Chapter 33: Well kept secret
1872 Words
Mason was seated in his room trying to force himself to read and catch up with assignments, after the morning exercises he had planned to just sit around and play video games as he got over the hangover, not that he had a bigger one, but then out of guilt he decided to read. Not so easy with no one watching his every move and guiding his timetable...that he didn't have by the way. Anyway, that was not going to be an issue for long because his door opened and...
"There he is, little bro. Come here! handsome piece of s**t!"
And that must have been Maeve his sister wearing a yellow top with black pants and wedges on her feet. She was always looking like a cooperate and it was not a secret that daddy's favorite was going to take over the family business with her smart business and management mind and a lively attitude that made it possible for her to connect easily with people and have friends all over the world, a smile that would make anyone wishing to commit suicide have second thoughts and a heart bigger than a barn. Okay, don't take this personally, she was a Tina with a tinge of Ivy but a little bit nicer, smarter and responsible.
"Ooh God I missed you" she said hugging Mason tightly. He wished the feeling was mutual, he loved his sister so much it was just that idea that since she saw light before him she had a right to order him around that he hated, "are you not happy to see me?
Mason grinned, pathetic at taking it. That's what he was.
"You're pathetic"
Told ya.
"I'm happy to see you sis life's been fair to you"
"And you too, how many hearts have you broken since we last met?"
"None"
"Another pathetic lie, anyway, let me change then I can go make lunch or we go out? Your choice"
"We go out, Chinese"
"You got it lil bro" she hugged him again teasingly grabbing his cheeks, Mason defiantly broke free from her grasp and she laughed at him. It was those little things that created a minor rift between them. Mason went back to studying while Maeve went to change. His concentration was already tainted with a weird mixture of joy and fear of seeing his sister after close to eight months and now there was something else. That question she asked about how many hearts he had broken since they last met. Honestly, he didn't know the exact number and he has to get his records right but then he remembered the previous night kiss with Audrey.
Now that he was feeling fresh and more awake, no alcohol in his system. Did he like it? Oh, scratch that, after the memorable night, did he get some post-nut clarity? You know that moment when boys suddenly come back to their senses after they c*m? He actually did and it was the fact that he didn't like neither of them. Both Audrey and he mystery girl who was worse at throwing herself to him. Hard to shake off like a tick on a cow’s tail.
"Ready!"
"I just remembered, shouldn't you be resting after that jet lag"
"You know I don't get those, used to flying unlike you...”
"I get it, let's go then"
Maeve had changed to a flowing red strap dress with a front slit that left her right thigh exposed which was so unlike her but again she didn't want to embarrass her little brother who was very mindful of who he stepped out with...yeah that included her own sister.
"You're going out in shorts and sandals?" She stopped him right by the door, "since when don't you care about how you look when you leave the house super star?'
Since Audrey happened would be a better answer but he had no intention of letting Maeve know he was involved with her. That's if she didn't get more curious and visited the high school gossip page where he was always making headlines.
"Well, fashion icon. What should I change?"
"Let me see" she looked at him head to toe, "change the tee to white and add a black jacket because of this terrible weather then those black and white Jordan’s will do your feet justice...oh and add a cape makes you look like a low budget Justin Bieber"
"f**k you and your obsession with that teenager"
"He is twenty-nine for f***s sake"
"And you're twenty-two, crush on boys your age Jaden Smith maybe and he is not married unlike JB"
"Just change blubber mouth"
That was a win for Mason, she didn't see him do the victory dance as he slid in his massive walk in wardrobe. He obediently changed into what she had directed and stepped out looking like a low budget Justin Bieber indeed just taller and more muscular.
"Now that looks like it, let's go capture hearts"
"You look good too, the boyfriend is working hard"
"Shut up Mason" she poked his head leading the way downstairs.
"What? How's it okay for you to lecture me about relationships and not the other way around?"
"I'm your big sister that's it, I'm driving"
"No, I am driving"
"How about I drive you guys?" The butler stepped in. He had seen both of them grow and it was not a secret he knew that argument was not going to end. At least not well.
"Fair" Mason said looking at his sister.
