Masey should fuck off. That they hope she rots in hell. That they hope she dies.
I clutch my phone and gape. What the fuck is wrong with these people? Fury boils my blood. I’m not violent, and I was taught never to raise a hand to a woman. But I’m not even sure they pass as human beings. At the time of this filming, she had lost both her father and the man she’d spent a decade with, and that’s the compassion these people show? Even if I didn’t know Masey, I’d want to reach through the screen and throttle them. I want to tell every one of these mean-spirited halfwits to eat shit.
Above all, I want to protect her.
Even as I fight the urge to log in right now and go all keyboard warrior, I know she wouldn’t want me to.
Goddamn it. I hate feeling impotent. I’m a dude who takes action and sorts shit out later. But all of this happened ten months ago. If I do anything now, am I just reviving old wounds?
“What do you think?” Masey peeks down the hall. “Is the lighting in here all right or too dark?”
I have no idea since the video I watched wasn’t set in her studio, and I didn’t pay a fucking lick of attention to the lighting.
How does she continue to post video after video, knowing there are people out there who hate her enough to wish her dead?
Masey may seem like she’s on the quiet side. She may seem polite, even compliant. But I know damn well she’s got layers. And now it’s clear that, under her sweetness, she has balls of steel.
“Um…still trying to figure it out. It’s hard to tell. Give me a few more minutes?”
“Do you need help?” She starts to approach me.
Quickly, I close her breakup video and launch one about a new drugstore makeup haul she uploaded just before flying to Maui. “Nope. Just want to do a few more comparisons.”
She shoots me a saucy glare, hand on hip. “Look, if you need eyeshadow pointers, don’t be shy. You can come right out and say it. I won’t judge.”
“I don’t.” I scowl. “Have you done a man’s makeup?”
“Sure.” She shrugs like it’s commonplace. “I have some beauty influencer friends who are guys. They’re amazing. We swap tips sometimes.”
I’m not surprised that men wear makeup. But I have a burning question… “Do they shave first? I would think putting that stuff you spread across your face—”
“Foundation?” She sounds amused by my lack of makeup knowledge.
“I guess that’s what it’s called. Wouldn’t that be hard with stubble?”
She grins. “It adds a little challenge, but I like being tested. Last spring, I surprised a subscriber who had been in a fire as a kid. Someone had asked her to prom, and her sister wrote me and begged me to come do her makeup. This girl wanted to look her best. She watched my videos but never felt good enough to show anyone her efforts. The whole thing broke my heart. She agreed to star in a video so I could talk about working with scarring and texture for the best face possible. I think I cried through most of that day. She was so sweet and appreciative. It only cost me a few hours and some gas to make her prom one of the most special days of her life. We keep in touch all the time.”
Despite the way some of these people talk to her in the comments section, she put all the negativity aside to help someone else. Because she could. Because she wanted to. Because she’s an amazing woman.
Why didn’t you fall for this one to start with, brainiac? No, you let your dick choose her, and she fucked you up. Good job.
God, I hate that nasty voice in my head.
“I’d like to see that.”
She wrinkles her face and shakes her head. “I doubt that. You’re a macho kind of guy.”
“I’m serious, honey. I want to know all the things about you.”
Masey waves me away like she doesn’t completely believe me, but she also flushes and smiles. “Later. I’ll start editing until you figure out the lighting situation.”
“Sounds good. I won’t be long.”
When she leaves, I shove my earbuds back in and listen to her talk about all the exciting new releases at the drugstore. Some brands are really stepping up…and some are surprisingly disappointing, but she’ll break down which is which if I stay tuned.
Trying to clear my mind and