Love Hate

29

The white fabric of her third place ribbon made her smile as she held it. Although she didn't win first place and the scholarship, she was glad to have gotten a thousand dollars for college next year. It would help pay for her books. Looking out the window of Tyler's car, she wondered if Zion saw her win third place. 

She saw him look at her booth and walk away. She wanted to go up to him, but the thing inside her that made her want to turn around in the first place also held her back. The fact that Zion even showed up shocked her. 

That wasn't Zion.

Tyler parking the car in the Murphy's parking lot made Haven leave her thoughts of the boy with dreads. As she got out of the car, she felt an arm fall on her shoulders. Austin smiled down at her. "Don't look so sad. It might not be first place but at least you won something."

"It's not that," Haven whispered meeting the blonde boy's gaze. All he did was raise a brow. "Don't worry about it. Worry about that chocolate milkshake calling your name."

The boy laughed dragging her inside the old diner. 

As much as Haven wanted to forget about Zion, he kept popping into her head. Even her friends couldn't distract her. She tried to fake laugh whenever they would actually laugh and she would hum along to make it seem like she was involved.

The buzz of a phone halted the conversation between the three friends. Tyler fumbled for his phone, quickly answering it. "Hello?... Ugh, I'm at Murphy's... I told you I would be here...Mom... fine... okay... I'll be there in thirty... really? Okay, twenty... okay... bye."

Everyone's eyes were on Tyler. "My mom supposedly invited all of my family over for a celebratory dinner and forgot to tell me, so I need to be home in the next twenty minutes."

"Oh," Venus spoke up for the others, "Well I'm finished."

Haven looked at her cup half full of melted ice cream. "Um, I guess we can leave."

"Ugh guys, I wouldn't be able to drop everyone off. I wouldn't make it in time. You know how my mom is. I might be able to drop off Venus since she is on the way to my place." 

"It's fine Ty. I can walk. It is only a few blocks." Haven smiled at her friend, trying to reassure him that she would be fine.

"Yeah, and I want to finish up my shake." Austin pointed to his almost empty cup. Tyler nodded, looking between the two. 

With one last wave from V and Ty, Austin and Haven were left alone. Feeling the awkwardness creep in, the girl with wild curls looked down to her drink. She knew deep down that he didn't just want to finish his milkshake.

"So..." the boy trailed. He wanted her to talk to him. He meant what he said in her bedroom that day.

"So..." she mimicked. Finally meeting his gaze, she could feel herself squirm.

"He was there. I saw him look at your booth." Austin wanted her to talk about it. He knew she saw him stand there. It was obvious she had seen him when she turned around.

Haven looked past the golden-haired boy. "Mhm," she hummed. 

Sighing, Austin knew he had to give in. She wasn't going to budge. He needed to be that push. "Haven you need to try and forgive him at some point."

"What if I don't know how?" She looked into his brown eyes. Haven could feel that overwhelming emotion she always felt when it came to Zion Kuwonu. 

"I know it's hard to forgive people, Hay, but it is important too. Especially when you love the person."