Lottery;;Lace

[Mason Jay Bradley]

I was sitting in the owlery window, again, trying to think of how to tell Bella, at least her, of this new situation of being a father, not having any warning or remembrance of having sex as it was. I'd been up here for every day since I found out earlier this week, trying to wondering if I should tell Meilana or leave her alone so I'll stop hurting her any more. Really, if I don't leave her alone I shouldn't have to tell her either, just because I shouldn't have to.
Though it'd be kind of hard to explain when I'm taking care of the baby, K-Kalin?, if Zoe will ever let me or not. If she doesn't though, then I'm fighting for the custody and not helping her in the money department.

After having a few things written and crossed out I decided to crumple the parchment up, ignoring the fact that it had a paragraph or so clear to be read and explaining that I was in fact a father now, and threw the parchment at the wall, not caring that I almost hit an owl with it. "Bloody hell." I muttered, turning my eyes from the small ball is it rolled to the floor and looked out the window.

Says you're lucky right there. Getting forced to marry your cousin, liking someone you shouldn't even speak to, having a daughter with someone who hates your guts and you also shouldn't speak to.
I've won the lottery.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

I watched a crumpled piece of paper fly across the owlery as I walked silently up the steps and peered through the door. I raised my eyebrows slightly, shifting my eyes from the owl that it almost hit to where it came from. Sure enough, there he was. Mason. Jay.. whatever I usually called him. He still needed that nickname.

I hesitated by the doorway, unsure if I should go inside or not. Then agin, I was holding a letter to my aunt in my hand. But not like it was really important and it could probably wait, but I started walking again anyway and before I could stop myself I was already walking inside the small room.

"You okay there, Mason?" I asked looking over to him as I walked over to the owls, picking one of the smaller ones and having it fly down to me.

[Mason Jay Bradley]

I hadn't heard any footsteps, nothing until I heard someone speak, and I couldn't even recognize the voice off the top of my head and turned to look and see who it was. Meilana Lacey, come just when really it's never a best time. No it really was the bes time, who knows, I might've ended up jumping out of the window in hopes of going splat.

"Peachy." I said, forcing a smile on my lips as I watched her, using the term I'd never heard until hanging around her. "Why?" I asked, purposely not looking at the parchment and ignoring the owls, just watching Meilana.

"How're you?" I asked, raising a small eyebrow, now feeling like I should just 'fall' out the window.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

I smiled a little to him, laughing a little as he said peachy and nodded. "Oh.. well.. you just, threw that piece of paper.. and I think you said bloody hell.. usually not a good thing." I said with a small shrug to him as I gave the letter to the small owl and sent him out the window, watching him fly away for a few moments.

I shrugged a little bit. "I'm okay." I said with a small smile to him.

[Mason Jay Bradley]

"I think you're hearing things Lace." I said, shaking my head with the same forced smile that I hoped at least looked somewhat real. I watched her, ignoring the owl that she sent out the window, wondering why I had to lie to Meilana when I really didn't need to, I just did. "And I think the owl was annoying me." I added, chuckling faintly, suddnely making up excuses too.

"That's good. Anything new at all?" I asked, raising an eyebrow towards her.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

I shrugged a little bit, watching him smile. It seemed kind of forced to me.. or fake.. but I wasn't sure so I didn't say anything about it. For all I knew, he was fine. "Poor owl." I said with a small chuckle, smiling to him.

I shrugged, still smiling, "Um.. not really.." I said shaking my head a little bit. "YEp, nothing." I smiled. "What about with you?"

[Mason Jay Bradley]

"How do you know the owl wasn't secretly torturing me?" I asked, feining hurt before smiling a little more for real this time, trying my hardest to not lie to her, to not make up excuses and hide, and to not hurt her in any way, and to act normal.

"Sounds boring." I said, chuckling softly and nodding a little. "Uhm, enough I supose." I said, shrugging a little to say it was nothing, though she might ask anyways.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

"Cause I don't believe a cute little owl would do something like that." I said with a small smile, shaking my head a little bit with a soft chuckle.

