Buried Wishes ✔

Chapter 42: Jumping to Conclusions

~ [Evelyn] ~

"Why are we headed back so soon? We didn't even get a chance to grab some hangover food," Harper grimaced under her hoodie and sunglasses as we made our way along the freeway.

"Well, we had our girl's night. I just kind of want to go home," I answered blandly, but she doesn't question it. She knew that I was a grumpy one when I was hung over.

The thing was... I'm not.

The only thing I'm hung over on is the truth bomb she dropped in my face last night.

So she and Mason had slept together while he and I were together. How did it happen? Should I be this upset now that I'm no longer with him? Why had Mason still wanted to be with me even though he slept with her? Is that why he's finally okay with being just friends? Because he felt guilty about it?

The questions pounded the walls of my brain as I drove the two of us back home, and while the driving calmed me, I couldn't help feeling my tears burning through my eyes every time I thought about it.

~o~

A day later, I was curled up in bed, ignoring the calls on my phone. It didn't matter that I was getting them from each of the three people who at one point or another was the most important thing to me.

I sulked in bed all day before I decided that I had to get answers from the man himself. Dragging myself out of bed, I showered and threw on clean clothes before heading out the door.

As I was driving, I received another call from Liam, and I was going to let it go to voicemail, but due to habit, I pressed the answer button on my steering wheel.

"Hello? Ev, are you home? Open the door." He sounded exhausted.

"I'm not home, Liam."

"Why weren't you picking up your phone?"

"Your senses of logic never cease to dazzle me, Saunders," I spat sarcastically, glaring at the road like I was about to set it ablaze.

"We need to talk about this, Ev. You can't just leave when you can't win an argument," he spoke calmly, but I knew he was shaken.

"Later. I have something I have to do first. Bye." I hung up.

I don't think I've ever been this cold with him, but all I had in my mind was Harper and Mason. It wasn't a matter of jealousy, because despite the history we had, I only saw him as an ex-boyfriend. A friend at best. It was the sense of betrayal that left a bitter taste in my mouth. In retrospect, I did see some clues that probably should have made a lick of sense, but it wouldn't have been enough. Because it didn't make sense. I thought they hated each other.

As I parked my car in front of his place, my phone rang again, and I had to press reject because I couldn't stand hearing it go off again. Silencing it, I slipped it into my pocket as I made my way toward Mason's front door.

I took a really deep breath before knocking on Mason's door. It wasn't until he opened his door that I realized I had been hoping for him not to be home.

"Ev? Hey, I was wondering why you checked out so soon."

"We need to talk," I said calmly as I stepped inside. My eyes landed on the couch, but I decided to stay standing so that I could leave more easily. Turning on my heel, I surprised him, making him stop abruptly in front of me with the door still open.

"What about?" He cleared his throat nervously.

"Why didn't you tell me you had slept with Harper for so long?" I tried my best to imply that I knew for how long. I needed to get answers from him, but that would only happen if he thought I knew everything.

His eyes widened at my question and I wasn't sure, but I thought I could almost see blood drain from his face. His mouth fell slack for a moment before he could find the words to respond.

"Let me explain-"

"Yes," I cut him off, "Please do."

He swallowed hard and began, "When I overheard you telling Harper about what was going on between you and Liam, I was fuming. I ran into her that night and we both were in a bad place so..."

It was just then that I realized I didn't care quite as much as I thought I did. Sure, the betrayal surprised me, but considering the fact that my feelings for Mason never grew as much, I barely felt a thing as I listened to his flimsy excuses.

"Okay," was all I could say.

"Okay? Just okay?" His dark brown eyes bore into mine with a sense of desperation I couldn't take.

"For a moment a day ago, I wondered if I made a mistake choosing to let you go, but this clears it up for me. I forgive you," I said with much hesitation, "We're friends now anyway."

Without another word, I turned on my heel and took a step out the door only to face Liam, whose eyes widened with a flare of anger.

"I kept telling myself that you wouldn't," he spoke through his teeth, "But here you are."

"What are you talking about?" I gave him a look of bewilderment.

"We have one fight and you come running back to him. How is that fair at all? Did you even care about what we had?" He had no intention of controlling his volume.

"Oh, my god," I sighed as I ran my fingers through my long brown locks. "Can you just stop jumping to conclusions? Why are you like this?"

"You didn't respond to any of my calls or messages and now I find you here at his place. What am I supposed to think?" He was practically yelling in my face.

"You're supposed to investigate, you ass! You're supposed to ask questions and get answers instead of filling in the blanks, yourself," I yelled back, infuriated.

"I think the blanks filled themselves!" His eyebrows were smashed together and his frown deepened.

I felt the tears burn through my eyes and leak at the corners, streaking down my face one by one. Knees trembling, lips quivering, I pushed past him and found it hard to believe that I was able to run to my car. Ignoring Liam's calls behind me, I got in and started the engine. The blasting music drowned my ears as I bawled shamelessly during the drive.

I turned into the first place I could find where I could be alone.

As I sat in my parked car in the middle of an empty parking lot, I tried my best to ignore the air conditioner, which blew wind cold enough to almost freeze the salty wetness on my cheeks.

I must have sat there for an eternity, because when I finally looked out the windows, the sun was just about to set. Deciding that it would be best if I headed home, I put the gear in drive and glided out of the parking lot.

Lifting myself step by step up the stairs to my floor, I realized how tired I actually was. I hadn't eaten since yesterday and all I had today was a glass of water at most. My vision blurred as I dragged my hand along the wall to keep myself steady.

"Evelyn? Are you alright?" I heard a warm voice beside me.

"Yeah," I answered gently, "Just tired." I looked at the hand that was helping me stand up straight and my eyes traced it up to her eyes. My mother's eyes. I immediately pulled my arm away from her, rushing to unlock the door.

"Evelyn, wait!" She pleaded, "Just talk to me, please!"

I quickly opened the door, but before I could slam it in her face, I felt all the light leave my eyes and all the energy leave my body.

Thump.