I Checked Out the Badboy's Boxers

(35) Bloody Noses and Glued Up Vases

The next day, I awaken to a view of Mason's chest, and the weight of his arm over me. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, if I'm being totally honest here.

I glance around his room, and carefully crawl out from underneath his arm, and step over him. He moves slightly and I freeze. This might be quite the awkward position for him to wake up to, despite last night.

I shiver, and plop off the bed, landing not so gracefully, but on my feet. After pulling on some sweatpants and a sweatshirt, I make my way to the bathroom.

I wash my face and run a brush through my hair, and then yawn.

Today's the day, yet strangely I know nothing.

Well, I know more than nothing, I know that we're going to the courthouse and I'm supposed to dress nice for it, as for the rest, I have no clue.

A half hour later, Mason's up as well. And a half hour later than that, we're both dressed up and in his car ready to go. Well, almost.

Mason looks adorable in a simply white shirt and black tie, that he hasn't even tied properly. After a few moments of adjusting, his keys are inserted in the car, and we drive.

The drive seems to last forever, though in reality it was only forty minutes or so.

We finally arrive a little after ten, and Mason takes a breath before opening his door, "Are you sure you want to come?"

"Are you sure you want me to be there?"

He nods, "Let's go."

We both get out of the car and he takes my hand, as we start walking up the long parking lot.

Suddenly, his hand freezes in mine.

"Go inside Lex. I'll meet you in there."

"Why can't you just come in with me?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Because."

"Aly, hey!" I hear a voice from behind me. 

I turn, and grin, "Myles, it's been a while since we've talked."

He smiles, "Aly, I've missed you."

I turn towards Mason, only to see his hands clenched at his sides, and a scowl on his face. 

I raise an eyebrow at him, his expression oblivious to my confusion. 

"Go inside Lex." Mason says quickly. 

"Why can't my friend Aly stay out with us Mason?" Myles questions. 

I stand between them, confused as to what is even going on here. Mason? How does Myles know him?

"I'm not leaving until someone explains something." I turn to Mason, "If you're actually gay and he's your ex, I'm gonna be pissed. I lost my virginity to yo-"

"That's enough." Mason looks at me, "Please just go inside." 

Myles chuckles, "She's a funny one there."

"She's my girlfriend. Leave her alone." Mason glares at him again.

Myles chuckles, "She didn't seem to have a problem flirting with me, now did you Aly? When was that? Oh, right. When you fucked up with her." Myles directs his attention back to Mason, with a smirk, "I guess that's all you do, isn't it? Finally find someone like her and then mess it up, as usual."

The last thing I remember having a clear thought about is comprehending the words spilling from the mouth of someone I remember once considering a friend. 

The next? Something else spilling out of that same someone's mouth.

Well, if I'm being totally honest here, his mouth was fine. It was his nose that started bleeding, and to be fair, it's not like I tried to hit him. 

Mason looks at me, astonished. 

I'd look at myself the same way right now. 

As of now, there are two things I know for sure. I just hit Myles. I don't know why I fracking did.

"What the hell?" He snaps at me. 

I glance down at my hand, now tingling from the shock of it all, dumbfounded. 

I wasn't planning on hitting him. Actually, I don't think I've ever hit someone before, let alone a strong and muscular guy. 

Mason pulls my arm to his and positions himself slightly infront of me, "You're lucky she hit first. Mine would've been a hell of a lot worse." 

I glare at both of them, my feet planted firmly, "Explain."

Myles grins, wiping his nose on the sleeve of his shirt, "I'll let my loving stepbrother explain." 

My eyes widen, and I look at Mason, awaiting his confirmation that my mind wasn't just making this up in my head and pretending I can hear it. 

He shakes his head, "Step. I don't want anything to fucking do with you again, after today."

Myles glares at him, as Mason pulls me away.

We walk inside and I glare at Mason, "What was that all about? Mason, I can't do this anymore. I need answers. I'm done with going along with what you say and you never explaining anything to me. You don't own me. You can't expect me to just do this-"

"I know." He sighs. 

"Why are we at the courthouse, and why is Myles here?"

"Lexa, I wanted you to come with me today, because this is something that is going to be very hard for me. We're at the courthouse because today is the day of the trial. For the case concerning the death of Louise Mireya Derivan."

I take a step back, and my fingers find and tangle with his, "I'm sorry." I bite my lip, "I'm just confused, and I don't know anymore. Why didn't you tell me you and Myles were related?"

"Why?" He asks, and for a second, a brief second, I see flashes of liquid in his eyes, and an emotion on his face I can't even describe. For that moment, his face looks like something that could crack into a million pieces. He looks like the sun, getting locked away every night, so that the moon can live. His smile crumples, like the abandoned sandcastles left by children at the beach, and in that second, I worry he feels the same. I try to picture myself in his shoes, and I remember the things he's said to me. 

"I didn't know you were involved with him. I should've known, it always happens. I'm temporary, a guy to fill the hormonal crave of bad boy's and then I'm discarded. I'm left behind when the next better option comes along, I'm used to it. I'm a mess. I don't know how to do this whole relationship thing, and Myles does. All the girls want him, he can get whoever he wants, and he hasn't messed up until today." 

"Mason," I run my finger across his jawline. Damn, sharp. Shut up, I tell myself, trying to ignore the side comments in my head. 

"Instead of having a perfect guy, who I like, and has only recently made a mistake, I'd rather have the guy that was once broken, and who I'm fixing as he is fixing me. I'd rather have the guy that is like a broken vase glued back together, to become perfectly imperfect, than the guy like a store bought vase that was perfect until it shattered into a million pieces, rendering it useless, and the guy I'm in love with. Mason, I'm in love with you."

"I love you Lex." He smiles weakly at me, "I'm sorry I'm such a-"

"No, you're not sorry for anything. You don't need to be. I love you just the way you are." 

Unless of course, he eats the last jar of nutella. Then shit's going down. 

A/N; thanks for 270k reads, i love you all sm!!

Question of the chapter: If you had to describe this book in one word, what would word would it be?