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Word Prompt: Cut

Not beta'd.

I shop for groceries on Saturday morning and spend the afternoon doing homework. I think about texting Masen several different times but decide to wait until later in the evening. He beats me to the punch.

My mom made brownies, and they're not so great. I think it's a conspiracy.

You call it conspiracy. I call it karma. When you refuse the most delicious brownies in Claremont, you invite mediocre replacements. ~B

There was no refusal! I had to work.

For warm, triple chocolate, macadamia nut brownies, you could have put your studying aside for an hour.

Macadamia nuts?! Those are my favourite :( If it were just studying, I would have blown it off. My boss had other ideas.

It doesn't escape me that he alludes to coming over. At some point, I need to use that to my advantage, but right now, I'm distracted by his vague reference to a job.

Is the term "boss" a euphemism for your girlfriend?

"Boss" refers to the woman who signs my cheques.

Of course he avoids responding to the girlfriend part of the comment. I'm pretty sure there's no one special in his life, but before I get ahead of myself, I want confirmation of that.

You could work for your gf ;)

I have 3 women in my life: boss, mother, sister. Oh, and some chick I drive to school :p

I think you've mentioned her, the one who bakes for you & improves your musical tastes, right? She sounds like a keeper.

It's a fine line between keeper and pain in the ass.

*Eats last brownie.* I'm sorry, what was that you said?

:'(

I know he's kidding, but all I can picture are his sad eyes and frowning mouth. The idea that I've made him unhappy, or even a joking reference to it, makes me instantly compunctious.

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.

Hey, cut that out. You were teasing; so was I. You're more than welcome to eat all the brownies. I'll simply hound you until you bake them again. :D Plans tonight?

He's quick to change the subject, an action I'm grateful for. It shows he doesn't want to dwell on the negative, that he wants things to be easier between us. That makes two of us.

Homework. You?

Dinner with my parents.

I imagine a heavy table in a grand dining room, the four of them sitting around it. Masen's in a dark suit, sitting beside his gorgeous sister. With such good-looking children, I guess that his parents are older versions of Masen and Rosalie, his mother's hair a little shorter than his sister's, his father's a greyer, shorter, tamer version of Masen's reddish mop. I'm sure they're distinguished looking and give off a proud air, based on what Masen's told me.

The proposition of eating with my mother and father has rendered you speechless. Duly noted. Remind me to never ask you to dinner.

No, it hasn't! I was just picturing the 4 of you. I'm sure you're the handsomest family to ever sit down to a meal.

Be careful. Flattery will eventually secure your invitation. Rosalie does love her admirers ;)

Haha. Tell her I said hello. Enjoy your visit.

I've bored you so much that you're dismissing me? :p I'm kidding. I probably should get back to them before I'm missed.

I wouldn't want to monopolize you :p

Is that a euphemism? }:)

You wish! Remember not to speak with your mouth full, and it takes more muscles to frown than smile.

Fallacy. It takes 11 to frown, 12 to smile: zygomaticus major & minor, orbicularis oculi, levator labii superioris, levator anguli oris & risorius, all x 2.

Ok, Dr. Showoff. I was reminding you to have a good time. You and I are proof that it's never as bad as you think it is.

Touché. Make sure you do something fun, too. Life shouldn't be all homework.

Pot calling the kettle black.

Bye, brat.

Goodnight, Dr. Showoff. *eats another brownie*

You wound me. A man cannot live on inferior baked goods alone. You'd do well to remember that. And I'll do even better if you do. G'nite.

I finish off my assignments and get a jump on my reading list. According to the schedule Angela and I devised, I'm actually ahead of the game. I send her a quick text to share my good news. She quickly replies to tell me she's at a party with Ben. I can almost feel her excitement when she reveals that he finally kissed her. The pang of jealousy I feel is short-lived because I truly am happy for her. I catch her up on Masen's latest ceasefire, as well as some of the epiphanies I've had. She thinks I'm crazy for giving him another chance, let alone for my desire to get involved with him, and I can't blame her. She seen firsthand how much he's hurt me, but she also doesn't know him the way I do. Sometimes you have to accept the good with the bad. And underneath everything, Masen has a lot of good. I just know it.

The sound of my phone vibrating against the wood night table wakes me shortly before 1:00 AM. A smile is on my face before I even see the screen.

There should be a law limiting the amount of time an adult child is required to spend with a parent, for the protection of both parties.

That good?

I deserve a medal. Whatcha doing?

I'm in bed.

Oh shit! I didn't even look at the time. I was just so stinking glad to be free of him. You were the first person I thought to tell. Sorry :(

The sad smiley conveys sincerity, compunction, and atonement. His charm is so effortless that he makes me swoon with punctuation marks.

Don't be. I wouldn't have answered if I didn't want to hear from you.

Yeah?

Yeah :)

So no warm, triple chocolate, macadamia nut brownies tonight?

I'm not sure if he's still craving last night's brownies or using them as an excuse to extend our conversation. Part of me is hoping they're just a segue to inviting himself over.

Saturday nights are for ice cream sundaes.

Shouldn't Sundays be for sundaes?

Warmth spreads through my chest. I know exactly what his face looks like right now: one raised eyebrow and a half a smile.

I'm falling so hard for him.

Too predictable ;)

Then what are Sundays for?

You'll have to wait and see.

I expect him to push. He doesn't disappoint.

Why? Technically, it's Sunday already.

True, but it's not time for dessert yet.

You just want me to text you again.

I do. I so, so do.

Guilty. And you want me to want you to text me again.

That's crazy talk. You must be exhausted, Bella. When you wake up in the morning, you probably won't even remember this conversation. :p

Maybe. But I'll still want you to text me. Sweet dreams.

The sweetest.

A/N: The smile/frown thing is true: (Grrr, I hate that I can't do links the way we used to be able to do them!) tripple-w dot straight dope dot com followed by a forward slash and the following end to the address: columns/read/2489/does-it-take-fewer-muscles-to-smile-than-it-does-to-frown

A thank you to those who are reading, and an even more heartfelt one to those of you who review.