To Hate My Stepbrother

Ava’s POV

The silence in the kitchen was ear piercing as Mason coughed awkwardly before walking out of the kitchen while I made my way to the fridge to pick out a bowl.

Making myself a bowl of cereal, I started eating before hearing footsteps and I looked up to see Mason in the kitchen with me once again, with one of his arms resting at the side of the doorway.

“Do you care?” I demanded, gesturing to my own bowl of cereal. He didn’t respond and without thinking, I decided to make him a bowl anyway, which he cleared up super fast.

Mason finished and proceeded to wash his bowl without saying a thank you. I regarded him with an irritated scowl before speaking. His rude manners are why I didn’t like him in the first place.

“Didn’t your mother teach you any manners?” I had already finished talking before I realized what I had said.

My jaw was clenched as I turned to look at him, and his eyes were darker than they usually were, along with his expression being blank.

I remembered Danny telling me Mason he became different after his mother left. I should’ve known talking about his mother would trigger some horrible memories.

“Mason I… I’m..” I stuttered but he shunned me by raising a finger, I watched as he walked quietly out of the kitchen and I couldn’t help but feel exactly bad.

The sound coming from the TV in the sitting room told me he was still there. I tried to shake what just happened out of my head as I continued eating, but I couldn’t.

I soon finished eating and I washed my bowl before going to join Mason, sitting a few inches away him. I felt like I should really apologise to him, but when I attempted doing that, he regarded me with a raised eyebrow, making me feel speechless in that moment.

“Why are you here?” He asked and I cleared my throat awkwardly, eyes darting around and averting from his intense ones.

“You’re sitting awfully close to me, may I ask why?” He asked next, voice sounding genuinely confused which made my cheeks flame up on realisation. I had sat close to him because I wanted to tender an apology to him.

“Yeah… well, it’s,” I stuttered, forcing my eyes off my thighs to focus on his face. His head was tilted sideways, and when he lowered his eyes to trail over me, I felt shaken to the core, while also noting how long and perfect his eye lashes were.

“I’m… I’m- waiting for our parents, yeah. I’m waiting for them, they should be here anytime soon.” I finally breathed out, lying through my teeth and Mason regarded me silently once again before nodding his head, but I could bet my entire money right now that he knew I wasn’t being honest right now.

‘Why am I still sitting this close to him? I really should have even gone to my room after I finished eating.’ I thought to myself in irritation.

“It’s getting dark and I’m starting to get worried.” I finally let out after a while of silence but he only shrugged before going back to concentrating on the television.

“I’m sorry about the other time,” I replied after a few moments, now that I’ve mustered up some courage to apologise, “I didn’t mean to speak on that, if I had known it was something sensitive.” I added.

Mason turned around after a few seconds and this time, I was extremely shocked to see a small smile at the sides of his lips, as he leaned towards me, pulling on my cheek and pinching it softly.

My eyes widened and so did my lips parted. It was unnerving for me to be sitting this close to him and having him smile at me while pinching my cheek, a lot of things were happening at once.

Is this the same Mason I know?

For one, Mason never smiled at me, never. Sure, I’ve seen his perfect looking smile countless times, but they were never directed at me, they were mostly reserved for my mother.

And two, why the hell would he pinch my cheek out of nowhere, when he would do anything to avoiding coming into contact with me on a normal day.

“Why the hell did you do that?” I shot at him, using that opportunity to hide the way my breathing pattern had accelerated, and next, I attempted to pinch him in return but he let out an amused chuckle and then he captured my flaring hands In one of his, holding them in place and making me feel like the skin which his hands was wrapped around were going up in flames.

“Because I can,” He finally responded on a huff, “Besides, you have cute, puffy cheeks and it felt nice when I pinched it so I’m not sorry.” He added, rendering me speechless even more.

Mason is not only smiling at me, he’s engaging in an actual conversation with me as well.

I cleared my throat awkwardly just as he released my arms, and then I focused my gaze on the television.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“Tune in to another channel, I can barely understand a thing.” I groaned after a few moments has passed and Mason o my scoffed.

“Too bad I got to the remote first.” He answered unapologetically, suggesting I do something else if I didn’t want to watch television with him.

“This is why I barely like you,” I said in a huff and he shrugged, making me feel more irritated, “I don’t know why I’m even sitting here in the first place.” I added.

“Go to your room then.” He suggested on an eyeroll and I sighed heavily as I stood to leave.

Pacing around in my room, I tried to call my mum again but I was unable to reach her. I tried Danny’s number too and it was the same thing.

I tried so hard not to get worried but I couldn’t help it, I was already sweating and I dialed their number a couple more times but it was the same response.

“Why’s Mason not even worried?” I thought to myself before walking to my bed to lay down a little. My mind wandered around and I soon started to think about different possible reasons as to why our parents weren’t here yet.

The sound of my phone ringing jolted me out of my thoughts and I picked it up to see that it was Nicole. I’d initially hoped it’d be my mum.

I answered it and after a while of talking, I explained to her that Danny and my mum were running late and I had no idea why but she only laughed.

“It’s not funny, Nicole.” I pointed out and she apologised before letting out a snort.

“Think about it this way, what if they’re not coming and they’d only set you both up on purpose so you could bond throughout the break?” She asked and I rolled my eyes.

“There’s no way in hell that they’ll do that,” I said, condemning the idea instantly, “I’d rather die than stay up here that long with him.” I added and she snorted once again.

We finally stopped talking about Danny and my mum and Nicole told me about how Ryan’s parents were really nice to me. I teased her a little before talking about Xander.

“What of Xander? Finally got to talk to him?” She asked and I rolled my eyes again.

“No,” I answered in a sigh, “It’s obvious he only used me so I’m trying my best to not think too hard about him.” I added and Nicole agreed.

We talked for a while before I hung up and I still couldn’t help but think about my parents and why they were yet to arrive.