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

Dedication: Superattractive for the cool mood board of Grace!

Recap:

I internally groaned. He looked so handsome when he smiled.

"Oh hell yeah."

He grinned. "Told ya."

I sat back in my chair, unable to wipe the smile from my face.

I did not expect my afternoon to turn out like this.

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

"Grace."

My eyes feel heavy. I am so tired...

"Grace."

I can feel someone tugging my arm, but opening my eyes is so difficult...

"You're annoying even when you sleep," the person huffs.

Realising who's voice that is, makes me wake with a start. Brilliant green eyes stare back at me. Hayden flicks my forehead as I stare up at him in a daze.

"Ouch," I snap, smacking his hand away and slingshotting back into reality real quick. "What did you do that for?"

He shrugs, offering me a gorgeous lope-sided smile, making a dimple appear on his left cheek. 

"Couldn't resist."

"Behave," Heather scolds him, effectively snapping me out of my drool-fest. "Take the poor girl home, she's exhausted."

"Oh, I'm okay," I say through a yawn. "I can walk."

"I told you she is annoying," he says to his mum with a shrug.

"Hayden!" she exclaims, looking embarrassed about the way he spoke of me.

I am honestly so used to it by now, I hardly even recognise that he is insulting me anymore.

"What? It's true."

"Shut up," I laugh, pushing myself to my feet.

"Do you want to stay for dinner Grace, or are you too tired?"

"Mum," Hayden groans. "Stop. She doesn't want to stay for dinner. Now she's going to feel awkward."

"I'm not," I interject, but they both ignore me.

"I was just being polite!"

"I am really tired," I admit, intervening between the two. "Thank you for the offer. I definitely will stay for dinner next time," I smile and flit my eyes to Hayden, who stares at me like I have suddenly grown three heads. I grin. I love messing with him. "Thank for you letting me stay."

"Any time!" Heather assures me. "And don't be silly, Hayden will take you home."

I force a smile onto my face.

Hayden shakes his head at Heather, before he collects his keys. I follow him through the kitchen and out to the front door, grabbing my own gym bag on the way.

I trail wordlessly behind him as we go out to the garage. I let out a whistle at the ute that sat before me. It is jet black, with black wheels and dark, tinted windows.

"Wow, nice car," I comment as I slide into the passenger seat.

The interior looks fresh and neat, as if Hayden cleans it every single day. I run my fingers over the leather seats. When he turns the key, a deep rumble could be heard underneath, vibrating our seats. I'm surprised he is able to drive a car like this, I would have thought with all the add-ons and the power of it, you'd need to have your unrestricted license to drive it. Perhaps you do and Hayden simply doesn't care. Normal rules don't seem to apply to him. 

"Exhaust?"

"You know it."

"Nice," I reply with an impressed nod.

Suddenly, deafening music blasts from the speakers and I let out a yelp, clapping my hands to my ears in alarm. Hayden quickly turns the volume down, sending me a sheepish look.

"This is the ultimate boy's car," I comment, my eyes scanning around the ute as he slowly reverses out of the driveway. "How did you score this?"

"It was my dad's," is all he said.

With the conclusive tone his voice holds, I feel I can't ask any more on the topic. I nod, continuing to gaze around the car. I have been so absorbed in checking out the car, I haven't felt any anxiety yet.

As soon as the wheels hit the bitumen road, he plants his foot, sending me lurching forward. The tires screech and the exhaust explodes with sound behind us. 

"Holy shit!" I exclaim, gripping the dashboard.

He has one hand lazily on the wheel, the other on the gear stick. He glances at me, a boyish smirk on his face. His eyes blazed as they locked with mine. I can tell he loves driving this car. 

He slows down at the intersection. This is the first time I feel like I was having fun being in a car. Ironically, driving fast and dangerously, seemed to rectify my anxiety.

"You're such a boy," I laugh as he tears from the intersection, the wheels screaming.

He grins and my lips part as I stare at him. His smile is beautiful. I simply cannot comprehend seeing Hayden beside me, so relaxed and carefree. It is a side to him that I didn't know he had.

He turned the music up the doors began to rattle and quake from the intensity of the sound.

It took us over ten minutes to get to my house because he couldn't hear me over the music. Every time I went to turn it down, he stopped me, shouting something about the driver always has the control over the stereo.

