PANDORA

by Rebecca Hamilton

  “Sit,” she demands.

  I sit.

  She looks over at me with an expression I can’t puzzle out. Guilt spreads through me like a sickness. “Robin, I’m so sorry for coming to you with this. I wasn’t going to. It just kind of slipped out. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  “Why?” Robin asks. “We’re friends. You can talk to me about anything.”

  “Yeah, but . . . ”

  I seem to have developed a talent for getting myself into stupid situations. She’s acting like this has nothing to do with her, but it does, doesn’t it? I can’t have possibly misread the way she acts when we’re alone. Feeling incredibly lost, I figure I can’t make this any worse by telling the truth.

  “Robin, I shouldn’t have said anything, because I know you like me.” I look over at her with a pained expression. “Don’t you?”

  Robin’s infectious grin returns. “Of course I do. As you well know, you usually don’t kiss people if you hate them, and I’ve kissed you twice.”

  “But . . . ?”

  My head shakes back and forth. Did I lose part of my brain at some point during the night? What is going on?

  “Mason,” Robin says, sliding her hand into mine, “I like you a lot, but like I said, I know you’re in love with Olivia.”

  “Then why did you kiss me? Twice?”

  She grins again. “I knew how Olivia saw you, and I just thought that if you ever got tired of waiting around for her, you’d know I was here.”

  I can only stare, still feeling rather off center. Robin smiles sadly and leans her head against my shoulder. “You kissing Olivia, yeah, that threw me for a minute, but I knew my chances from the start. I’m still your friend first and this was obviously tearing you up.”

  “You looked pretty upset in class,” I say quietly, afraid she’s just being nice now.

  Robin’s body goes unnaturally still. When she speaks, her voice is strained. “Yeah, but not about what you think.”

  Her words send a chill down my spine. Gently, I push her up to look at me. “Robin, what’s wrong?”

  “It’s not about Olivia,” she says, her chin beginning to quiver again. “It’s about you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  The tears I thought she was trying to hold back in class spring to her eyes in a glassy sheet. “After I dropped you off, I went home and asked my mom about the Escort thing.”

  I suck in a breath as fear stabs straight into my chest.

  Robin hurriedly tries to reassure me. “I didn’t say anything about you. I told her Grandma had been rambling on about Escorts and I wasn’t sure what they were.”

  Scaling back my panic is a slow process. “Did she know?” I ask shakily.

  “Some,” Robin admits. “She didn’t know how Escorts are able to take Aerlings home. She said it’s not something Escorts really talk about. She did know when it’s supposed to happen, though.”

  Robin’s voice catches on that last point and I know whatever she says next is not going to be good. Her fingers cinch around mine more tightly. I don’t want her to say it, but I need to know. “When?”

  “Your . . . on your eighteenth birthday. I tried to ask her if there was any way to avoid it, stay here, but she said there wasn’t. Aerlings have to go home when they turn eighteen.” She tucks her lip between her teeth, biting down almost to the point of drawing blood as she attempts to stop trembling. “I’m so sorry. You only have a few more weeks here before you’ll have to go back, Mason.”

  “Three,” I whisper mournfully.

  Robin looks up at me. “What?”

  “Three weeks. My birthday is October 16th. That’s only three weeks away.”

  A tear slips down Robin’s cheek. “I’m so sorry, Mason.”

  Leaning back against the bench, I breathe out slowly. “This changes everything.”

  “I know.”

  I shake my head back and forth in frustration. Anger sets in so strongly, I can’t contain it. My fist slams down against the bench, leaving a sizable dent. Robin jumps next to me, but isn’t scared away. Her hand tightens around mine. Both our knuckles are pale from the strength of our grips.

  In three weeks, the only life I’ve ever known will be over. Somehow I’ll be sent back to a world that is completely alien to me. Olivia’s parents, Evie, Olivia, I’ll never see them again. No more playing catch in the backyard. No more cooking next to Mom, listening to her laugh as ingredients and utensils float through the kitchen. Evie will never laugh at my antics again. And Olivia . . . my heart convulses in on itself.

