The Secrets we Reveal (Book Two)

Chapter Five (Riley)

"You seriously don't remember?" Mason asks me in surprise. Not that I could blame him, and to be honest, I wasn't sure why I was talking to him about this. Sure, we got on okay, and Aidan literally loved him, but still, I wouldn't say we were that close.

"It's hard to explain, but yesterday, I was talking to my sister while we were watching you guys training. After that, it gets a little fuzzy, and I don't know, it feels like I lost a load of time because I went from that to Billy being there, and Lily leaving, and I am sure there was some girl there too, but I can't remember her name." I quickly try to explain. It was just so weird, I remember talking and stuff. I remember feeling happy and content, but at the same time, I don't remember any details. It was unsettling.

"That's a bit weird. Have you talked to your sister or Billy about it, just to see what they say?" He then asks in a slightly nervous tone, or at least what I thought sounded a little nervous. I'm not sure why he would react like that, but I have my own issues to think about, and I was hoping to avoid talking with my sister. I wanted to go home tomorrow, and not end up stuck here for more tests.

"I don't know, Mason." I find myself saying, and straight away I can see the concern on his face. "I just want to go home, and if I talk to Lily about forgetting entire conversations and apparently walking around the Facility at night. She might make me stay." I then say with a slight sigh. I really didn't want to stay here, and I was starting to wish that Aidan hadn't gone on his mission. He hadn't even reported back yet or sent me any messages.

"Wait, walking around here at night?" I then hear Mason ask in confusion, and I realize that I had let my apparent sleepwalking situation slip out. Not that it really matters, because it was kind of related to what happened earlier today, and maybe he might be able to help me remember something. I'm sure he must have seen me at some point, even if he's never mentioned anything about it before.

"Apparently, I've been sleepwalking or something and meeting people around here. I don't remember anything, but I'm going to be meeting some of them later, as a kind of goodbye thing. Well, that's what Lily told me earlier." I explain as best as I could. I had no idea what my sister was talking about at first, but during the earlier conversation that I can't remember, I had made plans to meet up with some friends I had apparently made.

"That's weird. Do you mean full-on sleepwalking, or that you just can't remember doing it?" I then hear him ask. I had zoned out for a few moments, but his question was a good one, and one that I thought was important, because it wasn't sleepwalking. You don't hang out with people and make friends if you're sleepwalking, and that made this whole thing even more confusing.

"I don't remember doing it. It's like what happened earlier, except that I don't remember anything about them. At least with the thing earlier, I kind of remember it, and how happy and content I seemed to be. I'm worried, Mason." I then say honestly. It was a risk to talk to him about this, and like I said earlier, we weren't that close. But I had to talk to someone, and I trusted him. Aidan was careful who he let in, and he wouldn't fall in love with someone, he didn't trust.

"That's crazy, and I don't really know what to say." He then says with a sympathetic expression. "But maybe it's because you were awake. You know, the talk you had earlier, you were awake, but if you remember going to sleep before these sleepwalking things happen. Then maybe you don't remember anything, because you are actually asleep." He then quickly adds with a hopeful smile. It was actually a good theory, but it still didn't really make any sense. I still had full conversations with people and made actual friends. Surely if I were just sleepwalking, they would have noticed, and told someone.

"I'm not sure, Mason. It just all seems so strange, and there are other things too. I wish Aidan were here." I then find myself saying, before leaning forward and propping my head up on the table with my hands. I didn't want to dismiss what he had said or make him feel like I didn't appreciate his help, but there were some other things, that had been happening ever since I woke up from my coma, and they were slightly embarrassing. So I really did wish Aidan was here right now.

"Look, Riley. I know it's quiet here, but if you want to go somewhere more private, we can go to my room or yours. If you want." He then says with a concerned expression. Yeah, I could definitely see why Aidan liked him so much. I just wish I hadn't seen what I did, but as much as I want to believe it wasn't real, I couldn't risk it. That world was terrifying, and I couldn't do anything that would make it come true.

