Hailey

"-Yeah, so that was pretty much it. You know how sensible Ted is." my mother finished their little odyssey from yesterday. Even through the phone I could tell she was rolling her eyes. "However. How was the girl night there? Was it fun?"

"Very." I nodded, changing my phone to my left ear and holding it there with my shoulder as I took what I needed to make hot chocolate. "In the end the boys came as well, so we kinda have a party, you know? Alcohol, drugs and I believe at some point someone called the night ladies cause there are a couple of them passed out in our-"

"Ha ha, really funny." again, I could predict her facial expression just by her severe tone: ten dollars she was narrowing her eyes.

I smiled, but cleared my throat to keep a slightly worried tone as I started the microwave and turned to lean against the counter. "Funny? Oh mother, how can you be so insensitive? Some girl's life could be in danger!"

"Your life will be in danger pretty soon."

I laughed. "Fair enough. Don't worry, I was joking. Not about the boys, though, they did come along."

"Mm, you know what I think about it."

"Yes, we'll clean it all before you come back." this time it was me who rolled my eyes. "Haven't you heard that Kevin is here?"

My mother is totally in love with the boy. Maybe because among all of us he was the most responsible and calmed one. He'd never done anything remotely troublesome, he even gets anxiety whenever Taylor convinced him to come along to the games. His good-nature and good manners had won our parents over since minute one; he's as cute as they come.

"I've also heard Oliver is there, I'm not taking any chances."

If only she knew the very Nate Herond joined the group as well... She knew the teammates from the school and for what other teachers or staff said about them. Yep, probably not exactly good things. But I bit back my tongue about enlightening her of this tiny detail and went back to my teasing.

"You're distrust is so offensive." the beep of the microwave gave me the perfect excuse. "Breakfast ready! I'm sorry to hang out, but duty's calling. See you later."

She chuckled from the other end. "Take care, honey. I love you."

"Love you." I sang back and wait until she hang up before sliding the phone in my large hoodie pocket. I just hate being the one pressing the red button.

The delicious smell of just made hot chocolate got me salivating the moment I opened the lid. So good.

Picking up a circular tray, I put on it the proper number of small spoons and cups, filling them generously with the hot beverage. Is there a sweeter way to wake up than with a lovely fuming cup of liquid heaven? I was basically doing them a favor.

And when Vickie and Kevin got back with the food it'd be just perfect.

Careful not to waste a single drop I made my way to the back door of the farm, that leads to some easy, plain path straight to the barn where the rest of sleepyheads were. The upcoming rays of sunlight just began sneaking through the opened door of it when I entered the place again.

The night had been pretty good, it was fun and easy going even though I had my doubts at the beginning with the quarterback's hitch, but he proved to be... okay. I honestly was having an inner battle on what to do about him.

One one hand, he did hurt me, but that night he was drunk as he'd remarked so many times and the situation wasn't exactly the best. He'd been upset and then he got arrested and God knows the lecture his mother must have given him once at home.

I could accept that whether he was a jerk, he wasn't a massive idiot that feed on other's harm. He felt betrayed I'd tell on him and act upon it. It didn't excuse him, but it made it more reasonable.

Now, on the other hand, he'd been trying to apologize. His ways weren't the best and he really needed a reality check about how human interactions actually work, but he tried. And was here. Being friendly with me and my friends after having gotten what he wanted: my permission to use the article.

Not only that, last night he consoled me -kinda- when I was down after Justin's call.

And let's be honest. He wasn't awful to be around.

Shaking my head to myself, confused and upset I was getting this headache this early in the morning I picked up my mug and exited the barn again.

I'll wake them up when the other duo's back, I decided, coming to sit against the facade carefully not to spill the drink. Nah ah. Such a delicious snack won't go wasted.

"Hey." I looked up from my drink to a just woken up Nate, blinking at the sunlight and completely unaware of his hair state.

I lowered my chin to hide a laugh. "Good morning."

The gravel crunched when he lowered to sit a couple feet from where I was. A sense of déjà vu struck me, flashes from when he came to get me last night filled my brain and I glanced ahead to numb the sudden flutter in my stomach.

