at a mostly high school party. I found myself reminiscing more now that Chase is back in town.
“Haylee!” I hear a shrill voice call out and I cringe and wish I could become invisible for a moment. “That was some practice you had this morning!” Valerie, the ridiculously tall, leggy brunette, steps in front of me with her hand cocked on her hip. She places it there so often, I start to wonder if she's stuck like that. Valerie is Brynn's new BFF and hands down the meanest bitch I know.
I try to step around her and just ignore her but she slides over to block me. “What do you really want, Valerie?” I ask. I'm so tired of her crap. We aren't in high school anymore, thank God, and I really just want her to move on.
“I just wanted to congratulate you on getting your sorry ass kicked out of class this morning. I've been dreaming of that moment for years,” she laughs.
“So have I, Valerie, so have I,” I mutter.
“If you hate it so much, then why are you still there?” she demands, leaning right over in my face. I'm not scared of her in the least bit. She may tower over me, but I have no doubt I can beat the shit out of her. It's her mission in life to aggravate the crap out of me every chance she gets. I also know that she's jealous of me. Somehow she is aware that I am really not interested in dance, but I'm good at it. She and I are the top dancers in Madame Eileen's school, and she wants nothing more than for me to leave so that her closest competition is gone.
I roll my eyes when Brynn steps up beside Valerie. “I had the strangest visitor show up at my house a little while ago,” Brynn smirks. She's a little taller than I am and her hair is light brown and pulled up into a high ponytail with perfect ringlet curls flowing from it. “And now that I'm thinking about it, I'd be willing to bet that Chase being back all of a sudden is what had you all worked up in dance this morning. Naturally he would come see you first. You two were always stuck together at the hip. I don't know what got you so flustered though; I'd practically forgotten all about him.”
“You're a terrible liar, Brynn,” I tell her. I know for a fact that she had been devastated when he'd left, just like Griff and I had. I turn on my heel and am about to walk around the two of them when Brynn's hand shoots out and catches my arm.
I turn back to face her with a frown. “There's no point in getting yourself all worked up over him. He's in a whole other league now. He's goddamn jaw-dropping and he's been with real women. He won't want his tomboy playmate anymore.”
I pull my arm out of her grasp and walk away from them. Unfortunately, Brynn always knows just what to say to cut me right down. I slowly make my way through groups of people here and there, unable to shake off what my hateful cousin has said, because I know she's right. Chase is by far the best looking guy I've ever laid eyes on, and I am just a simple, small town tomboy. I stop by one of the many coolers spread out around the field and grab a beer as I get closer to the circle of people around the fire.
On the opposite side, there are a few trucks backed up to face the fire and there are people sitting up in the beds of the trucks. I recognize the majority of the faces in the crowd from school and around town, but I'm feeling very much alone.
I take a big gulp of my beer and when I look across the huge fire again, my breath leaves me for a moment as I make eye contact with Chase as he stands talking with a couple of guys who'd played hockey for the high school. He smiles at me and I feel a warmth settle over me that has nothing to do with my proximity to the roaring fire. How am I supposed to turn these feelings off?
“There you are,” I hear someone say just as a set of arms come around my waist from behind. I flinch and turn to look over my shoulder. Parker is smiling down at me and he looks stoned already.
“Come on, Parker,” I mutter as I wiggle out of his
“Haylee!” I hear a shrill voice call out and I cringe and wish I could become invisible for a moment. “That was some practice you had this morning!” Valerie, the ridiculously tall, leggy brunette, steps in front of me with her hand cocked on her hip. She places it there so often, I start to wonder if she's stuck like that. Valerie is Brynn's new BFF and hands down the meanest bitch I know.
I try to step around her and just ignore her but she slides over to block me. “What do you really want, Valerie?” I ask. I'm so tired of her crap. We aren't in high school anymore, thank God, and I really just want her to move on.
“I just wanted to congratulate you on getting your sorry ass kicked out of class this morning. I've been dreaming of that moment for years,” she laughs.
“So have I, Valerie, so have I,” I mutter.
“If you hate it so much, then why are you still there?” she demands, leaning right over in my face. I'm not scared of her in the least bit. She may tower over me, but I have no doubt I can beat the shit out of her. It's her mission in life to aggravate the crap out of me every chance she gets. I also know that she's jealous of me. Somehow she is aware that I am really not interested in dance, but I'm good at it. She and I are the top dancers in Madame Eileen's school, and she wants nothing more than for me to leave so that her closest competition is gone.
I roll my eyes when Brynn steps up beside Valerie. “I had the strangest visitor show up at my house a little while ago,” Brynn smirks. She's a little taller than I am and her hair is light brown and pulled up into a high ponytail with perfect ringlet curls flowing from it. “And now that I'm thinking about it, I'd be willing to bet that Chase being back all of a sudden is what had you all worked up in dance this morning. Naturally he would come see you first. You two were always stuck together at the hip. I don't know what got you so flustered though; I'd practically forgotten all about him.”
“You're a terrible liar, Brynn,” I tell her. I know for a fact that she had been devastated when he'd left, just like Griff and I had. I turn on my heel and am about to walk around the two of them when Brynn's hand shoots out and catches my arm.
I turn back to face her with a frown. “There's no point in getting yourself all worked up over him. He's in a whole other league now. He's goddamn jaw-dropping and he's been with real women. He won't want his tomboy playmate anymore.”
I pull my arm out of her grasp and walk away from them. Unfortunately, Brynn always knows just what to say to cut me right down. I slowly make my way through groups of people here and there, unable to shake off what my hateful cousin has said, because I know she's right. Chase is by far the best looking guy I've ever laid eyes on, and I am just a simple, small town tomboy. I stop by one of the many coolers spread out around the field and grab a beer as I get closer to the circle of people around the fire.
On the opposite side, there are a few trucks backed up to face the fire and there are people sitting up in the beds of the trucks. I recognize the majority of the faces in the crowd from school and around town, but I'm feeling very much alone.
I take a big gulp of my beer and when I look across the huge fire again, my breath leaves me for a moment as I make eye contact with Chase as he stands talking with a couple of guys who'd played hockey for the high school. He smiles at me and I feel a warmth settle over me that has nothing to do with my proximity to the roaring fire. How am I supposed to turn these feelings off?
“There you are,” I hear someone say just as a set of arms come around my waist from behind. I flinch and turn to look over my shoulder. Parker is smiling down at me and he looks stoned already.
“Come on, Parker,” I mutter as I wiggle out of his
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