What do you think of the cover change? I was excited for it!
Chapter Twenty Seven
Dear Beautiful,
When I think about you and I, I know we would be that couple. You know, the really cute one that everyone awe's at? The one that has girls looking at their boyfriends and wondering why he can't be like me, and the one that makes other boyfriends realize they need to step up their game. The one where boyfriends look at their girlfriends and wonder why they can't be as cute as you are.
Even though you and I look like complete opposites and no one would ever assume us to be together, once they see us...they would know. They would know, just like I know, that you're the one for me and that I'm (hopefully) the one for you.
I can see it. We'd be silly and weird together. We'd be tender and loving together. We'd be cute and foolish together. We would make everyone else jealous and each other happy.
I see it, beautiful.
Love,
Anonymous
My heart thuds harder against my chest as I finish my letter. I shouldn't ever depend on a guy to make me happy, but these letters create reasonable doubt to that theory. My anonymous has a special way of making me smile, because whoever wrote me the letters has done his job in stealing my heart.
I roll my bottom lip between my teeth and turn around to start walking to my car. But instead, a small scream slips past my lips and I throw my letter into the air.
Hayden is standing in front of me with his classic smirk, one of his brows lazily raised at my reaction.
"You dropped something," he smirks.
I glare at him and bend down to pick it up, tucking the letter safely into its envelope and then into my pocket.
Ever since the other night, I've been avoiding Hayden. It's been two days, and I've avoided him at all costs- sometimes not being so subtle with it. When we have run into one another, I haven't talked with him for long enough to get a feel for his reaction to the other night.
I'm afraid to.
Something awakened in me when he got that close to me. When he and I were that close to kissing... I felt something. And it scared me, because I think I know what that something was.
It scared me because as affected as I am, Hayden doesn't seem to be at all. He's still his smirking, sarcastic self. So I've been avoiding him so that I don't have to hear what he has to say about what happened, because I know he will tell me that it meant nothing to him.
I'm scared that he'll tell me he was messing around and make fun of me for being so flustered. I'm scared he will tell me that he knows I like him and that he's sorry, he just doesn't feel the same way.
I'm scared that he'll tell me he has feelings for me too.
"This letter must have been pretty cliche, you were blushing for a solid minute." He muses as I shut my locker.
I blush more at his words and cough out an awkward, "I get love letters, Hayden. The whole thing is cliche."
He chuckles down at me and we start walking to the doors. As soon as we get outside, I make my way towards my own car and it forces him to go the other way since his car is on the other end of the parking lot.
"I'll see you later!" I call awkwardly over my shoulder.
I hear him sigh, "Yeah, later."
As I walk towards my car, I almost stop in my tracks when I see Noah waiting for me. He catches my eye and smiles, standing up straight and taking his hands from his pockets.
"Hey Reagan," he greets.
I smile at him in confusion, "What's up?"
He smiles sheepishly and glances at my car with a small blush. "Well my car won't start because I accidentally left my lights on this morning... I was hoping you could give me a ride home?"
I chuckle, "Of course."
His eyes shine, "You're the best."
I shrug and flip my hair over my shoulder, "I mean, I know."
He chuckles, his laugh sounding absolutely perfect. "Sweet, cute, funny...is there anything bad about you?" He asks, and I feel myself blushing.
"I could name a few things," I say as I get into my car.
He gets in as well and shakes his head, "I bet they're actually perfect."
I smile at him, "You're always so nice."
He grins, "What can I say? You make that side of me come out."
A blush tints my cheeks and I use my hair to shield my face, but Noah surprises me by reaching out and gently tossing my hair over my shoulder.
"Don't cover your face, you're too beautiful for that."
His statement just has me blushing more, and he chuckles softly.
"Your blush is too cute, Reagan."
---
Of course Chloe and Logan make plans to go bowling with Cole and Hayden when I've made it clear I want to avoid Hayden.
They practically kidnapped me from my house and threw me into Logan's jeep, and then chugged along the highway to the bowling alley where I instantly spotted Hayden's challenger.