"Honestly, I appreciate it, Mason, but it's personal. Be honest though, do you think I'm crazy or maybe..." I then begin to say with reluctantly. I didn't want to say too much, not about the more embarrassing stuff, but I also didn't want him to feel like he needed to tell my sister, that I was acting strangely. In the end, though, I just trail off and look down at the table.

"If you told me something like this before people started getting superpowers a few years ago, I'm pretty sure that we would be straying into crazy town and white padded cells. However, we don't live in a normal world, and given the fact I pulled another person out of you, not so long ago, I think we need to take this seriously." He quickly responds with a warm smile. He then took me by surprise and reached over to take one of my hands into his own, and despite still not knowing what to do, it felt nice and reassuring.

"We?" I then find myself saying in surprise. I had almost missed what he had said, and despite the fact that we've been talking about this for a while now, I was still a little surprised that he seemed to want to help me. It sounds a little stupid, and I've thought about it a couple of times now, but maybe I need to start thinking of him as a better friend than I had given him credit for. Sure we weren't close, and have only just really met, but he's helping me now, and willing to believe me. Even though I must sound more than a little crazy right now.

"I know that I'm not Aidan, but I think we're friends, and I want to help you. Sure it's a little weird and strange, but like I just said, we don't exactly live in a normal world anymore." He responds with a smile. It was a smile that he uses a lot around Aidan, and I have to admit, it was a nice smile. "I won't be able to come to this party thing until I finish my shift on patrol, but I will make sure I come as soon as I'm finished." He then says with the same smile, and I couldn't help but feel a little bit better about tonight, even if he couldn't come until later on.

"Thanks, Mason. I just want to figure this out, because ever since I woke up from the coma. I don't quite feel like myself." I then say with a weak smile. I wanted to be upbeat and confident, but when I really think about it, something isn't quite right, and it makes me think about what Lily had told me before. My DNA or genes or whatever you want to call it, was different now. I wasn't an Empowered, but I wasn't completely human either. It's something I still didn't know how to feel about.

"It sounds to me like you need a distraction." He then states with a slight smirk and a wink. "Come on, let's go find Billy. I wanted to give him some new training ideas anyway, and you need to get your mind off everything for a few hours." He then quickly adds before I get a chance to ask him what he meant by a distraction. The mention of Billy though quickly fills me with a weird, but nice sense of calm and happiness. It was a nice feeling to have.

"What?" I then find myself asking with a hint of paranoia in my tone, after suddenly noticing him giving me a strange look from across the table. "Seriously, why are you looking at me like that?" I then ask again, this time with a slight frown. It was a weird look, and one that I couldn't quite work out, but it had come out of nowhere, and I had no idea what had happened.

"Er… it's nothing." He eventually says in response, which quickly raises my paranoia levels a little bit more, and I wonder if I have something on my face. "Okay, it's just that you just kind of er… well, you kind of just went all calm and happy." He then awkwardly adds, after I just stared at him in confusion for a few moments. His explanation, however, didn't really help explain why he was looking at me like he had been. I mean sure, I got this sudden happy and calm feeling a few moments ago for some reason, but that wasn't a bad thing, and I don't think he would have been able to notice that.

"Calm and happy, is better than feeling paranoid and scared that you're going crazy." I then decide to say as casually as I could. I was definitely still felt those nice feelings, and it had come out of nowhere, but it was hardly anything to worry about. Being calm and happy is a good thing.

"Fair point." He then quickly responds with a shrug of the shoulders. I could tell that he wasn't entirely convinced, but there really wasn't any more to it, and I guess he realized that. "So, are you ready to go?" He then asks with his earlier smile returning, and while it took me a few moments to realize what he meant, I was happy he changed the subject.

"Yeah, he's probably training or trying to sneak into a lecture or briefing again." I decide to say in response. It was a bit of a cheap shot at Billy, but it was funny, and we all laughed about how keen he was to impress everyone.

"More than likely, let's start at my training room. It's set up for our kind of powers, so if he's already training, it's where he will be." He quickly responds with a smile, as he walks towards the doorway. I mean he had a point, and I couldn't think of anywhere, in particular, he would be, so I was happy to go along with it, and quickly followed him out of the room and towards the training area.

