Page 32 of With This Mask
I nearly roll my eyes at the nickname. “You’re so weird sometimes.”
“Would you have me any other way?” he asks, brushing a thumb over my jaw.
I take a moment, studying those blue eyes. And I know it now. I wouldn’t. Even with all the barbs slung at one another in the beginning. It’s shaped who we are and how we got here. “No.” And as I think about what we’ve just said, a sudden thought crosses my mind. And I’m suddenly filled with nerves and excitement.
"Hey," I say nervously, fiddling with the sheets between us. "I have this idea... What if… What if you helped me make masked content too? You have no idea what you’ve done for my confidence, Alec. But maybe…"
Alec's face lights up like he's just won the lottery. He sits up, propping himself up on one arm as he looks down at me. "Salem, that's an amazing idea! Are… are you sure you want to do this?" His enthusiasm is contagious, and I feel the butterflies in my stomach fluttering around like crazy.
"Yeah," I reply, trying to sound braver than I feel. "I… I want to push my boundaries and see what I'm capable of."
"Then we'll do it," Alec says, his voice filled with excitement. "I have some ideas for your mask already. Salem, the internet is going to go crazy for this. I was actually going to invite you to the family cabin next weekend after finals, just the two of us. We could start filming then. What do you say?"
Whoa. Trips alone to a cabin? It doesn’t get much more couple-ish than that. "Sounds perfect." My heart races as I imagine what lies ahead. The thrill of exploring this new side of myself is intoxicating.
As I lay there, pressed against Alec, I can't help but marvel at how far we've come. From enemies to lovers, our journey has been anything but predictable. And now, with this new adventure on the horizon, I can't wait to see where life takes us next.
chapter twelve
I zip up my weekend bag with a satisfying tug, the seams straining slightly since I crammed in an extra pair of jeans. A quick glance at my reflection in the mirror—dark hair pulled back in a no-nonsense ponytail, brown eyes bright with anticipation—and I'm hit with a wave of nerves mixed with excitement. This trip with Alec is my reward, a pat on the back for acing yet another semester. Perfect marks don't come easy, but they're like oxygen to me—necessary.
At least if I don’t get to travel home for Christmas break, I get a trip with my boyfriend.
It hits me every time the word runs through my head.
Boyfriend. Alec is my actual, real life boyfriend.
A sharp knock on the door rips through my thoughts, and my heart kicks up a notch. The wooden frame swings open, revealing Alec with his signature half-cocked grin and those piercing eyes that always seem to see too much.
In his hands, he holds a box, wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper.
“You aren’t supposed to buy me things,” I accuse, arching an eyebrow.
“This one was promised,” he says as he extends it toward me.
Doubtfully, I take it, and tear the paper off. There’s a white box inside, and I pull the lid off.
There, inside, are what have to be dozens of pairs of panties.
“For the ones I ruined,” he says wolfishly.
“You are insane,” I say with a laugh, digging through them all. Lacy, silky, string, boy short, there’s every kind of variety in here, all in my size.
“I’m actually very smart,” he points out with that devil-may-care smile. “This is a gift that benefits us both.”
“That’s very presumptuous of you,” I say, even as I unzip my bag and dump every single pair into it.
Alec just chuckles. "Ready for some R&R, bookworm?" he teases, reaching for my bag without waiting for an answer.
"Like you’re so much cooler than I am, Vanderholt. I saw your grades." I roll my eyes. His marks were equal to my own. Cautiously, I look around as we walk to the car. No one is obviously watching us, but you never know on this campus.
Alec is too busy checking for prying eyes as well to come back with a retort. He looks left and right, popping the trunk. I see his shoulders relax slightly when he determines no one is witnessing our escape off campus. "Your chariot awaits," Alec says, closing the trunk with a thud.
"Chariot?" I scoff, climbing into the passenger seat. "More like a spaceship compared to what I’m used to."
"Shouldn't take more than three hours," he remarks as the massive screen syncs to his phone.
"Three hours, huh? Better have a killer playlist ready." I challenge him, needing to break the nervous tension before it chokes me. Weekend trips with a significant other is a whole new level I never saw coming. This feels… big.