"See, I wasn't lying. I really did bring some handsome guys…"
He didn't get to finish his sentence.
At that moment, Andrew's smile, which had been gentle and inviting, slowly faded at the mention of "handsome guys."
"Oh? Am I interrupting something?"
Andrew's frown was fleeting; in the next moment, his face was as warm and charming as ever. Despite his gentle tone, I still shivered.
"No, not at all. We just arrived too. Um, Mr. Wayne, are you here for the escape room as well?"
I could tell Rick was bending over backward to accommodate for his credits.
"Not exactly, but if you don't mind, I'd like to join you. I'm curious about what you young people enjoy."
Andrew's offer felt more like a veiled threat.
I was sure that if we didn't let him join, Rick's best-case scenario for his grade would be an F.
Rick, no doubt catching onto this and seeing my numerous pleading glances to make him refuse Andrew, bravely patted his chest.
"Of course, Mr. Wayne!"
I swear, I'm never going to forgive Rick for this!
Not only did he agree to let Andrew join us for the escape room, but somehow, Andrew and I ended up on the same team, given the task of completing a side mission together.
"Do we really have to be paired up?" I asked into the walkie-talkie, hoping for a miracle.
Two seconds later, the cold, unyielding voice crackled back, "Yes."
Fine, I guess that's just my luck.
Andrew must have sensed my anxiety.
As we walked through the pitch-black corridor, he stepped in front of me, one arm shielding me from the darkness.
"I'll lead the way. If you're scared, just close your eyes and hold onto my hand."
I hesitated for a moment, scanning the inky blackness around us, but instinct kicked in. I shut my eyes and grasped his hand tightly.
Maybe it was just my imagination, or perhaps fear heightened my senses, but I felt a strange sense of safety whenever I was near Andrew.
It was as if, no matter how treacherous the path ahead, if he said it was okay, then it truly was.
But…
My past experiences told me that if I felt something was off, it probably was.
As we entered a room to grab an item, an NPC suddenly jumped out, startling both Andrew and me. I nearly crumpled to the floor, but Andrew caught me just in time, preventing me from landing hard.
That wasn't even the worst part.