Chapter 18 #2
At least four hours had passed since I lied to myself about getting up from her bed, which I realized when I opened my eyes and saw the sun on the far side of the balcony. I closed my eyes again, savoring the cool sheets. Stretching, I spread my arms across the bed and noticed the blanket over me.
I didn’t have it when I fell asleep, I knew that for sure. I sat up and looked around. Nothing seemed out of place, except the glass of water and another aspirin on the nightstand. Someone had been in here, probably Summer or Norah. I took the aspirin and got up, fixing the mess I had made.
A noise outside caught my attention; it must have been the girls coming back from the beach. I should talk to Hazel and apologize. I felt better and much more in control of my body and mind. I just had to keep myself in check and avoid flirting.
I walked downstairs to an empty patio, the noise leading me toward the pool. There, Alex, Ava, Logan, and Ethan were playing cards, while Norah and Summer lounged in the sun. Everyone was there—except one.
“Well, hello, sleepyhead.” Summer noticed me first. “How are you feeling?”
“Better,” I replied, putting on my sunglasses and sinking into a bean bag chair.
“Where’s Hazel?” I asked, trying to sound casual but clearly failing, since it was all I cared about right now.
“Gone,” Norah answered.
“WHAT? Why?” I pulled down my sunglasses, alarmed.
No, no, no. I suddenly felt sick.
“Relax, Romeo. Hazel very politely asked if we needed her today.” Yes, I needed her. “She had some personal business in town. She was very mysterious about it,” Summer said.
“Let’s hope she isn’t buying a plane ticket or looking for an apartment so she doesn’t have to see your face,” Norah added. But it hit like a punch to the gut, painful and precise. It honestly felt like a real possibility.
“Personal business?” I murmured, quieter now.
“She didn’t elaborate.”
“Did she say when she’s coming back?” Maybe I should go look for her. Where would I even start? “She said she’d be back in the evening.”
Okay, so she would come back. I nodded.
“By the way, thanks for the painkillers,” I added. That earned me a confused look from Summer.
“Oh, you mean this morning,” she said.
“No, on the nightstand in my room.” A frown appeared on her face, which slowly morphed into a grin. I turned to Norah, looking for answers. Their eyes met, a silent exchange of understanding.
“Who then?” I asked the rest of them, like the slowest dumbass in the world.
There was a long pause. Norah lay down on the lounger, putting her sunglasses on. “I think you already know.”
I exhaled a heavy breath. I hated how the answer didn’t hit me immediately like it did for the others. The realization came late, and the sting of the truth finally sank in.
Of course, it was her.
Damn it, and just as I was starting to feel better. Hazel was practically an angel, and I treated her like shit. It was like I’d mentally punched her in the face. The memory of her sad eyes this morning hit me like a wave again.
The hours dragged after that. I kept glancing toward the door, hoping she’d walk in. By 7 PM, Hazel still wasn’t back. I sat by the pool, absorbed in a book she’d recommended. Despite its dark tone, it was an interesting read. The others had moved to the couch, leaving me alone.
From the corner of my eye, I saw movement and turned instinctively, but it was Alex, walking toward me.
“Hey, man.” He sat across from me. “You okay?”
I threw him a skeptical look. “I’m fine,” I sighed. Nothing had really happened, nothing was wrong—just mood swings, I guess.
“Yeah?”
I sighed again, this time signaling that I didn’t have a better answer. “Yeah.” He nodded, understanding.
“Listen, is tomorrow’s plan still on?” he asked nervously.
“Yes, don’t worry. It’s all organized,” I reassured him. “You ready?” I asked.
“Hell, yeah, I’m ready,” he smiled, still nervous.
“Good.”
A loud cheer cut through the air. We both looked toward the entrance and saw Hazel on the patio, chatting with the others. Anxiety and relief both emerged in my chest. She looked happy and chipper. The usual sunny Hazel.
We all gathered on the patio couch, and Hazel’s eyes met mine. Her cheerful smile seemed as if this morning hadn’t even happened. I gave her a sheepish smile. I wanted to pull her aside and apologize, but I didn’t feel like I deserved it—not yet.
“Okay, guys, sit down, sit down, I have something to tell you all,” Hazel announced. We all settled on the couch. She stood in front of us, looking graceful with a mysterious look in her eyes, as if she had a secret she couldn’t wait to share. Her eyes sparkled.
“I have good news and great news.”
“My favorite kind of news,” Norah chimed in.
“Okay, the good news.” She turned to me, and I stilled. “Watson agreed to meet with you. He needs to check his schedule, but definitely during this trip. He’ll let me know.” I stared at her, stunned, unable to find the words.
I felt Ethan’s gaze shift to me, but I couldn’t look away from her.
“Hazel,” I murmured, amidst the clapping and cheering. She lightly jumped to her feet in joy. I closed the distance, and she grabbed my arms, holding onto me for balance. The girl was so much more excited than we were. How was that possible?
