Highest rank on the hot list over the last week and a half - #105 in Chick Lit! That's the best ranking I've ever gotten so far!

There'll be a sneak peek up on the site on Friday! That's also when I'll be launching the summer version of my site!

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© 2017 Shay Spencer. All rights reserved.

Something Real

[ Chapter 22 ] There Will Be Consequences

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I usually wasn't one to simply sit back and watch the time tick away, but tonight, I couldn't find a way to stop myself.

Twenty-four hours ago, Hayden kissed me, and we had to stop ourselves from doing anything more than just that. He stayed with me after, wrapping his strong arms around my waist in just the way that made me blush and yet left me wanting him closer.

I still couldn't understand exactly how it happened, or why, but I knew I wanted it to happen again. The only thing that put a damper on our plans was our trip home that morning. I'd been avoiding Hayden ever since.

I was even staying at Wren's to insure that there would be no awkward nightly encounters.

I pursed my lips together as the clock struck three-thirty in the morning, this leaving me a few more hours of restless sleep before needing to meet my mother for my next bridesmaid fitting. To say I wasn't looking forward to it would be an understatement.

"Can you stop moving for even a second?" Wren groaned into her pillow. I could feel her tugging at the covers with all her might before falling back into the mattress in defeat. "I need my beauty sleep."

"Sorry, Wren," I mumbled. "I can go sleep on the couch?"

I could feel Wren shaking her head against the pillow, "I sleep better with someone next to me. Even if you can't stop tossing and turning. What's going on with you anyways?" She rambled on, her voice barely muffled by the pillow.

"Just go back to sleep, Wren," I laughed quietly. "It's nothing I can't handle."

"But I'm up now," she whispered, the girl flipping onto her back as she spoke. "I actually very invested in whatever's keeping you up at night, Scar."

I smiled, rolling my eyes at her. "It's not important enough."

"Oh please," Wren scoffed before slapping my back. "Talk to me? I though we made up at the spa?"

It was true, Wren and I had decided to put aside our differences for the moment, and to get along for the wedding to be. I didn't entirely mind our truce, but even if we were on the best of terms, I would still feel weird talking to her about this.

"Come on," she whined again. "Tell me!"

"Wren-"

"Scarlett Blaine," she held her stern tone. "Tell me what the hell is bothering you, or so help me, I will kick you out of this house-"

"I kissed someone," I finally said. I let the silence consume us as Wren thought over my words.

"Someone who isn't Zane," she nodded along. "Who was it?"

"No one," I insisted. "But-"

"Did you feel something?" She pried. "Like, more than you feel when Zane kisses you?"

I squeezed my eyes shut as the words danced around in my head. Thinking those thoughts and hearing Wren say it aloud were two very different things, and yet I felt the same about them either way. I felt something real for Hayden, and I couldn't deny it.

"Yes," I whispered, barely loud enough for her to hear. "I feel like a cheater."

"Oh you are," Wren giggled. "But that doesn't put aside the fact that this guy is more important to you than Zane is right now. When was the last time you saw each other, anyway?"

"Before we left for Vegas," I spoke all too quickly. "Zane kissed me after our date."

"Was it good?"

I shrugged," it was simple. Sweet, even."

"But it wasn't life changing?" Wren started back up again, tugging on my shoulder to get me to turn around. "You'll be honest with me, right?"

"Yeah."

"Was it Hayden?" She dared to ask. "Did you and Hayden kiss?"

I couldn't face her. I couldn't turn around to look her in the eye for fear that she would be judging me, just as harshly as I was judging myself at the moment.

"I can keep a secret, Scar," she offered. "It's not that big of a deal anyways. You guys aren't even related."

"But we will be," I groaned, finally turning over to look at her. "In just over a week, we'll be tied together as step brother and sister for the rest of our lives. I can't ignore that."

"Then don't," Wren laughed back at me. "You two have had something between you since you first met. You might have thought it was a mutual hatred, but I could see the way you looked at one another from the get go. What you guys have is something that can't be brushed aside."

