"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
— Dumbledore
Riley POV
In the middle of the night I was suddenly waken up by someone yelling. At first, I couldn't place it and I was confused about who could fight in the middle of the night. But then I remembered.
I wasn't home.
I got scared when I heard glass breaking from the other side of the door. I looked next to me and saw that Mason was woken up by the noise too. Who wouldn’t, to be honest.
,,Stop throwing things around!" Someone yelled and I think it was Alessia.
,,You cheated on me in my own apartment!? You're a slut!" Someone yelled back and I think it was Nick.
,,What were you doing all night long? I'm sure you weren't having fun with just your friends."
,,I was having fun with a specific friend for your information, but at least I wasn't having fun in your apartment and in your bed!" Nick yelled and then I heard once again something break.
,,Mason..." I said in a whispered and he pulled me closer to him. He started rubbing my back while I had my arms wrapped around his torso. ,,I wanna go home. I don't care if Nick was telling the truth. And even if he was, I understand why mom and dad wanted me far away from him." I said and then suddenly Mason stood up from the bed.
,,Come on then." He said and I only looked confused at him.
,,What? Where?" I asked and tried to ignore all the noise on the other side of the door.
,,I'm bringing you home." He said and stretched his hand for me to take it.
,,Mase, it's literally the middle of the night and we live in New York. We can't go home now. Let's wait until tomorrow morning." I said and then he kneed in front of the bed taking my hands in his. That action somehow brought butterflies in my stomach, but I ignored them knowing it wasn't right.
,,Nick is totally drunk right now and can't think straight. He can come here and decide to beat us up or whatever. We're just going to take a taxi back to your place and we will be alright." He said and I was still having doubts about his 'plan'.
,,Get out of here, you whore!" I heard Nick yell and I knew I didn't want to stay here so I said:
,,Okay let's go. I don't wanna stay here any longer." I said and Mason nodded before he started packing up our stuff. ,,How are we getting out of here?" I asked.
,,Through the window, but we should change first. We probably shouldn't be running through New York in pajamas." He said and I nodded.
He threw clothes in my face and I glared lightly at him, but he only chuckled at my reaction. His smile faded quickly as Nick started yelling even louder.
,,Turn around tho." I said.
,,You too." He said and that's also what we both did.
I changed quickly with my back at him and then waited for him to say that he's done. When we were both changed we only took our phones and then tried to open the window without making loud noises.
This apartment wasn't safe at all. It was at the first floor and the windows didn't even have a grid to protect from break-ins.
Mason and I managed to open the window pretty quickly without making any noise. Mason was the first one who climbed out the window and then also helped me get out the window.
,,What now?" I asked as we were standing in the middle of the sidewalk in a really creepy neighborhood. I was already regretting my decision.
,,Subway or cab?" Mason asked.
,,Subway. The chances of the cab driver to be a killer are higher than to meet a killer in the subway." I said and Mason rolled his eyes and chuckled lightly.
,,Then move your pretty ass." He said and took my hand in his pulling me after him in the direction of the subway.
,,You think my ass is pretty?" I asked just to annoy him.
,,I can't hear you. What?" He says just acting like he didn't hear me.
,,You said my ass is pretty, Monsieur." I said smirking.
,,Really? Can't remember. You must have pictured that yourself." He said and I rolled my eyes while I tried to keep up with him. He was way taller than me and one of his steps was almost two of mine so I had to speed up a little.
,,Is it not too late for you kids to be outside?" Someone shouted from behind us so I turned around to look who it was and saw a really creepy looking man.
,,Just ignore and keep walking." Mason whispered in my ear.
He took me by surprise as he took my hand in his and then started walking even faster than before in the direction of the subway.
There were a lot of creepy people outside and I tried to ignore them. I know I live in New York and I should be used by all those creepy looking people, but I was never in a dangerous neighborhood like this one, at night.
When I see creepy people in our neighborhood I know they are harmless, but I heard a lot of bad stuff about the people in this one.
When we got at the subway station, there were just some drunk people that made me feel a little uncomfortable.
,,Have you ever been this late outside?" I asked Mason as I looked at the clock that showed 2:55 am
,,Nope. The latest was probably 1am." Mason said.
