Becoming Ryan-Leigh(Unedited)

XIV

After the awkward and tense dinner, I had no high expectations for my party which was today. Finals had just wrapped up and everyone was already on summer vacation. The party would be held at the old house because it was a central location for most of the people coming. I tried not to think about the possibility of Mason and McKenzie being there. Honestly, I didn't care if they came or not, I was just looking forward to celebrating my birthday and spending time with my friends and girlfriend.

There's a knock at the door followed by my family bursting through the door.

"Happy Birthday Ry-Ry!" Nai says pulling me in for a tight hug. After she pulls away, I get hugs from everyone else and then my parents hand me a small gift bag.

"What's this?" I ask my mom.

"Open it. Happy birthday baby." She says in response.

The bag is light and filled with gift paper, I take the gift paper out and I can't help but burst into excited screams and tears. I go hug my parents and run down the stairs to the front door.

"Well, what is it?" Dallas asks. I faintly hear as I run out my bedroom. Once I'm outside the house, the fit of excited squeals returns as I look at the beauty in front of me. A Jeep Wrangler. In its all-black glory. I'd always wanted one. I go hug my parents again before going to check out the interior. The interior was a contrast from the exterior. The interior was mainly cream with black lining. Just the way I had always dreamed.

"Can we have the BMW then?" Austin and Dallas ask at the same time.

"You guys can't even drive yet so chill." Ariana says.

"Says the 10-year-old." Dallas says. In response Ariana sticks her tongue out at him.

"We actually sold it. We'll talk about a car once you guys know how to drive." Dad says.

"Breakfast anyone?" Jesse says emerging from the house. We all head back inside for breakfast before the twins and I go to get ready for the party.

Five trips to the party supply store, four meltdowns curtsey of my mom, 3 hours later, with my family gone and guests starting to arrive, the party had started.

"Happy birthday baby." Alexa says hugging me from behind and giving me neck kisses. I turn around to hug her properly. After a short hug and a kiss on lips I realize she's holding something behind her back.

"What do you have there Reed?" I say while trying to see behind her.

"No, you'll see it later. Is there anywhere I can put this? Anywhere besides the gift table." I pout and that just makes her give me kisses.

"You're cute when you pout." I lead her up the stairs to my old room. The house was almost devoid of the family. My mom wanted to give it to Nai for when she and Jesse permanently moved this side but Nai said it'd be too big for just the four of them so she's selling it.

"Is this your room?" Alexa asks.

"It used to be. Its been a crazy couple of months. I'll let you know about it later. Thank you for being here and for whatever the gift is. You didn't have too." She pulls me closer to her, due to the height difference she looks down at me while I strain my neck to look at her.

"You're my girlfriend. You deserve the world. And I wouldn't be anywhere else." She kisses me before we make our way back downstairs. It seems like in the 10 minutes we've been upstairs the amount of people had almost tripled. Hopefully I don't see Mason and McKenzie.

All was well until I was ambushed coming back from the bathroom.

"McKenzie. Mason. The house is big enough for the two of you to be anywhere else. And you guys chose to be all up in my face. Kindly fuck off or leave." I make a move to walk away when Mason stops me by grabbing my arm.

"What did I say to you the last time you put your hands on me? I'm having a great day don't ruin it." He makes eye contact with McKenzie before he speaks.

"Ry, please." He pleads. I sigh before agreeing, he lets go of my arm before making his way to my old room. McKenzie smirks at me as I close the door. Sober me would have thought something was up but intoxicated me didn't think much of it.

"What is it, Mason? I thought we hashed things out."

"I thought so too but seeing you with Alexa hurts." Him saying that just made me realize how much anger I had about the situation.

"You think being made a fool didn't hurt. You lied to me. You think coming second to McKenzie was easy to watch. Well, it wasn't! I'm sorry if seeing me with Alexa hurts you but that's not my problem anymore. You made me feel something no other guy had made me feel! I fell for you!" He interrupts me by pulling towards him and kissing me.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I say with so much anger in my voice.

"Look me in the eyes right now and tell me you didn't feel something right now." I would be lying if I said I didn't feel anything. But it could be the alcohol. Look at you justifying how you could ruin your relationship.

"This is wrong and you know it. I got to go look for Alexa. This never happened, okay?" He rushes to stand in front of the door. Just by looking at me the way he looked at me I knew that I had fucked up. He locks the door and places his hand on my cheek and gently brushes it with his thumb. I lean into his hand and he leans in to kiss me. The kiss that started off gentle ended up being the biggest mistake I've ever made.

We get up to get dressed, Mason with a proud smile on his face while I was ashamed of what had just happened.

"I need you to leave. I don't ever want to see you again. Don't call, text or look my way ever again. I hate you so much." With tears in my eyes, I push Mason out of my room. After collecting myself I go look for Alexa. I contemplate not telling her but decide on telling her because I didn't want to hide it from her then make things worse when she does find out. I go look for her downstairs and find her coming out of a room with McKenzie. My brain automatically jumps to conclusions but taking into consideration what I had just done, I stop myself from being angry.

McKenzie smirks at me before going in the opposite direction I was walking. Alexa gives me a guilty smile and I just know that something had happened. She stands in front of me and I could smell McKenzie on her.

"Baby. I can explain." She speaks. I was about to talk when someone bumped into me. Annoyed, I pull her towards my dad's old office.

"Babe. I know how it looks, but it meant nothing." Alexa says as I look at my feet.

"Ryan. Say something. Please." I look at her with tears in my eyes, you can clearly see the regret in her eyes. But it didnt last long as my words replaced the regret with pain.

"I had sex with Mason." She moves away from me to go sit on the couch on the other end of the room. I follow her but don't sit too close to her. The room fills with silence until she speaks again.

"They set us up."

"What?"

"Think about it. What happened after you went to the bathroom?"

"They found me on the way back. I was about to walk away when Mason grabbed my arm. They made eye contact, he begged me to talk to him then we went to my room." I have a moment of realization.

"She gave me this mischievous smirk when I closed the door. Then Mason looked proud after what happened. Holy shit! What happened to you?"

"She came up to me claiming that she needed closure, she convinced me that she would leave us alone if I had spoken to her, then one thing led to another. Maybe their plan was to get us to fight and break up. But they didn't account for one thing."

"What's that?"

"How deeply invested in you I am. I'm not going anywhere. You make me a better person Ryan. And I'm not letting that go." She picks me up and places me on her lap.

Her. This moment. Is all I need in the midst of the drama.

"You're mine Reed. And I am yours. Forever."