I shrugged a little, ".. Ish, yeah, lol. Oh, but one of my friend's had their baby. She's so cute.. I went to see her yesterday." I said with a smile to him. "And what does enough include then?" I asked smiling as I walked over to him.

[Mason Jay Bradley]

"It's a conspiracy, I swear it." I joked with a small grin, shaking my head at her lightly.

"Right." I said, forcing myself to reply, though I was pretty sure I went slightly paler in the face when she mentioned Zoe and the baby, turning to look out the window again, to once again hide it from Zoe. "You're friend and the baby." I said softly, still staring out the window, not much wanting to turn to Meilana, wondering if she'd do me the favor and push me out the window.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

I smiled and laughed a little. "I bet."

I watched him, seeing him go slightly paler before looking away from me and out the window. "Wait, what about my friend and the baby?" I asked slightly confused by what he was saying.

[Mason Jay Bradley]

I heard her question and sighed softly, shutting my eyes to the cloudy sky, it looking like it might even rain. "It's my daughter." I whispered under my breath, biting a little at my lower lip. Father at seventeen, how could you do this to us Mason? He could almost hear his mum yelling at him. And it's not even pureblood. Yeah, it'd be worth letting her know, having Shelby tell them, if Meilana didn't hate him. It wouldn't however for another reason, he needed the money to get a place of his own and be able to raise the baby part time. "Her name's Kalin." I added just as quietly. I hadn't even had the choice in what to name her. I hadn't been graced with a bloody warning, nothing, it was just thrown on me.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

I just stared at him after hearing him, wondering if I even heard him correctly. I shook my head slightly, my good mood seeming to have just flown out the window. "What're you talking about?" I asked looking at him as he avoided my eye contact. "I know her name." I said quietly, crossing my arms infront of myself. "You.. you're the father?"

[Mason Jay Bradley]

I stayed silent, wanting to ask her if since I said it's my daughter meant that I'm not the father. But I didn't say anything, just stared out the window again, looking down at the ground beneath me, starting to be really tempted to just jump over, everything was ruined now, I'm a father, still getting married to my cousin, probably not likely going to be able to raise my daughter, probably going to have Meilana hate me.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

I didn't know what to say to him and I definately wasn't exactly sure what I was feeling at the moment. I shook my head slightly, leaving my arms crossed in front of me as I turned around and walked away a little bit, not wanting to face him at the moment.
"What the fuck, Mason." I said shaking my head a little bit. Y-Y-You could've told me. You could've.. I don't know.. done something." I said shaking my head a little bit. I kind of felt like I was overreacting a little, but then at the same time, not really. I wasn't sure anymore. I paused for a moment and shook my head. "... I don't even know why I'm upset right now.. it's not like we're dating.." I said shaking my head a little more and starting to walk away from him. I was pretty sure that he was going to stop me, but who knows.. maybe he wasn't going to.

[Mason Jay Bradley]

I could hear her walking away and I didn't want her to, more than anything I wanted her to stay and at least here my side, but the footsteps stopped after a short moment, causing me to turn around to the angry Meilana Holbrooks.
And it was because she was angry I couldn't even defend myself, I sat there, trying to think of something to say back to her, but I couldn't find anything. And then, as if she were having her own little conversation with herself she spoke again, leaving me even more baffled.

Just like that she was walking away again, this time I got off the window and went after her, stopping infront of her body, my hands moving to her shoulders lightly, starting to wonder if this was even happening, really it seemed fake. "Lace, stop for one minute." I said softly, searching her eyes with mine, wondering if she'd even listen to me. "Let me explain." I added just as quietly.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

I heard him get off the window sill and before I knew it he was standing between the door and myself, stopping me by putting his hand on my shoulders lightly. I crossed my arms infront of me again, looking to the floor for a moment. I guess the least I could do was listen to him. Though I was thinking about maybe shrugging his hands off my shoulders. I was about to, but it wasn't really bothering me much at the moment and let him leave them there. At least for now.
I nodded slightly, glancing back up to him. "Fine.. I'm listening." I said quietly.

