𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗡, m thames.

five

chapter FIVE
the movie test .

starr stood outside mason's front door, feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension. when he'd first suggested hanging out at his place, she'd been hesitant. they'd only ever spent time together because of work, and she wasn't sure what to expect from this new, more personal side of him. still, curiosity had won out, and now here she was, taking a deep breath before knocking.

before she could even raise her hand, the door swung open, and mason stood there, a grin already on his face. "hey, you made it."

"yeah, i said i would," she replied, a smirk playing on her lips. "surprised i didn't chicken out?"

"a little," mason admitted, his grin widening. "but i knew my charm would win you over eventually."

starr rolled her eyes, stepping inside. "keep dreaming dude."

"i do, every night," he shot back with a wink as he led her down the hallway.

as she walked in, starr glanced around, taking in the cozy, lived-in feel of the place. it wasn't at all what she'd expected from mason, but in a way, that made it more interesting. this was a side of him she hadn't seen before—a side that wasn't wrapped up in the polished, cocky exterior he usually showed the world.

"nice place," she commented, looking around as they moved through the hallway.

"thanks," mason replied, sounding slightly self-conscious. "it's nothing fancy, but it's home."

"surprisingly normal," starr said, raising an eyebrow. "i half-expected everything to be covered in posters of yourself."

"thought about it," mason said, flashing a grin. "but i figured that might be a bit much. even for me."

starr laughed softly, shaking her head. "you think?"

mason led her upstairs, explaining that he had a small home theatre setup in his room. as they reached the top of the stairs, starr's curiosity grew. she'd never been in his personal space before, and she wondered what it would tell her about him.