Eventually, I successfully gain control of the music and hastily lower the volume, afraid my eardrums are going to burst any second. 

"Turn left! Quick!"

He suddenly stomps on the break and the car literally slides around the corner. I fly sideways, hitting the door.

"Ow," I mutter, rubbing my arm, sending a glare in his direction. "Do you always drive like this?"

"It's the only way to drive," he smirks, clearly having way too much fun.

He pulls to an abrupt stop out the front of my house and I throw my hands out, so my face doesn't smash into the dashboard.

"Jesus!" I exclaim.

He let out a laugh and I freeze, dragging my eyes to him. He doubles over, slapping the wheel as he laughs louder.

Hayden Cameron is laughing. A shiver ran down my spine as I listen to him.

Why the hell did his smile and laugh make my insides melt? Why did it make me want to reach out and touch him? Why did it make me feel like I had feelings for him?

Maybe I'm just confused because the Coach pulled my heart from my chest and stomped on it today.

"That was so funny," he chokes out, his cheeks flushed. "Your face!"

"Shut up!" I retort hotly. "You drive like a maniac! How do you still have your license?"

"Skill."

"Pfft!"

"Are you going to sit here all night or are you going to get out?" he questions after he sobered up.

"I just love spending time with you," I sigh dramatically. "I don't want this magical evening to end."

"I'm going to punch you."

I roll my eyes. "You would not."

"Would so."

Silence falls between us. I move closer to him, running my fingers over the handbrake, tantalisingly slow.

"I'm waiting for my goodnight kiss," I murmur quietly, chewing my lip.

His mouth falls open. I attempt to keep a straight face, but it is too hard. His cheeks turn a dark red. His mouth opened and closed a few times, unsure what to say.

I snort with laughter. "Oh my God."

His cheeks burn crimson and he shakes his head at me. "Okay, that was a good one."

"I know," I smirk. "Thanks for the ride and the toasted sandwich."

He smiles at me again and I faulter my movement, my eyes training on his lips. "I'm good, aren't I?"

"Oh yes," I find myself saying, my eyes not moving from his lips. "The best."

I blink suddenly. I need to get out. I haul my bag with me and step outside the car.

"Try not to hit anyone or anything on your way home," I tell him sarcastically, leaning on the door frame.

"No promises," he grinns wickedly.

"See you tomorrow," I shake my head, before shutting the door.

I step back hastily as he peels from the curb with lightning speed. I doubt he even checked his mirrors, before doing so. I can hear his ute all the way down the street.

I can't believe I went to Hayden's house and had fun?

I guess that wasn't the weirdest thing that happened to me today.

***

As I walk to school the next morning, I feel much better.

I had crashed at 8pm last night and slept soundly until 6am this morning. I feel refreshed and rejuvenated, ready to conquer today.

I have two missions. One, to train hard and better myself, to keep proving my worth to the team. The second, was to confront Harvey and settle the stupid fight we are having. I am sick of walking on eggshells and having him avoid me.

I make it to the end of my street, when I heard it. My eyebrows fly up as I see the black ute skid around the corner. I watch as he stops beside me.

"Get in," he says, his voice monotone.

"Loser, we're going shopping," I finish.

"What?"

"Mean Girls," I explain, crawling into the ute. "Haven't seen it?"

He wrinkles his face. "No."

"We must change that," I state seriously, throwing my bag onto the floor.

I had barely put the seat belt clip into the buckle, before I was sent back into my seat. 

"Argh!" I cry out, gripping the seat.

"Hold on," he says, before stamping on the accelerator, after we had to give way.

I squeeze my eyes shut and grip for dear life as we fly around the corner. We are at school in mere minutes.

I leap out of the car, holding my hand to my chest. "I am never getting in the car with you again."

He rolls his eyes, stepping out of the car. He slides his sunglasses into his hair, shrugging his bag onto his shoulder.

"Don't be so dramatic."

"Hey!" I call out as he began to stride away from me. I jog so that we fell in step. "Why did you pick me up?"

He shrus. "Thought it might save you from being late."

"I was late, like, once."

He frowns, giving me a sidelong glance. "Once?"

"Give or take," I shrug as we walk towards the gym.

"Your attendance hasn't been the best, so I thought I would make sure you were going to be here."

"Admit it, you wanted to spend more time with me," I taunt.

