Chapter 1
"Hailey, come on, we're going to be late." My mom called up to me from downstairs. It seems that everyone but me is ready to go. My family is taking a vacation to Wilmington, North Carolina to visit my aunt, and we plan to stay there for the next three weeks. To me, that's a long time to be away from these gorgeous California beaches. But hey, if I continue getting ready at this rate, we won't end up in North Carolina after all.
I had yet to even get my stuff packed, due to a very rough morning. John, my older brother, had kept me up all night playing his music too loudly, and this morning-because of not being able to get proper rest-I woke up an hour before we had to leave for our flight. I have been rushing all morning and only have my clothes on and hair done. All I have to say is that I better be really glad that I knew what I was going to pack, even if I don't have it in my suitcase.
"Hailey!" My mom's voice was loud as she shouted up the stairs to me.
At this point, I was really tired of hearing her mouth-this was the fifth time she has called me-so I stuffed everything in my suitcase, even if it wasn't folded. "Coming!" I said, struggling to gather everything, not daring to forget my makeup bag.
John appeared in my door, leaning against the frames.
"Well," I snapped, "are you just going to stand there and watch me suffer, or help me?"
"I like the first option better, but I know you won't be satisfied unless I give you the answer you think is reasonable."
"You know me so well. Now help me." I offered him my suitcase, but he backed away.
"Actually," he said, "I don't think I want to help you." He winked, doing his half smirk, and left.
"John!" I called after him, but it was no use, and I knew it. "Ugh."
So, with tight arms around my stuff, I walked down the stairs, struggling with every step.
My mom sighed happily. "Finally. Everyone else ready?" Without waiting for an answer, she handed the suitcases off to my dad, and he loaded them in the trunk.
John came down the stairs with his Samsung Galaxy S4 in hand. "Did they already deal with my suitcase?"
"I don't know. I'm not the one that's packing them up, dad is."
"Tell me something I don't know. Now," he slipped black ear buds on. "Go ask him."
I rolled my eyes at him, but, to my own shock, I did as he said. When I reached the front door, I peered in the driveway and saw my dad fitting luggage in his trunk, looking awfully frustrated. From the corner of my eye, I saw a figure walking towards our house. I knew immediately who it was.
It was Mason, John's friend. Correction: John's hot friend. Seeing his hazel eyes and stark white smile is enough to get me blushing every time I see him. This was one of those times.
As he approached, I brushed my hair over my shoulder to try to hide my red face. If he saw me blushing, he'd know I have a crush on him, and that would not be good. The worst part would have to deal with John teasing me for the rest of my life. All of my friends agree with me when it comes to his looks. Of course, they still think I'm crazy for crushing on a twenty-one year old guy that I have no chance with, whatsoever. Honestly, I agree that he does not find my brown eyes and golden blonde hair attractive. Nor does he think my freckles are cute, or the way I babble whenever he talks to me. I bet he thinks I'm a complete weirdo.
"Hey Hailey," he said, finally reaching me.
"Hi," I replied, feeling my cheeks get warm.
"Oh, John told me you guys were heading to North Carolina today. You excited?"
"Oh, um, am I excited," I had to say this aloud to comprehend what he was asking me. "Well, I guess. I'll miss California a lot though." I tried to keep my answer short, to prevent babbling.
He smiled. "I bet."
Oh my God! That smile is gorgeous! My face got even hotter as I said, "Yeah, um, I guess I could have put that a better way and all. I mean, I'm not trying to say that North Carolina is a bad place or anything, because it isn't. In fact, I like how it's very full of trees and things."
He grinned. "Full of trees, huh. You know, I'm pretty sure most places are full of trees."
By this point, I couldn't even hide the fact that my face was as red as a tomato. "Right. I knew that."
He let out a short laugh. "You're always so hilarious. I might have to keep you around and make you my personal comedian."
"Ha." I said, hoping he wasn't joking. I would love to be around Mason Jones for the rest of my life.
"So, anyway, is John in there?"
"Yeah, just go on in."
