Playing His Own Games | ✔︎

chapter twenty-seven | counting stars

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"You were just like the moon
so lonely,
so full of imperfections,
but just like the moon
you shined in times of darkness."
*•*•*•*

Carrie

AFTER SUCH A MENTALLY challenging day yesterday with Mason, the last thing I wanted or expected to wake up to this morning was a message from Kane.

Kane: I know you cheated on me, you fucking slut. I hope you enjoy fucking your new boyfriend because I'm done with you. Goodbye and rot in hell, Carrie.

Ice shoots through my veins and my heart drops into my stomach. My phone slips out of my hands and slides underneath my bed. I don't retrieve it, shock paralysing me.

He found out. How did he find out? Did he see us kiss or was it just an assumption? Why do I care? What is he going to do to me? My thoughts chase themselves in circles, making me feel lightheaded.

Legs trembling and mouth dry, I sit down on the edge of my bed, my heart sounding like a thousand drums in my ears.

Knuckles rap on my bedroom door and my dads face appears as he cracks it open a jar. He's wearing his pyjamas and his hair is sticking up. "What was that?"

I open my mouth but no words pass my lips. I feel like I'm  drowning beneath my own heartbeat.

My fathers expression grows increasingly worried. He pushes my door wide open and steps in. "Carrie, sweetie, what's wrong?"

"Kane," I manage to choke out, "he broke up with me."

I see him processing my words as his manner slowly shifts. In two strides he has reached me and thrown his arms around me, pulling me into a hug. It's been months since we've had such an extensive conversation, let alone hugged. Perhaps it's this that allows the first tear to escape.

"I'm so sorry, honey," he says softly, stroking my hair like he did when I was younger and when I used to sit on his lap. "Why, though? You two seemed to be going along fine."

"I-I don't know," I hiccup. "It was just so out of the blue." I can't tell my parents about Mason. I can't breach his trust and put him in any more danger if his father finds out.

And besides, neither of us really know where we both stand right now. Just because Mason had a breakdown in front of me and I accidentally admitted having feelings for him and kissed him—it doesn't automatically mean we're in a relationship.

However, neither of us can deny the fire that enveloped our hearts when our lips connected.

"I can kick his arse if you want me too," my dad tells me. I can't tell if he's being serious or not, but it's an amusing thought nonetheless. "Or destroy his car. You pick."

I smile a little, a half-sob half-laugh passing my lips. My tears are salty as they trickle into my mouth. "Have you done that before?"

He arches an eyebrow, his eyes glazing over as they drift back into memories of the past. "When we were teenagers your mother found her boyfriend in bed with one of my friends. So one night we keyed their cars, slashed their tyres and broke their headlights."