By morning, I woke and got dressed for the job. Mom's face showed dissatisfaction, but she didn't stop me besides it was just to clean and get extra cash to pay up bills.
Aurora opened the door, and her smile alone was welcoming. Walking into their home felt like travelling through different dimensions. The first thing that hit me was the floor. I swear it was too shiny, like I was walking on glass. I could see my own reflection and it made me feel small. It felt like the floor was mocking me or something, I felt scared, I shouldn't be here.
Aurora walked ahead of me, never looking back even for a second. She just said, "This way dear", and pointed to the laundry room. I kept my hands to myself so I wouldn't ruin anything.
Then I heard a voice, it was Mason's.
Mom! Dad! I'm home.
He sounded happy, with books under one arm as he kicked his shoes off carelessly. He smiled at me and for a second it felt like I forgot what to do with my face. I think I smiled back too late.
Aurora told him something before pointing to the kitchen, and I followed her. I started washing the plates on the sink, it was easy just wash, rinse and repeat, it was a lot easier than overthinking everything.
At some point, she gave me food, real food not just leftovers. I didn't know if I was supposed to eat it or say thank you. She smiled with reassurance, and I just kept saying thank you till she felt uncomfortable.
After I was done with the chores, she counted some notes, lots of them, and handed it to me. I smiled and said thank you too many times. Then after a while, she told me Mason was upstairs doing homework and I could join him if I wished.
I didn't want to go up there, not because of Mason but because of… I didn't know. Maybe the house felt too calm, like it was listening. Anyways, I went up.
Mason sat in a chair— they even had a study table. Can you believe it? Oh, Lyra, stop it… of course they would. He didn't even look up when he said, I know my mom sent you but I don't need help.
Maybe I was nervous, but his tone made me laugh. Your half-erased number say otherwise Mason.
It's math and I hate math, he said. My voice was very low when I said, then let's hate it together Mason.
He looked up surprised but laughed it off. That single moment broke something in the air, then we worked on his math problem together. I explained, he solved, argued and I corrected. He was not dull just distracted.
You are good at this, he said. Maybe you just needed someone stubborn, I said it with a wink.
He laughed and everything felt okay for a bit, you know the kind of okay that makes you forget everything else for a while.
But my eyes kept looking down the hall, where I thought he might be. When I went downstairs again, Aurora wasn't there but I could hear her voice, she was probably on a call again.
Just when I was about leaving, I saw him. He was standing at the end of the hallway loosening his tie. He looked at me slowly before asking if I was helping out with chores, with his voice calm, just too calm.
I nodded, trying to sound casual when I said, Mrs. Hale asked me to. I knew that I was faking the voice, because I could hear how small my voice sounded.
Of course she did, he said while his eyes were still focused on me. But the way he said it, it didn't sit right to me, felt like it meant something I couldn't name, and i didn't care to.
It was just me and him, Aurora was still outside while Mason was upstairs. It felt like time had frozen and the only thing alive was between us.
Something inside me kept saying move, move Lyra, move but my legs refused to listen.
But something in his eyes, God! I can't even explain it. It was like he already knew, like he could see through me that I wanted him.
I should have left but instead I stayed. Even then when I still had time to walk away, my stupid heart had already chosen him.
And that was the beginning of my mistake.