Never Forever (BlackPath MC Book 1) (6 page)

“Hey
baby girl. Order was lifted about two hours ago. I know I’m not there but this
is the best I can do for now. I miss you so much. Stand in front of the screen
so I can see you.” Mason says as he always does when we skype.

I
get in front of the screen and twirl around. “How was that?” I ask, laughing. I
feel a little shy, which is completely silly considering Mase has seen me at my
worst.

“You
look beautiful. Too beautiful. I miss you so much.” Mase has a look on his
face. If I didn’t know better, I would say it was a guilty look. “I will try to
be home soon but I can’t promise. I want to be there for you, I need you.” Now
I know something is wrong. Mase never lets his feelings out like this,
especially not so all the people here could hear them, he’s almost as bad as
dad. He’s fidgeting and not looking at me but more to his feet. He looks
uncomfortable.

“Mason
is everything ok?” I look at him but he’s not looking at me. “Baby I love you,
did everything go ok?” I ask quietly but Cru is looking at Mase too, as if he’s
worried.

“Hey
man, is Jeb ok?” Cru asks but he is keeping his eyes on me and I know something
is wrong.

“Oh
yeah man, he’s fine. Went to shower and eat. I didn’t want to miss my chance to
talk to Callie. We won’t be here very long and Jeb is giving me his time too. I
need to talk to Callie alone if it is ok with everyone. It is important.” Mase
lets everyone else in the room know we need some privacy.

“Are
you sure about this Mase? You don’t want to wait and do this when you get home?
Everyone’s had a long day.” Cru says trying his best to talk Mase out of
something. All of a sudden my stomach feels like the bottom fell out. I know
that other shoe is about to drop. Mase must have to stay gone longer. I was
afraid of this.

“You
guys don’t go far. I can only stay on for a little while. Looks like you have
plans.” Mase says but he still won’t look at me. The guys all get up and make
it out of the room but I never take my eyes off Mase and he never looks me in
the eyes.

“Mase,
you’re scaring me. Is something wrong? You know if you have to stay longer we
will work it out.” I say but somewhere in the back of my mind I know that is
not it. I know…

“Sit
down Callie.” I look at him because he usually calls me baby or baby girl, so I
sit. “I love you, more than I can say but I have done something I am ashamed of
and I never meant for it to happen.” Looking anywhere but at me, I finally get
it.

“What
have you done Mason?” this gets his eyes on my face. He hears it in my voice
that I know. I have it figured out and he knows on the inside I am falling
apart.

Now
his eyes don’t leave mine, “I screwed up babe. One night I was drinking and I
had sex with one of the females here. It has been eating away at my conscience
and I had to tell you. I wanted to be there to tell you but I don’t know when
that would be possible and I can’t live with it anymore. Please, just listen.”
As if I have a choice, I can’t speak, I can’t think, I can hardly breathe. I
think I’m going to be sick. How could he do this? He swore he would never cheat
on me. I never believed in an all- consuming love for just one person. I swore
I would never fall in love. Love only means pain and I knew that. I knew, but I
listened to him anyway. The woman that brought me into this world taught me
that. If it doesn’t cause you physical pain, it causes you a heart breaking
pain and this was definitely that.

“Did
you hear me babe? Are you ok? You look pale. I have been waiting on you for so
long. Please babe, say something.” I fight back the tears that want to leak out
of my eyes. This man will not get my tears. He doesn’t deserve them.

“Let
me get this straight. You cheated on me once in all this time, is that what you
want me to believe?” I ask, hoping to get a straight answer out of him since he
is cleansing his soul to me.

“This
woman is the only one I have cheated on you with, but a few days after the
first time she snuck in my shower and it happened once more. I swear it will
never happen again. It was stress. It was a physical need. I have lived like a
monk for you. I swear on our love it will never happen again. I will stay
faithful to you. I swear it. Please say you forgive me.” Mason finally takes a
breath and looks at me for an answer.

 I
can’t believe this man and then a fury hits me. I think my head might explode.
“Let me get this straight Mason Brumley, you cheated on me because of stress,
need, and you want me to believe it happened twice but will never happen
again.” I speak calmly through gritted teeth.

 “Yes.”
Just that one single word as a response.

