Gender Confusion #GC

| Chapter XVIII |

We stayed at Hayden's place for the day. No one wanted to admit it but we all new Hayden's beach house was so much more fun than Daniel's.

Daniel's reminds me of a family vacation but when I'm at Hayden's it makes me think he has the coolest parents in the world. The basement has a 60 inch TV, a pool table, and a mini bar. The pool in the back of the house is large, filling most of the yard along with a Jacuzzi beside it.

Jack and Hunter sit in the Jacuzzi; Daniel and Hayden are taking a swim while Alex is seen sitting in the house, using his phone as usual through the glass window.

I think Clark was taking a nap somewhere upstairs and I have no idea where Mary is.

Heading back into the house for a snack, I pass Alex who seems to be busy because he doesn't pay me any attention. I enter the kitchen, reaching into the cupboard for a cosmic brownie. They are my absolute favorite.

After I grab one, open the wrapper and prepare to head back, I bump into someone, the brownie almost drops out of my hand.

"Déjà vu," Hayden whispers when I look up to see him grinning with his dimples on full display, he tilts his head as if to observe me.

"Watch where you're going," I stick my tongue out at him, mocking his words from the first time we met. He chuckles and I take a bite of my brownie as he does so, smiling through a mouthful unconsciously.

"Ouu, cosmic brownies! Is there more?" He asks, moving passed the archway leading into the kitchen and checking the cupboards before I can answer. He frowns when he takes the box out, shaking it to find it empty before looking at the last bit of my brownie in my hand with hunger.

Before he can snatch it out of my hand I plop it into my mouth and chew smugly. "Yum," I say grinning.

Hayden glowers at me playfully before his eyes snap to the corner of my mouth. Before I can react, his hand moves upward, his thumb brushing the side of my mouth softly.

I freeze. My eyes wide as I stare up at him.

Hayden seems too occupied on the corner of my mouth before he pulls his thumb away and I'm suddenly able to move again, my eyes blinking rapidly.

"You had some chocolate there," he tells me through a smile.

I'm ready to smile back in relief before he lifts his thumb to his mouth and sucks the chocolate off of it, making my heart jump out of its place momentarily. It seems like Hayden doesn't know what he's doing; he looks as carefree as usual as he smiles my way.

I force a smile back.

Did he just...?

I blink again.

"I'm craving them," he tells me, gripping onto my hand and pulling me into the hall. I feel like a potato following after him until I find my voice to speak.

"W-where are we going?" I ask, my voice sounding almost weak. It reminds me of the old me back in high school. With that thought, I pull my hand out of his grasp and stop in my tracks.

Hayden turns to face me with furrowed brows.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

"Where are you taking me?" I repeat myself, my voice quiet once again as he stares at me with those black eyes of his. Damn him! If only he didn't just lick the chocolate off my face, then I wouldn't be feeling so shy!

It felt very...intimate.

But he acted like it was nothing so I decide not to make a big deal out of it.