The Art of You

16 | Halfway There

"How is Mason?"

"He's at work, but he'll be home later tonight. I'd say we could go to the bars but..." we looked at her stomach then laughed.

"That's okay, I've met my quota on alcohol this semester."

She peered at me. "That sounds like a lot of alcohol."

I waved my hands dismissively. We pulled into the apartment parking garage and rode the elevator to their penthouse, which I hadn't been to since winter break. It was just as I remembered, although fewer Christmas decorations.

I set my bag in the spare room and joined Leila on the couch. She had dinner splayed on the coffee table alongside two glasses brimming with Welches sparkling grape juice. We used to pretend this was wine when we were kids.

"You got the goods," I said, hesitating before shoving french fries in my mouth.

"Like all of those late nights in high school."

She was watching me each in her periphery. Her eyes bounced from my food to my mouth. I doubt I was supposed to notice. She was worried about me, but I was too hungry to care today.

We small talked about school and her job, catching up on any major drama. She talked about Allison—her best friend—and her fiancé, Jake. I told her about Dustin, neglecting to mention anything in-depth about Elijah.

Though she still said, "Elijah seems like a real sweetheart."

"He is." My cheeks heated.

"Sweet enough to be dating material?"

I rolled my eyes and pulled a pillow onto my lap, and hesitated. Before I could speak, she gasped dramatically. "He is!"

"Lee," I groaned.

"You paused way too long. I used to pause like that when people would ask me about Mason, but deep down, I wanted him."

"You also gave Mason a run for his money," I snorted, recalling those late-night phone calls about Mason Collins and his poor, but endless, efforts to woo my sister. Oh, and her threats to throttle him.

"Yeah, and if you're anything like me." She cleared her throat. "Stubborn." She cleared it again, and I shook my head. "Then you're also giving this poor boy a run for his money."

Was I?

"But here is the difference, Sade. Mason deserved it. He was an ass. Is Elijah an ass to you?" 

I ran my hands over my face, exhaling. Elijah was anything but an asshole. He may have hit that home run and destroyed my art project, but he made up for it in so many ways. Ways he didn't have to but did.

And now here I was, with an incurable fear of being rejected which prevented me from having happiness. Ben may have planted the seeds of fear inside me, but I was the one letting them grow.

Leila rubbed my leg. "I know Ben took a lot from you. Don't let him win again by taking away your future happiness."

The front door swung open and Mason sauntered in. His suit jacket rested over his arm and his tie hung loosely around his neck. He looked like he had a long day. "Look who it is! My favorite sister-in-law is here."

"I'm not your sister-in-law yet. Anyway, I'll be your only sister-in-law."

"You practically are now." He winked, giving me a side hug. Leila tried pushing herself off the couch.

"What did I tell you about getting up for me, babe?" He leaned down and kissed her. They conversed about each other day while I discreetly surfed my phone. Did I blow the only chance I had with Elijah? Was the lack of emails my answer?