Chapter 20
What. Just. Happened?
(Olivia)
After I ran away like a scared little girl this morning, I wasn’t surprised when Mason didn’t show up in class that first hour. When he didn’t reappear for second hour, or lunch, or any class at all, I started to panic. It was stupid to take off like that, I chide myself as I race for the Jeep. I have to explain that I was just overwhelmed, confused. Between last night and this morning, I needed some time to think and sort out the jumble of emotions I was feeling.
Mason will understand that, right?
I stumble to a stop when I get to the Jeep and find it empty. Evie comes up behind me with a scowl.
“Thanks for making me walk to school this morning.”
Her prissy, snotty schoolgirl attitude doesn’t have the effect on me she was hoping for. “Where’s Mason?” I demand.
Evie stares at me like I’m crazy. “How would I know? You two usually head out here together. What, you haven’t seen him?”
“No! He’s been gone all day. He didn’t come to any classes.”
“Serves you right,” Evie snaps. “Next time the guy of your dreams kisses you, you might want to try for excited rather than running off like a lunatic.”
Scowling back at her, I say, “It was kind of a lot to take in at once, and you barging in and sticking your nose in our business certainly didn’t help.”
Evie cocks one eyebrow at me and puts her hands on her hips. “Look, it’s your own fault that you’re way too dense to figure out that Mason was in love with you all these years. I think everyone else realized it! It’s your own fault, too, that instead of falling into his arms when you finally woke up, you ran away like a rabbit from an angry farmer.”
Spinning on her heel, Evie waves at Aaron and tells him to wait for her, even though she knows Dad would be pissed. Before bailing, she turns back around and says, “You know, I was really happy for you this morning, but now maybe I’m thinking that Mason could do better if this is how you’re going to act about it.”
Evie flips her hair over her shoulder and stomps over to the waiting Aaron. I am left staring at her backside in shock. She acts like I just doomed myself to being alone for the rest of my life! I just needed some time to think, for crying out loud! Is that so shocking? I certainly wasn’t expecting to find myself making out with Mason in the bathroom this morning. My whole world feels like it’s been stood on its head. It’s felt like that since the day Robin showed up, but this morning was the real kicker.
She’s wrong, I tell myself as I climb into the Jeep. What does she know about something like this? Panic sets in as I realize my little sister knows way more about relationships than I do. I think just about everyone knows more about relationships than I do. The Jeep barrels down the street to the house.
I can’t even begin to describe the strange feeling that settles over me when I pull into the driveway and spot Robin’s sedan next to the curb. What is she doing here? I tear my seatbelt off and scurry into the house. As I round the corner, I almost collide with Mom on her way out of the kitchen.
“Olivia!” she gasps. “Slow down! What on earth are you in such a hurry about?”
“Have you seen Mason?”
Mom chuckles, “Technically, no, but he just let me know he was home.”
I start to run off, up the stairs to his room. My mom’s voice stops me.
“He’s only going to be here for a few minutes, though. He said he and Robin were going out.”
“Where?”
Mom shrugs. “He just said they wanted to hang out for a while.”
I try to take off again, but Mom grabs my arm. “Olivia, I hope you don’t think I was completely blind to whatever was going on this morning between the three of you.”
“Mom,” I groan.
“I’m serious, Olivia. I know your Dad talked to you about life after high school with Mason, but don’t think those same issues don’t exist right now.” She looks at me sharply. “Don’t think that because your father isn’t here right now you can get away with things. We will all be having a serious discussion about this when he gets home.”
“Fine,” I say, more intent on finding Mason right now than worrying about a lecture from Dad.
This time when I stalk away from her, she doesn’t stop me. I hurry up the stairs to Mason’s room. I try not to burst in like a lunatic, but the door still swings open rather abruptly. I’m caught off guard when I find myself in an empty room. Where is he?
I head back down the stairs, wondering if they went out back for some reason. Before I make it to the bottom, Mason and Robin emerge from the basement. “Mason,” I call out.
He looks up at me, but instead of excitement in his eyes, I am startled by the pain etched into his features. I reach the bottom of the stairs and slow down. Did something happen? Why wouldn’t Mom tell me?
“Mason, what’s wrong?”
His jaw clenches. “Sorry, Olivia. Robin and I were just on our way out.”
“But, wait! We need to talk.”
“I can’t. Not right now. I’ll be back later,” he says as if the words are hurting him.
“If something’s wrong …” I say, reaching for him.
Mason pulls away from me slowly. “Everything’s fine,” he lies and turns away.
I start to say something more, but I choke on my words when Mason reaches for Robin’s hand. She slips her hand into his without looking at me, but I can see the corner of her mouth twitch. Robin’s eyes travel up to Mason’s. Something seems to pass between them, but I can only see half of Robin’s face and it makes no sense.
As the door closes behind them, I sink down to the stairs. My head thunks against the railing painfully, but I barely notice it. What. Just. Happened?
Mom walks out of the kitchen, but slows when she sees me. “Olivia, is everything okay?”
All I can do is shake my head back and forth slowly. Mom’s mouth turns down in concern. “What happened?”
“I don’t know.” Tears begin welling at the back of my eyes. I don’t want to cry in front of my mom, but I don’t know if I can help it.
“Olivia, honey, you’re making me worry. Why are you so upset?”
She tries to take my hand, but it makes me think of Mason holding Robin’s and I snatch it away from her and stand up. “I don’t think we’ll be needing that talk with Dad anymore,” I say slowly.
“Why not?” Mom asks.
“Because Mason just walked out the door holding Robin’s hand.”
Mom stares at me, confused. Well, she can join the club. Pushing past her, I mumble something about needing to leave and bolt for the Jeep. I don’t know if she follows me. I don’t look back. If I look back I’ll want to curl up in her arms like I used to when I was little and tell her everything, tell how I finally admitted to myself how much I love Mason, how I ran because I was scared, how I may have lost him for good.
I can’t tell her all of that, so I drive.
And drive.
I’m not even sure when I stop driving. At some point I just realize that the Jeep is no longer running and take my hands off the wheel. The last time I cried was after Mason told me he thought the Sentinels were going to come back for him and kill him. The last time before that, I can’t even remember.
The thought of Mason dying was terrifying. The thought of losing him because I was too scared to love him cuts deep into my heart. Tears start running down my cheeks in sheets. My shoulders shake uncontrollably as I feel my heart breaking.
A sharp rapping on my window yanks my face out of my hands in fear. I look up, tearstained, broken, right into the startled gaze of Hayden Benton.
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