Chapter 27: Chapter 27

Rylie's POV

"… so basically, in other words, I'm truly truly sorry for everything. I overreacted on Friday and I really hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive me. So do you?" I asked, staring down at my fingers.

"Only if you forgive me. I never should have kept that big a secret from you. I'm sorry," Olivia pouted.

"Of course. You shouldn't even ask when you've already done same. I acted like such a bitch to you," I palmed my forehead.

"Well, you're not wrong," Olivia shrugged and I playfully hit her shoulder.

"But seriously Olivia, I'm really sorry."

"Don't sweat it. Now we're even. Let's just keep something like this from happening again. Yeah?"

"Definitely," I nodded in agreement. "So you and Myles huh? Who would have guessed?"

"Yeah. I never would've guessed it either but he's so nice and sweet," Olivia beamed as she spoke.

I gagged. "My brother, nice and sweet? I never thought I'd hear those words being attributed to him."

"Well he is but I don't know. I think I kinda messed things up on Friday when I denied dating him."

"Oh come on. He knows you only said that because I was there plus he's still completely into you."

"You sure?" she questioned and I nodded.

"Positive!"

Just then, Mason approached us, a smile on his face as he waved at us.

"So, what brought about this little friendship circle on a Monday morning no less?" he joked as he stopped beside Olivia.

Olivia and I exchanged nervous looks. Mason wasn't aware of Olivia and Myles yet and I knew that finding out would break him. I couldn't help but feel at fault a bit. After encouraging Mason to go after Olivia for so long, now he's going to learn that my brother and Olivia might be dating soon. I can only imagine how he'll feel when he finds out.

Since Olivia already knew about it, I'd told that she would be the one to break the news about her and Myles to Mason. It wouldn't be an easy thing to do but somethings in life weren't.

Probably noticing the looks Olivia and I were giving ourselves, Myles looked from both of us and said, "Is everything okay?"

Deciding not to directly answer him, I turned to Olivia and gave her hands a little squeeze before nodding at Mason and walking away.

"Oof!" I groaned, as I walked right into someone. The force was so strong that I fell backwards and landed on my butt.

"Geez Rylie, are you okay?" Blake stretched his hand forward to help me up. I graciously let him pull me up.

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine. Just a little distracted is all," I waved the incident off.

"Distracted by what?"

"Oh nothing too serious. Just some personal drama. Don't think too much about it."

"But I do want to think about. I am interested in knowing what's going on in your life Rylie so you might as well spill it," Blake shrugged.

"Really? You're that interested in knowing what's going on with me?"

"Why not? That's what friends do afterall."

I smiled. Friends, huh?

"Okay. I'll share it with you. Let's get to class first though."

I pulled him with me towards the English classroom which also happened to be our first class for today.

•••

It was midmorning and I had just rounded up my third class for the day when I ran into Mason.

Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I approached him with the best smile I could muster.

"So Mason, hey there," I started awkwardly.

"Oh hey Rylie," he said back quietly.

"How are you coping with things?" I went further, deciding not to mention Olivia or Myles.

"Oh, I'm okay. About as much as I can be when the girl I've always liked confesses to being in love with my best friend's brother," he shrugged.

"Myles, I am so so sorry about that," I squirmed. I'd never felt so awkward in my life.

"Rylie, I was kidding," he added.

"Wait, you were?"

"Yes. I mean, I'm not fine with it but I'm also not angry at you or at Myles or at Olivia. Besides, Olivia already told me that you had no idea at first and that when you found out, you were completely livid and part of the reason  was me."

"She did, didn't she?" I mused. "So will you be okay?"

"I'll try, I guess. I mean it won't be easy but I'll get it over it. Thank you though, for having my back. I couldn't have asked for a better friend."

He gave my shoulder a light squeeze before walking away, his backpack slung over his shoulder and his hands in his pocket.

He would be fine. I knew that much.

•••

"… and that's that," I breathed as I completed my narration to Blake later that day.

We were home from school and hanging out in his room.

"Wow! That's a lot to take in. So is Olivia dating your brother now?"

"Hard to say. They still have to work things out between themselves."

"Right. I applaud Mason though. What he did was pretty cool. Not many guys would keep their cool after learning something like that," Blake uttered and I agreed.

"Yeah. Mason is a pretty cool guy and I know he'll get another girl soon enough… So that aside, what are our plans for today?"

"Well we can work on getting you ready for the talent show," Blake put forward.

"Yeah. We can do that…or we can do something else," I offered suggestively.

"What do you have in mind?" Blake asked…