Violet
~ ~ ~
"You really think so?"
He hums in response. "I do. And I know that there is a big bird's nest right outside of that rusty entrance."
"Really?" I gasp in excitement, ignoring what feels to be a hundred pairs of eyes on us.
"I can show you it later," he whispers, a tiny grin on his face.
I finally surrender and turn my head towards everyone who pretends not to be watching us but secretly are.
Mason came back to the underground again today.
He said he's going crazy at not seeing me and at the thought of Carter returning. He's being extremely stupid coming down here and at risk of someone trying to kill him, but he doesn't seem to mind.
Cash scolded everyone to leave us two alone, but I know that he's even keeping an eye on us. Nobody trusts him yet, and I'm fine with that. I know it takes a lot to trust your main enemy, and only having to do it because he's in love with someone on your team.
But I trust Mason with my whole heart.
We're in the corner of the gym, sitting on the bench close to each other.
"How can you stand this place?" He asks.
I giggle. "There's good people here. And I need to train, which you are rudely interrupting."
"Why don't you train with me?" His voice comes out low.
"We can't." I shake my head. "People would freak out."
"Hm." He seems distracted by something. "That red head you love keeps staring right at me."
I drift my eyes over at Noah, which indeed, he is staring directly at Mason. He's not even trying to hide it.
"Noah!" I call out. "Come over here!"
His cheeks redden in embarrassment. He shakes his head, looking at me in disbelief.
"Or else I'll hide the apples," I mouth to him.
He groans in frustration. "Bitch," he mouths right back, nervously and slowly striding towards us.
I stand up from the bench, turning towards Mason. I only realize now that I'm hardly an inch taller than him while he's sitting down. As he stands up, I have to lift my head to maintain eye contact.
"Have I properly introduced you to Noah?" I ask, a smile on my lips.
He shakes his head right at the same time Noah stands beside me. He's looking up at Mason nervously, and in the corner of my eye I can see his hands are shaking.
I wrap my arm around his shoulders. "This is Noah, also my little annoying ass non-blood related brother. He's a technology freak."
"Shut up, Violet," he whispers, his eyes filled with fear. "I'm going to die-"
"Nice to meet you, Noah," Mason speaks lowly, his voice deep and husky. His eyes are dark, observant.
Noah doesn't reply. He can't. He's too shaky to even let a word escape his lips.
"Noah!" I whisper-shout, tightening my grip on his shoulders.
He clears his throat. "N-nice to mee-meet you-you-I mean, I already k-know-"
I drop my arm from his shoulders to lean close to his ear. "Relax, you idiot. He's not going to hurt you."
"But he's really tall and intimidating- "
I glance over at Mason to see him with his arm crossed, his tight shirt making his biceps stand out even more. His eyes darken even more, his frame muscular...
"Mason, tell him that you're not going to hurt him," I command.
His eyes soften, but he gives me a small smirk. "You know I won't."
"Stop being so...I don't know, just seem non-threatening." I blush.
"Oh, God." Noah closes his eyes, his hands even more shaky. "Let me leave, Violet. This big dude is going to kill me- "
"Stop being stupid, Noah. He's literally not going to kill you. I'm trying to make you guys become friends."
"You think I want to be friends with a crazy pyscho killer heartless guy who's our main enemy?!" He whisper-shouts.
Mason's jaw clenches, his knuckles fisting up into a ball.
"He's twice the size of both of us," Noah chokes.
"You act like you've never seen him before in your life."
"I haven't seen him this close to me!"
"Get used to it, because I actually like him now."
"I'm going to pass out."
"Collect yourself, Noah! Try to become friends with him!"
"I'm too scared."
I groan, gently pushing him away. I take a step forward and stand right against Mason at the side of him, making him look down at me with a smile. He brushes the hair out of my face as I stare at Noah with disapproval.
"See? Not so scary." I roll my eyes.
"Uh," Noah stutters, looking up at Mason, "Anyways, are you two...like..."
"No," I say. "We're friends. Right, Mason?"
He groans, wrapping his hand around my waist to pull me even closer to him.
"Right?" I tease, looking up and meeting his blue eyes.
"Better than nothing," he grumbles, his jaw clenched.
"You can go away now," I tell Noah.
"Fucking finally," he mutters under his breath before sprinting off.
I sigh as I watch him run off. "Sorry about him," I mumble. "He just finds it hard to accept that we're not trying to kill you anymore."
"I don't mind," he leans down so his mouth is next to my ear. "I'm used to it. Don't worry about it."
"Alright." I sigh, exploring my eyes around again as my heart is beating rapidly under my chest. "I want you to become friends with my friends."
He lets out an audible groan. "I'm not a people-person, Vi."
"It wasn't hard to make me like you," I reply.
His lips curve up in a smile, his eyes soft. "You're an exception. But I don't enjoy people," he grumbles.
"Please? For me?" I frown sadly.
He's silent for a few moments. After a while, he pulls back with another groan, and I know that he caved in.
"Thank you!" I smile widely, giving him a quick hug before dragging him by the hand towards Cash.
As I head towards him, Isla suddenly is standing in front of us with a wicked gleam in her eyes. "What are you doing?" She asks lowly.
"I'm making Mason become friends with my friends." I offer her a smile. "Excuse me."
