23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Mason

Going out in public had been a huge hassle for me ever since I outgrew my father’s French record label and became known internationally. America’s entertainment industry was unrivaled—if you could be popular in the States, you could be famous anywhere. Unfortunately, I was insanely popular in the States. Sure, it made me a lot of money, but I missed my privacy.

Wearing a big sweatshirt with the hood up was fine for the airport because everyone was in a rush to get somewhere, so nobody recognized me except my seatmates. Shopping malls, however, were a breeding ground for surprise encounters. Typically, I avoided them altogether, but Sophia was really excited to take me out, and I didn’t want to let her down. So, to lessen the chance of our date being interrupted, I put on brown cosmetic lenses and a black surgical mask before we went out. With my teeth, freckles, and mismatched eyes hidden, I was pretty unrecognizable. And if all that wasn’t enough, I wasn’t even dressed like myself today.

Sophia wanted us to wear matching outfits, but given our differences in fashion sense, it was almost impossible. Since my clothes definitely wouldn’t fit her, she pulled a white turtleneck from her wardrobe, paired it with a high-waisted pink plaid skirt, and secured it around my waist with a belt. I was fairly certain the skirt would’ve been about knee-length on Sophia, but it came down to my shins.

I would’ve really enjoyed letting her dress me up if I hadn’t been so worried about stretching out her clothes. But Sophia reassured me that even if I did, she’d be happy to replace them. She finished the look off by using a white bow to pull my hair out of my face.

I felt ridiculous and very… pink. But it made her smile, so it was worth it.

She took my arm in hers, connecting us by the elbows as she led me through the packed corridors of people.

“You don’t mind running a couple of errands with me, right?” she asked.

What type of errand could she possibly have to run at a mall? Catching a cold? Running into an unpleasant acquaintance? But I didn’t voice my concerns; instead, I smiled and nodded, happy to be in her company.

The first place she dragged me to was a nail salon. The walls were white, and the fluorescent lights were blinding. When I got manicures back home, the shops I went to were always packed. Upon walking in the door of my regular place, I’d almost instantly be blasted with the smell of acrylics and the sound of dremels. But the only sound in this place was some pop radio station playing in the background.

Sophia’s smile was bright as she looked around the empty room, and I hung onto her like a toddler scared to lose their mother. After a moment, Sophia pursed her lips before dragging me to the technicolor wall of nail polish.

“What color should I pick?” she asked, adjusting all the bottles so their labels faced forward.

I looked down at my matte black acrylics. I hadn’t picked my nail color in years; my dad always paid a stylist to pick for me. The idea of having to choose for someone else made my face tingle.

“Is this place even open?” I squeaked.

“Oh yeah. Jade’s probably in the back taking a minute for herself.”

Sophia was here often enough to know the nail tech by name?

I glanced around once more at the completely desolate salon. The mall was packed, so why were there no customers here? In my experience, getting a manicure at a place this dead was a surefire way to end up with a nail fungus.

I stood back as Sophia finished organizing the polish display. Did she ever stop working? Just as she’d finished straightening the last vial, I was startled by the sound of sneakers on tiles. Involuntarily, I jumped into Sophia, and she looked toward the sound, a smile on her face. She wiggled out of my grasp before prancing over to a woman near the counter.

The two embraced in a tight hug, both squealing with excitement. I cringed at the sound as I realized I was very quickly going to be overwhelmed. But meltdowns were best saved for the apartment, and I was trained to be personable even while overstimulated.

I could do this.

Once their loud greetings subsided, I finally had a chance to look at Sophia’s friend. She wore a white tank top that showed off the butterfly tattoo on her shoulder. Her skin reminded me of chestnuts, both in color and in texture. Her hair came to her waist in dark twists that were sporadically adorned with bits of gold jewelry. In short: she was hot.

“Jade, this is Mason.” Sophia bubbled, turning to grab my hand.

