I'm a sucker for you

You say the word and I'll go anywhere blindly

I'm a sucker for you, yeah

Any road you take, you know that you'll find me

I'm a sucker for all the subliminal things

No one knows about you (about you) about you (about you)

And you're making the typical me break my typical rules

It's true, I'm a sucker for you, yeah

"You must've packed enough outfits for a month, Mass!"

"You never know what I might need!"

"Yeah, but you don't have to carry them all!" Derrick huffed, shoving the remaining longchamp duffels into the trunk of his audi and rolling his eyes to himself even though he knew he wouldn't want it any other way.

It had taken Massie about forty five minutes to pack what she deemed necessary for a week long trip. Derrick wasn't surprised in the slightest, he just was happy she was so interested in going away somewhere at the drop of a hat. He had booked them a short little vacation where the two could get off of the grid for a little and unwind. Tristan and William being out for their golf tournament with their clients in eastern Connecticut made it even easier.

Once he had all of her luggage in his car, Derrick hopped into the drivers seat while Massie fiddled with the bluetooth audio on his car's touch screen radio. Humming to herself, she finally got her iPhone to connect as Derrick began zipping down the streets of Westchester to stop at his penthouse apartment and grab his own bags.

"Do NOT play the Jonas Brothers again, please."

"Uhm, excuse me?"

"I've heard it so many times with you the past week, Block."

"Because it's a fucking JAM!"

"Oh my god."

"Can we get Starbucks before we go?"

"I already regret booking this."

"Where are we going?"

"If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise."

"When will we get there?"

"When we get there."

"DERRICK!"

"Yes?"

"UGH!"

Pulling into his assigned parking space at the front of the complex, Derrick shut his car off and climbed out as Massie followed suit. She always felt a knot in her stomach when she'd pass this complex, but now it's like a wave of relief washes over her at the thought of what her and him will have in the future, will share in the future.

This was their plan, after all. Get a penthouse apartment at this specific complex, overlooking the water while making morning coffee. Going for runs together down the Hudson, stopping at the Westchester Cup for a green smoothie or an iced vanilla latte then walking their way back. Bringing Bean down to the park behind the complex to watch her roll around in the grass. Derrick getting his german shepherd he always dreamed of, and he and Massie taking their dogs on walks together after work.

"You coming?" Derrick's strong voice shook her of her thoughts. Blinking up at him, the brunette nodded her head before following him inside the lobby.

The lobby consisted of a white and black marble flooring, and the walls were a creamy baby blue with white wainscoting on the bottom. A coffee station stocked up with to-go cups and different flavors of coffee and dairy-alternative milks was welcoming and located underneath one of the large glass windows adjacent to the mirrored elevator doors. Derrick pressed the button after swiping his residency card, which allowed them inside the elevator. He selected the penthouse option and again swiped his card which made the button glow green and the elevator start to rise.

"I'm proud of you, Der."

"For what?" He asked curiously, running a hand through his sandy blonde curls and looking down at Massie with confusion.

"You did it, all of it. Everything you said that you wanted to do, everything you dreamed of you've achieved. You were signed to the professional leagues for soccer, you took over your dad's company at the same time and are managing it all flawlessly. You got the penthouse apartment, you traveled the world after graduation. You literally did everything on your bucket list."

"Not everything, Mass."

"What didn't you finish? Come on. You have a beautiful apartment, a fulfilling and amusing job one to keep you successful and one to keep you sane, you're knowledged and traveled and beyond cultured. What didn't you finish?"

Derrick sighed heavily. "Massie, all of those things are great and wonderful when you have someone to share those accomplishments with. It doesn't mean anything at the end of the night." The elevator dinged softly, opening the double doors to the outside of his apartment.

"I'll show you it, c'mon."

She couldn't wrap her head around it. What did he even mean? Of course you're successful and you should be proud of yourself. Who cares if there's anyone around you? Massie did most of her best work alone. But, she supposed that was always the difference between her and Derrick. He was more family orientated, more people orientated. Massie cared what people thought, but in the way of needing to know she was best or that they feared her. Derrick just wanted someone to share his accomplishments with, which still was a foreign concept to her.

He unlocked his apartment and pushed the door open, flicking the lights on and letting Massie in first. She stepped foot inside like she had a few weeks ago, but today she looked at it in a new light. Then, she was nervous and crying and didn't pay attention to many details. Now though, she could take it all in.

His apartment was a typical bachelor pad for someone of Derrick's age. Every piece of furniture was leather, the walls were a deep grey and the heated wood flooring was a dark wood as well. He had long burgundy curtains hung to cover the windows at night that led out to a beautiful view of the Hudson river, and his jersey from Briarwood was framed and hung on the wall by his desk.

Massie set her purse down on the cherry wood and black marble coffee table, turning to watch as Derrick was rifling through his desk drawers. He pulled out a shiny grey folder, opening it up to a crumpled piece of white lined paper stapled to the inside. Massie came closer, leaning against the arm chair as he handed her the paper to read.

"I'm going to go get my bags together," Derrick mumbled before disappearing into his bedroom and grabbing two of his duffel bags. Unlike Massie, he only needed a few outfits to survive a week's vacation.

