My heart's been borrowed
And yours has been blue
All's well that ends well to end up with you
Swear to be over dramatic and true
To my Lover

- Lover, Taylor Swift

44| Evelyn

After they reached home, Dad helped Mason out of the car. He got him in the living room. He was struggling by then so Evelyn stood by Mason taking his weight.

"I told you I am getting old," Evelyn's dad complained.

"The first aid box is in my room." Evelyn said.

"You can get fresh clothes from my room. Look at him. He can barely walk," Dad said.

Mason shook his head. Evelyn helped him through the stairs. Getting into the room, she helped him sit on the bed.

Getting the first aid, she set to work. She wiped his face of all the dirt and dried blood. She cleaned the wound on the side of his face. She wiped the side of his lips. Mason hissed in pain but said nothing. 

Evelyn would never thought she had to do this with him even in her nightmare. While wiping the rest of the blood off, Evelyn's hand shook.

Her hands were shaking horribly. Panic seized her senses. She collapsed down on the floor with her hands on her lap, her teeth chattering.

He is fine, he is fine. Evelyn chanted. But it didn't help. He is right here in front of me.

Every emotion Evelyn had pushed down came rushing back like a force knocking over her senses. Her heart beat went haywire and the tears spilled. Evelyn let out a sob.

"Evelyn," She heard Mason whisper and she was hugged, tight and she heard him hissing in pain. He was on the floor with Evelyn, hugging her tight.

Her tears was spilling violently.Her heart beat didn't calm down. Her pulse was high. Everything in her ached. It felt horrible. Evelyn shivered and screamed burying her head in him. Evelyn wanted to hit him. Evelyn wanted to scream on his face.

After a few moments it all died down. The heart beat returned to normal. Her pulse was normal. The pain in her throat and shoulders had eased away. The anxiety attack was over.

Evelyn was wrapped in his arms, her tears soaking in his shirts, her hair chapped on her face. The room was silent other than their breathing.

Evelyn pulled back and wiped her tears away. The anxiety attack was gone but she was aching, aching for a different reason now. She struggled with words. She didn't want to look up at his face. She was waiting for him to say something, to speak.

Mason was quiet. He said nothing for a long time. He fiddled with his shirt.

Finally he spoke, "I am at loss for words."

Great. Evelyn felt the same. Evelyn was at loss. But if she started talking she won't stop.

"I am sorry." Mason said with his head hung low. He looked up at her. Evelyn didn't want to meet his eyes. She looked away.

"I know I shouldn't have done this, this way. After I got to know, it wasn't Bryan, It was Alex the whole time, I wasn't thinking straight. All I could think was how much I have lost because of him." Mason paused.

"So I did a stupid thing. I went after him. When I reached his house, he was trying to flee away. I stopped him. I wanted answers. I wanted to hear it from his mouth. We got into a fight. And somewhere in between, a group of guys appeared around us. They were there to get Alex. They thought I am helping him. So they.." Mason said, "After not so long, Bryan, Jack and Noah arrived. They got into the fight as well. We would be done if police didn't arrive by then. We didn't try to move but Alex and the gang members fled away. They left their things behind."

Mason looked down at his lap. The seconds ticked away.

"I should have come back here. I should have listened to Bryan. Evelyn, I was stupid to make you all go through this because of me," Mason shook his head. "I am sorry."

"I am sorry I ruined your birthday." Mason said.

"You honestly think I care?" Evelyn said.

Mason looked up. "You honestly think I care about this freaking birthday anymore?" Evelyn was fuming.

She almost smacked him but controlled herself. He was already beaten black and blue.

"You stupid son of a nice woman," Evelyn said breathing heavily, "You left me all alone and went after Alex to get your revenge. How dare you?"

"Evelyn I-" Mason said.

"Shut up." Evelyn said. "If you say one more word, I will strangle you. You were suppose to be with me. Yet you went there all alone. And then you almost got yourself killed," The anger was coming through in form of tears now, "Do you have any freaking idea what you made me go through!?" Evelyn said shaking.

"I hate you so much!" Evelyn grabbed his shoulder and screamed at his face.

"I am sorry. I am really really sorry," Mason said. "I am sorry."

"No sorry would make up for this," Evelyn said.

