Hailey's Pov:
So, were picking up the Sterling's huh... well I hope he or she is nice! Maybe I could have a best friend in the neighborhood? Wait a minute, Sterling.... Sterling, where have I heard that name before?
I shook it off as I sat in silence imagining what fun it would be to have a friend in the neighborhood! Luke, Zander, and Lia were the only friends I had. Luke and Lia both Lived in Rozy Road and me and Zander lived in Clozy Lane. They were only a mile away but... I'm not a runner myself! Heh... So, as you'd think, I rarely walked to their houses.
Suddenly, the car screeched to a stop, and I opened my eyes to be blinded by streetlights blinking in the sky. It was a windy day, so the trees were swaying back and forth with leaves falling on the front of Luke's car.
I looked to the side to see my future friend and saw a familiar peach haired boy standing on the concrete pathway. My eyes widened as I now remembered where I heard the name Sterling. It was ten years ago, right in front of Rosebud Fashion... "Jake!" I thought. Zander rolled down the window on his side as I scooched to the left side of the car.
"Are you Alexander Wickham?" the boy said in a low moody tone.
Wait, no... That couldn't be Jake! Jake had the sweetest soft voice. UGH I got my hopes up. I looked down and leaned my chin on the window of the car, zoned out, so I didn't listen to what zander was saying.
"Yeah! ok get in" Luke said unlocking the car.
I quickly lifted my head back up and fixed my posture as the boy opened the car door and sat next to me. His cologne smelled like peaches which matched his hair with coral dyed tips. He was wearing a dark blue jacket over a greyish shirt with swords on it.
Jake looked nothing like this when I met him! Maybe he changed? Well, there was only one way to find out...
I cleared my throat and blurted out, "Hi!"
"Who are you?" he asked before clapping his mouth shut and tilting his head toward his stomach.
"I'm so sorry! That was insanely impolite of me!" he said as a light blush appeared on his face.
"Oh, its ok!" I said my heart was sinking to my shoes. He didn't know me. Right, I met him one time. What whacko would remember their mom's friend's son that moved away like 9 years ago? Me...
"I'm Jake!" he said while giving me a sweet smile.
"JAKE STERLING?" I blurted not knowing I said it out loud. Jake let out a small chuckle before he said,
"Yeah, I'm Jake sterling"
"Hailey calm down!" Zander yelled with an annoyed expression on his face.
"I'm S-SO sorry..." I stuttered "I didn't m-mean to say that out loud..." I said, hiding my red face.
"It's fine! How did you know my name?" Jake asked.
"UH-I JUST... um... I heard my brother Zander talk to you..." I answered. He couldn't know I was basically stalking him for 10 YEARS!
The rest of the car ride was insanely awkward as kept my head to the side farthest away from Jake. I couldn't face him. "I can't believe it's actually... JAKE!?" I thought. He looked NOTHING like what he used to look like! Jake always wore the cutest grey hoody covering his soft peach hair and his side bangs were down past his chocolate eyes.
Now his hair was cut at his eyes, and he had his ears pierced. What happened? I will admit, he's still pretty cute...
Luke pulled up to our driveway and parked.
"Luke, I thought we were dropping Jake off?" I asked a bit worried.
"Oh yeah, Jake lives next door!" Luke said excitedly while waking Zander up from his nap. That's what I was worried about. "Oh NO!" I thought. How am I going to face him every day?
"At least he doesn't go to my school, right?" I thought as Jake hopped out and ran to his house. Wasn't very far though.
"Bye!!! Thanks for the ride!!" He yelled from afar. Jake wore the biggest grin as he turned and knocked on the door. Mrs. Sterling opened the door, and yelled...
"Thanks for picking up Jake! My name's Kristin Sterling, but you can call me Kristin!" she said, giving us a thumbs up, and then shut the door. I was still blushing from all the embarrassment and Zander had noticed.
"Hailey... you seemed... awfully... close with that boy... Jake..." Zander said furrowing his eyebrows and glaring at me.
"W-What?" I stuttered.
"Theres something you're not telling us Hailey..." Luke said glancing at Zander.
"No t-there isn't!" I blurted out.
By now the car was turned off and it was freezing! Thoughts raced through my mind as I tried to think up a rational excuse.
"U-um it's so cold, isn't it? Heeheeheh... Well, I'm freezing so why don't we go inside and start the sleep over!" I said as I put on an awkward smile. When Luke and Zander didn't answer I sighed and muttered,
"Fine... I'll tell you at 12:00am and 12:00am ONLY." We would never stay up till midnight! Perfect!
Zander sighed and nodded his head in agreement.
"sure." He blankly said.
His purple hair whooshed to look at he car door handle and opened it. He then got out and walked over to my door. He breathed on the window as a fog appeared and wrote,
"You can tell me anything :)" That was sweet! I smiled and opened the car door. To almost smack Zander in the forehead! Well, if Luke hadn't pulled him away before I ruthlessly smashed his face with a car window. As we walked down the pathway to our house, I thought about what Zander had spelt out.
He usually was sassy, arrogant, and bossy but, at times like this, he was kind of sweet. Of course, those times were very rare.
I kind of zoned out after that. I kept thinking about Junior year and Jake so much that I didn't notice my palms getting sweaty until I tried to open the front door. My hand just slipped right off it! I quicky shook it off as a coincidence, and they seemed to buy it! I think...
I was snapped out of my racing mind with a yell from a certain auburn-haired boy.
"LET'S GET THIS SLEEP OVER STARTED!!"
"Yeah!" I said shrugging off all the loads of questions on my shoulders. A sleepover would help calm me down, right?
I hope you liked this chapter!!! 😊 Also, sorry for not a-lot of Jailey... got to thicken the plot you know? But don't fret, it will come soon!