Alyssa's PoV:

The days stretched into what felt like weeks, the silence between Aiden and Mason growing heavier with each passing hour. Aiden refused to talk about what had happened that night, and whenever I tried to bring it up, his face hardened into a mask of anger and betrayal. Mason, meanwhile, stayed confined to his house, recovering from the brutal punches Aiden had landed. The memory of Mason's bloodied face haunted me-each bruise and cut a reminder of the storm we'd unleashed.

I hated it. The tension in our lives, the way things felt so broken. Aiden wouldn't look me in the eye, Mason was unreachable, and I felt caught in the middle of two people I loved most.

It wasn't until I sat down with my friends that I felt some of the weight lift off my shoulders. I needed to talk to someone who wasn't tangled up in this mess, someone who could help me make sense of it all.

We were at Selena's house, sprawled out in her living room, when I finally worked up the courage to tell them. The nerves clawed at my stomach, but I knew I couldn't keep it a secret any longer.

"I'm dating Mason," I said, blurting it out before I could lose my nerve.

The room froze for a second before Amy's voice cut through like a firework.

"OH MY GOD!" She practically jumped off the couch, flinging a pillow in my direction. "YOU'RE WINNING AT LIFE!"

I blinked, caught off guard. "Wait, what?"

"You're dating Mason freaking King!" she cried, as if I'd just told her I won the lottery. "Do you have any idea how hot that guy is? Like, are you even aware? This is a victory for all of us."

Selena groaned, grabbing Amy's arm to pull her back down. "Amy, calm down."

"No, I will not calm down!" Amy turned to me, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "I knew it. I KNEW IT. You two had all this tension going on back in winter. Remember the chalet? The snowstorm? The way he couldn't stop looking at you?!"

I laughed nervously. "I think you're exaggerating."

"I think she's not," Selena said with a soft smile. "I did notice something back then. Congratulations, Alyssa. You and Mason make a cute couple."

Nate clapped his hands dramatically. "Finally! I've been rooting for this since, like, forever. And honestly? He's way better than Chase. Mason's hot, smart, and actually a decent human being. Major upgrade."

I felt my cheeks heat up as I glanced at Emily, who had been quiet until now. She sipped her tea, then set the cup down with a knowing smile.

"Honestly? Mason's terrible at hiding how he feels about you," she said matter-of-factly. "He's been smitten for years. It's almost embarrassing how obvious it is."

Her words made me laugh, though they also tugged at my heart. Mason had always been a steady presence in my life, but now I was seeing him in a completely new light.

The mood shifted when I brought up Aiden. I told them about the fight, how Aiden had exploded when he found out, and how Mason had been stuck at home ever since, nursing his injuries.

Amy's excitement dimmed, her smile fading. "Wait, Mason got hurt? Like, bad?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Aiden... he lost it. He hit Mason-multiple times. I tried to stop him, but..."

Selena reached for my hand, squeezing it gently. "That must have been awful to witness."

"It was," I admitted, my voice cracking. "And now Aiden won't talk to Mason, and Mason's just... there, alone, recovering."

"You need to see him," Selena said firmly.

"I know," I replied. "But I don't have a car, and his house isn't exactly walking distance."

Amy perked up, her hand shooting into the air like she was in class. "Say no more! The Fiat 500 is ready to save the day!"

Nate snorted. "Your Fiat? Alyssa's going to Mason's mansion, not a go-kart track."

Amy glared at him. "Excuse me, my car is compact and efficient. And it's going to get Alyssa to her man. End of story."

Selena rolled her eyes, snatching the keys from Amy's hand. "I'm driving. No way am I letting Amy behind the wheel when emotions are this high."

The Fiat 500 was small, but somehow the four of us crammed inside. Amy kept up a steady stream of commentary from the passenger seat, mostly about how heroic she was for lending her car. Selena remained calm and focused on the road, while Nate played DJ in the backseat, switching between soft love songs and dramatic breakup ballads to "set the mood."

I, on the other hand, was a bundle of nerves. My stomach churned as we got closer to Mason's house. It wasn't just about seeing him-it was about what he might say, how he might look. The guilt of not visiting him sooner gnawed at me, and I couldn't shake the memory of the blood on his face.

When Selena finally pulled up to Mason's driveway, my heart felt like it might burst. His house loomed ahead, beautiful and imposing, but all I could think about was the boy inside, waiting for me.

