Chapter nine

Justin's announcement signaled everyone to stand, and we filed out into the hallway. I couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation, eager to see what he had alluded to. I knew it would clear up some of the confusion I was experiencing—probably more effectively than what he had already offered.

I was feeling thirsty and asked Gabriella for directions to the kitchen. She also explained how I could reach the outer hall afterward, where everyone would be waiting for me. I wasn't sure I would be able to follow her directions, but I kept that thought to myself. I wasn't about to make a fool of myself in front of Mason.

I was surprised by that thought.

"Since when did asking for help become foolish?" I pondered silently. But either way, I wasn't going to admit I was lost, so I set off to find the kitchen.

I began to wonder whether I had changed, or whether something had happened since that day at the office.

I missed everyone back at The Home. I couldn’t help but wonder if they were missing me too, or if they were worried. At least I had friends there. That’s when it hit me: aside from Gabriella, Mason, and Justin, I knew nothing about anyone here.

Not even my parents' names. That didn't feel right. I needed to know more about the people I was staying with. I made a mental note to ask Justin—or maybe Gabriella—about this place. I knew I couldn't bring myself to face Mason, for reasons I couldn't quite understand.

I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn’t realize I had gotten lost. When I looked around, I realized I was in trouble. I had no idea where I was in this massive building. I didn't know how many people lived here, but it had to be a lot, given the scale of the project. I dismissed the thought and focused on the immediate problem at hand.

I decided to retrace my steps. After what felt like hours of wandering, I finally found the kitchen door and sighed in relief. I gave myself a mental pat on the back, even though I knew it was more luck than skill that I had found my way.

I stepped inside and filled a glass with water. Just as I was about to take a sip, someone cleared their throat, causing me to drop the glass. This was becoming all too familiar. I didn't dare try to pick up the shards—instinct told me it was better to avoid any further surprises.

That didn't stop my heart from racing in fright. This was becoming a habit too. I was scaring too easily now.

Clutching my chest, I turned around to find Mason standing there, wearing a smug look. Amusement was clear on his face, and I glared at him. This was no laughing matter.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he said with a shrug. "Everyone was waiting for you, and you weren't coming. We thought you might have gotten lost, so I was asked to check on you. I see that was the case."

Was he mocking me?

"I wasn't lost! I was just touring the halls, getting familiar with the place!" I shot back.

He laughed then—genuine, deep, and hearty. I couldn’t help but feel a rush of warmth as his laughter sent tingles through me. I curled my toes and tried not to smile, but I wasn't very successful.

A smile broke out on my face. This guy was something else.

When he finally stopped laughing, he smiled at me again, his grin broad and teasing.

"I didn’t say you were lost."

"Huh?"

I was momentarily disoriented. Then I realized what he meant, and my face flushed with embarrassment. I had admitted I was lost. I mentally facepalmed for being so obvious.

To avoid further embarrassment, I reached for the gloves on the counter to pick up the glass shards, but, as luck would have it, Mason reached for the gloves at the same time.

Our fingers brushed, and the same tingles from earlier returned. This time, they were even more intense. I gasped involuntarily.

Mason looked at me the same way he had when he stopped me from falling in my room. I felt uncomfortable and looked down, but Mason gently lifted my chin with his finger, forcing me to meet his gaze. I instinctively leaned in, my heart pounding wildly. I was afraid I might start hyperventilating.

Mason was staring at me with a look that made my lips dry. I ran my tongue over them without thinking, and his eyes flickered to my lips for a moment. He stared at them a second too long before looking back at my eyes. He started leaning in slowly, and my heart raced even faster.

I placed my hands on his chest, feeling the frantic beat of his heart. It was racing as fast as mine. That gave me a little reassurance—at least I wasn't the only one feeling this way.

My body hummed with anticipation, but it was different now. I had forgotten all about what I was supposed to be focusing on. How could I blame myself?

We were mere centimeters apart, and I could smell his minty breath. I closed my eyes involuntarily, waiting.

I felt the lightest brush of his lips against mine. It was so light, it could have been a figment of my imagination, but the heat pooling between my legs told me otherwise. I opened my eyes to see Mason leaning in again, and I closed mine once more.

Just before our lips met again, the door swung open, and we jumped apart.

My heart felt like it might burst from the pressure. I struggled to breathe and took deep breaths to calm myself. I couldn’t keep doing this—my heart couldn’t take it. Especially after it had already been racing from the earlier moments.

I looked at the door, and there stood Gabriella, her eyes fixed on Mason. She wore an expression of curiosity, as though searching for something.

Mason, on the other hand, seemed unaffected. He had mastered the art of masking his emotions. He looked so composed that I almost started to think it had all been a figment of my imagination.

After a long pause, Gabriella looked at me, but I couldn't meet her gaze. Instead, I focused on the broken glass on the floor. I had to clean it up.

Mason offered an explanation for the broken glass but said nothing about what had just happened. He also offered to help, which Gabriella accepted, wiping up the spilled water from the floor. Once we were done, we left, my thirst completely forgotten.

Gabriella mentioned that she'd been sent to find us because everyone was waiting. I fumbled nervously, my cheeks burning as memories of earlier flashed through my mind.

Mason quickly came to my defense, explaining that I had gotten lost, so he had waited for me in the kitchen, hoping I would eventually show up.

I was grateful for his help, but a part of me still stung, as though he were eager to cover up what had happened. I didn’t say anything, though, not wanting to assume anything about their relationship.

I also felt guilty for keeping everyone waiting, lost in my own thoughts. I had even temporarily forgotten about the bigger issue at hand, and I silently chastised myself.

I decided then and there that Mason was pure trouble. I had to figure out how to handle this before I messed everything up. I had enough complications to deal with already.

With that resolve in mind—though I had no idea how to act on it—I followed Mason and Gabriella into the outer hall, where everyone was waiting. I couldn't bring myself to look at any of them.

"Well, shall we?" Justin asked, and we followed him outside.