The Masked Singer

[Chapter Twenty Two]

Chapter Twenty Two 

It's been less that two days, and I feel like I've been here for a few months. I only get to visit the studio, so it seems like a prison sentence sometimes. I don't know much about what's going to happen next because I currently don't have a manager – I really hate not knowing what's going on.

"Hey, are you listening to me?" Alex questions.

"Hm?"

Alex laughs and shakes his head, "We still need to find you a name," he points out.

"You're making me sound like a lost kitten instead of a person," I say.

I can hear Alex laugh in the background, but I don't pay full attention. Instead, I focus on what's happening outside the car window. It's relaxing to gaze at the buildings passing. Sometimes I think about stuff, sometimes I don't.

The sound of Alex's belt unbuckling pulls my attention away from the scenery outside. We've arrived at our destination and I can't concentrate.

We get outside the car and Alex instinctively grabs my hand and pulls me along with him.

I wonder if he realises the effects he has on me? That the way he always grabs my hand and laces his fingers in between mine sparks the butterflies inside my stomach – more like an elephant stampede. Or the way he smiles, laughs and talks has an effect on me – and not just the fan girl tip either, but something more. And what scares me even more is, adding a boy to the equation. What if something goes wrong and we don't work out?

"What's the matter?" With Alex's free hand, he strokes my cheek tenderly.

"Nothing." I smile.

Hurt flashes through his blue eyes, and I feel guilty inside, if only.

"There's nothing wrong. I still feel like a fish out of water, that's all."

The hurt look disappears from his eyes, and it replaced with a bright determined look.

"I have something that will cheer you up," says Alex.

I try to hold back my smile – but he can be too adorable sometimes. Not a lot of people would go to the effort of trying to cheer someone up.

"And what would that be?" I grin.

"I have a name for you."

"And?" I frown.

Alex doesn't get a chance to tell me because Mitch and the security team start rushing us inside the building away from the passing pedestrians turned street photographers. The reporters yell out questions and they try to snap more pictures.

I know it looks bad on my behalf, holding a man's hand, but the comfort and reassurance he brings me in situations like that – it kind of makes the news headlines worth it.

We stand in the entrance of the restaurant and Alex drops my hand. I feel on edge from the loss of contact, but that feeling goes away when he wraps his arm around my waist.

"How are you feeling?" he whispers into my ear.

"I'll get used to it right?" I ask.

"Of course you will. You just need time to adapt to this fame thing quicker than others." He smiles, "And I'm going to help you, I promised."

I feel hot and flustered, so I excuse myself from Alex to retire to the rest room for a minute. One of the other security team members follows me to the bathroom, and then checks all the stalls before leaving me in the bathroom alone.