Free Hard To Love by Sabrina Ross

brakes, and we skidded down the road for what felt like forever
before the car came to a complete stop. Tears flooded my eyes as I
scrambled to get out of the car. My legs were so weak that I fell as
I got out of the car.
“What are you doing, Lauren?” Mason called out. I crawled
away from the car, crying. My body shook so bad I thought I was
going to pass out. “Lauren?” Mason knelt in front of me.
“Get away from me,” I growled and shoved him back.
He caught his balance before falling back. “What’s your
problem?” He asked.
“I almost died in a car crash, you idiot!” I shouted tears were
streaming down my cheeks now.
“I—I didn’t know,” Mason stuttered.
“How could you? You are such a self-absorbed asshole,” I
cried, stumbling to my feet, brushing off the dirt and gravel from
my pants.
“Why don’t you tell me how you really feel?” he scoffed. I
screamed in frustration and walked away. “Hey—stop. I’m sorry.
Okay. I’m sorry.” Mason tried to help me, but I shoved him away
again. I looked around once I had my wits about me again. My
house wasn’t that far from where we had stopped. A few blocks,
maybe more. I started walking away from Mason and his car.
“Lauren—where are you going? Lauren?” He called out. I
quickened my pace, hopping up the curb to the sidewalk, and made
my way home. Mason got back in his car, but he followed me
down the street, pulling up, parking and getting out. “If you won’t
get back in my car, then I will walk with you.”
“No!” I snarled.
“I’m sorry.” He jogged around me, blocking my path, but I
walked out to the road to get around him. He grabbed me and
pulled me in. “I said I was sorry.” I let him hold me, waiting for
the moment that he let go. “I didn’t know.” He held me at arm’s
length. “I swear.” His hand caressed my cheek. I closed my eyes,
concentrating on my breathing, the way my therapist suggested.
“It’s not okay,” I replied, opening my eyes as a tear trickled
down my cheek. His lips became a thin line across his handsome
face, his eyes on mine as he agreed.
    We walked the rest of the way to my house. As we approached
the front lawn of my mother’s house, I didn’t rush to get away as I
should have. I found myself waiting for him to do or say
something despite what he had done.
“Thank you for walking me home,” I said rather callously.
    “
It was the least I could do,” he replied, folding his arms across
his chest.
“Good night,” I said.
He nodded. Slowly, I turned on one heel just as he caught my
hand. I turned back but pulled my hand away.
“I want to apologize again. If I’d known—”
I interjected, “Just stop apologizing. I don’t have to like who
you are, Mason. It’s clear you have issues,” I replied, turning and
walking up the path to the front porch. It was a little harsh, I
know, but he deserved it. He needed to know that I wasn’t
someone he could walk all over, and despite what I felt for him, I
wouldn’t let him either.
When I turned around before going in the front door, I saw that
Mason was still standing there at the edge of the lawn, watching
me. I waved him off, and then slipped in through the front door.

CHAPTER FIVE
    Getting ready for the club was more of a hassle than I thought. I
had never before changed my outfits so many times in one day.
And for what or who I should say. I hated that I was drawn to
Mason’s and as much as I would hate to admit it, there were many
reasons to be attracted to Mason. His eyes were a mesmerizing
crystal blue with a hint of green that I could stare into for hours.
He had this sexy crooked smirk that made my heart skip. I was
foolish to think I had his attention and would be able to keep it.
Just thinking about him made my heart flutter and my breath catch
in my throat. I forced Mason out of my mind and turned to my
closet. I grabbed a new dress that I had not worn yet, a red midsleeve tunic pencil mini. It was