Not Another Cinderella Story (lxngdon & MaryGold)

M A S O N
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"Second to Beautiful Pain?" Mason scooped up a spoon from his bowl of simply cookies 'n cream. He scoffed mockingly and swallowed his spoon. "You could have left that one detail out, but I will happily accept the compliment."

He grinned, chuckling softly. It was clear to see he truly was happy to hear that from her. Meeting a fan, someone who enjoyed the music you make was always a great pleasure. Something that brought happiness to his life to know that he could shed some, even if a little, in their lives.

"I did try to tell you once." Mason shrugged a shoulder. And he did. But at that time he was high as fuck and she wanted nothing to do with him. "Why? Do you regret being mean to me that one time?"

He smirked playfully, digging his spoon into his bowl once more.
 
l a i n e y
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"No, I don't regret it," Lainey said with a small chuckle as she dove into her delicious ice cream with her white plastic spoon. "You were high and annoying. And I was drunk and moody."

Lainey hadn't been drunk since then, mainly because Harrison had not allowed her to have any alcohol since then. And she was genuinely trying to stay sober, though that was proving to be more difficult than she had anticipated. Every now and then she would get the urge, but she was trying to ignore it.

"Well, it's not exactly fair to compare you and Jace Lesecki," she murmured, staring out of the window beside her. "You're so different. The only similarity between your music is that neither of you can decide what genre your band is."

Lainey chuckled again and glanced at her phone. She wondered how mad Harrison was at her.​
 
M A S O N
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Mason pinched his lips. He was high then, and honestly he wished it could stay that way. His senses enhanced, the complete euphoria, the feeling of being on top of the world, of being invincible. And everything around him was always beautiful.

He would have always love to stay in that state because the reality was a drab. A struggle. But he had learned to live with it and constantly tried to move past it.

"Whatever works, you know." Mason shrugged, obviously joking. Somewhat.

He watched as she checked her phone, for a moment he had half a mind to do the same. Without a doubt, he knew Karoline had sent him somewhere over fifty text and messages. She hated Lainey and was pissed at him.

He reached to grab his phone, but decided not to after a fleeting thought. He wasn't that excited to ruin what little time of freedom he possessed. And besides ...

"I had no idea you were capable of smiling yet alone laughing." He prided himself for squeezing one out of her. "It suits you better than complete quiet."
 
l a i n e y
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"I never really have anything to smile about."

That was true and depressing but Lainey didn't take it back. She wasn't a liar and there was no point in trying to go back on a statement that was as painfully obvious as this one. Harrison rarely made her happy.

"What's your favourite song?" she asked Mason in an attempt to change the subject from their addictions and depression. "Out of your own, I mean. Your favourite Turbulence song. Mine is Oh, Ms Believer."

Which she realised was probably about Karoline.

"Or Heathens."​
 
M A S O N
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"That's a hard question to answer." Mason pondered distantly in some far off land in his own head. His mouth was obviously still around because he had no problem eating his ice cream as he thought. It was truly a hard question.

He loved all his songs, all of his shared work with Ted, his partner and best friend in one. To choose one over the other was sort of like asking who his favorite child may be. Though, it wasn't as bad.

"I suppose that would be ... " He twirled his spoon in his hand."House of Gold." He whispered more to himself than her.
 
l a i n e y
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"That's a good song," said Lainey, nodding in agreement. She hummed it to herself as she finished up her ice cream, setting the little cup and spoon aside.

"I should probably be getting home now," she said, checking the time on her phone and completely ignoring the texts from Harrison. Mason's phone lit up with a call and Lainey could read Karoline's name on it, upside-down. "Looks like you should be getting home, too."

Lainey sighed, ran her fingers over her hair and stood up. "Do you think you could drive me?" she requested quietly. It would obviously take less time, meaning Harrison would be less angry.

"Please? You can take the gas money out of my paycheck."​
 
M A S O N
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"Nonsense." Mason put his phone to sleep as he stood up. He would rather talk to his girlfriend when he got home than on the phone. That way she could get all her complaints in at once.

"I'm the one who invited you out, you shouldn't have to pay for anything. Besides, gas expenses isn't anything." He waved it off easily and tossed his paper bowl and plastic spoon into the garbage can nearby. "Let's get going then."

He sighed and soon enough he led out the door, to his car and started driving toward Lainey's house once he had her address. He had cut the radio on for the drive and listened to, coincidentally, Victorious as it played through the speakers. He appreciated other artist immensely and Beautiful Pain happened to her favorite band.