Four hours later…

"Seriously?" I quickly ask in a less than impressed tone. It's not that I don't appreciate the fact that she cares about me, but this was ridiculous, and it was starting to actually dampen my excitement for the evening. I mean I was nervous and a little worried about what would happen, but at the same time, I was determined to have a good time, and I knew that Mason was going to turn up. So I was going to be fine.

However, instead of responding to me, I just watch as she walks over to the clothes that I was going to wear, and promptly pick them up and walk them back over to the closet. I then watch as she pulls some other clothes and walks back over to me.

"Those?" I then find myself asking, as I look them over uncertainty. I mean they were my clothes, I brought them a while back, so I liked them. But still, I wasn't sure they were right for going to a party, even if the party was casual and just hanging out. I was still sure I should at least look like I was making an effort.

"Trust me on this, Riley. I might not be aware of these parties or whatever they are referred to as, but if you go in all suited up and looking like you're going to an interview for a new job, you're going to regret it. Plus, you will impress Amelia more, if you're relaxed and comfortable." She responds with a knowing smile. However, all I can think about was the mention of Amelia, and I had no idea what she was talking about. Who the hell was Amelia, well, I mean the only Amelia I know, well, not even know, is my apparent fiancé from the future, and there was no one here named Amelia. I think I would remember something like that.

But as much as I wanted to ask who Amelia was because there had to be an Amelia here. It's not something my sister would just make up. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not, because if I asked her who she was, she might get suspicious and start asking questions, and I wasn't ready to answer those kinds of questions. So instead, I decide to take the shirt and trousers from her, just to buy myself some more time.

"I guess they're nice enough." I then say with a half smile. I had wanted to say something a little more confident or more enthusiastic, but honestly, it was all I could think off, and I figured sounding kind of casual and a little unconvinced, would be better than coming across too confident. I think that would make her a lot more suspicious.

"Just make sure you pick some decent socks and underwear, Riley. Preferably clean." She then states with a smirk, and despite my best efforts, I can't help but blush at her words. I really hated the fact that she could tease me so easily, and despite knowing it was a long, long time since I had to be told about that particular kind of personal hygiene, I knew that because of the fact that she pretty much raised me for the past three years, I could never offer any kind of comeback to it.

"Very funny, Lily. Can you leave now?" I decide to say in response. Making sure that she knew it wasn't a question. I might love her, and I will never forget what she has done for me. However, at the same time, it didn't mean that I couldn't be a little mad at her or ask her to leave me alone. Plus, I wanted to get ready and maybe check to see if Aidan had messaged me. He hadn't made any contact with anyone since he left for his mission, and I was a little worried.

"Fine, fine." She quickly responds with an amused grin, before walking towards the door. "Riley, just enjoy yourself, okay." She then says with a soft smile, after turning around at the door. Which took me by surprise. I knew she loved me and wanted the best for me, but it was still a surprise for her to say that, and mean it. Especially after saying what she had a few moments earlier.

"I will, I promise." I respond with a shy smile. I'm not really sure why I'm acting all shy, but I couldn't help it. It's not like I don't know how to enjoy myself, or that I have never been to a party, but I guess with everything that has happened recently, I might have been a little tense and stuff. So reassuring her that I was okay, or at least going to be okay, was easy enough.

"And don't worry about Aidan so much. These missions are supposed to be radio silent, and he knows what he is doing." She then says with a smile, which actually faltered for a moment. "He will be fine." She then suddenly adds, before I was just about to respond. However, before I could even respond to that, I can only watch, as she opens my door and walks out of it, closing it behind her.

It actually takes me a few moments to really process what just happened, and while I wanted to brush it off and just accept what she had just said, I couldn't. The way she had added ‘He will be fine' was anything but reassuring, and it just made me question whether something was wrong, if she was worried too. The whole thing was weird, and despite wanting to go after her, I just sat down on my bed instead.