"Cool." His shoulder brushed mine as he passed, and I could have died. That was the closest we've ever come to physical contact. The thought of it makes me anxious and tingly on the inside.
"Hailey," my father called from the car. "Can you give me a hand?"
I snapped out of my trance about Mason and looked at my father trying to close the trunk after he finally got the luggage in. "Oh, sure." I rushed over and carefully closed the trunk while he slowly removed his hands from the suitcases.
He sighed deeply. "Glad that's over with." After a moment of staring at the ground, he said, "Could you go fetch your mom and brother?"
I started to turn when he added something super embarrassing. "Oh, and, try not to crush on Mason so hard. I bet it's creeping him out."
"Daaad," I put my head in my hands. "You are so embarrassing."
"It's my job."
I groaned heading back to the house. I didn't have to worry about getting my mom because she was heading out the door when I came in. So I headed up the stairs to get John, knowing I'd have to see Mason again. The idea of it made my insides jump. "John," I called.
He didn't respond.
I went to his room and pushed the door open. "John, we have to go."
He looked annoyed with me. "God, Hailey, you've been on my ass all day."
"Whatever, just hurry up. We're leaving." I snuck a glance at Mason and noticed he had his eyes right on me. I immediately blushed and left the room.
"Wait," John's voice stopped me, so I turned around and went back. I don't know why I'm actually listening to him today. Normally, if he'd tell me to do something I'd refuse and then we'd have a big argument until either one of us won, or mom yelled louder than us to shut us up. That's always how it was around here. Hectic.
"What?" I said.
"Call Lindsey and tell her I'm breaking up with her." This was a surprise to me, especially coming from his mouth.
Lindsey is one of my friends, but not a close friend. She and my brother have been dating for two years now, and I thought they were a pretty cute couple. Besides, I've always liked Lindsey because of how she carries herself. She's confident and proud, always wearing a smile and being kind to people. Even though she's two years older than me (nineteen) I've always thought of her as someone I can rely on and trust. I remember the day we met on the playground in elementary school. Because I was the outcast at school, I was sitting alone in the grass far from everyone else, eating a pack of animal crackers, and then suddenly this tall and thin girl sits next to me and pull out her own snack. She definitely wasn't an outcast; I had seen her before with all of her friends around her as they laughed at each other's jokes, and giggled when a cute boy walked by. So I had no idea why this girl had chosen to sit with me and risk being seen with a loser. After she broke a piece of her chocolate bar off, she extended her hand to me.
"Want some?" She asked.
I stared at the chocolate in her hand and thought about how good it would taste melting in my mouth, the caramel sticking to my fingers. My mouth watered at the thought. I shook my head.
"Are you sure?" She waved it up and down right in front of my face.
I looked at her face to see if it was some sort of trick, but her face seemed sincere and gentle. So I slipped it from between her fingers and ate it. It was just as I expected, smooth and sweet, and the caramel even sweeter. I licked my fingers clean, which made the girl laugh.
"I'm Lindsey," she said.
I nodded and continued eating my animal crackers. I had expected her to leave, go far away from me and talk about me behind my back, just like everyone else. But she stayed put.
"What's your name?"
I looked at the plush green grass under my legs, seeing a single ant crawling on a blade. "Hailey," I said quietly.
"Hi Hailey," she smiled, "I think we should be friends."
In that moment, everything changed. Her smile had spread across her face, making me smile. I had gotten my first friend, my best friend. I was so happy then, I could've leaped to the sky. I only got happier when we made pleasant conversation over the rest of recess.
And now, after hearing John tell me he was going to break up with her, I didn't know what to do. I couldn't be the one to call her and tell her. I didn't want anything to do with this. So I said, "No."
"No?"
"You heard me, I said no. If you have a problem with it, then that's too bad."
Mason was smirking, looking at John's face to see his reaction.
"Fine," John said at last. "I'll be down in a second."
"Good," I replied, smiling at Mason (he was smiling at me, so what choice did I have?) and heading down the stairs.