i've never really experienced heartbreak before. unless you count the time when i was six and came home to see my goldfish upside down in her tank. other than that, i've never been heartbroken...until now.

i actually felt it. my heart felt like a part of it broke. getting a divorce. how? why? and when did this happen?

i open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out. "what?" i hear noah. i'm not sure what's happening. "we weren't ready to tell you guys yet so we just said that dad had a business trip." my mother's voice echoed in my head.

i was panicking but at the same time, i wasn't. "that's so fucked up." i say a little louder than i intended. my mind was racing that's for sure. i had so many questions but no voice to ask them. "where were you?" noahs voice was full of anger. i stared at only my brother, i couldn't look at my parents.

"i was at a hotel for a week then i stayed with john." a hotel?

"this is bullshit!" noah shouted. this was bullshit. "noah!" my mom yells just like every time we cuss. "you're joking right? this is a lie! you guys are happily married, what do you mean you're getting a divorce?"

he's saying everything i wanted to say. "you don't know everything." my dad raised his voice.

"so what are you saying? did one of you cheat? because none of this is making sense." the shouting gets louder and louder.

"no!" they say in unison. "noah calm down. arguing isn't going to help anything!" my mom tells noah and i watch him slowly pace around. "your mother and i agreed on me moving out. i found a house in olympia."

"olympia?!" noah yells. "you already found a house? how long has this been planned dad?" i finally speak up. "three months," i feel numb. the entire time. they both knew the entire time. "it's an hour away. so you won't be that far from your mother."

i shake my head. i will not let this happen. "no!" i finally shout. "bri." my mom warns. "no mom! this isn't fair! why don't we get a say in this? you both lied to us the whole time." i start to get angry.

my emotions are everywhere. "brianna and noah, we need you to calm down so we can discuss days you'll be with me and days you'll be with your father." my mom tries to walk up to me. this was the last straw.

"no!" i yell and hurry to walk out of the house. i needed to get away. i didn't know where i was going but i didn't care. i just needed air.

i slow down when i realize how far i walked. i sat down on a park bench and broke down and cried.

"bri?" i hear someone call my name. i don't pay attention at first until i realize i heard my name. "bri, what's wrong?" the voice is closer. i look up to see mason.

i stop crying to keep myself from looking crazy. "are you okay? why are you crying?"

i end up crying more. are you okay? am i? i'm not sure. well obviously not, i'm crying in front of a whole stranger. i don't say anything. mason sits next to me and rubs my back. after a few minutes i start to fully calm down.

god i'm so glad i'm not wearing mascara right now. i breathe and wipe my face. "i'm sorry mason. this is so embarrassing." i get up and i look around me. i'm at the park.

i walked to the park? out of all places... the park. i frown. "don't apologize. what's wrong?" he asks. before i could answer a little girl comes and taps mason. "yes sophia?"

i watch them. that must be his little sister. my mood changes and i try to lighten up. i watch him get on his knees and talk to her. "come play with me." sophia tugs on masons sleeve. "hold on, i'm in the middle of something."

"no it's okay, i should go." i turn around and i start to walk. "no wait," i feel a hand on my arm. i turn around. "i know you don't know me but i'm a good listener. talk to me?"

i look at his hand still on my arm. "okay." i nod. "let me take you somewhere." he offers. a part of me tells me to go but another part tells me not to. uh no, don't go! you barely know him.

i debate whether i should go with him or not. "sure." i shrug. what's the worst that could happen?

❀

"you took me to... a parking lot?" i ask kind of confused. after dropping his sister off at his house, mason drove me to the mall. "get out." he says before taking the keys out of the ignition and getting out. what?

i get out of the car and i follow mason. he sits on the hood of his car. "come on, sit." he pats next to him. "mason i'm not sitting on your car." i shake my head. "yes you are." mason pats again.

this dude is weird. i hesitate for a second but then i sit next to him. he crosses his legs and faces me. i do the same. we stare at each other until i get uncomfortable. i laugh.

"what?" he starts to smile. "uh mason? i don't know what you guys did on the top floor of the mall parking lot in ohio...but here the top parking lot floor is where people go to have sex in their cars and smoke." i laugh watching his mouth drop.

he looks around still with his mouth open. i look around too. we're the only ones up here, maybe because it's later in the afternoon. "oh. we wont be doing any of those things, unless you want to." mason smirks. now my mouth drops open.

"i'm just kidding." he laughs and i fake laugh. good to know he has a sense of humor. "you've already been hanging out with the soccer team too much." i look at him. those dark blue eyes stare back at me. "eh, they're alright." mason shrugs. "no! they're horrible! please don't be friends with them." we laugh.

there's silence for a little bit. i look at everything around me. the sunset looks so nice and the air is cold but it's still nice. "so why did you take me here?" i ask. he bites his lip. "i like to go to isolated places and sit on my hood when i'm frustrated... it's calming and relaxing you know?"

i did know. "yeah i guess." i look at the sunset again. "so what happened?" mason asks and i sigh. i'm not sure if i wanted to talk about it but for some weird reason i felt okay telling him. "my dad. he was gone on a business trip for a few months so my family and i haven't seen him in a while..."

"i came home today and he was in the living room with my mother. long story straight, my dad wasn't on a business trip. my parents are getting a divorce."