"But I have to," I sighed, running a hand through my tangled hair. "My mom loves Elias, more than I've ever seen her love someone in my life. I have to make this work for her."

Wren nodded, and for once in her life, she stopped prodding when I'd wanted her to. She kept quiet, only giving me a single look of concern before looking back up to the ceiling.

"We should try and get some sleep," she finally spoke. "Your mom wants us at the shop early tomorrow."

"I know," I frowned as I let my head fall back against the pillow. "Thank you, Wren."

She smiled, reaching out to grab onto my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze before she turned away from me.

Within minutes, the sounds of her snores rang throughout the quiet room, all while sleep still evaded me.

I couldn't get Hayden off my mind for even a second.

-

"This dress suits you perfectly, sweetheart," my mother droned on as she practically skipped towards the coffee shop.

"Yeah," I agreed absentmindedly. I let my fingers trace the outline of the dress through the sheer cover that was covering the bright pink extravaganza of a dress.

I wasn't surprised my mother had picked something like this for Wren and I to wear. She was meant to be the star of the show on her wedding day, and if that meant making Wren and I look like cupcakes gone wrong, so be it.

"Wren, dear," my mother threw either of us a look from over her shoulder. "Would you mind grabbing me a green tea from inside? I think I need to sit down."

"Sure," Wren nodded happily. She reached out, linking her arm with my own before attempting to drag me into the shop with her.

My mother wasn't having it, "Scarlett. Sit with me, won't you?"

I had to closed my eyes to keep them from bugging out of my head.

I nodded, detaching my arm from Wren's and watching as she strode off into the coffee shop. Instead of trailing after my best friend, I turned to take a seat at the small table just across from my mother.

The woman took a deep breath as she glanced about the small area outside of the coffee shop. Something like this in Beverly Hills wasn't a rarity, a little coffee shop was grounded on each corner of the street. But my mother was acting as if she'd never seen one before.

"What's going on?" I asked warily, not daring to lean back in my chair. My mother would have something to say about my slouching if I did.

"Oh nothing," she brushed off with a wave of her hand. "I just wanted to check in with you, see how you were doing. You haven't stepped foot in the house since we got back from Las Vegas."

I nodded, "I know. I've been working things out with Wren, and spending time with Zane."

"You're sure there's no other reason for you keeping your distance?" Her eyes narrowed in on me, making me feel all the more uncertain of where she was going with this.

"I'm sure," I reiterated.

My mother barely had a chance to roll her eyes at me before speaking again, "Scarlett, be honest with me. What happened between you and Hayden?"

"What?" I scoffed.

"In Vegas!" She practically shrieked. "I know for a fact that Wren staying in Jay's room. So where did this leave Hayden? To come crawling over into your sanctuary!"

"You act like he's a sewer rat, mom," I shot back. "Hayden staying on Wren's bed. We barely spoke before falling asleep."

"And that's all?" She pushed.

"Yes."

Shaking her head at me, she played with the strap of her purse to calm herself.

"I just want to ensure that you know the consequences of any feelings that you and Hayden may act upon," she said. "Know that you two will be-"

"Brother and sister," I cut her off. "There are no feelings there, mom. Hayden and I get along well, isn't that what you wanted?"

"To a certain degree," she leaned in before speaking again. "But there are lines that don't need to be crossed. I can't tell if the way you look at each other is out sibling love, or if it's coming from a place of-"

"Just stop," I sighed. "There is nothing going on between Hayden and I."

"Good, keep it that way" she hissed. "Now, if you wouldn't mind, go grab me a magazine from that stand down the street. I think you could use the time to let all of this sink in."

"Yes, mother," I mumbled. Standing up from my seat, I turned and began walking back down the street.

I didn't dare mention the text Hayden sent me this afternoon.

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Scarlett told Wren? How do you guys think that will turn out? And what did Hayden send to Scarlett? We'll have to wait to find out...

The next update should be on June 28th!

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Also! Check out Tides! The next chapter should be up tomorrow or Friday!

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