After it all

9

Maybe I can tolerate Mason to a higher extent now, since he is letting me see my family. I want to run away from him or call the police once I get there and have him arrested, but I'm scared he's going to do something to my family, and I can't risk that.

"Blythe, the car is warm now", he yells from the front door it seems.

Touching up the concealer over my bruises once more I head to the door, Mason leaning against the frame with his eyes searching over my body.

"You look nice", a small smirk propped up on his face.

"You look nice as well", my eyes not meeting his while giving the compliment, trying my hardest not to piss him off.

I tried to dress up nicely being that it's Christmas, a red dress that flares out and stops a little before my knee, black tights underneath even though it's not helping at all to keep me warm, a black peacoat and combat boots so I don't look too done up.

Mason is wearing a red button down with a simple black tie and black pants as well, his suit coat over his arm not even bothering to put it on though it's cold as shit outside.

"You did this on purpose", my hands placed on my hips.

"Did what?", his eyes widening, the smirk still present.

"You bought this dress, and it matches your shirt", my eyes narrowing.

"Or you chose that dress knowing it would match my shirt", he laughs making me barely laugh along.

"Funny", I roll my eyes moving past him to the car, leaving him wide eyed and the smirk dead.

The radio is mute as we bump over the snow in the road.

"Blythe, I know I've been a dick to you. You just don't understand how much you mean to me. You're sister, I didn't know her, I didn't know what she even died from, but I found out from my father the morning after the party", my eyes shut tight as he speaks of my sister.

"Please just stop speaking of her", a tear falling down my pale cheeks.

His head nods as he refocuses back to the icy roads.

"What am I going to tell my parents?", I gulp.

"You took a job outside of the city because it was a good opportunity for your writing career, you're staying with a friend until you get your own place and you're doing your classes online", the details spilling out like he's had this planned for a while. "I'm your boyfriend".

His last words almost give me whip lash as I turn to face him, my lips not able to move. "And if I tell them that you kidnapped me?", his eyes wandering over my face.

"You'll never see them again".

*

"Mum", tears streaming over my face as I press my face into her shoulder.

"Blythe, where have you been?", her eyes staring into mine.

"I found a job, writing mini articles in a new magazine that's coming out soon. The office is just out side of the city", my tone cold.

"This is Mason, my boyfriend. I'm staying with him until I find a place out there".

"And your classes?", her face bewildered.

"Online", I gulp.

"Boyfriend? why didn't you call or text?", dad appearing from behind the door as we make our way inside.

"My phone broke", the leather sofa cold through the tights that cover my legs.

"You need to come home Blythe, I know you found a job but you have time. I already lost one daughter, I don't need another one gone yet", tears falling from her eyes now.

"I can't stay here mum, too many memories of Liz. She would want me to be, and take this job. I don't have time, my college years are soon to an end".

My eyes wander over to my fathers, his glued on Mason and Mason's glued to him. Quickly building tension in the room.

"Merry Christmas", I chuckle wiping my tears.

"Merry Christmas love", dads arms wrapping around me.

"Can I talk to you outside?", Mason and my dad leaving the room and through the front door.

"He seems nice", my moms eyes full of terror as she tried to cover it with a smile.

"He is", I smile twice as wide to cover the actual feelings I'm holding in.

"Oh, Anthony came by a couple of days ago and told me to give this to you", her legs carrying her to the kitchen and back with an envelope.

The envelope nearly leaps from my hands being that they are shaking so much.

"You okay sweetie?", my moms tone low.

"I'm great", a loud sob arising.

With the envelope I run upstairs and into a familiar room, Liz's.

The room is exactly the way I last saw it, the picture that was on her night stand now shattered on the floor.

Without picking the glass from the floor I retrieve the picture from the frame, quickly stuffing it into my bra before anyone walks in.

The envelope half opened sits on the bed, my next mission to open it.

'I'm coming', it reads.

"Coming? For me?", I laugh wiping my tears from my face.

"Oh my god".