To Hate My Stepbrother

Ava’s POV

The picnic went well and it was enjoyable for all of us that neither of us wanted it to end. I enjoyed spending more time with Danny and we got even closer than we were before but we all had to go back home and resume duties.

Just like every other night that I’ll get off work early, Mason and I ordered take outs and stayed in to watch movies since neither of us would be going to work the next day.

Halfway into the movie, Mason fell asleep and his head on my shoulder, the way his breath brushed the side of my neck and his slight snores got me lost as I stared at his beautiful face.

Not wanting to disrupt his sleep, I let him sleep on my shoulders and watched him until I fell asleep too and we woke up in each other’s arms.

We didn’t think of it as a big deal and soon we both became addicted to cuddling, holding each other and talking till we fell asleep. It became something we both craved for, our arms became a solace for the both of us.

I felt like a Princess whenever Mason was around, he would treat me with care and sometimes refer to me as a glass that should be handled gently, he once promised to never let me break again and that made my heart flutter.

I want him so much, I want every inch of him, every part of him and I didn’t need a soothsayer to tell me that the longing I felt was always obvious in Mason’s face.

My whole being seemed to be filled with waiting and whenever I set my eyes on him the only emotion I feel is always relief.

I always notice him staring at me intently to an extent that I had to fight my own overwhelming need to be close to him. What we both felt for each other was obvious but we didn’t want to ruin what we have going on.

We never made a move on each other despite my dying need to and we kept our emotions at bay since we didn’t need to move it higher than it currently is.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

I knew what’s happening, I could see and feel it and I know damn well that I’m falling in love with Mason all over again. It was like a movie where both leads have a fall out but somehow destiny would manage to patch them back up again.

Whoever he’s not around, I miss him. I stay up late into the night if he has things to do at the office and is unable to pick me up. I always just wanted him around me.

But I was also scared, scared that I’ll get hurt like the last time or even worse but I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t help myself, my heart called out to him and my body yearned for him.

It was the rainy season all over again and just when I was starting to fall asleep, the rain started pouring and sleeping became hard for me.

My heart raced and my phobia for thunderstorms skyrocketed when a loud thunder struck. Suppressing my scream, I clutched my chest tightly and tried to sleep again but I couldn’t.

Giving up, I took my blanket and walked to the living room. It was pitch dark and I was all alone. I listened to the rain pour and despite covering my ears to stop hearing the sounds, I could still hear them.

I couldn’t help but think about when I was married, my ex husband never helped me through it, he thought I was being childish and even when there was a big thunderstorm, he wouldn’t do as little as hold me and would ask me to deal with it.

FLASHBACK

“What the hell is wrong with you? You’re not a child, get out of your head and leave me the hell alone!” He yelled at me and I jumped.

I had no idea if it was his voice or the thunderstorm that made me even more scared. It was raining really hard outside and I tried to deal with it but I couldn’t do it alone.

“P… please, just this night.” I begged him, my heartbeat was racing and I could hear it thumping as though it was going to jump out of my chest.

Without saying a word, he pushed me out of his hold and walked away, leaving me alone on the floor. I started finding it hard to breathe.

My head hurt so much and my eyes began to spin as I prayed for the rain to stop, “please, please.” I let out in a whisper.

****

“Hey, you’re fine. You’re going to be okay.” I heard a familiar voice say in a hushed tone and I opened my eyes to see Mason holding me, he looked relieved when I opened my eyes.

“Mason?” I called and he nodded as he lifted me from the floor and placed me on the chair so that I was sitting beside him.

“W… what are you doing here?” I stammered, I’d thought he was asleep and I wasn’t expecting him to be out here with me by this time.

“Because it’s raining and I know you’ll be unable to sleep.” He answered with a smile as he smoothened my hair with his fingers.

My heart fluttered and the butterflies in my stomach grew at his thoughtfulness. It’s been years and I really thought he might’ve forgotten but he remembered.

“Thank you.” I whispered as I placed my head on his shoulder impulsively. He took the blanket from me and wrapped the both of us in it.

I knew the warmth I’m feeling now isn’t coming from the blanket but from his body. Placing my hand on his chest, I felt it beating and a smile formed on my lips when he held me closely to him.

Closing my eyes, I listened to the rain pour but I’m not scared anymore. I held him tighter and soon my eyes felt tired as they began to close.