Mason: [Steps onto his balcony at his retreat, deciding to call Hazel even though she probably won’t pick up. He waits as it rings, feeling nervous]
Hazel: [Locks herself away as she writes lyrics, getting lost in her music as there’s nothing else for her right now. She stops as her phone rings, lips parting as she sees the name on the screen] Hello? Mason..? [Speaks quietly as she bites on her lower lip, not knowing what to expect but her heart is twisting and bursting at the same time]
Mason: [Sighs as she’s not picking up, not thinking she would until he hears her voice] I.. fuck.. Hi. Hello. [Licks his lips] Yes, it’s me. [Chews on the inside of his cheek as he looks at his shoes] Hazel.. I’ve been going to therapy and trying to get healthy. I just called ‘cause I owe you an apology. [Rubs his face] No matter how I felt.. I shouldn’t have raised my voice at you like that. In public, no less. I shouldn’t have been so aggressive and volatile. [Shakes his head] It was not mature or good of me. I’m so sorry. I just.. I’m not in town. I just wanted to tell you that.
Hazel: [She feels breathless as she hears his voice and swallows back the emotion] Hey.. [Trails off as she’s unsure of what to say but is patient as she waits for him to talk. As he speaks, she parts her lips again and tries to keep her breathing even as she never thought he’d talk to her again much less apologize] I.. [Exhales slowly as she gnaws on her bottom lip—the care and love still there for him] Thank you, Mason. I forgive you. [Her heart aches as she speaks to him, feeling like there’s too much to say and yet no way to fix it] You know.. You deserve an apology too. I had no right to talk to you like that.. especially after how I treated you. [Speak sincerely as she’s had time to reflect on everything] You didn’t deserve any of it and I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. [Falls quiet, wanting to say more but pauses] I’m glad you called..
Mason: [Blinks as she says she forgives him, completely shocked. He’s quiet as she speaks, pacing slightly] We we’re both being stupid.. [Shakes his head] I really appreciate the apology. But I didn’t call to get one from you.. [sits on the chair and stares at the ocean] I’m glad I did too.. [Smiles slightly] It’s been weighing on me. I should never treat you like that. I know Kara’s mad at me too. I need to call her. [rubs his face] Thanks for picking up, Hazel.
Hazel: I know but I’ve been wanting to say it, too. [Hollows her cheeks as her eyes water, her chest feeling heavy as she hears him] Yeah.. We were. [Purses her lips as she silently wonders if this is it for them. She wipes her cheeks as he mentions Kara] You never know with her. I’m sure she’d love to hear from you though.. I know she misses you. [Closes her notebook as she finds her lyrics about him distracting, reading the parts that says how it’s HER that misses him] Where are you? [Asks softly, wanting to hear him just a little bit longer]
Mason: I don’t know. I don’t believe anyone would miss me with how I was acting. [sighs as he felt so low] Huh? I’m in Malibu.. at a “retreat”. [muses softly] It’s basically soft rehab with really good food.
Hazel: [Frowns as she hears his words] That’s not true, Mason. [Tells him but holds back from saying that she misses him, unsure on how he’d receive it. She smiles softly as he makes his little comment, recognizing how he was before] It almost sounds like a good vacation spot. [Murmurs with a little smile] You sound better..
Mason: You don’t have to make me feel better. It’s the truth. [Swallows as he misses her so much, hearing the lightness in her voice] Yeah, I’m a lot better. You and me.. it brought up so much I didn’t even realize. [Bites his lip, wondering why she hasn’t hung up on him yet] I won’t take up any more of your time.. I just wanted to tell you I was sorry for that..
Hazel: [He makes her heart hurt as she hears him, finding it difficult to hold back and not wanting to] I miss you.. [Speaks softly, letting the words hang in the air before she swallows] A lot. [Hearing him say “you and me” makes her ache for what could’ve been] Did it? [She wants to ask more but decides not to pry] You’re not taking up my time, Mason.. [Murmurs honestly as she isn’t ready for him to go] Just.. call me when you want. I liked hearing from you.