The barn's front was facing the farm, the fields were orangish under the rising sun and we got a perfect view to all the way to the town at the far end. The only sounds were the lazy crickets. Well, that and Oliver's snorts, but whatever.

"I can't remember falling sleep." mumbled Nate, his morning voice deep and stirred my insides.

Stupid hormones, and damn him for being this attractive. I mean, seriously?

Sneaking a glance not to look like I was openly staring I couldn't help but notice his hot his just-wake-up-appearance was: messy hair, strategically wrinkled clothed, slightly flushed cheeks...

How could he still look like a posing model even now? I was sure if someone pictured me just woken up I would be that attractive, hence my current pony tail and a quick trip to the washroom. And still I barely look passable when he looked like that.

Not. Fair.

"Well." I stirred the mug, diverting my gaze to the view in front again. "It didn't take you long after Taylor put that stupid movie."

Rubbing his eyes, Nate gave me a taunting smirk. "Aren't you girls supposed to love the Notebook?"

I snorted. "Once you've seen it every Friday for the last couple years you kinda grow tired of it."

"Damn."

"Yep. We even have noted down which minutes are the ones that broke her apart, so we had the paper towels ready."

He whistled and let out a soft, deep laugh resting the back of his head on the wall. "I fell sleep before the crying. Sounds intense."

"You can bet." I shrugged. "But you get used to it, trust me. Now we got this deal that each week a different person chose the movie, so there's a bit more variety."

"Smart choice."

"Necessary choice. No one wants to see that stupid movie that much anymore."

He hummed sympathetically. "I get you. Seth used to force us to watch Transformers over and over again."

"Really?" I couldn't help but giggled at the idea. "I can almost see it, a bunch of guys crowded on a couch with hearts in your eyes each time Megan Fox makes an appearance. Poor you."

"She's hella hot. I give you that." his lips tugged into a playboy's smirk as his eyes went unfocused, probably thinking about the sex symbol. "Mhm, maybe it wasn't that bad after all."

"Boys." I rolled my eyes dramatically lifting the mug to take a generous sip. Dear lord, how awesome. My face must'd shown delight since I met his smug expression when I focused on the mortal world again. "What?"

"So it's true."

My brows pinched together "What is?"

"You're a sucker for chocolate."

I blushed, remembering Olly's remark about me being a Choco-Freak last night and adverted my gaze. "Shut up."

"Well, you almost just had an orgasm so I can only connect dots."

If I wasn't blushing before I for sure was now, my mouth gaped as I felt my cheeks burning while he laughed. "I didn't!"

"It's fine, Hailey. It's okay to have a fetish. " he winked smugly.

Yeah, maybe I'd been too quick in assuming he was enjoyable to be around after all. Right now I was so not enjoying his laughs at my glaring expression.

When he finally recovered enough he glance around, slowly calming his chuckles.

"Where are the others by the way?"

"Vickie and Kevin are on their way with churros."

"Churros?" Nate smiled. "Aren't you healthy?"

His sarcasm spiked me again. What's his problem?

"No one is forcing you to eat them." I went to stand, frustrated, but he stopped me.

"Oh, come on! I was just joking. Don't be like that."

"You know you drool when you sleep?" I randomly blurted out instead.

I wasn't planning on telling him -actually I was planning on keeping it just in case I'd need it later- but since he got this urge to provoke me I couldn't help it. I had to provoke him back.

His brows furrowed, eying me weirdly. "I do not."

"Oh, you so do." I took my chance to smirk, pulling out my phone. Payback's a bitch. "And here's the proof."

I didn't know what possessed me, but it was such a sight, sprawled carelessly on the old mattress, the blankets all over the place as well as his limbs. Such an irresistible situation. Even tho I almost had a heart attack when I forgotten to turn off the flash and freaked out waiting for him to jump on me when the sudden light went on.

Luckily he didn't even stir.

Suck that!

Nate hummed at the picture, way less bothered than I anticipated at such an unflattering pic. Instead, he gave me that smug smirk he always seemed to have ready. "At least I don't snort."

I gasped. "Neither do I."

