**Chapter 3: A Glimpse of Innocence**

Finally, we made it to the Faze house, as we called it. It was a three-story house in New York, a place we had all grown accustomed to over the years. As we stepped inside, Rain bolted to the kitchen, his eyes scanning the room for food. "Hey Jay-Jay, are you with hotdogs?" he called out, already knowing the answer. Jason looked a bit confused at first, his cute brown eyes furrowing in a mixture of amusement and curiosity. It was probably the nickname that threw him off, but he soon responded with a soft "yes," and Rain started to cook. The rest of us sat at the kitchen island, watching him work his magic. Banks broke the short silence, his voice a bit too loud. "So, Jason, why'd it take you two days to convince your parents?" Apex smacked Banks' shoulder, as if to tell him to be quiet. Jason giggled at that, and I felt my heart skip a beat. That sound was not helping. Jason spoke with his cute, soft voice, "My parents are very traditional, and know very little English, so they said no originally. But... I lied to them and told them I was going to a study camp, and they believed me." Banks burst into laughter at Jason's lie to his parents, and Apex glared at him for encouraging the behavior. Rain chimed in, "You must be pretty smart then, huh, since your parents are so adamant on your education." Jason proudly spoke, "I'm at the top of my classes, and I'm the spelling bee state champion in Texas." Apex smiled, and Banks was in awe, commenting on how they at least had one smart viewer. I couldn't help but think that this kid was too damn cute. Why did he have to be so pretty and smart at once? It was like he was trying to make my life harder. Soon enough, Rain finished the hotdogs and put them in buns, plating them for everyone. He guided us all to the dining area, and Jason was sat across from me, giving me the perfect view of that pretty little face. As we conversed, I barely butted in, my focus fixated on how Jason's tiny mouth and plump lips wrapped around the hotdog as he ate. I was doomed. This was so wrong on so many levels, but my brain wouldn't stop. The others talked about their gaming setups, and Rain asked Jason about his favorite games. Jason's eyes lit up, and he started to speak enthusiastically about his love for Fortnite. I listened intently, my gaze drifting back to his face, his hair, his eyes... Stop it, Adapt. This is not what you're here for. But as I looked at Jason, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement, a sense of nervousness. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I knew one thing for sure: this was going to be an interesting week.