,,What were you doing outside at 1am?" I asked him and he chuckled lightly.
,,Logan was sleeping over at my house and we got hungry in the middle of the night so we decided to go and buy something at the shop." Mason said and I couldn't help but laugh lightly at his reason.
,,And your mom? Did she know?" I asked and he shook his head.
,,Nope. She was sleeping like a bear." Mason said and we both laughed lightly.
,,I have to say that New York is creepy at night." I confessed.
,,Not everywhere. Just imagine being in Times Square or at the Statue Of Liberty right now. I bet that looks cool."
,,You have a point." I said and then let out a yawn.
,,Tired?"
,,Well yeah...just a little." I said and then yawned again followed by Mason who yawned too.
,,Hey! You are giving it to me too." He said and made me giggle lightly.
,,You're the best. You know that?" I asked him and I swear that I saw him blush lightly.
,,Ahm duh! Of course I'm the best!" He said and acted like he would throw his hair back making me laugh once again.
,,You're such a dork." I said and rolled my eyes at him.
,,You still love me." He said and that's also when our subway arrived.
,,I do." I said as we both walked in the subway and sat down on two of all the seats in there.
You know what's really weird about my and Mason's friendship? Sometimes I am the one who is a dork and he is more calm and sometimes it’s exactly the other way. There was almost no situation in our lives where we both had the same mood.
In the subway, Mason put his arm over my shoulder letting me lean against him because he knew I was tired. I rested my head on his shoulder and also closed my eyes to relax for a while.
,,Riley?" Mason asked with a soft voice while he was playing with my hair between his fingers.
,,I know this is random, but have you ever liked someone? Like have you ever had a crush or something like that on someone?" He asked and it was indeed a really random question.
,,I had mini crushes on a few people, but nothing more. Why? Do you like someone?" I asked and then looked up at him curious.
I had to admit that I, for example, have a mini crush on Mason, but I would never do anything about it. He's my best friend and I would never put our friendship in danger for some teenage feelings.
I know I like him more than just a friend because I have another feeling when I'm around him then when I'm around Logan for example. But it doesn't matter anyway because like I said, I would never do anything about it.
,,I don't know. I was just curious cause you never told me anything. You would tell me if you would really like someone, wouldn't you?" Mason said and put some of my curls behind my ear.
,,Of course I would tell you. Would you?" I asked.
,,I would." He said and nodded.
,,Have you ever liked someone? Like more than just a tiny crush?" I asked and looked up at him.
,,I don't know. I don't think so." He said as he looked me in the eyes.
,,Better like that anyways. We are still young and I imagine dating being really......weird and complicated." I said and Mason nodded in agreement.
,,I imagine dating being complicated, but I think marriage is worse." He said as he put a curl behind my ear.
,,It depends. If you find the right person I think it's natural and easy. Like with my parents. They make it look easy."
,,My parents made it look stressful, but yours are different. Mine got married because of me and yours got married because they love each other." Mason said and I felt a little bit bad for him.
His parents got a divorce when we were in 4th grade and now his father is making a new family with another woman. Mason doesn't talk that much with his father anymore and his mom is almost always busy. That's also why he is always at my house or at Logan's or at Stacy's.
Mom and dad also tried to be there for him as much as they could and Mason is appreciating that a lot. I think that's also why Mason was so sure mom and dad weren't lying about Nick. They are the kindest people I know and I feel really bad for hurting them right now.
,,Do you think we will ever find love like that? Like what my parents have, for example." I asked Mason and I saw in his eyes that he was really thinking about the answer.
,,For sure and if we really don't find anyone until we're like 35 then we'll get married and adopt a child together. That would be too cool." He said and I couldn't help, but giggle lightly.
,,We have a plan then." I said and he nodded while laughing softly.
,,We do." He said and not a long time afterwards we arrived at the station where we had to get off the subway.
Now we were so close to home that I was almost scared of my parents reaction.
Will they be mad?
For sure! Who wouldn't!?
Or will they be totally disappointed in me?
I hope not because if there is something I hate most is disappointing my family. And that is exactly what I did by believing Nick over them. Fuck.
------------
Ahm..... Thoughts? 😇🤭