Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Woah, you look like hell. Did you dance a lot?" asked Daniel, running a hand through his light brown hair, a few strands falling on his forehead.
"Like a stripper whose rent is due tomorrow."
He burst out laughing. That sound felt to Peyton like the most melodious of songs.
She leaned back while facing him, her hands resting on the kitchen counter. "Are you having fun?"
He nodded. "Yes, it was about time we went to a party."
Peyton smiled, but that smile faded almost as fast as it appeared when an unwanted thought crossed her mind. Before she could stop herself, the words came rushing out of her mouth. "Have you gotten lucky yet?"
He snorted, assuming Peyton had asked jokingly. "No." His smile never leaving his face. "You?"
"I'm supposed to be dating your best friend, remember?"
He raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. "You are?"
"Yes. Does the name Archer Dickson ring a bell?" she asked with a knowing smile covering her face, carrying on with the joke. "He's tall, overconfident and pretty damn douchey."
"He definitely does sound familiar..."
They both laughed. Daniel moved to stand in front of the marble counter, right beside Peyton. She shifted slightly in place to look up at him, their eyes meeting for what seemed like several minutes. For just a fleeting second, his lips parted, and he seemed like he was about to say something. Peyton looked at him quizzically, while a hesitant expression covered his face. He clenched his jaw and inhaled, preparing himself, but no sound ever left his mouth.
"Dan, Peyton! Do you guys want to play beer pong?" asked Hadley.
Daniel kept his gaze fixed on Peyton's for a few more seconds before finally shifting it to look at the figure waiting by the kitchen door.
"Sure."
"Great, let's go!"
When Daniel was about to cross the door that separated the kitchen from the living room he turned around to briefly face Peyton. "Are you coming?"
Without a word, she began stepping to where her best friend was, a thousand questions arising now in her mind.
What was he going to say? Why was he having such a hard time trying to say it? Would he have said it had it not been for Hadley entering the kitchen? Would he ever try to tell her again or would she have missed her only chance to hear about it?
When questions began to overlap each other Peyton decided it would be best to let it slide, at least for the night.
They finally arrived to where the beer pong table was, Archer standing right next to it. "You guys are playing with us too?"
