23. Chapter 23 #2
Mason followed him with her eyes, a small, panicked look on her face. As her lips parted, I wondered if she was going to ask to go with him. But Sebastian wasn’t going to let her walk away.
“Princess, you do want to get married, right?” His tone was almost pleading.
She looked up at me, and I knew she wanted me to intervene. But that was the problem: I couldn’t. I knew Lucian was planning on proposing to Mason, and it was up to her if she accepted. Just like it was up to her to tell Seb if she wasn’t interested in marrying him.
Whenever either of those happened, it’d undoubtedly be a messy situation, but it couldn’t be worse than everything else going on. When a dumpster was on fire, it didn’t matter if someone added more trash. It’d always be a flaming pile of garbage, no matter which way you looked at it.
Lucian’s steps echoed as he headed upstairs, and as the door slammed, Mason closed her eyes. Her shoulders visibly rose as she inhaled before focusing on Seb. I kinda felt like a third wheel, but I also didn’t want to leave these two alone together.
“I didn’t think you’d want to get married,” she explained.
Sebastian’s lips pressed into a thin line as he swallowed, and that’s when I noticed the shake in his hands. Lucian did the same thing when he was nervous. Was that a family trait?
“Mason, why would you think that?” Sebastian mumbled.
Mason’s expression softened.
“That’s why I wanted to take you out, right now, ” Sebastian continued .
Mason chewed on her lip as she scanned his face, as if she were analyzing his every micro-expression.
I felt like I was watching two middle schoolers confess their feelings for each other.
The moment was so awkward it was painful, but there was something cloyingly sweet in the innocence of the moment.
“But… you don’t want to go out, do you?” Sebastian’s shoulders tensed, and Mason shook her head.
“My pants are off for the day. They’re not going back on unless my water breaks.” Mason laughed half-heartedly.
She had a bad habit of making jokes when situations were tense. Should I step in?
A small smile lit Sebastian’s stern expression, and his chuckle was much more genuine than Mason’s.
“Of course, I forgot that once you undress for the day, you’re done.” His smile wavered slightly as he fumbled with something in his pocket.
My heart sank as I realized what was about to happen, and with how Mason was acting, this wasn’t going to end well. I reached out to put a hand on his shoulder so I could save him from the heartbreak that was about to ensue. But, before I could reach him, he was already sinking onto one knee.
Mason stepped back, covering her mouth as he lifted the lid on the ring box in his hand. The lid revealed a diamond so large that I felt like it was overcompensating for something.
“I love you, Mason,” Sebastian started. “And, being with you has made me realize that I can’t be happy without you by my side.”
Her eyes widened, and for a moment, time seemed to freeze. The ticking of the wall clock broke the silence, but it only served as a reminder of how long this moment stretched on. Mason slowly shook her head, and Sebastian cleared his throat.
“I’m ready for this step. I love you more than anything in this world, and there’s no reason to put off the inevitable.” Sebastian’s tone was bright.
Get up was all I could think. Like if I shouted it in my mind enough, Sebastian would have been able to listen .
Her breathing shuttered as she closed her eyes. A single tear rolled over her fingers before she used Sebastian’s shoulder to steady herself as she got onto his level.
I didn’t want her to marry Sebastian, but I silently prayed that she’d accept his offer. Sebastian was just a kid, and he obviously loved her. Even if they didn’t ever get married, a temporary yes could save him so much heartache.
“Sebastian… I love you so much.” Mason breathed as her lips quivered.
He smiled at her words as he picked the golden band out of the box with one hand, taking hers in the other. He attempted to slide the ring onto her left hand, but Mason balled her fist.
“But I can’t marry you,” Mason continued.
This ain’t for me to watch.
Still, I remained rooted in place.
“Yes, you can.” Sebastian smiled.
Mason’s eyes closed. “That’s not the problem.”
Lines of confusion replaced Sebastian’s smile. “Then what is?”
She took a deep breath, but it felt more like she was using it to stall than anything else. Eventually, Mason cupped his chin and pressed her forehead to his.
“I don’t think you’re ready for marriage.” Her words came slowly as if she had to figure them out as she spoke.
But I had to agree with her. Sebastian was naive when it came to relationships. And, while Mason was a fantastic partner, she wasn’t exactly one a beginner should have. Not only did she have her own issues, but she was polyamorous. That alone was hard to grasp without prior knowledge.
“What?” Sebastian questioned.
Mason’s gaze held him with a steely determination that caused me to shiver. “I don’t think you know who you are, and that’s something you need to figure out before we could even think about getting married.”
“Of course, I know who I am.” He laughed before a serious look took over his face. “I just… I’m only me when I’m with you.”
Mason shook her head again. “And that’s the problem. ”
Sebastian’s lips parted as if he were going to argue with Mason, but no words came out. For the first time since I’d met Seb, he seemed completely lost . It was like he was searching for some way to prove Mason wrong, that he was ready for marriage and that he knew exactly who he was.
But he couldn’t.
“If I could show you exactly who I am, not just who the world wants me to be, would you reconsider?” he pleaded.
Mason hesitated, and I wondered if there were more pressing reasons why she said no. That realization seemed to dawn on Sebastian too. Slowly, he rose to his feet, tucking the ring back into his pocket.
She reached out for Sebastian, but he pulled away.
“I just need some air.” Sebastian’s voice broke before he darted up the steps.
It was impossible to look away from him, and in the back of my mind, I again wondered what Sophia was doing. Whatever it was, it had to be better than this.