Chapter 12: Unraveling Intentions

Nadia’s POV

After the disaster of the speech contest, I expected Manson to ramp up his game. I braced myself for more pranks and underhanded tricks to make my life hell. But surprisingly, the opposite happened. It was like a switch had flipped. No more pranks, no more cruel jokes. Instead, Mason kept his distance, almost as if he were… keeping his word. I didn’t know what to make of it.

At first, I thought it was a trick. A calm before the storm. But then he started doing things that threw me completely off guard. I’d catch him in the mornings, hanging around the front of the house when I headed out for school. The first time, I brushed it off. But by the third morning, I couldn't ignore it anymore.

He’d always have some lame excuse ready. “Just catching up on homework,” he’d say with a shrug, flashing that infuriating smirk. “Figured I’d get an early start.” But we both knew the truth. Mason Gray wasn’t the type to care about homework.