MASON
I didn't like what I saw. I didn't like it one bit.
Francis stood very close to Isobel and I noticed how his hands were in his pockets like he had no problems in the world. He looked so casual like he wasn't testing my patience just by standing there with Isobel. Isobel, on the other hand, looked tense as she saw me and her shoulders were stiff, but I couldn't tell what she was thinking as her face was blank.
And no matter how hard I tried to read her, I couldn't because she refused to look at me. It was as though she was purposely avoiding my eyes and it annoyed me. What was she even doing with Francis by this time of the night?
I slowly walked toward them as I didn't want it to seem like I was out of control m. My face was blank and devoid of any emotion, but there was an ache in my chest that was bothering me. I decided to ignore it for now and so, I refused to look at her, and I just focused on him.
"Francis." I calmly said when I got to where they stood and despite how calm I sounded, I was boiling inside.
He looked up at me and smirked like he knew what he was doing. "Mason." He sighed dramatically and shook his head like I had just interrupted something important. "You really have bad timing."
My nostrils flared and I had to clench my fists to control myself. "What are you doing?"
He casually shrugged his shoulders. "Walking and talking." He slightly tilted his head and he turned to Isobel for a second and then turned back to me. "I'm simply keeping her company since she was so bored."
Something about the way he said it made me feel so annoyed and irritated. I finally looked at Isobel and she looked at me for a second before she turned away and I still couldn't tell what she was thinking. But I couldn't help but notice the way she clenched her fists and it confused me. It was obvious that she wasn't comfortable.
I didn't know if it was because I interrupted her and it felt awkward or if she didn't like being with Francis, and I could only hope that it's the latter.
"Next time, don't be alone with him." I said in a low voice, and it wasn't because I didn't want Francis to hear, I just wanted to speak to her softly.
Francis chuckled and he shook his head like I had just said a very funny joke that made him laugh. "And why shouldn't she be alone with me?"
I didn't answer because I didn't owe him an explanation, but Francis, being the annoying guy that he was, pressed on.
He took a step forward, and he still had that annoying on his face. "You left her alone, Mason. She was lonely and bored, so I thought I should do what any good host would." His sounded casual, but I knew Francis well enough to know that there was something behind it. "Or do you not like the idea of someone else looking after her?"
I didn't reply because he was right and I didn't want him to know that because I didn't have any right to be angry or to even care about her but that didn't stop me from feeling annoyed and irritated by seeing them together.
Francis' smirk widened. "That's what I thought."
And then, before I could say something, Isobel said, sounding annoyed. "Why are you even here?"
I turned to her and I realized that she was looking at me and her eyes were filled with frustration and something else that I didn't understand. I could hear the irritation in her voice and although I hated to admit, she sounded hurt.
I ignored her question and continued. "You shouldn't be out here with him."
She scoffed. "That's not an answer."
Francis sighed like he was bored. "Well, I should get going," he said, but before he left, he turned to Isobel again, and this time, he looked very serious. "You'll soon realize what you truly deserve." Then he walked away.
Neither Isobel nor I moved. We just stood there in an awkward silence, then she suddenly laughed out loudly but it sounded cold and humorless.
"You don't get to act like this." She said and glared at me.
I narrowed my eyes in confusion. "Like what?" I asked.
"Like you care." She clarified.
I slowly sighed out and denied her claim. "I don't." I didn't know why I said that but now I couldn't take it back.
She scoffed and took a step closer to me and I could feel her frustration. "Really? Because it really looks like you do."
I remained quiet as she looked into my eyes like she was searching for something, then she said. "You took the blonde lady out of the hall earlier, Mason." She said calmly.
"You saw that?" I asked and my eyes were wide in shock. I didn't know that she saw when I left with the lady. I thought she had gone back to the room.
She ignored my question and continued. "So tell me, what right do you have to be angry right now?"
I remained quiet because I couldn't come up with a good answer to her question.
Isobel took a deep breath and looked away then she shook her head like she was trying to push back whatever she was feeling. "You can't do this," she muttered. "You don't get to act like you don't want me but then get angry when someone else shows interest in me."
I frowned, suddenly feeling my anger rise as she mentioned Francis. "He doesn't care about you."
She laughed bitterly. "And you do?"
The words hit me harder than I expected and I clenched my fists. "I never said that."
She sighed deeply then nodded, like she had gotten the answer she needed. "Of course."