How to Steal Mason's Heart

TWELVE

“Jase,” my mouth spoke, my heart fluttering unwillingly as I called his name. It sounded foreign to my tongue. I always called him Jason before but my mouth was doing things without permission, making me call a nickname for him, although it wasn’t that rare for people to call him that. His blue eyes turned towards me and I realized that as he neared, flecks of lighter shades of blue sparkled around his irises, his pupils dilating a little.

He raised a brow at me. “Yeah?” he answered, placing the scattered trashes in their backyard. His relatives had gone home hours ago, their Tupperware emptied by hungry bellies. Their food was sumptuous, making my stomach protrude a little under my thin pink shirt.

“I got to go,” I told him, sending him a kind smile. He smiled back and nodded, continuing to clean up the mess. There were plastic cups everywhere, even a stray spaghetti pasta lied on the grass.

“Where are you going, Alexa?” Tom asked out of nowhere, his little feet running towards me. He was so cute I wanted to take him home and cuddle with him all night. I had always wanted a younger brother or sister because I wanted to take them to places they wanted to unravel.

“I’m going to the ice cream store,” I replied, his arms encircling around my thigh. He was perching himself like a tarsier, making me laugh at his actions.

“Get down there, Thomas!” Rose’s voice thundered, immediately, Tom removed his arms around my thigh, a frightened look covering his features. His eyes had gone glassy, his curly hair bouncing up and down as he walked towards his mother who had a stern look on her face.

“I am so sorry for his inappropriate behaviour!” Rose apologized but I shook my head.

“It’s fine. He’s really adorable.”

“Can I go with Alexa? I want ice cream?!” Tom’s voice pleaded, his brown eyes filled with hope, his lips puckering like the way Jase would do whenever he wanted something.

My heart did another round of somersaults. I scolded myself mentally.

Stop it, please. I don’t want this.

But my heart did otherwise. Instead, my heartbeat had gotten worse. It rose up to a mile as my palms were starting to sweat. I almost had a heart attack. My eyes averted to where Jase was—and I really liked the nickname I gave for him—whose body was bent. His a*s was defined by his jeans, whilst he was scooping up the remnants of dirt.

I slapped my forehead. Why am I f*****g staring at his body? I should go to hell for what I was doing.

“But we barely knew Alexa,” Rose answered, a rueful look was on her face, directing towards me. I shrugged.

“Tom, you should follow your mother,” I told him but he suddenly let out a cry, his voice high-pitched. Rose cringed a little at her son’s actions, hushing him by wrapping her arms around his tiny frame. But he wasn’t toning his wailing down. He cried even louder.

“I can take Thomas with Alex,” Jase offered as he placed the black garbage bag at the corner.

“We don’t want a repeat like the last time?” Rose asked him, her eyes hard. “I don’t want to see him dirty or covered in filthy mud.” Jase nodded hastily, a reassuring smile, which made my heart calm, was on his lips.

“I am a good babysitter, Aunt Rose,” he encouraged, a chuckle emitting from his throat. It was a beautiful sound.

Fuck, hell he was annoying, alright?

“Take care of Thomas, yeah?” she said, a strict look never wavering from her face. She helped Mr. Ward return the chairs, who was shaking his head with a smile on his face at his sister-in-law.

Jase nodded.

“So, are you ready for an adventure?” he asked Tom but his electric blue eyes were on me, crinkles visible on his face. His brown hair was swept away by the winter air.

We went inside their house. He grabbed a jacket and threw one at me.

“It’s going to be cold,” he stated, wrapping himself a jacket around his body while I did the same. Tom was already wearing one so it wasn’t a problem for the both of us.

+ + + +

“Hey Jason!” Courtney exclaimed, giving him a light hug. My hand was clasped around Tom’s little hand while my stomach churned in disapproval, my blood boiling a little at the sight of them hugging.

They broke contact which left Jase flustered, his cheeks were as dark as the colour of the blood. He had an awestruck look on his face when his eyes were laid on Courtney who was innocently looking at the menu, but her mouth was curving up into a large grin.