It was Aidan after all, and he was one of the most powerful Empowered on the planet, and it was a routine mission. He was fine, and probably just finished early and wanted a bit of alone time or something. He told me that he liked to do that sometimes, and that's what he's probably doing. I mean, I know he had that talk with Mason and seemed to accept that they can't be together, but I wouldn't blame him if he wanted to get away from him for a little while. I know I would.

So instead of worrying about him, or Lily's words, I decide to hang the clothes she picked out for me to wear, on the cupboard door, so that they don't get wrinkled or creased. I then walk over to my computer and check for any messages, and while I initially get my hopes up, after seeing a couple of new messages, they aren't from him. Although one is from Billy, and I quickly open it with a smile on my face.

It's nothing special, but as I read it and slowly strip out of my clothes, it just makes me shake my head and grin. Just the way he talks about his training and whether I thought Mason really thought he was making progress or if he was just making it up to tease him or make him feel better. It was just funny and as cocky as Billy was at times, he was also still a kid, and I guess, needed reassurance sometimes.

Although as I walk over to grab a towel and then back over to read the last bit of his message, I suddenly hear the door opening and promptly drop the towel in surprise. The sound of giggling then quickly fills the room, and despite initially covering myself, I lower my hands, as I see Billy closing the door and walking over to my bed and sitting down, while I pick up my towel.

The last part of his message said that he was going to be here at five, and as I glance at the clock, he was actually right on time. I guess I should be more embarrassed, but to be honest, when it comes to Billy, he's seen me naked already and even seen me pee, so I just didn't get that shy around him. Saying that I still didn't want him to see me naked, and made a mental note to make sure I lock my door if I plan on getting naked in the future.

Even if this was my last night here, I guess Billy will be visiting my house, and with Aidan and Lily not exactly caring much about personal space when it comes to me, I need to lock my door more at home as well. Although as I look back at Billy sitting on my bed, I can't help but notice that he is staring a little more than I thought he would be.

"So how come you're here?" I decided to ask with a curious smile, as I close my computer and then look back at him. Not that I didn't like seeing him, I always seemed to feel better around him. However, I really needed to get ready, and I was about to hop into the shower. So I was hoping he wouldn't be here too long, I didn't want to be late for the party.

"You didn't respond to my message, and I heard you're going to that party thing tonight. I guess I just wanted to see you because you're leaving tomorrow and I don't know when I will be allowed to leave here." He quickly responds with a smile, which falters slightly as he speaks, and I can't help but feel a little guilty. It had to suck for him to be stuck here, I know I didn't like it, but at least I had somewhere else to go. He didn't.

"Sorry, just been busy. Lily only just left, and it's the first chance I've had to check my messages." I quickly respond with a warm smile. I didn't want him to feel like I had ignored him, but I genuinely hadn't had the time, and I definitely didn't want to risk my sister seeing any messages from my friends or Aidan. Especially after a couple of embarrassing moments in the past.

"I knew that's probably why, but I still wanted to see you. I'll miss you." He then says softly, and I can't help but walk over and sit next to him. It felt a little weird to be basically naked and putting my arm around him, but I couldn't help it. I didn't want him to be sad and knew that he liked when we cuddled up. I know I did.

"I would invite you to come, but I don't really know anyone, and I'm not sure if they will like it or not." I decide to then say, as I stroke his side a little with my hand. I guess it would be okay, and it would probably be easier with him there. But, I had no idea what would happen or if there was a reason I couldn't remember the previous parties. So the last thing I wanted to do, was to ask him to come, and the same thing happens to him.

"I know, and it's cool." He quickly responds with a smile, as he looks up at me. His reaction actually surprises me a little bit, because I know what he's like. He likes to be involved in as much as possible, and I was half expecting him to give me the puppy dog eyes or something to convince me to take him with me.

"What?" I then find myself asking curiously, as I see him looking over to my wardrobe. I mean I know he is going to say something about the clothes because you can see them, but I wasn't sure if he was going to make fun of them, or if he thought they were a good choice.

"Aren't you meant to dress up for a party?" He quickly answers, as he looks back at me, and then back at the clothes. His question mimicking my own to my sister earlier. It actually made me smile a little bit and remind me of how much I like him being around. I was definitely going to miss him, we are so much alike, it's crazy.