"Definitely not."

"This is the part of the story where you fall in love with me. I can feel it."

"Get over yourself, woulddya'?" he scoffs with an eye roll. A sexy as fuck eye roll.

We push the locker room door open and everyone turns their heads to us. Mia's face pales as she stares between us.

Ashton's eyes latch onto mine and I give him a cold stare back, before throwing my gym bag onto the seat.

As I slide out of my shorts, Hayden brushes past me, our arms touching. I glance up at him, but he isn't looking at me. Instead, he is looking at Mike. I saw his lips move as he asked Mia if we arrived together.

We all fall into line and I watch as Hayden moves into his usual position. I straighten my spine and lift my chin, ignoring the stares the rest of the team are shooting my way. Once I step inside this locker room, swimming is my main concern. Nothing else.

Ashton doesn't say much before our practise today. I stroll past him and he step in front of me, blocking my path.

"A word, Miss Connaway?"

I sigh and step back. "Yes, sir?"

"About yesterday-"

I hold my hand in a stop signal. "Respectfully sir, if this is not swimming based, I'm not interested."

"Grace-"

"No," I warn through gritted teeth, narrowing my eyes into slits. "You made it perfectly clear that you don't want to be with me. I'm being mature and moving on. I suggest you do the same."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. From now on, the only time you pull me aside is to speak to me about swimming and only swimming, got it?"

Exhaling, he nods, looking frustrated. "If that's how you feel."

"It is," I confirm firmly, before striding out to the pool.

I hastily place my goggles onto my face and dive into the water, feeling satisfied with my response.

It is going to be awkward and it is going to be hard, but we are going to move past this.

I'm going to pretend nothing ever happened.

***

My eyes fall on the back of Harvey.

He was piling books into his locker. I let out a deep breath, before marching over to him.

"Hi."

Wow, I say to myself. That's the best I could come up with?

He turns his back to me. Hell no. I grab his arm and yank him back a little harder than necessary.

"Excuse me," I snap, glaring at him. "I am a person and you will treat me like one."

"You're right, you are a person," he replies, his tone clipped and cold. "Just not a very good one."

I reach out and slap his chest. "This asshole act doesn't suit you. Drop it, now."

"Why?" he asks, leaning against the locker. "Why do you want to go back to being friends? Considering you lied to me and obviously don't share stuff going on in your life with me."

"When I told you I wasn't seeing Ashton, I was telling the truth."

"Yeah, looked like it."

"Speak to me with attitude one more time," I warn, jabbing my finger towards him.

He waves his hands up in a "don't fire" signal, which only annoys me more.

I let out a sigh of exasperation.

"Look, we made out. It happened right after the thing with Mia. That was it. So, I didn't lie to you. We were not seeing each other. I thought it was over and that it was a once-off thing, and then the other day, we ran into each other out of school and it all just happened really fast. We never slept with each other, if that's what you think. I'm telling you, it really is over now. I promise."

"You promise?" he echo. "That's a serious commitment, you sure you mean it?"

"Yes. I mean it."

He lets out a breath, his face losing some of the coldness it was holding. "I was really angry with you."

"I know, I got that loud and clear. I'm sorry. I was a bad best friend."

"You were."

"Harvey!"

"Sorry," he has a small smile on his face. I feel myself physically relax as relief washes through me. There is his small, little smile that I loved. I have missed seeing it every day. "Couldn't help it."

"Can we just get over this? I miss you way too much."

"I miss you, too."

I grab his shirt and tug him towards me. I wrap my arms around his neck and hug him tightly.

"Don't ever leave me again."

His arms tighten around my torso.

"You make it hard to stay mad at you."

"You did well," I mumble, my voice muffled as my face is buried into his shoulder.

"I want you to talk to me about things, even if you think I'm going to disapprove."

"I will, only if you don't overreact and start ignoring me."

"Okay, deal," he nods, pulling back and thrusting his hand toward me.

Reaching out, I shake it.

"Best friends, no matter what?" I ask.

"No matter what," he smiles, before pulling me into another hug.

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

More Hayden time! Do you think they might develop feelings for each other, or are they better off as friends?

And Harvey and Grace are back to being best friends! Yay!

Instagram: laurenj_22

Snapchat: laurenj_22

Facebook page: Lauren Jackson (author)