^^^Listen While Reading^^^
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The rest of the week is as mundane as I expected, and I'm relieved when Saturday comes.
I show up at Leah's late because I had homework to finish. Ringing the doorbell, I study the huge gift bag in my right hand. I wonder if it's enough.
The door opens, revealing Leah with a broad smile on her face.
"Casey!" she yells. I smile widely, and she hugs me. After I hand her the present, she leads me inside.
As I enter, I notice a few people already there, some sitting on the couches with drinks that I'm pretty sure are hard. I look at Leah with my eyebrow raised, and she understands immediately, shaking her head.
"Fake alcohol," she explains.
I tried to put some effort into my outfit today, wearing baggy jeans and a T-shirt with something that I think is hilarious printed across the front. But my efforts turn out to be wasted when Leah leads me to the backyard.
She'd told us we could bring our swimsuits even though it was November because her pool was heated and she had a hot tub connected to the side. What I wasn't expecting, though, was who was outside.
Leah disappears to greet more people, and I find my friends. After changing into my poolside shorts and sports bra bikini top, I sit on the edge of the pool next to Emilia. We talk for a couple of minutes before she leaves to refill her drink, and without a full person obscuring my view, I'm able to see the rest of the pool.
My breath hitches when I see Hazel. She's sitting at the far end of the pool, alone. Her pastel green swimsuit has neat little flowers on it, and she doesn't look lonely, perhaps waiting for a friend as she dangles her legs in the water.
Her swimsuit fits her perfectly, and the colors look amazing against her skin. Her bikini bottom fits seamlessly on her curves, and her top is a v-neck with supportive cups, emphasizing her already blessed chest in a way that makes me have to remind myself to breathe.
I swallow.
I don't know what possessed me to get up, but I did, cursing under my breath as I make my way over to her.
But I stop in my tracks.
A shirtless guy walks up to her, handing her a cup. She smiles at him and accepts the cup. I watch them out of the corner of my eye, as the guy sits, and I can finally see his face. I gasp. It's Carson.
Shit.
Leah comes by a few minutes later to check how I'm doing, and I confront her.
"I thought you said no boys," I say, eyebrows raised.
"I did. But Carson and his friend heard about the party and wanted to go. I thought it would be fun to invite them since they are also your friends." She sees my facial expression and grins. "Don't worry, they're not staying for the sleepover."
I don't answer her. I glance at Carson and Hazel, and Carson's totally into her while she's cracking up at his dumb jokes. My jaw tightens.
Leah follows my gaze and starts laughing as well. I glare at her.
"God, Casey. You really have to talk to her," she says, before getting up and leaving me.
I don't talk to her. I talk to him.
I catch him alone at the drink refilling station and walk straight up to him.
"Hey Carson," I say. "I didn't know you were coming to Leah's party."
He grins. "Me neither. But man, am I glad I did. I completely forgot about Science Girl."
I try to hide my frown. "What do you mean?"
"See that hot chick over there?" He nods his head in Hazel's direction, who's happily talking to a girl with black hair in braids. "I think she's into me."
I don't hide the discontent on my face. "She seems just as into that girl she's talking to."
Carson frowns a little. "Hey, you don't have to rain on my parade."
"Sorry," I say gruffly.
His eyes narrow as the gears turn in his head. "Wait a minute . . . isn't she your tutor?"
"Oh, um, yeah."
His eyes widen. "Oh, sorry, I didn't know."Â He says. "I forgot you were into her."
My brows furrow. "I'm not--"
"I'm going to go talk to her friend." He says, and leaves.
Okay, what the flip.
I stroll back towards the pool, where a small group is forming, and spot Maddie. She sees me and waves me over, and I smile and oblige. Entering the water, I wade over to them.
"What are we playing?" I ask. Leah grins at me from the other side of the circle of about seven people.
"'Who's Most Likely To.'" she says.
"Uh oh."
Glancing to the side, I see Carson standing over Hazel and the other girl, pointing to us. They grin and nod.
I bite the inside of my cheek as they come our way. Hazel slips into the water and the three of them wade over to us and join the circle.
Maddie claps her hands excitedly. "Okay, me first. Who's most likely to skip school to go to a party?"
There's talking and laughing as people discuss the answer and collectively agree on Charlotte Crawford.
There are a few more easy questions before it's Leah's turn. I was leaning against the pool deck, but now I sit up attentively because I know Leah's cooking up questions that lead to entertaining answers.
"Who's most likely to fumble a hot celebrity?"
I point to Carson. He acts offended and points at me. Leah and Maddie also point at me, and eventually, everybody else follows suit.
I scoff. "You guys are insane."
The girl to my right studies me. "No, I can definitely see someone like Selena Gomez breaking up with you after a week."
People laugh and nod in agreement, and I see Hazel biting her lip to hide her laugh.
I roll my eyes, and soon it's my turn. "Who's most likely to go through at least three divorces?" I ask, staring at Leah with a smirk.
She rolls her eyes as over half of the players point at her. After the game, some people have left, including Carson, and Hazel's friend.
Hazel approaches me, and I lean back with my elbows on the pool deck.
"Hey." She says smoothly. She stands next to me in the pool, and I look at her.
"Hi," I say. "I didn't know you were coming to Leah's party." (I did)
"Yeah," Hazel says. She turns toward me, resting one arm on the pool deck, which makes her chest more visible. "Well, I guess I needed it."
"What about Landon?" I ask.
She sighs. "My mom's trying to be better. She started going to rehab, and she's been more helpful in the house."
Leah makes eye contact with me across the pool and gives me two thumbs up.
"That's great. Right?" I say.
