6. Haelyn
SIX
HAELYN
My fingers rolled into a fist when I knocked on Merielle’s door twenty minutes later, eyes buried in my phone.
Me
I just got here. I’ll text you later? *smile emoji*
Chad Bitt
I’ll look forward to it.
A brightening smile lifted on my lips. Chad was just this easy-going guy who lifted my mood from the ground to the sky in record time. He had an addicting personality and it took all the power in me not to ask him out.
It was too soon. After all, we had been talking for three days and maybe he liked to take things slowly. So instead of making the first step, I was going to wait for him to figure out whether he wanted to date me or not.
I had nothing better to do, anyway.
The moment I locked my phone, it lit up with a notification.
My heart thumped in my chest when I noticed it was from the dating app I’d been talking to Chad on.
Congratulations! You can now see each other.
I didn’t even get the chance to click on his updated profile picture, because he already sent me a message.
Chad Bitt
You are beautiful, Haelyn Ross
I stopped my brain from imagining all the dirty pictures I could send him. I hadn’t tested the waters on that part, so I didn’t know if it was something he wanted to see.
Gosh, I’m acting like a pervert.
One of my biggest fantasies had always been sexting. I tried to initiate it several times with Josh, but he always preferred the reality instead of the build-up.
If I thought about it, there was a big chance he didn’t even know what build-up was. He just liked to take me whenever he pleased.
I pressed a shaky finger on the circle frame and the moment I saw his photo, I zoomed in on every part of him. He had blond hair, great muscles, and kissable lips.
What were the chances? He had a great personality and looked insanely hot.
I was sure he was an eye-catcher wherever he went.
“Hae!” I heard Merielle’s voice and my head snapped to her. “Are you coming in or not? I’m freezing,” she muttered, pulling the coat tighter over her body.
I followed her inside before typing him a quick reply without really thinking it through.
Me
look who’s talking. I bet you’re a panty-dropper *smirk emoji*
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked, nudging me with her elbow.
I lingered on the conversation for a moment, ready to delete the message. What was he going to think about me? That I only cared about the way he looked? Because that wasn’t true. I just couldn’t stop myself from telling him what I thought about the way he looked. It was a normal thing to do after he complimented me.
Instead of deleting the message, I stuffed my phone in my purse. He needed to know me just the way I was, even with my unfiltered comments.
My attention diverted to Merielle. “What do you mean?” I questioned her, as if I didn’t know what she was talking about.
She stopped in front of the door to her living room, her eyes fixed on me while her hands rested on her hips. “I mean, why were you smiling like a freak at your phone? I called your name four times before you noticed I was standing in front of you.”
I tightened the purse’s string tighter on my shoulder, biting my bottom lip as I glanced from side to side, searching for an escape. Unfortunately for me, there was nothing to save me besides a coat closet and an empty hallway.
The boys’ voices boomed outside, their curses covering my erratic breaths. They were most likely playing PUBG the same way they did every time they got together. Sometimes, Merielle and I joined them.
“I—” I started when she didn’t seem to back down.
“It’s that stupid app, isn’t it? Haelyn, how many times do I have to tell you that guys on a dating app aren’t what they claim to be?” Merielle raised her brows at me, making me feel like a child who did a bad thing. “Most of them don’t even use their real picture and the second you’re in love with them, they ask you out and sell your organs. It’s dangerous.”
My eyes immediately shot to her. An inexplicable need to defend Chad snuck its way under my skin. She had no right to talk that way about him when she didn’t even know how good he’d been with me.
“Chad is not like that,” I spit out. “And you told me to find someone, that’s what I’m doing. Just because I won’t sleep with Eric like you want me to doesn’t mean I can’t get to know other men outside of a shitty bar,” I breathed out, then pushed her to the side and burst into her living room.
The boys were lounging on the couch and their eyes flew from their phones to me.
“Hi, guys,” I muttered, then took a seat next to Christian.
He locked his phone and glanced at me, but I was shaken from the encounter with Merielle to give him any kind of attention. Instead, I was looking at the black screen of the TV placed in front of the sofa.
“How was the interview?” Christian asked, threading a hand through his brown hair.
“Good,” I replied.
I heard Merielle’s steps approaching and instead of taking her usual spot next to David, she flopped down on one of the chairs nearby and hugged her chest while continuing to avoid me the same way I was avoiding her.
David cleared his throat. “Problems in paradise?”
“Shut up and bring me a beer,” Merielle silenced him.
“Make it two,” I said, averting my gaze.
David stood up and left the room, leaving Christian in a cage with two lions at each other’s throats.
I knew Merielle wanted what was best for me, but sometimes she turned into a controlling bitch and I couldn’t live my life based on her choices. Like any other human, I had to learn from my own mistakes that resulted from the decisions I made.
She might have had more experience with guys and I know she didn’t want to see me suffering again, yet I couldn’t live by following a well-structured list to avoid anything bad happening to me.
Life was unpredictable and while it came with ups and downs, I preferred it that way rather than planning every step of it.
I could see Christian from the corner of my eye, directing his head from me to Merielle, his breathing being the only sound in the room. I did my best to ignore it, but I found myself turning to him.
“Can you stop breathing so loud?” I tilted my head when he frowned at me.
Christian took a second to reply, blinking heavily. “Well, excuse me for having only one lung and needing some extra air.”
My shoulders dropped.
Shit. I forgot about his health issues.
