I didn’t know the difference between sex and love. I didn’t even know what love felt like to be able to make an assumption.

If a guy wanted to sleep with me, he simply wanted to get off, that’s how I saw it. Mason was a guy and in my head that’s all it meant to him as well.

I never thought Mason cared about me in a serious way. I figured he was just used to me, a friend from way back.

“What do you mean, Kendall? Of course I don’t want to run away with anyone else,” he said.

I stared off, uncertain of what was to happen next.

“Why are you so sure I would lie to you?” he asked. “We’ve been through a lot together. I care about you.”

“But that doesn’t mean you have to be with me. It doesn’t even mean you have to like me,” I said, sure he didn’t know what he wanted.

“No, it doesn’t, you’re right, but I do like you.” He touched my face, pulling me to him. “How do you feel about me?”

My mouth dropped open. The infatuation between us was undeniable. I wanted him to touch me. I wanted him around me. I was happy when I was with him, there was no denying that. I just wasn’t sure what to do with those feelings.

I saw Payton’s signal and I opened my door. Mason climbed out his side, meeting up with me on the street.

“Remember what I said,” he said, forgetting I hadn’t answered him.

I nodded, looking back and forth before I crossed the street. I looked back, watching him linger for just a second before he booked it across traffic and ran behind the jewelry store.

I looked over my shoulder one more time before I went inside. The bell chimed as I entered. Aunt Wanda very subtly looked up a large diamond necklace in her clutch.

The man came over to greet me. “How can I help you today?” Aunt Wanda straightened up, waiting for me to say something.

“My grandmother had a beautiful ruby bracelet, and I was hoping you had something like it. Sentimental reasons,” I said. He took my arm and led me to the counter.

He pulled out a tray of bracelets. I held my breath, trying to stay calm. The more gracious someone was, the harder it was for me to do what Aunt Wanda wanted.

With a smile on his face, he laid three bracelets on the counter. His smile was the kind that crept into his eyes, revealing a certain level of genuineness.

“Rubies are like a woman’s heart. I think any of these would be beautiful on you,” he said, looking down at the bracelets. I examined each, pretending that I was really debating on buying one.

Aunt Wanda cleared her throat, coming to stand beside me. “The second one is just darling.” She touched my arm, amused by the silly game we were playing.

“Thanks,” I said. I wanted to spit at her.

“Abel, come tell me more about these rings,” she said. He hurried away, leaving me holding the bracelets. I looked past the counter catching sight of Mason. He jumped back when Abel came back over to me.

I coughed, which was the signal Mason made it inside.

“Anything like your grandmother’s?” he asked.

“Uh…no, I’m sorry, but thanks so much for your time,” I said, shooting Wanda a look. She glared at me.

Abel spun on his heels.

I slapped my hand down on the counter because I knew it was too soon for him to walk away. “No! What are you doing?” The words left my mouth before I knew what I was saying. I was starting to panic.

Aunt Wanda tossed the jewelry down, rounding the counter.

“I think I have something in the back that you will like,” he said, leaving before I could argue against it.

It wasn’t long before I heard something crash.

I ran to the back. Mason was struggling to get ahold of the crowbar. He shoved Abel, doing whatever he could to get it out of his hands.

“Get him down!” Aunt Wanda said.

As always, she was willing to take it a step too far.

Abel struggled, breaking loose. He wielded the crowbar like a baton.

Abel swung the crowbar, hitting Mason in the face. I screamed and Payton yanked me away from the door, running into the room.

“You want to steal my jewels?” Abel shouted at Mason. Blood crawled down the side of Mason’s face.

I covered my ears. I didn’t want to hear what was coming next. I could still hear them struggling.

The crowbar slid out of the room and Mason came crawling after it.

Payton snagged the crowbar from the ground before Mason could get to it. She swung with all her might, hitting Abel in the head.

Mason grabbed me by the hand and pulled me through the back room. He shoved me out the door and we started running. We ran through the parking lot.

I tried to slow down, I felt like I was about to fall on my face, but Mason wouldn’t let me stop.

“We have to keep going, Kendall!” he shouted. “Come on!”

I jumped, tripping over an old box abandoned in the field near the motel we were staying in. We got to the train tracks that ran to the overpass, where we were days ago, and finally stopped.

“God, I can’t breathe,” I said, trying to catch my breath.

“If you’re talking you’re breathing,” Mason said.

He was bloody and sweating.

“That bastard got me good. Shit!” He ran a hand down the side of his face.

I nodded, afraid to touch him. I didn’t want to hurt him more than he already was.

“Let’s go back to the motel. We can clean you up there,” I said, still trying to catch my breath.

“Answer the question,” he said, ignoring me.

“What?” I asked, shaking my head.

“How do you feel about me?”

I took a deep breath before letting it back out. He was injured and his shirt was stained with blood, and he was choosing now, of all times, to discuss feelings.

“I’m happy when you’re around. I like being with you.” The words hurt to say aloud, because admitting my feelings to the world opened up a world of hurt.

“Okay,” he said taking my hand in his.

We walked back to the motel.

***

I did my best to clean his wounds.

“Back in New Mexico, there was this guy that offered to teach me how to fight. I wonder if I should have taken him up on that offer,” he said, wincing, as I cleaned his face with soap and water.

“I’ve seen you fight. Sometimes those foreigners are really skilled at it.” I bit my lip, blotting his face with the towel, a smirk pulling up the corners of my mouth.

Mason’s eyes grew wide as he caught on to my amusement. “Kendall!”

I turned away, throwing my hand up to stop him from lecturing me. I couldn’t hide my laughter and there was no stopping it. I buried my head in the pillows.

“I’m sorry, Mason. I really don’t think it’s funny,” I said through tears. I closed my eyes, afraid to look at him anymore. It was just too much.

“You’re a mean girl, Kendall. I should crack you in the face,” he said jokingly.

I sat up, no longer laughing, as I looked around the room. I knew we were going to be leaving. “Do you think she’ll follow us?” My stomach was starting to ache all over again. I didn’t want to say goodbye already.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. I could tell he didn’t want to. “If they do what they usually do then no she won’t follow. She won’t travel with a group. She thinks that’s only asking to get caught.”

“Then we have an answer because Wanda would never let someone live who could send her to jail.” I blinked away the tears and ran for the bathroom and slammed the door.

“Kendall,” Mason said, quietly pleading from the other side of the door. The sound of his voice made me cry even harder and I was now sobbing uncontrollably.

I knew Mason, and I knew he was on the other side of the door with his forehead pressed against it—frustrated because he hated to see me cry. Hell, I hated crying.

“Kendall, will you come out? Come out and let’s talk about this,” he said, trying his hardest to get me to talk to him.