Broken

Chapter 5

The next week was pretty normal. I went to work and even got a second job. It was now July. Masons parents plan on inviting many family members and close family friends to their Fourth of July barbecue. I've been to one of their parties before. It's so much fun! Maybe this is what I need to recover a little. Fourth of July was on Monday this year so I slept all weekend to make sure I can party all night. Another good thing about this week is that Friday is my birthday! I'll be eighteen. I hope Mr. and Mrs. Floyd don't do anything special for my birthday. I'm not a fan of throwing big parties.

I get up at ten and get ready. I put on red white and blue crop top and red shorts. I wear my bathing suit underneath. I pull my hair in a ponytail and put on blue and white sandals. When I walk out, there is a festive pancake breakfast concocted by Mason. There's blueberry or strawberry pancakes with strawberry syrup. There's blue milk and eggs, hashed-browns, the works. I eat to my heart's content and then go outside. The whole backyard is decorated. Even the pool has red, white and blue water toys. The party starts at one. This is going to be one heck of a party!

People start arriving at twelve forty five. I say hello and be social. Surprisingly it takes my mind off Luke. I meet Mason's aunts, uncles and cousins from both sides of the family. Some of his family is obnoxious, but they tell really funny stories so I don't mind. I notice a couple of his older cousins talking to him. They are just in a corner talking. I start to walk over there. It seems like wherever I go, the party follows. A couple aunts and uncles follow me and I sit next to Mason. He smiles really big and I do too.

We all talk and laugh until Masons aunt asks this question, "So are you two dating." This makes Mason and I both blush and I say, "Yes. We've been dating for..." think park, think, "eight months." She smiles at my answer and then the conversation is about us. I was really uncomfortable talking about our fake relationship, but I think it's time we talked about it anyway.

Mr. Floyd and his brothers started barbecuing at four. The smell of food drove out all the relatives around Mason and I. "No more pretending. No more secrets. No more awkward boundaries." he says to me. I look him straight in the eye and nod. We are now officially a couple.

After the food I swim a little, but spend most of my time with Mason. We mostly hold hands and laugh at each other's stupid jokes. Like, "why did the chicken cross the road? Because you farted and he needed to get away!" Even though at first I was pretending for the relatives I eventually just acted natural and it was so perfect. We were meant to be all along. All the things we said to each other in the last eight months we meant. Then my thoughts drifted to Luke. If we would have been a couple, would we be this natural? Would the spaces between my fingers be where Luke's fit perfectly? I think about Luke. How Mason helped me on the first day we met. Why? Why did he help me? Now I'm confused. Luke...

I excuse myself from the table I was at and ran to my room. I cried so hard. I cried for a while too. I wasn't

Sure how long though, but soon I heard a knock on my door. I opened the door. When Mason closed it I sank to the floor and sobbed pathetically. He wheeled over to me. Then he did something shocking. He put the brakes on his wheelchair and eased himself to the floor. He was on his knees. I looked up and then I engulfed him. I nearly knocked him over. I have never cried this hard. I cried so hard, I threw up.

I ran into the bathroom and within a minute, Mason is holding back my hair. After he cleaned me up, I realized why he did all the things he did. He will love me no matter what. He will always forgive me and I give him so little in return.

I brushed me teeth twice, took a tums, and pulled my hair back up in a ponytail. I helped Mason into his wheelchair and we walked out together. The fireworks were about to start when we got out to the back yard. The whole neighborhood seemed to oooo and ahhhh over the fireworks. Mason and I exchanged glances between fireworks. I knew he saw something different in me. I just smile and kiss him. He's surprised, but thoroughly enjoys it. We have started and changed our relationship in a day. Too much emotion for one day.