Chapter 15Why Are My Friends In A Billionaire Mansion?!
I was eating cereal.
Normal cereal.
On a normal morning.
Trying to ignore the fact that the internet apparently believed I was some mysterious woman secretly dating Dominic Blackwood.
Which, for the record, was ridiculous.
Completely ridiculous.
I was sitting at the kitchen island in my oversized hoodie when my phone buzzed again.
Another message from Sophie.
SOPHIE:
We are outside.
I frowned.
ME:
Outside where?
Three dots appeared immediately.
CLARA:
The mansion.
My spoon froze halfway to my mouth.
The mansion.
THE MANSION.
I stared at the message.
Then at the giant windows.
Then back at the phone.
Oh no.
Oh no no no.
Before I could respond the front door suddenly opened and two very familiar voices echoed through the hallway.
"AMELIA!"
I dropped my spoon.
Then Sophie and Clara burst into the kitchen like two chaotic tornadoes.
Sophie ran straight toward me.
"You are trending!"
Clara followed behind her.
"Mystery woman!"
"Oh my god stop," I groaned.
Sophie grabbed my shoulders dramatically.
"You are on the internet with a billionaire!"
"I was pushing a swing!"
Clara gasped.
"People think you are his secret girlfriend."
"I AM NOT HIS SECRET GIRLFRIEND."
Sophie leaned closer.
"You look really cute in the photos though."
I covered my face.
"You guys broke into a billionaire's house to bully me."
"We did not break in," Clara said.
"The gate was open."
That somehow made it worse.
"You cannot just show up here!"
Sophie looked around the massive kitchen.
"Oh my god this house is insane."
Clara walked to the window.
"This place is bigger than our entire apartment building."
I rubbed my temples.
"You two are going to get me fired."
"Relax," Sophie said.
"No one fires the mystery woman."
Before I could answer another voice appeared behind us.
"Wow."
We all turned.
Ryan was standing in the doorway.
Grinning like he had just walked into the most entertaining situation of his life.
"Who are the intruders?"
I pointed at him.
"You."
Ryan walked into the kitchen like he owned the place.
"Amelia Carter. Internet celebrity."
"I hate you."
His eyes moved to Sophie and Clara.
"Oh."
His grin widened.
"And who are these two?"
Clara crossed her arms.
"Why do you look like trouble?"
Ryan placed a hand dramatically over his chest.
"I am deeply offended."
"You should be," Clara replied.
Ryan laughed.
"Oh I like her already."
Clara rolled her eyes.
"Please do not."
Sophie was looking past him.
At someone else in the doorway.
Sebastian.
Quiet.
Tall.
Calm.
He stepped into the room slowly.
And Sophie completely stopped talking.
Which was impressive.
Because Sophie never stopped talking.
Ryan noticed immediately.
"Oh this is getting interesting."
Clara elbowed him.
"Stop talking."
Ryan leaned closer to her.
"I literally just met you."
"And you are already annoying."
"I try my best."
I looked between everyone.
"This is chaos."
Ryan pointed at me.
"This is your fault."
"HOW."
"You started dating Dominic apparently."
"I DID NOT."
Ryan laughed again.
Sebastian had still not said anything.
He was looking at Sophie.
And Sophie was looking at him.
Like the rest of us had disappeared.
Then he finally spoke.
"Hello."
Sophie's brain clearly short-circuited.
"Hi."
Clara leaned toward me and whispered,
"Oh my god."
Ryan heard that.
"Oh my god what?"
Clara pointed subtly.
"Sophie forgot how to speak."
Ryan looked between them.
Then grinned.
"This is fantastic."
Sebastian gave Sophie a small nod.
"I am Sebastian."
"Sophie," she said quickly.
Ryan leaned closer to Clara again.
"I feel like we should also introduce ourselves."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because you will say something stupid."
Ryan smiled.
"You are definitely my favorite."
"I do not even know you!"
"That will change."
I clapped my hands once.
"Okay everyone stop."
They all looked at me.
"This is a billionaire's house."
Ryan raised an eyebrow.
"I am aware."
"People should not just appear here."
Clara pointed at him.
"He appeared too."
Ryan shrugged.
"Fair."
Before anyone could say anything else another voice appeared from the hallway.
"Amelia?"
Noah.
He walked into the kitchen and immediately smiled when he saw me.
Then he noticed the crowd.
He stopped.
And slowly hid behind my leg.
I crouched down.
"It is okay."
Ryan knelt down slightly.
"Hello there."
Noah looked at him suspiciously.
Clara whispered,
"He is so cute."
Ryan pointed at himself.
"He likes me."
Noah shook his head.
Everyone laughed.
Then the room suddenly went quiet.
Because someone else had walked in.
Dominic.
He stopped in the doorway.
And looked at the scene in front of him.
Amelia standing in the middle of the kitchen.
Laughing.
Her two friends talking loudly.
Ryan arguing with Clara.
Sebastian quietly watching Sophie.
And Noah hiding behind Amelia's leg.
For a moment Dominic did not speak.
He just observed.
The noise.
The laughter.
The energy.
This house had always been quiet.
Too quiet.
But now the kitchen felt alive