My heart fell to my stomach as I prepared for her to realize who I was. Jade stepped closer, bending over slightly so she could see me better. Nervous butterflies erupted in my chest, but I couldn’t pinpoint if they were from the fear of being recognized or just how pretty Jade was.

Her umber gaze bore into mine before a smile lit her face.

“Is this your girlfriend?” she asked, to which Sophia enthusiastically nodded. “Ugh, you get all the cuties, don’t you?”

Sophia laughed and pulled me closer. “Yep! I’m just lucky like that.”

I was glad I had a mask to hide my smile. It felt nice to have Sophia so happy to have me at her side.

“Are you just going to get your usual?” Jade asked Sophia.

Sophia looked down at her well-maintained acrylics. How often did she come here?

“Yeah, but Mason needs her nails done, too. Do you have time?”

Jade held her palms to the sky and looked around the empty salon. “Soph, can’t you see I’m swamped?”

She and Sophia laughed, but I wasn’t sure why.

“Come on, you two. Let’s get to work.”

Jade led the way, and Sophia dragged me along until we came to a white marble-looking counter. On one side was a stool and a cart full of nail supplies, and the other side had white leather armchairs. Sophia helped me into one of the chairs, then sat next to me and rested her hands on the marble.

“Remember, these two need to stay short.” Sophia’s brow lowered as she spoke, showing Jade the pointer and middle finger on her left hand.

My face went hot as I recognized the purpose of that peculiar style.

“I know, I know. You don’t want to scratch yourself when… yeah. I bet that goes double since you have a girl in your harem now.” Jade winked before grabbing one of Sophia’s hands.

I buried my face in my hands, hiding just how red this conversation was turning my cheeks.

“Lighten up, baby; your girlfriend is going to make sure you’re taken care of.” Jade started the process of filling Sophia’s nails. “Even if she doesn’t take care of herself.”

“I do too take care of myself!” She huffed. “Once a week, I take time, get my nails done, get a spray tan, and sometimes I even get my hair done!”

Jade chuckled as she continued to work on Sophia. “You make sure you’re pretty. That’s not taking care of yourself.”

An uncomfortable lump formed in my throat. This felt like going to a friend’s house only to watch their mom yell at them.

“It is too! Plus, I get to chit-chat with you. Someday soon, you’re going to be booked so far out I won’t be able to drop by and visit anymore.” Sophia’s lips formed into a small pout.

“Even if I had a hundred clients a day, I’d make time for your once-a-week appointment.”

I continued to listen to the two chatter for a few more minutes. It was kind of relaxing to listen to the aimless girl talk. But part of me wondered if I should do something to help Jade’s business; clearly, it was important to Sophia.

“Mason, you can take off your mask.” Jade’s voice broke through my thoughts. “I know who you are.”

My breathing stopped, and my pulse skyrocketed.

“I–I’m sick,” I said, trying to make my voice husky.

Jade’s hair swayed as she shook her head. “Since the day I met her, Sophia’s never shut up about how she once dated ‘Mason Albright—yes, the famous one’, blah blah blah. I always thought she was making it up.”

I snuck a glance at Sophia. She... talked about me? All the time? The thought made my hands shake.

“She won’t tell anyone, I promise.” Sophia smiled.

But if her business was doing so poorly, why wouldn’t she tell everyone? I had cafés in Lyon paying me to take photos near their signs and post them online because of the business it would drum up. Did it not work that way here?

“I’m not as pretty in person,” I mumbled. It was a half-hearted excuse, but it was true. Plus, I was worried that I wouldn’t live up to whatever expectations she had for me. Mason the popstar was confident and bubbly… I was awkward, and I knew it.

“Mason,” Sophia hissed. “Don’t say that.”

“What?” I whispered back.

Jade paused and placed Sophia’s hand down on the workspace before rolling closer to me.

“I’m not going to make you take it off if you’re uncomfortable. But I really want to get to know Soph’s new partner.”

I shot Sophia another look, and she motioned for me to take it off. So, I swallowed hard before slipping my fingers into the elastic loops and slipping the paper off my face before folding it.

