Hey, wanna hang out tonite?

I look at the text from Skylar and I can't help but feel a little excited. We've been hanging out most weekends lately and I must admit he's been a great distraction.

Love to, what you have in mind?

My Dad's out and my brother is at a friend's for the nite, wanna catch a movie at mine. I might even treat u to pizza.

It's all been pretty casual so far but this sounds kinda like a date. Maybe I'm just reading too much into this, it's just pizza and a movie right? Why am I feeling so nervous about this, I mean I do like him, he's been awesome.

Maddie stop over thinking this!

Sounds great, I'm taking Lexi surfing this afternoon, then I'll come over after.

Can't wait!

As I put my phone back down on my desk I can't help the smile spreading across my face. I do really like him, we've been hanging out at the beach a lot, I've even started teaching him how to surf. He's terrible but we have loads of fun anyway. I don't see him much at school though, I get the feeling he's not actually there half the time, but he has his friends and I have mine so I don't mind that it's more outside of school that we catch up.

I know Hunter knows I've become good friends with him, Lexi has been my only source of Hunter information so she tells me bits and pieces here and there. I get the feeling Hunter is using her as his source of Maddie information too, but I don't mind, she's a good kid and I have nothing to hide.

I'm really glad I reached out to her a couple of weeks back. She was mad at me at first but she's come round now. She still doesn't understand why Hunter and I aren't speaking but she's not one to pester either. Maybe she's scared I'll disappear again.

I've been going surfing with her every other afternoon, I tried to get Zoe to come too but she's still angry with me and won't speak to me at the moment. I'm hoping she'll come round soon, I think she just needs some time. Lexi tells me she's not speaking to Hunter either which makes me feel a little better that I'm not the only one she's ignoring.

I get into my surf gear, grab my board and head to Hunter's.

I usually meet Lexi by the beach access from their property but today she's not there. I head back up and knock on the front door. After a couple of seconds, it opens and I find myself staring into a familiar pair of brown eyes.

We stand there not saying a word.

"Is that Maddie? Tell her I'll be down in a second."

I hear Lexi yell from upstairs. It's enough to snap us out of our staring contest.

"Um, hi....um...Did you want to come in?" Hunter says, fumbling over his words.

"Um yeah, I'll just wait here by the door." I step inside and stand awkwardly by the door. I look at the wall as Hunter stands next to me, I can feel his eyes on me.

"I'm so sorry Maddie," he blurts out in a rush.

I look at him, not entirely sure what he's apologising for. He must be able to tell what I'm thinking.

"I mean I'm sorry that I kissed you then left you in the cupboard all by yourself. I mean...I'm not sorry I kissed you, well I am but I'm not......."

What the hell is he going on about!

"What I'm trying to say is I'm sorry how I went about it, I'm sorry I did that then left you, but I'm not sorry I kissed to you!"

What is happening right now, he's glad he kissed me? I look him in the eye and the way he's looking at me is really intense. I can't look away again, just as I think I'm starting to move on I feel like he's pulling me back in.

"Almost done Maddie, just need a hair tie," Lexi yells again.

It's enough to break into my thoughts and Emily pops into my head, what about Emily?

"Is Emily here?" I ask.

This seems to bring him back to the here and now as well.

"No, she's not. She's coming by later."

And there it is, the reason why I'll only ever be the best friend and I don't even know if I'm that anymore.

"Cool, I'm having dinner and a movie with Skylar tonight. I'm really looking forward to it, he's lots of fun,"

I say with a smile.

Two can play at this game. He looks hurt as I say the words but I don't care this time, cause he hurt me first. Finally, Lexi makes her way down the stairs.

When she sees our faces her smile fades.

"What's going on?"

"I was just telling Hunter to say hi to his girlfriend for me," I say, acting like everything is fine.

"Come on hurry up the waves are looking real good today," I add.

She looks back and forth between us. Hunter puts on a fake smile,

"Off you go and be careful ok."

She rolls her eyes at him,

"I have Maddie looking out for me, I'll be fine."

Lexi and I have a great time surfing and she doesn't ask me about the awkward moment with Hunter. I drop her by the gate to their house and carry on walking home afterwards. I have a possible date tonight to get ready for and I will not let what happened today ruin it.

I decide to wear my jeggings and a long comfy sweatshirt. It looks nice but still comfortable enough to stuff my face with pizza and laze all over Skylar's couch.

I grab mum's car keys and head out the door. I've been to his place a couple of times, usually, it's just in passing when he needs to pick something up or drop something off. I knock on the front door and wait as I hear footsteps get closer.

"Hey you," he says with a smile.

"Hey," I say smiling right back.

"Come in, the place is a bit of a mess, but I'm afraid that's what you get with three guy's living together."

I walk past the kitchen and into the living room. It's not so bad, a few dirty dishes and some random car magazines and beer bottles lying about. Could probably do with a vacuum but nothing that screams disgusting, unhygienic hoarders live here!

"The pizza should be here soon, do you wanna pick a movie to watch?"

"Great, what do you like to watch?"

This is the first time we've watched a movie together and I have no idea what he's into.

"I love thrillers and horrors."

I scrunch up my nose, I hate horror! But I don't mind a good thriller.

Skylar laughs at my response.

"Not a fan?" He questions.

"I'll have a look for a thriller," I say smiling at him.

"But that means next time you have to watch a Marvel movie of my choice," I say.

"Deal"

As I start to search Netflix for a movie someone knocks on the door.

"Pizzas here," yells Skylar from the kitchen.

Moments later he walks in with two boxes of pizza and two bottles of beer. I eye the bottles of beer.

"Dad lets me drink whenever I want, he won't care if you have some too."

"Maybe just the one, I still have to drive home later."

"Cool," he says and hands me the open bottle.

After we've demolished the pizza we sit on the couch to watch a movie called Birdbox. I picked it cause I like Sandra Bullock but it turns out to be quite good. I'm so engrossed in the movie I don't notice Skylar getting closer and closer then all of a sudden he spreads his arm along the back of the couch behind my head.

His hand then moves to my shoulder, real smooth, I think to myself. Now I can't concentrate on the movie, his close proximity is distracting me. He turns his body towards me a little and I turn to look at him and he's looking right at me.

Oh god, he's going to kiss me I just know it.

Do I want him to kiss me? Then I think back to earlier today at Hunter's house. Why the hell not! I like him, he likes me...I think. He leans in a little waiting for my response, so I lean in a little letting him know I'm keen. That's all the encouragement he needs and he crushes his lips to mine.