Chapter 27

Happiness POV

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of laughter and teasing, with Ash and Martha extracting every possible bit of entertainment from my misery. Mason played along with them, his wit sharper than ever, which earned him more than one glare from me.

By the time we finished up and parted ways, I was emotionally drained yet strangely content. The walk back was quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves in the breeze.

Mason hand brushing mine but never quite holding it this time. It was as if he understood I needed space to process everything.

When we arrived, I turned to face him, my back against my door. “Thanks for today... I think,” I said, unable to keep the faint smile from tugging at my lips.

His grin was lopsided, effortlessly charming. “Anytime, Happiness. I live to keep you on your toes.”

I rolled my eyes, though the warmth in his gaze made my stomach flip. “Goodnight, Mason.”

“Goodnight,” he replied, stepping closer. For a second, I thought he might kiss me again, but he stopped short, his eyes searching mine. “Sweet dreams.”

And then he turned and walked away, leaving me breathless and slightly dazed. I slipped inside and leaned against my door, my heart pounding.

How does he do that? How does he make me feel like the ground is shifting beneath me with nothing more than a look?

I shook my head, pushing off the door and heading to my desk. The project deadline loomed, and I couldn’t afford to let Mason distract me any more than he already had. As I opened my laptop, my phone buzzed with a notification.

Mason: Already missing me?

I bit my lip, my cheeks heating up. He was impossible.

Me: Shouldn’t you be working or something?

His response came almost instantly.

Mason: I am. Working on making you smile.

I sighed, shaking my head but unable to stop the smile that spread across my face.

The next day was a whirlwind of activity as we wrapped up our project and prepared for the presentation. Ash and Martha were their usual supportive selves, though Ash couldn’t resist throwing in a few digs about Mason whenever the opportunity arose. I'm just grateful they didn't stumble upon us earlier.

By the time we entered the lecture hall to present, I felt a mixture of nerves and excitement. Sam, Gift, and Leah joined us, and we worked seamlessly as a team, our presentation earned nods of approval from the professor.

As we wrapped up and returned to our seats, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. “We did it,” I whispered to Martha, who grinned back at me.

“We were amazing,” she agreed, leaning back in her chair.

I glanced toward the back of the room and froze. Mason was there, leaning casually against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. He caught my eye and gave me a small nod, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

What was he doing here? We left together this morning.

Ash followed my gaze and let out a low whistle. “Looks like your biggest fan came to watch.”

I elbowed her, my face heating up. “Shut up. He was probably nearby.”

“Huh,” she said, clearly unconvinced. “Or maybe he just wanted to see you.”

Martha rolled her eyes. “Can both of you focus? We still have to stay until the other groups finish.”

But I couldn't focus. Not when I can feel his eyes on him, steady and unwavering, and it made my heart race. Mason’s presence filled the room, even though he wasn’t doing anything to draw attention to himself.

When the class finally ended, I gathered my things and tried to slip out unnoticed, but Mason was faster. He was waiting for me just outside the door, his easy smile making my pulse quicken.

“Nice presentation,” he said as I approached.

“You watched the whole thing?” I asked, surprised.

“Of course. I won't miss it.” His tone was casual, but the sincerity in his eyes made my heart flutter.

“You said you were working late today.” I said, still surprised.

Ash and Martha appeared behind me, and Mason greeted them with the same charm he always seemed to carry effortlessly. “Ladies, always a pleasure.”

Ash smirked. “If you’re here to steal her away again, just make sure she gets enough rest this time. We have another assignment coming up.”

I groaned, blushing and I buried my face in my hands as Mason chuckled. “Noted,” he said. “I’ll make sure to return her in perfect condition.”

Martha shook her head but smiled. “Come on, Ash. Let’s give them some space.”

As they walked away, I turned to Mason, my arms crossed over my chest. “You’re incorrigible, you know that?”

He grinned, stepping closer. “And yet, you still haven’t run away.”

I sighed, shaking my head. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Hopefully,” he said, his voice dropping to a soft murmur, “you’ll keep me around.”

The vulnerability in his tone caught me off guard, and for a moment, I saw past the confident exterior to the man beneath. And just like that, I was reminded why I couldn’t seem to let him go.

“Come on,” I said, my voice softening. “Let’s talk a walk.”