"I actually hate you both," I mutter as I step out of the jeep.
"Nah, you love us," Logan grins, throwing his arm around my shoulder and pulling me into his armpit as a headlock of love.
I groan and shove him away from me while Chloe laughs.
"It will be fun, Reagan. You can't avoid Hayden forever," she says.
I roll my eyes and we walk inside, get our shoes, and go off in search of Hayden and Cole. I spot them right away on the far end of the building. Hayden would be hard to miss in his baby blue shirt, accentuating his toned chest and sculpted arms. His eyes are shining against the dim lighting and I can hear his deep laugh from all the way over here.
"You should probably stop staring if you want to ignore him," Chloe winks at me, skipping past me and towards Cole.
I narrow my eyes at her and turn to smack Logan on the back of the head since he's snickering next to me.
"Ouch!" He exclaims, "What did I do?"
I huff at him and follow after Chloe, walking towards the two beautiful guys waiting for us.
"Hey Cupcake," Hayden smiles as he sees me.
I avoid eye contact and force myself to smile. "Hey."
I hear him faintly sigh and go to sit down on the other end of the bowling seats. Chloe pinches my arm and I flinch back, sending her a look that she gives me right back. She gestures to Hayden sitting slumped on the chair with a defeated frown.
My heart lurches slightly and I glance at Chloe.
"You can't keep avoiding him, Reagan."
I roll my eyes and snatch my arm from her hand. I fiddle with the bowling shoes in my hands and hesitantly sit next to Hayden. He turns his head to look at me as he puts his own shoes on and I offer him a smile. His previous frown melts away and he places his attention back on tying his laces.
"Alright, who's up first?" Cole asks, setting up the names.
"Ladies first," Hayden says, leaning back in the seat.
"Eh, no," Logan says, moving Cole to the side. "I always go first."
I chuckle at Cole's reaction and watch as Logan types in all of our names. He grabs a bowling ball as soon as he finishes and sets his lips in determination.
"Let's do this."
By mid-game, Logan and Hayden are neck in neck in the rankings. Chloe, Cole, and myself all fell behind once Logan and Hayden each got three strikes in a row.
It's Hayden's turn again now, and I feast my eyes on the muscles in his forearms as he picks up the heaviest bowling ball choice.
Chloe keeps talking to me, telling me and Cole some story of her mom embarrassing her, but I'm not really paying attention. I'm focused on the way the veins in Hayden's arms become undeniably prominent as he lines up for his shot, his entire arm flexing as he winds up and lets the ball fly effortlessly out of his hand.
It hurtles down the lane towards the unsuspecting pins, and in an instant they all fly out of the way.
Strike.
"Dammit!" Logan exclaims, stomping one foot as Hayden gets ahead of him in the rankings.
Hayden smirks and turns, shrugging at Logan.
"You may beat my ass in pool, but bowling is my forte."
He walks back and sits next to me as Chloe finishes her story, and he scrunches his brow. He leans in closer to me. "What's she talking about?" Hayden asks, his warm breath blowing across my ear.
My mind goes to the other night and my entire body locks up in awkwardness.
I look at Chloe's smirking eyes and gulp, "Uh..."
Cole saves my ass and explains to Hayden that Chloe was telling the story of how she needed to ask her mom for tampons at the store and went up to someone else that looked like her mom and begged for money for tampons before the lady turned around.
Then Hayden's eyes sharply turn from Cole to someone behind him, and Cole turns around to follow his gaze. I do as well, and my heart lurches when I see two female workers sending the two of them flirty giggles and waves.
Hayden and Cole smirk at one another, and Hayden turns to me. "See those girls over there?" He asks, leaning in close to my ear so that I can hear him over the noise of the bowling alley. I keep my eyes on them as they size Chloe and I up as their competition, and I nod. "You think I can get the blonde one's number?"
I practically scoff at him as I snap my eyes towards him, wondering if he's actually serious. But I hold it back when I see amusement dancing in his eyes, not flirtatious desire or lust.
I go along with his little joke and shake my head, "Nope."
