Mason had known Lia since she was ten. He first saw her while waiting for Walker after school. Lia was standing nearby, a huge backpack over her shoulders and a quiet smile that, for some reason, stuck in his mind.
When he asked Walker who she was, he explained she was his sister. From then on, Mason started seeing her at every family gathering, during breaks, at birthdays, and on afternoons spent at Walker’s house. Over time, Lia stopped being just his best friend's sister. She became someone important to him.
As they grew up, Mason and Lia became very close. They texted about everything, shared movies, songs, and secrets they didn't tell anyone else. To Lia, Mason was one of her lifelong friends—someone reliable and fun who had been part of her life since she was a kid. But for Mason, everything was more complicated.
He had been in love with her for years.
Mason was seventeen now, same as Walker, and Lia was sixteen. Even though Mason kept his feelings hidden, it became harder and harder to pretend it didn't bother him to see her with Lukas Urkijo.
Lia had a boyfriend, and Mason tried to respect that. However, Lukas didn't treat her well. He made her feel guilty for talking to other people, got angry over small things, and made Lia doubt herself. Many times she ended up saying she was overreacting or that it wasn't that serious, even though it was clear she didn't feel as at peace as she used to.
Mason didn't want to force her to make choices or take advantage of the fact that she was going through a rough patch. He just wanted Lia to understand that she deserved much better than feeling bad because of someone who claimed to love her.
Whenever she arrived with tired eyes or seemed distant, Mason stayed close. He didn't need grand gestures; sometimes it was enough to just be there, make her laugh, or remind her that she didn't have to change for someone to love her.
Mason knew Lia didn't see him as anything more than a friend yet. He also knew he couldn't expect her to feel the same just because he had loved her for so many years.
Even so, Mason was willing to wait for her. For as long as she needed. Not because he wanted Lia to feel forced to choose him, but because for him, loving her meant respecting her timing, supporting her from wherever she allowed him to, and continuing to be there until she could truly be happy.