Hailey

"Relax." I giggled at how flustered Vickie was getting. Her hands a moving mess over the counter between us as I prepared a new cup. "Don't tell me this is how you were the first time."

"N-no, of course not."

"Then?" finishing the ice-cream cup I placed a small plastic spoon on it and turned towards the costumer with a bright smile. "There you go. It's 4'95."

She handed it and took the cup heading where the rest of her friends had gathered. The place wasn't that filled now that we were in November. In summer it gets handful, but right now it's rather a chill work. So my boss trusted me alone in the shop. Most of the time ever since mid October I used all this free time to do my homework or read or even watch Netflix on certain hours of extreme inactivity.

Now it was a good time, it was late enough for there to be someone around, but not too much so people arrived on their hanging outs and I had to fully pay my 100% senses to the work and still get overpowered. Which was also perfect since the lack of clients allowed me to pay attention to Vickie's small moment of crisis.

She'd been the whole week talking with that guy she met at the fair on Halloween. Apparently they met on that Elm Street marathon and they really hit it off. Albeit the anxiety now, barely five minutes before her departure to their official date.

For what she'd told me, this Jeremy guy was sweet and soft, like her, but funny and braver since he was her emotional support during the scary movie. His Instagram showed a cute tall guy, and he really seemed to get along with Vickie so I ship them.

Turning back towards my friend once the girl had her order. The red-haired bit her lips, fiddling with the hems of her flower dress. She looked amazing and since it would be one of the last times she could rock a dress like that without freezing she better enjoy.

"I'm not sure, Hails." he mumbled, shyness coming back in full force. "That night was dark, and... what if he sees me and gets disappointed?"

"Then he'll be stupid." I shook my head, straightening as I heard the door bell ringing. Costumer! "You're stunning. Hello! What can I get you-" I smiled, turning to face the newcomer, but my grin froze at the sight in front of me.

"Stunning?" snorted Bear smugly, glaring Vickie from head to toe. What was he doing here? But my instant wonder erased as soon as his lips parted again to throw more poison. "Please, stunning is that that dress was able to hold such an amount of fat."

She blushed, mortified and lowered her gaze in shame as I gritted my teeth in rage and glowered at the football star. "Shut up. No one's asked you."

To my uther infuriation he smirked and proceeded ignoring me: "Are you sure you can afford to eat more of that? I've heard you can easily burn a piece of cake with about an hour of sport, but... oh, right. That's not exactly your doing." meeting my glare his eyes shot up innocently. "What? I'm just doing the community a favor."

"Hardly." I snapped, hating how from the corner of my eyes I saw Vickie timidly pushing the yet to finish piece of cake I'd gifted her aside. It's ridiculous! How could he make her feel like that just for the fun of it? I hated him. No one messed with Vickie. No. One. And especially not some over muscled teen with too much air rather than neurons. I swear I wanted to strangle him most of the time. Especially in his expression when he too noticed Vickie's action. "What do you want?"

Bear's eyes met mine, amused. "Easy there. Is this how you treated all your costumers."

"Only the special ones."

"Nice."

I was about to tell him exactly what I feel about his stupid, jackass attitude; but my friend lifted her gaze and sent me a pleading look. She didn't want to pursue this conversation further.

"It's fine, really. It's not worth it and I'm going now anyway, so..." my chest tightened at the hint of hurt I saw in her eyes, but she forced out a smile and I was relieved at least he wouldn't get the satisfaction of dreading her mood completely. "Wouldn't want to let him waiting, right?"

"Waiting?" Bear frowned, his pose tensing in the slightest, but it didn't go unnoticed by me. "Who's waiting?"

Vickie shifted awkwardly, standing on her feet again; but managed to send him a freezing glare. "None of your business." and I watched proudly as she ignored his next prying and exited the ice-cream shop like a diva.

