Chapter Ten

"Off. Off." The girl wheezed out and he quickly got off of her.

His brows knot. Why did she sound a little bit like Ava?

That's it. Kaleb had officially gone mad. Not only was he seeing Ava’s face on everyone, but he was also now hearing her voice too.

He had gone mad. Insane.

"Who the fuck?" Mason slurred as he tries to

figure out who this girl was but groaned.

It was too much work using his brain right now.

The better question was why this girl was in his bed and why the hell did she feel so good under him seconds ago.

Mason grunts when he felt his cock stir.

Dammit.

He was getting hard for this girl.

The girl makes a move to get off the bed and away from him and without thinking much

Mason arms slang over her midsection and he stopped her.

"No stay."

He nearly pleaded.

Those damn edibles had him acting like a sap.

The girl stopped and with the way her body was still tense, he knew that she had been reluctant to stay.

"Are you trying to escape the party too?" He asked

Ava straightened. “I just needed to breathe. I didn’t know it was your room.”

He didn’t respond immediately. But then

“I must be drunker than I thought,” he muttered.

“Why?” she asked, watching him cautiously.

“Because,” he slurred slightly, turning toward her with a crooked grin, “I keep seeing you. Even before I walked in.

In the crowd. In my head. In this damn photo.” He pulled a small polaroid from his back pocket, laughing at something, light in her eyes. It looked like someone had snapped it without her noticing.

Ava’s throat went dry. “Where did you get that?”

Mason didn’t answer. Instead, he walked closer, eyes fixed on her like she was the only thing real in the room.

“You shouldn’t be in here,” she said, but her voice lacked bite.

“You’re the one in my room, Princess,” he said with a smirk, swaying slightly as he came to stand just a foot from her.

Her heartbeat spiked.

“You’re drunk,” she whispered.

“And you’re beautiful,” he said, softer now. “That’s not the whiskey talking.”

She swallowed, backing up until her legs hit the edge of the bed. “You’re trouble, Mason.”

His eyes flicked to her lips, then back up. “And you’re running. From everyone else. But not from me.”

That made her pause. He was right.

“Why?” she asked.

He shrugged, sitting beside her on the bed. “Because you don’t pretend. And right now, I’m too tired to pretend.”

Silence.

Then she reached out and took the bottle from his hand, setting it aside.

“Lie down,” she said gently. “You need water, not whiskey.”

But he didn’t move. Instead, he looked at her like he was seeing her for the first time. “You make it hard to think.”

“That’s probably the alcohol.”

“No,” he said, voice low now. “It’s you.”

And then, without warning, he leaned in. Their faces are inches apart. She could feel the heat of his breath, the tension between them coiled like a spring.

“Mason...” she started.

But his fingers brushed her cheek, featherlight. “Tell me to stop.”

She didn’t. Couldn’t.

She was the first to close the space. Just slightly.

“Stop Mason, we aren’t meant to do this” Ava said as she pulled away from him.

“Do what?Princess I wasn’t going to do anything you wouldn’t give me permission to”

Immediately she could feel her heart sink and she craved his lips badly.

“Fine, just this once,Ava. I can’t get you off my mind, all I see is you ava.”

Ava couldn’t control herself as her cheeks became red like a cherry. “Did he really feel that way towards me or is it just the alcohol” she thought to herself.

“I see you, Ava. I always have.”

She moved toward the door, but he stood, now just inches from her. “Tell me to back off, and I will. But if you don’t…”

His words hung in the air between them. Her lips parted, but nothing came out.

He leaned in slowly, giving her the chance to pull away. But she didn’t.

When their lips met, it wasn’t wild or rushed it was slow, tentative, as if both were afraid to break the moment.

Her hands clutched the fabric of his shirt, anchoring herself. His touch was gentle, then hungry.

The kiss deepened, breathless and searching, like they'd both been holding back for too long. Every part of her felt alive, her heart pounding, her skin tingling.

When they finally pulled apart, foreheads pressed together, neither of them spoke. They just stood there, suspended in something that felt like gravity had shifted like everything had changed in that one kiss.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” he whispered, voice rough with emotion.

And for once, Ava didn’t deny it.

“I didn’t,” he admitted. “Not until you.”

Ava’s heart twisted. Was this a game to him she thought.

A knock sounded on the door suddenly. Ava ? Are you in here?” Sophia’s voice rang out.

Ava froze. Mason’s eyes widened. They stared at each other, a silent decision hanging between them.

Mason grabbed her hand gently and led her toward the wardrobe. “Just until she leaves.”

She hesitated but slipped in. Her heartbeat thudded in her ears as the door creaked shut.

Sophia entered. “You okay? You disappeared.”

“Sorry it’s me ,” Mason replied, voice steady. “Just needed air.”

“As if I care, have you seen Ava by the way?”

“Wasn’t she shaking it off with you in the dabce floor?” Mason added .

As Sophia talked, Ava stood in the dark, heart racing, skin still buzzing from Mason’s touch.

The silence between them was thick, pulsing with things unspoken.

Ava’s breath came shallow as she stared at Mason, their foreheads still touching.

“We can’t do this,” she whispered, but her fingers were still tangled in his shirt.

Mason didn’t move. “I know,” he murmured, “but I didn’t imagine that kiss.”

“You didn’t.” She stepped back, shaking her head, trying to gather herself. “But Sophia...”

Her best friend’s name was a punch to the chest. Mason was Sophia’s twin. And Ava ,Ava wasn’t supposed to be here. Not in his room. Not in his arms.

“She doesn’t have to know,” he said, but even he didn’t sound convinced. “It was just a kiss.”

But it hadn’t felt like just a kiss.

Ava paced a few steps away, her arms wrapping tightly around herself. “We can’t start something we both know can’t happen. It’ll ruin everything.”

Mason exhaled slowly. “Too late. I already started.”

She turned to him, his words echoing in her chest. The honesty in his eyes shook her more than the kiss had.

“I thought you were a player,” she said. “You don’t do this... seriously.”