"I know. I have gotten gift for you. Something you would have loved. But at one point of the fight, Alex tried to get my car keys and he stole that too." Mason said. "I lost your gift."

Evelyn fumed. "You don't care about the gift, do you?" Mason said looking confused.

Evelyn shook in frustration. "You stupid blockhead! You think I care about the birthday party, the gifts? I care about you, you jerk. I care about you."

Mason looked at her like a statue, "I uhh." He said.

Then Mason smiled.

He had the freaking audacity.

Evelyn closed her hands into fists. She was barely keeping it in. Then Mason closed her arms around her and pulled her towards him. Even injured the stupid jerk was much more stronger than Evelyn would imagine. She went flying towards him.

Mason's hand cupped in her cheek pulling her down. He crashed his lips on hers.

Evelyn fought against him. She didn't kiss back.

She pulled back from him. He looked surprised, at the same time, afraid.

"That's what you get for making me go through everything. I waited for this moment for so long. You made a move and then you pulled yourself back. I am not kissing you, Mason Stewart. This is your punishment." Evelyn said looking straight in his blue eyes.

"I'd die," Mason deadpanned.

"Do you have any idea how long I have been waiting for this as well?" Mason said, "You think you are the only one. I wanted to kiss you from the moment I saw you. I had to wait, wait and when I wanted to than night on the hill, I thought I won't stop. So I fled away. And then the next time I tried, your dad came out of nowhere." Mason said.

Evelyn was looking anywhere but his face. They were sitting in silence.

"You really are not going to kiss me?" Mason said after a while.

Evelyn wanted to say no. She also wanted to say yes. She stayed silent.

"Actually I always wanted to do this right," Mason said, "From the start, I wanted to do this right. That's why it took me more time than I thought it should."

Evelyn looked at him. He cupped her face, "If only you know."

"How am I supposed to know if you don't tell me?" Evelyn whispered.

He rested his forehead in hers and took a deep breathe.

"I love you, Evelyn. I love you so so much." Mason said, taking in a breathe from the air they both shared.

Evelyn closed her eyes as the jolt of electricity went the whole body in a flash.

Mason kissed her slowly, taking his time. He kissed her light although she was aching for more.

When they pulled back, Evelyn was pulling him in for a second one. She only saw his smile before doing so. Halfway through, Mason hissed, "Ouch!"

Evelyn pulled back instantly, "What?"

There was a bruise right beside his lips that Evelyn had completely forgotten about. "Oh, so sorry."

Mason cursed Alex in such a colorful language Evelyn won't repeat. Then he made a face, "I don't care. Come back here."

"No, you are hurt." Evelyn said before wrapping him in hug. That would probably be less painful.

She listened to his fast heartbeat and hers were beating fast too. Everything seemed to fall in place.

"Thanks for all the pictures," Evelyn said, "I wonder how you got them."

"Did Cecily and Gus call?" He asked.

"No," Evelyn said, "How do you even know them?"

"You mentioned them quite a few times." Mason said stroking her hair. "I was supposed to call them and they would have given you a surprise. But yeah."

"Oh," Evelyn said. "And the photos?"

"They sent me a few. And I got one from your Facebook. Your dad helped." Mason said.

"That's the best gift I ever got." Evelyn said.

"Nah, I was supposed to take you to New York." Mason said and Evelyn looked up at him.

"What?!" Evelyn said in surprise.

"Yeah, that son of a bitch got his hands on my ticket and fled away. Alex stole them." Mason said with his jaw locked. Then he looked at Evelyn and softened.

"I wanted to take you home to New York. I know how much you miss it there. I know how much you miss your friends. I wanted to take you there for Christmas and New Year. You know what, we can still go. If I can get tickets, there's this issue with Christmas and New Year, it's all..."

Evelyn spoke, "Mason!"

"Huh?" Mason seemed to come out of his daze, "What?"

"You wanted to take me to New York so I could get home?" Evelyn asked.

"Yes," Mason replied.

Evelyn roamed her eyes over the room, over the photos that hung on her wall, over the window that Mason used every time he came sneaking in to her room. Then at last, at Mason who was glancing at Evelyn's way.

"I am home." Evelyn said holding a side of her face.

California weather would never be like New York. She would not blend in city hustle and bustle and of course there's no sign of snow in the end of December. But it all made up.

