Chapter 10

Hazel Sinclair

I groaned to myself.

Why did he have to come? Couldn't he leave me alone for a while?

"In here!" I shouted and he walked into the room and sat on my bed with a loud thud.

"Why're you tired so suddenly? Did something happen?" He asked me curiously.

"Nothing that you should be concerned about." I rolled my eyes annoyingly.

He moved closer to me and took my hands in his, caressing it with his thumbs. "I am concerned, baby girl. Tell me what happened. Are you mad that I made you walk to Jay's apartment with me?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "I'm not mad."

"Then-"

Yanking my hands from his hands, I stood up.

Don't get angry. Don't get angry. Don't get angry.

There was a teeny tiny voice mumbling inside my head meekly. I ignored it and snapped rather harshly. "For God's sake, stop pestering me! It's me and my thoughts, okay? Just leave me alone!"

Christian's eyes were the same, not showing any kind of emotion but normality. I hated normality. That's the reason I can never act normally. I have to ruin a perfect moment somehow. I can never have a normal life. I can never find peace.

Finally, Christian sighed and stood up. "Fine, I'm leaving. I don't want to see this attitude again."

I just scoffed and watched as he walked to my open front door and left, without closing it. I groaned and ran my hands through my hair.

He's a complete bastard!

Who does he think he is? Telling me not to show this attitude? He's surely not my father! I'll show him what a bad attitude is!

***

Wrapping a fluffy white towel around my body and another around my head, I walked out of the shower to wash my face properly. The mirror showed a fresh image of my face and for once in my life, I was glad of the clear skin. What is happening to me? I've never cared for my skin before!

Just as I was about to leave the bathroom to get dressed, I saw my clip resting on the counter as I scowled at it. Should I put it on? Nah, no one's home, and I won't be leaving anytime soon.

My breath hitched as I saw Jayden sitting on my bed, his back facing me. What was he doing here? How did he get in? Why is he here?

I decided to let my presence known by walking slowly and pretending as if I would know he'd be here. Crouching down a little bit, I picked up my phone from the floor and walked over to my dresser to grab an extra-large shirt to put on.

As I turned around, Jayden's mouth was agape open and he was staring into my eyes. Then my eyes also widened a little bit. Jayden's here and I'm in my towel!

"Uh... Hi." He mumbled. "Didn't know you'd come out... in a towel like this." Gulping visibly, he murmured. "Barely clothed."

I shrugged. "I didn't know you were going to be here."

"Are you, uh... do you want me to leave? Or turn around if you want?" He scratched the back of his neck.

"You could turn around." I sneered. Then I realized that it was closest to a smile I had ever given him. Or Christian.

Jayden turned around as I quickly got dressed in an oversized t-shirt and walked over to where he was sitting on my bed. I sat down next to him and he looked at me, practically studied me in an oversized tee. A storm of emotions was building up in his eyes; that much I could conclude.

"Jayden... Why are you here?" I sighed while trying to stay calm. "Wait, is Christian at your home? You can't come here if he's at your place, he'd kill us both!"

"He's gone." He stated firmly. "I mean, he left. He was there, but he left."

"Oh, that's a relief then," I said meekly.

"I wanted to talk about..." He looked at me in the eyes as he took my hand in his large ones. "Yesterday."

I took a sigh of annoyance. "You think what you feel for me are strong feelings, don't you?"

He nodded, gazing boldly into my eyes.

"That's just a phase, Jayden. Just step out of it." I answered.

"It's not just a phase for me. You don't even know the whole thing, Hazel." He calmly replied.

"You're over analyzing your feelings, Jayden!" I said loudly. "I don't feel anything for you."

"That's not a problem. I just needed to tell you before I explode." He smiled at me. "Surely you don't hate enough to let me die slowly, right? Cause of death- fell for the beautiful Hazel Sinclair."

There was a funny feeling inside of my stomach and I felt like mimicking the smile on his face. But I couldn't bring myself to do so.

"You're crazy," I said instead and took my hands off his hands.

"I think I am. For you." He smirked. "You don't have any idea how little sleep I get, keep thinking about you."

That ticked me off.

Even I don't know why.

"Excuse me, but you also don't have any idea about me or my life. Christian's always hot on my heels and it's annoying! Now you! You decided to drop this stupid bomb of your feelings at me! Do you even know the real me?" I shouted.

"I- uh... I'm sorry, I guess? But I won't be sorry about my feelings." He reasoned.

I groaned. "You're a fucking coward, you know that? Instead of talking it out with your best friend, you're hiding your feelings from him!"

"I may be a coward, Hazel but I'm only doing this to protect you. Once he knows, he'd get hurt and will obviously try to hurt you even more!" He exclaimed.

I felt warm tears spilling out of my eyes. "But I love him! He can't hurt me that bad..."

Jayden chuckled coldly. "Love? Really? Hazel, you may think you love him but he doesn't. Because I've seen him better than his own parents."

There was a reasonably long pause.

Then I spoke softly, "You love your best friend, hmm?"

His eyes went big and he shook his head. "I'm not gay!"

That made a chuckle to erupt from my chest but I quickly concealed it.

Holy bejesus. How could he make me laugh so easily?!

Putting the clip in my hair, I turned to him. "I meant platonically, Jayden. Of course, you're not gay."

He took out a long relieving breath. "You look good with your hair up. Shows your neck beautifully." He pointed to my clip which I had just clipped it to pull my hair out of my neck and face.

Why had I clipped it into my hair, again? I wanted to argue more about things. With whom? With Jayden. Why? Because I felt like it.

I looked at him, our eyes meeting. His face was flawless in my room's dim lightening. I was drawn to him immediately.

Literally.

I sat on his lap, still staring at his face as he tried to read the look on my face.

What are you doing?! You need to abort the mission and get-

I wrapped my arms around his neck after he pulled me closer to him, touching our foreheads together. His scent was washing away my senses as I gazed deeply into his eyes, making my stomach feel funny and my knees wobbly.

"I hate you," I mumbled.

"You're not serious." He smiled, and that was my cue to smile back but I bit on my bottom lip to stop it from spreading onto my face.

"Whatever."

"The day you seriously start hating me will be the day of my death." He whispered.

"I see you're not dead yet."

God damn, it's hard fighting back a smile!

"One smile from you and I'm a goner. Don't do it if you don't want anything to happen, right here and right now." His husky and low voice was torture. A beautiful torture.

I took in a sharp breath. Then I was reminded of the reality. A reality that is present out of this bubble I was currently in. But wanting to push the reality away for a few moments, I snuggled my face into his chest and closed my eyes while breathing in his scent.

***