"Oh, you so do." he mocked my previous response and put out his own phone, to my mortification this was a short video of me and Olly having a snorting contest. I blushed to the tip of my ears. Nate laughed. "You really thought I didn't wake up? You were quite scandalous."

"Delete that!"

But he held it out my reach when I went to do it myself. "Uh, uh. You first."

I glared at his smirk, something stirring in my stomach. "My barn, my rules, Herond."

"Sure, Grace, but you first."

Grace. It felt weird. Nobody called me that and I didn't identify myself with it, but I really appreciated he didn't called me Gracie. Now that I think of it, truth was he hadn't ever since I asked him to stop. Except for that one time...

I shook my head, handing out my device, but retreating it as Nate went to reach for it. "At once." Amused, he tilted his head, considering it for a second before nodding and handing his as well. "One... two... three."

As soon as his phone was in my power I cringed at the horrible video and began typing on his screen. To my relief, I heard him by my side doing the same, only to snigger out an incredulous laugh when my phone beeped in his hand.

"Did you just sent yourself the video?"

"Hey! Olly's in there too." I shrugged, finally deleting it from Nate's phone and exchanged them back. "I might need some leverage in the future."

He laughed again, keeping his. "You're wicked."

"Likewise."

"Yeah, but you started it, Hailey. Now don't complain."

Me being me, I still complained; muttering things under my breath, arms folded. So childish, I know. He ignored me, glancing back at the breaking down in front of us, but I could still see the curb of his lip twisting upwards. My guts tugged with it for some reason.

"I'm clearly interrupting something."

Our gazes turned towards the entry of the barn, where Taylor stood; giving us the look, arms folded and hip popping to one side. I burned in realization how cozy this might look and detached my back from the barn, getting into a standing position and perking one brow.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Whatever." she shrugged, waving one hand. "Not my business, I just wanted to know if this was permanent? I can't see it on the target." I focused on the marker in her hand.

"Mh, yeah... it's the one I bought for the protest signs last month, remember?"

She looked down at it, back at me and smiled sheepishy brushing her hair. "Then I may have, um, screw up?"

Now that picked my interest. "What have you done?"

Nate coughed a laugh in his fist by our side, but before I could ask him the reason Oliver came out as well, yawning and stretching his limbs from the recent woken up. My eyes widened and I bit my fist at his sight.

"Morning, guys. Whoa, are you all up without letting me know?" the clueless guy leaned on the door frame, absently brushing his neck before noticing our gawking stares on him. "What?"

Don't laugh. Hailey. Don't! "You, uh, you may want to look at yourself?" I suggested, pressing my lips in a tight line to hold it in.

His brows furrowed, confused, but then something shone in his eyes and he rushed back inside, the shuffling sounds letting us know he was looking for the mirror we keep somewhere in the boxes.

Taylor pulled out the marker from her back and handed it to me, but I held my arms up. "No way. You deal with it."

"Please-" but was cut by Olly's girly scream.

"What the actual fuck?!" Guess he finally saw the detailed drawing of a certain part of the male anatomy that Tay had so kindly put all over his forehead. Oliver came back, his eyes burning as he took in the marker on the short girl's outstretched palm. "You."

There was no point in holding back now so as Nate and I doubled in laugher as Olly chased the yelling girl just as Kevin's car came back.

"Baby!!!" Tay ran towards him for protection.

Wiping a tear from the corner of my eyes, I turned towards Nate, who's also struggling to regain his breath.

"We... uh." I let out a last chuckle they scene kept going on the background. "After the breakfast we're going to the mall." I said, shrugging so it looked innocent but I could feel my stomach twitching and not from the previous laugh attack. "You can tag along if you want."

My chest fluttered when he smiled, excited at the idea of him coming which was absurd, but then something clouded his gaze and he adverted it.

"Thanks, but," he cleared his throat awkwardly. "I hadn't been home since Friday, so I better stop by or they'll freak out."

"Oh." a wave of disappointment drowned the previous excitement, but I covered it with a smile. "Sure, sure. It's alright."

He grinned back. "Maybe some other time."

Or maybe I was just fooling myself thinking he actually wanted to spend time with us. Let's not push this precarious peace too much.

!, . !.

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