Happy Friday! Here's chapter Two just to get you guys a little more invested. A few quick things: No, Alexandra and Roger didn't work out, sometimes certain people aren't meant for each other. The next chapter will be a Mason POV - just a quick one, this is Thomas' book, however. There will be a few different POVs in between.
Thank you for the amazing feedback on the first chapter! In less than a day nearly 5k views?! So amazing! I've missed you guys and I'm SO ready to embark on this new journey with ya'll.
Ready? Okay. Let's start!
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Chapter Two
I sat on the front steps of my mom's house, a cigarette between my lips as I stared blankly at my car. It ashamed me to consider that I was actually contemplating if the Mustang was even worth it. Sell it and get a smaller car that I could afford on my own, then I wouldn't be forced into participating in dad's fake family.
But it's my Mustang.
It isn't just a car, it's my freedom in some odd sense as well as it's the chains that keep me held to my dad. It's the car I always wanted and I can't just get rid of it. I just needed more time to be able to afford it on my own.
It wasn't impossible. I already had the plan to open my autobody shop to start with and eventually, maybe I could expand into something greater.
The front door of the house opened and the groan I heard indicated that it was mom, "Thomas, you told me that you would stop smoking."
"That's incorrect. I said that I would think about it." I looked over at her and gave a genuine smile, "I love you, mom, but I'm not a little kid anymore."
I took the cigarette from my lips and tossed it on the ground, stepping on it.
"Trust me, I know." She took a seat next to me on the steps and leaned her head against my shoulder, "I remember when you were a little boy, it feels like only yesterday I held your hand while crossing the street."
I smiled at her words, unsure why we were having this moment but appreciating her as I always have. A part of me always thought that she wanted more kids but she never got any because her husband Daniel was sterile. She was okay with it, she said she had one son and I was all she needed but I seen her looking at the other options like sergacy and adoption.
Meanwhile she had to watch dad move on and have two other kids with Allison.
"You know, mom. Maybe one time when no one's looking I'll let you hold my hand when I cross the street," I joked with her, "But only once."
"You have always been the sweetest boy, you know that?" Mom stroked my cheek with her thumb, "And you've grown up to be so handsome. A little too quickly, but I'm proud of you."
"Hey, don't get all sappy with me." I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "I love you, but you don't have to compliment me all the time to make me feel better about myself."
"Thomas, you shouldn't feel bad about yourself. You know that no matter what you do in life that you always have my support and I hope that I have yours," She explained.
I nodded my head, "Of course, mom. Always."
Daniel stepped outside and motioned for us to come in, "The lasagna is ready. You two coming in?"
"I wish," I laughed softly before standing up, "I have to head over to dad's for the graduation party."
Mom stood up and hugged me, "Have a good time, Thomas. This is a big deal for your brother, it's okay to be happy for him."
"I'll see you guys later."
I walked to my car and texted Maks to meet me at my dad's house, having invited him to the party a few weeks prior.
I needed some kind of norm in the middle of this. My best friend would be just that.
Having my mom tell me to be happy for Mason frustrated me a bit but I wouldn't show her that. It was so much easier for everyone else to have a different perspective, to paint me as the bad guy, but growing up and having to compete with your younger sibling for your dad's attention doesn't exactly form a bond.
Mason was the good son. He was the son with the love of dad's life while I was the son from the marriage that shouldn't have happened.
It was facts, facts that I learned to deal with and no longer gave a fuck about. I'm grown up now so I don't need attention from my dad, if anything it was the last thing I wanted.
I pulled into the driveway, seeing cars lined up across the street. A part of me thought that dad and Allison got a new house a seven years ago for events, not because the family was expanding.
Stepping out of the car, I closed the door and headed up the path to see a red haired girl standing at the front door, biting her lip and moving her weight from the back of her feet to the front.
Noticing my presence, she looked over at me and pointed to the door with her thumb, "Hi... I uh, I'm Jade. I'm here for the party..."
The way she said it seemed like more of a question, "Are you sure?"
I raised my eyebrow at her in a taunting manner due to her unsure tone. She seemed to become more hesitant, "Um... Yes."
"Well, no one is inside. The party is in the backyard." I pointed out, "Go around the house, I'm sure they have the door to the fence open."
I walked to the door and opened it, stepping inside. As I was about to close the door on Jade she spoke again, "Are you Mason's brother?"
Turning around, I took a deep breath and nodded, "Yes."
I didn't plan on having small talk with this girl or anyone for that matter but for some reason she went from quiet to chatty in a few seconds which drove me nuts.
