Chapter Four: I Hear The Secrets That You Keep

Riley wondered if it it considered lying if you choose to keep something secret when you know there's no point in mentioning it? Not something like a like being in danger, but something that'd cause unnecessary drama? She wondered if it was some sort of karma falling upon her, for all the lies she'd told over the years.

Truth be told, Riley considered herself to be a fantastic liar. Using the bare minimum to lie to someone, redirecting attention and asking tough questions, throwing in some of her famous—rather, infamous-attitude to get them off her back. How many lies had it been that she'd told? More than enough when Robert was around. How many lies had she told in the last day? Enough that it made her guilt—which admittedly didn't show up too often—run into overdrive.

Zack was a habitual liar, but over things that were small in comparison. Not wanting to get in trouble for not doing his homework. Not wanting to do his chores and forcing Cody to do it. Coming up with ways to skip class. Little things.

Not big things that had a lasting impression on life. Riley reached up her hand, ran her fingertip down the scar settled on her cheek. How had she explained that away? Oh. Right. A chuckle escaped her lips. She managed to make them think she as joking.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just did, mate."

"What happened to your…?"

What happened to your face? What'd you do to your face? What happened to your cheek? She always gave a smile, a disarming one, and would say, "I got hit with a vase." Truth be told, she couldn't remember if it was a vase or a lamp. She couldn't quite imagine Robert owning a vase, now that she thought about it. He was very modern in his tastes and vases were very…antique. Either way, it was enough for her to lose a few hours—days?—of her memory. Black holes of darkness that plagued her on even her best of days. Tortured her on her worst. No matter how hard she strained, it wouldn't come back. All she could remember was a snarling face, a scream of rage, and the initial smack before she woke up in the hospital with a hole in her face that'd been hastily stitched shut and a cover story being harshly whispered into her ear.

A cover story was no longer needed when no one believed the truth in the first place. How many times had she come out and said, "my father beats me up?" only to get laughter in response? Too many times to even care anymore. The laughter had stabbed like knives, pinning her to the reality that it wouldn't end anytime soon.

The truth about the morning she met her friends for breakfast? The truth about what spurred her to ask Zack on a date that night was that she felt…a mess of emotions. Angry. Guilty. Humiliated. Confused. Emotion she didn't deal with very well.

Riley's feet bobbed up and down, rapidly beating the floor. Elbows resting on her knees, clasped hands covering her mouth. Her body rapidly vibrated. She brought her teeth to her fingernails, started to chew, then dropped her hand once more. She dropped her hands, paused, ran them over her face, then started to rub her arm. Needed to feel something. Anything that wasn't embittered pain.

"So, what's up with this guy that you're seeing?"

It'd been the first thing he'd said when she arrived at his place. Couldn't keep herself from responding to his text. There were too many curiosities she couldn't quell despite the pull of never wanting to see him again. But, she was savvy enough to know how weird it'd be. She'd even said right out he came to visit. How odd would it be if she were to completely avoid someone who traveled thousands of miles to visit? Her friends were smart enough to already note something of distrust about him.

If she wanted to keep them from getting closer, she'd have to bite the bullet and see him at least once, right? Or that was what he wanted. He'd smirked at her as he opened the door to his room at the St. Mark—thankfully he wasn't staying in the Tipton.

So close and yet not far enough away.

So much so that when she reacted in surprise, not expecting the question, he hardly reacted. Merely leaned against the doorframe and looked at her, waiting for a response. Realizing he wasn't going to get one, Ian stepped back and allowed her in. Riley took a cursory look around the hotel suite.

Nothing like the Tipton, that was for sure. The layout of the room was similar, stepping into the kitchen upon entering the suite. The living room just beyond that, the bathroom around the bend, then the bedroom. Ilsa certainly had her work cut out for her to make sure the St. Mark hotel could best the Tipton. As far as Riley could tell, it was a close call between those that booked either hotel. If that angry vein atop Mr. Moseby's forehead continuously throbbing had anything to say it was the stress the rivaling hotel was putting on him.

It was enough to take his attention of Zack and Cody for the time being. Even Cody was starting to miss the hotel manager screaming at them for every little thing. Not enough to get him back into his pranking hi-jinks no matter how much Zack begged him.

"I mean, I get why you acted so cold at the restaurant, yeah?" Ian continued, dragging Riley's suspicious gaze to him. "You were working. I know how aggro you get about that sort of thing. I should've remembered."

"You never remember anything that doesn't have to do with you," Riley pointed out.

Ian blinked at her. "That's a bit harsh."

