Song: Romeo dies - Ari Hicks
........................................
Hailey
I was a nervous wreck as I picked my stuff once the working hours reached their end and I felt the weight of this new date approaching. In a few moments I was meeting my second person from that app. The expectations now were lower than the first time, but nerves didn't seem to care about that.
Cameron, twenty six. I'd scrolled thoughtfully through his profile, his likes, what he wanted from this... but it said he was looking for friendship or whatever it leads to. That sounded more solid than 'night pleasures and 0 complications'.
I had fixed myself a little better than I would on a normal day, but since we'd accorded this to be casual I settled for my fitted jeans, soft green blouse and sandals. A little bold considering we were just entering spring, but today was hot enough to wear it just fine. It was cute, kinda preppy too, yet formal enough to bring at work too. But whether it was flattering, it wasn't openly inviting, so even if it was another Andrew, I wouldn't be giving off that vibe.
Stella's eyes scanned me up and down as she also stood. "You look awfully nice."
Why couldn't she even give me one good compliment? Would it actually hurt her to be nice for once? But I smiled, flattening the blouse and making sure there wasn't a single wrinkle. "Thanks. I kinda have a date."
Why did I even tell her that?
"Really?" her brows rose as she scanned me again under a new light and I felt all the more vulnerable.
Why was it so weird that I had one?
Our other's coworkers were too getting ready to leave, each minding their own business.
"Well, you do look nice, but maybe a bit too formal then." she said and I looked down. Too formal? Well, I was at work, but this was also casual. Stella rolled her eyes and took my hand. "Come on."
I was so astonished I failed to even fight her and she pulled us to the girl restroom in this story and we stood before the mirror. I stared at myself and turned to look at her.
"I look fine."
"Boring." she scoffed, not knowing she was rubbing a sore topic with that word and searched in her purse for her small makeup kit. "I would do something about the lips and the hair."
"What?" I turned to analyze myself in the mirror once more. My lips were nude, but I had my eyes done. And the hair? It was half up with a couple hairpins. "What is wrong with my hair? Too boring?"
"Too plain. Come on let it down."
I eyed her carefully. This was Stella. But she was also always so beautifully spotless and perfect for each occasion. Hesitantly, I took out the pins and my hair fall in my soft natural waves. More wild. I did look more alluringly datable now.
Stella grinned genuinely and held out two lipsticks: "Only got these here. Soft pink or passion red?"
"Pink." I answered immediately and she handed it over. I looked down at it, bewildered once more. "Why are you helping me?"
"And why not?"
Because you hate me, but I didn't say that. "Don't know." I took it and was pleased at the beautiful soft pink color of it. Almost nude. Perfect.
"Can't I just be helpful?" Not really. 'Helpful' and 'Stella' weren't two concepts that went hand in hand. She saw I wasn't buying that and for a second looked almost hurt by it, but covered it quickly with a bored sigh. "You write better when you're not frustrated."
What? I froze before the lipstick even touched me, my pride taking the full blow. "Oh." I rolled it down again and capped it. "You don't have to worry about that."
I handed her the item trying my hardest to keep it togehter, but I really wanted to say something inappropriate. How dare she to come all friendly for pity? I should have known.
Stella looked down at the lipstick in her hand, as if she couldn't believe I refused her help. I couldn't believe I'd accepted it at all. This was Stella. Too perfect for anyone. The one that had one snippy comment for everyone and especially for me. Now not only she felt entitled to correct my ideas and my writing, but my personal life as well.
"I was just trying to help." her voice was collected once more. What was I? Her charity case? Her doll? We didn't have girly moments together and we never spoke more than needed. I now remembered exactly why.
"I don't need your help."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Fine." her slender fingers closed around the lipstick and she kept everything back in her pursed, going back to act all stuck up and detached. "Suit yourself then. Like I care."
I knew she didn't, and I didn't care that she didn't; but hearing it wasn't pleasant and I turned to the mirror as she exited the restroom without another word.
What a nerve.
Sometimes I felt like there was something else scratching that perfectly collected surface, immaculate nails, perfect writing and always professional... but if she wasn't being picky with me, she barely interacts at all. Stella never comes to have drinks with the rest of the co-worker or ever speaks about herself. The only thing I knew was that she was wealthy enough to afford high brands and a beautiful Blue Mercedes. And that she was engaged. Or at least she had the ring.
