Promises He Made | ✔️

19. I Promised To Let Go

Ethan

It's been two months. I thought she would be gone for a short amount of time no matter how much the Mason's said that she's not coming back. I asked them if they've been talking to her and Buttercup didn't even call them. They were sad that she was gone but they seem to be getting back to normal.

They've been inviting me to their home, talking to me about school and friends and basketball. It seemed like I was a part of them. I've gathered all the information on why Buttercup really loved them.

They even told me about their personal pasts without hesitations. One time, Nick, my cousin, and I were invited to their home and Mrs. Mason even told us a story how Gabriel was born. Apparently, she trusted someone who he shouldn't and had a kid with him. After their story, Gabriel and Mrs. Mason hugged and the rest of the Mason's joined in.

When dinner was finished, I decided to do their dishes with Barry and we talked about Buttercup.

"She'll be okay," he says, a smile on his face. "I do miss her but I'm beginning to think we were never supposed to be together in the first place. I guess when she left, it all opened our eyes."

"She wasn't Buttercup anymore," I reply, sighing. "I mean she still loved brownies and donuts and all of the sugar baked goods but in the end, she changed. I was actually trying to get her back but I realized that Buttercup and Reese are two different people in the same body. Buttercup was in the past and Reese is Reese."

"I just hope that she's happy wherever she is," he places the plate on the dishwasher. "Did you talk to Garry today?"

"Yeah," I answer.

Since she left, and we told him about it, Garry changed. He wasn't the old bully anymore. He ditched the stupid bad boy look and went for the look he always wanted: himself. It sounds cliché, isn't it? But that's the truth.

I have no idea where Reese is, but I'm sure she'll be happy seeing her stepbrother be himself.

"What did your mother say?" I ask, placing my hands in my pockets. "Is she mad or upset?"

"She's sad," he smiles weakly. "She was her first child before all of us but she does understands why Reese never wanted to see her. She wants her to give her a chance but she doubts that'll even happen. I think that since it's Reese, she might come around and prove mom wrong."

"I also think that too." I pat him in the shoulder.

He nods. "You know when she first came to our home, I was upset because Dad, Maddie, she's my little sister, and I were all the one he needed. So when she came into our home, I got so mad that I looked past at how kind she is. Months later, I was accepting her slowly but never fully because I felt like she was hiding something. Turns out, it was Reese who she was hiding from Maddie and I.

"When she told us the whole story, I got angry again because what mother leaves her own child? But when I learned all the things that her previous husband did to her, I made it my business to find Reese. I wanted to get her back and talk about mom and tell her that she wants to apologize and say sorry. And when I did find her, I told mom and she said that I should just keep an eye on her, don't tell her that she's my stepmother.

"Reese is the kindest person I know. She's a badass but because she's so kind, she never hurts anyone. She never even hurt me when I did over and over again. It was always the Mason's and Xavier kicking our asses. And I was happy to be beaten up by them because I know Reese has a lot of people who cares for her."

"Why are you telling me this?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. I guess I just wanted you to know."

Then he turns and left me at the hallway, not saying a word.

It all seemed to get back to normal after a full month and a week of her disappearance. Tracie is with her boyfriend, Xavier, Scott, on the other hand, is liking on another girl一her name is Nina, Trent is actually visiting his new boyfriend, Jordan, every week, Barry, well, he's moving on quite well with Beth.

They seem to be having new relationships, right? (Well, except for Tracie) I'm very glad for them. And me, I'm painting the old studio another shade of color just to keep myself be busy.

The door to the studio happens to open one night when I was still repainting. "This is nice."

I look by the direction where the voice came from and saw Tracie and the other Mason siblings, a smile on their face.

"Need a hand?" Trent gestures all over the studio.

I point at the paint and smile. "If you're going to ask who owns this place, it belongs to Reese and I."

"Whoa," Barry looks around. "The place is huge."

"It took about three years to earn for this place," I'm having flashbacks of that time. "When we were kids, we always dreamed of having our own studio where we can paint, draw, and put things on the wall whatever we wanted. So when we had our minds straight in getting one, we earned for this one. We used to go here every single time to post all the pictures you're seeing on the ground, decorate, and paint. Basically, anything we want."

"How come she never went here when you were gone?" Scott questions, picking up a piece of a photo.

I reach up high and paint the cement. "We promised one another that we go here together or not go at all. I guess she still kept the promise."

"You two were really in love," Tracie comments.

I nod. "Sounds crazy, having to be in love at such a young age. But it happens. Mom never approved of her, you know? She always thinks of Reese as someone who's never good enough for me. I think that she was always enough."

"Was?"

I shrug. "Maybe it's time I let go of her. I was in love of Buttercup and not Reese. Time to finally let go of the past and move on to the next."

"So who will own this studio then?" Trent asks.

I shrug. "It'll be hers. There's no question about that. It'll be my gift to her when she decides to come home."

Reese may have been complicated, but I guess being her here taught us things. And when she left, she even taught more things.

At the end of the day, everyone is wondering when she'll finally come home.