After he lost the position as a quarterback to Noah on Friday, Mason is still on the verge of breaking down in tears and frustration the next day.
As it was usual, Emma stopped by his house for their weekend jog and found her friend on the front lawn stretching and getting ready with a severe frown on his face. He acknowledged her with a nod and started running ahead, each step heavy against the pavement.
As it stood, Emma was a little overwhelmed by the whole situation. Nonetheless, she decided to try your best to cheer him up again, and the way she had to do that is to try to make conversation, but it was an effort to no avail.
"Today is such a beautiful day, don't you think?"
"It's too humid."
"Oh. How's Maverick? I miss him!"
"He's fine."
"I see… Did you catch The Bachelorette last night?"
That he did not even bother to respond.
She had never seen him in such a distressed state, therefore not knowing what she could to do dispel the bad atmosphere between them.
As they follow their normal route, they were passing through the park when Mason started picking up the pace. Emma tried to follow, but she was not that much of a runner.
"Mason, please!" She cried from behind. "Slow down for a moment. I can't keep up."
"Noah is not slowing down!" He called from ahead, without bothering to look back.
Oh, God… She bemoaned silently and tried to reach her friend.
As they reach the fountain square, the halfway mark on their parcourse, Emma can spot a faint smile forming in the corners of his mouth, even though she could still feel his pain and disappointment lingering deep inside his mind. She smugly counted it as a victory, nonetheless.
Suddenly, a pain shoots from her left thigh and she lets out a scream in pain and surprise, breaking suddenly from her run.
Mason also stops and looks behind, his face a picture of concern. "Emma? Is there something wrong?"
"My thigh!" She bemoaned and sat down on the ground.
He kneels next to her, his hands on her back, trying to comfort her in circular movements. "What is wrong with it."
"I don't know, it feels like my thigh is strained."
Mason looks up and his face stiffens. "Let me see. Can I touch it?" Upon confirmation, he extends his hands and reaches to feel her thigh. "Does it hurt much?"
Stroking her through her track pants, he tries to feel anything unusual, but nothing seems very wrong with it at first examination.
She nods, eagerly. "It does. I don't think I can finish, Mase."
"I have some anti-inflammatory spray on my pocket. It'll make you feel better." He stands up. "Can you walk?"
"I don't know. Maybe?" She responded, feeling insecure about moving the leg.
He smirked. "Well, you know what we must do, then."
The girl looks up. "Don't you dare."
Trying to sound more intimidating, she raises an accusatory finger but before she can react, he picks her up and throws her over his shoulder, carrying her around the park.
"Mason, no!" You say, but you cannot help yourself but giggle loudly. While he laughs happily, she starts to scream out of the top of your lungs.
"Too late, Em. It's time for the airlift." He says, tightening the grip around her waist before he drops her gently on a nearby bench.
"You're a dick." She said, a little breathless.
"I'm your dick." He responded, a wide smile on his face. "C'mon, raise your pants, I need to spray your thighs."
Emma does as he says, and he gets on to work it with deep concentration. So, she starts to make funny faces at him, to see if he would break in laughter. Soon enough, the two of them break down, giggling breathlessly, sitting next to each other, face against face.
Mason smiles widely and runs a hand through his now messy hair, panting short of breath. Seeing him smiling again makes her very happy, his laughter warming her heart and easing her concerns.
"I think you're going to be fine." He declared.
She twisted her hair haughtily. "So will you."
His expression damps slightly, but he does not return to the moodiness of earlier that morning. He does notice, however, how she was just staring at him, so he stops laughing and the two of them spend the next couple of minutes, getting lost in the other. It feels like forever until his hand finds hers on the bench, stroking it tenderly.
"I'm so glad to have you by my side." Mason says softly, his eyes searching for something hidden in hers. "I wouldn't know what to do without you."
Emma leans into him for a sweet and gentle kiss on his cheek which turns into him pulling her into a warm hug.
"I'll always be with you." She proclaims. "Even when you're an old, annoying Air Force veteran."
He kisses her forehead and strokes her back. "Good, 'cause I'm going to bother the Hell out of you if you don't."
Leaning against his chest, she buries her face in his red shirt, soaking on the moment, and oddly not minding the smell.
Suddenly, Mason turns to her. "I'm sorry, Emma. I was being a prat. I should've slowed down."
"That's OK, you're just upset. It happens." She said in response.
"So, we're good?" He asked, hopeful like a little puppy.
Giggling, she shoves him away and winks. "Oh, no way! Buy me a coffee and a muffin, then we're even."
"You got it, Em."
The two of them get up and walk slowly through the park, enjoying the moment, until they reach a little café on the street mall, where he gets her a cup of coffee and the muffin.
On their way home, Mason does not think about what happened yesterday anymore, and Emma is just glad to have helped.