Jake and I were at the mall when Mason messaged me.

But honestly, I just didn't want to talk to him at this point.

"You just not talking to anyone today?" Jake looked down at me when we were walking in to Jareds.

"Mason asking why I'm mad at him. As if he didn't already know." I Shook my head.

"Why exactly are you mad at Mason when Connor was the one screaming?" He gave me a look.

"Because he stood there and didn't say anything. And to think, you're leaving me to deal with that alone."

"Now come on Ol. That isn't fair." He shook his head and threw his arm around me. "I would never leave you alone. You've got Ab, and Josh, Oaken. And I told you, I'll be there all the time."

"Not the same." I shook my head. "I mean, I'm happy for you, and I'll be happy when she says yes. But J, are you sure about this?"

"I've never been more sure of anything Ol." He nodded.

"I just don't want you to regret it."

"The only thing I regret is not doing this sooner." He shook his head. "You know I don't come to big decisions easily Liv. I've thought this over for the past year and a half."

"But how do you know Kelsey is the one? I mean, I obviously love Kelsey. She's amazing. But, seriously."

He sighed. "Everytime I look at her, I see us 40 years from now, sitting on our porch in the middle of no-where, watching our grandchildren play, and visiting with my kids." He shrugged. "She's my best friend Ol. The one person who has always been there other than you guys. Every emergency room trip, every concussion, surgery on my mouth. Every time I've gone down on that field, who was the first person running out there?"

"Kelsey." I nodded.

"Kelsey." He nodded. "She got suspended from cheer for 3 days every time, but she still did it. Because she loves me. I am so lucky that I have someone who loves me like that Ol. One person I can see myself being with for the rest of my life. I can not picture my life without that woman.The one person I have always been able to be my self 100% around. Cheers me on in my successes, talks me through my failures to make them successes. Shit, we've been together since we were Oaken and Ambers age, and never once has she told me I couldn't do something. She keeps me on track with my lifting schedule. She's been at every competition for it. She's at every game. She's even been to everything for you, and Con, and Oaken for the past 6 years. That's what I love the most about her, that she loves you guys just as much as I do. Just like I love Harley and Logan just as much as she does. She loves you three, I love her little brothers. She's my family Ol. So, it's about time I make her my family officially."

"She's your Holly." I nodded.

"She is." He nodded. "And I pray to god some day you find your Jason. Oaken, I think it's safe to say he's gonna be alright. But the thing I pray for most is that Connor can find what I have in someone. He doesn't show it, but you and I both know that kids heart is pure gold. Everything he does is because he loves you." He shrugged. "It's because he doesn't want you to run in to someone like him. But, when he finds that one person, I feel like everything is going to change." He shook his head. "When he finds someone worth opening up that heart of gold for, everyone is going to be amazed. Because anyone who lands Connor, is going to be so damn lucky. And anyone who lands you, is going to be the luckiest son of a bitch alive." He nodded. "I just hope it doesn't happen to late for Con."

"You're happy?" I pursed my lips.

"I've been happy for the longest time Ol." He nodded. "But, I'm ready to be happy on my own, with her."

I sighed. "Close your eyes."

"For?" He gave me a look.

"Just close your eyes, and turn toward me." I rolled my eyes.

He sighed and did what I asked.

"Now stick your arm out, and point." I nodded.

"Alright?"

"Now swing it left to right until I say stop."

"You're nuts." He shook his head but did it anyway.

He moved his arm from left to right about 7 times, then I said to stop and open his eyes.

"That's the one." I nodded.

He smiled and got closer to the case. "Can I see that one please?" He looked at the worker.

"Absolutely honey." She smiled and pulled it out of the case.

"Bigger than it looked." I nodded.

"This is a 1/2 ct Round Cut in 14kt gold." She nodded.

"Classy, elegant, reliable. Sounds like Kelsey to me." I shrugged.

"My wallet is crying." Jake nodded.

"How much do you think this one is dear?" She laughed.

"That's gotta be at least 1200." He shook his head.

"Oh no baby. Not even close. Lower." She nodded. "It's actually 600."

He took a deep breath. "Please say you have it in a 6.5" He pursed his lips.

She took the ring out of the box and checked the band. "This one." She smiled.