All
of a sudden I get it, “Guys please come back in here.” I yell for my friends
and they come back in and gather around the computer screen, but Cru comes in
slowly and keeps back to himself. “Ok Mason. Let me rehash this for everyone.
You have been waiting on me for over three years and you were under so much
pressure and had such a physical urge that you cheated on me and it was so good
you did it again and now you expect me to believe it won’t happen anymore.” I
cut my eyes at him but I’m not finished, “and since Cru London is standing away
from us I take it that he knew, so that means Jeb knows. How many more people
know?” I feel like such a fool. How could he do this to me? He’s made me feel
so guilty about going out with my friends and I have never even thought of
cheating.

Mason
is going to say something but closes his mouth and looks at the floor. If this
wasn’t so serious it would almost be funny, almost.

“There
are a few guys here and a couple of her friends. Babe it meant nothing and she
means nothing to me.” He spits out the dribble I imagine a lot of cheating
people say.

“Well
that makes it a lot better.” I am so hurt by his words, that he doesn’t even
know how they would make me feel is beyond me. I am so done!

“Well
Mr. Brumley, that makes it so much better. Let me put a pretty little bow on
all this. You cheated on me not once, but twice. Your friends and her’s know.
So you didn’t even try to keep it quiet. The sex you traded for me, nor her,
mean anything to you. You have waited for me nearly four years and you had a
physical need. That sounds right, correct?” I all but growl at him.

“Babe,
calm down.” Mason says looking at anything he can but me. “I wish I was there
to hold you. I would make you understand.”

Felix
walks up behind me and puts his hand around my shoulder and Sarah and Hanna
move up behind me, but I feel their presence and it gives me strength.

“Mason,
not only have you been waiting on me for nearly four years but I have been
waiting on you. I have been saving my virginity for you. You have a physical
need. I have been curious about sex ever since we have been together. Not only
have you cheated on me but you have humiliated me in front of your friends. Now
you say it or her meant nothing to you. So, you’re saying you threw away us for
something that meant nothing to you. Just a physical release that is all we
were worth. As if that wasn’t bad enough, on the night of my graduation, you
skype me to ease your conscious. Does that sum it all up with a cute little
bow?” I nearly spit out the last words.

“Babe,
I love you. I just couldn’t keep it from you any longer. Look my time is almost
up, we can talk when I get home or I can skype again. We have come too far for
this to break us up.” He barely gets out.

“STOP!”
I shout out with a shrill voice that even scares me and everyone around me
jumps. They are not used to seeing this type of emotion out of me. “Do not move
Mason Brumley, or I swear I will board a plane and come hunt you’re cheating
ass down.” He stops and stares at me. I have never even raised my voice at him
before. “We will not talk again, Mason. You will not call me or skype me or
anything. You can go and screw your woman that you don’t care about and it
won’t mean anything, and let all your friends know. Because our relationship
apparently is not as important as nothing. We are done. I didn’t believe in
forever, remember? Never forever, my mantra for years, even before I knew what
love really was about. You made me believe, I took that chance, and for what?
So it could be thrown away for something that meant nothing. For that I cannot
forgive. You crushed my hope that something good could last.” I let that hang
in the air and wrapped my arms around my stomach, just to feel something, but
it’s just a dull ache that consumes me. I take a deep breath and hope my tears
don’t fall.

“Tell
Cru to pick your shit up at my house in the morning or I will burn it and you
can burn whatever you have of mine I don’t want it or the memories. Thank you
for reminding me there is never forever. Lesson learned. Have a good life and
stay out of mine.” With that I walk towards the stairs but I look over to Cru,
“You knew and didn’t say a word to me. I thought we were friends at least.” Cru
looks at me as if he feels sorry for me and that just makes me feel worse and
fills me with an ache inside my heart that I think will never leave. My heart
is with a man that doesn’t love me the way I love him. I let myself get lost in
him and I knew better.  I turn and look at my friends, “if Cru is going tonight
I will be going home. Please make your choice.” And with that I go back up the
stairs and rush in the bathroom and let all the hot ugly tears fall.

I
feel like I have cried all the tears I can possibly have. I never knew there
was so many tears. I’m not a crier. I glance in the mirror and catch my
reflection and I don’t recognize this girl in the mirror. I’m not a girl, I’m
nearly eighteen, a woman in the eyes of the law. I never thought I’d be this
person. I thought I was smarter. I told myself I would never give anyone the
power to hurt me after the crap my mom put me through, but here I am. Broken,
devastated, by a man. All of a sudden I am filled with an anger I have never
felt before. I turn and grab a washcloth from the cabinet and begin to wash my
face. I will not be this devastated woman. I will not give him the power to do
this to me. Before I was with Mason I had a plan. I know only I am responsible
for my happiness, and I may hurt now but I will get that back. There’s a tap at
the door.

