Deadly Hallows [Complete]

Chapter 22: Marked

My knuckles rapped against the door or the second time as I stood out front of Mason's house. I hadn't been waiting long, only about five minutes or so, but normally when he knew that I was coming over he would answer the door not even seconds after I knocked. It seemed like he was always waiting impatiently for me to arrive, other than the one day that he hadn't gotten here until after I had. I sighed, pulling my phone from my pocket to give him a call in case he hadn't heard the door, or had been taking a nap or something. As soon as I had unlocked my phone, the door in front of me was pulled open to reveal Mr. Peters. 

"Hello, Casey. Come on in," he said, waving me inside with a smile on his face. His blonde hair was wet and sticking up in all directions. He was dressed in a pair of plaid pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt that was spotted with water droplets. He had probably just gotten out of the shower, but that didn't explain where Mason was and why he hadn't answered the door.

I forced a smile back at him, suddenly nervous around him after knowing about his relationship with my mom. I didn't want to let him know that I knew, or accidentally blurt it out to him before my mom had the chance to talk to him. Now I'd really have to watch myself around Mason's family when I got nervous, because when I got nervous I talked and wouldn't stop. I slipped passed him and into the foyer. "Hey Mr. Peters," I spoke, glancing away from him. "Is Mason around?"

Mr. Peters pushed the door shut, not noticing my odd behavior, as he nodded. "Yeah, I think he's up in his room. You can go on up." 

"Thanks," I replied, turning instantly and heading up the steps. I didn't want to converse with him any longer than was necessary. I know that it takes two to tango, but it was hard not to judge him for going behind his wife's back, and sleeping with my mom. My poor dad, he still had no idea, and my mom had made it clear that she didn't want him to know. While I didn't like my mother keeping it a secret, and committing the act in the first place, it was much easier to hate Mr. Peters than it was my mother. I hadn't grown up with him as my parent, and no matter what my mom did I'd always forgive her because I knew she loved me.

As I reached the top of the steps, Mr. Peters called to me, "Casey?" I looked back to see his smirking face. I tilted my head in slight confusion, what would he have to smirk about? As soon as my gaze met his, he said, "Make sure you two leave the door open."

I smiled and nodded before I headed toward Mason's room. From how he spoke so casually to me, it was obvious that my mom hadn't spoken to him yet and told him that Mason and I knew about their affair. Otherwise he probably wouldn't have been so friendly with me, in fact he probably would have been tense and on edge because of what I knew. He also could probably tell that there was more going on between Mason and I than a project if he was telling me to keep the door open. Hopefully he thought we were dating like everyone else seemed to. Maybe that was it, and he had heard the rumors of our relationship going through town, and thought we were going to make out. While I would like to, a murder was more important than a love life.

When I reached Mason's door, it was pushed shut. I knocked lightly, waiting for him to say come in. When he did, I pushed the door open to see him sprawled out across his floor with pictures and scrapbooks spread out around him. I recognized Sophie's baby book that I had seen in her room the day we had found her laptop under her bed.

"Hey," Mason said, looking up and giving me a heart warming smile as I entered. 

"Hey," I said back. "Feeling nostalgic?" I walked over and placed my bag down on his bed. 

He sat up and nodded at me. "I've been feeling that way a lot lately."

"That makes sense." I kneeled down in an empty spot next to him and scanned over the pictures. My gaze landed on a picture of Sophie from when she was about four or five years old. She had her hair in high pig tails on either side of her head, and was smiling so hard at the camera that her eyes were closed. She was missing one tooth, and that tooth was held high, pinched between her tiny fingers. "She was so cute," I mused.