Incognito Inkäg'nēdō

- Twenty-Three -

I can't sleep.

I'm extremely exhausted from all of today's events but I just can't sleep.

The stress of the day has consumed me and every time I close my eyes I'm reminded of it all.

Mason has fallen asleep ages ago, and I wish he would have just slept up here. Having a comforting person beside me probably would have helped out a lot.

Soon after he fell asleep I put my phone on silent because Jack wouldn't stop calling and texting.

I mentally beat myself. I hate that I got myself into a situation like this.

As I roll over the door to the room creaks open slowly. I sit up as my dad walks in.

"Dad, are you okay?" I asked quietly, sure to not wake up Mason. When he comes closer my eyes pop and heart drops.

"Jack?!" I exclaimed, he quickly covers my mouth with his hand and shushes me. He grabs my hand and pulls me out of the room and into the dark hall.

"What're you doing?" I whispered aggressively. He removes his hand from mine and caresses my cheek. I take a step back but he only follows.

"I needed to see you." His eyes roam over my body and he licks his lips.

"How'd you even know I was here?"

"Where else would you have been?" He takes another step closer to me, and when I step back I hit the wall. He puts his arms on either side of me, blocking me in.

"Jack, you can't be here. Go." I try to gently push him away but he doesn't budge. "Why won't you just give me one more chance?"

"Jack, come on." I drop my hands back to my side and look up at the ceiling. "We've been over this, it's-" before I could finish what I was going to say Jack grips the back of my neck to hold me in place, then starts kissing and sucking on the side of my neck.

"Jack!" I shove him this time, and when he stumbles back I use the sleeve of my shirt to wipe away the mess on my neck. "What's your problem?" He takes a few steps back to me.

"My problem? You can't do this!" I wave my hands around. "I told you we were done. We're done, Jack. We. Are. Done."

Jack shakes his head and a small smile forms. "We're not done. We'll never be done. I love you, and I'll do whatever I have to do to get you to see that!"

"This is ridiculous. You need to go."

He grabs both sides of my cheeks and crashes his lips against mine. The taste of booze and weed invade my senses.

I shove him away again. This time he leaves without looking back.

When I go to open the door it swings open and Mason appears.

"Arden?" His sleepy voice is adorable, he rubs his eyes and opens the door wider. "I'll be right back, I gotta pee." He moves past me.

I go sit on the bed and wait for him to come back and when he does he goes straight to his little pallet.

He's so oblivious to what just happened.

"Mason?" I lean over the bed and whisper. He rolls over and hums with his eyes still closed.

"No more lies, right?" At this, he opens them and sits up. "No more lies." He says.

"Jack was here." At this, Mason jumps up, and when he goes around the bed I grab hold of his hand and pull him down. He falls on the edge, and when I don't let go of his hand he fixes himself.