“Hey,
can we come in?” Fe ask softly.

I
look one more time in the mirror and decide I will not let my friends down
tonight. It is our night to celebrate. I can do this. I will do this! No man
owns my happiness.

“Sure
Fe, come on in, all of you.” I know they are all standing outside that door.
The door inches open and there they are, my three best friends. We have been
through everything together and I know they have my back, but I will not put
them through this tonight. Our night. We are finally out of high school and we
will celebrate, so I slap on the biggest smile I can muster. “Hey, is Cru gone
or is he still down stairs?” As long as I don’t have to see his or any of
Mason’s friends faces tonight, I can do this.

“I
told him to leave. He called someone to pick him up out front. They left a few
minutes ago.” Fe comes over to me and puts his arm around my waist pulling me
in for a sideways hug.

“I
am so sorry I brought him. I thought since he was Mason’s friend, it might make
you feel closer to him. Now I guess that was all wrong.” Hanna winces when she
says Mason’s name, as if saying his name could make me feel worse.

“We
can all stay in and hang out and bash men tonight if you want, instead of going
out. Eat junk food and get into Fe’s parents stash of alcohol.” Sarah says
coming to my other side and moving a piece of hair that had fallen into my face
back behind my ear.

“Hey,
I’m a man and I don’t want to be bashed.” Fe gives us a playful injured look.

“Come
on Fe, take one for the team.” Sarah play punches him in the arm.

I
half laugh and half snort, “Yeah, come on Fe.” Then we all burst out laughing.

“Ok,
I am going to fix my face and brush my hair out and then we are going to get to
that bar and party until they throw us out. This is our night to remember and I
refuse to let anything or anyone ruin it. I can feel sorry for myself tomorrow,
or not.” Then I give them a grin to reassure them.

“Are
you sure? We don’t have to.” Sarah ask.

“Yes,
I am sure. I need this.” I turn and look into the mirror. “Will one of you grab
my bag from downstairs? I need to cover this face.” Fe turns and heads
downstairs to grab my bag.

“Are
you ok? That was intense down there. I thought Mason was one of the good guys,
he had me fooled.” Hanna takes the brush out of my hand and starts to brush my
hair.

“Me
too Han, me too.” I feel like I could break out in tears again but I am
determined it is not going to happen.

Sarah
grabs the bag as Fe comes back in and starts digging for my make-up bag. “Here”
she hands it to me.

I
open the little bag and decide to do the works, smoky eyes and all. I look over
to Hanna, “Will you get the car pulled up front while Sarah helps me?”

“Sure
thing” then she hesitates, “are you sure you can’t forgive him? I’m just
saying, you two have been together a long time.” Then she smiles. “Of course
this means you’re available for the first time in nearly four years. You’re
also not the designated driver tonight and it has been over a year since you
let loose and got drunk with us.” She reaches for the door but waits for my
answer before she goes through it.

“Hanna,
I lost sight of what’s real in life. I let Mason blind me to reality. There are
no happily ever afters, only what is right now. I want to live for right now.”
I turn to the mirror to look at my reflection but turn back, “but that sounds
good. The being available and not the designated driver.” I give her a small
smile as she walks out the door. Then I turn back and apply my make-up
perfectly and heavier than what is normal and it is time to start our night.
“Let’s do this guys.” They have sat there quietly while I did my make-up and I
guess they just didn’t know what to say. What can they say?

“Ok
guys, she’ll be waiting. Let’s do this. Let’s forget all the crap and just have
fun for one last weekend. Ok?” I look at them for an answer.

“Hell
yeah! That’s what I’m talking about.” Fe says. Always the optimistic. Tonight
he will try his best to cheer me up and keep laughing. Sarah will be the one
showing me the good side of being single and Hanna will play the part of trying
to make me see I need to forgive him because I love him. She is the hopeless
romantic. The first two I can take, the last one not so much tonight. Maybe
she’ll find somebody to occupy her time tonight. I hear Hanna coming to the
door for us, so we are out of here.