She was confusing, and cold and now had left me all more anxious before the date. I glared myself in the mirror. Was I boring? I fixed my hair, it did look better down. And the makeup? It was simple, not 'boring'.
I was fine. Cute, I reassured myself, banishing Stella from my mind. Her cunningness was the last thing I needed at the moment.
I knew what a bad date was like now. I knew that option was possible.
It won't happen again. This time it would go well.
........................................
"Hailey?"
Finally.
I looked up from the coffee I'd ordered myself at the bar while I waited and was shocked by the person standing before me. I was expecting Cameron, a twenty six year old computer technician. But instead there stood a man that had little to nothing to do with the picture in his app profile.
"You're Hailey, right? Hi." he smiled nervously.
For a moment I sat there astonished, wondering if I had heard him right. But he was wearing the grey shirt she mentioned and was holding the copy of To kill a Mockingbird I shall use to identify him.
No way.
"You're Cameron?" it came out weak. Moving my eyes from the book to scan him in shock, I barely noticed the way he smiled nervously and took the stool next to mine.
Well, it looks like I was facing my other fear when dating someone online: I'd been catfished.
Instead of the young man somehow fitting the beauty standards, before me stood an older man. He was tall and thin, his limbs large making him look even more lanky. His face long and sharp, with an arched nose and long, dirty blond hair pulled backward into a messy bun. I was in shock at first, a lot of things going through my mind at once and making it unable for me to pick one. I wanted to cry, so badly. But I also felt anger. And kinda... scared.
I almost thought it was a joke when he sat by my side at the bar. He wasn't at all like his pictures. There was something so wrong about this.
"You can't be Cameron."
"Yeah," he glanced down at himself, as if looking for what it might be that make him different from what I was expecting. It wasn't the fact that he wasn't attractive, it was the fact that he openly lied about who he was. The knot in my throat tightened all the more. "I'm not really twenty-six."
Oh really? "How old are you?"
Yes, it might be rude to ask, but I wanted to seize the amount of lies I was dealing with. So far, he wasn't who he said he was, nor how he said he looked like.
"Thirty-nine."
Thrity. Nine.
That made him thirteen years older than what he told me and established a seventeen year gap between us. Seventeen.
Even from my seat I could smell the sweat under the obnoxious amount of perfume he'd put, making my eyes sting slightly.
What had I walked myself into? All this time I'd been talking to him when thinking it was someone different.
He'd played me.
Not only has I been tricked, but this was giving me all weird signs. He held out a rose I only then notcied between us and I stared down at it, my mind overdriving. I must have taken too long because he cleared his throat, I forced myself to take it hesitantly, resting it by my mug unable to process if I was being disrespectful or not.
I didn't like this one bit.
"Are you a computer technician at least?"
"Uh, yes..."
At his vague response I frowned. "But?"
Cameron smiled sheepishly, and scrached his forehead. "I had a problem with my last boss's arrangement and I'm currently looking for something more stable."
So, unemployed. He wasn't who he said he was, he didn't look like he said he did, and he basically lied about everything else.
I chuckled, still too astonished to process the best way to react.
"I know this sounds bad." he rushed, grimacing as he noticed my train of thought and went to place his hand on my leg, but I moved it before he could touch me. He babbled some more into his excuses, but it was like I couldn't hear him. So far all I was seeing were the red flags.
Maybe I was just being paranoid, but he had an intense way of looking, eyes wide and unblinking. Talking fast and watching everything.
I had been sitting there processing it for the first moments, but when I overpowered the initial bewilderment I took my phone to send a SOS to the girls. We'd come out with it before I the date with Andrew; deciding if it didn't go well, I would text them something we'd agreed and they would call with an emergency for me to leave. But every time I took the phone his eyes followed closely the movement, not even shying away and openly watching what I was doing. So an SOS wasn't possible at the moment.
And I was uncomfortable. So uncomfortable with the fact that I literally met with a total stranger. I think his name was Cameron, but if he told me it wasn't I wouldn't even be that surprise. I'd been texting someone different when in reality, behind the screen it was him. I couldn't begin to explain the amount of betrayal and vulnerability I suddenly felt. Even if it only been for a few days.
And I just wanted to have the perfect excuse to get up and forget all about him at once.
