Accused (Hunted book 2)

Chapter 13

I wasn't sure what was going to happen between Mason and Riley. I really hoped he hadn't caught the window because of what I had told him; I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I was the reason they had broken up.

I hadn't thought that Riley would come to school on Friday, but she did. I wished she and Mason had made up overnight but I wasn't that lucky. She gave me a strained smile as she passed me on her way to her locker. She probably blamed me for not telling her about Mason. He probably also blamed me. They weren't wrong; I blamed me, too.

Mason arrived at school a little bit after Riley. To my surprise, he walked right up to her. They looked around and then walked out to the courtyard together.

When I got to the end of the hallway, they were sitting at the picnic table. I peered out the window. They were talking so quietly that I couldn't hear them, so I opened the door a crack.

They both flinched at the tiny sound the door made as it came open. They seemed a bit jumpy.

As I was no longer able to covertly observe them, I walked cautiously over. "Hey."

"Hi," Riley mumbled.

Mason grunted in a way that could have been a greeting; I wasn't sure.

"Um, how's it going?" I asked tentatively.

Mason sighed. "Can you just leave us alone?"

"We don't need any more of your help," Riley said bitterly.

"I wasn't trying to—"

Mason looked at me pleadingly.

I sighed and headed reluctantly back towards the Myers Building. "Bye."

I sat down inside the door, leaning against the window. I left it ajar so that I could hear them. Again with the eavesdropping. What is wrong with me?

"I don't know, Mason." Riley stared at the table.

Mason took her hand in both of his, but she pulled away. "You can't be serious." He sounded more upset than angry, like he hoped she wasn't serious rather than telling her she couldn't be.

"I am. I don't want this. I don't want you." Her voice was small, but firm.

"Please." He tried to take her hand again. "I didn't choose this. That can't be your only reason."

"It's not my reason. My reason is that you lied to me!"

Mason stared at the ground. "I thought you would dump me if you knew." He met her gaze again. "What's your excuse?"

"Excuse me?!"

"You lied too! So get off your high horse and come stand down here with me."

"I never lied! I just...didn't tell you." Riley flushed.

"Well, why not? You think I would have cared if you'd told me?"

"I don't know."

"I wouldn't have! But the fact that you kept it from me makes me wonder why."

Riley didn't respond. She stared at him despondently.

"Would you kill me?"

Her eyes widened.

"Would you?" Mason's expression was desperate. He needed her to say no.

"I would never! I never wanted to hurt anyone."

"You're hurting me."

"Well, I...I can't...It's just...You..." She put her head in her hands.

He pulled her hands gently from her face and took them in his. This time, she didn't pull away. "I know. It's hard for me, too. But I want you to know, I'm here for you."