MY BUCKET LIST (10/03/2013)

Drink a beer on all seven continents ✓

Backpack through all of Europe ✓

Kentucky Derby ✓

Learn to surf in Hawaii ✓

See the Northern Lights in Iceland ✓

Play professional soccer ✓

Take over the family business ✓

Move to a penthouse apartment ✓

Marry Massie Block

To say that Massie almost choked was an understatement. This boy knew from their senior year in high school that he wanted to marry her. She didn't even know what to say or how to respond, because not only did she feel like a major bitch for downplaying this for him but also...the only approval he ever wanted was hers.

Every night in high school where he'd find her at a party and take her home because she was too drunk, or listen to her drunk voicemails in college where she'd cry about missing him then pretend she never did it the next day. It was even worse because she had a feeling he felt that way about her, but now seeing it in his black ink? This boy would drop anything and do anything for her, and for so many years even after high school she was such a raging bitch to him. He didn't deserve that, at all.

Look at him now, planning getaways for her, bringing her gifts and taking her out on dates like he'd probably always wanted as she cried into his arms but was still technically engaged to another man. Still, Derrick was taking care of her and trying his hardest to help her and love her meanwhile she was still half in a relationship with someone else. Her stomach was in knots and her head was hurting at all the shitty things she's put him through his elementary school. Massie always thought she grew up, but maybe she didn't change at all.

Maybe Massie Block had more growing up to do. Maybe she still had work to do on herself, and Tristan was just a sign of that which she realized too late. Massie constantly craved drama and trauma, to this day, and that explains why her life is the way it is. Derrick grew up, Alicia grew up, Josh grew up, Dylan and Chris and even fucking Kuh-laire did...but Massie was still looked at as the Wicked Witch of Westchester for a reason.

She watched quietly as Derrick rummaged through his bedroom closets, putting more clothes and toiletries in his travel bags as she thought. She was ready to finally work on herself and change her old ways that she thought she grew out of. Folding the piece of paper back up inside the folder it was housed in, she stood and placed it inside the same desk drawer Derrick took it out of with a new mindset.

Derrick weaved through the windy back roads of Connecticut, following the directions on his touch-screen GPS while Massie was on her iPhone typing away. She had been doing that majority of the drive, and it was starting to get to Derrick. Why was she so quiet? Usually Massie's only quiet when she's angry, and he was not going to spend the remainder of their trip with this silence.

"What's bothering you, Mass?"

"Nothing?"

"You always say that."

"Nothing's bothering me, though, like...nothing is wrong."

"Why was that so hesitant?"

"Because!"

"There we go."

"Reading your bucket list made me a realize a lot of things."

"Such as?"

"Such as the fact that you've been in love with me for so long, and I've never changed."

"Yes you have, Mass."

"Not as much as I should've. I should've grown up more, I should've outgrown the ways of old Massie the brat. But, here we are like six years later and you've grown into such an amazing man, but I'm still...here."

"What makes you think that the girl sitting next to me right now is anything short of an amazing woman?"

"I'm still selfish. I still crave the same drama and ask for the same trauma as I used to. I instigate, which is why I'm in my current situation with Tristan. I need someone to treat me badly because it makes my bitchy attitude more accepted by others. I'm just...I'm not right, and I need to fix it."

Derrick Harrington was actually at a loss for words. He never expected Massie Block to ever become this self aware. He was fine with accepting her for all her flaws, but to hear her actually call herself out was something he wasn't ever prepared to hear. The fact that she even realized her lack of progress and growth as a person was enough to blow his mind, but he'd do anything for her, so naturally he'd be the first to help her with this new self-awareness journey.

"Well, Mass, whatever you need me to do, I'll do."

"Thank you. I appreciate that, knowing you're willing to help me with this. I'm not used to being a good person, so this is going to be new to me."

Derrick laughed at that, shaking his head and making a left turn into a gated driveway.

"Somehow, I think you're a better person than you think you are."

"Well, I think there's a very interesting twist you see on me as a person, but I appreciate it a lot."

"As long as you appreciate it, I guess!"

Leaning out his drivers window, Derrick put his car in park and swiped a guest pass at the sensor. The gates opened, and he sped through before they closed. Massie turned her head to look outside her window, and couldn't take her eyes off of the beautiful sight before her. There was sprawling acres of bright green foliage, trees and bushes and shrubs carrying on as far as her eyes could see.

Derrick drove past their wine cellar where the resort held wine tastings, fresh gardens, and past a lake full of couples kayaking, paddle-boarding and swimming. Derrick parked the car at the gorgeous stone building with a sign on top that read 'Check In'. He kissed Massie's cheek before climbing out, telling her to wait in the car before he walked inside.

Once he was fully checked in, the front-desk workers handed him pamphlets and maps of the area. He began to read through the map as he walked back to the car, climbing back into the driver's seat and handing them to Massie.

"I think you'll be able to plan a full itinerary for our time here."

"What is this place?"

"Winvian Farms. My parents got married at their wedding site down a ways, but I wanted a place to get away for a little and this place is extremely private. We can have some fun, relax, do whatever we want for a few days and escape everyone else."

"Thank you, Der."

"You don't have to thank me, just enjoy the time here."