Chapter 7: It ended at 1:32am

“Why are you always to tired?”

Mason didn’t even register the question in his mind. He was already half asleep and had to be shook to return to reality.

“So why’re you sleepy?” a friend of Mason asked.

“Uhhhh, I don’t know. Probably the same reason I read trash isekai. It is what it is.” Mason shrugged as he answered.

“Well, you don’t look too hot. Maybe try going to bed earlier? You definitely look like you need more sleep.”

***

Mason had been laying in bed for the past 3 and a half hours. Wide awake. He tried to fall asleep. He really did. He counted to five hundred. He tried to clear his mind. Nothing worked. No matter what, his mind would always find a way to wander. 

Labeled with insomnia, chronically attached to his phone, Mason was building himself up to be everything he didn’t want.

Bad sleep schedule. No social life. And worst of all, no motivation. 

Where did everything go so wrong? Perhaps the first time he left his phone in his room?

*** At the age of 14 ***

Only after hours of arguing with his Mom, was Mason able to charge his phone in his room. Surely he would play on it during the night right? He had viscerally promised his parents that he would never, ever, in his lifetime, break the promise he had made with his parents. It would be as if his phone wasn’t even there!

And six weeks later he was up at 2am mindlessly scrolling through his phone for no reason. Was this for the better? Surely not. 

He could quit being on his phone anytime if he felt like it. He just didn’t have anything better to do. That’s why he was on his phone at night. 

Right?

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*** Current ***

Mason wanted to laugh. Hindsight was 20/20. His parents were definitely right. If his phone was in his room at night, he’d eventually be on it one day. 

But that didn’t explain all of his problems right?

No, a bad sleep schedule wouldn’t result in a loss in his social life. 

But a wandering mind would result in staying up. Maxine wanted to slap himself.

His bed sheets seemed to be cursed. Eternally wrinkled and never comfortable. His blankets were always too hot. And when he stuck a leg out, it was as if he experienced frostbite. 

Frustration created resentment, and resentment always redirected to himself. 

It always ended up like this. Blaming himself and all of his dumb actions. If only he could go back in time.

Mason tossed and turned like food being stir fried. And eventually, his eyes landed on his phone once again. 

***

Authors note:

To all of the people who are on their phones late at night, I feel bad for you. Why? Because that reminds me of myself, and I’d feel bad for anyone with a sleep schedule like my own. Sleeping till noon, never productive until night. Each big change starts with one small step. 

I can’t really be giving advice though, my sleep schedule is still trash. But hopefully yours isn’t, either now or in the future.

Written on FallingUp’s phone starting at 1:01am. 

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