Wild and Free

Chapter 32: A Phone Call Away

(Mason's POV)

I couldn't stop thinking about what she said.

After the rather abrupt end to our conversation, I realized that Auden hadn't been out of that room in more than a day. If she was antsy at all, she didn't show it but I still felt really bad for not thinking about it sooner. So, I led Auden down to the dining hall, trying my best to ignore the stares that were pointed in the girl's direction.

It seemed like it was harder for me than it was for her. She didn't seem as embarrassed or even acknowledge the looks as people passed. In fact she seemed more nervous than she did fazed by the attention.

I knit my brows, stopping and turning to face her just before we went through the dining hall doors, "Why do you look so nervous?"

She shook her head, "I'm not."

I shot her an unconvinced look, "I don't believe you."

She rolled her eyes at my response, "Fine, maybe I'm a little nervous."

"You have no reason to be," I told her.

"Well can you really blame me?" she asked. "I don't belong here, I'm not like you guys."

"Well neither are Cassie or Holden," I insisted, gesturing to the door that our friends were most definitely behind.

"True but they are with Riley and your sister," she fired back. "I'm just the friend that doesn't belong anywhere. You can't look me in the eyes and say that you aren't breaking any rule by having me here or that you won't get in trouble for telling me."

I opened my mouth but I didn't have a reply. I looked away ashamed.

"Exactly," she said, folding her arms defensively. "I should probably get home. Just tell Cassie-"

She didn't get the chance to finish her sentence before the door next to us burst open. Auden yelped as it knocked into her and sent her to the floor.

"Shit," Riley cursed, stepping through the door. He bent down and held out a hand to Auden, helping her back to her feet.

She brushed herself off and looked up at Riley's guilty face, "I'm so sorry, I did not know you were standing there. Kenz said she saw a vision of you awake and I heard Mason's voice so we came to see," he rambled. "Are you okay?"

Auden nodded, "Yeah I'm alright," she said but there was that thing in her voice that threw me off. It was something that gave her away every time that she lied. I didn't always call her out on it but that didn't mean I didn't notice.

She opened her mouth to say something but was stopped again when a blur of blonde hair nearly tackled her back to the ground.

"OhmygodI'msogladyou'reokay!" Cassie squealed as one singular word, holding her best friend in an airtight embrace.

Auden froze for a second but recovered from her shock quickly and wrapped her arms around her friend. When they pulled back Cassie's green eyes were watery, tears threatening to spill.

Kenzie broke their small awkward moment and reached for Auden for a hug of her own. When they were done Greyson, Holden, and Riley exchanged greetings and hugs with the girl too. Everyone was happy to see that she was awake and okay.

"You had us all so worried," Cassie whispered.

Auden looked down at the floor, avoiding her gaze, "It wasn't my intention. I just needed to get away from everything."

"But why?" Cassie knit her brows.

Auden was silent, as if she was suddenly aware of the open doors of the dining hall. People were peeking around the frame, looking at our weird little group. You could both hear and see the people whispering and the attention we were getting was a lot more than in the hallways. It was there that I saw that glimmer of shyness in her that I had expected to see so much earlier. But it was wiped away as quickly as it had come.