Months passed and in that time, I carried on volunteering at the soup kitchen, whenever I wasn't studying, and applied for the science academy. After spending months on end in the slums, I wanted nothing more than to become a teacher. I wanted to help the children and with the new school being built, I wanted to be there. After Enid returned, Mason returned to his usual schedule, coming back late, usually with a new guest. It was painful to hear and see them every morning leaving his bedroom. So I focused all my energy, into becoming a capable adult and bettering myself. I learned how to properly cook, drive, and do all the other menial tasks that one needed to know and didn't want to do.
" Good evening, dear," Enid jolted me out of my thoughts, walking into the library, holding a tray.
" How is the essay going?" Enid added as she placed a tray with a cup of tea on the table.
" Almost done. Thank you for the tea," I raised my cup and relished the hot sweetness that burned my throat.
" I thought you might want a tea. You've been pulling all-nighters lately. You'll burn out. Don't overdo it. I know you're young and think that you can rule the world, but even you need some proper rest" Enid amusedly added as she took a seat in the armchair opposite to me.
" I just need to get the essay done. This is the last one. I want it to be perfect. The academy is quite picky with its candidates, and I want to make sure that I did everything I could to get in." I worriedly added. I was so hyped up on coffee that I could barely see straight, let alone think straight.
" I know dear. You worry too much. You're a smart girl. You'll be fine," Enid tried to ease my worries, patting me on my knee, smiling. I was grateful for the motherly love shown towards me. I wished so many times for my parents to be there with me but there was nothing I could do about it. It was a bitter reality that sometimes I struggled to cope with.
" I should go to sleep. You should too," Enid stood up and turned to leave but stopped " Mason has left something for you," Enid added with a warm smile and my curiosity soared through the roof.
" What is it?" I beamed like a three-year-old on Christmas day.
" Why don't you go to bed and see," Enid giggled, and sauntered out of the room.
I frowned and glanced at the pile of papers in my lap. I had made several drafts of the same essay trying to decide which one to submit to the academy, but after trying to focus for several minutes, I gave up. I wanted to know what Mason had left for me, I was dying inside. My excitement to a nose dive when I remembered that the last gift he gave me was cooking for dummies. That put a damper on my mood.
When I walked into the bedroom, my eyes fell on a beautiful teal dress, splayed on the bed, and at the bottom of it a pair of golden high-heeled sandals, shimmering in the light. I was breathless, I couldn't believe my eyes.
I lunged towards the bed, to have a better look at the dress, I was speechless. With the corner of my eye, I caught sight of an envelope next to the dress. I itched to pick it up and opened it, but I was too nervous. At this point I had lost the plot completely, my mind was doing rounds picturing me and Mason having a fancy romantic dinner all alone.
Curiosity got the best of me, and I picked up the envelope with trembling hands and stared at it trying to decide if I truly wanted to know what was the reason why Mason had gone through the trouble of buying me a dress.
When I finally gathered enough witts, I opened the envelope only to see an invitation to a charity ball held by an organisation called " Together". I found it strange. I wasn't a socialite. Society barely knew I existed. I frowned and continued to read the invitation. The date of the ball coincided with my birthday.
Once again I was at odds. I didn't know what to make of it. The only person that swam with the higher-ups was Mason. So the invitation was to join him, I assumed. I closed my eyes to shake off that thought when his words rang into my head. 'Assumption is the mother of all fuck ups.'
I sighed and rubbed my stinging eyes. It was late, I needed sleep. I peeled the dress off the bed and placed it in the wardrobe. Tomorrow, I thought to myself. I'll figure things out, tomorrow. Now, more than anything I needed sleep. With that thought in mind, I slipped into my pyjamas and dragged my feet to bed. I fell asleep before my head even touched the pillow.