Page 16 of Playing with Fire

"Fine." she complies, slowing her pace.

"Are you seriously still stuck on Felix?"

I understand my guess was correct when her gaze meets mine without a word spoken. "You know I've always liked him, Em."

"So then why haven't you told him!?" I exclaim. For how many years exactly has your crush on him continued, Hazel? Three, four years?" Her cheeks shift to pink while a faint smirk emerges on my lips. "Five. You forgot eighth grade," she mutters.

"Okay, Hazel, stop." I grab her arms which make her face me. You've liked him for years so why haven't you told him? "You know I can't!" she argues.

"And why not?" I counter.

He has a girlfriend and besides that our friendship has lasted so long I'm unsure about his feelings for me. She notes that his behavior shows he doesn't feel that way.

I inhale deeply before exhaling the breath. "Hazel. Felix and Savannah broke up."

Her face falters for a moment. "What?"

"Yeah, she cheated on him." I shrug.

"With who?" she's quick to ask.

"Alec," I tell her blankly.

Her jaw falls open in shock yet I maintain my composure. "What? When did that happen?"

I tell her it happened on Tuesday but explain that timing isn't what matters right now. You need to start acting. You've been turning down potential partners and it's time to pursue the man you truly desire.

She falls into deep thought after my brief speech because she stays silent for a full minute. Her cheeks become vibrant red, and I wonder what thoughts occupy her mind in this moment.

"I–I can't, Em," she tells me. I struggle to talk to him because it sends me into a stuttering problem and you're familiar with how easily I become red faced. Look at you now you're right in the middle of it.

She lifts her hands swiftly to shield her face from view. "Are you serious?"

I smiled and nod at her. Hazel needs to share her feelings with him because we don't have forever to spend together. There are just a few more months left before we head off to college. Time's ticking." I tap my wrist.

She sighs and shakes her head. She starts moving forward again on her jog while I chase after her. I suspect you raised that topic because you wanted to stop running.

I chuckle softly while directing my gaze toward her and say "Maybe, maybe not."

"You're something else, Em."

My goal right now is to help my friend express her emotions. Call me Cupid." I joke.

"Yeah, whatever." After she rolls her eyes, we resume our run.

Working out came to an end for Hazel and me after several hours. My legs feel weaker than they ever have before.

Feeling refreshed followed my Starbucks visit and a lengthy cold shower. After staying with me for several minutes Hazel left and I found it was 12:04 when I looked at the clock. Lily wants me there by 12:15, so I better get going.

"Wait! Let me come with you. I'm always up for some ice cream!" Hazel zooms ahead of me then bolts out through the front door.

I burst into laughter as we both jumped into our vehicles and headed toward the destination. I enter through the door while the bell rings to signal my arrival.

I noticed Lily at the counter where she was examining the cash register. She looked up, "Hi, dear. " She smiled.

"Hi, Lily." I greet her back.

Afterwards Hazel walked in and waved at her as well. "Hi, Ms. Rowan!" Her tone was upbeat as usual.

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