Friends, lovers... and an orange

Chapter 25

A year later...

"Ready?" Mason said, squeezing Adele's hand.

"As ready as one can be" she sighed.

"Ok, let's go" he said, nodding towards the hotel's security member. As he started walking towards the door, Mason and Adele behind him, they could hear the screams getting louder and louder, flashes already blinding them.

"We can do this, Addie" he said, squeezing her hand again. "Walk behind me, I'll protect you."

And once they were outside...

"Mason! Mason, Adele!"

"Over here, Mason!"

"Just a smile, Adele! Please!"

"Mason, marry me!"

"Adele! Adele!"

"Finally" Mason sighed once they both were inside the car that was waiting for them. "I swear today there were even more fans and photographers than yesterday."

"The marry me was new too."

"Uh?"

"These past days it's been all screaming your name and telling you that they love you, and today someone asked you to marry them. Didn't you hear it?" Adele chuckled.

"I didn't, no. I guess I was too focused on making sure you were ok."

"Thank you, Mase" she said, kissing his cheek as the car finally started moving. "I don't deserve it."

"You deserve the world, Addie" he smiled.

"Do I? Because all this chaos every time we leave the hotel is my fault."

"What?"

"I was the one who insisted on shooting the Dior show again despite you and Maria Grazia telling me it was ok to say no."

"But all those fans and paparazzis are there for me, Addie. So if it is someone's fault, it is ours. Both of us. We are all in this together" Mason sang.

"Did you just sing "High School Musical"?" she laughed.

"Don't tell anyone" he said, lowering down his voice. "But I am obsessed with those movies."

"Wait, is that why you had Troy Bolton's hair as a kid?"

"Maybe" he shrugged.

"Oh my God, Mase" Adele laughed again. "You better not buy me a necklace with the M like he did for Gabriella."

"There goes your birthday present for this year..."

"Oh, shut up" she chuckled, giving him a little push.

"I never liked Gabriella, to be honest. She was so..."

"Annoying?"

"Yeah. I'm team Sharpay."

"Always knew you had good taste in women."

"Because I like you?" he asked with a teasing smile.

"Precisely" she replied with a matching one. "Thank you, Mase."

"What for? Loving you since the moment I understood what being in love is and feels like?"

"That too" Adele said, her smirk turning into a shy smile. "But thank you for this. For making me laugh and forget about all my worries even if it's just for a few minutes. For being there for me and supporting me despite everything that currently surrounds us and everything that has happened to you lately. I don't deserve you, Mase. I know you are gonna say again that I deserve the world and all those cheesy things you always say, but..."