For this one single person in front of Evelyn. Evelyn was home safe and happy and more importantly not alone.

"I am home, Mason, more than I ever was." Evelyn went back to his chest, listening to his steady heart beats. If peace had a sound it would probably sound like that.

The silence with him was comfortable. Until he spoke again, "You know I have to gather all my courage and strength to say that three little words to you. I heard nothing in return."

Mason's voice was shaking. He still was afraid. Because Evelyn had said nothing about her feelings. But she did kiss him. On the other hand, words are words. They had values.

"When one person says that three strong powerful words, they die to hear something in return, just in case, you didn't know." Mason said still stroking her hair.

"Oh, really? I didn't know that." Evelyn said nonchalantly. Torturing him was fun.

"Also, if you do feel the same, you can reply to it simply." He said.

"Oh, how do you reply to that?" Evelyn's asked, smiling in his chest.

"You just have to add T-O-O with that same sentence. In case you feel the same about that person. But you can also add other words with it." Mason said. He swallowed. Evelyn looked up and noticed his Adam's apple bobbing.

"Like what?" Evelyn asked looking at his blue blue eyes, for the first time, letting herself drown completely in them.

"There are many words, it's up to your vocabulary." Mason said looking at her eyes the same way, drinking it all in.

"Oh, I'm afraid, my vocabulary is quite plain and bland." Evelyn said leaning a bit closer, if it was possible.

"I object. From what I've seen, you have an excellent vocabulary." Mason said.

Evelyn tilted her head towards the side of his face, holding her breathe, she said, "I wouldn't want to add much words to it."

She kissed the side of his face, "Whatever you said, the three little words, add these words," she said in between kisses, "So much, so so much, so very much, much more than you can imagine, more than infinity, so much I can't express in words. My vocabulary is running out."

Evelyn said pulling back. Mason was not even breathing. His eyes were closed. He opened them and said, "There are other ways to kill people, Evelyn."

Evelyn smiled.

"Always one step ahead of me, aren't you?" Mason said.

"Aha," Evelyn chuckled.

"And also," Mason said, with eyes so intense, Evelyn found it hard to breathe.

"You are sitting on my lap for a long time now and it hurts."

Evelyn jumped back on the floor. Mason chuckled and then groaned.

"I am just kidding. Come back here." He said throwing his arms at Evelyn's side. She stood up remembering that Mason was hurt and he needed to change his clothes. He needed rest and also a shower.

Mason pouted, "Please."

"Sit where you are." Evelyn said starting for the door.

"You are going to leave me alone?" Mason said.

"Yes," Evelyn said and closed the door behind her. She went downstairs and found Dad's old clothes. She came back upstairs with those and got inside her room. Mason was sitting the same way Evelyn had left her.

"Get a shower and change. We need to see where you are hurt." Evelyn said to him.

"I need your help, you know. I can barely walk let alone have a shower by myself." Mason said with wicked glint in his eyes.

Evelyn chose not to say anything to that. Her cheeks betrayed her. She helped Mason up.

"It's not really that bad. I don't need to go to doctor. I need rest and ice packs. That's it." He said.

Evelyn placed the cloth and the towel in their right places. Then she turned at Mason.

"How long it's gonna take you?" Evelyn asked.

"To strip or to shower?" Mason asked with the same look from before.

"Both." Evelyn said.

"Depends on your motive. I'm in your hands now." Mason shrugged.

"Hmm," Evelyn chewed her lips. She walked out of the bathroom leaving him behind.

"Wait, where are you going?" Mason asked from inside.

"You can manage yourself. You are not that hurt. You said yourself." Evelyn said.

"How can you do this to me?!" He said from there.

"Get shower and get clean if you want dinner." Evelyn said smiling.

"You are so mean. Come back here. I love you!" Mason said.

"Oh, you wish. I hate you like always." Evelyn said for one last time before leaving him all by himself.

"You big meanie." Mason said. Then Evelyn heard the sound of water. He was doing his work.

Evelyn set to hers.

Evelyn had always been in too deep. She had never liked it. This time she was in too deep as well.

But she liked it more than anything.

• • •

Author's note: So how do you feel?

I am emotional. I have no words. Only one chapter left of this book. I'd publish the last chapter and epilogue soon!!

Stay tuned.

Love.