Part Seven

Texting each other to meet up, Mason and Sara found themselves sitting on a chequered picnic blanket in an open glade in the Evergreen area of the city, eating what they had ended up bringing from the picnic basket as they talked amongst each other about any topic that came to mind but also feeling quite unsure about how to bring up their feelings for the other person.

As they finished eating sandwiches that they had brought and as their conversation slowly died down slightly, Sara took a glance around, looking at Mason who smiled at her and then the beautiful and serene environment area around her and immediately felt inspired and grabbed her sketchbook and pencil that she had brought with her from the picnic basket, opening it up to a blank page.

"Alright, don't move." Sara told Mason.

"What?" Mason said, his face turning to one of confusion as he turned his head slightly to look at her.

"I said, don't move," Sara repeated as she brought her hand to cup his cheek and for a brief moment Mason thought she might kiss him again but instead she turned his back to its earlier position. "There we go and take that confused look off your face. I need that cute smile."

"Cute smile?" Mason said with a grin plastered on his face but quickly realised what was happening. "Wait, are you drawing me?"

"Yes, now be quiet," Sara told him. "I need to concentrate." Sara added as she looked up at him and then back to the sketchbook.

Doing as his friend said, Mason remained silent, watching as Sara got to work sketching him. A silence that seemed almost uncomforting to Mason as he found himself hearing the rustle of leaves and taking in the gorgeous landscape before him that almost seemed to look as though it was an untouched garden of Eden.

He also couldn't help but take in Sara who was concentrating on the environment around her and the sketch of it she was making. Mason couldn't help but look at the way her silky black hair fell around her shoulders and the gentle curve of her neck as she tilted her head to examine her work.

Mason watched as her lips pursed in concentration and as they parted so she could bite the end of the pencil as she attempted to concentrate on what she was doing next, a sight Mason had to admit looked unbelievably sexy and once again gave him the urge to lean in and kiss her but instead be remained still, not wanting to ruin the moment.

Sara's hand paused as she studied him, her eyes flicking from the page to his face and back again before her hand began to move once more. The pencil glided across the paper and Mason could feel the heat of her gaze as she attempted to focus on him and he found himself wondering what she was thinking and his eyes did attempt to glimpse the sketch in the sketchbook in her hand on occasion, just to try and see if she was pouring what she was thinking onto the page but she had it angled away from him.

"Okay, you can move now," Sara said after what felt like an eternity as she set the pencil down and looked up at him with a smile that Mason thought was perfect.

"Finally," Mason jokingly told her as he relaxed himself across the picnic blanket.

"You wanna see it?" Sara offered as she held out the sketchbook for him.

"Of course," Mason nodded as he took the sketchbook from her, looking at the sketch of him, looking more handsome than he thought he looked, smiling as he sat in the glade that they were in. "Sara, this is amazing."

"You think so?" Sara said awkwardly which surprised the other teenager.

"Of course I do. You've got serious talent," Mason responded. "I've always told you that."

"I know," Sara softly smiled. "So, you love it?"

"Yeah Sara, this is amazing." Mason happily told her, causing Sara to lean in and before Mason knew it, she was kissing him and almost immediately Mason kissed her back, a feeling of passion coursing through the both of them, spurred on by the moment and blocking out any thoughts of conversations about feelings that they should have as they lost themselves to the moment.

Walking across the Rigby Ranch that afternoon by herself since Sara had decided to go out with Mason and not wanting to feel like a third wheel again, Asa ended up walking towards the stables deciding to giving horse riding another chance when she spotted Anneliese and Molly standing next to each other talking and laughing amongst each other.

"What's the joke, you two?" Asa called out as she approached the pair.

"Oh, just a little something we're cooking up for our dear siblings," Molly said innocently.

"You're going to give it away! That's my sister's best friend, don't forget!" Anneliese said as she playfully nudged Molly.

