Forest Lake

Chapter 13

Mason POV

I stared at her, unable to answer her question.

She wanted to talk? Why? What could she possibly say that would make me feel better?

“Mason?” she called me when I didn’t answer.

I blinked. I don’t want to talk to her. I don’t want to know why she left me. I don’t want her excuses.

“There is nothing to talk about.” I said and turned around.

“Yes, there is.” she said as she followed behind me.

“No, there isn’t.” I said, clenching my fists and gritting my teeth. “I don’t want to hear anything that you have to say.”

“Well, I want to hear what you have to say, Mason.” she said as she struggled to keep up with me.

I slowed down my pace. I didn’t want her to be left alone in the hallway.

Why would she want to hear what I have to say? Does she really want me to tell her how much I suffered? Does she really want to know about all the nights I couldn’t sleep because I missed her like crazy? Or about those nights I cried myself to sleep? Does she really want to know how I became cold and distant because she wasn’t there with me? Does she really want to know how alone I felt after my own twin, my best friend, abandoned me?

“Mason, please.” she said after a few silent moments. “I need to know why you hate me this much.”

I stopped abruptly, making her walk straight into me.

“Shit.” I heard her mumble under her breath as she caught my waist to stabilize herself.

Is she serious right now? She doesn’t know why I hate her? Is she mocking me?

My anger rose up rapidly and I wanted to punch a wall.

I turned around and looked down at her. She was looking up at me with sadness in her eyes, and I couldn’t help but wonder why she was sad. Did she think that I wouldn’t start hating her after what she did?

“Are you kidding me right now?” I finally spoke. “You don’t know?”

She shook her head. Tears started forming in her eyes.

I bent over and got into her face. I searched for a hint of a lie, but I couldn’t find it. She really didn’t think it would hurt me when she literally decided that she didn’t want to have anything to do with me anymore?

“Mason, please, talk to me.” she said quietly as the first tear dropped on her cheek.

I chuckled darkly. “Why? So you can enjoy hearing about my pain?”

Her eyes widened in shock. More tears fell out of her eyes.

“Pain?” she mumbled quietly.

I sighed and stood back up. I looked around. There were just the two of us in the hallway, but it was only a matter of time before someone would walk past us. I didn’t want to do this in front of other people. I didn’t want to do this at all, but she insisted, and I decided to tell her. I would tell her all about my pain and, hopefully, she would feel some of it. I would hurt her, just like she hurt me.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her into the nearest classroom. I turned the light on and locked the door. I can’t have her running away now. She will hear everything I have to say.

I turned around and crossed my arms over my chest.

“You want to know why I hate you?” I asked coldly.