"Around this corner?" He asked as they neared her house.
 
l a i n e y
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"M-hm," Lainey hummed as she watched her house approach.

She was nervous, but it was a weird kind of nerves. Like ... she knew what was coming and that no one could stop it, so she was just dreading it but anxiously anticipating the end of it. The light at the end of the tunnel. She sighed heavily as Mason parked in front of her house and turned to the male.

"Thanks for the ice cream," she murmured, picking up her purse and giving him a small smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Lainey got out and limped up to the front door, slowly and quietly closing it behind her. She hoped Harrison was out, though, knowing her luck, that was unlikely.​

k a r o l i n e
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Karoline was pissed. She had called a limo home and was now pacing in the kitchen with a bowl of chocolate ice cream in her hands, irritably awaiting Mason's return.

She heard his car pull up and immediately set her bowl aside, leaning against the bench with a scowl on her face and her arms crossed over her chest. She raised an eyebrow at Mason as he entered the room.

"What the hell was that?" she hissed. She wasn't yelling, but her anger was evident in her tone.​
 
H A R R I S O N
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"I do hope you have mighty fine explanation for why you ditched me in the store and disappeared with your fucking boss." Harrison addressed Lainey harshly as soon as she was inside their house and the door was shut behind.

He was standing in living room, arms crossed and looking pissed as hell. No, he was livid. And if anyone thought he would have cooled off even a sliver while during the time she was gone, they were wrong.

The longer he waited, the more he continued to grow angry. Any clearly, despite what she would say, it wouldn't mean a thing. The results would always be the same.

M A S O N
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"What the hell was what? You'll have to be more specific."

Mason dropped his car keys in the tray lying on the coffee table and plopped down on the couch. He had no idea how long this would last. But he might as well sit down for however long it may be.

He scratched his head set his feet on the coffee table. And when he turned to look at her, he sighed. "Glad you made it back alright."

It was a mumble, but he meant it. That was the only thing he felt remotely guilty about. Leaving her behind without a ride. He did know she was always a phonecall away from getting one too. So, he decided not to feel too bad about it.
 
l a i n e y
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Lainey looked up at her very, very angry boyfriend and bit down on her bottom lip, averting her gaze since she couldn't hold eye contact with him for too long. "We just got ice cream ..."

That was true, but for some reason, it didn't feel right in Lainey's mouth. Seeing Mason with Karoline, seeing how appallingly she treated him, possessed Lainey to stand up for herself a little.

And that was what she did.

She set her keys down on the table irritably and looked back at Harrison with defiance in her eyes. "Yeah, we went and got ice cream. It's not like I cheated on you or anything. I'm allowed to have friends. You don't own me, you don't dictate every part of my life. And I'm sorry I left you in the store, but I'm sick of you treating me like I'm less than you."

Her words surprised even her but she didn't take them back. She meant them. And she glared at Harrison defiantly, finally standing up for herself.​

k a r o l i n e
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"Are you fucking kidding me?" Karoline snapped. She came around the bench to stand in front of Mason furiously. "You know what I'm talking about, you fucking asshole! You left me in the store! With her! THE FUCKING HOUSEKEEPER!"

Karoline was yelling now and she raised her hands to knot in her thick brown curls furiously, as if she was going to rip out her hair in bunches. She looked deranged, and also like she was going to cry.

"What, are you fucking her behind my back or something? Why the fuck would you leave unless you're cheating with her? Is what why YOU HIRED HER IN THE FUCKING FIRST PLACE?"​
 
H A R R I S O N
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Harrison was stunned. Stunned that she had the nerve to talk to in that manner and that she wasn't stumbling over an apology. Most of all, he was surprised that she even glared at him. And he didn't bother to hide all of the surprise.

However, it didn't last long either.

His anger returned just as quickly as it had left. He didn't bother completely processing her words before he scowled and shoved her to the floor in one quick and rough movement. He felt no remorse when sending a blow to her side with his foot.

"How dare you!? First of all, your a FUCKING CRIPPLE and you clean other peoples shit for a fucking for a living!" He yelled, not bothering to use his fist one to hit her. Why bother doing that what his feet were perfectly capable? It was meant to demean her in a way, to show her she really was beneath him.