"Good, I'm tired anyway"
"But you wanted to drive"
"Because you have hangover dumb ass I don't want to end up in a trench upside down wishing for death"
"At least am not the one jet lagged, for the record I also wouldn't want to end up lodge in a trailer bleeding and wishing for a merciful death"
"And that's why I'm here kids, at your service" the butler insisted, "I'll drive you anywhere you want and back"
"This are hands I can trust" she dragged the butler.
"Oh please".
The next argument was going to be about the seats. Who was going to take the back-left seat? That one Maeve beat him to it as she dashed to the car before he did except it didn't feel so well when Mason didn't make a big deal out of it. We're never too old to play and sibling rivalry never ends it just improves.
"You're going to act like a grown up now?"
"Sometimes you just confuse your enemies"
"I'm not your enemy"
"Sometimes it's hard to believe, but anyway, am glad you're here"
"Aww"
"Don't use that against me"
"Never, am not that horrible to ignore your little show of emotion"
He didn't trust her. Not one bit.
****
The duo of Audrey and Ivy was taking an adventurous walk in the manmade forest behind the manor with their phones at hand, enjoying a moment away from the toxicity of Rose and annoying presence of her son and confusing silence of the supposedly head of the family.
"This air is fresh, I'm enjoying this tour. Thanks b***h"
"You're welcome, why do you like cursing?"
"It's who I am. That's how I express myself"
"Amazing"
"For real? A lot of people think that I am weird and rude. Glad to see you in my corner"
"Am not a lot of people and I've also realized that a lot of people can be wrong and one person can be right. You find that one right person the other spectators don't matter"
"Girl you sound like you drunk from the cup of wisdom at the party"
"You're just getting to know me. We have one place to visit. Follow me"
The girls walked on the carpet green grass, the powerful rays of the scorching hot sun penetrating through their thin tanned skins. Together they looked great, an iconic duo of the blonde and the brunette. Their next stop was the pond that had supplied the Miller manor with fresh fish for generations. Surrounded by green vegetation, it had a small round table under an umbrella with some fish food in a small reed basket, when they got there Audrey took the basket and splashed the food attracting the fish while Ivy recorded them coming to the surface to take up whatever they could.
"This is beautiful, you know how to fish?"
"Used to do it with dad but now he is busy"
"I'd love to help you continue with that tradition"
"Hmm" Audrey mumbled and went back to the table, Ivy followed while uploading the video on i********:. A moment of silence followed.
"You're too quiet"
"Yeah, I just want some clarification" She said avoiding eye contact, in fact she looked lost staring in the blue sky with cirrus clouds spread across it.
"About what?"
"You actually. Why are you so nice to me?"
Ivy didn't look scared a clear sign she had nothing to hide or she was good at hiding it. She smiled and sighed shaking her head. Looked at Audrey then smiled again and exhaled sharply.
"You're so broken"
"I know"
"And am broken as well. It's just your toughness to keep going that makes me admire you. Why do you think am here living with you guys when I should be home with my mother?"
"Perhaps you were expelled from your former school?"
That made Ivy laugh so hard until she realized Audrey was dead serious and she was going to need more convincing to fully trust her.
"No, my mother is trying to get rid of me because of my dad. He doesn't like me much and she thinks it's impacting me negatively, he is just another i***t with a p***s"
"I'm sorry for doubting you"
"No, it's okay. I mean someone can't just show up and start liking you when everyone doesn't" Audrey raised a brow, "yeah, I've noticed not all the people you like actually like you back, and no am not going to mention names"
"Still Your cousin is on top of that list"
Speaking of the devil.
"Keep my name out your fat ugly mouth" Lucas said from behind, "what are you whores doing here?"
"Can we just drown him"
“No, he is not entirely useless ivy, he can be used as a bad example. Let's go, this place is not fun anymore"
"Yeah, go away. I'm going to find out where you slept last night and make sure you get kicked out of here too you backstabbing b***h"
"Good luck with that" Ivy said giving him the middle finger, moments after failing the drug test he was there to light up another blunt. And the girls didn’t want to contract cancer from second hand smoke.
"For real where did you sleep last night?"
"You don't trust me?"
"Well, not that much. We just met and like you said not everyone I like likes me back...kind of fifty-fifty here you can't blame me"
"I'm not everyone. It's embarrassing really"
"Am friend's with Tina, I've heard worse"
"Okay"
Audrey waited patiently, Ivy looked around to make sure no one was watching then she whispered it in her ear. Audrey didn't look so happy.
- Writer