"Fucking bitch." my humor dried out at his murmur. I didn't think it was meant for me to hear, but I did anyway and I didn't appreciate in the least yet another insult. He turned to me again, annoyed now. "Who's waiting?"

I send him a sly smile. "Like she said, none of your business." I shrugged one shoulder, feeding in how worked up he was getting. "What, Bear. Jealous?"

"As if." he snorted as the doorbell rang again behind him. "I'm only sorry for whoever the poor wimp is."

"Who's a wimp?" asked a brunette girl that suddenly appeared beside him and pressed her front against his side.

"No one." snarled Bear, really troubled as his gaze darted back to the side door where Vickie had left. Could it be that he was indeed jealous? I mean I was teasing, but... I inwardly laugh. Wait until I tell her.

The slender tanned girl giggled, not at all affected by his rude respond. "Okay." and leant more than suggestively, looking at him so alluringly it almost seemed like she wanted to rip him off his clothes there and then. I almost cringed. There's no accounting for taste, I guess.

There was someone behind the lovely couple as well, so I better get done with this already. Pushing down the urge to roll my eyes, I forced on a business smile. "So, what would you have?"

"Um," the girl examined the different flavours with pursed lips. "I'm not sure... wanna share one, B?"

"No."

"Okay." again, it didn't make her determination falter and she turner over her shoulder. "Soph, wanna share one?"

"Mh, let me see." the couple behind them that'd been having their own conversation stepped aside... and my heart dropped to my stomach.

Next to this girl, Soph, was Nate. My eyes almost bursted out my orbs when I saw him there and my finger tightened around the ice-cream's spoon. So he's on a date, uh?

So what? a voice whispered in the back of my head. You said it was just kissing, remember? Plus, you've been avoiding him for a week and now you felt betrayed?

I haven't been avoiding him! Neither I felt betrayed!

But the aching squeeze in my chest begged to differ.

"Oh," his eyes widened for a fraction when they also met mine, and there was something in the green he held there that just made my stomach churn harsher. Ridiculous. "Hi."

"Hi."

"You know each other?" The girl -Soph- tilted her head curiously.

"We..." he cleared his throat, turning to look at her briefly -enough to let me compose back my work-grin- before frowning back at me. "She goes to our school."

Why the hell did that hurt? I mean, it wasn't false. But I found myself pushing down the bitter feeling in my chest. "Yep." I chipped in tilting my head to gain their attention again towards the flavors. "So? What's gonna be?"

Bear ignored us and stormed off towards the one of the tables harshly dropping a couple bills on the counter. Guess he was paying. Even in my little anxious moment I couldn't help a bubble of amusement at the player's fury. Both girls decided to share a big cup of vanilla and caramel, courtesy of Bear. Nate didn't order anything either, but I could feel his eyes on me as I prepared their stuff. Burning at me, through me...

Stop!

"There you go." I handed them the change and the ice-cream. The brunette smiled at me and took it to where Bear was glaring down at his phone, Soph by her arm but certain someone stood in front of the corner as I pretend to wipe the surface clean, trying to stop my heart from doing those weird swings was useless.

"So..." Nate began, but cut himself like not knowing either what to say. "She's just a girl Bear introduced me. I didn't... well..."

Oh God! If I wasn't choking in embarrassment before, I certainly was now.

"Y-you don't have to give me explanations. You can d-date whoever you want." Damn it Hails! Stop freaking stuttering!

His brows furrowed. "That's the thing. This isn't a date, we're just-"

"You know we also had an cake as the specialty of the day. Here, $3'95." I gestured towards it.

"I don't-"

"Also, we've been told our hot chocolate is extremely-"

"Hailey-"

"I'm working." I cut him, ignoring the way my chest clenched at the perspective of him bringing that up.

No.

I've been avoiding it all week for a reason.

I'd been drunk. I hadn't been in my right mind and neither had him. I didn't need him to tell me what a fool out of myself I made last weekend. How I practically begged for him to kiss me back.