  I never could have imagined a time when kissing Olivia would be something I considered a mistake, but now that is the only thought running through my head. I would never have been so cruel had I known.

  “I can’t be with Olivia,” I say in amazement.

  “You still have a few weeks,” Robin says.

  Shaking my head, I know where that would lead. Three weeks to be together, love each other, only to be torn apart. It could never be casual between us. I felt the passion behind her kiss this morning. She’s scared right now because this is new an unexpected, but I know Olivia.

  Giving someone her love isn’t something she would take lightly. Olivia’s love is fierce. It’s what has kept me safe all these years. Loving me as a brother kept her focused, made me her first concern. Giving herself to me with a deeper love isn’t something that could ever be broken. When I am forced to leave . . . that isn’t something I could ever put her through.

  “Robin,” I say quietly, painfully, “I need you to do something for me.”

  Chapter 20

  What. Just. Happened?

  (Olivia)

  After I ran away like a scared little girl this morning, I wasn’t surprised when Mason didn’t show up in class that first hour. When he didn’t reappear for second hour, or lunch, or any class at all, I started to panic. It was stupid to take off like that, I chide myself as I race for the Jeep. I have to explain that I was just overwhelmed, confused. Between last night and this morning, I needed some time to think and sort out the jumble of emotions I was feeling.

  Mason will understand that, right?

  I stumble to a stop when I get to the Jeep and find it empty. Evie comes up behind me with a scowl.

  “Thanks for making me walk to school this morning.”

  Her prissy, snotty schoolgirl attitude doesn’t have the effect on me she was hoping for. “Where’s Mason?” I demand.

  Evie stares at me like I’m crazy. “How would I know? You two usually head out here together. What, you haven’t seen him?”

  “No! He’s been gone all day. He didn’t come to any classes.”

  “Serves you right,” Evie snaps. “Next time the guy of your dreams kisses you, you might want to try for excited rather than running off like a lunatic.”

  Scowling back at her, I say, “It was kind of a lot to take in at once, and you barging in and sticking your nose in our business certainly didn’t help.”

  Evie cocks one eyebrow at me and puts her hands on her hips. “Look, it’s your own fault that you’re way too dense to figure out that Mason was in love with you all these years. I think everyone else realized it! It’s your own fault, too, that instead of falling into his arms when you finally woke up, you ran away like a rabbit from an angry farmer.”

  Spinning on her heel, Evie waves at Aaron and tells him to wait for her, even though she knows Dad would be pissed. Before bailing, she turns back around and says, “You know, I was really happy for you this morning, but now maybe I’m thinking that Mason could do better if this is how you’re going to act about it.”

  Evie flips her hair over her shoulder and stomps over to the waiting Aaron. I am left staring at her backside in shock. She acts like I just doomed myself to being alone for the rest of my life! I just needed some time to think, for crying out loud! Is that so shocking? I certainly wasn’t expecting to find myself making out with Mason in the bathroom this morning. My whole world feel
s like it’s been stood on its head. It’s felt like that since the day Robin showed up, but this morning was the real kicker.

  She’s wrong, I tell myself as I climb into the Jeep. What does she know about something like this? Panic sets in as I realize my little sister knows way more about relationships than I do. I think just about everyone knows more about relationships than I do. The Jeep barrels down the street to the house.

  I can’t even begin to describe the strange feeling that settles over me when I pull into the driveway and spot Robin’s sedan next to the curb. What is she doing here? I tear my seatbelt off and scurry into the house. As I round the corner, I almost collide with Mom on her way out of the kitchen.

  “Olivia!” she gasps. “Slow down! What on earth are you in such a hurry about?”

  “Have you seen Mason?”

  Mom chuckles, “Technically, no, but he just let me know he was home.”

