Page 62 of The Prospect

“Really, Hazel. You look beautiful.” He keeps the compliments going. “You do.”

I peer down at myself. Sure, I’m not dressed to the nines like Amira, but what I’m wearing is me, through and through. Jeans, a tank, and a comfortable dress shirt paired over top. But evendespite my comfort, the self-doubt inevitably finds a way to kick in.

“You think?” I ask, internally scolding myself thereafter.

I promised I’d never be one of those girls who based their looks on a man’s opinion, and I’m not. I know I look good, but maybe deep down, I just wanted to be told again…

Sue me.

“I don’t think, Hazel.I know.” Hart speaks in absolution as his eyes scan me up and down, and as he does, I swear the music quiets, the crowd lessens, and all at once, it feels like it’s just…us.

It’s a strange feeling to describe, but one I know they’d accurately be able to portray in a movie with a hummed soundtrack and faded background. But with all that said, nothing quite mutes the world like when I finally look across the way to see that Amira has disappeared into Green’s embrace.

Now, as I stand here, there’s no music.

There’s no people.

It’s just the three of us.

Somehow, it feels like Hart’s not even here anymore.

It feels like I’m all alone, watching the two of them nestled as one and, worse, silently wishing that it was me in her place instead.

I shake my head, the desire leading me to subconsciously clutch onto Hart’s hand as I pull him into my side. It helps to block them from my line of vision, but it’s no use. I’ve already caught Green’s eye as he greets me with a faint nod of his head.

It’s the first time I’m seeing him since earlier this week and I don’t know why the first part of him that I look at is his lips…

“Haze,” he calls out my name, forcing my eyes up. Only when I finally meet them his start to wander.

Rather than looking back at me, he’s peering down at the way mine and Hart’s hands are clasped together. The smile that once lit up his face now washes away, and as I go to mentally dissectthe intentful look in his eyes, Amira draws him in—whispering something seductive into his ear. I know this because as she pulls back, giggling like a mess, Green’s once intentful frown is replaced with a smitten look of sexual mischief.

“Let’s get you inside.” Hart gestures for us to step into the house. “I don’t want you to catch a cold now.” He runs his warm hand up and down my arm—I hadn’t realized I had goosebumps, though the cold isn’t the cause of them.

“Yeah—you’re right.” I snap my head back up in his direction, tucking some loose strands of hair behind my ear. “Let’s go inside. Are you two, uh—going to join us?” I can’t help but ask Amira and Green the question before I take a step forward.

The two exchange a mutual look, but rather than focusing on Amira, I’m more fixated on the way that I can see the word “yes” lingering on Green’s lips, but before he can say it, Amira answers on his behalf.

“We’re gonna hang outside for a bit,” she remarks. “Catch up with you guys later?” she suggests, slinging her arms around Green’s neck as she draws him in closer.

“Sure thing.” Hart pulls on my hand before I have to read into the gesture. “Have fun, you two.” He flashes them a playful wink of his eye. The suggestive remark makes my stomach churn, but not more than when Amira responds by calling out, “Oh, we will,” leaving me to swallow deeply as I’m guided up the stairs and into the house.

“We most certainly will.”

“There were no more ciders,so I thought maybe you’d like a spritzer instead?” Hart hands me a cup filled with the fizzing liquid as he re-sinks himself into the couch cushionbeside me, wrapping his long arm along the back of the couch in a not-so-subtle attempt to scoot in closer.

I don’t mind.

There’s a sense of comfort that comes from Hart’s proximity, especially given the fact that out of everyone in this crowded room, he’s the only one I know remotely anything about.

I don’t do crowds—it’s a pet peeve. I only tough it out at the games because of Green, who, for the record, has been nowhere to be seen all night long.

We texted earlier about tonight and by texting, it was mainly me asking him about the probability of backing out last minute without anyone noticing. The odds were not in my favor, leaving the remainder of our conversations to be a reassuring fest on Green’s part.

He said we’d stick together, that tonight would be a double date, but with each second that passes by, I’ve come to the conclusion that he’s either forgotten completely about me or is too caught up with Amira to remember I exist.

I don’t know which hurts more.

“A spritzer is great, thank you.” I bring the cup up toward my lips, an action that Hart mimics with his own, though he’s assured me that as the DD tonight, he's strictly sticking to water.

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