⌗ 41
third person ✎ᝰ
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The ambience of the restaurant resembles that of the Filipino culture. A band of middle aged men are performing on a small stage. Tables are filled to the brim throughout the restaurant. The strong smelling scent of various foods fill the lungs of the Marsh and Kang families.

Veronica has her utensils ready in her hands. "Clarissa this restaurant seems popular, no?" Matteo hands her a bowl of steamed rice.

Mason's mother nods happily. "This is one of Mason's favourite restaurants—for good reason." The waitress sets down a bowl of Adobo. "This is what Mason orders every time we eat here!" Clarissa motions Riley to hand her plate. "You must try this. You'll love it as well." Riley claps her hands excitedly as her rice becomes covered in sauce and marinated meat. "Give it a try."

Mason licked her lips as she filled her plate with steamed rice. "I might cry." She implied. Her plate had become a stream of sauce and meat.

They say a quick prayer in unison before digging into their food. "Thank you God for this meal you have provided us. Congratulations again to our two beautiful graduates—Riley and Mason!"

The two families clap loudly. "Enjoy, girls. This is all for you! We can order more. Just eat and don't worry about a thing!" Matteo uttered. "This is the start of a new chapter. I'm proud of you both."

The graduates smile warmly at Matteo before filling their forks and spoons with food. "Mmm, I missed this so much!" Mason's eyes well with tears as she chews on her Adobo. "I could eat this forever." She fills her fork and spoon right away before she managed to swallow. Riley smiles widely right next to her as she adds more meat to Mason's plate. "Slow down, baby." She chuckled.

Mason nodded hastily. "Mm, I'm slow." Riley couldn't help but laugh at the sight. "Eat babe the food is better when it's hot!" She orders her girlfriend to pay less attention to her and eat.

Meanwhile, Renz and Mika begin bickering over the hot plate that houses another favourite—Sisig. Their utensils are wavering around like wands in The Battle of Hogwarts. "Mika, you already took most of it stop hogging—"

Mika shoves the latter lightly as she tries to take the last spoonful of Sisig onto her plate. "Shut up. You had way more!" She pulls the plate towards her as Clarissa furrows her brows.

"Mika. Renz. We have company. Stop acting like children. We can order more. Stop being silly!" She ordered. The girls break away and cross their arms in defeat. "Call the waiter and order."

Mika pouts as Renz shoves the spoonful in her mouth and chews happily. Mason and Riley could only laugh at the sight of them getting in trouble by their aunt. "Tsk. How childish." Mason laughed as she nibbled on the Lechon.

"How childish." Mika mimicked. "Be glad it's your special day otherwise—" The eldest among the children falls silent as Clarissa glares at her.

Veronica chuckles. "Clarissa it's okay. Riley and her sister act just like that too. Nothing I haven't seen before." Mika and Renz smile back at her.

The table falls silent for several minutes as more food is served. Dishes upon dishes were lined up neatly in front of them with bottomless drinks to accompany and quench their thirst.

Mark cleared his throat before speaking. "Mason, how are you feeling about university? Matteo told me that you were accepted into all your preferences?" He has a bright smile across his face as he sets his wine glass down.

Mason dabs her lips with her napkin and nods in response. "That's right." She chuckled. "I didn't expect it to be honest but I'm really grateful. I'm really happy and I'm quite excited for it."

Her company smiles back in return. "I'm sure the long distance won't be too much of an issue?" Mark adds. Veronica nudges him lightly. "Wh—"

Mason's brows furrow as she turns to face Riley. "Um, we aren't doing long distance." A cough fills the silence that lingers around them as Mason's gaze meets Riley's. "We're studying together."

Veronica drags her fork across her empty plate as Clarissa reaches for Mason's hand across the table. "We heard from Roni that Riley was considering studying abroad." Mason could feel her chest tighten as she listened to her mother's words. "Uh. Riley was thinking of going home."

Clarissa rubs her thumb across Mason's hand. Though no warmth or touch could soothe her. She pulls her hand away from her mother's grasp and shakes her head. "Like I said. Riley and I are gonna be studying together. That was the plan." She shifts in her seat to look at Riley properly. "Baby, tell them about our plans." She smiled.

Riley swallows the lump that had formed in the back of her throat. "Maisie..." Her voice fades. "I know that we had plans to study together but..."

"But?" Mason could feel her eyes start to sting.

"I got offered a place back home." Riley uttered.

Mason scoffed lightly. "Riley, you are home."

Riley nods. "I know. But my other home."

Mason shakes her head. "I'm confused. So, you got an offer back home and you didn't—I knew nothing about this. All this time I thought—"

The table shakes as she pushes her chair back as she stands from her seat. "You're going to leave?"

Riley takes Mason's hands in hers and shakes her head. "No. I mean, yeah. For uni. That's all. I just...it's a really great offer and it's a great school. Maisie I was going to tell you tonight."

Mason could feel her world crash and burn along with her desire to ever want to be in the same room as Riley Marsh. Her heart was aching. She could feel the tears she tried to hard to fight back fall onto the ground below her. The warmth of Riley's touch against her skin started to fade as Mason let herself free of her grasp.

"I don't think I can do this." Mason took her phone and grabbed her bag. "I'm leaving." She leaves without another word. She doesn't look back either. She just walks and walks until she finds herself in the darkness of her parked car.

She rubs the palm of her hand against her chest, over where her heart is. The tears run endlessly down her face as it all sinks in. Riley had intentions of leaving. Moving back home. Her real one at that. Away from Mason. Just how things where before they had met.