He looked over at me and raised his eyebrows.

"Go big or go home." I nodded.

He smiled. "I'll take it." He nodded.

"I'll tell you what. Since that is the best way I've ever seen someone pick a ring, and since I'm nosey and heard that entire conversation about how you feel about your lady, I'm going to give you 30% off." She smiled.

"Oh I love you." He shook his head.

He bought Kelsey's perfect ring, we got something to eat and headed home.

"When are you doing it?" I looked over at him just as we pulled in to the driveway.

"Next weekend. After she gets home from vacation with her parents Sunday. So this week, is for the boys. But, I am going to go over and say goodbye before they leave, so take this inside with you. Do not let them break it." He nodded.

"Got it." I nodded.

I got out of his truck. He left, and I went inside.

Oaken was no where to be found, but Connor was sprawled out on the couch.

"Where's your boyfriend?" I plopped down on the love seat.

"Home I guess?" He rolled his eyes.

"You guys spend every sunday together?" I gave him a look.

"We're fighting." He shook his head.

"What? You guys don't fight." I shook my head. "Ever."

"Well, we are today." He nodded.

"Over what?"

"You." He sat up.

"Wait, huh?" I scrunched my face.

He nodded. "Last thing he said before he left was 'I am letting go of the little girl we want to see her as, and I'm going to come to terms that she is a woman, and I suggest you do the fucking same!' So, there's that."

Now, I'm praying this was after I said something about him not defending me.

"And when was this?" I pursed my lips.

"I don't know, like, 10 minutes after you guys left."

Fuck.

"He's not wrong." I shook my head.

"I know." He sighed.

"Wait, really?" My head shot toward him.

"You're not a baby anymore Liv." He shook his head. "I'm not a dumb ass, I know I'm not the greatest guy when it comes to girls. But I'm dead terrified that you are going to run in to a guy like me."

"Do you not see the problem with that?" I shook my head.

"Do we need to have the Oaken and I conversation at the cabin." He gave me a look.

"No." I pursed my lips. "Not a good guy, hurts people, defense mechanism, wish you could be the guy I want you to be. Your problem." I nodded.

"So shut up." He nodded. "I just, I don't even want to think about a guy touching you, or looking at you like that, or you even dating, because, I'm not ready to lose you." He shook his head.

"Connor you are never going to lose me." I shook my head. "I am always and forever will be your sister before anything. A boyfriend is not going to change that."

"I'm not ready for you to stop being little Ol. You're always going to be little to me. But, you're a woman. Can you just, maybe hold off on the womanly things for a while. Until I can actually come to terms with you." He took a deep breath. "Seeing someone." He rolled his eyes.

With him acting like this, and actually talking to me instead of screaming, I so badly wanted to tell him everything. About Cam, the past, Mason. But, I knew if he found out that I had already done womanly things, it would break his heart. I never knew he thought any of this.

So, I sighed. "Yes." I nodded and walked over to sit next to him. "Thank you, for finally realizing this." I hugged him.

"I just love you Ol." He shook his head and hugged me back. "But, thank Mason. Not me."

I nodded. "I am going to go talk to him, and then bring him back over here, you two can talk while I try to tan my own butt."

"Please, don't talk about tanning or tan lines anymore." He shook his head.

"Deal." I nodded.

I stood up, and headed over through the back yard to Mason's.

I walked through the back gate, and he was there juggling a soccer ball.

He noticed me walk in and kicked it in to the net as I closed the gate behind me.

"Parents home?"

He shook his head. "Getting lunch with yours before the dads leave." He nodded.

I pursed my lips and looked down. "I owe you an apology." I nodded.

"For." He crossed his arms.

I sighed. "Because you did defend me."

"So he told you." He nodded.

"He did, and when it happened. Before you messaged me." I walked over to him. "You two don't fight." I shook my head.

"Trust me Ol. I know. And You, don't ever give me the benefit of the doubt." He shook his head. "Even after last night, you don't realize how important you are to me."

"Yes Mason, I do." I nodded.

"'I know he's more imprortant to you.' No Olivia, you really don't. You are both so damn important to me. But what did you expect me to do, look him in his face and yell 'don't talk to my girlfriend like that' then have him punch me in the face? I'm sorry, but I'd rather sit down and talk instead of say something because I'm pissed off."

