Waiting To Exhale

Fourty-two

   My teachers give me all the work I missed. I schedule a time to come in and get help with my work since I have not a clue how to actually do it. It sucks how many times I've had to catch up on so much work. My goal is to graduate not get held back more times than I can count. That would just be embarrassing.

   "Olivia I haven't seen you all day." I cringe. I whip my head around and plaster on a fake smile. I know it's wrong but I've been avoiding Jen all day. Its just hard to look her in the face. I really hope she doesn't know who Mason really is because that would be so messed up of her not to tell me. Then again he is her brother and I probably wouldn't listen anyways. I shouldn't be going around blaming other people. I got myself into this mess. Ugh, my thoughts are so screwed up. I just wish Mason and I could go back to when we first met. He was so sweet then.

   "Sorry. I been sick and I had to spend all day scheduling times to come in and make up all my work."

   "Oh. Well I was thinking we should get together today, do something fun." Jen suggest.

   "Jen I can't. I got stuff to do and I'm not completely over this cold."

   She gives a disappointed look. I sigh. I really don't have time for this crap. Why can't she just leave me alone? I don't want to hang out with her. I have enough on my plate dealing with her brother. She place a gentle hand on my shoulder, "well I hope you feel better. Let me know when you have time for me." She rolls her eyes and stomp away. So childish. She acts like it's so much fun hanging out with me. She has a ton of other people waiting for her to hit them up.

   When I get outside I notice the car that dropped me off this morning parked in the front. He acts like I have any place to run to. Mason's friend is big and muscular. He doesn't talk at all and he got this weird demeanor about him that just says he's nothing to mess with. I can see why Mason picked him to follow me around. No way I'm trying anything with this dude. He looks like he takes steroids for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

   Where did Mason find this guy?

   I hop in the car and buckle myself in. When I make it back to the penthouse in pleased to find Mason isn't here. However, there is two little presents with my name on it on the bed. I hope he doesn't think showering me with gifts is going to make everything okay again because it's not.

   Inside the box is a beautiful silk red dress. It has thin straps and a low cut V and the back cut out. It looks long enough. Tight too. At the bottom is a small box which I open to reveal a gold, sparkly choker.  Attached to it is a note;

   Wear me. Be ready at 8!

   So corny. I open the other box up. I'm shocked to find a pair of slim nude high heels. Its laced up to my ankle. They look really nice. This whole outfit does. He must have had help. There's no way he picked this out himself.

   I check the time. It's only five so I have a couple hours before I have to get ready. I'm praying Mason doesn't show up here before eight. I have no idea why he wants to all of a sudden go out. Maybe he just wants to torture me even more, making sit at a table with him and pretend to be happy knowing what he did to me. What he does to me.

   I don't get him. The day we met He was defending me. Whatever happened to, "if you wouldn't treat yo momma that way?" What a load of crap.

   I move to grab the remote and see the house phone laying next to it. I grab that instead. Before I can talk myself out of it I'm dialing the number. "Hello?" I ask when the person on the other end picks up.

   "Hi. What can I do for you?"

   "I'm looking to speak to my father, Gabriel."

   "Oh I'm sorry. We haven't heard from him in two weeks. He was doing so good and then he just stopped showing up to our meetings and stuff. You haven't seen him?" The woman explains. My heart drops. I really hoped he was getting better this time.

   I quickly come up with a good lie. If I tell the truth she'll call HRS. Or something like that. I'm only sixteen. I don't want to go into the system. "Yeah I know. He said he was going to try giving it another shot. I've been staying at my aunt's house. I guess he hasn't made it down there yet. He'll be there. Don't worry. We've just been dealing with some family stuff. As far as I'm concerned he hasn't been drinking."

   I hear a dramatic sigh on the other end of the line. "That's good. I'm glad you found someone to stay with while he sobers up."

   "Me too. Bye."

   "Have a good day-" I hang up the phone. I'm getting better at lying. Pretty soon I'll start believing myself. I better be careful.

   My stomach starts rumbling so I get up and look for something in the fridge. I'm pleased to find leftover chicken and macaroni. Mason has his maid come over last night and cook. She's been working for his family for years so he trust her. She's a quiet old lady. Doesn't say much and minds her own business. I personally like her. She's sweet and reminds me of someone's grandma. I bet she has a lot of grandchildren. I make a mental note to ask her one day.

   I heat up a plate of leftovers and grab a wine cooler. I decide to finish my food at the table to be sure I don't make a mess. I just have a little. If I show up to dinner with a full stomach Mason is going to be mad. That would mean his dinner plans ruined if I'm not actually eating dinner. How rude would it be of me to do such a thing.

   Whatever.