[Mason Jay Bradley]

I let a small sigh pass my lips when she did stop and glanced at me, saying she was listening, trying to figure out where to start as I dropped my hands from her shoulders. She didn't much look like she wanted them there so I kept to that. "I-I didn't." I started, biting my lip and looking at the ceiling for a moment. "I would've told you you know. Actually I did tell you." I said, trailing off to that quietly and then shook my head. "I only found out a couple days ago, Lace." I said softly, sighing a little. "I don't remember anything." I added just as softly.

"And frankly, I don't fancy her either." I said, trying to get her to smile, at least a little, smiling weakly myself. "She just showed up and told me I was the father. And I didn't believe her." I whispered. "I-I, Lace just don't hate me." I said softly, still trying to look into her eyes.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

I shook my head a little bit. It was good to hear the things he was telling me, but he told me? When did he tell me? "You told me?" I asked looking at him, shaking my head a little. "When did you do that? Do you mean right now?" I asked raising my eyebrows slightly to him.
I nodded slightly when he said he only found out a couple days ago and when he said that he didn't remember anything, nodded a little again with a small sigh. "You don't remember anything?"

I smiled very weakly when he said that he didn't fancy her, but then it faded pretty quickly and I shrugged a little bit. "Well, if you didn't fancy her why did you sleep with her?" I asked not thinking about how he said he didn't remember until after I had already asked it.

"I don't hate you." I said shaking my head a little bit, looking up to him.

[Mason Jay Bradley]

"Yes Lace, I told you. Just now." I said, shaking my head a little, biting my lip. I wasn't actually trying to defend myself, more like make it so that she understood, though I should've just left it so she hated me instead. Guess I didn't want to be the one that hurt her like that, even though I've hurt her enough already.

Really, I think it was way too many questions at once and I forgot the next one she said, almost laughing a little when she asked why I slept with her, wondering why so far we hadn't once said Zoe's name, though that was fine by me. "I was drunk Lace." I said, shaking my head a little. "Don't even remember meeting her. A complete stranger comes up to me and tells me I'm their baby's dad, sounds a bit odd. Went and took some tests at St. Mungo's, sure enough I'm the father." I said, glad that I'd gotten her to smile for a moment before she aksed the question.

Hearing her next words I let a small breath of relief pass my lips and pulled her in a hug, making it so she could pull away if she wanted.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

I nodded slightly. I just wanted to make sure he hadn't told me earlier and I somehow missed it. It just sort of confused me.

I nodded a little bit when he said it was becuase he was drunk, taking notice to how he seemed to almost laugh at the question. Which, really, I can see why it would be slightly funny, now that I think about it. I sighed a little and nodded again, "I guess that would be pretty odd.." I said quietly, playing with the end of the strings on my sweatshirt as I stared down at them. "My advice is don't get drunk." I commented glancing up to him with a faint smile before lowering my gaze again.

He pulled me into a hug a moment later and closed my eyes lightly for a moment, letting him hug me, but not really hugging back at this point.

[Mason Jay Bradley]

"I'm taking that advice, actually have started." I said, sighing softly, even though she had a faint smile.
She didn't hug back, not that I had quite expected her too. I just told her I was the father of her friends daughter, how was anyone going to take that when they like you? Pulling away from the hug, stepping away from her, I bit my lip, keeping my gaze from her, knowing that it was only going to hurt to look back and see her avoiding my eyes.