But wait, why did I need an excuse? I suddenly realized I didn't owe him the courtesy of a normal date. He'd tricked me for whatever reason and I was free to get up and just leave.
"Well," I cut his rambled standing from the stool and clenched the purse closer. "This was nice, but I really have to go now."
I place a bill by my coffee mug and made a bolt towards the exit, making sure to leave the rose behind.
And I thought my first date was bad.
"No... wait!" to my dismay, he followed me outside and this time I felt more scared than angered. Was this going to become one of the cases one hears in the news? Girl found out butched by a crept that catfished her? Okay, I was definitely being paranoid, but as he exited the bar and fall into step with me I get more and more unsettled. "I'm sorry. I know I'm not what you expected-"
"No. You're not who I expected." I eyed him carefully, still wary and shocked. "Why did you lie?"
"I mean, look at me?" he laughed pitifully but it was hard to feel sorry for him when he had tricked me like this. "Would you have matched me if you'd meet me?"
My jaw slacked. Were we really discussing this? "I don't... I don't know! Maybe." his eyes sparkled and I realized my mistake, quickly adding: "Or maybe not. But now?"
"Now what?" my heart lurched up to my throat when he took my wrist and physically stopped me from escaping.
"W-what are you doing?" I stressed and looked around frantically for help. We were near the center, a busy place usually, but now it was a bad hour and there wasn't much people on the street.
"Please, just give me a chance? I promise I can be really interesting. Why aren't you even trying?" he got more and more irritate as he spoke. As if I was the jerk for seeing the red flags in his behaviour. I struggled with his grip, but it clenched painfully.
"Let go."
"You're all the same." he spat, not even trying to put up a good front and acting like I was the one offending him.
My stomach spiraled down in fear and there was still no one around. A big street in the center of Providence and the nearest people was a group of kids in the benched on the park at the other end of the half empty parking lot of the hypermarket nearby us. Too far. And the bar was now too out of reach at his back. "Too upthight and entitled to anything. You're not even all that. My mother was right."
His mother?
I don't know what scared me the most, his rising anger or the fact that he was speaking to me as if I was all the women. This was giving me dangerous incel vibes and my heartbeat doubled in fear.
"Let go!" I finally manged to pull my wrist free and almost tripped backwards. He too stumbled startled and I took that as my chance to bolt.
The easiest solution would have been to go back to the bar and find help there. But in order to do that I would have to bypass him -and I wasn't risking him grabbing me or even touching me again.
So the only other option was to head to the park on the other end of the parking lot and hopping someone was in the cars or to reach those teens on the park. Have witnesses somehow. So I spun on my heels and strode there.
"Hey. Where are going? I'm sorry!"
I fastened my steps across the parking lot, hearing him close behind over the loud buzzing in my ears and hugged the satchel and purse to my chest, franticly looking around for a way out.
There were barely cars out here and all empty, but then I spotted someone in one of the vehicles. My chest dipped in desperation and I fastened my steps there, hoping I was right. I didn't recognize the black car, but the driver was clearly Nate. His head was looking down as he typed in his phone and followed the rhythm of the music with light nods.
Out of all the people in Providence, what were the chances of finding him here? Fate was giving me a way out and I frightfully launched for it.
Without thinking I pulled open the passenger door the moment I reached it, making his head snap up in shock and slid in before I could think thoroughly this decision. Nate's brows furrowed in utter confusion, but I was too busy clicking down the lock and only then allowing my lungs to fully breath.
"Hailey?"
"I-I'm sorry, I just- h-he's chasing me!" it was crazy how my words stumbled their way out, frantic as my mind.
"Who?" His shock was so blunt it would have been amusing under other circumstances. He reached out to turn the radio down. "What the-" but I barely hear Nate's voice, seeing instead how Cameron stood by my door, between dumbfouded and sad. Sad! He probably didn't think I would be able to do something like that. Maybe he didn't even mean anything bad, but he was weird and creepy and I wasn't willing to find out, especially after he chased me down the freaking parking lot.
"I'm calling the police!" I warned, gesturing with my phone, my hands shaking, but I couldn't help it and his eyes turned glassy.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please just come out. I didn't mean that. I'm sorry-"
"Who's that?" wondered Nate, sharper now and I heard his door opening. My heart dipped the sound and I turned to see him getting out.