  I start to run off, up the stairs to his room. My mom’s voice stops me.

  “He’s only going to be here for a few minutes, though. He said he and Robin were going out.”

  “Where?”

  Mom shrugs. “He just said they wanted to hang out for a while.”

  I try to take off again, but Mom grabs my arm. “Olivia, I hope you don’t think I was completely blind to whatever was going on this morning between the three of you.”

  “Mom,” I groan.

  “I’m serious, Olivia. I know your Dad talked to you about life after high school with Mason, but don’t think those same issues don’t exist right now.” She looks at me sharply. “Don’t think that because your father isn’t here right now you can get away with things. We will all be having a serious discussion about this when he gets home.”

  “Fine,” I say, more intent on finding Mason right now than worrying about a lecture from Dad.

  This time when I stalk away from her, she doesn’t stop me. I hurry up the stairs to Mason’s room. I try not to burst in like a lunatic, but the door still swings open rather abruptly. I’m caught off guard when I find myself in an empty room. Where is he?

  I head back down the stairs, wondering if they went out back for some reason. Before I make it to the bottom, Mason and Robin emerge from the basement. “Mason,” I call out.

  He looks up at me, but instead of excitement in his eyes, I am startled by the pain etched into his features. I reach the bottom of the stairs and slow down. Did something happen? Why wouldn’t Mom tell me?

  “Mason, what’s wrong?”

  His jaw clenches. “Sorry, Olivia. Robin and I were just on our way out.”

  “But, wait! We need to talk.”

  “I can’t. Not right now. I’ll be back later,” he says as if the words are hurting him.

  “If something’s wrong . . . ” I say, reaching for him.

  Mason pulls away from me slowly. “Everything’s fine,” he lies and turns away.

  I start to say something more, but I choke on my words when Mason reaches for Robin’s hand. She slips her hand into his without looking at me, but I can see the corner of her mouth twitch. Robin’s eyes travel up to Mason’s. Something seems to pass between them, but I can only see half of Robin’s face and it makes no sense.

  As the door closes behind them, I sink down to the stairs. My head thunks against the railing painfully, but I barely notice it. What. Just. Happened?

  Mom walks out of the kitchen, but slows when she sees me. “Olivia, is everything okay?”

  All I can do is shake my head back and forth slowly. Mom’s mouth turns down in concern. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know.” Tears begin welling at the back of my eyes. I don’t want to cry in front of my mom, but I don’t know if I can help it.

  “Olivia, honey, you’re making me worry. Why are you so upset?”

  She tries to take my hand, but it makes me think of Mason holding Robin’s and I snatch it away from her and stand up. “I don’t think we’ll be needing that talk with Dad anymore,” I say slowly.

  “Why not?” Mom asks.

  “Because Mason just walked out the door holding Robin’s hand.”

  Mom stares at me, confused. Well, she can join the club. Pushing past her, I mumble something about needing to leave and bolt for the Jeep. I don’t know if she follows me. I don’t look back. If I look back I’ll want to curl up in her arms like I used to when I was little and tell her everything, tell how I finally admitted to myself how much I love Mason, how I ran because I was scared, how I may have lost him for good.

  I can’t tell her all of that, so I drive.

  And drive.

  I’m not even sure when I stop driving. At some point I just realize that the Jeep is no longer running and take my hands off the wheel. The last time I cried was after Mason told me he thought the Sentinels were going to come back for him and kill him. The last time before that, I can’t even remember.

  The thought of Mason dying was terrifying. The thought of losing him because I was too scared to love him cuts deep into my heart. Tears start running down my cheeks in sheets. My shoulders shake uncontrollably as I feel my heart breaking.

  A sharp rapping on my window yanks my face out of my hands in fear. I look up, tearstained, broken, right into the startled gaze of Hayden Benton.

  Chapter 21

  Dark Shadow

  (Olivia)

  My door flies open as Hayden suddenly crowds in on me. “Olivia? Are you okay?”

