Congrats and thanks on The Buddies Rule/ I Liked You Better On YouTube's win in the 2017 Prose Awards!

Highest rank on the hot list over the last two weeks - #56 in Chick Lit! WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to @writerkate22 for her character Antonia! Although she's only mentioned in this chapter, she will be making an appearance soon!

There'll be a sneak peek up on the site on Friday!

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© 2017 Shay Spencer. All rights reserved.

Something Real

[ Chapter 25 ] So Inappropriate

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Some would wake up the morning after an amazing date with a smile on their face; for me however, it was just another Friday morning.

When I woke up, the sun was blinding me and all I could smell was Hayden's cologne on the gray shirt I had taken from him the night before. I could hear him snoring behind me, and I hated to admit it was one of the cuter things I had learned about him within the last twenty four hours.

I stretched, slowly opening up my eyes as I did to the bright sunlight that pooled into the master bedroom through the large windows that overlooked the ocean. Hayden's left arm was hanging lazily across my waist, holding me in place in the case that I got up before him.

My eyes narrowed in on the bedside table as my phone began lighting up repeatedly with missed message after missed message. Warily, I reached out, trying not to disturb Hayden before I clasped my fingers around my phone.

Every single phone call and text message was from my mother. Apparently, I was late for the cake tasting.

So was Hayden.

"God damn it," I groaned before springing up off the bed.

Hayden stirred behind me, his eye lids slowly opening with the harsh light in the room. "What's wrong? I thought we had a nice time."

"We're late," I sighed, crawling around on the floor in an attempt to find my right shoe. "My mom scheduled a cake tasting-"

"Shit!" Hayden hissed, the man flying off the bed there after.

"I know," I laughed as I watched him stumble over to the small chair in the corner or the room. "I'm sorry we have to cut this short."

"What? The morning after routine?" Hayden teased with a smirk in my direction. "Nothing too scandalous happened last night, Blaine. Other than a short make out and you falling asleep in my shirt."

"Yeah," I smiled, bunching up a bit of the gray fabric at the mention. "I get to keep this, by the way. It's comfy."

"And it looks ten times better on you," Hayden offered. He took careful steps over to me, he still seemed a bit tipsy after last night. "But I will need something to wear out of here, Blaine."

I rolled my eyes and tugged the shirt over the top of my head, tossing it to him.

I frowned as I glanced around the room for my dress, feeling utterly exposed after giving Hayden his shirt back. I could feel something brush up against my leg, only to find Hayden had handed me my wrinkled dress.

"Are you blind or something?" Hayden laughed as he kneeled down next to me. "Not that I don't love that you're so comfortable around me like this, but your dress was right in front of you."

"I think it's called a hangover and sleep deprivation." I corrected, slipping into the dress and standing up from my spot on the carpeted floor along with Hayden. "I can barely think straight.

"Same here, Blaine-" Hayden was interrupted by my phone buzzing on the bed behind us, leaving an awkward silence looming over us as we waited for it to stop.

"I don't want to answer it."

"You don't have to," Hayden crossed his arms over his chest. "But this is your mother we're talking about."

I groaned in annoyance before taking the few steps towards the bed and pulling the phone up to my ear. "Hello?"

"Scarlett!" My mother's shrill voice echoed throughout the room. "Where are you! We were meant to taste the wedding cake today!"

"I know mom," I nodded. "I overslept. I just-"

"You just what?" She interrupted sternly. "I don't know how you found a place to sleep as you surely weren't here or with your best friend."

I was busted, I knew that much.

"I was with, Zane, mom," I stuttered. "Don't worry about me. I'll run home and change, and I'll be at the cake tasting in half an hour."

"You better be," she ordered before hanging up the phone.

I stood dumbfounded in the middle of the room, tossing my phone onto the bed carelessly. Suddenly, Hayden's arms snaked around my waist, the man pulling me into him gently.

"We should do this again sometime," he whispered. "I love how you have to lie about being at your boyfriend's house when you're really with me."

"Hayden-"

"Scarlett," he spun me around, holding me in place. "I was kidding. I really did have an amazing time last night."

"Me too," I breathed.

Hayden smirked back at me, "great then. All you need to do is keep lying to your mom, and all I need to do is keep acting like a troubled teenager around my dad. This should work out swimmingly."

-

"I was blown away by the lemon sponge," Elias agreed as he patted my mother's knee lovingly. "But I think we may as well try the hazelnut. We're only getting married once."

"Oh Elias," my mother cooed.

I sat back in my chair, twirling my fork around on the plate as the bakers placed another piece of cake in the center of the table. The entire bakery had been cleared for such an event, all thanks to Elias pulling a few strings. I think he knew the owner or something.

"How is Zane, Scarlett?" My mother asked, biting into the small silence that had fallen over our table. Wren turned her attention back to me with my mother's question.

"He's fine," I nodded.

"And what were you up to last night, Hayden?" Elias added on, pulling all eyes in both Hayden and I's direction. "I noticed you didn't come home last night, either."

Hayden reached out, taking a forkful of the hazelnut cake and shoving it into his mouth to avoid the question.

"I went to a concert," he answered through a mouthful of cake. "The Chainsmokers were in town."

"You hate The Chainsmokers," Jay laughed. "Why would you go-"

"I had a date, okay?" Hayden cut in after swallowing what was left of the cake. "Zane set me up with one of his old girlfriends."

"Who was it?" Jay continued on. "I know I met one of them before we left."

Hayden shrugged, looking as if he was racking his brain for the answer. "Antonia something, I think. We ended the night early."

"I haven't seen Antonia since we left Pensilvania!" Jay cheered. "How is she?"

"Fine, I guess," Hayden rolled his eyes. "We didn't do much talking."

Elias' face twisted with Hayden's words, the man turned away from Hayden and back to his finance as they continued to discuss their cake options more throughly. Why it was such an important matter, I wasn't entirely sure.

"Do you think you'll go out with her again?" Wren mused, winking at me. "I haven't seen you go out with anyone since we met, Hayden. This is a big deal."

"No, Wren." Hayden shook his head and forced his chair back from the table, "I need some air."

"I'll go," I nodded to him, trailing after him without worrying about the strange looks our families were giving us.

The door chimed with a small bell as Hayden shoved the door open, the man stalking around the corner afterwards. I followed, the two of us managing to find a spot without any windows for them to look out on us.

I was done with the concerned looks from everyone. Even if they did know something was up, they should know to keep it to themselves.

"I'm sorry," Hayden sighed, grabbing onto my hand when he did. He let himself fall back against the brick wall behind us, taking a deep breath. "I can't stand them."

"And usually they're lovely individuals," I teased, gaining a small smile from Hayden.

"You know what I mean, Scar," Hayden closed his eyes, basking in the sunlight. "My father-"

"Is exactly the same as my mother," I said. "When they want something, they'll do whatever it takes to get it. Even if it is trying to bust their children on some sort of inappropriate relationship."

Hayden chuckled, "so inappropriate. We should be disowned, Scarlett."

I smiled, resting my head against his shoulder and squeezing his hand gently. If we could, I would want to stay out here with him all day.

"I think this is the longest you've gone without calling me by my last name. I can't remember the last time you called me Scarlett."

Hayden lazily turned to me, glancing over me lovingly as he reached out and ran his fingers over my cheek.

"I could always start calling you Scarlett Pennington," he suggested with a sly grin. "It's got a nice ring to it."

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Scarlett and Hayden faced the family - do you guys think they know what's going on??

Also - do you guys want a Hayden chapter next? Left me know!

The next chapter will be up on the 19th!

Remember to vote guys!

Thank you all!