"No, wait!" what if he was really dangerous? I reached out to keep him in, but Nate was already standing in the gap between the door and the car and looking at him over the roof.
"What's your problem?"
"I'm sorry, tell her I'm sorry." I closed my eyes, breathing deeply unable to handle this. It all felt like a twisted nightmare. Why couldn't I have one lame date like normal people and move on?
"Sorry?" for a horrible second I thought Nate would push the matter further, but he quickly lost interest in his own question and instead snapped. "We don't want problems, okay?" snapped Nate, the harsher I'd hear since his return making a chill ran down my spine. "Beat it."
"I'm sorry." I met Cameron's eyes through the window. Will he cry now? I felt like crying. "I'm sorry."
"I don't care." I forced out. "J-just go." Please. His head hung low, hurt and disappointed, but I couldn't care.
I watched him finally shuffled his way down the path we just made here, like he was dragging his soul with him. The car door close behind me and I knew Nate had entered the cabin once more.
"What the hell, Hailey?" Yeah, exactly my thoughts. "Who was that?"
"My date."
It sounded revolting said like that, and I could tell by the silence that it took him aback as well, but I didn't dare to look away from Cameron's retreating figure.
"Your what now?"
"Yeah, I know," I grimaced. "But I didn't know him. I met him in this app."
"You use a dating app?"
I blushed deeply. Yeah, not my smoothest confession to my ex. An ex I last saw a few days ago when we had a fight. Remembering that, I only wanted to crawl in a pit and disappear forever.
"The fuck?" I almost flinched when he took my arm and pulled it between us so we both had a clear view of the reddening mark around my wrist. I couldn't even feel the pain, buzzing with adrenaline, but I dreaded the fact that it would probably bruise and cradled that hand closer and out his reach, ashamed. "He did this?" again, he sounded mad and the low one of his voice almost made my toes curl.
"It's over." I let out a hasty breath, resting my head back against the seat and finally feeling my heart slowing down. "Thank you." I looked at him, startled at the serious way he still looked mad about the situation. Like he really cared. What a good samaritan. "For helping. You didn't need to that, but I'm glad you did."
He frowned, like he was offended by my words. Offended? I was thanking him.
"You should call the cops on him."
I nodded. "I will." Later. I would report him to the app and see if I could fulfill something for him to be at least watched or something. If he reacted so aggressively now, maybe he'd done it before? Or he would do it in the future? I shuddered at the awful feeling this encounter left in me.
I needed to think of something else not to freak out in front of Nate or dig even further in my shameful situation, so I forced my mind to get the first distraction I had. Eying the car. The car.
My brows knitted together, remembering what he said the other night. "I thought you didn't have a car."
Nate clenched his jaw, clearly not feeling like dropping it so soon; but he must read something in my expression because after a long moment he took it and shrugged one shoulder. "I didn't have it with me. I drive from New York yesterday."
I had to bite back my next immediate question: where is Letty? This car was newer and more fitting for a life in the city. The old truck was better fitted for a place like our hometown; but maybe busy, frantic cities like Providence and New York it would be too much for it.
Digging there would only trigger another quarrel like the last time, so I pushed it back. "So you're finally here-here?"
"Yes."
"Cool." I tapped my nails against the upholstery, looking over as Cameron got in his own vehicle all the way down the lot and left for good. Only allowing my shoulders to fully relax as he went out of sight and still this churning of unsettleness squeezed my guts. "That guy's a creep."
"You don't say." he muttered and I felt my chest dipping. "Why did you even match with him?"
"I got catfished, okay?" I hid my face in my hands, feeling my skin burning and my head thick. I was burning in shame. I was indeed pathetic. Two dates and one was completely pointless and ended with me being called boring, and the other was a catfish with creepy intentions and mommy issues.
But Nate didn't mock it or looked amused by my misery at all.
"You really should call the police."
"I know." I muttered, lowly. "I will."
"You promise?"
"I promise." I didn't know why he wanted me to promise that. It was all just too recent and I needed to cope with these feelings and processed it all. Tomorrow I would be doing something for good. Maybe I should call Chris. He was a cop after all. "Later."
"Fine."
There were a few moments of silence that flew by us, making me suddenly very aware that I was in the tight cabin of Nate's car. With Nate. Alone.
