Valeria
It was two days after my sisters birthday and me and Willow both decided to ditch the hotels and go back to our parents house for the remainder of our stay.
I mean we didn't even sleep in the hotel our first night. I literally stayed at my parents apartment and Willow went down stairs to her parents apartment. The next day after that we legit got up early and checked out the hotel after grabbing all of our stuff from the hotel room.
But today I woke up pretty early and decided that I would head to the old cafe that I would read at for hours on end. It was pretty close to my house, but since it was chilly I decided to wear a oversized cardigan with a black turtle neck shirt under with my somewhat oversized jeans and my vans. I dressed more on the comfortable side, although I've practically been doing that ever since I got here.
When I got to the cafe I just got a hot chocolate and sat at my usual table, pulling out the book I've read 100 thousand times, The Catcher in the Rye.
I read the book in 7th grade book club and just got so attached to the character, that he somewhat became a person I confided in. I know thats weird to say because he's a fictional character but he was so relatable in a sense and I just loved him. Holden Caulfield.
I sat mindlessly at that table reason for what felt like hours until I was interrupted by someone walking up to me.
I didn't look up so fast, at first I looked at the shoes and pants wondering if I could decipher if I knew them from just that but I didn't, so I looked up and practically couldn't breathe.
I felt like all the air was knocked out of my lungs and I found myself struggling to comprehend anything.
What the fuck is he doing here?
I thought he was off in another fucking state! last time I saw him he definitely made sure that he wanted nothing to do with me anymore so why is he staring at me that way?
All of these thoughts were going through my mind as I sat faced to face to with Mason Anderson.
The manipulative and abusive ex we're all so fond of.
"V-Valeria... I wasn't expecting you to be here." He stuttered out, making me flinch at the sound of my name coming off his tongue.
It felt so foreign and like he shouldn't be saying it, but something about this encounter intrigued me, making me hate myself.
I was at a lost for words that all I could do was automatically stand up, grabbing my book and cup of hot chocolate. "I-I should probably go." I stutter, going to walk away, but he's quick to grab my wrist. I snatch it out of his grasp, but automatically regret it, scared of what's going to happen next.
"Valeria, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to grab you. I actually wanted to talk to you that's why I came up here in the first place. I saw you sitting down when I was ordering and wanted to know if it was really you... Last time I saw you-." He goes to say but I was quick to cut him off.
"Was in court. Yeah, I know. I was there. Not really a time I like reliving." I say, as if it was years ago knowing it was still a fresh wound that I never really closed.
I wasn't even looking directly into his eyes this whole time but something about that sentence made me look him dead in the eye, to see if there was grief. Regret. Something.
And then I saw it.
Pain was written all over his face and it was like I was standing in front of a whole new person.
He wasn't the Mason Anderson I knew from a year ago.
Or the one I thought I knew from all those years ago.
The one from last year was damaged, hurt, and psychotic.
But the one standing in front of me was hurting and looking for acceptance. I couldn't really see through him and it angered me. Was he completely bullshitting me, and was this the same dickhead?
Or was he completely changed and had a reawakening?
"Valeria, I'm sorry for everything I've done to you. I hurt you and made you fear me when I shouldn't have done that to you. You were the one person who actually made living worth it and I fucked it up so badly when I first ever hurt you. I regret it daily, but I've changed. I've been going to therapy, and I've been getting the help I need. I just need you to understand this." Mason begs.
A part of me wants to sit right here and believe everything he's saying but another piece of me hates his guts and wants to never see him again.
In that moment I don't know what to choose.
It's like I'm frozen in time, searching for the right answer. I knew if Vinnie was here, this conversation wouldn't haven't even seen the light of day because that's how over protective he is, but because he's not here it's like I have no control over who I am anymore.
But I don't say anything to Mason.
I just give him one last look before I make my way out of the cafe, not turning back.
***
When I got home, I went straight to my room after greeting my mother and father. Violet was in her room, so I stopped in to say hello to her, but when I went in she looked worried for me. "Are you okay Valeria? You look so pale."
"I-I'm fine. I just feel a bit light headed I guess. You know, I'm not really use to being back in New York yet." I lie, shaking my head.
She gives me the side eye, but goes back to typing away on her laptop. I close the door of her room, walking down the hall towards my door. I swing it open and automatically jump when I see Willow sitting down on my bed, watching the tv.
"Fucking Willow. You scared me." I say, catching my breathe.
I take off my cardigan and set it on the back of my desk chair. I opened it up and went on YouTube, scrolling down and liking the comments on my latest video. "What the fuck is wrong with you? You never get scared when you see me here...What happened?" She questions, fo which I just shake my head.
"Nothing, I just... it's nothing." I say.
I didn't want to tell her I saw Mason because she'd tell Vinnie. And Vinnie wouldn't hesitate to be on the next flight to New York and honestly I didn't have the time for the drama that would stem from that.
"You've always been a bad liar." Willow says, rolling her eyes. She goes back to being on her phone and I go back to being on my laptop, typing away.
I didn't really have anything else to say, and I wanted to stop thinking about it but I just couldn't help but wonder if Mason really changed. He looked so different now though. Like he looked happier and more content with life and I don't know if it's because he's met someone special, or if he's finally finding himself but a part of me is happy for him.
But the other part can't forget what he did.
***
TW: domestic violence// triggering and vulgar language (you can skip this part, you're not missing anything but read a/n at the end:)
flashback
"You're fucking crazy Mason! I'm telling you I'd never cheat on you, yet you keep insisting that I am? I went to l.a for work. You know because I have a job!" I scream at him.
"You have nothing Valeria! You're a piece of shit! You call that a real job? You prance around on the internet talking to a fucking camera for a living! Go and get a real job, make some friends and then you can talk to me." Mason screams in my face. "You're a piece of shit! You talk about having friends? You have none Mason! You pushed them all away because you're a bully. That's all you do, is bully people until they no longer want to be around you." I scream.
I finally meet Masons eyes and all I can see is anger written on his face.
Mason walks over to me and is quick to slap me across the face making me fall to the ground, after loosing my balance.
"You're a bitch, Valeria! Go cry to you best friend Vinnie and see what the fuck he'll do about that. Oh wait I forgot, he's across the fucking country, he can't help you. Get it through your thick skull, you're alone here. You're a worthless piece of shit and a no good fuck. This whole relationship has always been a joke to me, that's why I've been fucking other bitches behind your back." He yells down to me.
Tears fell from my eyes as I held the side of my face. I knew in this moment that I'd never forgive him. He was officially and always would be dead to me.
"Go to hell, you prick." I spit through my teeth.
The last thing I saw was him swing his arm towards me before everything just went black around me.
***
sorpresa! (surprise!!)
yes y'all, let's welcome Mason Anderson to the plot of our story as it thickens:)
i wanted to do a little flashback so y'all can see what happened between the two and understand why Valeria and everyone else hates Mason.
in the next few chapters you'll learn more about Mason stemming from who he is, and why he used to act the way he did towards our dear Valeria.
drama will unfold more and more now that Mason is back so hold on y'all.
HUGE FAVOR: please give me some ideas as to who Mason should be? I don't have any idea who I want him to be yet and I want your help because y'all are reading it so I need all the feedback I can get.
thank you for 200k reads🧡 you're amazing as always and thank you for reading
vote comment and share?!
mwah😘💖