Peeping in, I could instantly recognize how much bigger inside the mansion was than the outside. There displayed everything that a castle probably had. Chandeliers swung everywhere, marble tables with expensive-looking candles stood in silver plates, exquisite carpeting laid on the woodworked floors. There was so much going on in one area that my eyes couldn't process it all.

I just couldn't begin to describe everything. The only thing running through my mind was,"Wow!"

"Eh-em!" Dylan coughed awkwardly.

I could tell that my face had gone slack. How long had I been staring at his house?

"Right. So, let's start," I said, trying to think more seriously.

"Um..where do you wanna..um, I mean..well there's...my room..uh if you.....?"

I finally realized after ten counts that he asked me if I was okay with doing the project in his room.

His room.

That was my first visit to his house. I was not going in his room and have him blabbing some crap to Sebastian and causing rumors.

Plus, it would just make things even more weird and the awkward level would just go from fifteen to a hundred real quick.

"Um..do you have like a outdoor gallery or a garden or patio or something...uh, I work better outside..with...uh..the trees and fresh air..?" I suggested with a strangled voice.

Dylan looked like he didn't buy it but responded anyway,"Well there's a great view from the terrace. Plus, there's lot of wind for the..uh "fresh air"."

My eyes opened wide,"Oh, the terrace. Of course. But you see, I'm not that big of a fan when it comes to heights. So..."

I could've sworn that I saw Dylan smirk at my comment.

"Well, there's this sort of picnic area out back, if you want to. And don't worry, it very much on the ground."

He was surely smiling now.

I blushed, hating the fact that he knew my fear of heights.

Great job, Mack. I could just kick myself sometimes. I'd only been there for less ten minutes and I was already selling myself short.

As he lead the way out to the back, I grumbled,"Whatever. Shut up."

I heard him snort and I laughed.

We entered a large, opened area and the chilly wind whistled in my ears. I followed Dylan to a path made of stepping stones that ended at a wooden picnic bench. Something about the environment made the scenery appear to have a very vintage look.

"C'mon. If you slip on the stones, you won't even fall." Patience creeped onto the peach lips of Dylan as he gave me a secured smile.

I might've instantly trusted him, if I hadn't met him before. But there was a constant nagging at the back of my head, never allowing me to forget that he had two faces.

Rolling my eyes, I shot at him,"I know that. I'm not two, I can handle crossing a few rocks."

I don't know why, but my senses became pierce and just like a judge criticizing a contestant, I deeply observed every single thing that he could possibly say or do that would either seem offensive or mean.

I tried to elegantly cross the path of rocks, purposely making myself appear to be more feminine and independent.

Dylan lowered his voice to a bitter whisper. "...Right..I should've..known that." He made his way beside me and took a seat. Patting the spot next to him, he told me to sit.

Instead of doing as asked to, I strolled to the other side and sat face to face with him.

"So! On the paper, it has the options of either posters, scrapbooks, PowerPoints or brochures." I took out my assignment sheet and pointed to the instructions as I spoke. "I'm not really so good with PowerPoints. And a brochure won't be as presentable as the other choices. So it's up to you now to say if you wanna do the poster or scrapbook."

Dylan looked at me skeptically. "Um..which one would get us more marks? I'm good with any. So yeah. It doesn't matter to me."

Great, now I'm gonna have to do all the work. I should've known.

"Fine. I think that we should go with the poster. It can be a large display that allows more information and pictures to be created on. What do you think?"

"Ugh..I guess?"

"Whatever," I grumbled getting a bit annoyed. "Let's just start."

We drew, coloured, created, wrote and sketched as the golden sun descended. Working in complete silence, we finished the basics of the concept and main idea for the poster.

My concept and idea.

I gazed up for a little inspiration and my mouth dropped open as I stared at the beautiful sky. Sun beams of red, orange, yellow, purple and pink reflected against the clouds causing the atmosphere to look like a tie-dye painting.

In my neighborhood, I never saw anything like that. Most of the sky was blocked off by buildings and electricity lines
and poles.

"Yeah," Dylan interrupted my thoughts,"my mum...she used to love to come out back here just before sun set. She said it made her feel calm and peaceful. And when she could, she'd convince me to stay out till dark and lay on the benches to look at the stars."

"Oh. That sounds awesome. I mean, I never really see those kinds of sun sets or any stars at night, really."

Dylan seemed lost in his thoughts. There this sad look in his eyes, almost a depressing frown of his pupils and the corners of his mouth twitched. "Uh..yeah."

"Hey!" I said loudly hoping that he'd snap out of his trance.

Im my whole life of knowing him, I'd never seen him like that and it was really starting to creep me out.

"I never got to meet your parents or your siblings. Where are they?"

His eyes were glued to the grass. He took a while to response, as though he had to think of all the right words to say.

"Um, yeah. My dad's most likely in his office inside, upstairs. And well, I don't have any siblings."

"Oh, okay. And what about your mum? Where's she?"

Dylan turned into a statue. He didn't blink or move. His gaze stuck to his feet.

"S-she's...she's not here. She left. I mean, she's outta the country. For a while. A long while. Yup."

"Oh. Okay"

Almost a full fifteen seconds went by and silence floated among us.

I shifted uncomfortably and jumped when my phone rang.

"H-hello?" I answered, with my voice sounding corpse from not speaking.

"Yes, honey?" It was my mum. "I'm just calling to check up on you. You said you'd be home by six. And not to be that kind of mother, but it's already six. Are you on your way home?"

"Um.." I didn't pay the time any attention. I completely lost track. "No, mum. I'm now leaving."

"Right now? Are you sure?"

"Yes, mum. I'll be there in a short while."

"Okay, darling. Hurry home and drive safe."

"Bye, mum."

I hung up and turned to Dylan apologetically, finding him to be fiddling with his pencil.

"So, you gotta go now?" He finally spoke.

I didn't responded as I shoved all my items and our sketches and drawings into my bag. I stood and began walking in the direction we came from.

I could feel Dylan's warm breath against my back. He was trying to catch up with my pace.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," he said while panting.

I stopped at the front door and glared at Dylan. "We have approximately less than week to get this done. I'll be back here tomorrow, same time. Get as much information that you can and work on that till then."
"Oh, yeah, yeah. Sure. So..um, see you in school, then."

Walking off, I called out,"No you won't Dylan. Unfortunately, you'll be seeing me tomorrow at four."

He said something about it not being the same time that I arrived today, but I was already out the enormous gate.