CHAPTER ONE– The Boy Upstairs
Amelia's POV
There were three things I had learned about Adrian Hayes.
The first was that he hated being disturbed in the morning.
The second was that he never smiled at people unless he genuinely meant it.
And the third?
I was hopelessly, ridiculously, embarrassingly in love with him.
Unfortunately, Adrian Hayes was also my best friend's older brother.
Which meant I was practically setting myself up for heartbreak.
"Amelia! Hurry up!" Isabella shouted from somewhere upstairs. "If you make me late for school, I'm telling everyone about your embarrassing playlist!"
I looked down at my phone.
Seven twelve.
School started at eight.
And somehow, I was standing in the Hayes family's kitchen, holding a piece of toast, wearing one shoe, and wondering whether Adrian had noticed me arrive.
Pathetic.
Absolutely pathetic.
"I'm coming!" I called.
I grabbed my bag from the chair and hurried towards the staircase.
That was when I saw him.
Adrian stood at the top of the stairs, wearing a black T-shirt and grey sweatpants. His dark hair was slightly messy, and he was holding his phone in one hand.
He looked as though he'd just woken up.
He also looked unfairly handsome.
I immediately looked away.
"Morning," he said.
I nearly missed a step.
He had spoken to me first.
"Good morning," I replied quietly.
He glanced at my feet.
Then at my face.
"You're wearing two different socks."
I froze.
Slowly, I looked down.
One sock was white.
The other was pink, decorated with tiny strawberries.
I wanted the staircase to swallow me whole.
"Oh."
One corner of his mouth lifted.
Not quite a smile.
But close enough to ruin my entire morning.
"Interesting fashion choice, Bennett."
"It's dark in my room."
"It's seven in the morning."
"I know what time it is."
"Apparently, your socks don't."
I stared at him.
He stared back.
And then, to my absolute horror, he chuckled.
Adrian Hayes had laughed.
Because of me.
I decided that if I died that morning, at least I'd die happy.
"Are you two flirting?" Isabella's voice interrupted us.
I nearly dropped my bag.
"No!" I answered far too quickly.
Adrian's expression returned to its usual calmness.
"Your best friend is wearing mismatched socks, Bella. Try to keep up."
Isabella narrowed her eyes at him.
Then she turned to me.
"You're blushing."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"It's warm in here."
"It's winter."
I hated both of them.
Especially Adrian.
No, I loved Adrian.
Which was worse.
"Come on," Isabella said, grabbing my wrist. "We're going to be late."
I followed her towards the front door, grateful for the opportunity to escape.
But just as I reached the hallway, Adrian called my name.
"Amelia."
I turned around.
He was holding something.
My notebook.
The small blue one I used for writing things I could never say aloud.
My stomach dropped.
"You left this on the kitchen table."
I hurried back and took it from him.
"Thank you."
His eyes lingered on the notebook for a moment.
"You should be more careful with your things."
"I usually am."
"Clearly."
I pressed the notebook against my chest.
He didn't know what was inside.
He couldn't know.
Because on the final page, written in handwriting I barely recognised as my own, were the words I'd written the night before.
Dear Adrian,
I wish I knew how to stop loving you.
I wish I could look at you without feeling like my heart is doing something ridiculous.
And I wish that, just once, you would look at me and see more than your little sister's best friend.
But you won't.
So I'll keep loving you quietly.
Until one day, I don't anymore.
"Amelia?"
I blinked.
Adrian was watching me.
"Are you okay?"
Three simple words.
Three words that nearly destroyed me.
Because Adrian Hayes never asked me if I was okay.
Not like that.
Not with his voice suddenly softer than before.
I forced a smile.
"I'm fine."
He studied my face for another second.
Then he nodded.
"Okay."
I turned and hurried outside before he could ask anything else.
The morning air was cold, but it did nothing to calm my racing heart.
Isabella was already waiting beside her car.
"Girl," she said as I approached, "what was that about?"
"Nothing."
"You're a terrible liar."
"I know."
She laughed and opened the passenger door.
I climbed inside, placing my notebook carefully in my bag.
I had no idea that, back inside the house, Adrian was still standing in the hallway.
Or that he'd noticed something sticking out between the notebook's pages.
A folded piece of paper.
With his name written across it.
And for the first time in a very long time, Adrian Hayes was curious about something he had never bothered to understand.
Amelia Bennett.
