Chapter 24

MASON'S POV

I can't sleep.

The clock on my bedroom door shows it's past midnight. I've been trying to sleep for the past 2 hours but failed.

I grabbed my pillow and covered my head with it till I was suffocated. I squeeze my eyes shut, and damn, I can't stop thinking about Happiness. My Happiness.

Our first time in the cabin keeps playing in my head, and it makes my heart so chaotic that I feel I might go crazy. I'm finding it hard to believe it happened.

Now everytime I see her, I feel like pulling her close to me. It's like no control over my emotions anymore. I feel so much joy and fear. As I'm lying down on my bed, with the night getting too quiet, the fear is bigger. It's eating me alive. I need her.

Everything feels like a dream that can turn into a nightmare in the blink of an eye. I need her in my arms to ease this worry, to make my pain go away and tell me it's real.

I took my phone from my nightstand, I don't know if she's asleep or not. But I don't want to wake her if she is. I texted her.

Me: Still awake?

The answer does not come, and I sighed, raking my hands through my hair. What am I doing? I'm acting like a teenager who just had sex. My phone beeps, startling me.

Happiness: Yes, I am.

Me: What are you doing?

Happiness: Reading a book. You?

I sighed staring at my phone's screen. Do I tell her I'm unable to sleep because I was thinking about her? My phone beeps again, bringing me out of my thoughts.

Happiness: Can't sleep?

Me: Yeah.

I leaned back against my headboard, waiting for her reply. But it didn't come. My heart sinks the more time passes.

Does it mean nothing to her?

I hate how vulnerable I've become when it comes to her, and I hate that she knows it too. ‘She might have just gone to sleep. It's pretty late.’ I assured myself.

A knock on my door snaps me out of my thoughts. “Mason?”

Fuck. It's Happiness’s voice. She's coming here.

I'm still in a daze, and I don't respond till she knocks again. That's when I was able to get a ‘Come in’ out of my mouth, my voice hoarse.

Happiness opens the door, standing at the entrance with a tray and two mugs. “Hot chocolate?”

My heart skips a beat. I didn't expect she was going to make hot chocolate for me. I watched as she walked towards me, and sits on the bed.

She smiles softly, handing me the drink. “I thought it might make you feel better and have a good night rest.”

I took the cup from her, sipped the drink then sighed in satisfaction. Her hot chocolate always make me feel better everytime, and I have gotten addicted. I can't describe the contentment I feel when the warmth sips through my insides.

I smiled at her then dropped the mug on my nightstand, and pulled her closer to me leaning against the bed’s headboard again. The movement surprised her but she doesn't object as she laid her head on my chest.

I wrapped my hand around her, and placed a chaste kiss on her lips and forehead. “Thank you.”

She blushes, and nodded still shy around me. I can't control myself anymore when I'm around her, I just want to hold her.

None of us said anything in the somewhat dark room, with only the lightning from the streets, sparkling outside the bedroom window illuminating the room, enjoying the other's embrace.

“Do you want to watch a movie?” I asked.

Happiness chuckled lightly. “Yeah.”

I passed the remote control to her, and let her choose the movie.

***

We've been watching movies for over two hours now. Though I have been drawn to her, and not the movie. Every reaction she gives is precious, and I don't want to miss it.

She laughs, frowns, gets teary eyed, and laughs again. It's amusing, and I can't get bored watching her.

Happiness sighs dreamily while the movie is approaching the end. The couple finally reunites again, and she looks satisfied with the ending.

“Do you believe in love story with a happy ending?” I whispered in the cold night.

She looks at me then nodded, a smile gracing her lips. “Yeah, I do.” She replied, then shifts her attention back to movie. “Just like my parents. They have the happy ending they wanted. It's beautiful. They'll have each other for the rest of their lives.”

I tightened my hold on her, bringing her closer to me. “My parents too.”

I'd witnessed my parent's love story. There were ups and downs, but in the end, they stood together. My parent are each other's true love.

A frown touched my lips when I remembered feeling that kind of love. The one I thought was true, but turned out that it wasn't.

I loved Sandra with all my heart thinking she was my soulmate. I felt an undeniable connection to her, so I thought it would be impossible for her not to feel the same. But I was wrong.

I believed in love, and it turned out to be my greatest mistake. My love for Sandra made me blind, that I couldn't realize what was happening. I couldn't see what happened between her and him. What they felt, even in my presence.

Happiness shifts slightly in my arms, drawing me back from the dark recesses of my memories. Her warmth grounds me, and for a moment, I let the pain fade into the background.

"You're quiet," she murmurs, tilting her head to look at me. "Are you okay?"

Her gaze is soft, yet piercing. She sees too much. I swallow hard, forcing a smile. "Yeah, just thinking."

Her brows furrow, and I know she doesn’t believe me. She places her hand on my chest, right over my heart. The touch is light, but it feels like she’s trying to reach deeper, to pull something out of me.

"You don’t have to keep everything to yourself, Mason," she says softly. "You can talk to me, you know."

I let out a low chuckle, though there’s no humor in it. "You make it sound so easy."

"It can be," she replies, her voice steady. "If you let it."

The sincerity in her words wraps around me like a gentle embrace, and for a moment, I want to tell her everything. About Sandra. About how shattered I was. About how terrified I am of feeling that way again. But the words stick in my throat.

Instead, I reach for her hand, entwining her fingers with mine. It’s a simple gesture, but it feels monumental. "Thank you for being here," I whisper. "You have no idea how much it means to me."

Her cheeks flush, and she smiles shyly, her eyes dropping to our joined hands. "I’m glad I could help."

The room falls silent again, except for the soft hum of the sound coming from the movie. I watched her, the way the faint light from the TV dances across her face. She’s so close, yet I feel the weight of everything I can’t say pressing down on me.

Without thinking, I cup her cheek, my thumb brushing over her skin. "Happiness," I say, my voice low, "you’re... you’re so important to me. I don’t know what I’d do if…"

I stop myself. The fear creeps in, threatening to choke me. I can’t finish the sentence.

She leans into my touch, her hand resting on mine. "You don’t have to say anything," she whispers. "I’m here, Mason. I’m not going anywhere."

Her words hit me like a lifeline, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I allow myself to believe it.