We got to the house faster than I expected, Mason pulling the bike smoothly into the garage. He parked with an ease that suggested he'd done it a thousand times before. Sliding off, he removed his helmet and placed it on a nearby shelf, motioning for me to follow his lead. I clumsily fumbled with mine before finally managing to unbuckle it and handing it back to him.

"Not bad for a first-timer," he teased, giving me a wink.

I rolled my eyes, ignoring the warmth creeping up my neck. "Thanks, I guess."

As we climbed the porch steps, voices floated through the air, stopping us in our tracks. The sound of laughter and conversation was unmistakable. I tilted my head toward the living room, catching snippets of the discussion.

"You should come to the party," Jaden's voice carried easily, his tone as enthusiastic as ever.

"Is it close?" Hailey asked, her voice bright and curious.

"Pretty close. We can head there by the shore," Luke proposed.

I moved closer to the edge of the porch, curious despite myself, when Hailey's next words caught me off guard. "What about Alyssa? She's always a good time to have around," she said warmly. My chest tightened with an unfamiliar mix of gratitude and nerves.

"What's happening?" Mason whispered from behind me, his voice startling me so much I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Stop doing that!" I hissed at him, spinning around to glare at his smirking face.

"Doing what?" he asked innocently, his grin only widening.

"Talking out of nowhere," I snapped, crossing my arms.

"Everyone talks out of nowhere," he replied with a shrug, leaning casually against the railing. I groaned, shushing him as I tried to refocus on the conversation.

"I think Alyssa's coming too," Aiden chimed in confidently.

"Good! We can get ready for the party with her!" Zoe's voice was full of excitement.

"Sure!" Jaden agreed, his easygoing tone making it sound like the plan was already set.

Mason leaned closer, his breath tickling my ear as he muttered, "How exactly are you going to sneak back to your room without anyone noticing you're coming from mine? If someone sees you, well...that could lead to some interesting conclusions." His voice dripped with amusement, and I didn't even have to look at him to know he was smirking.

"Do you ever shut up?" I hissed, glaring at him.

He raised his hands mockingly in surrender, but the smirk remained firmly in place. "I'm just saying, it's going to look pretty suspicious."

"I'm going to kill you," I mumbled, peering cautiously down the hall.

"Oh, this is going to be fun," Mason muttered, his grin widening.

From inside, I heard Taylor ask, "Where's Alyssa?"

"In her room, I think," Cameron replied.

Oh, crap. I am most definitely not in my room.

Mason's chuckle confirmed he was thoroughly enjoying this predicament.

Panicking, I darted toward my bedroom door, praying I could slip inside unnoticed. Just as my hand wrapped around the doorknob-

"Oh, Alyssa!" Hailey's cheerful voice rang out, making me jump.

I spun around, plastering on a wide smile. "Oh, hi!" My voice came out an octave higher than usual.

The girls exchanged looks, their gazes flicking from me to my bedroom door. "We were just about to ask if you wanted to get ready with us for the party tomorrow," Zoe said with a grin.

"Oh!" I said, feigning surprise like I hadn't just eavesdropped on their entire conversation. "Sure, that sounds fun!"

"Great, it's a date!" Taylor exclaimed, her excitement palpable.

The girls waved goodbye to the guys as I slipped into my room, closing the door behind me and collapsing onto my bed with a groan. My heart was still racing, my mind replaying the past hour in vivid detail.

What the hell am I doing?

I stared up at the ceiling, trying to make sense of the chaos swirling in my head. I'd just gone on a bike ride with Mason. Mason, of all people. How had that even happened?

Why does my heart feel like it's about to explode every time I'm near him?

The memory of his hands gently buckling my helmet, his voice low and teasing as he told me to hold on tight, flashed in my mind. I groaned, burying my face in my hands.

This isn't normal. Maybe I'm sick. Summer fever or something. Yeah, that's it.

I sat up abruptly, nodding to myself. I just need to stay away from him. Out of sight, out of mind. That's how it works, right? It must be, whatever it is I am betting on that!

