Emma POV
I placed my bag on the bed and sat down on the desk chair.
Mason and I moved into one of the empty rooms. The detectives weren’t sure how Derek’s helper entered our room, and Mason didn’t want to take any chances. Also, our room was still being processed, and we couldn’t go back even if we wanted to.
“What bed do you want to sleep in?” Mason asked me as he locked the door.
I pointed at the bed to my right. Mason nodded and placed his bag on it as well.
“What are you doing?” I asked, furrowing my eyebrows. “Do you want this bed? I can take the other one.”
“We are sharing this one until they catch him.” Mason said sternly, leaving no room for argument.
I nodded and stood up to help him unpack our stuff. We didn’t take much. Just a couple of outfits and the stuff we needed for school.
“I was serious about leaving, Emma.” Mason said as he put his clothes into the closet. “I don’t think we should stay.”
My heart clenched painfully. I didn’t want him to lose everything because of me. Leaving school would mean that we wouldn’t be able to finish and wouldn’t be able to go to college. We could always enroll in another school next year and finish high school. But I would be holding him back, and I didn’t want to do that. He’s already been through so much because of me. I couldn’t take his friends and his future away from him as well. He would have to leave his friends behind. He would have to run and hide with me. What if this person followed us? What if we couldn’t live a normal life anywhere else either?
I felt tears coming and my vision blurred.
I was nothing but a disturbance to him.
Maybe I am the one who should leave? Maybe I could go somewhere until this person is caught? Maybe Mason didn’t have to lose everything because of me?
“Emma?” Mason called my name when I didn’t respond.
Thankfully, he didn’t look up at me. He continued folding his clothes. I was crying and embarrassed because I was crying. I didn’t know what came over me.
I needed to escape for a little bit. I needed to calm down so that we could talk about this without me sobbing, which I was just about to do.
“Maybe.” I mumbled quietly, wiping my cheeks and placing my clothes on the bed. “I am going to take a shower. Can we talk about this later?”
“Of course.” I heard Mason mumble as I bolted toward the bathroom door.
I closed and locked the door, trying to stop a sob from escaping. I leaned on the door, placing a hand over my mouth. More tears fell on my cheek, and I felt like screaming.
I was holding him back. I ruined his life when I came here. He was thinking about leaving his friends and delaying his education because of me. He had to think about me, not about himself.
I should leave. I should take care of him for once. It would be best for everyone if I just left.
But I would be separated from Mason again. I wouldn’t be with my twin. I would miss him terribly.
But this wasn’t about me. It was about him. It was me trying to take care of him for a change. I had to do what was best for him.
I dragged myself to the shower and turned it on, sobbing quietly as I did so. I removed my clothes and sat down on the toilet to pee. My shoulders were shaking and my whole body was in pain.
I didn’t want to leave Mason.
But I had to.
With shaky fingers, I reached for the toilet paper. I wiped myself and saw blood.
Great. Just what I needed on top of everything.
More tears fell on my cheeks and another sob escaped me.
I guess that could explain all the crying. I was always very emotional when I was on my period.
But this wasn’t about my period. This was about Mason and leaving him. It would kill me, but I needed to do it.
I stepped into the shower and let the warm water wash away my tears.
I tried to imagine my life without him in it and it hurt like hell. I felt like I was being stabbed in my chest. I wanted to scream and jump into his arms and never let go. I wouldn’t even care what other people would think. I just wanted to hold on to him forever.
But I couldn’t. That would hurt him.
I needed to think about him, not myself.
I got lost in my thoughts, and I didn’t even know how long I’d been standing in the shower. I turned the water off, grabbed a towel and stepped out of the shower.
I dried myself and put on underwear, a pad, and my pajamas. I wrapped my wet hair into a dry towel and looked at myself in the mirror.
I looked sad, but you couldn’t tell I was crying. At least, I hoped so.
I took a deep breath and unlocked the door.
I stepped back into the room and saw Mason laying on the bed, scrolling through his phone.
“The guys are getting something to eat.” Mason said, not looking up at me. “They will bring us something here. What do you want?”
I was feeling a little bit sick, and I wasn’t hungry.
“Nothing.” I said quietly, walking toward the desk. “Thank you.”
“Are you sure?” Mason asked as he looked up at me. “You should…”
His eyes widened, and he threw his phone on the bed.
I furrowed my eyebrows. What happened?
He jumped up and ran toward me.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, grabbing my face and eyeing me up and down. “Why are you crying?”
I was crying? I was pretty sure that I stopped.
“Are you hurt?” Mason asked, panicked. “Is it your heart? Should I call the ambulance?”
“I am fine.” I mumbled quietly.
“Why are you crying then?” Mason asked, furrowing his eyebrows. “Are you scared? I won’t let anyone hurt you, Emmy.”
“I am not crying.” I said, shaking my head.
“But you were.” Mason said, letting go of my face and taking my hand in his.
He pulled me up and walked me to the bed. He sat down and looked up at me.
“You are going to tell me what’s going on.” Mason said as he pulled me down to sit next to him.
What could I tell him? I needed to talk to him about leaving, but I wasn’t ready for that. I needed to calm down and get some sleep before I did that.
I could tell him that I got my period. I was a little embarrassed, though. But it was normal. He wouldn’t care about that.
It was the easiest thing to do right now. I didn’t want to talk about leaving, and I knew he wouldn’t let this go.
“I got my period.” I mumbled quietly and looked down at my hands.
“What?” Mason asked. “Speak up. I can’t hear you.”
“I got my period.” I repeated a little louder.
“Oh, Emmy.” Mason said, placing his arm around my shoulders. “Why didn’t you tell me? Are you in pain? I can get you a pill or something else. I heard that the heat helps. Maybe a hot water bottle would help?”
I looked up at him and smiled. I felt more tears fall on my cheeks.
I will miss him so much when I leave.
He wiped my tears away with his thumb.
“I am okay.” I said quietly. “I’m not in pain right now.”
“Okay.” Mason mumbled and furrowed his eyebrows. “Why are you crying then?”
I couldn’t hold on anymore. I wrapped my arms around his neck and sobbed.
“I will miss you.” I said, leaning my head on his shoulder.
“What?” Mason asked, pulling me closer to him. “Why would you miss me? I am not going anywhere, Emmy.”
No.
But I am.