Weren't even friends

April 08, 2010

Kate was yapping all morning about how beautiful this boy was. According to her, he had a light blue shirt, white pants, perfect hair, and apparently the face of an angel.

His name was Hayden Carter, a seventeen-year-old transfer student.

Unfortunately for him, our first interaction ended with him falling flat on his back in the school mess.

It was not completely my fault.

Okay, maybe it was.

Kate dared me to pour juice near the entrance, and I honestly did not think anyone would actually slip. But Hayden Carter walked in at the worst possible moment and crashed onto the floor so badly that he ended up hurting his pinky.

The whole mess went silent.

And me?

I laughed.

Not because I was evil. The fall just looked so dramatic that I could not stop myself.

I did offer him help afterwards, but he only smirked while getting up.

“Silly pranks,” he muttered. “I can get up on my own.”

Rude.

Very rude.

For the next three days, teachers kept forcing me to write self-reflection essays about my behavior. Hayden’s absence during those three days honestly made everything better.

No glaring. No drama. No Hayden Carter.

Still, my mood was terrible.

Mom and I had another horrible fight that morning. She never understood me. She was always too busy with work to spend time with me, but the second school complained about something, suddenly she had all the time in the world.

I was sitting near the courtyard during lunch when Nico found me.

“You look grumpy,” he said before kissing my cheek quickly.

“It’s because I am grumpy.”

Nico laughed softly.

“It’s alright. These are memories we’ll tell our grandchildren one day.”

I rolled my eyes, but I smiled anyway.

Nico had always been my comfort person. He was playful, annoying, and somehow always knew what to say. We had known each other since forever. Whenever my mind got too loud, he played the piano for me, and somehow the sound always made everything feel calmer.

“Kate’s still talking about Hayden, by the way,” Nico added.

“Wonderful.”

“I think she’s in love already.”

“She falls in love every week.”

Right as I said that, a voice spoke from behind us.

“You made me fall pretty hard.”

I froze.

Hayden Carter walked past us casually.

“And you’re going to regret it.”

Great.

He was back.

As class started, Hayden introduced himself confidently in front of everyone. I hated how naturally attention followed him.

But I also hated the fact that he actually looked good.

Not too muscular, not too skinny. Just enough to somehow look good in everything.

Kate grabbed my arm dramatically.

“I’m falling for him. I’m gonna make him mine.”

“Get serious,” I whispered.

Unfortunately, Hayden ended up sitting right next to Nico.

Perfect.

The two of them started talking immediately, and I caught Hayden glaring at me every few seconds as Nico explained the whole dare situation.

Well, he did not know me yet. I could pull a lot worse than that.

By lunch break, he was already sitting with our group.

Kate looked way too excited while introducing herself.

“Guess what?” she told Hayden. “Luna actually had an embarrassing moment on her first day too, that’s why she got excited about the dare.”

“Kate,” I warned.

“She even cleaned everything herself afterwards because she felt bad for the cleaner. She’s actually a really good person, don’t hold grudges against her.”

I glared at her.

“Do not tell him things about me. We are not close.”

Nico giggled beside me while I gave him a small smile.

Suddenly Hayden asked,

“So, are you in a relationship?”

I nearly choked on my rice.

“No. Never.”

Nico laughed loudly.

“Trust me, by thirty she’s definitely gonna end up with me.”

We all laughed after that.

Even Hayden.

By the end of the day, Kate suddenly announced,

“Beach trip.”

“What?”

“Come on,” she said excitedly. “Grab whatever you want and meet us there.”

She dragged Hayden away with her before I could even refuse.

Nico and I walked home together quietly. He lived right next door, so we always walked together.

When we reached our houses, he suddenly held my shaking hand.

“Don’t stress yourself too much, okay?” he whispered. “I’m here.”

I looked away immediately.

The beach terrified me.

My dad died because of the waves.

He was an amazing surfer.

I still remembered waving at him from the shore while he smiled back at me confidently.

I remembered the wave being so high.

And then he disappeared.

They never found him after that.

“I almost cried saying this,” I whispered quietly. “Please never tell anyone, okay?”

At some point I understood Mom too. Maybe talking about Dad hurt her more than she ever admitted.

Nico squeezed my hand gently.

“I won’t tell anyone.”

I smiled weakly before kicking him lightly.

“Go now before your mom starts throwing tantrums.”

He laughed before leaving.

Kate and Hayden reached the beach before us and were already playing in the water by the time we arrived.

And honestly?

Kate was right.

Hayden Carter looked beautiful.

The sunset reflected against his wet skin while seawater dripped from his hair. His green boxers clung to his thighs while he pushed his wet hair back carelessly, laughing as water splashed around him.

Nico leaned closer to me.

“Don’t stare so obviously,” he whispered.

I immediately shoved him.

“Shut up.”

Soon we were all splashing water at each other, throwing one another into the waves and laughing so hard that my stomach started hurting.

For the first time in weeks, I forgot everything.

No stress. No fights with Mom. No painful memories.

Just laughter.

At one point, Hayden grabbed my wrist before I could splash him again.

“You play dirty,” he said with a grin.

“So do you.”

He stepped closer.

Too close.

My heart started beating so loudly it almost embarrassed me.

The sound of the waves slowly faded into the background as his hand slid around my waist.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered.

I can feel his breath matching mine, teasing me, telling me how much of control he has over me already.

And suddenly—

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

I opened my eyes aggressively.

My alarm.

I buried my face into the pillow with a groan.

“It was a dream?”

God.

I hated this.

I hated him.

Or maybe I hated the fact that my brain was starting to think about Hayden Carter this way.

Either way, I needed help.

The next morning,

Open the door,luna.

The moment I opened it, nico kissed my temple softly.

“Good morning, sunshine,” he said. “Now get ready before we’re late.”

“Auntie’s not home?” I asked.

He shook his head.

We took the bus together towards school like always.

And that was when I saw them.

Kate and Hayden.

Holding hands.

Kissing.

Hayden looked at me over her shoulder while she smiled against him.

And somehow his eyes seemed to say:

See?

You’re going to regret making me fall.