"You've got this," Selena said as she turned off the engine.

Amy leaned over, giving me a playful nudge. "Go get your man. And tell him we said hi."

I smiled weakly, opening the door and stepping out. The cool evening air hit me, grounding me just enough to take those first steps toward the house. Behind me, the Fiat's engine hummed softly, a small reminder of the support waiting for me if I needed it.

This was it. I was finally going to see Mason. And I had no idea what was waiting for me on the other side of that door.

A maid greeted me at the door, her expression kind but professional as she led me inside. The house felt eerily quiet, the soft echo of our footsteps bouncing off the pristine walls. Everything about the place screamed Mason-clean, composed, and kind of cold in a way jus like when I met him.

"He's upstairs," the maid said softly, gesturing toward the staircase. "Third door on the left."

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

As I climbed the stairs, my nerves reached a breaking point. What was I supposed to say? Would he be upset that I hadn't come sooner? Or worse, would he feel distant, as if Aiden's anger had pushed him away from me, too? This wo days have been awful i talked to him on the phone and he told me he was fine but he is the type of a guy to say he is okay when he is in a verge of dying.

I stopped in front of his door, my hand hovering just above the polished wood. For a moment, I considered turning around and going back to the Fiat. But then I thought about Mason-how he always showed up for me, no matter what-and I knocked softly.

"Come in," his voice called out, hoarse but steady.

I pushed the door open and stepped inside, my breath catching at the sight of him. Mason was propped up against a pile of pillows on his bed, his face still bruised, though the swelling had gone down. His arm was in a sling, and a small bandage peeked out from under his shirt.

"Shortcake?" His eyes lit up with surprise, softening immediately.

"Hey," I said, closing the door behind me. "I... I wanted to see you."

He smiled faintly, the corners of his mouth twitching as if it hurt to move them. "You didn't have to come all this way."

"Of course I did," I said, walking over to his bed. "I couldn't just stay home and do nothing while you were stuck here."

Mason's gaze softened even more, his fingers brushing over the edge of the blanket. "I missed you," he admitted quietly.

My heart clenched at his words. I sat down carefully on the edge of the bed, reaching out to touch his uninjured hand. "I missed you too."

For a moment, neither of us spoke. I took in the room-its clean lines, the faint scent of his cologne lingering in the air-and the boy in front of me who looked both strong and vulnerable at the same time.

"How are you feeling?" I asked finally.

"Like I got hit by a truck," he joked, though his smile didn't reach his eyes. "But it's not as bad as it looks."

I frowned. "It looks bad, Mason."

He sighed, his gaze dropping to our joined hands. "Aiden's... Aiden. I don't blame him for what he did."

"You should," I said firmly. "He had no right to hurt you like this."

"He was protecting you," Mason said quietly. "Or at least, he thought he was."

I shook my head, frustration bubbling in my chest. "That doesn't make it okay. You didn't deserve this."

Mason looked up at me then, his eyes searching mine. "You're worth it, babe. Every bruise, every hit... you're worth it."

Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes, and I blinked them away quickly. "You are getting so cheesy it makes me sick"

He chuckled softly, wincing slightly. "I am just getting started."

We sat there for a while, the silence between us warm and comfortable. I told him about my friends, how they'd reacted to our relationship. Mason laughed when I described Amy's over-the-top excitement and Nate's dramatic commentary, and it felt good to see him smile, even if it was just for a moment.

Eventually, I stood up, realizing it was getting late. "I should let you rest," I said reluctantly.

Mason reached for my hand, squeezing it gently. "Thank you for coming."

"Always," I said, leaning down to kiss his forehead. "Take care of yourself, okay? Or I'll beat you up myself"

"You definitely are siblings" he joked

"So funny" I rolled my eyes giving him a peck on the lips

As I left his room, my chest felt lighter, the weight of the past few days easing just a little.

When I got back to the Fiat, Amy was hanging halfway out the passenger-side window, waving wildly. "How'd it go?"

"Good," I said, smiling as I climbed into the backseat.

Selena glanced at me in the rearview mirror, her expression curious. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I said, leaning back against the seat. "I think things are going to be okay."

As Selena started the car, I glanced back at Mason's house, a sense of calm settling over me. It wasn't perfect, and there was still so much to figure out, but for the first time in days, I felt like things were moving in the right direction.

Sometimes, you just had to show up.