To Hate My Stepbrother

Ava’s POV

I opened my eyes to see that it was morning already, and I let out a long sigh as I rubbed my eyes lightly. I picked up my phone to see that I’d missed my mum’s calls.

Springing out of bed, I immediately dialed her number again but just like yesterday, it wasn’t connecting. I groggily made my way downstairs to see that Mason was already up.

“I have some news to share, something happened and I think you have a right to know,” Mason started as soon as he noticed my presence and my eyes widened in horror.

What does he mean something happened? What is he talking about?

“W… what? What happened?” I stammered urgently, perspiring nervously. Fear so intense gripped me, it was almost hard for me to breathe and the feeling of paranoia was so heavy as it sat in the middle of my chest.

Did something happen to Danny and my mum?

Did something happened to my mum??

“What happened?! Please tell me what happened, please, what happened?” I demanded again, and when I tried to suck in a breath, I realised that tears were falling down my cheeks.

Mason’s eyes widened which only made the fear in me get even more intense.

“What news do you want me to know about?!” I yelled and Mason rolled his eyes this time, making me get slammed with the urge to slam him into the wall behind him.

“Stop being so dramatic.” He admonished me and I gasped in bewilderment and anger.

I was feeling genuinely worried right here and he was teeming it as me being dramatic.

The stupid bastard.

Moments later, I realized that my hands were trembling.

It didn’t take long for me to find it hard to breathe.

I clutched my chest as I held onto the table for support and that was when it dawned on him that I was on the verge of having a panic attack.

Mason rushed to my side in the blink of an eye, hands gripping my arms firmly as he shook me a little, making my head spin.

“My dad called and said something happened so they won’t be joining us anymore because of some few things that couldn’t be moved,” He explained as he shook me some more, and even though my head was spinning, I gripped unto those words like they were my lifeline.

“Nothing happened to them and they’re both fine.” He added once I began to take In breaths more easily and I heaved out a long sigh of relief, holding my chest with my still trembling hands.

Feeling extremely embarrassed, I tried to find my feet and as soon as I did, I ran up the stairs to my room, slamming the door behind me. I’d just had a panic attack and had also completely broken down in front of Mason for nothing.

How utterly mortifying.

He definitely wouldn’t let me hear the end of it.

I stayed in my room for a while as I decided I wasn’t going to go back outside when my phone rang. I looked to see that it was my mum and I answered it hastiky, exhaling a long sigh of relief.

“Oh my god, you’re fine,” I said and my mother reassured me she was fine and nothing had happened.

“I’m sorry we ruined the plans,” My mother murmured, sounding apologetic and I shrugged even though she couldn’t see me right now, “We didn’t intend to.” She added.

“It’s fine,” I replied softly, even though it wasn’t.

“I’m coming back home in the evening, I just need to pack a few things and…”

“Neither of you both will be coming home until after the holidays.” My mother informed me and my jaw dropped.

What does she mean none of us will be coming home until after the holidays?

“Danny paid for everything already and you’ll have to spend the intended amount of time there with Mason.” She explained and my eyes widened once again.

There’s no way I’ll spend the entire break here with Mason especially after the stunt I pulled back there this morning.

A stunt which he definitely wouldn’t let me hear the end of.

He saw me break down, he saw me vulnerable and that was a sight I wasn’t intending for him to see throughout his entire life.

“But…” I tried to protest when I noticed I couldn’t hear anything anymore.

I tried calling my mum’s attention until I realised that the call had disconnected already. I tried to call her this time but I was unable to get through to her.

The network was extremely weak.

The thought of staying back on this island all alone with Mason didn’t only get me angry but it made me feel extremely nervous.

I wasn’t expecting that our parents would do something like this, even though it obviously hadn’t been on purpose.

I laid curled up in my bed, reminiscing over the emotional breakdown I had had in front of him.

Mason being him would definitely tease me with that for the rest of the days we spend together.

My stomach growled and I tried to ignore the fact that I was hungry as I laid back on my bed, and it didn’t take long for me to fall asleep.

I didn’t wake up until nighttime.

By then, I was feeling extremely starved and definitely couldn’t ignore it any longer.

Tossing and turning on my bed, I’d already made up my mind not to go back downstairs today, especially since Mason was still down there.

I closed my eyes to try and sleep but my growling stomach prevented that from happening.

Giving up, I stood up from my bed and tiptoed my way downstairs.

It was extremely quiet downstairs and the television was switched off, and only a few lights were left on. I let out a sigh of relief when I didn’t see Mason anywhere.

Making my way to the kitchen, I decided to make some noodles for myself. I was still preparing the meal when Mason waltzed into the kitchen.

My heart instantly flew into my throat and I held my breath, waiting for him to bring up the embarrassing incident that occurred this morning.

“I’ll be fine, I’ll be fine.” I whispered to myself repeatedly as I tried to not to sneak a glance at him.

He walked deeper into the kitchen and I couldn’t help but continue to hold my breath.

I watched with a side glance as Mason picked out a bottle of water and closed the fridge slowly before turning to look at me.

Okay, this is it. He’ll definitely bring it up.

He stared at me for what seemed like minutes before uncapping the water and emptying the bottle.

He still didn’t bring it up and instead, he took another drink from the fridge and slowly closed the fridge. As he existed the kitchen, our eyes locked and help for a few long seconds right before he walked out of the kitchen. I let out the breath I had been holding ever since he walked into the kitchen while wondering why he hadn’t said anything about the very obvious thing.

I finished making my noodles and ate in silence while wondering what was going on.

Mason’s long look had refused to leave my head and no matter how hard I tried to shake it off my head, I was unable to.

Why didn’t he try to tease me about my panic attack?

Why didn’t he say anything?

Was he still mad at me for saying what I said about his mother?

Questions wouldn’t stop running through my mind and I groaned. If this is how we’d be treating each other now, then how would I be able to survive two full weeks with him?

I was used to throwing insults to him.

I wasn’t used to… this.