Jade smiled at me as she reached for my hand. “Better?”

I nodded.

“So, before I’m too absorbed in talking to Sophia, what are we doing? Please tell me we’re getting these ugly things off.” She groaned, running her fingers over my black acrylics.

A normal person would have probably been offended, but I agreed. I liked alternative clothes, but I hated the dark, monochromatic ensembles my dad said I looked best in. Black washed out my already-translucent skin. But still, I hadn’t put any thought into what I actually wanted.

My face remained neutral as I looked at Jade’s hands. Her nails were long and blue with a few floral designs.

“I really like the shape of my nails,” I admitted before looking over to Sophia.

This was too big of a decision. What if Sebastian hated them? I wouldn’t be able to say I didn’t pick them out, and it would be my fault.

“Can you pick for me?” I whispered.

Sophia’s face softened, and she placed a hand on my shoulder. She picked out what I wore today. Why wouldn’t she want to do the same for my nails?

“Mason, I want you to have something you love.”

God dammit.

I looked back at Jade. I was being indecisive and taking too much of her time—

“You like the shape of your nails. What don’t you like?” Her voice was smooth and even.

She was probably just being nice because I was famous. But, even if that was the case, she was also Sophia’s friend. So, I took a deep breath and tried to get comfortable.

“The color.”

“Just the shade, or the finish too?”

I studied my nails for a moment. “Both. I like glossier looks… I think.”

I looked back, and Sophia gave me a thumbs up. So, I prepared to continue.

“Reds are nice too, but I like it when they look kind of clear. Does... that make sense?”

Jade nodded. “Any designs?”

Fuck, now I had to pick a design? What was I even allowed to ask for? This was all too much; I was never getting my nails done again. My foot bounced against the ground as I tried to expel some of this nervous energy.

“I like flowers,” I admitted. “And I think white ones would look nice. Do you?”

Jade continued to look at my nails; her hands were unbelievably soft.

“It doesn’t matter what I think. You’re the one who’s going to wear them.” My heart dropped, and I worried that I had made a mistake until Jade smiled.

“But I think they’ll look great. ”

Sophia couldn’t sit still after Jade finished her manicure, so she left to get drinks and a mall pretzel. Part of me suspected she was also going to make a call for work or answer a couple of emails while she was gone, leaving me completely alone with Jade for an unspecified amount of time. I kept my lips sealed tight, hoping she wouldn’t think I was a snob. I just wasn’t in the habit of talking to people I didn’t know; not anymore.

I had asked her not to touch my wrists, so it was harder for her to keep me in a good position, which was probably slowing her down. Having someone listen to my requests was new, but I liked it. The way Jade treated me made me feel human, and something in that action made me realize it’d been a while since I felt like that.

“So… are you working on any new music?” Jade asked as she finished shaping my nails.

I rolled my lips in as I thought. Was I working on new music? Yes, I had a whole notebook full of song lyrics that got vetoed by my label. Something about them being too soft for the image they wanted to create. Instead of authentic me, they wanted an edgy bad girl. But, right now, that didn’t matter; my career was on an indefinite pause until after Lavender was here. Maybe even longer, if I couldn’t shed the baby weight fast enough.

“Not really,” I mumbled.

Jade cleaned the dust off my nails before grabbing an opaque white polish bottle. An awkward silence fell between us, and I realized it was probably my turn to keep the conversation going.

“You seem really nice… why don’t you have a ton of customers?”

Jade’s eyes widened as she started applying the translucent polish. The color reminded me of cherry jam.

“I ask myself that all the time.” she admitted. “I think it’s either because I refuse to lower my prices to gain clients, or because the salon is empty.”

The second one made sense. When I saw an empty store, I thought for sure Jade’s work would be shitty—the kind of manicure that left your fingers bleeding, possibly with an infection. My lips parted slightly as I leaned in, wanting to watch Jade work as we talked. Her brush strokes were gentle and confident, and I loved the color she picked out based on my descriptions. It was easy to see that she enjoyed what she did.