"Hey! It’s not as if she doesn't know we're up to something." Molly said as she rolled her eyes at Anneliese before turning to Asa.

"So, what are you two doing?" Asa questioned.

"So basically, Sara and Mason kissed at the bonfire last night and now we've decided to do something about it before one of them gets cold feet and calls it off before they realise how perfect they are for each other," Anneliese quickly explained excitedly.

"So, you're setting them up on a date?" Asa asked.

"Only because my dolt of a brother is going to take forever to ask her out on one, like he usually does," Molly said before adding on. "You know there was a girl in our town last year called Charlie and he went oblivious to the fact that she liked him as more than friends?"

"Mason has always been a bit slow on the uptake with these things," Anneliese said, thinking about the many years she had spent seeing Mason oblivious to Sara’s feelings. "But Sara? She's pretty straightforward."

"That's why we need to help them along." Molly told the older blonde.

"And from what I know of you, that doesn't exactly sound like you?" Asa asked Molly curiously.

"Okay, okay, so maybe I have a bit of an ulterior motive," Molly said as her cheeks grew red in embarrassment. "Sure I tease Mason about Sara and yeah it’s fun to rile him up about it especially at the start when I was kid but I only do it now because I want him to stop being so dense and finally see what's right in front of him. They're perfect together. And if setting them up on a date is what it takes, then let's do it."

"We just want them to be happy, you know?" Anneliese nodded in agreement.

"Well, someone’s got to make sure you two don’t screw this up then,” Asa commented.

“Hey!” Both Anneliese and Molly said at the same time.

“What I’m saying is, I’m helping," Asa added. "What do you have in mind?"

"We were thinking about pooling our money together and getting them a table at the Farmhouse." Anneliese said, referring to the popular, elegant and the only restaurant in Evergreen Woods that was far too pricey for the teenagers, largely due to fresh products they used from the farms in the Evergreen Woods area.

"Yeah, it's fancy, but it's the perfect setting to make sure they get the message. We're just struggling to get the money together." Molly nodded.

"How much are we talking about?" Asa asked.

"If we can scrape together three hundred bucks, we can get them to skip the waitlist they have, get them a decent reservation and maybe even a bottle of wine." Anneliese calculated.

"That's steep for a dinner date. Even I haven't got that much on me." Asa said. “I wasn’t expecting to use that kind of money out here.”

“Me neither.” Molly nodded in agreement.

"You think Peter might be willing to help us out?" Anneliese wondered, referring to Asa and Sara's friend whose family were one of the oldest and wealthiest in the city.

"He and Sara had some sort of thing earlier in the year so I don't know..." Asa admitted.

"Worth a shot!" Anneliese said with hope.

"You're only saying that because you like Peter. You Roses have similar taste in men." Asa commented. “Not that I can blame you…”

“I do not!” Anneliese blushed.

“Wait, who’s this Peter?” Molly questioned.

“One of mine and Sara’s oldest friends,” Asa answered. “But that’s not the point… Peter and Sara had this whole thing earlier in the year. I don’t think he would want to help another guy get with his crush.”

“Well, we’re talking about this guy later,” Molly said to Anneliese, clearly wanting more details about this crush but realising that they didn’t have the time, turned her attention back to Asa. "Well, if you think Peter is going to be a problem then maybe we should consider other options."

"She’s only saying that because he's been helping Hollie get over their break up and you don't want to hear about how she's doing," Anneliese said, referring to Asa's ex-girlfriend.

"Anneliese, come on," Asa said softly. "That's not what this is about."

"Okay, okay, If you say so," Anneliese held up her hands in surrender. “I just want to remind you, you were ready to get over her yesterday. This morning you were back to your old self even. Don’t let the possibility of news about her ruin all the work you’ve done to get over her.”

"You’re right, let me talk to Peter." Asa nodded.

"Seriously? You're going to call him?" Molly said in surprise.

"For Sara and Mason, I'll do it." Asa said with a deep breath. “Just leave it to me.”