Chapter 2: The Kangaroo Gift

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The gift box on the table was exquisitely wrapped and surprisingly large. I’d spent all night hunting down the perfect glossy paper, tying the bow just right. The morning sunlight caught on the wrapping, making it gleam like a promise.

Mason’s hand trembled slightly as he untied the ribbon, eyes glued to the box. His fingers fumbled for a second, almost too nervous to open it. I watched, heart pounding, biting my lip as anticipation built.

Layer after layer of fancy wrapping came off, finally revealing a kangaroo-themed DoorDash delivery uniform inside. I’d tracked down the set online, giggling to myself the whole time.

A kangaroo helmet, a bright yellow vest, and a folded delivery box. The helmet’s ears flopped to the side, making it both ridiculous and oddly endearing—like something out of a college mascot parade.

Mason picked up the helmet with one hand and let out a bitter laugh. The sound was half pain, half disbelief, echoing off the walls of our cramped apartment. He rubbed his forehead, eyes squeezed shut, as if trying to make sense of his new reality.

He turned and headed back toward the rooftop, his steps heavy and unhesitating. I jumped up, chasing after him, panic rising in my throat. My heart pounded as I realized how quickly the mood had shifted.

I watched his tall, straight figure, backlit by the sun, and stomped my foot, gritting my teeth. The sunlight threw his silhouette across the floor, making him seem even more unreachable, as if he belonged to another world.

"...Mason, you!" I called after him, voice cracking. I wanted to throw something at him, anything to make him stop and listen.

Mason put the kangaroo helmet on his head. The ears drooped over his forehead, making him look both heroic and a little ridiculous, like a college football mascot caught in a drama.

His voice was muffled and low: "My phone’s still up on the rooftop." He didn’t look back, but I could hear the pain in his words, clinging to any excuse not to face me.