How to Kill a Man in Thirty Seconds

Chapter 40: Unease

We walked home in silence.

Thankfully, a teacher had barged in before Mason could return the favour. Adrian had been awfully quiet since I had walked out of the principal's office with an extra evening of detention. He'd attempted to take the blame but there had been too many witnesses.

Thus, his face was currently ashen and his brows furrowed.

"You shouldn't have done that," Adrian suddenly murmured.

"I wanted to."

"What happened to playing smart?"

"Sometimes you just got to live a little."

Silence reigned.

"Charley," he said suddenly and halted. He stood there, fidgeting, "Why did you do that?"

"Cos his face annoys me."

He stared at me for a moment, his gaze searching my eyes as if trying to read me.

"Is that it?" he asked finally.

"His voice too."

"Charley." He sounded impatient. Frustration had edged into his voice.

A moment passed before I sighed. "Look," I said finally, "I don't know why he said all that, and I don't care. It doesn't give him the right to walk over you like that."

"Charley," Adrian's eyes shut as if he was in pain. When he opened them, he sounded resigned, "I'm thankful that you've got my back. I really am. But whatever Mason has against me is between me and him. You don't know him like I do. I want you to stay out of it."

"I can't."

"You will."

"I won't."

"You must!" Adrian cried loudly, "Mason doesn't just kid around, Charley! When he decides he doesn't like somebody, he will do whatever it takes to make their life a living hell. And the longer you fight back, the worse it will get. I can handle him. You need to stay out of it."

Logic told me I must agree. "I can help," I argued.

"No. You can't. You won't stand a chance against him. Just stop... stop trying to get your way for once. And take three steps back and realize how idiotic you're being right now. You have no idea what you're up against!"

"You're right!" I cried loudly, throwing my hands in the air, frustrated, "I have no idea, Adrian! I don't know why Mason hates you. I don't know why you're so afraid of him. But what scares me the most is how he knows so much about you that I have no freaking clue about!"

Adrian opened his mouth to argue but I cut him off instantly, "And don't tell me it's all in the past because it's not. It's clearly not. You think I haven't noticed how... odd you act sometimes? Or how you say the strangest things but don't bother explaining?"

Adrian flinched at the words but I was angry, "I was willing to get past all that, because... because I like hanging out with you, you idiot! But you know what? Back there, I could barely recognize you. I've never seen you that terrified. And the fact that a single person from your past is all it takes, is just wrong. On so many levels."

I swallowed, "I'm okay with not knowing. But for god's sakes, save me the grace of staying silent like an idiot when someone's being a jackass to you."

Guilt had washed over Adrian's face as my words drew to an end, some other emotion- something rawer I couldn't quite discern- filling his face.

"Charley," he started, and guilt filled his voice, but I stepped abruptly away.