Forest Lake

Chapter 15

Emma POV

I was finally back in my brother’s arms.

I couldn’t stop the tears falling on my cheek. I couldn’t stop the thoughts running through my mind.

Why would dad do this? Why would he lie? Why would he separate us? Did mom know? Did she have something to do with it as well? But why? Why?

Mason’s grip on me was a little bit too tight, but I didn’t really care. I needed him to hold me. I needed this.

His sobbing stopped, but he didn’t let me go. I could feel him tense up. I wanted to talk to him and ask him to tell me what was on his mind, but I couldn’t. I was so afraid that he would suddenly change his mind and push me away.

We stayed like that for I don’t even know how long. The tears stopped falling from my eyes, and the thoughts disappeared from my mind.

I felt empty.

“I am going to kill him.” Mason mumbled suddenly.

“Mason…” I started saying softly, but he interrupted me.

“No, Emma.” he said angrily, raising his head. “He took you away from me. I am going to rip him to pieces.”

I tensed up. It was a good thing that we were far away from our dad because, by the look on Mason’s face, I had no doubt that he would do it.

I raised my hand slowly and cupped his cheek. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“I am sorry he did that to you.” I said quietly.

He opened his eyes and looked at me with so much pain that I almost started crying again.

“He did it to you too.” he said quietly. “I hurt you as well. I was a complete idiot. I was mean and cold, and I am so fucking sorry for that, Emma.”

“It’s okay.” I said quietly. “I understand why you did it.”

“It’s not okay.” Mason mumbled, leaning his head on my shoulder. “I should have talked to you sooner. I should have asked you what happened. I should have called you nine years ago. I should have never trusted dad. I can’t believe I trusted him over you.”

My heart clenched painfully. I wished I could take away his pain. I wish none of it ever happened. I wished we grew up together like we were supposed to.

“You were a kid, Mason.” I said, running my fingers through his hair. “You believed dad because you had no reason to doubt him.”

“Why are you defending him?” Mason asked angrily as he raised his head to look at me.

“I’m not.” I shook my head. “What he did was horrible. I’m just trying to say that it wasn’t your fault.”

Mason studied my face for a second. I gave him a small smile. It really wasn’t his fault.

“I missed you.” he mumbled quietly.

“I missed you too.” I said and hugged him tightly.

He returned the hug, wrapping his arms around me as tightly as he could, making me chuckle.

“There are so many things I want to talk to you about.” Mason said. “I want to know everything about you. I want to know everything you did for the past nine years.”

I tensed up. I didn’t really do much because I couldn’t. I was mostly at home, reading books.

“We have all the time in the world to catch up.” I said with a small smile. “But maybe we should go to the library now.”

Mason groaned and let me go. I stood up, pulling him with me.

“The guys are going to give me so much shit.” Mason mumbled, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

“Why?” I chuckled.

“They’ve been telling me to talk to you ever since you came here.” he sighed. “They were sure it was a misunderstanding, which it was.”

“Really?” I asked as I opened the door and stepped out of the room.

“Yeah.” Mason sighed. “I am never going to hear the end of it.”

“Well, you kind of deserve it.” I said teasingly.

I locked the door and turned around to see Mason roll his eyes at me. He placed an arm over my shoulders, and we started walking toward the library together.

A lot of people gave us surprised and confused looks. I guess we were going to be the hot topic again.

“Did you hear that I am your long-lost girlfriend who broke your heart?” I asked him quietly.

“Yes.” Mason chuckled. “Did you hear the one where you are my cousin, and I was mad at you because your parents stole my parents’ money?”

I chuckled and shook my head in disbelief. I actually haven’t heard that one.

“I guess some people actually noticed that we look alike.” I said looking around the hallway.

“Some were even smart enough to say that you are my sister.” Mason chuckled as we stopped in front of the library.

He opened the door, and he let me walk in first. I looked around and saw Hazel, Chris, and Jax sitting at one of the tables in the back of the library.

Mason grunted and I chuckled. Mason put his arm back around my shoulders, and we walked over to our friends together.

The three of them looked up as soon as they heard us coming. Chris and Jax grinned from ear to ear. Hazel looked at us shocked and confused.

“Well, well, well.” Jax said, rubbing his hands together. “I can’t wait to hear what happened.”

Mason and I sat down. He put his arm around me immediately. I guessed he would be clingy for a while. I didn’t mind. I am probably going to be clingy too once the fear of him pushing me away disappears completely.

I was still waiting for him to tell me to leave him alone.

“It was a misunderstanding.” Mason mumbled, glaring at his friends.

“You don’t say.” Chris laughed, leaned back on his chair, and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I wonder who has been telling you that ever since she came to the school?” Jax said, tapping his chin with his finger.

I chuckled and looked at Mason. He was rolling his eyes at his friends.

“I’m glad you worked everything out.” Hazel said, and gave us a huge smile.

I smiled back at her, and Mason nodded.

“I have so many questions.” Jax said excitedly.

“Keep them to yourself.” Mason grumbled.

“Oh, come on, man.” Jax sighed. “I’m curious.”

“I know you well enough to know that you won’t be able to keep your mouth shut.” Mason sighed, running his hand through his hair. “So ask away. But nothing about what happened. I am not ready to talk to you about that yet.”

“Fair enough.” Chris nodded, looking at Jax.

“Okay.” Jax smiled. “First question. Who is older?”

“I am.” Mason said. “By 24 minutes.”

“Cool.” Jax nodded, looking at me. “Second question. Emma, was Mason a little bitch when he was a kid? Like, did he cry a lot?”

Mason grabbed a pen from the table and threw it at Jax. The rest of us laughed.

“Hey!” Jax said, raising his hands to stop the pen from hitting him.

“You’re a little bitch.” Mason mumbled.

Jax rolled his eyes and looked at me. “So? Was he?”

“Not really.” I said, shaking my head and laughing. “He didn’t cry much.”

“Oh, man.” Jax mumbled in disappointment.

“Do you have any embarrassing stories about him?” Chris asked, raising his eyebrows and smirking.

I do. A lot of them, actually.

“Hey, he just stopped hating me.” I said, raising my hands in surrender. “I’m not going back to being hated so soon.”

Our friends chuckled, and Mason pulled me to him, kissing my temple.

I smiled and wrapped my arms around his torso.

I missed him like crazy.

This was the first time in nine years that I felt loved.