She steps her foot out in front of me, staring up at Mason. "Aren't you going to introduce me, Violet?" She chuckles nervously.
I narrow my eyes, fighting the urge to say a sarcastic remark. I back up closer to Mason, feeling his thumb rub circles on the top of my hand.
"Mason, you know Isla," I mumble.
"I do," he says lowly, his voice coming out raspy.
Isla blinks a few times, and she can't hide the fear mixed with enchantment in her eyes. "It's very nice to talk to you the first time without trying to kill you, Reed."
I scoff. "Don't act like you weren't just yelling at Cash for Mason to not come back, Isla," I blurt, tilting my head.
Her cheeks redden in embarrassment. "Well, I changed my perspective."
"Is it because you can't stand the idea of me actually talking to a man without you getting involved somehow?" I furrow my eyebrows.
She scoffs, looking at me in disbelief. Mason chuckles beside me.
Before she can say another word, I tighten my grip on Mason's hand and drag him away from her, farther into the gym.
"You need to leave," I speak up, letting out a sigh.
"What?" He demands. I stop in my tracks, turning around to see the disappointment in his eyes.
"I will visit you myself," I whisper. "But you cannot be here. This is already too risky as it is."
"Fuck them, Violet. I can come see you no matter the place."
"Not here. Not in the underground." I shake my head. "Please, Mason. Please leave."
His eyes are filled with sadness. "Vi, please-"
"Everyone here is terrified of you." My eyes start to water, and I'm not sure why. I just hate the look in his eyes. "I will come to column ten when I can."
"Promise I'll see you again. Only if you want to." He frowns deeply.
"That's a dumb thing to say," I tease. "You know I love rambling to you for hours."
He smiles widely, so widely that I can see his dimples that make my heart explode.
"I'll see you later," I whisper as he gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.
~ ~ ~
"This is completely stupid! You are letting him come down to our base! Do you know how reckless that is? What if Carter finds out this is happening?!" Aiden nearly screams.
"He won't find out! He's a fucking coward and hiding from Reed," Cash replies. "Face it, Aiden. Reed is not our enemy anymore!"
"This is insane. Only because of her?! Only because he's fucking in love with her?! Violet, you need to stop seeing-"
"Do not tell her what to do!" Cash raises his voice. "She knows Reed way more than any of us do. Yeah, I don't fucking like it that he's coming down to our base. But it's not like he's going to do anything." He rolls his eyes.
"Not do anything?! Do you hear yourself? We have been trying to kill Reed for months and months, and now we suddenly just stop?! He's a fucking monster!"
"Face the fucking truth, Aiden. This is new for all of us, so you need to accept it quick. Reed is not everything we knew. There's something more. Yeah, he might be the most powerful son of a bitch in the world, but he actually feels love. Crazy, isn't it?"
Aiden scoffs. His eyes soften just the tiniest bit. "That doesn't mean shit," he mutters under his breath.
"He's not completely our enemy anymore. Whatever happens with Reed and Vi, we have to accept it. For now, we're focusing on killing Stirling. Things have gone completely out of control since Reed calmed down, and now people are overthrowing the government. Try to focus on that instead of this TV show love mess, ok?!"
"I'm going to kill myself," Mateo mumbles to Isla, who are also listening in on this whole conversation in disbelief.
"Why is Carter running from him?" Isla narrows her eyes suspiciously.
My stomach drops. I give Cash a look.
He blinks a few times. "That's not relevant."
"Tell us, Cash! It's the least you can do since you're hiding all this shit from us!" Aiden takes a couple steps closer to him.
He looks at me for permission to tell them.
Through my erratic heartbeat, I manage to force myself to nod.
"Carter hit Violet." He rips it off like a bandaid. "Now he's running from Reed because he's afraid of what he'll do to him."
Everyone goes silent in disbelief. They all stare at me, scanning me inch by inch.
I feel completely self-conscious as they stare at me. I cross my arms over my chest.
I can't be here as they stare at me like this. Like I'm a stupid weak woman who let a man openly hurt her.
I just want someone here right now. Someone like Mason here right now.
"Can we train to get our minds off of this?" Cash suddenly suggests.
Isla rolls her eyes. She stands up, dragging Mateo with her.
I feel my eyes start to water from the insecurity I feel.
I need to visit Mason tomorrow.
She suddenly turns around. "By the way, I always knew you were a fucking rat, Violet. And I knew you were a fucking slut."
Her words hit me right in the center of my chest, but it's a feeling I'm used to. Carter has called me similar words like that before, and I'm almost used to it.
"Isla," Cash speaks lowly, "do us all a favor. Get the hell out."
"What?" She says quickly, high pitched.
"Get the hell out. Get out of the underground. You and your fucking jealously with Violet is so goddamn annoying! Get out, I beg of you." He groans.
She snickers. "You can't just kick me out, Cash."
He hums. He slowly walks towards her, leaning down so his mouth is right next to her ear. As he whispers something, she widens her eyes in shock.
"How-" she stutters, "how do you know about that?"
"Doesn't matter." He pulls back. "Want me to tell everyone here?"
She laughs in shock and anger, her eyes still widened. Then she scoffs in annoyance, cursing under her breath as she starts heading towards the exit.
I can't help but smile as she leaves, relief flooding through me.