"You look alike, sorta..." She smiled at me, "I mean I can see the resemblance."
I shrugged nonchalantly, "Yeah well, our father has strong genes, I guess."
Being compared to Mason wasn't an insult exactly, it just seemed to be something that I've been accustomed to my entire life so I've grown tired of it even when it came to things I had no control over.
"You're here!" I heard the all too familiar voice of Allison say which caused me to look and see her walking towards us, "Thomas, your dad is looking for you. He didn't think you were going to come."
"Did I have a choice?"
She seemed to be butt hurt over my comment as a frown appeared on her face, "You always have a choice."
Bullshit.
Allison then turned her focus to Jade who seemed slightly uncomfortable with the situation, "Are you here for the party? I can show you out back."
"Yes, ma'am." Jade responded very quietly.
Allison smiled at her, "Allison. Please call me Allison. Ma'am just makes me sound so old."
Allison was only thirty-nine or forty, I wasn't even too sure. But to be honest, she wasn't old. She didn't look much different than when I met her as a child even from the blurred memories that I have.
Jade followed Allison into the house as she was escorted to the backyard. I'm sure Mason would have a field day once he found out that the girl he was drooling over was here. Now that Allison knew I was here it would be impossible for me to slip away and spend most of the time upstairs before attending the party.
A moment later I decided to reluctantly follow in their lead. My eyes scanned the area as well reached the backyard, surprised by the amount of people who were here. Mason's classmates, football team, and family.
Aunt Amelia was here, Tucker, Papa and Uncle Tristan. Then there was Allison's family, Mason's grandmother and his Uncle Ryan. Needless to say the backyard was crowded.
"Tommy," I heard Maks say as his hand rested on my shoulder, "Allison's buns are amazing."
My head snapped in his direction, "What the fuck are you talking about?"
"Oh! Oh shit... No, not like that," He laughed, holding up a bread roll that Allison had made for the gathering. He took a bite of the dinner roll before beginning to talk with his mouth full, "I meant that her dinner rolls are amazing."
I rolled my eyes, "Careful what you say, Mila repeats everything she hears."
"Imagine her telling her mom that I like her buns," Maks laughed more than I would have, it wasn't as funny as he made it seem but I let him have his moment.
The last thing I wanted to talk about was Allison's buns.
"Let's go smoke a quick joint," I suggested in a low voice, needing some reason to get away and maybe hide out in my room.
"Man, I'm already high... Plus, the last time your dad caught me smoking pot on his property he nearly lost his shit," He chuckled, looking over at my dad who was talking with Aunt Amelia. Maks looked back at me and shrugged, "Fuck it, let's get higher."
Maks and I both turned to head towards the house but stopped when Papa called out to me, "Thomas, come over here, son."
"I'll try to make this quick," I told Maks before I began to walk over towards Papa.
He was with Eileen, his new wife. After grandma passed away six years ago Papa remarried three months later, he didn't waste much time in starting over completely with a new woman. It must be the Reid men who feel like women are disposable, my dad was more like Papa than he'd admit.
I approached Papa and his new woman, forcing a smile, "Papa..."
"Thomas, how's that job at the garage treating you?" He asked me, getting straight to the point.
"Good." I kept my answer short.
"Have you come to your senses yet and decided to go into business like the rest of the family?" He asked me, "Mason is a wise boy, he'll work his way up the ladder fairly quickly and I assure you that he'll be making a hell of a lot more money than you if you keep aspiring to fix cars."
There was constantly one thing after another with these people. They always had something to complain about when it came to me and the way I decided to live my life.
"You know what, Papa? You can--"
"Hey, Tommy," I felt an arm on my shoulder and looked to see Uncle Tristan next to me, "I want you to meet this girl I'm seeing."
"Another one?" I asked.
"Yes, another one. Stop whining and come with me," He said, motioning for me to follow.
I walked behind him, eager to get away from Papa. Uncle Tristan seemed to always be there to get me out of these situations.
He turned to face me when we stopped walking, "Your grandfather is an asshole, don't let his critism get to you. He's waiting for you to crack so he has something else to complain about."
"He can take his complaints and shove it up his ass," I rolled by eyes, taking my pack of smokes from my pocket and taking a cigarette from it.
Uncle Tristan sighed, "You know how your dad feels about smoking when Mila is around... Put it away, Tommy."
"I don't give a fuck anymore," I muttered, taking my lighter out and lighting the cigarette, "I'm so sick of this fucking family I could care less what dad of the year thinks."
