Disclaimer: I do not own anything Twilight; all rights go to Stephanie Meyer.

Chapter Thirteen, Riley and Guilt.

Previously,

Nobody really said anything as we sat down to eat. We were all too upset to talk about what happened. Well that was until someone sat down beside me.

"Hey guys, heard about the detention. That bites."

I looked over to the voice, and of course it was Riley.

It was like the bell had rung telling us we would be late to class. Everyone at the table stood up, grabbed their trays and walked away; leaving Riley and I. I sat there shocked at my friend's reactions.

"That was rude." Riley stated, he sounded highly amused.

I felt a large pair of hands wrap around my waist, and I was instantly being raised into the air.

"Heeeeyy!" I hollered.

I found myself being thrown over Emmett's shoulder, being carried like a sack of potatoes.

"EMMETT! Put me down! I would like to eat my food, and abruptly leaving Riley like that was not kind!"

Emmett stopped for a moment, and everyone who was walking behind us looked at me.

"You don't know Riley." Rose said coldly.

"Well I would, if everyone would just tell me about him! I mean come on, even Esme knows!" I screamed out.

Oops…

Edward's eyes widened, and both Jasper and Rose looked at me confused.

"Who is Esme?" Jasper asked.

Uh, Edward! A little help please! Oh my gosh…I cannot believe I just did that! Did I really just say that? Please tell me this is just some crazy vision that feels super life like or dream. Oh please be a dream! Everything is blown! They are going to know I've been lying to them! What are they going to think? Will they want nothing to do with me? If so many people know will Esme and I have to move again? OH you really did it this time Alice! You're such a knuckle head! You should think before you speak! Now you're going to have to leave your family, and it's all because you didn't think! STUPID, STUPID, ST-

Suddenly, I wasn't facing Jasper, Rose, and Edward anymore.

"Guys, that's Anne's full name. Esme Anne. Didn't you know that?" Emmett said casually, confidently.

What? Who is going to believe that?

"Really? That's so pretty!" Rose said kindly.

"It is, but their mother's name is Esme, so Anne likes to be called Anne. See their mom died when Mary was little and Anne has just preferred Anne after that." Edward said, picking up Emmett's confident tone.

"Oh, I didn't know that. I'm so sorry about your mom Mary!" Rose's voice sounded sad.

Well…my mother might as well be dead. I haven't seen her since she left me with Esme and Charles…

"Don't worry, I don't remember my mother, but she and Esme were close. So we don't talk about it very often." I tried to sound neutral, but even I heard the heart break in my voice.

Maybe that was good…maybe they'll believe our story now…but I feel yucky for having to lie to them, they don't deserve this.

"Let's just find another table and finish our lunch." Emmett said, turning around.

I was facing the rest of my friends, and seeing their expressions just made me feel worse. Rose had sorrow in her eyes, although she was smiling sweetly at me. Jasper, who I just noticed is holding both of our trays, gave me a half smile; one of encouragement and understanding. Edward, he looked worn, like he was finally realizing how difficult and awful it feels to lie to your friends.

I'm so sorry you and Emmett have to lie for Esme and I. I never meant either of you any harm.

Edward looked me in the eyes and gave me his usual lopsided grin.

We all sat down at another table, across the cafeteria, and began to eat again.

"Sooo, is anyone going to explain this whole Riley thing? I mean, you haven't told me anything. I have heard mention of a girl named Bree, but no one really expanded on the subject. The only other thing I know about him is that he broke Em's nose and liked to fight. Now, I haven't pushed this very hard, obviously because no one has told me yet, but I'm really getting tired of being left in the dark."

Just like you're keeping your friends in the dark about who you really are? My mind spat at me.

It was like a ton of bricks came stumbling down on my chest. Guilt washed over me, raging around my mind.

Edward was sitting next to me, and he carefully grabbed my hand under the table. It was as if right now he was my life jacket from the sea of self-loathing I was drowning in. I leaned into him slightly, trying to make it through lunch.

Rose sighed, "Fair enough." She glanced around at everyone before continuing, dropping her voice to a whisper. "After Riley got into fighting, and breaking Emmett's nose, he got all of this confidence. He became cocky and completely full of himself; even more so than Edward his of himself." Rose smirked as she said this bit and Edward rolled his eyes, causing everyone to laugh. "Bree moved into town and Riley was immediately attracted to her; but she had absolutely no interest in him. After a weeks of him trying to pursue her, he got tired of her ignoring him." Rose hesitated before finishing, "Well, and no is one hundred percent certain it was him, but Bree was found in Newton's parking lot. She was beaten half to death, I mean she was in a coma for like three weeks!"

