Friends, lovers... and an orange

Chapter 6

"I'm seriously moving to the North Pole."

"What?" Jourdan laughed.

"I'm sure paparazzis would not find me there."

"Don't underestimate them."

"I just... How did they find us in Paris? How did they know?"

"It was fashion week, there were photographers everywhere."

"Urgh" Adele grunted, sinking a bit lower on the sofa.

The day after the Dior photoshoot, she had woken up to her and Mason all over the internet. A paparazzi had caught them during their walk and then while having lunch, and there were what felt like hundreds of articles talking about it, most of them saying the same: that things were ok between them after she had been seen getting cosy with Nico at that party.

"You do look like an actual couple, tho. Again."

"Jourdan... Not you, please. I already have enough with my mum, Toni, and our brothers. You should see our family group chat, I had to silence it."

"That bad it is?" she chuckled.

"Worse. They keep saying that they believe we are just friends as we tell them, but that if something else is happening or will happen, we have their support."

"That's cute."

"That's... I don't know what it is. But nothing is happening."

"I disagree, Adele. Because something is happening: you and Mason are getting closer. You may not be dating or falling in love, but you are slowly becoming the type of friends everyone expected you to be since you were born."

"Yeah... I guess. I just wish they would leave us alone for five minutes."

And after those Paris photos, it looked like they had finally left them alone. Each day there were less photographers outside Adele's house and less often, and people online had also relaxed. Though it probably was just because there was a new scandal surrounding the royal family. Either way, she was glad her mundane life was back. Kind of.

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"Mum, please, stop!" Luca complained.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I've missed you so much!" Elizabeth said.

"I know. But if you keep squeezing me like that, you will miss me forever."

"Luca! Don't say that!" she scolded him.

"Sorry" he said, trying to shrug. "But please let me go. I'm sure dad also wants a hug."

"I'm fine" he chuckled.

"Addie?"

"Mase just arrived, gotta go open the door for him. Sorry" she smiled.

"Yes! Run to your boyfriend instead of helping your dying little brother!"

"Whatever" Adele said, rolling her eyes.

That year they had decided to spend the holidays all together in Switzerland, having some proper white Christmas as when they were kids. And, of course, the Mounts were joining them.

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"If I hit Luca in the back of his head with a snowball... What do I get in return?"

"Another one?" Adele laughed. It was Christmas Eve, and they were going back to the resort where they were staying after having lunch in town.

"Boring" Mason said, rolling his eyes.

"Sorry for being realistic" she shrugged.

"What the fuck!" Luca screamed. "Who hit me?"

"Your sister!" Mason said, pointing at Adele.

"What? It was... Fuck!" she complained. "Luca! That hurt!"

"So did mine!" he replied.

"I think they are having a snowball fight without us" Adele's dad said. "Should we join them?"

"Darling..." Elizabeth started. But it was too late. Everyone was already throwing snowballs, screaming and laughing.

"Mase, no. No!" Adele laughed while trying to run away from him.

"Come here, Addie!"

"No!" she laughed again, running as fast as she could without slipping.

"Oh, you've made such a big mistake, Miss Turlington."

"Shit" she whispered when she realized she had run into a dead end. "Mase, please... I didn't mean to hit you in the face, I'm sorry."

"I made a living out of it, you know?"

"I know, and I'm very sorry."

"It's too late for that now" Mason smirked.

"But that snowball is huge! Mine fitted in my hand, and that one is bigger than your head!"

"I have a small head."

"You do" she snorted. "Wait, I'm sorry. Mase... Mason."

"Too late, Adele. Time to face your destiny" he said, lifting the big ball and throwing it against her. Throwing it... And missing.

"Oh my God" she laughed. "That was so bad! You hit the wall!"

"Addie..."

"You better not have that bad aim with everything."

"Addie... Adele!" Mason said, quickly grabbing her by the arm and pulling her against him.

"Holy shit" she whispered after a big chunk of snow fell where she had been standing just a moment ago.

"That was close."

"So close" she said, suddenly realising how close she was to Mason. To his face. From that distance, she was able to perfectly count the freckles on his nose.

"We should join the others." Four, five, six... "Addie, did you hear me?" Ten, eleven... "Adele!" Mason chuckled.

"Damn it" she said under her breath, losing count.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just... Just a bit chilly. We should go back."

"Are you sure you are ok? You looked... Distracted."

"It was the shock of the snow falling, nothing else."

"Ok..."

"Hey, what are you two doing there?" Luca said behind them. "Making out?"

"You are so funny" Adele said, rolling her eyes.

"I mean, you are hugging and way too close to each other. If I was a pap and saw you like that, that's what I would think" he shrugged.

"And you would be wrong" Adele said, letting go of Mason. She hadn't realized she had her arms around him. "Not let's go, I'm getting cold."

"Then ask Mason to keep hugging you" Luca smirked.

"Fuck you" she said while walking away, trying not to think too much about what had just happened, or what she had felt.