Owned By Her Triplet Bullies
(Bk 2) Chapter 22

Mason's POV

I stiffened when I felt a soft body pressed on my back and hands covering my eyes. I thought it was Mady for a second because she was the only girl allowed to enter my room. Lexi's presence does not count. But, I could recognize Mady's hands and scent even in my sleep. So who was this girl who had dared to come into my room? I tried to turn back but she won't let me. I didn't want to hurt her else I would have turned around with force. However, this scent didn't seem completely strange and unfamiliar. I tried to remember. Rachel! It suddenly occurred to me. It was her. What was she doing here? And in my room of all places.

"What are you doing here?" I asked with a frown. She gently removed her hands.

"You do recognize my scent," she said. I turned towards her.

"What does it matter if I recognize it or not?" I inquired.

"It matters to me. It means you haven't completely forgotten about me. Deep down, part of me is still edged in your memories," she replied with a smile.

I scoffed. "Don't you think you are reading too much meaning into this? It's just a scent. I recognize the scent of half of the school."

"Liar, you still don't know how to tell lies," she said.

"Some of us can't be as perfect as others right?" I questioned grabbing my shirt from the bed. Her face fell.

"Back to my earlier question. Why are you here?" I asked.

"I came to visit Luna and Mady. To see you as well. You are the main reason why I came here today, again," she replied.

I sighed. "What do you really want, Rachel?" I fastened the buttons of my shirts hastily. I was already drained from the meeting and I was hoping to have a cold shower before sleeping but she just had to show up and ruin that for me.

"What I want is for you to forgive me. It was insensitive of me to disappear for years without reaching out to you and I'm sorry. Let's go back to how we were before. I missed your company," she muttered sincerely. I walked to my closet and picked out some casual clothes I could change into.

"I do not trust easily nor do I make friends. No one knew that more than you did. I offered you friendship and what did you do with it? Leave. I need to take a shower," I replied. She walked towards me.

"Are you seriously going to keep being like this? You know why I left, there was nothing I could do to stop it," she said sadly.

"I know why you left and I'm not upset about that. In fact, I'm not upset anymore about the fact that you left for seven years without contacting anyone," I responded.

"Really!" she exclaimed gleefully.

"Yes," I replied curtly.

"Thank you so much," she said, making a move to engulf me in a hug.

"But, you and I know that's not what you want," I deadpanned, stopping her in her tracks.

"Not what I want? I don't quite understand exactly what you mean," she said looking confused.

"You don't want to be just friends. I can tell you want something more than that," I said. Her cheeks burned brightly and she averted her gaze from mine. "Is it that obvious?" she asked shyly.

"It is which is why I didn't want to talk to you in the first place. I wouldn't want to start something I can't finish," I said to her in a calm and earnest tone. "What?" she responded.

"I don't like you in that way, Rachel. I see you as a childhood friend. That's it. If we continue, you will only end up getting hurt because of me and I don't want that," I explained. Her shoulders slumped and she looked dejected for a while. "I'm sorry," I said.

"Is there another girl?" she asked, her eyes glassy.

"Excuse me?" I replied with furrowed brows.

"Are you rejecting me because you are in love with another girl? Is there anyone in your life?" she asked in a shaky voice. This was exactly what I was afraid of. I hated to see anyone's tears. That was my weakness, especially coming from someone I deeply cared about.

"No, of course not. I don't love anyone and I don't think I will anytime soon. I didn't reject you because of anybody. I did it because of me," I replied hurriedly. How did coming into my room to take a shower turn into this? If I had known she was here, I wouldn't have come in the first place.

She took a deep breath wiping her eyes with her hands. "That's a relief. I forgot how to breathe for a second," she chuckled.

"You are relieved? Why? What difference does it make if my decision was because of someone or not?" I inquired, replaceing it strange.

"There's a huge difference. If it was because you were in love with a girl, it would mean I have no chance at all but now that I know you don't, I have a chance to prove myself," she responded.

"Rachel, do you not listen? Didn't you understand what I said?" I asked in disbelief.

"I heard what you said perfectly. You said you didn't plan on loving anyone soon but plans are made to be changed if there is a need to right? I will make sure I steer your heart toward the direction of love. Towards me. You said you didn't want to hurt me which means deep down, you care for me. It might be as a friend but with time your feelings would change," she said with an unwavering determination.

"I doubt that," I replied calmly.

"Well, I don't. I believe in us. We connect so well and we are perfect for each other. I'm not going to hold back anymore from now on. I'm going to show everyone my affection toward you," she said firmly.

I stared into her eyes and I saw sincerity in them. I've known Rachel for years and she was not the type to give up or back down easily. I knew she was going to do whatever she just said without a doubt. "You know how stubborn I can be right? I haven't changed so don't try to stop me else that will only strengthen my resolve," she said with a smile.

"Are you done? Can you leave now?" I asked.

"Yes, I will leave now. After all, I got what I wanted. It's good that I came here today. Thank you for understanding me," she replied. I nodded in response. She walked towards me and hugged me. She moved so fast and swiftly that I didn't see her coming or maybe I did but I let her anyway.

"I missed this," she mumbled as she wrapped her hands around me tighter. I let her be for a while before gently pulling away. Doing this type of thing would only lead her on. While she released her hand from my back, she placed a kiss on my cheek before hurriedly pulling away.

"That is to show you that I meant every word I said. You are mine now, you aren't allowed to let another girl come close to you like that," she stated blushing brightly.

"I'm leaving. See you in school," she smiled before finally leaving. I rushed to the door and closed it. How did she even come inside in the first place? Unless I had forgotten to lock the door when I stepped out. What was I even thinking about? I wasn't the type to forget about locking my door. I glanced at the clothes on my hand. It was the sweatshirt and shorts Lexi had worn when she was here. I had picked it up absent-mindedly while I was speaking to Rachel.

It still had her scent. I hurriedly dropped them and threw them in the laundry basket, shocked by my own thoughts and actions. She was a rude, annoying, and ungrateful girl whom I shouldn't be thinking about. My thoughts drifted to the hug and kiss from Rachel. Did that count as cheating? I hated the thought of that but it wasn't cheating because Lexi and I didn't have any relationship and I doubt we ever will.

She looked like she had made up her mind to detest me forever. But could there be something more to it? Her reaction this afternoon stirred up something in me once again that I thought I had forgotten all about. It made me wonder if there was something going on with her that nobody knew about. I didn't want to think about it but that particular moment kept on replaying in my head.

I walked into the bathroom and turned the shower on. The cold water poured on my head and down below, washing away the thoughts of all the events of today.