"Are you guys sure it was Riley? Forks has a lot of visitors, especially at Newton's store." I said, unsure.

Its a little presumptuous to think Riley followed her to Newton's just to beat her up for not liking him. He doesn't seem like that bad of a guy. Not that I don't trust my friends or anything, but maybe they are all just angry over him punching Em…

Jasper tensed, "That's where we all meet up." He spoke quietly on the other side of me.

I looked over at him, but he wouldn't look into my eyes. "What?" I asked, confused.

Jasper looked at his food the whole time he spoke, "In the woods by Newton's parking lot. It's where we fight; where I used to fight."

We never really talked about it, and I was not going to push the issue until Jazz was ready to talk about it. Last time I heard he was still fighting.

"Oh." I said, in realization.

Jasper once told me that he drinks when he fights, or at least he did the night he left me on the side walk, so maybe Riley drinks too. He could have been drunk and was walking back into the parking lot when he saw Bree; and maybe he just unleashed all of his anger from being rejected.

"Exactly." Edward said to me.

Rose's eyes furrowed as she looked at Edward and I. "I swear, I am never going to get used to that!" She said pointing at us.

Edward and I looked at each other and laughed.

"Oh Rose, you're just jealous that you aren't as cool as us!" Edward joked.

Rose gaped at him, "Oh Cullen, that wasn't very smart." She picked up a French fry from her plate and flung it at Edward; hitting him right between the eyes.

Edward just sat there, his eyes closed and his jaw dropped. He was about to retaliate when the bell rung.

"Next time Whitlock!" He promised Rose as we all got up.

Rose laughed, "Ooh so scary!" She said mocking horror.

Emmett grinned broadly, "I LAUGH IN THE FACE OF DANGER! HA HA HA HA!" He bellowed loudly, causing everyone to look at us.

Jasper shook his head, "Did you seriously just quote the Lion King?"

Emmett smiled, proudly. "Of course! It's one of the greatest movies of all time."

We all laughed at Emmett's antics as we split for our classes.

A wave of guilt washed over me as we did so.

I'm lying daily to the people who love, care, and have been there for me since I met them…I'm a monster.

~000~

"UGH!" I sighed heavily as I dropped my school bag.

Esme looked over at me, and raised her eyebrows questioningly. "What are you, 'UGH' ing?"

"What am I supposed to do all day? I still can't see my friends." I whined.

"Oh dear, maybe you'll think better next time before you skip class." Esme said sarcastically, not even attempting to hide her amusement.

"Thinking…stupid me always forgetting to freaking think!" I mumbled as I walked up the stairs.

"Hey, you're not stupid! Al-Mary come here, please." Esme faltered, almost calling me by my real name.

It was enough to break open the flood gates I had been trying to keep shut all day.

"I can't stand this!" I cried, "I can't stand lying to everyone all of the time!"

Esme looked shocked at my little outburst. "Lying?"

"Yes, lying! Using these fake names and fake stories, it's lying. I can't take it! Doesn't the guilt just eat you away?" I dropped down onto the stairs, searching for answers.

Esme gently got down on her knees and put her hands on my shoulders. "Yes. I do feel guilty sometime, but we shouldn't. We are using these fake names and stories because we are running for our lives. We aren't faking who we are, and that's the most important thing. If Charles is ever caught and we can stop hiding, when we tell our friends the truth; they won't hate us. All of the people we surround ourselves with truly love us, and will understand that we were only doing all of this because it was for our lives. They will understand just like Carlisle, Edward, and Emmett did." She hugged me tightly.

I clung to her as I cried, "But I'm so afraid that they won't!"

"You think Jasper wouldn't forgive the fact that you used a different name because someone was out to kill you? Now I know you know him better than that." Esme was using her motherly voice.

I laughed slightly through my tears, "I just wish I could tell him, or at least know his reaction for sure."

Why didn't I think of this earlier?

I gave Esme one last squeeze and pulled out of our hug, "Thank you, you're right."

She smiled softly at me, "Okay, how about you go take a shower to help wind you down?" She stood up, and helped me up by grabbing my elbows. "And since you have nothing to do without your friends you can finish your homework, kindly help me clean the house, and then we can have a movie night."

I grinned happily at her, "That sounds nice. Well, except for the cleaning part." I scrunched my nose up.

