I drop the basket full of my clean clothes onto my bed, and reach in. Since I've been here my dirty clothes have been piling up. I have no problem doing laundry, it's the folding I hate. 

But I was running out of clean clothes, so I'm left with no choice.

I create different piles depending on what item of clothing I pick up. One for pajamas, jeans, shirts, etc. It was just easier that way so I don't have to walk back and forth. I reach my hand in once more and as I pull my hand out, my body freezes.

It was Mason's shirt.

The shirt he had given me after what happened at the Swimming Hole. It was before everything happened between us, before we became so complicated.

My heart constricts at the thought of him giving his shirt to me. I remember how his scent immediately engulfed mine, and from the moment I put it on I felt not only safe from Sofia's harm, but from whatever the world decided to throw at me next.

I haven't seen or talked to him in two days, it's so strange that even though his room is down the hall there will be days when I don't see him once.

My body is screaming for answers; where he spends his time, what he wants with me, why he left. There's so many thoughts running through my mind when it comes to him that it makes it hard to think clearly.

There are so many things we both don't know about each other, I mean the only thing I know about Mason is that he loves to get on my nerves and fuck.

But there are many things that he doesn't know about me either- my mom, dad, all of it. We both have a wall built up, shielding ourselves from revealing our darkest secrets, but it didn't matter.

Because everything I thought I knew about him before was wrong.

I'm not like every other girl he sleeps with, and he isn't the guy I thought he is- he's worse.

I continue to stare at the shirt I'm holding out in front of me, and before I know it I walk over to the trash can in the corner of my room and throw it in.

❀

I hum along to a random song in my head as I look inside the fridge. A sigh leaves my lips as I came to the realization that the groceries I bought for the house were practically gone. My eyes drift off to the egg carton on the fridge door and I reach up and grab it.

I place the carton of eggs on the counter and raise my voice to tell Alexa to turn on some music. I was over feeling sad about what had happened between us. In fact, I'm happy it did.

I'm happy that things blew over before they escalated, it seems like life may have been doing me favor on this one.

There is already so much I'm hiding from Jessica and Natalie, and I can't afford to build up anymore lies.

I keep trying to erase the words he said to me out of my mind, but the task is nearly impossible.

Even though I'm happy things were done between us, I can't ignore the tiny ounce of sadness that came along with it. But, why?

Mason and I were never an item, whatever it was it meant nothing to him. And yet, it almost feels like a bit of a breakup.

Like I had just lost something that meant more to me than I knew.

No, Elle. Forget him.

I just need to get him out of my mind.

I turn on the stove and sway my hips to the music that flows all throughout the kitchen. I'm sick of stressing over a situation I can't control.

My body moves back and forth to the music as I continue to make an egg in front of me. I relax my head back and let it move with the music, already getting the sense that the feeling of stress is being washed away. I open the cabinet above my head and reach in to take a plate out. The song ends just in time as I lay the plate on the counter in front of me.

I hear a loud clap behind me and I gasp, quickly turning around to see Mason standing there in the doorway eyeing me. I grab my chest and try to steady my heart while his eyes continue to narrow further into me.

Oh, it's just him.

"No please, go on." He insists and I roll my eyes and immediately turn around to face my back towards him. 

I feel my cheeks start to heat up from embarrassment over the fact that Mason was just standing there watching me dance.

"I thought you left." I say with no emotion in my voice as I take the sunny side up egg I made out of the pan and onto my plate.

"I did," he says. I hear him move closer behind me and I have to remind myself to ignore the tingling feeling I get having him finally so close to me again. "then I came back."

His body shifts towards mine, and he stops right beside me. Our shoulders were standing side by side, only about an inch or two away from each other. My eyes remain on my plate as I see him lean in closer to me through my peripheral vision.

"I like the way your body moves. You should dance more often." He says to me, his voice low.

I shake my head and look up at him, I know exactly what he is doing and I won't fall for it. For a moment his gaze remains on my lips before flickering up to my eyes.

"Aren't you going to ask if I want an egg?" He asks.

"I would if I cared." I answer honestly and his lips slowly start to curve up.

"You're still angry with me I assume." His voice makes me feel as though he's taunting me, and it reminds me that he still doesn't get it.

He doesn't understand that his words have an affect on people- have an affect on me.

"Leave me alone Mason." I say and begin to walk away from him with my plate in hand.

He grabs a hold of my free arm and tries to push me back towards him. The touch from his hand on my skin sends my insides burning and I swifty retract my arm from his tight grip.

"Wait." I hear him say behind me.

I want more than anything to ignore him and storm up the stairs, but once I hear his voice soften I find myself turning back around to face him.

"Get dressed. I want to take you somewhere."

"And why would I do that?" I look at him with a serious expression, raising my brows.

My voice is cold whenever I open my mouth to speak to him. But I can't help it, I feel like everything he says and does is just to lead me further into another one of his traps.

"Because I just told you to." He states like I just asked an obvious question and I scoff at his words.

"I'm not a dog you can just order around, Mason. If you just want someone back in your bed why don't you ask Sofia, I'm sure she'd be more than willing." I shift my body backwards to make another run for it but he follows my movements, his big frame blocking my way to the stairs.

An exhausted sigh falls from my lips and I grit my teeth in frustration.

"What makes you think I want someone back in my bed?" He questions, his eyebrows tightly knitted together.

"Oh please, it's you we're talking about. I bet you're just itching for a quick fuck. And let me tell you, it won't be from me. Everything is a game to you, and I'm sick and tired of playing."

"What are you talking about?" He snaps, clearly not understanding where I'm going with this.

This man is clueless.

"Like you don't know! I'm sure you're already counting the days you expect me to be back in your bed." His face softens from my words, as if what I've been trying to say just clicked. 

He lingers his gaze on me but I refuse to look at him. A few seconds go by with the two of us not saying a word. The silence begins to stretch too thin so I speak up.

"What do you want from me Mason?" I look up to his eyes through my thick lashes. His green orbs stare directly into mine, and almost pulls me in.

"I want you to get in the car." He answers, and my shoulders deflate while I try to hide the disappointment I feel.

"Then give me a reason to." My voice is now faint, almost sounding like a plea.

I have a million reasons swirling around in my head why I shouldn't let him in again, but if Mason just gives me one that was good enough it would destroy all the others.

Everything in me screams I want him, but there is a little part of me that knows it's a bad idea.

Everything we do is a bad idea.

Even me staying in this house with him is dangerous knowing damn well the power he has over me.

His eyes focus on me as if he's trying to read me. He watches me closely and takes a deep breath.

"I want you to meet somebody." He answers, his voice tense and uncertain as if what he just said was foreign to him.

Meet somebody? Who?

To me, Mason always seems closed off. He doesn't seem like the type to let anyone get to know him, and he wants to introduce me to someone?

I'm not sure if I heard him correctly.

There has to be an explanation for this.

Curiosity instantly fills my mind and I'm afraid it will get the best of me.

"Don't do that." He says, his body towering over mine.

"Don't do what?" Was he really trying to start another argument?

He slowly reaches his hand over to my face and brushes his thumb along my lip, taking it out from my teeth. My body stiffens from his fingers on my lip, and just as he draws it out, his eyes meet mine again for a few moments, before severing the connection.

I stand there unsure on how to react.

Once he lowers his hand from me I find myself already starting to crave his touch.

"Don't worry," he begins, "I'll be on my best behavior."