She looks away. Tucking a wet lock of hair behind her ear, she says, "Yeah, I guess it is." Then she looks at me. "Um, I was a little bitchy to you, wasn't I?"
"Yeah, but, you had your reasons," I say. "Even if I don't understand them."
Her cheeks have been pink this entire time, but now they darken. "But it wasn't fair to you."
My gaze travels down her body, and my cheeks flush as I quickly avert back to her eyes.
We are way too close to each other. If I reached out, I would be touching her. I swallow.
"It's okay." Snap out of it, Casey.
Hazel smiles, somewhat shyly.
Some of her hair falls to her neck and shoulders, sticking to her skin. She reaches back and flips it away, but it only returns and sticks again. She groans. "Gosh, this hair is annoying."
"Want me to braid it?" I ask. It was somewhat impulsive because I'm accustomed to braiding Leah's hair whenever she complained about it. But now I mentally slap myself because that is not something one does with their tutor.
"Sure." She says, and she turns around. Well, now I can't back out of it.
With her back facing me, I scan her curves, swallowing hard. I step closer to her, taking her hair and pulling it all to the side. I bite my bottom lip when I see her exposed neck. Taking her locks in my hand, I look at her.
"What kind of braid do you want?" I ask.
She puts a finger to her chin in thought. "Hm. I don't know. Do something cute."
"Okay."
I split her hair into two sections and begin weaving it into braids.
"How come you're so good at this?" She asks.
"I'm not that good, but I do braid Leah's hair a lot," I say.
"Hm." she hums. "Do you like her?"
"Who? Leah?" I scoff. "Of course I do."
"Oh," she says.
"Wait, you mean romantically?"
"Yeah."
"Oh, heck no. She's my best friend."
I finish her hair and she hands me two elastic bands that I use to secure the braids in place. She spins around.
"How do I look?" she asks, grinning and patting her hair.
"Cute," I say, my mouth twisting into a small smile. But cute is an understatement. Hazel Vaughn is undeniably hot.
Not that I think she's hot; it's just a fact.
It's starting to get dark out, and the party moves indoors. I'm glad Hazel and I are on somewhat good terms now.
I shiver as I get out of the pool, grabbing the nearest towel to dry off. Hazel does the same, but I angle myself away from her so I don't stare. Pushing open the sliding glass door, I meet everyone else inside and grab a plate of pizza from the counter. Everyone else is on the couches with blankets, and there is a large bowl of popcorn on the center table.
Leah, like the angel she is, had saved me a seat on the couch next to her. But Taylor left early, so Maddie needed someone to sit with, so she got up and moved.
Now dressed in our pajamas, I grab a warm blanket and offer it to Hazel, who slides in next to me.
God, why did I agree to this? The movie hasn't even started yet, but my heart is already hammering in my chest because Hazel's full body is pressed against my side.
Leah jumps up to turn off the lights as Maddie flips through the movies.
"Ooh, we should watch this one," she says. It's that popular horror movie everyone's been talking about.
I'm not particularly keen on horror movies, and Leah likes to tease me and say it's cause I'm scared. I'm not scared, per se, I just don't get the entertaining aspect of adding to people's list of fears.
Everyone agrees on the proposed horror movie, and it starts.
The screen is still dark, and Hazel leans into me.
"Have you watched this already?" she whispers. My breath hitches at how close her mouth is to my ear.
"No, have you?" I whisper back.
"Nope."
"Are you scared?" I ask.
She grins. "No, you?"
"Not . . . really."
So what if I clutch the end of the blanket during the first few scenes? And so what if I gasp and cover my face when the robotic girl runs creepily on all fours? It doesn't make me scared.
Squeezing my eyes shut through an entire chase scene, I feel a warm hand on my thigh and my eyes pop open. Hazel had slipped her hand under the blanket onto my leg, and now she is looking at me curiously.
"You good?" she whispers.
I choke out a "Y-yeah, I'm fine."
She smirks, raising her eyebrows. "You scared?"
God, I can't think straight with her hand still resting casually on my upper thigh.
"No."
"Hm." she hums and turns back to the movie.
I close my eyes again, but it's not because of the movie this time. Hazel had forgotten that her hand was on my leg, and she shifted to get more comfortable. Her hand slides higher up my thigh, and now I'm fighting for my life.
I don't want to make her uncomfortable, so I bite my lip and tough it out. How can a simple touch from her create such a reaction from me?
I breathe slowly in and out, fighting to keep out any sounds. But when a brutal murder scene happens, her grip suddenly tightens on my thigh as I hear her curse under her breath. I gasp, both from the movie and her hand.
She suddenly looks at me, realizing what she's grabbing, and takes her hand away. I exhale.
"Shit, sorry," she says.
"It-it's okay." I breathe.
For the rest of the movie, Hazel keeps her hands to herself. I'm relieved, but I'm not one hundred percent happy.
When the movie ends, Leah gets up and stretches. "I don't know about y'all, but I'm exhausted."
"Me too." Maddie agrees.
There are only five of us left. Me, Maddie, Leah, Emilia, and Hazel.
Leah looks at her. "Wanna crash right now?"
"Sure," Maddie says, linking arms with her.
"The rest of you can sleep whenever." They leave, and only Hazel, Emilia, and I remain.
Emilia yawns, and says. "I think I'm just gonna fall asleep right here."
She flips over and pulls the blanket over herself.
Turning to Hazel, I ask, "I'm not tired yet. Are you?"
"Not really," she admits.
A mischievous grin grows on my face. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Hazel's brows furrow. "What are you thinking?"
A/N:
Goodnight.
<3