As we walked together, the campus buzzed with its usual energy. Students shuffled between classes, the hum of conversations in the air, but it all faded into the background as Mason walked beside me. Even in his casual blazer and dark jeans, he stood out like a misplaced character in a story.

The confident stride, the sharp eyes constantly scanning his surroundings, and the hint of an edge that told you he didn’t quite belong in this world of lecture halls and cafeterias.

“You know you don’t blend in, right?” I muttered, casting a sidelong glance at him.

Mason smirked, his hands tucked casually into his pockets. “I’m not trying to. Besides, why would I want to? Someone’s got to make sure you’re safe.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t need a bodyguard, Mason. This is a university, not a crime scene.”

His smirk faded slightly, replaced by a more serious expression. “You’d be surprised, Happiness. I don't want to take any chances.”

I frowned, knowing exactly what he meant. But having Mason around, even if he was overbearing at times, brought a sense of security I hadn’t realized I needed.

“Okay, fine,” I relented. “But could you at least try to look less... intimidating? People are staring.”

Mason chuckled, his sharp eyes briefly scanning the courtyard. “Let them stare. They’re probably wondering why the prettiest girl on campus is walking with a man like me.”

I shot him a look, my cheeks heating despite myself. “You’re impossible.”

“Impossible to ignore,” he quipped, that maddening grin of his back in full force.

Before I could retort, I spotted Ash and Martha sitting on a bench under the shade of an oak tree. Ash was the first to notice us, and she nudged Martha and pointed in our direction.

“Here we go,” I muttered under my breath, preparing myself for whatever teasing Ash undoubtedly had in store.

As we approached, Ash wasted no time. “Well, well, if it isn’t the mysterious stranger!” she exclaimed, her grin wide as she looked Mason up and down.

Martha sighed, clearly exasperated. “Ash, please don’t embarrass her.”

“Embarrass her? I’m just stating the obvious,” Ash said, waving her hand dismissively. She turned back to Mason, her eyes narrowing playfully. “So, Mason, what’s your deal? Are you here to arrest someone or just keeping tabs on our Happy?”

Mason didn’t miss a beat. “Both, actually,” he said smoothly, flashing her a polite smile. “But don’t worry, you’re not a suspect... yet.”

Ash burst out laughing, while Martha groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. I, on the other hand, wanted the ground to swallow me whole.

“Can we not do this right now?” I pleaded, glancing nervously at Mason, who seemed far too amused by the whole thing.

“Relax, Happiness,” he said, his tone teasing. “Your friends are harmless.”

Martha shot him a skeptical look. “You are Mason?”

“Yeah,” he replied, extending a hand. “and, more importantly, a... friend of Happiness.”

“Friend, huh?” Ash said, raising an eyebrow. “Is that what we’re calling it these days?”

“Ash!” I hissed, mortified.

Mason just laughed, shaking his head. “She’s lucky to have you both looking out for her. Makes my job easier.”

Ash’s grin widened. “I like him,” she declared, earning another groan from Martha.

“Great,” I muttered. “Now that you’re all acquainted, can we please move on?”

Ash laughed, clearly enjoying my discomfort, but she didn’t push further. Martha, ever the voice of reason, quickly changed the subject, steering the conversation toward our upcoming project deadline.

As the conversation continued, I found myself relaxing, the earlier tension easing as Mason skillfully navigated my friends’ teasing and questions. For someone who claimed he didn’t belong in this world, he sure fit in effortlessly.

By the time we parted ways with Ash and Martha, my nerves had settled, though my heart still raced from the lingering buzz of Mason’s presence.

“You handled that well,” I said as we walked across the courtyard.

He glanced at me, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. “You sound surprised.”

“Maybe I am,” I admitted. “You don’t exactly strike me as a people person.”

“Depends on the people,” he said with a shrug. “Your friends are good people. I can see why you care about them.”

His words caught me off guard, and I felt a pang of something unspoken settle in my chest. Gratitude? Affection? Maybe both.

We walked in comfortable silence for a while, the sun casting golden hues over the campus as it dipped lower in the sky. Just as we reached the parking lot, Mason stopped, turning to face me with an intensity that made my breath catch.

“Happiness,” he said, his voice low and steady. “I meant what I said earlier. I’m not going anywhere.”