sitting next to me.

At the end of the book I find a letter:

Dear Jess,
Hello American sister! I have so many things to tell you, I don't even know where to start.

First of all, mom and dad are okay, as you know. They fight sometimes, but I think they are making an effort to behave like adults since you are not here, which makes me happy.

Secondly, I have a new crush, I don't know his name but he goes to my park.
Also, I have a new best friend too, Angela, she is lovely!

I am improving as a hairstyle because the new neighbor, Rosa, an old lady that leaves next to us, lets me practice with her hair.

I miss you a lot; I can't wait for you to come back.

Please send me another letter because it's cool.

Hugs,
Lola

P.s: Look inside the other envelope.

I remove the tears from my face. She is just too cute and I miss her so much.

I look for the other envelope and I open it.

There is a small note that says 'we miss you too much, come visit us!'

"Oh my God!" I scream when I find a plane ticket.

"What is it?" Morgan asks confused.

"I'm going to visit them on November!" I cry of excitement.

She jumps off bed "What? That is amazing Jess!" She hugs me and I remove the tears that can't stop coming from my eyes.

I call home to thank them for the gift and I spend almost two hours on the phone, oh my God, I'm going back to Spain!