"Thomas, don't be like that. You're upset, I get it and I agree that you have a fucked up family. Trust me, I witnessed that shit," Uncle Tristan admitted, "But you're better than that. You've been through a lot and you're pissed off. What happened to boxing?"
"I still box," I nodded my head, taking a drag of the cigarette, "It helps for a little while but it's doesn't make me like the situation any more than I already do. The only one I can tolerate is Mila and when she grows up I'm sure she'll be annoying too."
I said it, but I didn't mean the part about Mila. There was something different about her than Mason. She's my little sister and other than my mom, she's the only girl I'd ever love.
Uncle Tristan stared at me, he scratched the back of his head before shrugging, "I think you need a therapist."
"Why? Because I'm emotionless?" I scoffed, "I don't need a fucking therapist."
He seemed now at loss for words which didn't happen often for uncle Tristan, he was the type of guy to run his mouth and I got a lot of my bold behavior from him. He taught me to stand up for myself in school which led me to get suspended when I was in elementary for punching a kid in the nose.
"I have you, Uncle Tristan. Talking to you is better than talking to a stranger," I offered a slight smile before changing the topic, "So where's that girl you wanted me to meet?"
"There's no girl, you idiot." He smacked me in the back of the head tauntingly, "I saved your ass from your grandfather. You're welcome, by the way."
"You're the real MVP," I smirked, taking another long drag just as my dad approached us. Great.
"Tristan, my man," Dad gave a manly hug to uncle Tristan, "Allison was looking for you earlier. She's by the barbecue, you should go and see her."
"Right," He nodded in response, looking at me and nudging my shoulder, "I'll catch up with you later, Tommy boy."
As uncle Tristan walked away I was fully aware that dad just wanted to talk to me in private. Another lecture, I assume. He already had the look on his face that I was disappointing him and I was just waiting for the speech about how important this day was for Mason and I shouldn't be this type of influence for Mila.
"Get rid of the cigarette," He said calmly, motioning towards the cigarette I held between my fingers.
"This one?" I asked, holding it up and shrugging my shoulders, "I will. When I'm done, that is."
"Thom--"
I exhaled a puff of smoke before dropping the cigarette on the ground and stepping on it, "Chill out, dad. Jesus Christ."
"Not on the lawn, Mila plays out here," He sighed, "You act like I'm always on your case but you act like a rebellious kid."
I picked up the bud of the cigarette and looked at my dad, "You treat me like a child. It's a smoke, calm down. I'll properly dispose of it."
Before he could respond, I walked away from him and to the large fence that stood about six and a half feet around the back yard, giving the house privacy. I opened the fence door and walked to the front lawn where I tossed the bud of the cigarette and I sat on the front steps.
How was it that everyone around me was happy and I was miserable?
I tried to think back to the last time my life seemed to not be in pieces and I couldn't remember. I really couldn't remember and it angered me. But I always seemed to be angry nowadays.
Uncle Tristan was right, I needed to focus on boxing again. Aggression seemed to help more than anything else did and I needed all the help I could get.
I stood from the steps, turning around and practically bumping into the same red head from earlier.
"Watch where you're going, red." I snapped, not giving a damn about hurting anyone's feelings today or any day for that matter.
Her eyes widened slightly, taken aback by my tone, "Jade... My name is Jade."
"I don't care." I walked past her to head inside, intending to get my sweatpants for boxing but she spoke again.
"I think your parents are looking for you," She commented.
My head snapped in her direction, aching an eyebrow in amusement, "My parents?"
The girl thought Allison was my mom. How sick and twisted that is, maybe it was because there was not indication of my mom or be being another woman's son in the house.
"Yeah, I heard your dad ask where you were and--" She started to explain but I waved her off.
Rolling my eyes, I scoffed in response, "You can tell him you go fuck himself."
Jade fell silent, looking at me then turning her gaze to the lawn as she furrowed her eyebrows together and tried to comprehend what just happened, "I don't want to tell him that."
Without a word I went inside and closed the door behind me. I didn't have the time or patience to mingle with my brother's friends, nor was I the slightest bit interested in going to see what my dad wanted now. My main focus was now on boxing which is where I wanted to devote my time aside from work and parties. It would leave less time to be here and that seemed like an instant plus.
I wasn't going to be the type of person who laid around feeling sorry for myself, there was nothing to feel sorry about. I didn't need anyone just like they didn't need me. As long as my mom was happy that was all that mattered to me.
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