My Brother's Friend

Chapter Twenty

Author's Note: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR OVER 800 READS!!!What the what?! Yep... I hope you guys liked the last chapter because although it was pretty short I finally got to what I've been planning for a while! So yeah how are we gonna deal with this? By the way if your thinking the drama behind this part is because of Raina's sexuality, it isn't. It's more about how their friendship is affected knowing her best friend is in love with her. I am in no way a homophobe and neither is Emma or Mason for that matter. So yeah that's all I really have to say, so ENJOY!

xoxo, Rosie

(Extra author's note at the end)

- - -

Secrets

Mason's POV

"Where's Emma?" Luke asks while we wait in the dinner line.

"With Raina," Kyle's voice says from behind me. Luke and I both turn to look at him.

I frown at him. We haven't talked since... the incident. "Yeah actually. How'd you know?" I ask.

He gives me that dumb smirk, "I know many things Mason Styles."

"What does that mean?" Luke asks for me.

"Oh nothing," Kyle says blandly, inspecting his nails. God this guy pisses me off. I can still hear him saying Emma was easy, see him touching her. I want to beat him up all over again. Why is it that Emma has so easily forgiven him? Because you were stupid and beat him up. If you had just let it be after she slapped him, you wouldn't be in this position.

"Care to elaborate?" I ask, gritting my teeth.

"You know-" he says, completely ignoring my question, "I am extremely good at listening and sometimes you'd be shocked at what you find out if you just watch and listen."

Confused I look at Luke. He looks equally dumb founded. "We don't speak freak Kyle. Explain?" I say.

"Nah, you'll just have to ask Emma yourself. Now go forward, the line shifted."

- - -

Emma's POV

"Raina I-" I say, my mind spinning.

"No please Emma, let me explain." I nod feeling oddly numb. "I knew from the moment I saw you that you were the prettiest girl I'd ever seen." I swallow and wrap my arms around myself trying to calm the chills I'm feeling. "And well it would take a fool not to see how much you cared for Mason, so I knew I never had a chance."

"Raina," I whisper her name again.

She licks her lips before continuing, "I felt jealous, and stupid, and so god damn confused because although I'd never liked guys before I never felt this way about a girl. You're so... you're so different Emma. Gorgeous, smart, funny, and kind. You immediately made me your friend and I decided to just be content with that."

Raina looks down at her hands in her lap. I notice she has bitten her nails down to the quick. "So when you admitted that you were in love with Mason-" I feel so stupid and embarrassed. The girl who's in love with me knows that I love someone else and he doesn't even know himself. How fucking ironic? "naturally I was crushed, so I threw myself into trying to be supportive. I vowed to myself that I wouldn't tell you how I felt. And I probably wouldn't have if it weren't for Kyle."

"Kyle?" I ask.

She nods. "When he came back from the hospital after Mason-"

"I know what happened Raina," I say to stop her from elaborating. It's not exactly something I wish to reminisce over. "Get to what Kyle has to do with all of this."

"Are you mad at me?" Raina asks, her voice cracking.

"Mad at you?" I say, surprised. "No. Oh my gosh of course not. I just... I need to understand."

She nods, relief evident on her face. "Well when Kyle came back to you guys together again we both I don't know... watched from afar. And when he saw the way I looked at you, he confronted me."

I feel sick. Why was Kyle looking on from afar and messing with people's feelings? "He said that he had always known I looked at you different and so I admitted to him I love you. I told him about the sick joy it gave me when you and Mason were fighting and how it broke me down to see you two back together. He told me that although he wasn't in love with you he had only meant to get closer to you and felt awful for saying those rude things to you and for screwing with Mason. And then he told me that no matter what I should tell you because it was no use looking on and feeling sorry for myself when I could get rejected and move on."

I think back to the morning after he fight, when Raina woke up to find me pacing. And how after I finished telling her everything she asked, "What is it about you that attracts so much drama?" Her voice was soft and tentative.

I don't know why! I mentally scream. Why does it all have to be so complicated. I thought she was joking at the time.

"I agreed with Kyle, thinking, yeah moving on that'll be easy-peasy. But... I hadn't meant to kiss you. And I'm so sorry Emma. I'm so sorry." Big, fat tears escape her eyes and roll down her face.

"No Raina, I'm sorry." I start to sob too, pulling her into a hug without a second thought. "I should have seen it and I'm so clueless."

"It's okay, Emma, really. I'm sorry for you know... kissing you." I shake my head because I don't know what else to say. I see her eyes flick to my lips, but I just try to ignore it. This is going to take some getting used to. I'm so used to being in love with my friend, not being loved by my friend.

"Hey what's going on?" I hear behind behind us. I glance up and meet Mason's gaze and his eyes widen at the sight of the two of us crying. "Is everything okay?"

I glance at Raina. Her jaw is right and she's looking at me because we both know how this is going to end. I'm going to go back and be with Mason, no matter how much it kills me to see her hurt.

"Yeah everything is fine. Just give us a minute 'kay, Mase?" He nods and trots back to the dining hall.

"He really is a good guy," Raina says, wiping her tears away.

"Yeah, he is," I whisper. I wince as I say, "and I love him. But Raina, you are my best friend and I know that you'll find someone better for you. Preferably someone... you know... gay?" She chuckles lightly. "And I'm really sorry I couldn't be the one for you. Thank for telling me." I pull her into another hug and I can feel her breath against my shoulder. She tightens her hold on me and then releases, giving me a shaky smile. "Also I won't tell anyone... I know it isn't my place."

"Thank you," she says and I can imagine her lips on mine. The idea is so alien to me like it didn't even happen and this is all some weird dream.

And right then and there I make up my mind. If Raina can do it, I can do it.

I have to tell Mason that I love him.

A/N I'm so sorry for the short update, but I really wanted to end it here! So I hope this left questions in you guys' minds because that's what it was meant for. Lemme list them for you just in case.

1. Was Kyle's intent to help out Raina or is he trying to mess with Emma and Mason's relationship?

2. How will Emma and Raina's friendship be affected by the new discoveries?

3. What will happen when Emma proclaims her love for Mason?

Also I just wanted to add that I always follow back because if you are taking the time to read and follow my account then I am so grateful, so anyone who wants to follow me will get a follow back as soon as I can. Then hopefully when I have time in the future I can check out you guys' writing!

So yeah... thank you lovelies for reading this! Sorry again and yeah... see ya'll next chapter.