Where I Went From Here

Chapter 25 - Change

*this chapter is like a week after chapter 24*

~ POV: Kyla Bower ~

Not much as happened recently... well other than I've gotten a little closer with the boys and dad. I guess after telling them the truth about my mom and grandma must have, kinda flipped a switch in them. It's actually kinda of nice.

Ryder is still the same with me, only a little more clinger; but I don't mind. Elijah gives a silent presence when he hangs around me even if I don't do anything. Levi, accompanies me in the library when I'm reading sitting in silence as we read. Christian is a more present and forthcoming with me, which I like that he does. Still, with Mason, I don't get him.

Mason hasn't really changed a lot, other than he hasn't made any snarky comment about me. It's just awkward with him in general now.

A couple days ago, Ryder, Levi and me were lounging in the game room when Mason walked in. I didn't pay too much to what he was doing; Ryder and me were playing speed with a deck of cards we had found when he seat to the side of me and Ryder. At some point, he even helped me win a round.

At this moment, I'm in the kitchen baking cupcakes. I had this sudden urge earlier to bake something, anything. I saw in the pantry we had the ingredients to make cupcakes so here I am; making a batch of cupcakes. Ryder was suppose to help me but he went out with his friends, which I don't mind.

In the of making the batter for the cupcakes, Leo waltzes in the kitchen causally coming to my side. "I didn't know you baked. What are you making?"

"I like baking, I just don't do it often is all. And I'm making cupcakes," I tell him.

Leo starts grabbing the dirty dishes and ingredients, I no longer need but to quick try to put a stop to him. "You don't need to do that you know" I tell him.

"I know I just want too" I replies instantly.

With Leo's help, we finish the cupcakes pretty quickly and place them in the oven. In the meantime, I start to make the frosting for it with Leo still next to me leaning on the kitchen island.

We talk about random things, when Mason walks into the kitchen. As he notices both, Leo and I, being close in distance he raises an eyebrow in questioning.

On the other hand, I try to act as if he hadn't enter the kitchen, and that it's still just me and Leo.

Mason must have noticed what I was doing because he comes up to us and gets right in the middle to open a cabinet to retrieve nothing and goes to sit on one of the stools from the kitchen counter.

With his presence, it makes the atmosphere rise with awkwardness and discomfort.

"So what's going on? Hmm?" Mason inquires.

"Nothing really. Just here spending sometime with Kyla" Leo replies to him.

"I think your mom was looking for you to help her with something, Leo. You should go see what it is she wants" Mason says with a glare directed to Leo.

What the fuck is Mason's problem?

Leo's whole demeanor shifts with Mason's comment. With a small 'see you later,' he walks out of the kitchen. I force my gaze to Mason who triumphantly relishes in the Leo's departure, but I won't put up with this bullshit.

"Why'd you do that?" I ask Mason narrowing my eyes at him.

"Do what? He needed to leave" he says blatantly.

I am done with his shit. He's taken it too far. First, he acted like I was nothing and now he's he deciding who I can't be in accompany with.

"What the hell is your problem with me? I haven't done anything to you and your acting like a man child throwing a tantrum on me like if I was a toy. We aren't anything. You can't decide things for me, any of you; but especially you. You treating me like dirt from the moment I first walked in to this house" I go on to tell him while he just says quite. I feel my throat bob up and down and I swallow the lump growing in my throat as I continue to spat at Mason.

"You guys are still barely getting to know me, and we're heading in the right path. But there's still so much between us, all of us. I've been pretty fine taking care of myself, considering that my mom is dead" I say.

Mason remains quiet. Since he clearly has nothing to say, I put that cupcakes that I had taken out of the oven into the fridge, and run from Mason. But I accidentally let a small sob escape me while trying to get away from Mason with the back of my arm.

~

In the confinement of my room, I blankly stare at the wall next to my bed. There's a knock at my door but I don't bother to say anything; another knock is heard. Still giving no answer, the door creaks open letting me know someone's inside. Don't they understand when someone wants to be alone. I immediately assume it's Ryder trying to get me to hang out with him.

"Look, Ryder, nows not a good time—," I say.

"You see that would've worked if it was Ryder. But I'm not Ryder" says Mason. Upon hearing his voice, I whip my around to look at him.

"I came to tell you I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel less than you are. There's no excuse what I said or did in the past when you first came. I was an asshole to you. I wish I could take all the dumb shit that did to you, but I can" he says that last part in a low voice. Upon hearing him apologize, I stay quiet. I never would have expected an apology from Mason at all, from the others, yes.
Locking his eyes with me he continues talking.

"I want to change with you. I will. I'm sorry about your mom and grandma... I know a sorry doesn't count a lot but I'm sorry. And I want you to know I'm always here if you need me. Your my little sister," he tells me quietly.

My little sister.

Stunned from his words, I stay speechless. He considers me his sister. I look at him again and give him a small smile. I looked in his eyes to see if there was any chance of finding something but all I was was that he was being genuine.

"So I'll leave you now. See you at dinner, I have homework to do," with that he left.

~

Later at dinner, Mason sat in front of me. When Ryder was trying to get me break with his horrible jokes, Mason simply told him to shut the hell up; and with a smirk my way. Besides that everything was normal. How it should be.

If it's not it could last.