Mason: [Swallows as he hears her words, part of him wants to put his guard up but he knows better now] Really? [Allows himself to sound hopeful] I.. I miss you too.. a lot. [Bites his lip] I think I was the happiest I’ll ever be with you. [Frowns at the thought that maybe the best times are behind him and she didn’t even want to commit to him. His chest aches as he knows she doesn’t want him like that and it won’t work] Why are you being so nice to me now? [His brows furrow as he’s genuinely confused]
Hazel: Yes.. [Opens herself up to him, feeling anxious as she’s in a vulnerable spot. She doesn’t expect him to say it back and her heart almost gives out] You do? [Bites her lip as it makes her smile, her eyes watering] Mason.. [Feels the exact same way as she’s been miserable the second that he walked out of her house] Fuck.. [Swallows as she fidgets with the ends of her hair] Because.. you made me so happy and.. I lost that. [The honesty pours out of her as she reaches up to wipe the tears from her cheeks. She was never the crying type until she met him]
Mason: [He can hear her getting emotional and it makes his heart ache] Hey.. [Frowns as it’s evident she’s crying now. He goes back inside and rests on his bed. He still doesn’t believe she wants him like that— just that she’s lonely now] You’ll be happy again, Hazel. [Comforts her involuntarily] We just.. need time to heal and to find people that want what we want. [Says softly] We both.. weren’t looking for the same things and it just didn’t work out. [His chest hurts] It sucks to admit it. Sometimes you want something so bad and it’s just not what’s meant for you, I guess. [Talks about himself now]
Hazel: [Breathes in slowly as she listens to him. She furrows her brows as she knows what he’s getting at, that he wants to move on from her and that she should too as he says that they should find other people] Mason.. [Closes her eyes as it hurts her to think that they both weren’t meant to be. She feels guilty knowing what she did and what could’ve been] You remember our trip to the desert? You said we were good together.. [Chews her lower lip] I felt it then. I knew we were.. I couldn’t say it. [Feels regretful] I was looking for the same thing but I didn’t see it until it was too late. [Reaches to her chest, feeling the little necklace that’s still around her neck]
Mason: [Listens to her, his brows furrowing as he processes her words] Why aren’t we together then? [Frowns as he doesn’t understand if this is a game]
Hazel: [Inhales deeply as she felt stupid for not saying anything and letting everything pressure her, including herself] I was scared of committing.. [Admits, her chest feeling painful as she’d never felt so strongly about anyone before] I was being so fucking stupid. [Listens for him on the other end before continuing] I thought that if we didn’t put labels then it would be enough.. I wouldn’t have to be afraid of losing you.. But it was never enough.. [Feels vulnerable, her voice sounding different] I wanted more but I still kept denying my feelings for you.. until I did end up losing you. [Swallows] I fucked it up, Mason.
Mason: [Listens to her, his heart racing] Yeah, you did. [Laughs softly as he still loves her so much] So what are you going to do about it?
Hazel: [Her anxiety increases by the second as she waits for him to respond, expecting him to reject her and let this go] Mean.. [Exhales the breath she didn’t realize she was holding, his reaction is unexpected as she laughs and wipes her cheeks. Hearing him, she feels her heart pounding against her chest] I.. [Wants to hide as she feels afraid but it isn’t worth losing him again] Drive out to Malibu to be with you.. and ask if you’ll take me back..
Mason: [Swallows as he waits for her answer. His heart races as he hears her response] Are you serious..?
Hazel: [Breathes in and out slowly as she grabs her lyric book to get something done before she goes to him] I am. I want to see you, Mason. [Speaks weakly as she’s never been more sure of anything] Can I come?
Mason: I.. okay.. yeah. [Sends her his location] When do you think you’ll be here? [Doesn’t want to get his hopes too high]
Hazel: [Glances at her phone and sees his location, saving it] Tomorrow night? Is that too soon..? [Asks softly as she doesn’t know that works for him] I have to get something done first.
Mason: [Bites his lip as he hears her] Okay.. [Smiles softly] I’ll see you then.. [Lays in his bed and listens to her] Goodnight, Hazel..
Hazel: [Smiles for the first time in a while as she’s itching to be with him] Goodnight, Mason. [Hangs on to the sound of his voice before the call ends. She calls Kara over to record a song that she’s been keeping to herself]