The next morning came too quickly, sunlight spilling through the gaps in my curtains and pulling me out of a restless sleep. I groaned, pulling the blanket over my head as the events of yesterday replayed in my mind for the hundredth time. The bike ride. Mason's teasing grin. His hands brushing against mine. The girls inviting me to get ready with them for the party.

The party.

I sighed, dragging myself out of bed. The house was unusually quiet, which was either a blessing or a sign that I'd slept in way too late. After throwing on some comfortable clothes, I stepped out of my room, half expecting to bump into Mason in the hallway. Thankfully, it was empty.

As I headed toward the kitchen, I heard voices drifting from the living room. Peeking around the corner, I saw Hailey and Taylor sprawled across the couch, their legs tucked beneath them as they scrolled through their phones. Zoe was at the dining table, flipping through what looked like a magazine.

"There she is!" Hailey called out as soon as she spotted me.

I froze mid-step. "Uh, morning?"

"Good morning, party girl!" Taylor grinned, patting the empty space on the couch beside her. "Come sit. We were just talking about tonight."

"Right," I said, forcing a smile as I sat down. "What's the plan?"

"Well," Zoe began, closing the magazine and leaning forward, "we thought we'd start getting ready around four. That way, we have plenty of time to do hair, makeup, and all the fun stuff."

"You're coming with us, right?" Hailey asked, her tone light but with a hint of challenge, like she was daring me to say no.

I hesitated, but the hopeful look in their eyes made it impossible to decline. "Yeah, I'll come."

"Perfect!" Zoe clapped her hands together. "It's going to be so much fun."

I nodded, hoping my smile didn't look as forced as it felt. Fun. Sure. If by "fun," they meant stepping out of my comfort zone and spending the night surrounded by loud music, crowds, and... Mason.

I shook the thought away. He was probably going with the guys anyway. There was no reason to assume I'd even see him.

By the time 4 p.m. rolled around, the girls had commandeered my room, spreading their makeup bags, curling irons, and outfits across every available surface.

"Okay, we need to start with your hair," Taylor declared, dragging me to sit in front of my vanity mirror. "You've got such gorgeous hair, Alyssa. We're going to make it shine."

"I-okay," I said, caught off guard by her enthusiasm.

While Taylor worked on my hair, Hailey and Zoe debated outfit choices, occasionally holding up dresses or skirts for me to approve.

"What about this one?" Hailey asked, holding up a flowy sundress with tiny floral patterns.

"It's cute," I said, feeling a little overwhelmed.

"No, no. This one," Zoe interrupted, holding up a white dress. "It's simple but stunning."

"Guys, I don't even know if I want to dress up that much," I protested weakly.

Taylor spun me around in the chair, pinning me with a determined look. "You're going to look amazing, Alyssa. Trust us."

I sighed, knowing I was outnumbered. "Fine. But nothing too fancy, okay?"

By the time we finished getting ready, the sun had started to set, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange. I glanced at myself in the mirror, hardly recognizing the girl staring back at me. My hair was styled in loose waves, my makeup was subtle but polished, and I was wearing the white dress Zoe had insisted on.

"You look amazing," Hailey said, her voice full of approval.

"Yeah, seriously. You're going to turn heads tonight," Taylor added with a wink.

I laughed nervously, smoothing the fabric of the dress. "Thanks, guys."

"Alright, let's go," Zoe said, grabbing her purse.

As we made our way down the stairs, the sound of voices and laughter grew louder. The guys were gathered in the living room, and as soon as we stepped into view, the room went quiet.

"Wow," Jaden said, his eyes wide as he looked us over. "You guys clean up nice."

"Thanks," Taylor said with a grin, clearly enjoying the attention.

I glanced around, my gaze landing on Mason. He was leaning against the back of the couch, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable. But his eyes-his eyes were locked on me.

"You look... different," he said, his voice quieter than usual.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he looked at me without answering making me frown

"Alright, let's head out!" Luke announced, breaking the tension.