Chapter 3

As soon as I hit the floor, I felt a jolt of pain shoot up my spine, and it took a moment for me to realise that my glasses had slipped off in the chaos. The world around me suddenly became a blur, and I knew I had to find my glasses fast. As I scrambled on the ground, I heard a man's voice apologise for bumping into me.

"Sorry it's my fault you fell, are you looking for something?" the man asked.

Judging by the deep timber of his voice, I imagined him to be a tall, well-built man. I couldn't help but wonder where he was running to when he collided with me. I reached out and felt the man's outstretched hand. He helped me stand, and I could see a blurry outline of his figure.

"I'm looking for my glasses, they fell," I explained.

"Don't worry, I'll get it for you," he replied kindly.

As I watched the blurry figure bend down and pick up something from the ground, I hoped it was my glasses. Luckily, it was. "Here, take them," he said, extending his hand towards me.

I reached out to take them, but when I tried to put them on, I found it difficult to wear my glasses.I heard his voice once again, breaking through the silence that had settled. "Do you need my help with your glasses?" he asked, and I'm taken aback by the sound of it. I didn't even realise he was still here, but I'm grateful for the offer.

"Yes, if you don't mind," I replied, trying to hide the excitement in my voice.

"I don't mind. It's my fault it fell down anyway," he said with a smile, and I felt myself blush a little.

I hand him my glasses, and he gently takes them from me, inspecting them for a moment before carefully placing them back on my face. As soon as they're on, I can see properly again, and I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

As soon as my gaze lands on him, my breath catches in my throat. He's towering over me, at least a foot taller than my petite five-foot-two frame, his features are a perfect mix of rugged and refined, with a strong jawline and prominent cheekbones that could cut glass. His hair is jet black and styled in a tousled,just rolled out of bed look that somehow manages to be both effortless and sophisticated at the same time. But it's his eyes that really steal the show. They're a piercing grey, almost otherworldly, and they seem to shift in colour from blue to green with every turn of his head.They're framed by long, dark lashes, giving them a dramatic effect. I can't help but feel a little envious of those eyes, especially since my own are just a plain shade of blue. All in all, he's undeniably attractive, and it's hard not to feel like he's a work of art come to life.

"Thanks for your help," I say, feeling a little flustered.

"Of course, anytime," he says, and I can't help but notice how his eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles.

"Can you see properly now?" he asked."Yes," I replied, feeling grateful for his assistance. Lost and with no one else around, I decided to ask for his help to find my way to the VIP lounge. "Excuse me, do you work here?" I asked, raising my voice slightly to make sure he heard me. The guy appeared perplexed by my question, looking around as if searching for someone else. "Are you talking to me?" he asked, looking genuinely confused. I scanned the area, but there was no one else present. "Yes, I'm talking to you. Do you work here?" I repeated my query. He hesitated for a moment before answering, "You could say that."

He agreed to guide me to the VIP lounge, but as we walked, he struck up a conversation. "So, I assume you're here for the concert?" he asked. "Yes, I am," I confirmed. "Are you a fan, or did someone drag you along?" he probed further. I decided to keep my response brief, "I'm here with my sister." As we continued walking, he kept up the small talk, making me wonder if he was intentionally stalling. I didn't want to come across as rude, but I also didn't want to engage in a lengthy conversation. I fished through my pocket, hoping to find my phone to give the impression that I was occupied. However, all I found were my earphones. I put them on, hoping he would get the hint that I wanted some quiet time.

After putting on my earpiece, silence surrounds us for a while. I start to wonder if we're lost or if we've walked too far, considering that we haven't arrived at the VIP lounge yet.

After a few minutes, I'm startled by the sound of his voice. "What's your name?" he asks, breaking my trance. I pretend to be engrossed in my music, mouthing the words to a random song. I feel a twinge of guilt for my rudeness, but I just can't muster the energy to talk.

"I can tell you're not listening to music," he says with a chuckle. I sheepishly remove my earpiece and offer an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I'm just really tired and I didn't want to seem mean," I explained.

"It's actually a nice change of pace," he replies with a warm smile. "People are always trying to talk to me, and it's been a while since I've been on the other side of that." I notice his charming smile once again, which seems to light up his face even more.

As I try to make sense of his earlier statement, he picks up on my puzzled expression and rushes to clarify"I work with Hayden Thorne, the famous musician, and because of my connection to him, people are always trying to get closer to me to try and meet him."

"What's your name?" he asks,"Avery Anderson," I respond with a smile,"You have a beautiful smile," he compliments me, and I feel my cheeks flush. "Thanks, what's your name?" I ask him.

"I'm Jason," he says, and I can't help but notice how his emerald green eyes sparkle when he speaks. "Looks like we're here," he adds, nodding towards the VIP lounge.

I follow his gaze and see the lounge just a few steps away. "Thanks for helping me, Jason," I say, grateful for his kindness.

"Don't worry, it was nice talking to you. I've got to go, I'm already late," he says with a hint of regret in his voice. And just like that, he runs off in the opposite direction, leaving me wondering about the mysterious stranger who brightened up my day.

As soon as I enter the lounge, I see Eva frantically talking on her phone, looking distressed. "He wasn't there Dad I basically searched the whole place, but it's like he vanished into thin air," she says with a hint of panic in her voice. I can hear uncle Steve's muffled voice on the other end, but with the crowd's increasing noise level, it's hard to make out what he's saying.

Eva looks up and spots me. "Avery, where did you go?" she asks,"Just wanted to check out the place," I reply, trying to play it cool.

"The concert was supposed to start a while ago. I wonder where Hayden is," Eva says with a worried look on her face. Suddenly, her expression changes, and before I know it, she jumps up and starts screaming with excitement. "Hayden's on stage!" she exclaims, and the whole stadium erupts into cheers.

"Well, I'm going to head to the back," I say, eager to distance myself from the frenzy. "Okay," Eva replies, too distracted to pay much attention. I find a seat in the back and pull my hoodie over my head, slipping my glasses into my pocket. I'm exhausted, and before I know it, I've dozed off.

"Avery, wake up, wake up!" Eva's voice jolted me awake."Give me five more minutes, Eva," I mumbled, still drowsy. "We don't have five minutes," she replied urgently, shaking me. I opened my eyes and looked around. The stadium was already clearing out; the concert must be over.

"Why are your eyes so red and your face swollen?" Eva asked."It's probably because I just woke up," I replied, my voice thick with sleep.Eva hands me a bottle of water. "Hayden is already on his way here, and I don't want him to see you looking like this,go to the bathroom and rinse your face."

As I shuffled to the bathroom, I couldn't help but wonder why Eva was so insistent on me looking my best in front of Hayden. When I reached the bathroom, I quickly splashed water on my face and put my glasses on to avoid my eyes hurting again.I made my way back to the lounge, and as I approached Eva, I saw her chatting with someone. That must be Hayden, I thought to myself. As I reached her, I tapped her on the back, and she turned to face me.

"Avery, you're here,you look a little better. Anyway, let me officially introduce you to Hayden Thorne," Eva said, gesturing towards the man she was talking to.

I turned to face Hayden and froze. My smile faltered, and my heart skipped a beat. It was Jason. Hayden Thorne was Jason.