a / n :
my real otp in this book shows up in this chapter. i hope you find them as cute as i do because i might have already planned their story out. (sue me.)
* * * * *
F I V E
WHEN DEXTER AND HADLEY got together, their circle of friends merged into one too. Not that they had a lot. Hadley had her best friends Sadie and Aanya, and Dexter had Colin and Henry.
It began with them eating lunch together. Dexter had been worried at first, not sure what he would do if his friends didn't like either Hadley or her friends, but what first started off with a few awkward words about the weather eventually escalated to deep discussions about capitalism and ideological theories in a span of two weeks. Since then, they stuck together like glue, and Dexter wouldn't have liked it any other way.
Except maybe when Colin comes to him to moan about something Sadie said or did (or both). This time, he happens to drop by just as Dexter finishes cleaning the shop windows. The afternoon lull has settled into the day, the steady influx of customers long gone by now, and both Dexter and Hadley are stuck listening to him rant about some CD Sadie had accidentally cracked in two.
"Must have done it on purpose, because one does not easily crack—"
Dexter lets out a sigh and tunes him out, sliding an amused glance at Hadley, who mirrors his expression. Colin doesn't even notice. He's too busy pacing back and forth in front of them, arms flailing in wild, animated gestures to emphasize each word he's been saying for the past seven minutes or so.
"—and come on, how can she just—"
He leans closer to murmur into Hadley's ear. "Want to grab a milkshake or something? Ten bucks say he wouldn't even notice us leave."
"Oh, I'm not even betting against you," she whispers back. "I mean, poor guy can't even notice his feelings."
"—she just infuriates me and I don't understand how you guys can stand her because—"
He watches their friend with a patronizing look. "He'll get there."
"—god, she's so, so freaking annoying." Colin turns to them now, his breathing unsurprisingly heavy, considering he'd hardly stopped talking to take a breath during his nearly seven-minute rant. "Right?"
"You do realize you have to learn to get along with her sooner or later, right?" Dexter asks him without missing a beat. "I mean, you're taking the same program in the same college so you'll be stuck with her for a few more years."
Colin lets out a sound that Dexter can only describe as a cross between a groan and a moan. "Why must you remind me?"
"I'm just saying," Dexter says with a slight shrug. A movement makes his eyes flick to the door. "Oh, well, speak of the devil."
Sadie pushes the door open, Aanya following suit behind her. She stops in her tracks when she sees Colin, who lets out another groan-slash-moan the moment he sees her.
"What're you doing here?" he asks her.
"What're you?"
"In case you're looking for more CD's to break, they're not here, so you may go now."
Sadie rolls her eyes and lets out an aggravated sigh. "It was an accident."
"Accident, my ass!" Colin yells before launching into another rant.
Sadie ignores this, walking past him instead to make a beeline for the counter where both Dexter and Hadley are. "He still hasn't realized," she whispers to them, "that I didn't really crack his CD. I switched it out with a different one. If he actually bothered to check before blowing his top off, he'd know, but he didn't, so..."
Dexter laughs. Hadley seems just as amused, but she hits her friend lightly with the back of her hand. "You know how easily he gets riled up."
Sadie grins. "That's what makes it so fun."
Aanya sidles up next to Sadie, brows furrowed and eyes darting towards Colin in concern. "I feel bad for lying to him."
"You feel bad for everyone," Sadie points out, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Anyway, have you guys heard from Henry?"
"Not since he left," Dexter replies. Henry's spending the summer in Singapore, which initially pissed Colin off. Partly because it's their last summer together and partly, Dexter thinks, because he likes getting pissed off at everything. He looks at Colin now, who (thankfully) stopped talking upon hearing the question. "What about you?"
"He's probably met some guy," Colin says in reply. "You know how he is when he meets someone."
"True," Sadie agrees, and Colin scowls. Just because it's Sadie.
It's a game Dexter's seen unfold over and over in the course of two years. Sadie enjoys seeing Colin get so riled up, and he's too busy getting riled up to realize that the only way to stop her is to stop overreacting about every little thing she says.
Dexter doesn't really know how they've all managed to get along, but they did, and he's grateful for it.
They loiter around the shop for a while. Aanya's the only one who actually makes an effort to have a decent conversation with Colin. Sadie sort of just ignores him like she usually does and talks to Dexter and Hadley instead.
They're in the middle of making plans to go to the beach Saturday night when the door opens.
All five of them momentarily stop and turn to look at the customer, but only Dexter grins at the sight.
"Hey, it's you," he says, slipping out of the counter, oblivious to everyone's stares.
"Hi," Andy replies, a bright grin growing on her face.
"Did you enjoy the truffles?"
"Why'd you think I came back?"
"Well," he says, "there's me."
A laugh bubbles past her lips. She shakes her head, biting her lower lip as though she's trying to keep herself from smiling, but she fails at it, and it makes Dexter want to laugh for real. Just because.
Someone coughs behind him, snapping him out of his thoughts. He turns back, sees Sadie giving him an expectant look, and immediately spurs into action. "Guys, this is Andy." He gestures towards the brunette. She looks a little uncomfortable now that everyone's attention is on her, but she tries a smile anyway. "Andy, these are my friends."
Aanya offers her a warm smile. "Hi."
"Hello," Andy says back, her expression growing a little less reluctant.
"Is there anything we can help you with?" Dexter asks her. "I could whip up another box of those truffles for you."
Her eyes brighten. "Yes, please."
He gives her a playful salute. "On it."
* * * * *
Hadley's used to seeing Dexter flirt with girls.