After the disaster of our last encounter, I honestly had thought I wouldn't be seeing him anytime soon - not until Kimmy forced a situation again- but now I was glad that he decided to park here at this very moment. God knows what would happen if he wasn't. And now the air felt thick because I felt tense around him still, but now also grateful and kinda guilty for treating him so harshly when he had no second though in telling that man off.
Nate cleared his throat by my side when the thick tension became too much. "I was actually going to shop, you know?" he sounded irritated still, but under that there was amusement and I could tell he was trying to get over it as well. And also gently kicking me out.
I nodded again, feeling my muscles weakening as the rush left my body cold and shocked. "Okay. I just... I need a minute."
"It's fine. You can stay in the car if you want to."
I looked over at him, surprised at the offer. It was oddly nice of him, but then again, Nate knew exactly how to charm you when he wanted to. That was the danger with him.
"Grocery shopping?" I wondered leaning back against the seat and he shrugged. "There?"
Nate followed my finger pointing the big green sliding doors connecting the supermarket with the parking lot. "What's wrong with that?"
"That's where rich people buy their expensive groceries. A can of coke is seven dollars and I doubt you'll find anything for less than that."
His brows pursed. "Kimmy told me it was okay."
"Well, Kimmy is rich." I laughed.
"Yeah." there was a tug at his lip, as if he was amused, but didn't want to show it, and he shook his head. "I should have known."
"I'm sure she meant well, but not everyone is as well provided as she is. Come on," I fastened my seatbelt. "I'll show you where normal people buy their stuff."
"Will you?"
Yeah, will I? I couldn't tell which one was more surprised. It was as if the rush had gotten into my head and loosened something that make me act unconsciously. But I found myself nodding.
"As a thank you."
He scoffed. "Hailey, come on."
"I mean it." I grimaced. "That was probably the worst date I had in years. The kind of date I would probably write about in the Weekly." I shuddered just thinking about it. Cameron looked like a good person underneath, but outside he gave off some weird vibes and he had a problem with boundaries, all shielded because he felt like he was entitled to stuff he clearly wasn't and didn't deal well with neither rejection nor reality. "Uh, I can't believe I've been catfished." I brushed my hair back in utter shame.
"Why are you even in a dating app?" wondered Nate. He didn't say it accusingly, and maybe that's the reason why I didn't feel like shutting down even considering who I was with.
"To play chess online." I rolled my eyes. "What do you think? To date."
"I just didn't think that was your thing."
Well, it's faster and I really have limited time.
I shrugged one shoulder. "So far it looks like it isn't, but that's just my luck. I'm sure there are people worth of attention somewhere in it." and again, why was I confessing such things? I rapidly guarded my chest all over again, wondering how I let my walls down just like that. And with Nate. I needed to get rid of this gratitude at once. I cleared my throat. "So, you want me to show you the normal shopping or not?"
He smirked, taking some of my resolution with that easy grin; his fingers tapped on the steering wheel. "I would love too, but I'm actually waiting for someone here." he gestured to the block behind us. "We split so save time and he's buying some stuff. Will be back soon."
Split? "But you were in the car?"
"Was just texting someone. Now I should really get going or he'll be back before I even go."
"Oh, well, this is just at the other side of this block." I gestured beyond the supermarket and pass the end of the parking lot, where a fence separated this from another lot. "We just can't access it from here, but we can wait for your friend here or just tell him to meet you there. It's barely a minute walk, and he can cross parkings through that." I pointed the side walk bordering bot lots.
"Right." he considered it for a second, eying were I pointed while brushing his jaw and then nodded. "Fine." I was surprised, a part of me actually thought he would brush my words like I never said anything; but I was surprised when he actually followed them through, doing his own belt and handing me his phone. "Go to Kyle's chat and tell him we're on the other parking lot."
"Alright," Was I really doing this? I tried to unlock it with still unstable hands but I failed since it demanded either a code or a fingerprint. As he turned on the engine and it roared making us buzz with it, I spoke trying to sound casual: "I need your fingerprint."
Nate reached over and unlocked it, sending those annoying flutters through my skin where his hand brushed mine and just like that the screen unlocked. As he pulled away to round the block I realized I had his phone in my power. He trusted me with his unlocked phone. I don't know why it moved me, but it stupidly did; and to suppress it I went to his texts, seeking for this name he mentioned. It wasn't hard to find. At the top of the conversations, only under a bunch of unread ones from someone named 'Alissa'.