"I'll just, I'll just, uhm." I couldn't even finish my sentence. Maybe because I want to be around her and she wants the opposite, or makes it seem that way. "I'll just go." I finally said it, only it was spoken quietly and I dunno if she would've heard it as I was stepping backwards until I almost ran into the wall, but I stopped before doing so.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

I nodded slighlty, "Good." I said quietly, glancing up to him again. He pulled away from the hug and I glanced to him one more time before looking back down to the floor. This whole situation was just awkward.. and now even more complicated. Not only did I like him and he was getting married, he also had a kid now. Even if he could get out of the marriage, things would probably never be simple soon becuase of his child.

I looked up to him when he said he was going to go and paused for a moment before stepping forward and grabbing his arm lightly, "You don't have to go.." I said quietly, not even noticing that he nearly ran into the wall.

[Mason Jay Bradley]

I nodded a little again, knowing it wasn't going to be the same between us because of a stupid bloody mistake and I wasn't getting anything out of it. Really I was losing whatever was between Meilana and I, I was losing more control of my life, I wasn't gaining a daughter, I'd seen her once. That was when I was being proven wrong and that she really is my daughter. I'm more than sure she only wants the money.

"I should." I said softly, barely glancing at her hand on my arm, barely glancing at her again, now that she was watching me I couldn't return my eyes to watching her.
You've hurt her in every way possible now. Proving that you're completely out of reach.
Getting Married.
Having a kid with her friend.
Leaving when she says you don't have to.
I'm a bloody idiot.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

I watched him barely glance down to me and frowned a little bit. If he really wanted to leave, I guess I couldn't really stop him. "If you really think you should." I said taking my hand back and shaking my head faintly.
I was still having a hard time believing this was happening and not really wanting to watch him walk away and leave me here to think, decided I would rather walk out first. Really, I'd rather hear more about this.. or at least talk about it some. I looked at him a little more before walking around him and opening the door to the owlery. I doubted he'd stop me agian since he said he wanted to leave, but who knows, maybe he'd surprise me again.

[Mason Jay Bradley]

I managed a small nod when she took her hand back, though I didn't want to leave, I wanted to be with her and I was wondering if she even knew that, if she'd ever know that.
I didn't notice anything happeneing until I'd backed into the wall finally, and then I looked up, Meilana Holbrooks no longer standing infront of me, but rather opening the fairly large owlery door to leave like I had been planning on doing because I figured she'd much rather not be with me. Though, once again I found something happening that I hadn't thought would and I was reaching after her, pulling lightly on her wrist that was lightly being held by my hand, not even being able to say something like 'don't go,' or 'I said I should leave'.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

I felt him grab my wrist lighlty and stopped walking, turning around to face him again. I was kind of curious what was going on. First he says he thinks he should leave and then when I go to leave instead, which is basically the same thing, he stops me. But I did let him stop me and I looked up at him, waiting for him to say something.

[Mason Jay Bradley]

Sometimes it helps to think before doing things. I was sort of frozen in place, trying desperatly to think of something to say, trying desperatly to figure out what I was doing and thinking of all things. "I'm sorry Meilana." I said softly, using her first name instead of Lace, or even saying Meilana Lacey. I dropped my hand from around her wrist, greatly wanting to kiss her at the moment before starting out the owlery past her, not entirely sure what that was all about.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

I nodded slightly when he said sorry again and watched him drop my wrist before walking past me as he started out of the owlery. I paused for a moment and shook my head a little bit. "Hold on." I said to him, following him out the owlery. "You know there's a reason I tried to leave before you." I said as I walked with him.

[Mason Jay Bradley]

I didn't hold on though, I didn't stop to wait, I just kept walking, trying to think things through. "Really, why's that? So I can feel even worse Meilana?" I asked, looking over at her for a moment as she walked with me, and then moved my gaze to the steps again, instantly feeling like I really shouldn't've said that.

[Meilana Holbrooks]

I raised my eyebrows slightly, feeling slightly more angry toward him now. "No." I said flatly as I walked and just kept going, since he didn't seem to be stopping. "Just.."I shook my head a little bit. "..Nevermind." I mumbled, as I kept going.