BETWEEN US AND THE PAST

CHAPTER6- NUGGET

My life at Westbridge University wasn’t just complicated anymore. It was being controlled.

I got home and went straight to my room. No dinner. No talking. No pretending I was fine. Just me, my bed, and my earphones blasting music loud enough to drown everything out.

I lay flat on my back, staring at the ceiling while the song played on repeat. But my mind wasn’t listening to the music.

It kept replaying everything.

Mason’s voice. That phone screen. That video.

“If you don’t stay away from him… I’ll expose it.”

I exhaled sharply and turned slightly, burying half my face into the pillow.

“This is insane,” I muttered to myself.

I pulled one earphone out and let the music fade into the background, hoping silence would help.

It didn’t.

Because silence just made my thoughts louder.

A buzz from my phone snapped me out of it.

I frowned and reached for it lazily.

Unknown number.

For a second, I didn’t move.

Then I unlocked it.

Message: Mason: You home?

I froze.

My grip tightened on the phone.

Of course he texted. Of course he was acting like he hadn’t just threatened to destroy my life earlier.

I stared at the message for a long moment.

Then typed:

Me: Why are you texting me?

Three dots appeared almost immediately.

He was replying fast.

Mason: Because I know you’re overthinking.

I sat up slightly.

“…Excuse me?” I whispered.

Another message came in.

Mason: Don’t think about it too much.

I scoffed under my breath.

Don’t think about it too much? He literally blackmailed me.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard.

Then stopped.

Because I didn’t even know what to say.

Before I could decide—

Another message popped up.

Mason: I didn’t want to do that.

I stared at the screen.

That line didn’t make anything better. It only made things worse.

My phone stayed in my hand as the music continued quietly in the background, like nothing had changed.

But everything had.

And for the first time that night— I wasn’t sure if I was more angry… or more confused.

Morning air felt cool against my skin as I walked Nugget outside.

A knock sounded at my door.

“Ey-vee,” my mom called softly. “Take Nugget outside for a bit.”

I groaned and sat up slowly.

“…Why me?” I asked.

“Because he’s waiting by the door,” she replied. “And you need fresh air.”

From downstairs, Nugget barked like he fully agreed with her.

“Fine.”

A few minutes later, I changed into a simple running outfit—an oversized shirt, shorts, and my hair tied up messily. Comfortable enough to survive whatever Nugget had planned.

Because the truth was— Nugget outside with anyone else meant chaos.

He was heavy, stubborn, and strong enough to turn a simple walk into a full-body workout. My mom could barely hold him for five minutes before he started pulling like a runaway train.

But with me?

He behaved.

Like he suddenly remembered manners.

For a moment, it actually felt peaceful.

Just the sound of his paws, the quiet street, and the soft morning light.

Then everything changed.

A figure appeared ahead on the sidewalk.

Mason.

Standing casually, like he was just passing by.

The moment Nugget saw him—

He snapped.

Nugget was completely out of control.

He lunged forward, barking excitedly, and before I could react, the leash slipped through my grip just enough to tighten in the worst possible way.

“Wait—Nugget—!” I tried to pull back, but it was already too late.

In his excitement, he darted straight toward Mason.

And in the chaos, the leash looped around Mason’s arm as he instinctively reached to steady it.

Everything happened too fast.

One moment I was holding the leash. The next—it was tangled between us.

Nugget stood proudly in front of Mason, tail wagging wildly, as if he had achieved something important.

Meanwhile, I was suddenly pulled forward by the tension in the leash still in my hands.

“Mason—sorry—just hold still—” I muttered, trying to untangle it.

But every movement only made it worse.

The leash tightened slightly again, pulling me closer as I reached around his arm to free the knot.

We ended up stuck in the middle of the sidewalk—me, Mason, and Nugget happily sitting between us like he had orchestrated everything.

I leaned in closer, focused on the leash.

“Okay, just—don’t move,” I said under my breath.

Mason didn’t.

For a second, everything went quiet except Nugget’s excited panting.

Then—

As I finally pulled the leash loose, I lost my balance slightly while stepping back.

Mason instinctively reached out to steady me.

For a brief second, we were too close.

Too sudden. Too still.

I froze for half a heartbeat, eyes widening as I realized how close we were.

Then Nugget barked loudly again, breaking the moment apart.

I quickly stepped back, gripping the leash properly again, my face warm for no reason I refused to think about.

Nugget, completely unbothered, wagged his tail like nothing had happened.

I exhaled sharply.

“…Bad dog,” I muttered.

But he only looked proud of himself.

And Mason?

He was still standing there.

Watching the leash slowly settle back into place between us.

We had only walked a short distance when I felt it.

A sharp sting in my knee.

I slowed down slightly, instinctively glancing down.

There was a small scratch—probably from when Nugget pulled too hard earlier and I nearly lost my balance on the pavement.

“Great…” I muttered under my breath.

I tried to ignore it and kept walking.

Bad idea.

Every step made it sting more until I finally slowed to a stop without meaning to.

Nugget paused immediately beside me, tilting his head like he sensed something was wrong.

Mason stopped a second later.

His eyes dropped instantly to my knee.

“…You’re bleeding,” he said.

I looked down again like I hadn’t already noticed. “It’s just a scratch.”

But the moment I shifted my weight, I winced.

Mason noticed.

He didn’t say anything at first.

He just stepped closer and crouched slightly to get a better look.

“Sit,” he said simply.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re limping.”

“I’m not limping.”

I took one step forward to prove my point—

and immediately regretted it.

The sting shot through my knee, and I stopped mid-step.

Silence.

Mason stood back up slowly.

