Page 12 of The Sky Between Us

I thought she felt it too. Our moment. We clicked. Yet, she still chose to play the game. I was used to being the player, but I was never the one getting played, until the coach’s daughter came around and took that role from me.

I felt stupid.

“Your eyes will fall out if you keep staring any longer,” she called over her shoulder, not even looking up. I shook my head to hide my grin and continued with the cleaning by accidentally bumping into her. I needed to get proof we did have a connection and it wasn’t just my tired, hungover mind playing tricks on me.

The contact came to me as a surprise. My body jerked as I found myself pressed against her; newfound electricity buzzed through me. Hazel’s eyes immediately snapped to my face and her wide gaze told me she felt it as well. Her hands stopped the washing and I could see tiny goosebumps form on her skin. My throat went dry and I had to wet my lips to be able to speak. Her eyes fell onto my lips and I could clearly see them turn darker from desire. My palms grew itchy. I desperately wanted to touch her. I needed to feel her skin under my fingertips. I wanted to trace every inch of her body with my hand, uncovering everything that was hiding under her clothes. But before I could have willed my arms to move around her waist, she sprinkled water into my eyes.

“Stop with the staring,” she repeated herself stepping aside. “We have customers.”

I never hated customers as much as I did at that moment. I made my body pull away from hers and with a polite smile I went over to the wide-eyed girl on the opposite side of the counter. A blonde flirt named Jessica. Such a cliché with her batting eyelashes, pumpkin spice latte and giggles. I remained charming and easy while I felt Hazel’s eyes burn holes into my back. I didn’t understand her. She just missed her shot and now she was getting all jealous. I couldn’t wait for Jessica to leave so I could finally talk to Hazel.

“Oh, you forgot something,” Jessica’s high-pitched voice stopped me from turning to my colleague.

“What do you mean, gorgeous?” I lifted my brow lazily. I could have sworn Hazel snorted behind me, which only made my grin wider.

“Your number,” she giggled back, shaking her head. “Silly you.”

“Let me help you with that,” Hazel offered with a cute, but fake smile while taking a napkin and writing a number on it. She wrapped a muffin into it and handed it to Jessica.

“Thanks,” she smiled. “We girls should stick together.”

“Of course.” I didn’t miss the edge in Hazel’s tone, nor her fake smile. God, this girl knew how to fake. She was lethal.

“You don’t even know my number,” I noted once Jessica left.

Hazel smirked at me.

“True, but I know Elliot’s,” she shrugged innocently. I must have had a puzzled look on my face, because she continued. “He slept with Sarah and I had to listen to her whine about him all weekend. It was a nightmare.”

A laughter escaped me, and I almost doubled over. It was a typical Elliot move to break a girl’s hearts, but Hazel apparently wasn’t a big fan of picking up pieces.

“It’s not funny! People need to learn to understand the consequences of their decisions and own up to what they did. She kept blaming him, and he kept saying he told her it was one night,” she rolled her eyes. “Like honestly.”

“Even worse,” I laughed. “I always tell chicks what’s the deal just to avoid confusion and so I don’t win myself a stalker and upset crazy friends who will question me.”

Hazel gave me a pointed look and shook her head. Her messy bun bounced on top of her head. “I didn’t stalk him, nor did I question him. I texted him, and he had the decency to hit on me after that.”

I laughed even harder as tears collected in my eyes. I couldn’t believe she actually did it. Until it hit me.

“So, what did you say to his offer?” I asked cautiously while I wiped my tears. Hazel lifted a brow and her usual mean smile appeared on her face.

“Don’t you worry, pretty boy. I’m not taking your friend up on his offer.”

I let out a breath I didn’t even know I kept in and smiled. With my usual cocky smile that always drew her crazy.

“So, you think I’m pretty?”

“Isn’t that what everyone always tells you?” she rolled her eyes.

“Everyone yes,” I nodded as I tried to read her expression. “But you are not everyone.”

Her face fell for a second and the same vulnerability lit up her face.

“That’s right. I’m not everyone, Aiden.”

I was nursing a pretty bad headache by the time I finished with my classes and we were heading to practice. All I wanted to do was collapse into my bed and sleep. Hazel drained all my energy. Plus, I couldn’t pay attention to anything my professors were saying because I was too busy replaying our exchanges in my head. By the time I made it to the field, I knew that girl would be the end of me, when my head should have been in our upcoming game against California State University - Sacramento.

“Dude, you look like shit,” Elliot clapped my shoulder once I finally made it out to the field.

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