Esme laughed, bopping me on the nose with her index finger, "Too bad."

I sighed dramatically and turned to walk up the stairs.

~000~

"You think I'm pretty without any make-up on. You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong. I know you get me, so I let my walls come down, down!" Jasper sang loudly into my bright pink hairbrush.

He tossed the hairbrush over to Edward. "Before you met me, I was alright. But things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life. Now every February you'll be my Valentine, Valentine!" Edward sang his part, in a very high falsetto.

Edward threw the brush to Emmett, who stood up on my bed and bellowed out the next lines. "Let's go all the way tonight. No regrets, just love. We can dance until we die. You and I, we'll be young forever!"

All three boys started jumping around and dancing, together singing (very off key I might add) the chorus.

"You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream. The way you turn me on, I can't sleep. Let's runaway and don't ever look back, don't ever look back. My heart stops when you look at me. Just one touch, now baby I believe. This is real, so take a chance and don't ever look back, don't ever look back!"

Emmett still holding the hair brush belted out, "I'mma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans. Be your teenage dream tonight!" He threw the hair brush to Jasper.

"Let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans. Be your teenage dream tonight!" Jasper sang, shaking his hips around with Emmett, now both of them dancing on my bed.

The hair brush was thrown to Edward, "You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream. The way you turn me on, I can't sleep!"

Then all three boys sang the last part together, "Let's runaway and don't ever look back, don't ever look back!" Then they all bowed deeply to Rose and I.

I thought our ribs were going to split from how hard Rose and I were laughing. We were giggling on the floor watching the boys run around my room and dance.

"Did…you…see…Jazz…and…Em…shakin'…their…hips?!" I choked out between giggles.

Rose nodded her head frantically, "Y..e…s!"

The boys were all standing their smiling triumphantly.

"Pay up!" Edward said confidently.

"Yeah, girlies, you should have known that we are just too good! I mean, we didn't even sing the whole song and you guys about died laughing!" Emmett said, grinning.

Jasper stuck his hand out to us, "Next time you won't doubt us!"

This realization helped Rose and I come down from our laughter.

"I didn't expect you guys to break out into song!" Rose accused them, pulling her wallet out from her backpack.

It was the first day off of our punishment, and we had just gotten to my house after school. We were all sitting around bored, with nothing to talk about. Rose wasn't talking to Emmett right now because he accidently stepped on the back of her heel while we were walking to my house. He snapped the back of her flat off, and she was pretty angry about it; and I was too because I had bought her those shoes. Emmett said that no matter how angry we were, that he could make the both of us laugh. We told him that that was impossible. The other two guys followed Emmett out into the hallway and they were whispering for a little bit. When they came back into my room they all stated that they bet us five dollars each that they could make us laugh.

Rose and I handed out five dollars to each of them, us losing a total of thirty dollars. Even though they had successfully pulled off making us laugh, I was still pretty bummed about losing the beat and Em breaking the shoes.

"You girls are too easy." Edward said, waving around his ten dollars.

Jasper snickered, "I honestly didn't think it would be that easy."

Emmett rolled his eyes, "Oh, you two just don't know them that well."

Jasper and Edward looked at Emmett doubtfully.

Emmett chuckled, "Whenever I'm involved everyone is always laughing."

Edward scoffed, "Are you saying that you would have been able to pull that off without Jasper and I?"

"Of course!" Emmett said boastfully.

Rose and I exchanged amused glances.

"I bet Edward and I could make them laugh harder than you could any day!" Jasper said, which made Edward nod in agreement.

"Oh, you are so on! Twenty bucks says that I can make them laugh more than the two of you!" Emmett said, pulling a twenty from his wallet.

"Bring it!" Edward said pulling ten out of his wallet.

"This should be good." Rose whispered to me, as we were giggling quietly.

Jasper looked over at us and flashed a grin, "Okay girls, no being biased. Try your best not to laugh at either side." He pulled out his own ten.

Rose and I agreed eager to see how this was going to turn out.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Someone was beating rapidly on the front door.

I quickly jumped up and ran down the stairs. I opened the door to see a very giddy looking Peter.

"Hey Peter."

"Hello, where is Jasper?" He asked me, looking behind my shoulder.

"Upstairs." I said, gesturing him inside.

He followed me up the stairs. "Surprise!" I said as we walked into my room.

"Hey Pete, what's up? You practically ran home before we could even invite you to come with us." Jasper said, with a slightly curious tone.

"I've been waiting for Charlotte to send me a letter." Pete said casually.