He cocks his head and grins, "Even after what happened the other night, you don't think I can even get a number?"
I freeze.
Well there goes the elephant in the room.
I gulp and try to play off his words as if they're no big deal, but I have absolutely no clue how to respond to him. This is what I was trying to avoid.
"Cupcake, I didn't know I could have so much of an effect on one girl," he states. "Or that she could have such an effect on me," he adds, his arrogant eyes softening a bit.
The worry that was weighing down my heart suddenly lifts when I realize that he's able to joke about it. He isn't looking for a serious conversation to let me down, and I relax.
I smile and start to laugh, shoving his shoulder slightly. "What effect? I was just playing along. And as for that girl's number? Good luck..."
He grins upon seeing my reaction, his eyes brightening with relief. "Watch and learn, Cupcake," he winks, standing up and nodding to Cole.
The two of them turn on charming smiles, different than the one Hayden reserves for me, and walk towards the two workers. I watch as Hayden starts talking to them, sneaking glances back at me to wink or show off that his plan is working. Every time he looks back at me I start to laugh and I see a light shine in his eye, and he holds back his own smile- revealing that familiar crinkle by his eye.
I could be really jealous right now. Hayden is literally flirting with another girl, but I know he doesn't mean anything of it aside from joking around with me.
Chloe, on the other hand, is not amused.
I smack her shoulder, chuckling as Hayden sends me another ridiculous look, but she isn't laughing. I instantly snap out of my laughter and focus my attention on her instead of Hayden. But she has her gaze trained tightly on Cole making the worker laugh, not removing her hand as she places it on his bicep.
"Chloe..." I breathe lightly, shaking my head. "They're just messing around."
She clenches her jaw and avoids responding to me, and my heart clenches when I see her eyes fill with tears.
"Alright Chloe, you're up!" Logan exclaims, handing her a bowling ball. But then he notices her expression and his smile drops, "What's wrong?"
He looks at me when she doesn't answer and I nod towards Cole who is still flirting with the other worker, even with Hayden off to the side waiting for him. She steps closer to Cole and places a suggestive hand on his chest, but he makes a dumb mistake and doesn't push her away.
"Shit, Chloe..." Logan breathes.
Cole finishes laughing with the girl when Hayden lightly hits his shoulder, nodding towards us. He nods without looking over at us and starts walking with Hayden.
Hayden walks straight to me and sits back down next to me, handing me a slip of paper with seven numbers scribbled across it. "For you," he winks.
I chuckle and take it from him, crumpling it up and tossing it on the floor.
He laughs at my action, "I would have done the same thing."
"Screw you!"
Hayden and I snap our heads towards Chloe and Cole at the sound of Chloe's angered scream. She shoves her bowling ball at Cole's chest with vigor and storms away, wiping her face along the way.
Cole watches her leave with confused and shocked eyes before turning towards us. "What did I do?"
Logan shoves him back, "You gave that other chick the time of day with a girl who is obviously head over heels for you sitting just twenty feet away," he growls. "You made my best friend cry, dude."
I stand up and place my hands on Cole's shoulders, taking the bowling ball away and handing it off to Hayden as I shove Cole towards the exit. "Just go get her and apologize. Fix this. It's obvious you two are obsessed with one another, so you had better not go screwing this up."
Cole pauses and turns to look at me with a giddy smile, "Wait- Chloe is obsessed with me?"
I roll my eyes, "Yes you idiot. It's always Cole this or Cole that. Now go apologize before you ruin what you two have."
His eyes widen as he realizes what he just did and he nods vigorously, practically sprinting after Chloe. Then he pauses and looks at me and Logan apologetically.
"I didn't mean anything by it when I was flirting with that girl," he promises.
Logan rolls his eyes, "Just go be Chloe's knight in shining armor."
Cole nods and runs after Chloe, and I return to my seat next to Hayden.
"Why is your friend so dense?" I mutter, crossing my arms.
"He's not the only dense one here," Hayden muses, but he doesn't say anything else.
Logan sighs and then turns towards us, glancing at the scores.
"You think she'd be mad if I bowled for her?"
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