“So… how did you two meet?” Riley asks and takes a sip of the coffee Haze brought her a few minutes ago. Haze and I exchange sideways looks. There is no way we’re telling her the real story. Oh, it’s nothing interesting. I followed my street fighter cousin to a meeting and thought I was being super slick. Haze, who’s my cousin’s nemesis, decided to make a deal with me as the prize to destroy his enemies. More coffee?
“School,” Haze says, and I bite back a grin.
Technically, it’s not a lie.
“And how long have you two been together?”
“A few days at most,” I say and only realize how unserious our relationship sounds when a satisfied smile emerges on her lips. Is it me or… does she look strangely happy right now?
“We’ve known each other for a while but… yeah, let’s just say we weren’t expecting this.” Haze takes my hand.
“Just a few days? Really? I’m surprised. He used to be a keeper, that one.”
What’s that supposed to mean?
“In fact, we were together for, what, two years?” She takes another sip.
Okay?
“Remember the night of Vic’s birthday party? Oh my God, it was so awkward.” She notices my confusion. “Oh, that’s right, you wouldn’t know. Sorry. That’s when Haze and I first got together. Blame five minutes in heaven. Vic had gotten himself locked with Gloria and he…” She bursts out laughing, and Haze laughs along with her.
“I can still see the look on his face. He was completely freaked out,” he finishes.
“Who’s Gloria?” I ask.
“Some girl who used to crush on him. He wasn’t interested,” Haze explains.
“Oh.” I nod.
“Then, Oliver dared Haze and me to go together, and you know…” She takes a sip. “Anyway, this wasn’t as bad as what happened on the pier. Remember that one?”
Haze laughs harder. “How could I forget?”
They proceed to hop onto the memory lane train and leave me standing alone in an empty station. They keep reminiscing about days I never once heard of and laugh until I want to bash my head against the wall. Every joke Haze makes, Riley snorts so loud my ears bleed. She’s scooted over to him on the couch and keeps hitting his shoulder every chance she gets. After a few hours of Haze being a typical boy and dismissing all the red flags that make my eyes the size of a golf ball, I have no other choice but to accept the truth. I always want to see the best in people, but I’m not stupid. I can’t deny it anymore.
She isn’t only here for her son.
She’s here to steal my man.
17
Mine
“Time to w
ake up,” a voice I know all too well whispers in my ear, and I groan, the numerous sleepless nights that I’ve had recently making it close to impossible to open my eyes. Haze lightly tickles me, and I finally gather the courage to move.
“What time is it?” I rub my eyes.
“Eight thirty.” He rests his arm on my stomach. “Riley says it’s better to get there early if we want the beach to ourselves.”
He leans in to kiss me, but I turn my head and offer him my cheek instead. I can’t help being annoyed with him. He’s so oblivious.
“Riley said this, Riley said that,” I mutter under my breath and push the covers off me, rolling out of bed.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks, his voice still raspy from just waking up. I pretend not to hear him and walk to the door.
“I need a shower.” I sneak out into the hall and lock myself in the bathroom. The past five days have been worse than I imagined. I haven’t had a moment alone with Haze. He hasn’t touched me once since our first time, and I’d be lying if I said that it hasn’t been on my mind. I know from the way his hands linger on my body when we hug or the way he eyes me when he thinks I’m not looking that it’s haunting him as much as it is me, but we haven’t had the chance to act on it.