Mine.

Chapter 31

Octavia's pov

I awoke to the sound of someone knocking lightly on my door. Squinting my eyes as I open them, a smile plays on my lips as I remember last night. We cuddled and talked sweetly, nothing sexual at all. I loved every minute of it.

Soon I found myself opening the door to my room.

"Good morning sweetie." my mother's beautiful voice said.

I have hardly spoken to her since she's been so busy with the shop. My father on the other hand, I try to avoid. Seeing him makes me feel guilty because I know I'm disobeying him. Call me a sucker but, I wouldn't ever want my father to hate me.

"Good morning mom did you need something?" I asked as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

"Actually I was wondering if we could talk, I know I've been so busy with the shop lately." she says with a smile playing on her lips.

I didn't know how much I needed or wanted to talk with my mother until now. I wanted to tell her everything. The way Ryder makes me feel, the way I feel for him. Just everything that a daughter would want to talk with her mother about, that involved a boy. There's just the matter of her telling my father that prevented it.

"Of course mom just let me get washed up." I said with a smile that mirrored hers.

"Okay I'll be making breakfast, by the way your father and brother are at the shop so it's just us girls right now." she said while walking away towards the stairs.

I nodded my head even though she couldn't see me and turned back into my room. I wonder what she wanted to talk about with me. Maybe she'll tell me the secret about Ryder. Speaking of that secret, it was never brought up during last night. I was glad to be truthful, I didn't want anything to ruin the moment.

Though I still did want to know that darn secret.

As I washed up I wondered if it's really that bad. Surely it had to be if they are keeping it away from me. I picked out a simple outfit and made my way downstairs after I looked presentable.

My mom had already set the table for us and was sitting. I went over sitting across from her where my breakfast filled plate was.

"So Octavia you know if there's something bothering you, you could come to me right?" she asked very sincerely as she looked into my eyes as a mother would.

What was she playing at?

"Of course mother." I said genuinely and smiled as I took a bite of my eggs.

"So is there anything bothering you right now?" she asks questionably, I knew she was playing at something.

"Why would there be?" I asked playing along to see how far she would go before she got to her point.

I knew my mom like the back of my hand. At first she looked like she was going to snap right now but, decided against it last moment.

"I'm just wondering after what happened between you and your father and.." she said trailing off.

So this was about Ryder.

"Ryder." I finished her sentence giving her a look. Even saying his name gave me butterflies.

That must have did it because she snapped, "Listen I know that you've been seeing him still and I'm not mad about it." my mouth dropped open.

"Your brother told me when he seen you in the room with him." she added once she seen my shocked face.

Of course Jeremy would do that, him and my mother were attached at the hip. Jeremy was a major mamas boy. I just didn't know what to say.

"Why aren't you mad?" so I asked the only question I could think of.

I thought she would be just as upset as my dad but, then again my mother was very understandable.

"Honey let me tell you something." I nodded and she continued, "When I met your dad I fell for him instantly but, when my father, your grandpa, met him he disapproved." she had a sad look when she said this as if remembering the memory.

Still she went on, "This part I'm going to share with you is a secret." she held promise in her eyes and I nodded again, "Your father was in a gang which is why my father disapproved, he didn't want me getting hurt."

I was shocked, my father? A gang? I was also confused, what did all this have to do with Ryder?

"Really? Did he have a gun?" I asked becoming eager of the conversation.

"Yes Octavia it was a serious deal." she said being completely serious, "Because my father disapproved of us, he didn't want me seeing him and we didn't see each other for quite some time."

How did I never know this?

she went on, "Grandpa banned me from talking or seeing him ever again but, I loved your father to much and soon I chose him over my own father because of it."

I was even more shocked now as my eyes widen.

"What? How did-" I had so many questions.

"Be patient." she said cutting me off gently, breakfast long forgotten, "It took a while for my dad to approve of your father and to realize just how much your dad cared for me and when he did he realized me being happy was what he wanted the most." she said smiling again as if remembering the time.

"Mom that's a great love story but, why did you tell me it?" I asked still being confused because again, what did this have to do with Ryder?

"I'm telling you because I want you to know, no matter what your father says about you being with Ryder he still loves you and cares for you." she says truthfully.

Then just like that, everything clicked. Ryder and I were like my mom and dad in the story. While my dad was my grandpa, they say history repeats itself and here it was.

This meant Ryder was in a gang, I looked at my mom and as if she knew a light bulb went off in my head, she smiled.

"It's okay to be with him I know he'll keep you safe." she said softly putting her hand over mine that was on the table, "If you don't want to be with him the choice is completely up to you to." she added supportively.

This was too much. Did Ryder kill people? Did he sell drugs? My head was spinning, one thing I knew for sure is I didn't want to judge Ryder.

"How long have you known?" I asked her.

"Ever since he was in the shop that first day when I met him, he was there on business with your father." she answers genuinely.

So that's what he was there for. All this time I wanted to know the secret and now that I have, I'm completely dumbstruck. This is what Ryder thought he would lose me over. This is what he was afraid of and vulnerable about. Now that I knew, I didn't know what to think but, I knew it still didn't change the way I felt about him.