“You’re definitely limping,” he said flatly.

I sighed. “It’s nothing serious.”

He didn’t argue this time.

Instead, he glanced around briefly, then looked back at me.

“Sit down for a second,” he repeated, calmer now.

I crossed my arms. “Why are you so bossy today?”

“Because you’re not listening,” he replied.

That shut me up for half a second.

Nugget, completely unaware of the tension, sat down beside me like he was also taking a break.

Traitor.

Mason looked at my knee again, then at me.

“Stay here,” he said.

I narrowed my eyes. “Where are you going?”

He didn’t answer.

He simply took off his bag and set it beside me, then walked a few steps away.

I watched him, confused.

“…What is he doing now?” I muttered.

A minute later, he returned with tissue and a small bottle of water from a nearby convenience store.

He crouched again without asking.

“Hold still,” he said.

“I didn’t agree to this.”

“You didn’t have to,” he replied.

Then, before I could argue again, he gently cleaned the scratch on my knee.

Careful. Focused. Unhurried.

And for once— he wasn’t teasing.

Just… serious.

I looked away slightly, suddenly unsure what to say.

Nugget watched quietly between us like this was completely normal.

After a moment, Mason finally spoke.

“You should be more careful.”

I scoffed lightly. “That’s rich coming from you.”

But my voice wasn’t as sharp as I intended.

Because for some reason… the silence between us didn’t feel uncomfortable.

Mason finished wiping the scratch and capped the bottle of water, setting it aside like it was nothing unusual.

I shifted slightly, trying to ignore the strange quiet settling between us.

“I can walk,” I said again, softer this time.

Mason glanced up.

“You’re still limping,” he replied.

“I’m not—”

I took a step forward.

My knee immediately betrayed me.

I stopped mid-step.

Silence.

Nugget tilted his head like he was watching a very disappointing performance.

I sighed. “Okay, fine. It hurts a little.”

“‘A little’,” Mason repeated, unimpressed.

I shot him a look. “Don’t start.”

He stood up fully, adjusting his bag on his shoulder. For a moment, I thought he was done and would just walk me home slowly like a normal person.

But then he looked at me properly.

Like he had already decided.

“You’re not walking like that,” he said.

“I literally can.”

“You just stopped mid-step.”

“That was… strategic pausing.”

Mason blinked once.

“…Sure,” he said, clearly not believing me.

I crossed my arms. “What do you suggest then? I teleport home?”

He exhaled softly, almost like he was holding back a smile.

“No,” he said. “Just… don’t walk.”

I frowned. “That’s not an option.”

A beat passed.

Then he shifted his bag and said it like it was the most obvious solution in the world.

“Then I’ll carry you.”

I froze.

“…What?”

“I’ll carry you,” he repeated calmly.

I stared at him like I had forgotten how language worked.

“You can’t just say that like it’s normal.”

“It is normal.”

“No, it’s not!”

Nugget barked once, as if agreeing with me.

Mason glanced at him. “You too?”

Nugget barked again.

“Traitors,” I muttered.

Mason stepped closer, voice lower now. “Evelyn, it’s a five-minute walk. You’re limping. Stop arguing.”

I hesitated.

Because the worst part was—he wasn’t wrong.

Still…

“Carry me how?” I asked suspiciously.

He paused for the first time, just slightly.

Then he tilted his head.

“Piggyback,” he said.

My brain short-circuited.

“…Absolutely not.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s—” I gestured vaguely. “That’s too… close.”

“We just cleaned your knee.”

“That’s different!”

“How?”

I opened my mouth.

Closed it.

Nothing came out.

Mason waited patiently.

Nugget, sensing weakness, walked behind Mason like he was voting for him.

I groaned. “My dog is useless.”

“Seems loyal,” Mason said.

“Not helping.”

A small silence stretched between us.

Then Mason stepped closer and crouched slightly.

Not forcing. Not grabbing.

Just waiting.

“Get on,” he said simply.

I stared at him.

“…This is insane.”

He didn’t respond.

I exhaled sharply.

“Fine,” I said quickly. “But if I fall, I’m haunting you.”

“Noted,” he replied.

I hesitated one last second.

Then I climbed onto his back.

The moment I did, I immediately regretted every decision that led to this.

Mason adjusted easily—steady and balanced, like I weighed nothing.

“Hold on,” he said.

“I am holding on,” I muttered, gripping his shoulders awkwardly.

Nugget barked happily and walked beside us like he had completed a mission.

We started walking.

And for some reason, I became very aware of everything.

The way Mason moved—steady, controlled. The warmth between us. The fact that he was completely calm about all of this.

“This is so weird,” I said quietly.

Mason hummed. “You’re the one on my back.”

“I didn’t choose this life.”

“You kind of did.”

“I absolutely did not.”

A faint sound—almost a laugh—escaped him.

I froze slightly.

“…Did you just laugh?”

“No.”

“You did.”

“I didn’t.”

I narrowed my eyes even though he couldn’t see me properly. “You’re annoying.”

“Not the first time I’ve heard that.”

We walked a little further.

The air felt different now—softer. Less chaotic. Less sharp.

I shifted slightly, then stopped when I realized how close I was to him.

Too close.

I cleared my throat. “You’re not going to drop me, right?”

“Do you trust me?” he asked.

The question came too quickly.

I hesitated.

“…Not really.”

“Good answer,” he said.

That somehow made it worse.

But also…

not worse.

I frowned at myself for even thinking that.

We kept walking.

And for the first time since everything started going wrong in my life—

it didn’t feel like chaos.

It just felt like Mason carrying me home like it was the most normal thing in the world.