Everything In-between.

Chapter Two

"What do you mean complicated?" Mason asked as he pulled into the driveway. I just shrugged a little as I grabbed my backpack.

"It's just...always been complicated." I said, ignoring the fact that he wasn't taking that as an answer. "I'll be up in my room if you need anything."

"Ellie, please just talk to me."

I looked at him, my hand on the door handle. He looked concerned as he scanned my face, trying to figure out why I wouldn't tell him what's going on. I stayed silent.

"Why is he still treating you like you two are together?"

"Because he's in denial. He's always been the one to make decisions in our relationship and I guess it pisses him off that I made the decision to end it." I said with a shrug. My eyes darted away from his.

"So he's controlling."

"I never said that. Don't twist my words."

"El." He said sternly. I looked up at him, his hazel eyes burning into mine. "I don't want you to be in this situation- he can't force you guys to be together-"

"He isn't forcing anything." I said, clenching my jaw. I just wanted to drop this- I didn't want to have this conversation with Mason. I'm not close with him like Toni is, and this isn't something I talk about a lot. Not even to my best friend.

"Ellie-"

"I'm done talking about this." I said, getting out of the car and making my way inside. I took off to my room before he even got out of his car.

~Mason's POV~

I watched her storm out of the car and into her house, my grip on the steering wheel had turned my knuckles white.

I knew more about the whole damn situation then she fucking thought I did. The two of them always acted a happy damn couple but alot of people could see through it- Kelton was a controlling fucking asshole when it came to her and I'm almost 100% positive the dickhead has hit her before.

But here she is, letting him fucking do shit to her. It made my fucking blood boil.

I looked down at my phone and answered the incoming call from my mom.

"Hi sweetie." She said through clenched teeth. Her voice sounded sickly sweet and I already knew what that meant:

Dad was home.

"Hi Mom." I said, getting out of the car. "Did you need something?"

"Your father and I were wondering if you were coming home tonight."

I walked into the Evans's house and dropped my stuff by the door. "Nope. I'm at someone else's house. Anything else?"

Her voice changed drastically, the venom in it practically oozing through the phone.

"Mason-"

"Gotta go. Love ya Mom." I said before hanging up.

I never felt bad about leaving her with him. He would never hurt her, he loved her too much, but I refused to be in the house when he was there. She never stopped him.

The two of them deserved each other.

"Mason honey is that you?"

I looked up and grinned when I saw Gigi, Ellie and Toni's mom, walked towards me to wrap me in a hug.

Her kids got most of her looks. All three of them had the wild red curls and pale skin that their mother wore with pride, and while Toni didn't luck out with the green eyes, Ellie was a spiting image of her mom. Toni got stuck with his dad's mud brown eyes.

"Look at you! You look like a little hoodlum!" She said as she pulled away from the hug, her eyes dissecting the tattoos and the black hair. "I'm just kidding hun. You look good."

"Thanks Gigi." I said, looking down at my arms. "My mom wasn't too thrilled about all of it."

"That woman doesn't even have the right to judge you for any of it." Gigi snapped. "Where's Anthony?"

"Helping out some Theater kids. He should be home soon." I said as I situated myself at the breakfast counter. She nodded slightly as she dug through the fridge and started to take things out for dinner.

"Gigi?"

"Yes honey?" She said, putting a pot on the stove top.

"Um..Do you think I could spend the night here?" I asked, scratching my neck. "My dad's back-"

"Yes." She said immediately. "You still have some clothes in the guest room so you should be all good to go."

"Thank you."

She shot me a little smile. "You're always welcome to sleep here, Mason. Always."

..........

The screaming got louder as I slowly made my way downstairs, the stairs creaking with every careful step. I didn't understand why there was so much shouting at two in the morning- was Mom okay? Did someone try to break in?

"You bastard! You went too far David!" My mom screamed inbetween her wails. I hid in the hallway from them, unable to see what they were fighting about. The stench of blood and bleach hit my nostrils rather quickly, causing me to gag.

Why was Mom screaming so much?

I needed to make sure she was okay.

I stood up, plugging my nose as I turned the corner and let out a blood curdling scream when I saw what my mother was wailing about.

....

"Mason!"

I jerked awake, sitting up abruptly as I took a minute to process where I was.

I wasn't home. I wasn't in that hallway.

I was safe.

"Mason?"

I looked up and saw Ellie standing by my bed, her green eyes full of worry.

"It was just a bad dream El. Go back to bed."

"You were screaming Mason..." She said, shuffling her feet. "What was it about?"

"Don't worry about it." I said as I wiped the sweat off my head. "I'm fine. The nightmares are common, El."

She clearly didn't believe me when I said I was fine, but I didn't want her to worry. I was getting used to restless nights.

"If you say so... If you need me I'm down the hall."

She said goodnight and left, leaving me to process the nightmare that was still vividly replaying in my head.