I was too focused on myself to remember Christian had some serious problems and acted like a bitch instead.
I gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Chris.”
He laughed. “It’s fine, I know you mean no harm.”
At the same time, Merielle intervened. “I forgive you.”
My head snapped to her. “I didn’t say ‘I’m sorry’ to you. I have nothing to be sorry for. If anything, you are the one who should be apologizing.”
She puffed and opened her mouth to say something, but David interrupted her when he handed us the cold beers. He peered down at his friend. “Why didn’t you bring them the party hats?”
A smile already formed on my lips and I fought it away.
Christian shrugged. “I don’t even know where they are. They rarely fight.”
David shook his head, clearly not satisfied with Christian not being able to solve things the way he did, and reached out to a drawer. He took out the pink paper hats and popped one on Merielle’s head before dropping one on mine.
“Now look at each other,” he instructed.
Instead, I looked at the ceiling to control the laughter that was about to burst out of my chest. When I heard Merielle giggle, it was over for me. We were both lost in each other’s laughter and our eyes filled with unshed tears.
“This is still so fucking weird to me,” I heard Christian whisper to David, which made me laugh even harder.
“Yeah, but it solves their problems,” David replied.
Since the beginning of our relationship, Merielle and I tried to find a solution so our arguments wouldn't last. Using pink party hats had so far been the best and the quickest way to put any fight behind us. It was simply hard to stay serious when the other person had something like that on their heads, while their face was burning red from anger.
When our laughter faded, we both got up to our feet, hugging each other until we ran out of breath.
“I’m sorry,” we said at the same time, whispering the words before we spoke simultaneously again. “Forgiven.”
I turned around to the boys, leaving my hat on and an arm around Merielle’s waist. “Let’s drink.”
David and Christian cheered, raising the beer bottles to their heads before downing them in one go. Merielle and I exchanged looks, following their lead.
I swallowed a burp, my eyes watering.
“Another round,” Merielle said.
“It’s your turn,” David pointed at his friend, who left with a shake of his head, but I could see his smile from miles away.
Later that night after the boys made several walks to pick up more beer, I was locked in Merielle’s bathroom while she and David were dead asleep in their bed and Christian was snoring on the couch.
I tripped into the bathroom and cursed in my chest, then decided it was a good place to rest. The room spun with me and I was glad I didn’t switch the lights on because keeping my balance would’ve been so much harder.
Truth was, I was passed out for two hours in the other bedroom before I woke up. Why did I wake up?
Never mind.
I pulled my pants and lingerie down, flashing the screen of my phone over my body to brighten the room a bit so I could pee properly.
Oh yeah. That’s why I woke up.
My eyelids closed heavily on my eyes. I drank too much and it wasn’t even for a celebration. More about me fucking up a simple interview.
When I realized I couldn’t pee, I tapped my screen once again so I could see through the darkness to dress, but my attention was caught by a message I got five hours ago from Chad Bitt.
I instantly smiled as I read the text.
Chad Bitt
Panty dropper, huh? Wouldn’t matter if it’s not the girl I want.
Me
and whos the ggurl you want?
gorl*
He might not even be awake since it was two a.m., but I couldn’t help myself from not replying.
Merielle was not right about this guy, I just knew it in the depths of my bones. He was cute, had a great personality, and maybe tonight I could discover another side of him and blame it on the alcohol in my system.
My phone vibrated and I struggled to focus on his answer.
Chad Bitt
Did you have a drink?
Me
waaaay more than one
just ansfwer me
Chad BITT
You, Haelyn Ross. It’s your panties I’d like to drop.
Me
yk, when I had that interview with that docuhevag f a boss, his poffice was made out of glass *giggling emoji*
Chad Bitt
Why are you ruining this moment by bringing up that guy? I’m still ready to hold my promise about teaching him a lesson.
Me
because those winbdows were tinted and i couldnt stp thinking about the things you could do insdie fo it
Chad Bitt
And what if you get caught? Does the thrill of that excite you?
Me
thats the magic about it *smirk emoji*
Chad Bitt
What if I had you naked there and glued your body to the window, while working my way behind you?
My hand dropped back for a second and I reached the spot between my legs, a sharp breath passing past my lips.
Me
tell me more
what would you do i fwe were stuck there?
Chad bitt
I would drop on my knees, tasting your arousal on my tongue just by smelling it. When I’d touch you, you’d be already wet for me.
Me
would you tasrte me?
Chad bitt
I’d eat you like my favorite dessert, not giving up until it’s finished before I’d stuff my cock in your pussy.
My fingers circled my clit and I had to bite my bottom lip to stop any of the sounds from escaping my throat.
His words were so much better than everything I’ve imagined in my fantasies. He was saying exactly what I wanted to hear, making the tremble in my knees uncontrollable.
Me
wha tif someone passed by and we could see theri shape?
Chad Bitt
It wouldn’t matter. I would have you there, screaming my name with your hands sprawled on the glass while my fingers circled your clit. That person would look into our eyes, trying to figure out what’s happening. You’d beg me to stop, but I wouldn’t be done with you until you couldn’t stand on your feet anymore and my cock would be wet with your cum.
As I read his last message over and over, my brain came up with a perfect picture of us fucking in Tristan Graves’ office. My hand snuck up to his blond hair, holding it between my fingers as he took me from behind. We both moved in tandem, finding our pleasure at the same time. That dark silhouette was looking at us the whole time.
When I finished, it was the shadow’s name I whispered.