Long Distance

Letters.

[Mason]

I groan as my sleep is interrupted by the alarm coming from my phone. After tapping the snooze option twice, I finally decide to get up and head to the bathroom.

It was my 5th day here and so far, I liked it. Things with my father were a bit awkward, but I had seen that he had let go of his old habits. I was just finding it a bit difficult to forgive the past.

I step out of the shower and get dressed deciding on some black jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black denim jacket. After putting on my shoes, I head downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast.

"So how are you liking it here?" My father asks as he slides some eggs onto my plate. I sip my coffee before replying.

"It's nice," I admire the massive penthouse that my father was living in. "I have a question though."

"Go ahead."

"How come you have all this money but you never offered to help us out?" His eyebrows furrow for a second and I'm anxious to hear his response.

"Did your mother never give you the letters?"

"What letters?"

"Mason, I sent checks every month to help the two of you with expenses. And apart from that I sent you letters for each one of your birthdays since you were six."

All this newfound information made me even more confused. Where were all these letters? Had my mother been hiding them from me all these years.

I drop the topic not really wanting to jump to any conclusions before talking to my mother. My dad places an envelope onto the table before speaking up.

"I know winter break is in a few months," he smiles sliding it towards me and I open it finding a plane ticket to Los Angeles in December.

"Look son, I know what I did in the past was wrong. I regret leaving you and your mother every day, but just know that I'm never going to stop trying to make things better."

"Thank you," I give him a small smile. It was going to take some time, but I was willing to give the man another chance.

_______________

"Yo Edwards!" Derek yells out walking towards me. He was the captain of the football team and one of the friends I had managed to make these last couple of days.

"What's up?" I nodded shutting my locker.

"There's a party this Friday at O'donnell's house," he replies. "The whole team's going, so you gotta be there."

"Uh I don't know," I sighed. "Parties aren't really my thing."

"Come on man, this is the perfect chance for you to meet more people," he persuaded. "You're a football player now, you have to be popular."

"Fine," I oblige before turning towards the chem lab.

______________

"I'm so happy you're coming in a few months!" She smiles widely. I was FaceTiming Aria given that our lunch periods were at the same time.

"I know, my dad actually surprised me with the ticket this morning," I remembered. "He also said that he's been sending us checks every month to help out and letters every year on my birthday."

"Really?" Her face shows surprise. "And where are the letters?"

"I don't know, I have to talk to my mom about it."

"Yeah just let me know what happens," she nods. "I have to go but I'll call you back tonight."

"Okay, I love you."