So pathetic.

Embarrassment suffocated me from inside at the mere thought of it. So much I couldn't hold his gaze and instead decided to focus on the coffee machine instead. So fascinating.

I could feel his hard glare, darting from me to the almost empty place. I clearly didn't have that much work and was just using that as an excuse, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Right?

I count the seconds as he balanced his options. Shouldn't he be glad I was stepping aside? Not messing more this shit? I was making it easier for him to move pass that mistake... that awfully pleasant mistake that I so not want to repeat...

I felt my ears burning just at the memory of how his lips felt on mine. Harsh, yet gentle too, and so skilled when-

Stop!

My breath hitched the moment I felt the weight of his eyes back on me. I could tell he didn't like not having it his way by the growing tension was building around.

"Fine." and with that he left.

That's it?

As ridiculous as it was, I couldn't deny the wave of disappointment that washed over me at his easy departure.

That's it, Hailey. This is what you wanted. You knew it was meaningless and how easily you get attached. It's for the best.

But it didn't feel like that.

The whole week had been strange. From the very moment I woke up with a heavy hangover pounding my skull mercilessly on. I'd made out with Nate Herond!

I had gone to the fair aiming for an official date or whatever with Justin and ended up with a broken heart and messing around with a different guy. The hell? This wasn't me.

I'd never been one to jump into someone to forget about someone else... true, I'd never been infatuated before, so getting over wasn't something I was used too. And now... knowing Justin had been using me this whole time, lying straight to my face, it made me so mad. I'd been expecting to be sad once the alcohol's affects faded, but instead was hit with a brutal wave of fury.

It irked me that I'd been this foolish!

So to the list of people I was avoiding this week, the blond cheater had been my close second. Obviously the first one was the quarterback.

Gosh I felt so cheap! So easy... There was something about him that made him irresistible. Not only his looks, or his easy going mood... there was something else. Something his touch awake. Like chills, like electricity... something magnetic that pulled me and made me forget everything else. I never felt something like that before.

It was already dark and lonely in the store when my boss told me to call it a day. I crossed the demi empty mall, everything about to close and people already making their way home. I dragged my feet to the back door that exited on the side of the building since I had to drop the rubbish on the big trash containers there.

Taking in a deep breath I walked out that alley, more than ready to call Tay to get that lift she'd promised. I mean, the farm wasn't that far from here, but I was tired and didn't feel like walking at all.

I wrapped the coat tighteraround me, snuggling in it's warmth against the cold air. The parking lot was almost empty when I reached it. A few cars splashed around under the yellowish light of the post lamps.

Sliding out my phone, I let my eyes strolled absently around the place and frowned at certain truck three spots from here. The light wasn't the best, but could it be that this was...

"Finally." my eyes widened at the sudden voice behind my back. My heart dropped again, icily this time. This can't be. Slowly I turned around, wide eyes meeting some known green ones as the owner detached his back from the wall of the building and lazily stretched. "I've been freezing my ass out here."

Covering my bafflement with a frown I ignored the hard pound against my rib-cage. "Then why stay?"

Nate glared at me, reaching where I was standing and up this close was impossible not having flashbacks of that night and my face burned. Shit.

"Don't you think you've avoided me long enough." he deadpanned, irritated now and I gulped down the knot in my throat.

"No..."

"No? Well, I do."

"You know," I began to turn before making a bigger fool of myself seeing I couldn't trust myself with him. "It's been kinda a long day and-"

His hand prevented me from scurrying away and he spun me again. His hold on my forearm igniting shivers even through the coat. "Can you stop? It's weird."

My stomach twitched and I busied myself fiddling with my phone. "What is?"

"This. You. I don't know... you're, like, avoiding me."

I pursed my lips, still refusing to meet his gaze. I knew the moment I would those sparkly green orbs would get my mind going numb. I would be forced to face the fact that this conversation was happening. That last Halloween happened. And I couldn't afford it.