"So, maybe YOU FUCKING ARE! And YOU'RE UNGRATEFUL!" He spat. It wasn't as if she ever complained before. But the moment Tristian was brought up in their conversation earlier, he had been anticipating kicking the shit at her.

Though, he had to stop no matter how angry he was. He had to hold the reins. How would she be able to go to work tomorrow if she couldn't walk properly?

M A S O N
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"Karoline, can you please just stop!" Mason hopped up from his seat, unable to take her hysterics anymore. And he was instantly washed over with guilt. Had he really pit her in this condition, made her lose confudence in herself and him as well? He swallowed.

He took her hands and gently pulled them out of her hair. "I would never cheat on you, or anyone for that matter. I am not a cheater. And I have too much respect for Lainey." He purposely emphasized her name, to make his point. Her name was not 'the housekeeper'. It was Lainey, Lainey Applewhite and it wasn't hard to say.

"We're only friends. I don't have to sleep with a person to go places with them." He frowned, biting the inside of her cheek. He felt bad, but he was still annoyed.

"And I hired her because of you, okay? You wanted a cleaner when you came here. And thanks to her you've got one."
 
l a i n e y​

Lainey hit the floor with a thud, but she didn't make any noise until he kicked her. Hard. Then, all she could do was give a small whimper of pain as he kicked her in the side, again and again.

He was right. She was weak, she was a cripple and she was less than him. He stopped and Lainey shuddered on the ground for a few moments as she cried, before she slowly picked herself up and glanced up at Harrison.

"I'm sorry," she said hoarsely, clutching at the side he had pummelled with her hand as she limped past him. Her limp had only worsened now and she couldn't help it. He had won.

He always won.

"I'm going to take a shower," she whispered. Maybe it'd wash all the pain away.

k a r o l i n e​

Karoline pouted and bounced slightly like a petulant child. "But I don't like her," she protested, looking up at Mason with slightly teary eyes.

She wasn't used to not getting her own way, and that was painfully obvious in her childish behaviour. Karoline pushed his hands off, picked up the keys to her Porsche from the tray on the coffee table and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'm going home," she spat, turning and making her way out of the room. "Call me when you've fired her."
 
H A R R I S O N
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"Then take a shower." Harrison told her. Or to be more precise, he permissed her. He was still visibly very upset with her. And as much as he wanted to beat her relentlessly he knew it would be stupid to do so.

"Let's both hope I'm cooled off when you're out." He ran his hand through his dark hair and sighed frustratedly. He continued to scowl at her, but moved into the kitchen.

Opening the freezer, he pulled out a steak and dropped it onto the bench for her to see. He had went ahead and bought it."And when you're done, you can cook this for my dinner.

With that said, he left her to herself.

M A S O N
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Mason scoffed, just as annoyed and frustrated as she was, if not more. But unlike her, his difficulty was not Lainey, but Karoline. It was ridiculous, her response to everything was. He couldn't understand how her brain worked around things, at all. And frankly, he honestly didn't care to comprehend it either.

He would not fire Lainey. It was unfair to her, and then they'd be back to square one. So, he decided Karoline was just going to have to cool off and get over it. Whenever that may be. He didn't know if he could truly ever please her.

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

And he dropped back onto the couch, laying on his back with his legs dangling off the arm. He laid his own arm over his eyes and sighed heavily. He was too tired to get up, so he didn't. Not for the rest of the day, he laid there, trying to pull himself together. And by that time, it would have been the morning of the next day.
 
l a i n e y​

The next day, Lainey's limp had only worsened and every move she made was filled with agony but there was nothing she could do about it. She couldn't stay at home from work because Harrison would never let her hear the end of it, so she sucked it up and put on her work clothes.

She came into Mason's house through the garage, like always, and was slightly surprised to see Karoline's car missing. She briefly wondered if they had broken up, then realised that would probably be for the best.

"Hey," she said to Mason, glancing at him at the couch as she set her bag on the coffee table. He looked tired. Like he had had an existential crisis or something.

Lainey bit her lip and got to work, dusting the top of the TV cabinet. Her best shirt was in the wash so she had had to wear a slightly smaller one that hiked up whenever she lifted her arms, and revealed the bottoms of the deep purple bruises on her sides.

She didn't notice, though. She was trying to distract herself from Harrison.
 
M A S O N
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"Hey," Mason croaked.

He didn't bother moving an inch despite Lainey's arrival. He made sure to acknowledge her, but that was as far as he would go for today. He simply did not feel like talking, not even a little. And neither did she, apparently.

