To Hate My Stepbrother

Mason’s POV

She’s relaxed now and better than she was when we were at the supermarket. I couldn’t believe how much time has passed and how she’s changed.

Ordering us cups of coffee, I told the barista just how she’d like it and after taking our order he left and Ava started crying again.

Why is she crying? I made sure to be extra careful, did I do anything wrong?

“I.. I’m sorry, did I do something?” I asked, I was confused and worried and I didn’t mean to stutter but her presence usually does something to me and it’s unexplainable.

“It’s all your fault,” she started and I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at her, oblivious to what she’s talking about, “it’s all your fault that all this is happening right now.” She sniffed, her voice breaking.

“It’s all your damn fault!” She finished with a slight yell that took me aback for a while.

“What do you mean? What’s my fault?” I asked, my eyes boring into hers and searching it for answers that seemed to be lost.

What’s happening with her and why is it my fault?

Not saying another word, she took a sip of her coffee as she drew a long breath and quieted down. I didn’t want to pressure her into telling me things that might cause her heart to break again so I dropped the discussion.

“So, what is up with you? How have you been?” I asked, trying to pick up a small talk and hopefully get to know what I’ve missed out on.

“I got married.” She finished as she talked about herself and I could swear that my coffee went down the wrong pipe because I coughed.

She got married?!

“Congratulations.” I smiled, hoping that my shock wouldn’t show in my voice but she only snickered and shrugged me off.

“I don’t need it, I got a divorce.” She clarified and my eyes widened. I was lost, I couldn’t wrap my head around what she’d just said.

She got married and then got divorced?

Noticing my facial expression and my lost state, Ava explained to me how she was married for a year but that year was the most horrible year of her life.

I felt bad, I hated the fact that she went through all of that alone. She doesn’t deserve anything bad, Ava only deserves good things only.

Where was I when all this happened? Why wasn’t I there to take care of her, hold her in my arms and make her happy?

I also didn’t have everything good, living without her was hell and I couldn’t get her out of my head. It was difficult for me too but I’ve always wanted her to be happy but it looked like it was the other way around.

How come I didn’t get to know about the marriage, no one told me anything and not even my father said anything about it.

“I didn’t hear, no one told me anything.” I finally said after a while and Ava scoffed as she took another sip of her coffee.

“That was because that was what I wanted. You were not invited to the wedding or heard anything about it because apparently we’ve grown a trend of keeping things from each other.” She answered spitefully.

Every word she said stung, I knew she was talking about when I left and didn’t say anything about it.

“Ava, I swear I tried, I’m sorry.” I apologized but she only brushed me off.

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” she replied, “but why? Why didn’t you call or text for all those years? That’s how easy it is to forget about me?” She asked and my heart ached again.

If only she knew that for years I couldn’t do anything right. Getting her out of my head was the hardest thing for me to do. If only she knew.

“I called you for months but no replies, you weren’t taking my calls or anything and I just decided to take a step back and leave you be.” I answered and something about my answer seemed to set her off.

“Why didn’t you call too?” I asked and her mouth dropped open in disbelief before answering me. She told me she wasn’t supposed to be the one to reach out first.

“I’m the hurt one, I wasn’t myself for years and that was all because of you and you expect me to be the one to reach out to you first?!” She yelled, standing her ground on her not calling.

“You’re the hurt one huh?” I asked, “how are you so sure that I didn’t hurt the same? How are you so sure that I was also myself for years?” I shot back at her and she didn’t say anything.

Changing the direction of the conversation, she decided to talk about something else and she asked some questions about myself.

“Do you have a partner now?” She asked as she pointed to the flower that was laying beside our coffee and I laughed nervously.

“It’s not what you think.” I answered and I knew she was expecting me to say something else, probably explain further but I stopped there.

I didn’t want to talk about it.

“What happened? Why did you get a divorce?” I enquired and she only shrugged as she told me that she wasn’t interested in talking about it.

Not wanting to probe further, we changed the conversation and talked about something else for a while. It was fun having to hang out with her and seeing her right now just makes everything seem perfect.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“What do you think about hanging out sometime? I know a really good restaurant.” I suggested but after taking her last sip of coffee she checked her wristwatch and stood.

“Thanks but, No thanks. I’m not interested.” She replied as she stood and made her way out of the coffee shop.

Hurriedly, I stood and followed behind her but all efforts to get her to wait proved futile as I stood there and watched her getaway in the Uber she’d ordered.