“Thank you so much,” I said, wanting to hug her. All my emotions—anger, excitement, happiness, guilt, and lust—swirled together like a milkshake.
“You’re the best, Hazel,” Ethan said, standing to hug her tightly. I almost did it too, but my hands found my thighs instead, sliding down my shorts in a motion that felt safer than reaching for her.
“Now I need to know the great news,” Alex said.
“Okay, listen, I usually don’t do this. Not on my own, at least. The only reason I dared to do it here was because of Logan.
” Everyone looked at him, confused. If Logan could look at himself, he’d probably do the same thing.
He threw a bewildered look at us, then landed on Hazel.
“‘Cause he’d bail me out, hopefully. I’m not even sure if y’all want to do this, but.
..” She reached down her purse and dug out three massively big joints.
Oh my God.
Everyone froze, staring at her in utter shock, myself included. A long pause followed.
“Hazel,” I breathed out, still not believing my eyes.
“I’ll definitely bail you out,” Logan said, taking one of the joints and sniffing it.
“Marry her,” Ava exclaimed in my face, “marry her right now.”
We all started laughing from happiness.
“You’re the coolest person ever,” Norah added.
“At your service,” Hazel said, a shy smile lighting her face. “It’s the least I can do, especially knowing I ended up here, in this country, randomly with all of you.”
“Okay, OKAY,” Ava stood up, commanding attention.
“Here’s the plan: Norah and I will prepare food; Ethan, Logan, Alex—you drive to the store for munchies.
LOADS of them. We won’t be driving tonight,” she laughed, delighted.
“Summer—gather blankets and pillows. Luke—bring down the speakers and connect with the projector outside, find some movies we can watch while utterly baked. Let’s get this party started,” Ava shouted out as if on fire.
“And me?” Hazel asked.
“Oh, dear Hazel,” Ava said softly, placing both hands on her shoulders with motherly care. “You’ve done more than enough. Go upstairs and wash off the beach from your armpits, you beautiful, magnificent angel.” Hazel chuckled.
“Let’s go, go, GO.” Ava clapped her hands, hurrying us. Hazel disappeared upstairs, her blonde curls bouncing on her back at the same rhythm as my heart.
I followed her to our room. She looked a bit tired, her face had caught some sun.
“Hey,” I entered slowly, voice filled with guilt, searching her gaze.
“Hi,” she smiled brightly. It shouldn’t be this hard. I just wanted to apologize, but found myself hesitating.
“Listen, Hazel,” I lowered my eyes, “I’m sorry. For this morning. I—”
“Oh, stop it,” she interrupted. “I shouldn’t have done that. You were eating, and it just wasn’t appropriate for me to—”
“NO, Hazel! Just stop,” I cut her off firmly so she’d understand there was no arguing about this. “Stop making excuses for me.”
In two steps, I found myself right in front of her, just a breath away. I knew what she was doing. I’d made her feel worse, and she was trying to laugh it off or blame herself. Neither of those was acceptable.
“I was rude and an idiot. I—” I exhaled.
“I didn’t sleep well and was grumpy, and I took it out on you.
Believe me, it had nothing to do with you.
” Lies. It had everything to do with her.
Or what she did in the middle of the night.
I swallowed. “It had nothing to do with what you said or did this morning,” I corrected myself.
“I’m really sorry, Hazel.” Somewhere in the middle of my rant, I’d taken her hands into mine, caressing her palms.
She looked down and then met my gaze, offering a shy smile. “Okay,” she replied simply. “Thank you.”
“Yeah?” I had to make sure.
She nodded, and I pulled her into a brief hug, letting the calmness wash over me.
Her hair carried a salty scent, and I gently rubbed one of her locks between my fingers.
I probably shouldn’t touch her so much, but my body was doing things before my mind had the chance to stop me.
The weirdest part was that I brought her here to help her relax, yet it was me who found comfort in her presence.
And that scared the shit out of me. I pulled away and smiled.
“Okay, we have those doobies to smoke now, you crazy girl. Where did you even get them?”
“Ava was talking about wanting to get high. I still know some people here. They helped me out.”
“That was the personal business?”
“Yeah,” she replied. “What did you think?”
“That you were leaving,” I admitted, catching the surprise in her eyes.
“I would never do that,” she replied, a small smile on her face. I gave her a grateful look.
Of course, she wouldn’t.
“Have you even smoked weed before?” I asked, steering the conversation elsewhere.
“I’ve been near a crowd that was smoking.”
I snorted.
“And I’ve kissed someone right after smoking if that counts.” She chuckled at the ridiculousness of her argument, but my mind fixated on the kissing part.
“No, it definitely,” I said, my eyes drifting to her lips, “doesn’t count.”
She rolled her eyes, clearly amused, and I felt a twinge of something I didn’t want to name.
“Go shower. I’ll get to my task. Otherwise, Ava will beat the crap out of me,” I said, putting space between us and slipping out, closing the door behind me.
I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes, breathing slowly. I felt like myself again.
See? It’s fine. Nothing to worry about.
I think.