"And that's weird because..."

"Stop this." the phone was snatched from my grasp so suddenly a startled sound left my mouth. Okay, I wasn't expecting that, but I still was on with the plan of not looking at him.

"You got this odd fixation in stealing my phone..." I reached out but he was quicker and held it further.

"Hailey."

"What?" I was getting annoyed now. What was his problem?

"You know what." This time when I reached out and he dodged it effortlessly his head tilted meeting my gaze. Damn. The tingles in the pit of my stomach turned into a furious volcano about to erupt. The fact that he looked frustrated and confused, didn't exactly help. "You said it was fine."

Oh no. He was talking about it. My eyes widened and I adverted my gaze so he wouldn't see the angry blush in my cheeks.

"You said it would mean nothing and now... you're being all weird and I don't like it."

My fist clenched. "Oh poor you."

But he ignored me. "Just kissing, remember? Your words. Stop making it such a big deal."

"I'm not!" I was, but it was all my own fault and he needn't to know so I gathered enough courage to face him again, my lids half falling into a glare.

His only reaction was a slight chock of his head, "You're not catching feelings, are you?"

What?!

My chest tightened all the more and I forced through clenched teeth: "I'm not." but I guess it wasn't quite as determined as it should -damn my blush!- since he rose one brow.

"I knew this would happen. I told you what it was, that I don't do relationships and you were fine with it-"

What an arrogant jerk!

"I know!" I didn't want to be the fool that begged him for a make out, but somehow being the pity girl that developed a crush on him after that was way worse. "Just kissing! I remember the deal."

"Then? What is the problem? You've been avoiding me like a plague this week. I mean, I thought we were starting to be... friends or whatever..."

"Yes, I..." I could barely think with the ragged sound of my heartbeat in my ears. My stomach felt like it was trying to beat a jackpot on how tight it could get. "It's weird."

"I just told you so!"

"No." I shook my head, breathing hard and brushing my hair backwards. "Not like that."

Guess we were talking about this after all.

Well, I knew this conversation was coming, but I was hoping for it to get delayed. When I met his eyes again I felt like crawling on the floor, but there was a determination in Nate's gaze that urges me to get over with it.

"I... You were right." I finally murmured in the calmest voice I could utter, yet it felt a bit stressed on the edges. His head tilted, intrigued, so I continued: "I am girlfriend material. I've never done anything like this before. This." I motioned between us. "Has never happened to me before, so I didn't know how to react."

"So you avoid me."

"N-no." I cleared my throat and lowered my gaze to my fiddling hands. "I needed to think."

"Oh." there was a small silence as my words settled between us, and then: "Do you regret it?"

My gaze snapped up instantly, startled even tho it was a logical conclusion at my actions. What baffled me and was like a jab in my guts was the hesitation in his voice, almost scared of my answer. Looking up at those piercing green orbs, this close and all... next words escaped me before being processed.

"No." my face burned further and I bit my lip. "I... I liked it."

Any hint of vulnerability I think I saw in his expression was immediately washed away with a smug smirk, more like himself again, something amused swirling under his orbs. "Because you're catching feelings. I've told you."

My eyes widened, at his blurt, gasping. Arrogant, self-centered prick! "I do not." but for some reason was fighting back the twitch of the corner of my mouth.

"It's okay, Hailey." he patted my shoulder teasingly. "I totally get that-"

"I said," I impulsively grabbed the collar of his shirt and standing on my tip toes, bringing him down to meet my lips midway. It was short and fast, but the moment out lips met that weird spark shot from there to my stomach. "I'm not." my head spun as I withdrew an inch to stare in his eyes and made my point. "Just kissing, remember?"

Shame it came out more breathless than intended. My blood was burning in my veins with liquid ecstasy that only increased when the side of his lips tugged upwards and his free arm snaked around my waist pulling me flush against him. "Good."