  “Hayden?”

  Embarrassed, and more than a little confused, I start wiping away tears frantically. It’s no use, though, because they just keep falling. Hayden doesn’t say anything when I flop back against the seat and cover my face with my hands. I try to breathe, to get control of myself, but it seems impossible. Every passing second I expect to hear the door shut as Hayden walks away.

  It would be the absolute cap on today if he bailed on the obviously crazy girl he had previously been nice to. He’s probably better off making a quick exit. I wait for the sound, but it never comes.

  When my tears finally wear themselves out, Hayden’s hand slips over mine and gently uncovers my face. The concern written on his face seems so genuine, but I know he must be thinking that I’m a total nutcase at this point. I try to turn away from him, but he won’t let me.

  “Olivia, what’s going on?”

  Sniffing and wiping away tears, I say, “I’m just having a really horrible day.”

  “That was pretty much a given.” Hayden smiles. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  I shake my head violently. Not only can I not talk about it, I don’t want to. Not with Hayden. Not with anyone.

  Hayden nods. “You wanna take your mind off whatever’s bothering you?”

  Surprised that he moved on from me crying so quickly, I just stare at him for a moment. “What?”

  He gestures past me to a basketball court. I look at the court in confusion. “Where am I?”

  Laughing, Hayden looks at me curiously. “Really? You don’t know where you are?”

  I rub my hand across my forehead wishing this day would just end. “Sorry, I just needed to get away from my house and started driving. I don’t even remember pulling over.”

  “No worries,” Hayden says. He nudges me softly. “And here I thought you came to watch me play ball.”

  “I didn’t even know you played basketball,” I admit sheepishly.

  Hayden laughs out loud. “Wow. You really know how to keep a guy’s pride in check, don’t you? I’ve been on the basketball team at school for four years.”

  “I’ve never been to a game.”

  “Never?”

  I shake my head. Hayden shakes his head right back. I’ve just admitted to him, that even though I’ve known him since junior high, I know almost nothing about him. Why he doesn’t say goodbye and look for a girl who hasn’t gone through her life completely oblivious to . . . well, apparently to just about everything, I have no idea.

  Instead of running for the hills, he
asks, “Have you ever played?”

  “Basketball?”

  “Yeah,” he laughs. “Unless there’s some other sport you’re actually interested in.”

  I shake my head. The closest I’ve ever been to a sport is watching Dad and Mason play catch in the backyard. Instantly, my lips turn down and tears threaten. I try to shake thoughts of Mason away, but that has never been easy.

  “Come on,” Hayden says softly.

  He tries to take my hand and get me to leave the Jeep, but I pull away and cross my arms over my chest protectively. “I should probably just go home. Go to bed or something. You don’t want to hang out with me right now. Nobody does.”

  “I absolutely do want to hang out with you. I’ve been trying to talk you into hanging out with me for weeks, remember?” He tugs on me again.

  “But, I’m a mess. I just want to go home.”

  He shakes his head. “You’re fine for a little one on one, and home is where you were trying to get away from, remember?”

  But Mason left. He was the one I was running away from. The idea of curling up in my bed and never coming out again seems awfully appealing. He’ll come home eventually, though. Maybe he’s already home. I have no idea how long I’ve been gone. My chest constricts thinking that Mason might already be home and I would have to face him.

  “Okay,” I say weakly.

  Hayden grins and pulls me from the Jeep before I can change my mind. I’m glad he has the presence of mind to lock it up, because I didn’t even think of it. I also notice that he thought to take my keys out of the ignition first. I sigh, embarrassed to be such a train wreck. Dad would have killed me if I had walked away from the Jeep with it unlocked and the keys still in the ignition. No doubt it would have been stolen.

  “Thanks,” I say, gesturing at the Jeep.

  Hayden smiles and pockets my keys.

  “Are you going to give those back?” I ask.

  “Eventually.” He smiles again and heads around the Jeep toward the courts.