A sarcastic laugh escaped Riley"s lips. "Compared to the way you hurt me—"

"Hurt you?" He looked amused. "I never bloody touched you." Riley gave him a 'yeah, right' look that made him backtrack his statement. "Right…but not in a way you didn't want, yeah?" It wasn't the point she was trying to make and yet he still knew how to hit her where it hurt the most.

At that, Riley winced. She immediately regretted it. Hated it. Hated how easy it was for him to still use her vulnerabilities against her. All because he was the biggest offender against them. Just swooped in like a bird of prey and made himself a strong pier in a storm she'd been brewing. Growing up with a man that did nothing but tear down her self-esteem and beat her for control, it was easy for her to project her feelings of being wanted and loved onto someone who gave her the slightest bit of attention. It didn't mean it gave him the right to equally tear her apart.

"You didn't answer my question. What's with this guy that you're seeing now?" Ian turned to his suitcase and flipped off the top with a flick of his wrist. He hardly glanced at the things inside, grabbing piles and tossing them aside. Robotic. "What's his name, again?" Ian pretended to think about it, snapping his fingers. "Zeke?"

"Zack," Riley corrected. She knew he knew his name. Committed it to memory the second it was mentioned. But she didn't bother to call him out on it. The shark-like smile on his face at her correction was enough to prove it.

"That's it."

Immediately, Riley felt defensive. Not ashamed, never ashamed. Defensive over whatever mean thing that could be said. Got ready for a retort that'd at least get the other person to feel even slightly bad about it. "What about him?"

"That's just it." Ian flicked his bangs from his face. "I reckon I'm curious about him. He must be something special if you want to date him." He looked pensive then added dismissively. "Not that a lot of your boyfriends have been winners."

Riley snorted. Her eyebrows lifted and a smirk came to her face. "Do you add yourself to that list?"

Now Ian snorted. "I was never your boyfriend."

"Exactly."

Finally, Ian made a face. Absolutely offended. "Oh, don't be so dramatic!" Then he blinked and shook his head. "Hate to say it, mate." He folded his arm sand shrugged. "But I don't really see what you see in him."

I could say the same about you, Riley thought. Was smart enough not to say it out loud. "All the things no one else does," She said honestly. And she'd told him so, when she finally told him how she felt.

"I wish other people could see you the way I do."

"Right back, atcha," he replied with the biggest grin she'd ever seen.

How many times had she sat back and watched as Cody, his parents, and a lot of other people did nothing but tear Zack down with all his faults? Too many times. She hadn't realized it bothered her so much until she'd finally admitted how she felt him. "Plus," she shrugged modestly. "He makes me laugh."

"With his looks, he should."

"Watch it." A dangerous tone entered Riley's voice. Her shoulders hunched, muscles tensed, ready tot fling her into fight response. Now he wasn't talking about just Zack, he was talking about Cody, too. And the last thing she'd let happen was have them be compared. Being a twin herself, she knew how absolutely frustrating it could be at the best of times. And downright shitty at the worst.

"Ooh, touchy." He held up a finger, pointed it at her. Pointed it between her eyes. "Careful not to lose your temper." His voice turned malicious. Taunting. "We know where that leads, yeah? How long ahs it been since you last lost it?" His grin widened. "Better question; how much longer until Zack figures out the real you? Your friends? The apple can't fall far from the tree, even if that tree is fucking poisoned in the first place."

Riley scowled. "Shut up."

"Fine, since you want to call the shots this time…" Ian licked his lips. Paused. And he said I was being dramatic. "How's that eating disorder working out for him?" Riley stared. Her lips parted, she strained her muscles to keep her mouth from dropping completely open in shock. "How'd I know? Please. His entire being screams insecure." Ian gestured with his hand. "I don't know many guys who'll look at any of the bloody food in that place and not want to devour it." He reached up and mimed pinching his cheeks. "Not to mention he's got that chipmunk cheek thing that happened with Rhu." Ian barely blinked when he noticed her move away from him. "Where are you going?"

"Where the fuck do you think I'm going?" Riley spat with so much vehemence she started to shake. She hated him so much. "You think I'm going to stick around and listen to you shit on my friends and my sister? Fuck you!"

Immediately, she thought back to one of the last times they spoke to each other. Where she was breaking up with him, finally ending their monotonous and torturous cat and mouse game that she always lost. A relationship that was never really a relationship where he called all the shots and she followed along with her tail between her legs.

