A few days flew by, Hazel was still pending for an answer I didn't have. I was spending time with her stepsister, Leah, as she ignored me on the other hand. Her parents had no idea what was going between us. Giving her the silent treatment was the worst thing ever. I started to miss her every second of every day. I wanted to feel her presence by my side. There were times where she didn't come home at all. She was hanging out with her friends. I overthought everything. My thoughts were disturbing my head with deep questions.

Was she spending the night with Max? Maybe, she was. Why didn't she care anymore? Did she stop liking me? Maybe, she did.

Her absence played a dangerous role in me. Hazel was always on my mind and I just couldn't stop thinking about her. I rejected her, I told her I didn't want her but I regretted everything.

My father used to tell me that if you start missing someone, it means that you're starting to like the person? I didn't believe him, Until now.

I wasn't sure about my feelings. I was confused and wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't actually falling for Hazel. Love was just a game to me. I didn't believe in it. That was the reason why I kept asking myself that maybe it wasn't real. Maybe it was just my mind playing tricks.

Hazel was still untouchable. I didn't want any man to be around her? I was ready to fight for this girl, man. I was ready to talk to her but how was I going to approach her? I had no idea.

"Hey, handsome." Leah, Hazel's stepsister, entered the room. "Were you thinking about me?"

"What's with the suitcase?" I denied her question. "Are you going somewhere?" I asked as I followed her steps towards me.

"I came to say goodbye." She sat on the bed as she pulled herself to me. "I wanted your phone number. I want to call you from time to time."

"Sure." I put my number in her phone as she advanced on me, gently. "What do you think you're doing?" I chuckled with a nervous look on my face.

"Come here." She grabbed my face as she gave me a pop kiss. "What's wrong?" I pulled back.

"I'm sorry Leah but, I can't do this to Hazel. I don't even like you like that. You're my friend and I don't want..."

She grabbed my neck as she kissed me, with a sudden rush. As a gentleman, I didn't want to hurt her feelings but at the same time, I felt wrong for kissing her back. Her lips covered my lips with her red lipstick. I hated the kiss, she was eating my face out. She was a bad kisser.

"Hawk?" My heart stopped.

Hazel yelled as I pushed Leah away from me. Hazel saw us kissing. There was no turning back. It was already too late. She watched us. She was staring, God only knew how long.

"Hazel," I said, shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"I hate you." Her broken voice was full of pain, anger, and jealousy. "I hate you, Hawk." She repeated as tears greeted her eyes.

Hazel slammed the door really really hard. Leah followed her.

Do you know the feeling when you're not dating someone but you still feel like you're in a relationship with the person? That's exactly how I felt. I felt like I betrayed Hazel's trust and I just broke her heart without even trying. My head was spinning around. I wanted to scream and tell her that she meant nothing to me but I still kissed Leah. That was wrong of me.

She expressed her feelings towards me the other day and I kissed her sister in return. Hazel hated me for sure and she was completely done with me.

Why did she come to my room? Was it a set-up? Why Hazel? Why?

The house was dark and quiet. Hazel locked herself in her room. Her parents weren't home. We were in the house by ourselves but I still couldn't talk to her.

Hazel hated me.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hazel, please open the door," I begged as I knocked, continuously. "Can we talk?"

She ignored me.

I was begging for a woman's attention. Never in a million years would I have thought this to happen. I know I was wrong for kissing her sister but she knew that I was single and I had the right to kiss whoever.

Girls think differently. That wasn't even a big deal.

"Go away." She interrupted my thoughts. "I want to be alone."

"Hazel. Please open up." My tone was sincere and gentle. "I know you don't want to hear me out but I really want to clear things out. Can you please let me explain?"

She opened the door a few minutes later but she was ready to leave. She carried a pink bag in her hands as she tried to get away. She was going to spend the night with someone else and it wasn't me.

"Can you please get out of my way." She ordered. "My uber is outside."

"Let me drop you off." I offered as I tried to get her attention. "I have my car."

"No thank you," She refused, firmly. "I don't think Max would like that."

"Max?" My brows arched. "Where are you going?" I asked, trying to control my temper.

"Why do you care? It's my life." She said, angrily.

"If that's the case, you're not going anywhere, Hazel." I grabbed her bag using force. "You're going to hear me out whether you like or not." I threw the bag inside her room as I carried her on my shoulder and locked the door behind me.

"Let go of me." I placed her gently on the bed. "Are you going to kidnap me in my own room?"

"If you don't behave, yes," I replied with strong confidence. "I'll gladly do it."

"What do you want from me?" She yelled. "I don't want to hear you, I'm done. I'm over it, okay?"

"Listen to me." I sat as I held her hands. "Let me start by saying that I really am sorry. I don't feel anything for Leah. She kissed me first and I didn't push her away. That was my mistake but I swear to you that this kiss didn't mean anything to me." She pulled her hands away from me. "You have to believe me, hazel. I'm telling you the truth and I really want you to..."

"Hawk?" She interrupted. "Stop wasting your time. If you're asking for forgiveness, my answer is no. I thought you were serious when you told me that you didn't believe in love but you betrayed me by kissing my own sister. We're not in a relationship but I can still say that you're the worst. I expressed my feelings for you, you rejected me, you made me feel like I was wrong about all of this but you knew deep down that Leah was the one you wanted. You only care about yourself. You are selfish and careless." Her voice touched me deeply. I heard the pain and hurt in her tone.

"I don't like Leah, Hazel," I confirmed. "I like y..."

"I don't care who you like." She interrupted my incomplete sentence. "To be honest, I don't feel anything for you anymore. Your actions opened my eyes and I deserve better. I deserve a gentleman. I deserve a real man."

"Hazel, please," I begged as I advanced closer to her. "Forgive me," I whispered as I caressed her face, gently.

"I can't forgive you." She pushed my hand away from her face. "You can stop playing with my feelings because I'm no longer available for your games."

"I don't even know why I'm apologizing to you. You're not even my girl." I sighed. "Hazel, I'm still here because I care about you. I want you to understand and believe me. I never meant to hurt you. Leah was a mistake." I assured her.

"and so were my feelings for you." Her words crashed my ears. "Just leave, please."

"What can I do to make it right?" I flew my fingers in her hair as my lips moved a little closer to meet hers. "I'm sorry." I grabbed her by the neck as I pulled her towards me. "I'm dying to taste your lips." My minty breath fan her face as her lips trembled by the temptation of my hungry lips.

My lips were so close to kiss hers.

"No." She refused. "This time, Hawk, I'm the one who doesn't want to kiss you." Her words were sharp and cold.

I was dying to taste her lips. My lips were so hungry. I didn't know that feeling but I knew that it wasn't normal. I wanted to just make Hazel mine. I wanted to be her man. I wanted to be the one who was there for her. I wanted to be her future.

I was sure. The moment that Hazel pushed me away. I figured that I had feelings for her. My confusion was visible but it was too late. Hazel hated me. Hazel didn't believe my words anymore. It was definitely too late but my heart was still searching for answers. My heart didn't want to give up.

.

I wanted to scream and tell her that I liked her but it was wrong to express myself after what just happened. She hated me and my feelings didn't matter anymore. She stopped liking me. She didn't want anything to do with me. She was going back to Max and my rules were buried alive. I was dead to her.