| torn up

~ chapter 38 ☁️

It's the day after the party and my encounter with Mason still hasn't left my mind.

I was partly right about saying how I was dreading a sleepless night to come when Haider dropped me home yesterday. Because that was how it had ended up being for hours on end- no matter how hard I tried, I just kept tossing and turning, unable to get those chocolate brown eyes out of my head. Eventually I managed to distract myself for a bit with the help of some Netflix and afterwards I had become so tired, I could no longer keep my eyes open.

I've thought a lot about what happened between Mason and I yesterday and am still unable to explain why he didn't go through with kissing me. Even after explaining the whole situation to Piper and Asha, I still can't  fathom how everything ended up the way it did.

I just want to spend the weekend in bed but unfortunately that's not going to happen because a certain annoying someone is insistent on dragging me along to the movies tomorrow. I had woken up today to a message from the devil himself saying that he had searched up some movie timings and that he had decided we're going to the 10pm screening.

Having that thought in my head all day and the anticipation of what will most likely consist of a good few hours of bickering with Eli, I've been content that I'll at least be left alone to my own devices today to effectively spend the whole day moping around my house.

At least that is until late afternoon when I get a knock on the door.

I'm in the kitchen, grabbing some stuff from the fridge when the noise of the doorbell breaks the peaceful silence that had settled. I furrow my brows, looking over my shoulder towards the hallway as I'm not really expecting anyone. My Mum's got a work thing on and I've been chatting to Asha and Piper on and off all day, both of whom are majorly hungover and struggling to get even more than 10 feet away from their beds right now.

Putting down my snacks on the kitchen counter, I wrap my dressing gown tighter around my waist as I go to investigate the unexpected visitor.

Only when I do eventually get to the door and open it to reveal the person on the other side, I'm instantly wishing I had just hid in silence until the unknown person had given up and gone away.

'Hey, Willow.' Mason greets me with an small smile.

I have to do a double take to make sure the boy I'm seeing on my doorstep is in fact Mason. And it is, even when I force myself to blink a couple times, the unrelenting image of him standing right in front of me still remains as clear as ever. It seems I spend a moment too long just staring at him in shock though when he raises an eyebrow at my shocked figure a second later.

'... Hi.' I reply quietly, biting my lip as I look away from him for a second to try and calm myself down.

I can't help but scream inside my head at him why he is even here. I don't think I've even fully processed just how truly awful and embarrassing yesterday night was let alone have I tried to prepare myself for how exactly I'll be able to face him after it. And yet here he is is.

I can feel his eyes on me, almost scrutinising me and yet I can't even muster up the courage to meet his gaze. After going back and fourth for a tedious amount of time last night, I still hadn't been able to decide how I would act towards him when I eventually saw him. Would I show just how angry I was and bring it up in a straightforward fashion or would I act all quiet and unsure around him and wait until he bought it up? Those were the options that had been swirling around my head all night long but now it seems crystal clear the second one was always going to be the only option for someone timid like me.

'You okay?' He mumbles in concern at my seemingly off demeanour as he steps a little closer to me.

I swallow in nervousness at his sudden action that means he's now standing a little too close for comfort for me. I have to force myself not to take an unconscious step back as I clear my throat and look up to calmly meet his eyes.