"I said the same thing to Lily, but she thinks I will be the only one to dress up and to be honest, I haven't been to that many parties, so I'm taking her advice." I decide to say in response. I guess we could have had a little debate over it, but as much as I like Billy, I think I am going to take my sister's advice over fashion, over his.

Instead of answering straight away though, he slowly gets up and walks over to the clothes and runs his hand over them. Which was more than a little weird, but I guess he had a reason., so I decide to just let him do whatever it was, that he was doing and wait for him to say whatever he was going to say.

"They're decent clothes, Billy. I mean I brought them for a reason." I then find myself saying a little defensively. I couldn't help it, and despite knowing I sounded a little stupid, the way he was still looking unimpressed at them, just made me feel a little paranoid. I might not exactly be a fashion expert, but I had decent taste in clothes, and they weren't exactly cheap. Well for a kid my age.

"I guess so, and they'll be comfortable." He then says in a distracted tone. Which definitely caught me off guard, and the way he suddenly looked at me a little worriedly, confused me as well. It was almost like he wasn't meant to say it, and like I already said, it was definitely weird, but it was hardly offensive, so I wasn't quite sure why he looked so worried.

"I don't want to be a jerk or anything, Billy. But I really need to get a shower, and then get ready, and the party starts soon." I then reluctantly say. I really didn't want him to leave, and I actually thought about just letting him stay while I shower and get dressed, but as comfortable as we are around each other, I don't want to make him feel awkward.

"I'll wait, I don't really want to go sit on my own until I have to." He then says in response. Although he seemed to not be that bothered and seemed pretty upbeat, which was a little confusing. I honestly thought he would be acting a little more, well, like a child and being all sulky about it.

"Okay." Is all that I can think to say in response. I guess it's not like he hasn't seen me undressed before, and if it doesn't bother him, I guess it's okay. So if he's happy enough to sit here, then it shouldn't bother me. "I won't be long, you can go on my computer if you want." I decide to then say, as I walk past him and open the door to the bathroom. I think the private bathroom, is definitely near the top of my list of things I will actually miss about this place.

He just nods his head, and I decide to just turn and close the door behind me, as I walk into my bathroom. I had to brush my teeth and stuff, as well as shower, and decide to use the toilet first, and work my way through cleaning up. I think I'm in the bathroom for almost twenty minutes before I walk back into my room, and to my surprise, I notice two different outfits laid out on my bed, and Billy just looking at them.

"Why did you get them out?" I decide to ask curiously, as I walk beside the bed and look down at them. I mean, I didn't mind him going through my things, but I had an outfit out, and while these were my clothes, so I liked them. I didn't want to wear them for the party and had already told him I was wearing the clothes my sister had picked out.

"These will be more comfortable, and they will make us look better." He quickly responds nonchalantly, as he barely even gives me a glance. His response though caught me completely off guard, and for whatever reason, I knew that he hadn't misspoken and I hadn't misheard. He meant what he said, and I actually found myself backing away from him a little bit.

"Billy, I already..." I begin to say, as I back away from him, but as he stands up, his expression makes me trail off for a few moments. "What are you doing?" I then ask nervously. It barely came out above a whisper, but I was actually a little scared. He might have been younger than me, but he was an Empowered, and right now, I had no idea what he was doing.

He then just walks towards me, and as much as I want to move, before I can even turn around, he is right next to me and touching my arm. It was strange, but almost as soon as I felt his hand close around my arm, I felt a sense of calm, and the confusion and nervousness, just seemed to disappear, and before I knew it. I found myself being moved back towards the bed, and the towel falling away from my waist.

It was weird because I knew that this wasn't right, but the longer he held my arm, the more I felt myself relaxing, and as I felt him dressing me, it just felt like it was completely normal and natural for him to be doing this. I think I even felt him feeling me up a little, but again, it just felt like it was normal, and as the minutes passed, all I could feel, was this calmness and happiness taking over my whole body, until it felt like I was actually asleep. It felt amazing, and it was nice to feel so safe and happy.

To be continued...