He could hear her shuffling around, cleaning the living room like every morning since he first had hired her. It didn't disturb him at all. It was just another part of his life now. And as strange as it may be, it was comforting. To know she was there, that someone was. That was what he felt was a comfort.

He removed his arm from his eyes and turned his head to locate her with his eyes. And he found her ... Along with the defined mess of purple bruises on her sides. He froze, unable to take his eyes off of them. And by the way she moved, her limp was noticeably worse than it was yesterday. Which meant she had been bruised sometime after he last saw her.

"What happened to you?" Mason jumped up from his spot immediately, snapping out of his confusion and shock.

"Are you okay?" That was a dumb question. Of course she wasn't.
 
l a i n e y​

Shit.

"Nothing happened, I'm fine," Lainey insisted, defensively pulling her shirt back down to cover her bruises. She also put her thin sweater on over it so even if her shirt hiked up, he wouldn't be able to see the bruises.

Harrison would kill her if he found out anyone knew.

"I fell over. Not that hard with a limp." Lainey's voice didn't even sound convincing to herself but there was nothing she could do about it. She sighed and went back to work.

"I tripped up the path and hit my side on a brick," she added, though her voice was still shaky and unbelievable. "I fall a lot. Well, I have since the accident."
 
M A S O N
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"Bullshit."

Mason frowned, taking the dusting brush from her hand. He swiftly scooped her up in his bridal style not caring to hear anymore of her excuses. She needed to be treated, and he was not going to allow her to out herself in pain and maybe even worsen her condition by moving around.

He set her down on the couch and looked at her firmly, though there was some fire behind his eyes, the fire wasn't directed at her. It was for whoever had done this to her. Obviously someone else had and her lies to try and cover up the truth only confirmed it for him.

"Don't you dare move from this spot." His voice was stern, but he didn't let of his anger seep into it in fear of scaring her. He didn't want that. He only wanted to help her.

Mason left her to the couch and shortly returned after approximately five minutes. He returned with a tray holding an icepack, bruising cream, a glass of water and a bottle of ibuprofen pills. He set the tray onto the table and kneeled down in front of her.

"Take this," He handed the cool glass of water to her and opened the bottle of medicine to set two pills in her other hand. "It should help with the pain."
 
l a i n e y​

"Mason, just let me get to work --"

Lainey was cut off when Mason picked her up and set her down on the couch. She looked up at him irritably -- she didn't need to be fussed over, she didn't need special treatment. She just needed to work and make money for Harrison so he wouldn't hit her again.

But ... her leg hurt and she didn't mind sitting down.

He came back with a tray of remedies and Lainey begrudgingly took the pills, which helped a little. She set the glass down on the table and looked at him pleadingly.

"Please, just let me work, I'll get in trouble if I don't bring back money."

The words slipped out and she hadn't meant to phrase her sentence like that -- like she got in trouble with Harrison a lot. But she couldn't take it back and she just slumped back into the couch, chewing her nails because she was nervous.
 
M A S O N
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Mason froze and stared at her. He was unsure how to interpret her words. But if they meant exactly what he thought they did, then he was almost certain that her bruises were from a scuffle with someone else.

As much as it sickened him, he knew who it had to be.

"Your boyfriend," Said Mason, lifting his gaze to meet hers. His serious green eyes with flecks of brown met her brown. His eyes lowered to her nails she bit with he teeth. He had to breathe through his mouth to calm down.

He never liked Harrison from the get go. But this? He picked up the ice pack and silently, but gently pressed it against her bruises. All of this, he wouldn't have guessed. And he felt like such a fool for not noticing. How could he not.

Very calmly, he said,"I'm calling the police on that fucker."
 
l a i n e y​

"What -- no!" Lainey looked at Mason with genuine horror in her eyes. "What the fuck, no, you can't do that. He'd kill me!"

And he probably would. Harrison would probably find a way to make all of this Lainey's fault, and he wouldn't hold back on her if he didn't go to prison. No, Lainey couldn't allow that to happen.

"I'm fine -- he -- he just gets mad sometimes." Lainey felt sickened by her own words and she felt so weak, reduced to a pitiful creature who had to beg for forgiveness from her master.

But she was stuck there and there was nothing she could do about it.

"It's my fault, anyway. I spoke up against him. He didn't like it. It's my fault, don't ... don't call the police."
 
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