"Girlfriend." I pursed my lips.

"You know what I meant." He rolled his eyes.

"You were pissed off?" I scrunched my face.

"Yeah, at both of you. I'm over Pate Death Match. You need to stop making stupid comments, and he needs to give it a rest with the overbaring brother bullshit, which is exactly what I told him."

"Yeah, apparently I owe you a thank you." I nodded.

"For what?" He shook his head.

"Because apparently I'm not little anymore." I shook my head. "I'm a woman. And I guess I'm supposed to hold of on womanly things, until he can come to terms with the fact that I'll be seeing people."

"He said that?" He gave me a look.

I nodded. "And for the first time ever, Connor Pate said someone other than himself wasn't wrong." I shrugged. "What did you say to him."

"He said you were delusional if you thought he was going to mind his own business. I told him you weren't because you're to the point where you don't care what any of us says or does. He said I was taking your side. I said I was taking Jakes because Jake is right, he should have his own life. I'm the one who has to deal with Pate Death Match, that you're not the same Olivia you were when we left, and that we should mind our own business unless we're asked to get involved. He screamed that I was on your side again. I said fine, that I was and that him clinging and holding on to what he wants you to be was going to make you resent him and hate him in the future, asked him if he wanted you to hate him. He said he kind of hated me. I said good, but I was done with you being mad at me because of him trying to father you, and that I was letting go of the little girl I used to see and realizing you are a woman and that he should do the same."

I took a deep breath. "You really did defend me." I nodded.

"Believe it or not, I have always defended you when it was deserved. The night of the smashed controller, I'm the one who told Connor he was taking it to far."

"Mason I'm sorry." I shook my head.

"Whatever Olivia." He rolled his eyes and went to get his ball out of the net. He picked it up and started juggling again. "Is that all you came over here for?"

"Talk to me please." I nodded.

"Why, you wouldn't talk to me earlier when I tried to tell you all of that. What makes now any different?" He shook his head and continued to bounce the ball off his knees and feet.

"Because someone we both love is in my house sulking because his boyfriend isn't hanging out with him on their day."

"So I take your side on something, and you think he want's to hang out with me?" He rolled his eyes. "I know Connor Pate better than anyone."

I sighed. Swiped my foot over his just before the ball dropped, kicked it up to my knee, bounced it up, and kicked it in to the net. "Better than anyone other than me."

"Well, that was hott." He pursed his lips. "Where did you learn to do that?"

"Connor, two years ago. Mason Dean Hollow, you can be pissed at me all you want. But you are going to get your ass over to my house, and hang out with your boyfriend who admitted that you were right for once, and you and I will finish talking later if you are still pissed. But I am not going to stand here and let you be mad at your bestfriend because of me! Now go!" I yelled and pointed toward the gate.

He raised his eyebrows and smirked. "Yes ma'am." He nodded.

"Thank you." I shook my head and started walking toward the gate. But he grabbed my hand and pulled me back.

"You, are both important to me." He shook his head. "Don't make me choose between the two of you again."

I sighed. I nodded.

He leaned down and kissed me. "But fuck, I love it when you're bossy." He smirked. He let go, and walked through the gate and in to my back door.

I followed, we got to my living room. He crossed his arms and looked at Connor.

Connor pursed his lips. "I'm sorry." He shook his head.

Mason smiled. "I love you." He nodded.

And this man literally dove on top of my brother.

"Don't ever leave me like that again bitch." Connor squeezed him.

"Don't call me bitch bitch." Mason squeezed back.

"Are we sure they're not gay?" I heard from the door way.

Amber and Oaken were standing there.

I shook my head. "I'll explain." I rolled my eyes.

The three of us went upstairs, I called Abby, who was still with Ryan, and explained why they were fighting. Just left out the coupleish parts. Ryan then called Ben. But, we're leaving Josh alone tonight. I'll tell him tomorrow.

Amber helped me tan my butt, and Oaken, Amber and I spent the day in the back yard while Connor and Mason made up.

We said goodbye to the dads.

Had dinner.

I headed up to bed.

Longest fucking Sunday. Ever.