“Is there a reason you won’t lower your prices just for a week or so? I’m sure if people saw how good you do, they would be more than willing to pay full price in the future.”

She hesitated, like she was mulling over what I said.

“Because I know what I’m worth. If you don’t stick up for yourself, who will?” Jade’s words were full of conviction, but her tone was kind. “If someone offered you a hundred dollars for a live performance, would you take it?”

I tipped my head as I thought. If my dad told me to, I would. But the way Jade said that sounded like I shouldn’t. How much did my tickets usually cost, anyway?

“No?”

A quick, sharp breath exited Jade’s nose and ghosted across my fingers. A soft smile graced her lips as she focused on her work.

“You’re a lot different than I thought you’d be,” she mused.

My nose scrunched. I couldn’t tell if that was a compliment or an insult.

“How did you think I’d be?”

“Honestly? Based on interviews, I thought you’d be angry and intimidating, and Sophia’s stories made you sound like you’d talk my ear off… but you’re quiet.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” My dad always told me it was annoying that I spoke so much.

“It can be, but you seem really sweet. I’d love to see you come back with a little confidence. I bet you have all sorts of interesting things to say.”

I jolted back slightly, keeping my hands as still as possible. My dad once told me that confidence wasn’t a good look for me; I always came off as cocky or narcissistic. But a stranger was telling me the opposite. Maybe it was because she didn’t know me; surely if she did, she’d understand how bothersome I could be.

Still, her comment caused my mind to wander. What would my life look like if I had the backbone to just fucking ask for what I wanted? Would Lucian, Sophia, Cameron, and Sebastian leave me for demanding too much? Or... would it be nice to be upfront about my needs?

The soft clicking of heels on tiles let me know Sophia was back.

“Sorry that took so long. The lines were insane .”

Sophia put a cup of pretzel bites with cheese on the counter near me and slid an iced coffee to Jade.

Jade smiled and paused to take a sip as Sophia crashed into the chair beside me. I was worried that she would spill whatever blue liquid was in her cup, but she didn’t. The ice rattled against the plastic as she took a drink, and the scent of artificial butter flooded my nose. My mouth watered as Sophia picked up a pretzel nugget and popped it in her mouth.

Before she left, she asked me if I wanted anything, and I told her no. I had breakfast this morning, and that was all I needed until I could get home and make a salad. But I was already regretting that decision.

I swallowed my spit and tried to just focus on how Jade was doing my nails. But, as the two women with me started conversing, all I could think about was the fucking pretzels. I looked between Sophia and Jade, waiting for a lull in the conversation so I wasn’t interrupting them, but I had a feeling these two could talk to walls and be perfectly content. They went on and on, sometimes talking over each other, but never leaving any space for me to cut in.

My shoulders tensed, and I took a deep breath like I was about to jump off a diving board.

“Sophia, can I have one?” My voice was barely a whisper, but it still caught Sophia’s attention.

“Did you say something?”

Nope, I didn’t say anything. Continue your conversation and pretend that I didn’t interrupt you.

“I... did.” I cleared my throat. “Can I have a pretzel, please?”

Sophia’s eyes lit up, and her smile brightened the room. “Of course! Do you want cheese?”

No, just one pretzel is enough. I don’t even need a whole one.

“Yes, please.”

Sophia swiped a golden pretzel through the disconcertingly yellow cheese.

“Open up.”

I remained tense as I parted my lips, and Sophia popped the treat into my mouth. It was salty, creamy, a little spicy, and completely perfect. I smiled after I swallowed, and Sophia brushed my hair behind my ear.

“You’re so pretty,” she cooed.

My heart swelled, and my smile grew. Jade poked fun at us, saying something about Sophia and me needing to get a room, but I didn’t care. I was finally beside someone who might like me for me, instead of the version of me hand-crafted by my father.