Chapter 209 – With Mason Hall (1)

“You can’t run away from me, you Barbitch!’

I smirked as I heard that from Anita. That was a perfect name for Barbara ‘Barbie’ Cornwell. Thanks to Anita, I had the excellent video to shame them later on. 

I already told Elise and Mona that I would be returning home after my mission in the Grand Sun Hotel. 

I sat at the bus station, waiting for the next bus. 

I checked my watch and was a bit surprised that it was already 8.30 P.M. That drama in the Grand Sun Hotel Lobby was so fun that I forgot how long had I been waiting there. 

I looked around and found myself alone in this bus station. Fear slowly crept on me because I had never ventured this far alone at night. And there was no way I would call my Mom, knowing that she would be worried sick if she knew that I was all alone without a boyfriend or anyone with me. She might never allow me to leave my house if I told her the truth. 

I checked my phone as I waited for a bus, and my blood ran cold when I saw the number of texts that had been sent by my Mom since an hour ago. 

“Crap, I shouldn’t have put my phone in silent mode,” I cursed myself, remembering that I was the one who turned on the silent mode because I was afraid to get a sudden phone call or text while recording the commotion in that hotel lobby. 

After mustering my courage, I read the text from Mom;

—

Mom: EMMELYN JONES! WHERE ARE YOU NOW? 

Mom: DON’T YOU SEE THAT IT’S ALMOST 9 NOW?!

Mom: TEXT ME BACK OR YOU WILL BE GROUNDED, YOUNG LADY!

—

My body shivered from head to toe. Mom rarely typed with capital letters like that. It was only when she was worried, sick, or really angry. In this case, she was probably worried and mad at the same time. 

I was thinking of a good reason to lie to her, so she wouldn’t be worried sick. But before I could finish typing a proper response, my Mom suddenly called me.

I gasped and almost lost my grip on my phone. I was wondering whether I should answer the call or not. But before I reacted, I saw a shadow standing right in front of me.

I slowly looked up and saw a breathtakingly handsome man with blue eyes and blond hair smiling at me, “… Mason?”

“Good evening, Em. What are you doing in this bus station alone?” Mason asked. He proceeded to sit beside me, but without any gap between us. Thus, our thighs touched. 

The phone kept ringing, and my attention was divided between Mason Hall and my Mom, who kept calling relentlessly. 

Mason peeked at the caller’s name and smiled, “Do you want me to help?”

“Ah, you shouldn’t—” Mason suddenly snatched my phone before I could even complete my sentence. 

He picked up the call from my Mom;

__Phone call with Mom__

“EMMELLYN JONES, DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?! WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW!?”

My Mom’s thundering voice was heard without even the loudspeaker on. But Mason didn’t even budge while my face already paled, thinking how much I would get yelled at by Mom once I got home. 

“Good evening, Mrs. Jones.”

“… who is this? Why do you have my daughter’s phone?” Mom asked.

Mason glanced at me, who was still petrified from head to toe, and he smiled, “My name is Mason Hall. I’m Emmy’s boyfriend,” Mason claimed, much to my surprise.

I was so shocked that I couldn’t say anything when he claimed to be my boyfriend. I just stared at him with my jaw dropped.

“E—Emmy boyfriend? But I thought his voice was deeper… are you the same man with that emerald eyes?” Mom asked.

Mason frowned, and he looked genuinely confused. He looked at me with a questioning gaze, waiting for an answer. I whispered to him with a voice as low as it could be, so Mom wouldn’t hear it.

‘Just say yes, I will explain it to you later.’

Mason’s expression told me that he had tons of questions in his head, “Ah, yes. I am that man with emerald eyes. I’m still with Emmy in the shopping district. We just had dinner together.”

“I’m sorry for taking so long, Mrs. Jones. We just have a lot to talk about. I will drive her home safely,” Mason Hall said.

“Ah, well, if that’s the reason, then she should text me first. I was worried sick here,” Mom said. She sighed in relief. “Okay, Mason, can you give the phone to Em?”

“Ah, sure, Mrs. Jones.”

Mason gave the phone to me, and I answered the call, “Yes, Mom….”

“Em, you got me worried sick, you know that? I won’t stop you if you want to date your boyfriend. But that doesn’t mean you have to ignore my text!”

“I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t do it on purpose. I was just—” I looked at Mason, who smiled at me sincerely. I seriously didn’t know how could he find me here or whether it was just a strange coincidence that got me creeped out. But for now, Mason Hall really had helped me tremendously from getting grounded by my Mom.

“—I was just having fun with my boyfriend. We had lunch and then watched a movie and had dinner together. I put my phone on silent mode, so I didn’t realize your text. Sorry, Mom.”

“Ah, if that’s the case, then it’s alright. Just be sure to return before 10. Your boyfriend is driving you home, right? Because I don’t want you to use any public transportation this late night, I’d rather pick you up.”

I looked at Mason, and he nodded willingly.

I swallowed my saliva hardly, knowing that I had fallen into a trap, whether Mason deliberately set it up or not, but I was definitely trapped to say yes. Mason would be the first boy in my high school to know about my real address after this—oh, after Noah, I guess. But he had moved out to another state.

But in the end, I had to say yes.

“Yes, Mom.. I will return home with my boyfriend’s car.”