I dragged Courtney to the counter, a young lady cashier with a bright smile on her face waiting for us.

“So how was the shift?” I asked her casually.

Courtney rolled her eyes. “You do know it’s boring. Aside from the fact a man almost robbed our store with a g*n pointed at our heads.” Sarcasm was her first language. Her face held an impassive look as she spoke.

“Cookie dough ice cream please,” she told the cashier who was always chirping. “Make it two.”

I loved how Courtney would order—no matter where it would be. She would always intimidate the employees. But this lady cashier seemed not to be fazed by her tendencies of becoming a little sarcastic, even though a person was just asking an innocent question. Note the sarcasm.

“So how was the family reunion?” she asked, wagging her eyebrows at me suggestively. My eyes glanced towards Jase and Tom. They had smiles on their faces as my eyes returned back to Courtney who had an expectant look on her face.

“It was alright,” I managed to reply but she was already smiling a smile that she knew something and I didn’t. “What?”

“You like Jason, don’t you?” She grinned mischievously.

I gagged, making sounds of distaste. “I like Mason and why would I like him?” My voice sounded like I was very defensive. Courtney did not buy my explanation, her eyes scrutinizing my face.

“Because he’s nice and you hang out with him almost all of the time,” she said, feigning a hurt look on her face. “You don’t even have time for me.” She dramatically placed her hand on her forehead.

“Here’s your cookie dough ice creams,” the cashier chirped, handing us two Ben & Jerry’s pints, breaking our conversation. We walked to the table where Jase and Tom were seated. They were playing Clash of Clans on Jase’s phone. They were too much engrossed with it that they did not notice our presence.

“What ice cream would you like, Thomas?” he asked his cousin whose attention was focused on the game when he heard me clear my throat.

“Chocolate chip!” he exclaimed when Jase nudged him gently.

“We will be right back,” Jase excused himself and Tom, walking towards the cashier who was batting her eyes at Jase. My fist clenched impulsively.

“You do like him,” Courtney pointed out.

“I don’t.”

“You do.”

“I don’t.”

“Then why the jealous look?”

Her question made me stop for a moment, my mouth parting like a fish out of water. I shook my head. “Quit it, Court,” I said.

“Whatever floats in your boat, Alex.” She was smirking but I whacked her head.

“Do you really like to a***e people physically?” She was nursing her injury on her head as she stared sharply at me.

It was my time to smirk at her. “I have anger management issues,” I answered sarcastically. Courtney just stuck a tongue at me. How mature.

Jase was already back with a grinning cousin whose face was smeared with a little chocolate cookie ice cream. His brown eyes were twinkling brightly, his curls bouncing up and down.

“What’s your name?” Courtney asked Tom. He was spooning himself a mouthful of ice cream, his cheeks bloating as he replied, “My name is Thomas Ward.”

I pinched his cheek lightly. He giggled. “You’re so cute,” I told Tom.

“Why can’t you do that to me?” Jase complained, his lips pouting. God, he was being such a jealous bastard.

I flicked him in the forehead. His eyes widened with what I did. He frowned. “Here I was thinking you could be a little soft,” he grumbled. “Show a little love.”

“Get used to it,” I replied. “There will be more in the future if you keep being an unbearable prick.”

He faked a wounded expression on his face. “Where is the love? Where is the love, the love, the love?” he sang, his voice sounding surprisingly melodious. My eyes gazed over to Courtney who swooned at his smooth voice. She let out a giggle. A giggle, people. She never did that to anyone except on romantic chick flicks.

“You have such a lovely voice,” Courtney complimented. Jase blushed, his eyes enchanted over at Courtney. My heart crumbled a little at the sight.

He turned to me. “Why can’t you be such a nice human being?” he protested but I sneered at him.

“She has anger management issues,” Courtney answered for me.

I pushed Courtney’s shoulder. She almost fell to the floor. “Shut up, Court.”

“Can I have another pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream?”