Chapter 9 A quiet, commanding shift
NANCY'S POV
"Mason!"
My head whipped around immediately.
Even if it hadn't, I could identify that voice even in my dreams.
Diana.
She was walking towards us, a wide smile splayed on her face which was full of recognition.
I turned my gaze back to the guy, who apparently was Mason because he was also smiling brightly at Diana then back to Diana.
This day just got even more interesting.
Because, what are the odds that I would run into a pretty guy who would turn out to be someone Diana knew?
Zero right? At least to me. I'd never even considered it but what time did I even have to do that, when I had only just met him a few seconds ago.
"Wow," Diana gasped a little bit loudly when she reached me, pulling her hands to rest them on her hips.
"I left you alone for just two minutes and you're already making friends?"
Two minutes, my foot.
She was gone twice the time she said she would be.
"I walked into him," I muttered defensively.
Mason glanced at me then smirked. I saw it in his gaze even before he spoke. "I can confirm that, I was minding my business when she did that."
My lips twitched in disbelief while Daina hummed suspiciously.
This guy was really something, putting all of the blame on me as if he hadn't walked into me too.
I didn't correct that though, not because I couldn't but because Diana began to speak again.
"Nancy, meet Mason, one of my friends...Who also happens to be one of the most annoyingly popular people on campus."
Mason placed a hand over his chest dramatically, "My dear Diana, you wound me."
His gaze switched to a serious look and for a minute, I couldn't tell if he was really mad. "You dare to call me annoying?"
Diana ignored him without mincing words, "He is."
"It's a wonder how so many girls actually line up for him. It's embarrassing."
I blinked slowly, before my lips curled in amusement.
Mason glanced at me then scrunched his face, "You really are selling me short today."
"I sell only the truth," Diana gave him a sickeningly sweet smile that even I couldn't help but laugh at.
Mason laughed along but then he stopped abruptly to regard me and then he said in a voice that was easy, "Well, I'm glad I ran into you Nancy."
Something about the way he said my name made my spine straighten.
His gaze when he said it too...
It didn't make me uncomfortable, it just made me more aware of his presence, like the way I was always aware of Mr Landon since I met him.
I didn't know if I liked this.
While Mason stared at me, Diana's gaze flicked between us with open interest.
Her lips tugged back and she muttered under her breath in a small voice she thought I wouldn't hear, "Oh, this is going to be fun."
"Diana," I warned, glaring at her.
I needed no soothsayer to accurately guess what she was thinking and I could swear on my life that it wasn't what was happening.
Sure, Mason was attractive as hell but that didn't mean I had fallen for him at first sight.
The look I had given him earlier was one of pure admiration, nothing else.
Diana snorted, disbelievingly but she said nothing else.
"So," Mason said smoothly, falling into step next to me as Diana and I began to walk. "Is today your first day here? You look nervous."
I cast him a sideways glance, "Is it that obvious?"
He scratched his neck, "Well, I'm sort of an expert at reading people and you my dear, look like a rabbit running from prey."
"Shut up,Mason." Diana huffed while I smiled.
Wow," I muttered, continuing our conversation, albeit with sarcasm, "You are very observant."
Diana snorted, hiding her laugh as she bumped my shoulder lightly. "I trained you well, you don't let people fool you. Mason here, just liked new faces."
I should have laughed at the latter half of her sentence but I was stuck on the former.
My thoughts didn't really align with hers, I'd let my Dad fool me for so long after all.
Still, I managed a small smile, before Diana could pick up that something was wrong with me.
Silence rang between us for a couple of minutes then Mason asked, "So what do you think of this place so far?"
He stretched out his hands when he said that, gesticulating so I would know what he meant.
I took the hint.
Nodding slowly, I said the first thing that came to mind, "It's...big."
He chuckled softly, "I thought so the first time here too."
"I'm still convinced half of this campus is unnecessary," Diana added.
"You say that every semester," Mason rolled his eyes.
"No, I don't," Diana defended.
As expected, they began to bicker and I let it wash over me as we headed to the main academic building.
Strangely enough, listening to them had helped ease my nerves a little.
Mason was easy to talk to, Diana...Well, she was being Diana but somehow, it helped make the campus feel less intimidating.
We reached the classroom building and found students already filing inside.
I had no clue what anything was, Diana told me that.
"Perfect timing," She said as we walked in them turned to me, "Let's quickly grab seats before all the good spots get taken."
"Hey, why are you excluding me?" Mason protested but she was already walking away.
I shared a look with him then shrugged and followed after her.
In minutes, we'd found a good spot which I knew for sure didn't mean the view of the board.
Mason slid into the empty seat next to me as though he belonged there and when I glanced at him, he gave me a cheeky smile.
It didn't escape my notice how so many eyes turned to us, majorly from the females who seemed to be gooning for him.
I got a few death stares too but I didn't mind it because my mind was focused on something else.
Soon, as though the universe had read my mind, the classroom door opened.
My breath caught in my throat as Mr Landon walked in.
The strange thing was I'd felt him before I even saw him.
Maybe because of the quiet, commanding shift he caused in the room, pulling all attention subtly to the front with the fizzling of conversant voices.
The second he stepped into the room, the worst possible thing that could happen at that moment did.
His gaze locked onto mine.
My pulse slammed violently against my ribs once and I froze.