Charlotte…

The name brought back so many memories.

Oh no, that can't be my Charlotte…there is no way.

Jasper smiled at him, "I'm guessing you got it?"

Peter nodded happily, "Yes! And since you never got to meet her she sent a picture of herself." He pulled out a picture of a girl.

Green…her green eyes…Charlotte? My friend…the friend who thinks I'm dead? How did Peter meet her? Was she here? Oh my gosh…it's really her…

I felt like somebody had ripped out my heart. My eyes filled with tears and I was silently begging for a distraction, anything to keep me from bursting into tears.

"Hey Mary, will you come down stairs with me? I'm hungry, what do you guys have here to eat." Edward said, putting his arm around my shoulder and pulling me out of the room.

Everyone else was talking to Peter and just asked us to bring something up for everyone. Once Edward and I hit the kitchen I couldn't hold it in.

"She was my best friend! I thought I would never ever see her again! Then Peter comes over here and is waving her picture around!" I whisper yelled/ sobbed out.

Edward pulled me into a hug, "It's okay, Mary just breath."

"She has green eyes, just like you."

Edward just squeezed me tighter, as I had a mini break down. "Mary, I don't want to sound like a jerk but you have to stop crying and pull yourself together."

You're right…you're right.

I pulled out of his hug and walked over to the sink to rinse my face. As I did so Edward started to raid the kitchen for snacks, he started making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and got out some chips.

I don't know how much longer I can take this. I thought dejectedly.

Immediately Edward wrapped his arms around me again, "I know, but I'm here for you. Everything will be okay, I promise."

I nodded my head against his chest, trying to gather the wits to hold myself together. I was just so shocked.

"You two alright?" Jasper's voice rang out in the kitchen.

Edward and I stepped out of our hug. When I was Jasper's face I was a little lost for words. He looked like I was feeling.

"It's not what you think." Edward said quietly.

Jasper shook his head, "I don't know what to think." He turned to walk out of the kitchen.

"Jazz!" I followed him, "Please don't leave!"

He was standing in front of the door. "I thought we promised to be honest with each other."

A wave of guilt hit me. I shouldn't have made that promise…because I can't, at least not yet.

"I am being honest, it was nothing." I said, trying to sound sure of what I was saying.

Jasper turned around and looked at me, "Really? Then why have the both of you been so freaking guilty the past week? With all of your secret little hand holding and hugging all of the time!"

His words tore my heart into a million pieces.

But we've only been like that because he has been helping me hold it together…because he knows all of the things I can't tell you.

Jasper looked like he was about to cry, and he walked out the door.

"Mary, Edward?" Rose called out quietly.

I turned around to see her, Emmett, Peter, and Edward all standing behind me.

Peter quickly ran out the door after Jasper. Rose stood there, looking stunned. But she too followed them out the door.

I looked at Emmett and Edward, and I couldn't hold it together any longer. "I'm so sorry!" I said quietly.

Emmett came over to me and picked me up. "It's okay Mar-Mar. They just don't understand yet."

The boys and I sat up in my room, all of us feeling the heavy burden of secret keeping; especially from those we love most.

"Do you think Jasper or Rose will talk to us?" I asked after a while.

Edward grimaced, "Honestly, I don't know."

I looked to Emmett, hoping he would have a better answer. He smiled sadly at me, "Probably not for a while. I know if I constantly saw Rose hanging all over some guy all of the time, especially one of my friends, I'd be pretty upset too."

"Emmett, we don't hang all over each other! I just know when she needs someone to let her know that she is still okay." Edward said a little harshly.

Em sighed, "I know what it is, but Jasper and Rose don't know that."

I closed my eyes to try and ward off the nightmarish thoughts.

What have we done?

A/N So what did you guys think? Let me know!
Thank you to all of you who have been reading, reviewing, following, and have favorite this story! You guys are awesome! The next chapter will be the special POV. So let me know who you would like it to be!

Also, my friend has this wonderful story. It is about Les Miserable. It's great! I'm beta reading the story, and I can personally say that the story will only grow to be better and better; because I know what's happening next (;

So you should check out the story. It's called A Broken Heart Full Of Love by Panemaniac. It's really good!

And, if anyone knows of a good beta please let me know! I haven't been able to find one yet, and I have been seeing a lot of mistakes as I am writing Jasper's POV. So if you have any suggestions that would be great.

I love all of you who have been reading. You guys are so encouraging, so (I know I say this a lot!) thank you, sooo much *heart*