That say, she stood firm. Waiting for his response to her calm, cool statement of, "I'm done." And waited. And waited. The waiting was the hardest part of the process, she'd realized. And as she watched him watch her, she knew he wanted to say something but was working to come up with the right words for it. She wasn't quite sure what he wanted to say—which unnerved her, usually being able to read people at the drop of a hat—but could feel the thick tension that lingered in the room.

"What?" He asked. A word so flat it may as well have bene a bomb that'd gone off.

"I'm done," she repeated.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

He continued to press. Not believing her. The way his eyes flickered over her face said it all. "It's over?" he pressed.

That made Riley sneer. "It never even fucking started, boofhead." Her words dripped with venom. "You made sure of that."

The room fell silent once more. Funny, how before she came to enjoy the silence. Came to enjoy the times where Robert wasn't screaming, yelling, and threatening them. Funny how she came to enjoy it as much as she enjoyed hearing the sounds of her siblings' loud laughter when fully allowed to let loose. At that moment, she couldn't stand it. It made her hair stand on end. Felt the danger that was coming toward her.

Ian shook his head. He appeared stunned, unable to fully grasp the situation. Finally, he moved to get off his bed. Riley stood stock-still, keeping her feet planted firmly.

"Are you joking?" He asked.

"Does it sound like I'm fucking joking?"

Ian rolled his eyes. "Oh please. Don't make it as if you gone through some sort of trauma while we've been together."

A hollow laugh escaped her lips, "That's just it. We weren't together. You and she are but not me. I'm not in that equation."

"So, what, you think I was using you?" he accused her.

"Of course." He kept coming closer, she continued to stand her ground. She wouldn't fall into his trap. Not again. "But we were using each other." A lie. She hadn't used him for anything. What she felt was real. Real enough, anyway. She wasn't sure how much of it she truly believed and how much she tricked herself into believing because she was desperate.

Ian reached out to touch her, to brush her hair back from her face. Riley flinched and shied away. He dropped his hand to his side, anger flashing through his eyes. It always started like that. A simple touch and she was gone. Maybe if she had more will power. Or maybe if she wasn't so goddamn afraid all the time!

She was getting angry and he was getting cockier. "Don't fucking touch me," she hissed with enough rage that he did take a step back from her. She scoffed, shook her head. "I hate you."

"No, you don't." He said the words so calmly, so smugly, that it was enough for her. She was done and ready to leave. He'd never see her again. Boston was looking too good at the moment. It wasn't her home, but the last place she wanted to be was where there was too much of her past to torment her. No matter all the good memories; no matter leaving her mother and father behind.

I know, but I wish I did.

The thought horrified her. She hated him so much and yet…couldn't hate him. She'd managed to push thought aside. Out of sight, out of mind. But now that he was back, now that he was in Boston, now that he was so close, threatening everything she'd worked for to be better—to be good—it was more than she could take.

"Fine, then go." Ian waved his hand. "I don't know why you wasted your time."

Riley's face twitched in outrage. "You were the one who called me over here."

Ian tilted his head to the side. His face remained oddly blank. He studied her a long moment. The corner of his lips pulled back. He pointed at her and said, "But you didn't have to come." He righted his head. "Why did you come, anyway?"

Anger flashed over her face, though she didn't respond. Ian's smile, nevertheless, widened. "I get it," he remarked. "I mean, considering how long it's been since we've seen each other—"

"—Why are you here?" Riley interrupted. Ian's eyes flashed to her, but she kept her gaze on him. She wasn't going to back down. Not this time. "Why are you here in Boston?"

Instead of giving her a direct answer, as he'd grown to expect of her, Ian lifted an eyebrow. "Not what you're thinking, yeah? You must have a big ego if you think I came here for you." He folded his arms, mouth tightening. "Right, my parents and I came here to visit some schools. We used to live here because of dad's job and I always wondered what it'd be like to come back. It was as much of a surprise for me to know you were here. Every bloke and their mum doesn't seem to know you and your family went after you left." He waved his hand. "Just every now and then you pop back into Sydney like fucking daises." He then added, "Seems like you've made a good life for yourself out here."

The only complement she could remember him giving her.

A wry smile came to Riley's face. She turned on her heel, heading toward the door. Ian's voice made her blood run cold then burn with rage. "When am I going to see you again?"

She jerked her head over her shoulder and asked, "How's your girlfriend, doing?"

He smiled.

And so, she had to lie. Because, the truth was, he knew something about her she wanted to keep a secret. She wanted to be the first to tell it.

A/N: There are going to be some pretty happy/fluffy/feel good moments within this story romantically as well as with friends and family despite this story focusing on Zack and Riley. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this insight into what's going on.

Cheers,

-Riles