When in Rome

Chapter ②

Chapter ②

I immediately drop my luggage and run out of the room while hearing Mason chuckling at my not-so-cool reaction to his presence, again. I make my way down the hallway trying to remember what room number she said she was going to be in. Stopping in front of the door, I bring my hand up and knock.

Please don't be a creepy italian guy, please don't be a creep italian guy.

The door cracks open and Mrs. Banks pokes her head out. Then seeing me her eyes widen.

"Adeline, is everything all right?" She asks, opening the door wider and ushering me inside.

"Um, yeah," I say fidgeting with my hands and glance around at her small single person room, noting her open suitcase on the bed. Then I remember the single person who was standing inside my room and I turn around to face her. "Um, I was just wondering. Who was originally supposed to be on this trip?"

"Oh." Her eyebrows furrow for a second as she closes the door and steps further into the room."Well, you, Mia, Georgia, Lily, and myself." Lily, Georgia's friend. She got the stomach flu a few days ago. There was suppose to be equal pairs and then Mrs. Banks got her own room. Now the boys are here and everything's all messed up. "Is that all?" Mrs. Banks asks still eyeing me in concern, and I reach up to scratch the top of my head.

"Um, well, I think there's been a, um, mistake with the... rooming situations." She gives me a puzzled look and I let out a defeated sigh, running a hand over my face before meeting her gaze. "Is there any particular reason why am I sharing my room with a boy? Specifically... Mason?" I say his name like its a incurable disease, cringing at the way it sounds on my tongue. I look back over at Mrs. Banks only to watch her burst into laughter. She puts one hand over her abdomen and the other over her mouth as she chuckles.

"Oh, Adeline." She sighs straightening back up. "He's just a boy." Yeah, an overly attractive, stupid, egotistical boy that probably doesn't even know my name.

I've only had one boyfriend and it wasn't a bad relationship, he just ended up moving away. But that was sophmore year and after that any communication I've ever had with the opposite sex just kind of ceased to exist. I mean the only time I ever really talk to guys is for school, but only if I absolutely have to. Let's just say I'm the kind of girl sitting at home watching movies or reading on Saturday nights rather than going out and partying. Now of course I've been on a few dates, but they were either to help Mia get a guy, or they were one of my mom's work friends hooking me up with their son. Which I guess kind of limits my experience with guys in general.

But now I'm going to have to spend a whole two weeks sleeping in the same room with one that already seems to annoy, yet attract me at the same time.

"Look at it this way," Mrs Banks says pulling me out of my thoughts. "Who would you trust? Georgia?" she lifts one hand up. "Mia?" she lifts her other hand up. "Or Adeline?" she lifts up her other hand again before raising it the highest. "Ding ding ding. We have a winner." I shake my head, but smile despite my attempts.

"Well, glad to know you trust me," I mumble crossing my arms and she lets out a laugh again, patting my shoulder.

"I trust Mason, too." I sigh dropping my arms back down to my sides as Mrs. Banks walks back over to her bed.

Well, that wasn't what I was hoping for, but it's pretty obvious I'm not going to get a room change since they are already settled and paid for.

I make my way back over to the door and grip the handle, "Well, goodnight."

"Goodnight, Adeline. See you bright and early tomorrow." Mrs. Banks smiles and I send her one back before shutting the door behind me. I sigh again and find my legs refusing to move. There's no way I'm facing Mason yet, so I might as well go tell Mia.

I pad my way down the hallway and over to her room. Reaching the door, I hear giggling which can only mean she's sharing a room with Georgia and probably isn't going to bed anytime soon. I give the door a soft knock and watch the handle twist before it opens.

"Ade? Is everything okay?" Mia questions and I open my mouth to respond, but she cuts me off by dragging me inside the room. "Oh wait, you just have to see this." She brings me over to the window allowing me to now see a landscape view of the city. "Do you see how amazing this is?"

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing..." I murmur because it is, but then I lock eyes with my translucent reflection in the window. My blue grey eyes are drained making them appear more grey and have slight bags under them. A wave of tiredness falls over me and I frown. It looks like someone has sucked the life out of my face.

"Ade," Mia pouts turning her gaze over to me. "We're actually here." She gives my shoulders a quick shake. "In Rome." She drops her hands back down to her sides and takes a step back to examine me. "Why aren't you excited?"

"I am excited, Mia. It's just..." I trail off casting my gaze down to the floor for a second before dragging it back up to hers. "I didn't think I'd have Mason Carter as my roommate." Mia and Georgia gasp as if I just commited the crime of the century and my eyes widen. "What?"

"Ade..." Mia grins. "This is great."

"What? No," my eyebrows furrow and I take a step back. "This is terrible."

"Oh come on, Adeline," Georgia says flopping down on one of the beds. "Mason's hot." That brings my mind back to the fact that he was shirtless when I walked into the room.

"Ade?" Mia asks as a smile creeps onto her lips. "Are you blushing?" I quickly put my hands over my face to hide whatever expression they had seen and shake my head.

"What? No," I drag my hands away and head towards the door. "I'm going to bed now," I sing song gripping the handle. "I'll see you guys in the morning."

"Night, Ade!" Mia calls back. "Have some nice dreams about Mason." I shake my head at her, closing the door behind me.

I slowly count my steps back to my room all the while wondering how everyone can be so nonchalant about this whole situation. I gulp once I reach the door. I don't know how long I stare at it for before I wipe my sweaty palms on my jean shorts and twist open the handle.

Walking in, I see Mason lying on the bed closest to the window, scrolling through his phone now luckily wearing a shirt. However instead of my things being in a pile in front of the door like I left them, they happen to be on the other bed, which I guess is now mine.
The silence is palpable, but I don't dare try and break it as I make my way over to the bed, noticing I left my phone in here as well.

"No room change?" Mason asks making me jump a little.

"Nope." I keep my gaze locked on my suitcases. Too lazy to change into pajamas, I chuck my bags on the floor next to the bed, set an alarm on my phone for myself, kick off my shoes, and flop down onto the bed. Once my head hits the pillow, my eyes flutter closed on there own accord.

"Goodnight," I mumble unsure if I should say it or not.

"Goodnight, Adeline."

He knows my name?