Found | √

Chapter Five

The sounds of a Carrie Underwood song fill the air between us. I itch to flip the station, but that will just make me look weak. Her voice speaks about how she will move on like he has when the deserts flood and the grass turns blue. How she will always love him.

I hate him. I hate him. I hate him.

I repeat this in my head until the song ends. I will finally have closure this summer and I will move on. I'll find love, and leave Cale in the past. Because that is exactly what he is...the past. He was never my future. 

"I'm sorry," he murmurs quietly. I almost don't hear him between the wind and the radio.

Anger floods my skin. "I don't want your apologies Cale. Haven't you realized yet that they mean nothing?" My words are harsh, but they're the truth. No "I'm sorry" can ever fix what happened that summer.

I flip my blinker on and turn right.

"Can we please try and move past this and be friends?" He sounds unsure of his words. Like he's even hesitant of his proposition. Can we even be friends?

I say nothing.

"Please?" he pleads.

I continue to ignore him. Us, friends? Maybe when pigs fly.

Then he says the magic words, "For Bailey?"

He knows he has me. Because after everything is said and done I love my sister more than anything and would do anything for her.

Including befriending the one person who broke me and still has the power to do just the same.

I turn into the parking lot of the outdoor mall where the bridal shop resides. I turn my car off and look to my right. "I can try," I say before I slip out of the car.

He quickly scrambles out of the car and his hazel eyes hold mine as his lips turn up in a small smile. I refuse to acknowledge the fact that my pulse races at the sight of his smile. "That is all I am asking for."

"Come on. One date? One dance? One kiss?" he pushes with a huge grin on his face, his eyes brows wiggling suggestively at the last offer. I hate how pretty his face is.

I roll my eyes as I turn away from the keg and start walking down the beach. I'm never rude to people, but I have a few drinks in me and I know his reputation. My parents will kill me if I get involved with a Hasting boy. But he quickly follows suit. He obviously isn't going to let this go.

I halt my steps and turn to look at him. "Why me?" I ask seriously. "Why not Ashley or Maddy?" They are his age or close and way more his type. 

I know of the Hasting boys. All attractive, and have humped well over half the population of girls and women in this town. I'm not looking for a summer fling. They always end in hurt. I have never been hurt and I definitely don't want my first heartbreak to happen with a Hasting boy.

He reaches out and twirls a piece of my blonde hair before letting it drop. His hazel eyes holding mine and the look in them is so intense I can barely breathe.

"Please?" he pleads. "I never beg," he pauses as the fat grin grows on his perfect face, "you must be really special."

I chew on the inside of my cheek before conceding. "One date," I agree. I honestly don't know what makes me say yes. His smile, the way my heart races at his nearness, or the fact that he is a Hasting boy.

He bites his lip like he's trying to hold back his excitement, which makes me giggle. I have never had a boy this eager to take me on a date. I feel giddy all over.