My guts clenched -even if they shouldn't- at the girls name demanding his attention and I forced it down, opening Kyle's chat and typing away.
NATE: change spots. The car is now on the blue parking lot.
I looked up just to see Nate entering it and pulled us to the nearest free spot before turning down the engine. He eyed the shop before us as I typed again.
NATE: At the end of the second row
"This does look more modest." conceded Nate and I smiled against my best intention, passing him the phone as we stepped out.
"Told you." I stood there awkwardly, bouncing on the balls of my feet as the weight of his look fell completely on me. "Uh, do you have to buy a lot or..."
"Just beers. And something to snack." Nate shrugged. "Tomorrow I'll do the proper shopping when everything is settled."
"What do you mean?"
He tilted his head, probably too realizing we were having the first natural conversation ever since he's been back. One that flows naturally and not because one of us felt forced to keep it going. I didn't know how I felt about that, but I wasn't half as angered as I lately was with him. Probably because of what just happened.
"Kyle and I," explained Nate. "We're painting my flat today."
"Really?"
He nodded, carefully sliding his hands in his pockets. For the first time I noticed the remains of white paint in his nails. "I won't be able to fully install until I'd paint it all and then I would put everything in place. I don't think bags of grocery and stuff to put away would help."
"And what is your friend buying?"
"More paint. We came out short."
"Make sense." I hummed. "Yeah, and you're probably right. About the shopping I mean."
He smirked and eyed me up and down. A hot look that shuddered through me in a way I wasn't prepared for. As if catching himself too, he then eyed the supermarket before us. "Thanks for the tip, but feel free to go on now. You don't owe me anymore."
Owe him? Yes, I did. "I'm coming with, let's go."
I walked ahead first, not wanting him to fight me again because if he did this thin peace might break and I really didn't want to snap at him after he chased Cameron away for me. I want to buy him his beer and stop feeling grateful and in debt.
I walked in first, being greeted by the soft music and light air conditioning inside and headed straight for the beers. I don't usually come here, only when I need something when working -since it was barely a block away. But there was one of the same supermarker chain near our apartment and the distribution was similar in all of them. I stood before the large line of different brands. I struggled to remember what he usually drank in the past, but came out blank. What kind of beer did he like?
"Uh, Budweiser?" I tried as Nate stood by my side, looking wary and hiding the bewilderment that I was pursuing this so much.
"Yeah, sure."
He was just agreeing with me. I sighed, turning to look at him. "You're the one that will be drinking it, so which one do you like?"
"Budweiser is fine."
I didn't trust that for a second. "Really?"
His brows lifted, finding amusement within the weird costumbrist situation we just walked ourselves in. And I didn't feel light flutters in my stomach because of that. Because if I did it would be stupid. "Do you want me to fight you?"
"I want you to be honest."
"I do like Budweiser." he eyes the different marks, letting his eyes scanned them all and his lip quirked lightly. "Maybe I'm more into Heineken."
I knew it. Not that it was Heineken what he wanted, but that he was just going along with me. "Was it so hard?" I took a six pack of those, the cold cans doing wonders soothing my buzzing skin and I headed towards the snack's section. "What do you feel like having?"
"Just one of these." I was surprised as he took a bad of sweets and he shrugged one shoulder at my shocked glance. "Kyle is sweet-toothed."
I found myself laughing. "I haven't asked." and stepped back when Nate tried to take the six pack from me. "My trait." I hugged them closer. "As a thank you."
"Hailey."
"What?" I retorted heading for the cash register knowing he would follow. "Do you need anything else?"
"Not for now." he left the sweets on the counter as we waited for the woman before us to check her stuff and I placed the beers by it. "You really don't have to pay for it."
"But I want to." Maybe if I get over this debt feeling I would be back to normal. I need to be on my guard and him doing me favors wasn't helping. "You help me out, I help you. That's just how it works." I handed the cashier a bill before he could say anything else and grabbed the paper bag she handed me with a grin. "Thanks."
Nate grumbled something, not that impressed with the little choices I was giving him and took the bag from me. I couldn't help a chuckle, but was unable to fully describe the feeling. Was I feeling better now?
"Now I have to offer you one." he said, referring to the beers as we reached his car and he put them on the back seat feet. He closed the door, leaning sideways against it and once more I felt giddy with the feeling in my guts. I hated it. Or did I? He spoke again saving me from my own confused thoughts. "I mean, we're gonna be kinda busy right now, but feel free to join is you want to."
