Skimming the Surface

Chapter 15- Tranquil

Chapter 15

Olivia

     "What the hell was that?!", exclaimed an angry voice behind her. Oh God. She whipped around. How was it possible that Olivia had forgotten that Mason was standing right there? He had witnessed her effectively charming his mom, and now he stood there, his eyes flashing and nose flared. 

     Her eyes opened wide as the blood rushed to her head and ears, making them burn. Crap. Her heart felt like it had been relocated to her head, it was pumping so loud and fast. She wouldn't have even minded that if she could just think of words. An explanation. Even a decent excuse. But nothing was coming. Her mind was a blank, empty mess.

     Mason looked like he could hardly control himself. His hands were shaking ever so slightly, twitching while clenching and unclenching. Olivia stood completely still, trying to shove down the increasing panic rising around inside of her. "Olivia, what just happened?," he hissed behind his clenched jaw. He locked eyes with her.

     Olivia felt the rising energy in her throat, coiling up around her vocal cords, waiting. But she shoved it back. "I... I don't know. I w-was just trying to tell your m-mom that I was fine, b-but I think it came out wrong." Oh god, that sounded weak. Even she wouldn't believe that. 

     Mason's eyes narrowed. "That's not what it looked like to me. It looked like you were hypnotizing her or something, like a snake charmer. And your voice got really weird...". Her worst fears were confirmed. He had seen it all, and now she had to do something. She could charm him too, but she really didn't want to do that. Not on him. So she did the next best thing.

     She flickered her eyes a few times and swayed heavily until she fell to the floor. Her head hit sharply, and her headache returned with a raging vengeance. But she couldn't pay attention to that now. 

     Mason's footsteps echoed across the floor until they stopped in front of her. She felt his hands on her, reaching behind her and lifting her head and neck surprisingly gently.  "Olivia? Olivia! Wake up!". She gave it a few seconds, and then slowly opened her eyes to Mason's concerned face, his big blue eyes open wide in shock. Guilt pooled inside of her. God, she didn't deserve any of that.

     She squinted at him. "Mason? What are you doing here?". Her voice sounded so little, even for her. Was she overdoing it? 

     Apparently not. Mason's eyes opened even wider, if that were possible. "Do you remember where you last were Olivia? Or what you were doing?" His voice was shaking a tiny bit. Or maybe she was just imagining it. 

     She scrunched her nose up. "I was going down the steps, wasn't I? Did I fall?". Guilt was washing over her, and she hoped it wasn't showing on her face. She didn't want to have to lie like this- not to him especially. He and his mom had been nothing but kind to her, and this was how she repaid them- with lies and trickery. 

     He opened his mouth, but as an afterthought closed it. He was looking at her with a look of pity and curiosity so fierce she had to lower her eyes. This was getting to be too much. She couldn't stay here and continue to lie to them and break their trust repeatedly, especially when they trusted her wholeheartedly. It wasn't fair to them certainly, and it was eating her up inside. 

     Mason spoke up, and she glanced back at him. "If you're tired, I can take you back upstairs. I mean, if you want." She could sense his hesitance, his caution. And she didn't want it. She didn't want to be treated like she was was fragile, like she was a glass ornament to be handled with care. She didn't want to sleep the day away while people whispered over her using their pity voices.