Mason POV
“Are you sure that you don’t want to go back to your room?” Chris asked Emma as we sat down at the table. “You look tired.”
“I am okay.” she said, giving him a small smile. “I actually managed to get some sleep.”
I reached out and ran my fingers through her hair. She turned to me and smiled.
“I still think we should have taken another week off.” I said. “Maybe we went back to class too soon.”
Emma insisted that we go back this week. I wanted her to rest a little bit more, but she refused.
“It’s fine, Mason.” she said, picking up her fork and looking down at her plate. “Being in school is helping me. I won’t have time to think about him if I have to focus on schoolwork.”
“I can never focus on schoolwork.” Jax sighed.
Chris and I laughed. Emma chuckled and shook her head. Hazel sighed and rolled her eyes.
“I am not surprised.” Hazel mumbled.
“You love me, Elly.” Jax grinned, pulling her closer to him.
“So, did Peters call?” Chris asked, pulling our attention away from Jax and Hazel, who were now making out.
I felt that first familiar sparkle of anger in my body. I clenched my fists and my body started to tense up.
We talked to them two days ago. Two days since they’ve told us that they couldn’t find evidence against Monica. Two days since they’ve told us that they don’t have any other suspects. Two days since we last heard from them.
I was going insane.
“No.” I said, grabbing my fork. “They don’t know shit.”
“It’s only been two days, Mason.” Emma said softly. “They are doing everything that they can. I am sure of it.”
“Well, I’m not.” I said, stabbing my food aggressively. “They don’t know shit, Emma. They should have caught the bitch by now.”
Emma placed her hand on my back and leaned in to kiss my cheek.
“It’s going to be okay, Massy.” she said quietly. “They are going to catch her.”
I took a deep breath and tried to calm down a little. I was so fucking sick and tired of everyone trying to hurt my sister. They were trying to take her away from me again, and it made me pissed the fuck off. I needed to fight someone. I needed to beat some fucker up and release all of this anger inside of me. But I didn’t because I would end up in jail. And that would separate me from Emma. And that wasn’t happening.
“I agree with Mason.” Chris said. “They need to hurry the fuck up. You deserve some peace, Emma. You deserve to enjoy high school. You don’t deserve to worry about some jealous bitch who wants to hurt you.”
He was as pissed off as me. Well, not exactly as me, but close. Nobody could be as pissed off about this as me, because nobody loved Emma as much as I did.
“They will find her, and I will enjoy high school.” Emma said, giving Chris a small smile. “It’s going to be okay, guys.”
I placed an arm over her shoulders and pulled her to me. I placed a kiss on the top of her head and took a deep breath. I wondered how she remained this positive despite everything that happened to her. How did she still trust the police after everything that they’d put her through? She’s been having terrible nightmares and she’s been so fucking afraid for the last few days, but she still somehow managed to believe that everything would be okay. How?
I needed a distraction.
“So, how was the Halloween party?” I asked, looking at Jax.
Jax, Hazel, and Chris decided to go yesterday. I refused to go with them. Emma wasn’t ready for something like that. I wasn’t ready for something like that. I knew that I would be on edge all night. I knew that I would want to glue Emma to me in case someone wanted to hurt her. We were better off back in our room, where I knew that Emma was safe.
“Don’t get me started.” Jax sighed. “Everybody was talking about fucking Derek and trying to get the three of us to tell them everything we know.”
Oh, now I am even more glad that we didn’t go.
“We were out of there in an hour.” Chris added, rolling his eyes. “I was so fucking close to punching someone. Jax had to stop me a few times.”
“Fuckers.” I mumbled, clenching my fists.
I noticed students staring at Emma all the time. I guessed none of them had the balls to come up to her and ask her stupid questions, and I guessed that it was because of me. I would fucking kill anyone who came up to her and started mentioning fucking Derek. But I guessed that they didn’t have any problems with asking our friends.
I tightened my hold on Emma. I needed to feel her next to me because I was a second away from standing up and punching someone.
“You should have stayed and beat the shit out of them.” I added angrily. "I know that I would."
“I’m kind of regretting that we left before I got to punch one of them, to be honest.” Chris sighed angrily.
“Come on, Mason.” Emma said softly. “I need you here with me, not in jail.”
I looked at her and gave her a small smile. Did she really think that I would risk something like that?
“Don’t worry, Emma.” I said, kissing her forehead. “I would never do anything that would separate me from you. That’s why I told Chris that he should have done it.”
“Hey.” Chris protested. “She is my friend. I don’t want to be separated from her either.”
I turned to look at him and raised an eyebrow. Jax snorted and Hazel laughed.
“Friend, right.” Jax mumbled, smirking at Chris.
I chuckled and shook my head. Chris was glaring at us, and a small blush formed on his cheeks. I would find it way more fun if it wasn’t my sister we were teasing him about.
“I need to go to the bathroom.” Emma said as she stood up.
I grabbed her hand and stopped her. “I’m coming with you.”
“It’s okay, Mason.” Emma said softly. “Finish your lunch. I will be back soon.”
“I’ll go with you, Emma.” Hazel added, standing up. “I need to go too.”
I was reluctant to let her go. My hold on her hand was tight, and I really didn’t want her to go without me.
“She will be okay, Mason.” Hazel said, giving me a small smile. “We will be back in a few minutes.”
My heart raced as I let her hand go.
“Okay.” I said. “But come right back.”
“Of course.” Emma said, giving me a small smile.
I watched her and Hazel walking away until the dining hall door closed behind them. I could feel my heartbeat in my throat.
“They are going to the bathroom, Mase.” Jax said. “It’s just outside the dining hall. Don’t worry.”
I looked at him and nodded. I took a deep breath. He was right. The bathroom was just outside the dining hall. She wasn’t alone. She was with Hazel. She was safe.
“Cassie is coming over the weekend.” Jax said, giving us a small smile.
“Really?” Chris asked, raising his eyebrows. “She was just here.”
“Well, I promised her that she could come back once the bastard was caught.” Jax said. “And you know Cassie. She would never miss an opportunity to come here and hang out with us. She said that we didn’t get to do much the last time she was here.”
She wasn’t wrong. Jax wouldn’t let her leave the room, which was understandable.
“She said that she misses Mason and that she wants to get to know Hazel and Emma a little bit better.” Jax added.
I gave him a small smile.
“Did you tell her that Hazel and you are dating?” Chris asked, smirking.
I glanced at the dining hall door. Where were they?
“No.” Jax sighed, rolling his eyes. “I will tell her when she gets here.”
I tried to focus on them, but it was hard. What was taking so long? Why weren’t they back yet?
Chris placed a hand on my arm, and I turned my head to look at him.
“Breathe.” he said. “She will be back in a minute.”
I turned back around to look at the door. She’d better be back in a minute. If not, I’m going to go get her. I shouldn’t have let her go alone. I should have walked her to the bathroom myself. Hazel couldn’t protect her like I could. Nobody could protect her like I could.
I wanted her back. I needed her back. Now.