Page 44 of Gap Control

Mason's head snapped up. We had eye contact. Sharp and immediate.

"Didn't think anyone else would be here," he said.

It was a simple comment. Not annoyed, but not warm either. That hurt… a little.

I swallowed. "Yeah. Sorry. I didn't mean to—"

He didn't say anything.

I rubbed the back of my neck. My hands were still sweating. "I'll go."

Still nothing. Only the sound of his pencil moving on the page again, like he was finishing a thought he didn't want to lose.

I took a step back. My legs didn't want to, but my pride insisted.

Mason looked up. "You don't have to."

I didn't sit. Didn't move closer. Just stood there, hovering like the world's saddest motivational poster.

I spoke like Captain Obvious. "I didn't know you drew."

He didn't look up. "Not something I do for other people."

"You're good."

He raised one eyebrow without lifting his head. "You didn't look."

"I didn't need to."

He finally raised his head and stared at me. His eyes were guarded, an icy blue. "What does that mean?"

I shrugged. "I've seen the way you hold a stick. I know precision when I see it."

He didn't answer.

"I meant what I said," My voice softened. "About being sorry."

Mason continued drawing. "You didn't make me kiss you."

"I know."

"But you made it hard to regret."

His words knocked the wind out of me. He looked up again.

"I keep thinking about that night, like it was a movie someone else wrote. I keep trying to reframe it. Make it lighter. Safer."

I nodded slowly. "Yeah. I do that too."

His pencil hovered above the sketchpad. "You use jokes. I use distance. Neither one's very honest."

The room was too quiet. I heard my pulse in my ears.

Mason's voice dropped to barely a whisper. "I kissed you because I wanted to. I walked away because I was scared."

I stepped closer slowly, as if getting too close might break the fragile thread between us.

"You don't have to explain, but I'm glad you did."

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