Page 109 of Please Save Me

She didn’t say anything, but her face said it all. A look of pride colored her cheeks as a smug grin pulled at her lips. Seeing Mason starting to get her confidence back was magical. It was like getting to watch a flower bloom; each time she opened up, it revealed another layer to her, and each layer was more beautiful. I couldn’t wait to see what she was like underneath it all. But something about her kept nagging at me, and while I knew I wasn’t supposed toknowshe was autistic, I couldn’t just ignore it.

“Hey, you mind if I bug you a bit while you get ready?”

“Not at all…. But move your hands a little,” she coached.

Instantly, I removed my touch, but I quickly learned that wasn’t what she meant. Mason put down wherever she had in her hand to guide mine to just below her bump.

“There, it’s a little more comfortable,” she explained, her body melting into mine as she resumed working on her face. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Are you autistic?” The question came out quickly because I knew if I thought about it for too long, I’d chicken out.

Every inch of Mason froze for a beat before her gaze slid to mine in the mirror. “I–What?”

“Sophia said you are, and so did Seb…. but they also both told me not to talk to you about it. I just–are you?”

Mason’s lips parted at my question. The room fell silent save for the distant sound of chaos from somewhere in the house. Her eyes searched mine, and for a moment, I thought she’d tell me to leave. But, after what felt like forever, sherelaxed a little before applying something from a silver tube directly onto her face.

“I am,” she said, rubbing the clear goo into her skin. “But it’s not like it is on TV and movies.”

“Then, what’s it like?”

Her eyes widened as she reached for another tube. This one was closer to her skin color.

“For me, it’s mostly being shitty in social situations,” she explained, dabbing the liquid onto her face before grabbing an egg-shaped sponge. “I have a hard time understanding what I'm supposed to do with other people, and I can’t deal with big feelings, especially my own.”

“Is that why Lucian got to you so bad this morning?”

Mason nodded as she bounced the sponge on her skin, smearing the makeup into her flesh.

“It was worse with Lucian because I didn’t expect it fromhim… That’s not how he acts with me.” Sadness tinged her words, and my anger with Lucian reignited.

“If he ever spooks you like that again, I’m hittin’ him.” My grip on her waist tightened, and I pulled her a little closer.

She laughed as she reached for yet another product. Just how much make-up did she need?

“HaveIever done anything like that to you?”

A tongue darted across her lips, and I mentally prepared myself to apologize for whatever I did.

“Not you specifically, but Seb has by telling me aboutyou.” The way she said that had all the gears in my head turning, and not in a good way.

He had been willing to lie to Mason to make himself look better, and while I was starting to get invested in Sebastian, I didn’t necessarily trust him.

“What’d he tell you?” My words came out softer than I intended, almost like they wanted nothing more than to die on my tongue.

Mason put her makeup on the counter before spinning to look at me. Her belly pressed into my thighs, and part of me was glad to have the distance. Heryin-yang eyes bounced around my face like she wasn’t sure which part of me to focus on.

Her chest swelled with a breath, and I stood a little straighter.

“I–” Mason cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. “I know you’re Calvin Waters.”

My face scrunched as I tried to figure out why she’d tell me that.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing, I just–is that how you found out?” I guessed it’d make sense. I just thought Mason was smart enough to put two and two together.

“What?” Now, it was her turn to be confused. “No! Well, kind of. But I figured it out on my own, thank you.”

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