Chapter 17 The Missing Note
NANCY’S POV
We were headed down the stairs when Mason suddenly nudged my arm lightly.
I paused, my gaze fixed on Diana’s head as she walked ahead. My gaze shifted sideways to Mason, and I gestured for him to keep walking but also indicated that he could speak.
“Hey,” he said, keeping his voice low.
My guess was that he didn’t want Diana to hear what we were discussing.
I lowered my voice as well, trying to keep my voice low while also trying to pay attention to my steps, “What?”
“Did you read it yet?” Mason asked, and my brows furrowed for a minute before I understood what he was talking about.
He meant the note he had given me earlier when we walked out of class.
I shook my head, “No, I haven’t, it’s in my bag…”
So saying, I pulled my bag off my shoulder, intending to bring out the note and just read it right then, since Mason had chosen to ask about it.
The way he spoke also made it seem as though the note had contained something important.
Although I couldn’t understand why he could just tell me what he had written in it himself, I reached into my bag to fish out the note from where I had put it, only to notice that my zipper was slightly open.
I froze as realization dawned on me. Quickly, I grabbed my bag and unzipped it fully, rummaging through my notebook and everything else that was stashed into it.
The note was nowhere to be found.
My face paled, and I stopped walking so I could search better.
“What is it?” Mason asked, with a look of partial confusion.
“What are you looking for?”
“The note, I can’t find it,” I responded frantically without lifting my head.
“What note?” Diana’s voice came suddenly from the side, and I nearly jumped.
“What are you missing?” Diana asked, frowning at my panicked expression.
“It’s not there,” Mason’s voice came from above me as I bent over to facilitate a better search for it.
“I put it in my bag,” I said quickly, flipping through the compartments again. “I remember doing it.”
“I don’t know what you’re looking for, but it could have fallen out of your bag. Did you open it recently?” Diana asked.
The words made a chill crawl up my spine, and I had to take a breather. I didn’t even know what was in the note, yet I was this panicked.
Well, I guess I had my Dad to blame for my constant state of anxiety. It had worsened ever since I moved to Diana’s home.
Pausing, I took in another deep breath, then tried to think back to the moment Mason had given me the note. We were walking out of class, and there were students everywhere. I had opened my bag halfway…
Yes, that was it.
I must not have zipped it close, and the note must have fallen out.
“What exactly are you looking for?” Diana hunched over, staring curiously at my open bag.
“Mason gave me a note to read later, and I lost it,” I explained, biting my lip.
The reason I was searching so frantically for it was that I was embarrassed. He had given me something with discretion and had told me to read it, but I had lost it, and worse, he hadn’t even left yet.
Diana glanced at Mason, then back at me, and frowned. “Why are you then acting as if you lost your dead grandmother’s heirloom? He’s right here, isn’t he? Ask him what he wrote in the note or have him write another one.”
I shot her a deadpan look.
As if I didn’t know that.
“Isn’t that the logical thing to do?” Diana didn't back down.
I exhaled loudly then shook my head, choosing to just ignore her.
Gathering my things, I rearranged my bag, then stood up and faced Mason. “I'm so sorry, I lost the note. I firmly believed I kept it in my bag, but it must have fallen off while we walked.
“What did you write in it?” I added.
Mason lifted his hand and scratched his head. He looked awkwardly hesitant, and my gaze swept to Diana, whose gaze was fixed on him, waiting as well.
I understood in a flash.
“Actually, how about you just text….”
My words trailed off when a particular image flashed in my mind.
I don’t know why, but Mr. Landon’s Gray eyes and sharp gaze appeared in my mind.
He…Wasn’t he standing behind us as we walked out?
I pushed the thought away almost instantly. What would Mr. Landon want with a note like that?
“Are you okay?” Mason asked, watching my expression.
I forced a small smile. “Yeah, I am.”
“Are you sure? You looked like you were going to say something.”
His eyes raked over my face doubtfully.
I shook my head, “No, never mind.
With a voice full of curiosity that couldn’t be concealed, Diana took a step closer to Mason and tilted her head, “What did the note say anyway?”
Again, Mason hesitated. Finally, he sighed, “I invited Nancy somewhere tonight.”
Diana’s eyes widened, “You invited her somewhere?”
Her gaze snapped to me, questioning.
I held my hands out to show her I had no idea either. My gaze alternated to Mason as well, and now, I wondered why he hadn’t just told me himself.
“Where?” Diana pressed, fishing for more information.
Mason shrugged casually, “Just someplace.”
Diana looked immediately interested. She stepped even closer to him and said with an ingratiating tone, “Can I come?”
Mason laughed, glanced briefly at me, then nodded, “Sure.”
She turned to me with a grin.
“Well, I guess that solves the mystery.”
“What mystery?” My face crinkled.
“What else? The mystery of you stressing over a note.”
Well, she wasn’t wrong.
I was about to speak when someone suddenly called out to me.
“Nancy.”
My blood nearly froze in my veins when I recognized whose voice it was.
Slowly, I turned until I saw him.
Mr Landon.
He stood a few steps away from us with a calm expression while his gray eyes were fixed directly on me, even though his daughter was right here.
“Yes… Mr. Landon?” I said carefully.
His gaze flickered briefly to Mason, then back to me before he held out his hand. “I believe this belongs to you.”
My heart stopped beating.
Because, in his hand, was the note I was looking for.