"Join helping you paint?" I said and he smirked.
"If you want to." Nate shrugged one shoulder. "I can offer you beer and sweets. And if you're willing to be less on your guard all the time, I can assure you Kyle and I are... entertaining to be with."
"Entertaining?" I laughed incredulously, amused despites everything. I was always on my guard, but this was Nate. I needed to be. I shouldn't even be here right now, but still I was stretching this stupidly.
"Well, Kyle is kinda weird, but yeah, entertaining would sum it pretty well."
"I'm what?" a new voice came from the other side of the car and I smiled, glancing away. This must be Kyle. He put his bags on the back seat too and narrowed his eyes at Nate. "What are you even telling her about me? Who is she?"
"Nothing." Nate rolled his eyes. "She's Hailey."
That seemed to spike Kyle's interest. Eying me up and down and I saw clear then that he knew who I was. "Your Hailey?"
My heart skipped several beats at his choice of words and I could feel my face burning. It only grew worse when Nate overpowered the initial shock too and muttered: "Uh, yeah." and glared at him, but Kyle smirked.
Well, he was not wrong. But it bothered me that I had such a reaction to something he didn't even mean. I guess to someone who only knew him, I was 'his Hailey'. Just like for Eli he was 'my Nate', but it still felt... weird. And it only brought to the surface that he was at some point something mine and how that ended. I felt my chest bubbling and my defenses coming back up, making this kinda awkward once more.
What was I still doing here? Why couldn't I just walk away? This felt like that night in the karaoke. I should leave, but something was keeping me there. Did I enjoy torturing myself or was that clueless on what I was feeling that the curious part in me refused to leave until I figured it out?
I couldn't bring myself to even look at Nate. "I prefer to go by just Hailey."
"Okay, Just Hailey, I'm Kyle." he held his fist and I gingerly bumped it with mine, pressing my lips together at his taunt and eying him curiously. He was a tall guy, like really. Over six feet for sure. His hair was longer on the top and straight falling around his cute face. He had dark almond -shaped eyes and a half-mocking, half-nice grin.
"Just Hailey." I corrected and his smile stretched.
"That's what I've said."
"Right."
So he was a 'funny one'.
Nate nudged his shoulder, hiding in that playful jab something more serious that he transmitted through his eyes, probably as uncomfortable as I was. "Dude, come on."
"What? I was just-"
My phone buzzed as they keep up this back and forth and I was glad to have the distraction. I allowed myself a break from this building tension. It allowed me to sneak out the conversation as I slid it out, but to my disappointment it was from my brother.
SHANE: red socks
My nose pursed. That was our code. Meaning I couldn't just go back home. Not for a while, at least. Just my luck. Kimmy and Riley were having something with West and for what I know Eli was away for a campaign she was photographing. I could call Stella with some work excuse but I really didn't want to see her again yet.
But to kill time alone?
"-Right?"
"Uh?" I was startled when brought back to the conversation and blushed when their eyes fell on me and Nate's brows furrowed.
"Is everything okay?"
"Yes, I just..." I just got screwed. I forced a pleasant smile. "My roommate had scored so I can't go home right now. Is..." I gulped. Are you sure about this? Well, what other choice do I have? I struggled to keep my eyes staring back at his green orbes despites how that seemed to weaken my limbs. "You meant what you said? Is it okay if I tag along?" What the hell was I doing? Well, it was this or to fill a few hours on my own. And after Cameron I didn't want to be alone. At all. I rushed, nervously: "I can be a great help with the painting."
Only for a few hours. Nate didn't feel as bristling today and I could handle this for a few hours.
But as he smirked, I felt my heart dipping like it pulled some strings with it.
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Hey! Make sure to let me know what you think should happen next and if you enjoyed the chapter :)
OMG you reached the goal and surpassed it faster than ever!! I'm amazed! You are INCREDIBLE <333 So here's the new goal for you: 1100 votes. Ambitious, I know, but I'm only halfway done with the following chapter. I think I could have it ready in a couple days. If we reached this goal I'm all in about publishing it within this week as well. Otherwise, NP, we'll meet again in a couple weeks 😘
Stella Belmish (Madelaine Petsch)
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