In fact, everyone is so used to it that none of them are ever really bothered by it. He flirts with everyone, including Henry and Colin, like it's not flirting so much as it's making conversation. They've learned not to think much of it over the course of their friendship.
But it's probably safe to say that everyone is just as shocked as Hadley is when Dexter suddenly invites Andy to go with them to the beach Saturday night.
"It'll be fun," he says as he rings up her box of truffles. "And I'm sure you're dying to spend some time with people your own age."
She's spending the summer here with her family, and when Dexter found out she literally doesn't know anyone around here, he'd suddenly decided to invite her to their little excursion for the weekend.
Hadley doesn't mind, not really, and she's sure that none of the others mind either. She's just surprised, is all, because inviting someone into their group isn't usually something Dexter does out of the blue.
Andy must feel weird about it too because she gives them a hesitant look. "Well, I wouldn't want to intrude."
"You wouldn't be," Aanya immediately says. "We'd love to have you there!"
And just like that, she's included into their plans. Hadley doesn't say much as they finalize the details, busying herself instead by checking the inventory. They're about to close up anyway, so she excuses herself and goes about the task at hand.
She's almost done when Andy bids them goodbye, turning back to wave a hand and give them all another grateful smile before stepping out the shop, box of truffles in hand.
She's pretty, Hadley admits, especially with that kind of smile, and Dexter must think this too judging by the way his eyes follow her through the shop windows. She's raising a hand to shield her eyes from the setting sun, looks left and right, and crosses the street. Hadley watches as she makes a turn and steps out of sight before sliding her eyes back to Dexter.
"She seems sweet," Aanya says to break the silence that followed Andy's departure.
Sadie turns to Dexter like she's waiting for an explanation, and though she doesn't really say anything, Dexter squirms under her gaze.
"You guys don't mind, right?" he says.
"Of course not," Sadie replies, but her eyes flicker to Hadley ever so slightly before turning back to Dexter. "She's cute."
"And I'm sure she isn't some psycho who breaks people's CD's," Colin says.
"For the last time," Sadie says, "it was an accident."
And just like that, they're back at it again. Hadley moves onto the next aisle with her clipboard and pen, surveying the packs of assorted candies on display. Dexter sidles up next to her, leaning lightly against the shelf, a close-lipped smile on his face.
"Anything I can help you with?"
Hadley keeps her eyes trained on the clipboard. "I'm nearly done."
Dexter doesn't leave though. He stays there and watches her work.
It makes her feel self-conscious, so she lowers the clipboard and looks up at him. "What?"
She expects him to make a joke about her being jealous of Andy (which, for the record, she isn't), just like he always does when he pulls some moves on other girls. He doesn't, though, and Hadley's surprised to find him giving her a serious look.
"You didn't tell them about Josh," he says.
"What?"
"You didn't tell them."
Of course she didn't. The thought never even crossed her mind. Despite the fact that she's been best friends with Sadie and Aanya for years now, she's never really been the type to open up and tell them about the things she's going through. Sadie once pointed this out, one afternoon while the three of them were hanging out in Aanya's house.
"I don't mind," Sadie had said, "just as long as you promise that you'll tell us you're not okay when you're not."
Hadley promised she would.
She prefers keeping things bottled up for as long as she can manage. Even when it comes to Dexter. Granted, she finds herself confiding more in Dexter than either Sadie or Aanya, for reasons even she can't fully understand, but that doesn't mean she rushes to his side whenever she's going through problems.
That thing with Josh was just a fluke. She never would have let anyone see her cry, especially not Dexter, and running to his house that night was already a mistake all on its own.
Everything else that happened after was just collateral damage.
But the deed's been done—no pun intended—and the only thing she can do now is to sweep everything under the rug and forget it ever happened.
"We've already worked things out," she tells Dexter now, letting her eyes fall back on the clipboard. "There's really nothing to tell them."
"Had."
"What do you want me to tell them?" Hadley snaps, unable to stop herself. "Hi, guys, Josh and I broke up for, like, three days but we're okay now, so never mind?"
He draws back, holding up both hands in surrender. "I'm just saying."
"Josh and I are okay now," she says, "and I don't know why you act like you don't want us to be."
He takes a deep breath and drops his gaze. "I'm sorry."
His apology tugs at her chest. She takes a pause and forces herself to do the same, heaving in a breath to calm herself down before letting it out again. "I am, too. I didn't mean to just snap at you."
"It was my fault," he says quietly. "I just worry, sometimes."
"I know." She shakes her head and gives him a vaguely apologetic look. "But I can fend for myself, Dex, so you don't have to feel like you have to fight my battles for me."
"I can't help it, Had. I'm your best friend." He gives her a wry smile. "It comes with the job description."
Hadley lets out a tired laugh. "I'm not paying you enough, then."
He grins. "Yeah, you probably don't."
"Ever thought of quitting?"
He surprises her by flicking her on the forehead with a finger, making her flinch a little as she looks up at him in shock, a hand automatically reaching up to rub the spot he'd just hit.
"Me? Quitting on you?" he asks her. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."
It's true, she wants to tell him.
She knows this all too well, because she's been trying to get rid of him for a long time now, and she's never succeeded so he's still there, sitting on a throne in one of the chambers of her heart, reminding her that each and every heartbeat is still calling out to him and him alone.
He sits there like a stubborn stain that refuses to wash out.
He sits there like shard of glass that's buried itself too deep for her to pull out.
He sits there like a reminder that she belonged to him once, but she let him go, crumpled him up and tossed him out like a receipt she no longer needed.
And the funny thing about all this is that Hadley was the one who broke up with him—but she's the one who still hasn't moved on.