If You Could Only See

Chapter 6

Mason~

The cab dropped us off on the corner at the end of the block where the party was being thrown, and we'd call for a cab when we were ready to leave, separately or together. We never drank and drove, no matter what the occasion was.

Ever.

We also didn't accept rides with other people that were drinking or accept rides from females. I knew that the choices that we made seemed extreme, but we'd been raised with a deep belief in choices and the circumstances regarding those choices. My father wasn't a big believer in blaming the other guy.

I didn't look at the twins when I said, "Okay, you guys know the rules, right?"

The assholes chorused their answers together. "No drinks unless we snap the cap off ourselves. No drugs of any kind. No touching, kissing, or fucking on our first night out."

"And no fighting unless you're defending yourselves," Aiden added.

Gabriel huffed. "Well, hell, if we can't fuck or fight, then why are we going to this goddamn party in the first place?"

I almost laughed because I knew that they were more disappointed in the not fighting rule.

I heard Michael clap him on the back as we walked closer to the house. "We're going to make new friends."

Gabe laughed. "I don't need any new friends," he announced. "I got you fuckers."

I shook my head at the sounds of their obvious rough housing behind me, sighing when Aiden fell in step next to me.

"You okay?"

He knew that I'd been feeling off ever since our visit to the bookstore, so I didn't blame him for asking. It'd been the first time that I'd ever sort of spoken to her, and it'd been the first time that I'd ever pushed my presence up in her face. I didn't blame him for wondering if I was losing it, because a part of me wondered the same thing.

"I'm fine, Aid," I said, trying to reassure him.

Gabriel's voice reached me from behind. "Just say the word, Mase, and we'll all go tell Dad to eat a dick."

I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped from my chest. Like I'd said, Gabriel's loyalty ran deep. "I'm fine, Gabe."

As long as Shane stayed to herself and didn't take an interest in anyone else, I could wait out the remaining months until graduation. Now, if she took an interest in someone...well, then, all bets were off.

I didn't even have one foot on the grass in the front yard, yet people were already calling out our names, blowing out whistles and all that shit.

"Hey, Mason!"

"Yo, dude, it's the Buchanans!"

"Aiden, bro!"

"Oh, my god, they're here!"

I almost turned around, then just headed back home. Gabe had been correct earlier; if we weren't here to fuck or fight, then why in the hell were we even bothering?

I looked back at the twins right before we got to the front door of the house. They both looked at me, then each gave me a slight nod. Once we walked through this doorway, we didn't need to be in each other's pockets, but we'd all be connected to each other in some way, shape, or form. At least one of us would always know where any of the other one of us was. I took my bond with my brothers seriously, and they returned the loyalty.

When we finally entered the house, it was everything that you'd expect a kick-off-the-new-semester party would be. Music was blaring, people were drinking, guys were peacocking, and girls were competing for attention. Now, I didn't judge the fun or any of the felonies that happened at these kinds of parties, it just never grabbed my attention like it did most people. Honestly, in this regard, I wasn't sure if I should curse my father for my sense of responsibility or thank him.