When in Rome

Chapter ①⑨

Chapter ①⑨

Four days? Four days my ass.

Normally, like any other teenager on the planet, I want the school week to go by fast and most of the time it doesn't. But this week the universe decided that since I was actually dreading Friday, specifically six o'clock at night on Friday, it allowed the week to go by incredibly fast.

So now it's exactly five forty-five and I'm standing in front of my mirror accessing my appearance. I run a shaky hand through my hair. I decided to change out of the t-shirt I wore to school and put on a grey ruffle tank top with the same pair of jeans going for the "cute and casual" look. But, honestly, I feel more like "I'm going to puke from all my nerves and that's not cute or casual." I run a hand through my hair again satisfied it looks like it's semi-straight, semi-wavy self. However I did have to wash out blue icing from it thanks to the bake sale, which was pretty successful, even though before it started Ben decided to eat three cupcakes. I smile just thinking about Mia yelling at him for eating all the cupcakes and then how he simply just took some blue icing from his finger and swiped her cheek with it.

I give myself one last look before walking out of my room and downstairs. I'm just meeting Mason's parents. I'm just meeting the people that raised him. Well, obviously they raised him they're his parents. Mason Carter's parents - oh god. I walk past my dad as he's watching television and into the kitchen to find my mom cooking. I walk past her to grab a cup from the cabinet before filling it up with water from the fridge while she turns and glances at me.

"Ade?"

I drink a gulp of water and swallow. "Yeah?"

"You know you have two different shoes on right?" She points to my feet with her spatula and I look down.

I find that all the heat coming from the chicken my mom is frying finds my face seeing as I am indeed wearing one of my grey converse on one foot and a sparkly sandal on the other. I walk over to the island and flop down in one of the stools, putting my head down on the cool granite counter top.

I let out a groan before look back up. "I don't think I can do this."

My mom chuckles flipping the chicken over in the pan. "Yes, you can."

I reach up and run both my hands through my hair before putting my head back down and groaning again. I stand up, finish the glass of water, and put it in the sink before going back over to the island and leaning against it.

"Why am I so nervous?"

My mom puts a lid on the pan and turns to me. "I don't know. You look cute though."

I look down and a smile tugs at my lips. "Thanks, mom."

She wipes her hands on a towel. "You said Mason likes cookies right?" I nod biting my lip and she smiles pointing to a box of cookies on the counter. "Good, because I bought those for you to bring."

I find myself smiling again. "You know - " The door bell rings and my eyes widen. "Oh no, oh no," I start bouncing on one foot trying to unhook the sandal as all my nerves come flooding back.

"Adeline." I hear my mom laugh when I finally get the sandal off.

I turn around and dash upstairs to my room too preoccupied to notice I left my dad to get the door. I throw on my other sneaker and throw on a black zip-up sweatshirt as well. I run back out of my room, but then I stop. I hear a familiar deep voice, a voice that seems to calm all my nerves. But then I remember why he's here and my heart starts pounding again. Oh god, oh god. I find myself running back down the stairs due to all the adrenaline in my system and I all, but trip down the last three steps. I grip the banister, steadying myself, before looking up into those damn green eyes.