Behind the Mask

Back straight, eyes down, hands folded neatly in my lap. I held my posture this way for the majority of the questioning process. I also did something crazy: I answered truthfully. 

I told them all about Peter, and photography class, and the elevator incident in the hotel. I told them about the fire that had him coughing for days, and my drugged drink. I even told them about the hate mail.

It was when they asked if I was finished that I started to lie. "That's all I know."

The man -- I didn't know what position he held in the police department-- shook his head in the disappointed way that my father would. "I hear you, but I'm not buying it, sweetheart."

I frowned at the inappropriate pet name. "What's not to buy? I'm telling the truth." 

"If you are as close to Parker as you say, you should know more about where he is now, and what caused him to run off." The woman added, her strikingly blue eyes locked on my face. "We're on your side, Olivia."

"I told you, he wouldn't tell me where he was going." That was true. "I don't know why he left." False.

"He didn't leave you any clues?"

I didn't think of that. "I don't think so.

"Why do you think he left so suddenly?"
"To protect me, I guess? I don't know."

"To protect you, huh?" The man raised his chin. "From what?"

"Everything I just told you. From the criminals seeking revenge and the people out there that want him dead."

The woman nodded. "Sure, they want him dead because of who he is. But why do you think you are at risk?"

I positioned my hands in my hair in preparation to rip it out. "Because they know I'm with him."

A brief second of silence felt like an eternity.

"How long have you been with him?" The woman asked. "How long have you known?"

They were two separate questions, but the answer was the same for both. "Almost two months."

"And when did you find out who he is?"

I didn't want to take myself back to that night in the elevator, trapped and helpless, even though I was heroically saved. I didn't want them to know what happened, how he saved a complete stranger. Peter and I were the only ones that knew about the night we met.

I kept my eyes down. "Not long after I met him."

"He trusted you with his identity so soon?"

"We had some things in common."

"Like what?"

I swallowed hard. They had to know about Greg. I wasn't about to bring it up. "We live in the same building."

"Does anyone else know besides Chase?" The woman inquired.

"No." I sighed quietly. "I shouldn't have told him."

"It's important that we know his identity." The man said, trying to boost my self esteem. "It helps us keep better track of him."

"It doesn't matter." I whispered, still staring into my lap. "Peter isn't coming back."

"Why not?"

Wasn't it obvious? I peeked up for a brief moment, through the glass windows of the tiny office, and I saw Chase staring right back at me. "They'll kill him."

There were more mindless questions before they finished. They said they would keep in touch, and I said I'd be around if they had anymore questions. I lied again.

I opened the door from the tiny office and revealed myself to the scuffle of people in the station. Chase stood up upon my entrance.

I walked straight past him.

"Liv, wait please." 

I rolled my eyes to mask my fear. "Stop it." 

I reached for the main door to exit out onto the street when he grabbed me. "You can't go out that way."

I lost my breath. "Don't touch me."

He held on tighter. "There are people out there waiting for you with cameras."

I couldn't decide what frightened me more: that I was suddenly famous or that I was allowing a potential murderer to squeeze my arm.

"Chase, please let go."

He did. "They'll eat you alive. There's another way out. Just come with me--"

"No!" My voice caught the attention of alot of people. I lowered it a bit. "I lied to them about you, Chase. Don't make me regret it."

Chase cracked his smirk. "You have to trust me."

That line lit the fuse. "Trust you? Why the hell should I trust you!"

He shrugged. "You did when you told me about Parker." He slipped part of his handcuffs out of his pocket and pressed the cool metal against my skin. "And I could always arrest you for assaulting and officer."

I laughed, masking my fear again. "I'm going out this way." I turned the doorknob and threw the door open. He was right.

I was blinded. I literally couldn't see after the first few flashes. As an instinct, I latched myself up against the closest person to me, and it happened to be Chase.

It obviously boost his pride. He parted the sea of news reporters and helped me into the squad car.

My heart was painfully exploding from my chest. I was breathing too fast. He drove onto the street and turned on his sirens to get away faster.

"Damn reporters." He grumbled. "You'll be on the front page tomorrow."

I was too stunned to react to being in a squad car with a man that almost killed Peter. He was still holding my hand, squeezing it.

I jerked out of his hold and crossed my arms. "Take me home. Now."

He barely fazed from rejection. "Isn't it too dangerous for you to go home?"

"Chase, take me home!"

"Okay, okay. Jeez, Liv."

"Don't call me that." 

"What's your problem? I just saved you from those bloodsucking --"

"Just take me home!"

He shook his head and laughed, but didn't speak again. I didn't care what happened to me at my apartment. It didn't matter if Peter wasn't coming back.

I could see the apartment building up ahead. I shifted in my seat.

"I just want what's best for you, Liv". He muttered.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and leaped from the car before he pulled it to the curb. I slammed the door and ran into the lobby of my building without looking back.

I raced up the stairs to my floor, but I passed it and decided to check Peter's apartment first. He must have left some kind of clue, something that explained where he went.

It was dark when I finally got the door open. The only thing lighting the room was the city streets outside. I felt for a light switch on the wall and flipped it on.

I screamed, but covered my mouth to quiet myself. It was Peter, sitting in the chair at his desk, staring at me.

My emotions overwhelmed me. I began to cry, throwing myself at him and covering his face in kisses. He sat there as still as stone.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were gone, I -- I didn't know you were -- why didn't you say something?" I ran my hands over his shoulders and his chest in an effort to make myself believe he was really there.

He hooked his fingers around my wrists and held me back, away from him.

That's when I sensed it. "What's wrong?"

He kept me arm's length away, rising from his seat in the process. I didn't understand, he didn't look happy to see me.

I gulped, scrambling through my emotional mind for an explanation. "What happened? Did I do something?"

"You know what you did." He said, his voice low and emotionless. 

I tried to regulate my breathing. "He had to bring me home, I didn't have another choice. The cameras were everywhere, Peter. I was scared."

He laughed once at my foolishness. "I don't care about the damn cameras, Olivia."

His tone of voice frightened me. "Then what's the matter?"

He basically exploded, sure that I would feel it. "You told them everything!"

It was the first time he'd yelled at me that way. It was also the first time I realized exactly what I did. 

The next morning, the entire city would know about us.