Chapter 4

My eyes went wide in pure shock.

Before I could even process what happened, he groaned through gritted teeth, looking down at me. "Elena... are you hurt?"

The boiling soup had cascaded over his broad back and splattered onto the floor, sending up clouds of white steam. Seeing him wincing in intense pain yet still prioritizing my safety, my eyes pricked with heat.

Even in that state, Mason didn't miss a beat to tease me. "Elena... even after this, you're not going to be my girlfriend? You're breaking my heart."

"Shut up," I snapped, my voice shaking. "We need to get you to the ER right now."

At the urgent care clinic, the young nurse bandaged his burns while gossiping openly.

"Why on earth would you turn down a boyfriend this handsome?"

"Right?" Mason chimed in, flashing a pained, dramatic grin. "See, nurse? She's completely heartless."

Having taken a hit to save my skin, Mason naturally had an unshakeable excuse to cling to me 24/7.

"Elena, bring me a bagel and coffee tomorrow morning."

"Elena, my arm hurts. I can't type up my assignment."

"Elena, I need to use the restroom. You have to walk me there."

It was endless.

Predictably, campus rumors went into overdrive.

Even my roommates cornered me in the dorm. "Elena, are you guys officially dating now?"

"No, we're not."

"Come on, you two are glued at the hip every single day."

"It's not like that. He got burned because of me. Taking care of him is just my responsibility."

They only registered the part where he got hurt saving me, instantly begging for all the dramatic details, but I dodged their questions with vague excuses.

I was genuinely overwhelmed.

With Mason recovering, I had to pick up the slack for club activities - even though he barely did any real work when he was healthy anyway.

I overheard some classmates saying the campus dessert shop had just dropped a limited-edition soft-serve cone. Mason had always had a massive sweet tooth.

Since I was heading past the shop anyway, I shot him a quick text: "Do you want ice cream?"

"Yeah," he replied instantly. "Get two."

While waiting in line, I noticed a couple of girls whispering and staring at me.

It wasn't my imagination. The second I walked out the door holding the cones, a girl stepped directly in front of me, blocking the sidewalk.

"So you're Mason's little girlfriend?"

She wore heavy, dramatic eyeliner and a trendy streetwear set.

I recognized her. She was an arts major who had been relentlessly pursuing Mason for months.

I didn't want any unnecessary drama.

So I answered calmly, "No, I'm not."

"Not his girlfriend?" she sneered, crossing her arms. "Then why the hell have you two been acting like conjoined twins the past few days?"

I didn't want to engage. I tried to sidestep her, but she lunged forward and grabbed my forearm.

Before I could react, an icy splash of sticky iced tea hit my face, dripping down my jaw and soaking into my collar.

"You had that coming. Do you know that because of you, Mason hasn't answered a single one of my Snapchats in weeks?"

No matter how many times I told people the truth, nobody believed me. I wasn't the one clinging to Mason Vance; he was the one chasing me.

"Molly, what the hell are you doing?"

Mason's furious shout cut through the courtyard. An instant later, Molly was shoved roughly aside, stumbling back against an outdoor metal table.

Mason stepped up, his expression terrified and gentle as he carefully used his sleeve to wipe the sticky juice from my face, pulling me firmly behind his back.

"How many times do I have to tell you people?" he growled, his voice dangerously low. "Don't you ever lay a finger on what's mine. Are you deaf?"

"Mason, I just don't get it!" Molly yelled back, her eyes rimmed with angry tears. "What does she have that I don't?"

Mason glared at her with pure disdain. "None of your damn business."

Then, he gripped my hand and pulled me away.