Page 46 of Puck'n Bully
Just as I get closer, my feet come to a halt.
Hayden stands near the quad with a few of his teammates, arms crossed over his chest, his varsity jacket open just enough to show the fitted black T-shirt beneath. A brooding expression spreads on his face, making him look even more intimidating than usual.
My heart pounds against my chest, sending a rush of heat through me as I take in his powerful build and chiseled jawline. I should look away, keep walking away from him but I just can’t seem to make my hormone-soaked brain work.
My traitorous eyes stay on Hayden, drinking in every little movement, every flex of his fingers as he ruffles his hair, every flicker of annoyance as a couple of pretty girls approach him.
They were the kind of girls Hayden could easily have.
They’re blonde and dressed in miniskirts and high heels. They keep smiling at him despite the scary brooding scowl on his face. They flirt with his friends shamelessly but tease him at the same time by touching his arm and flicking their hair in his face.
Hayden’s expression grows frigid. He raises his brow, his lips pressing into a hard line. He shifts away from their touch as if he’s both disgusted and bored by them.
A burning sensation spreads in my chest. I want to stomp over to those girls and tell them to leave Hayden alone. He’s clearly not interested in any of them because he’s still hung up on me.
Shit! I shouldn’t eventhinkof Hayden as mine.
A tight, suffocating feeling grows in my chest. I’ve stayed away from him, ignored all his messages, and even walked away from him when he came to talk to me last week.
It was one of the hardest things I ever did and yet, I’m still hung up on him.
Why can’t I walk away from him? Why am I still so affected by a guy who treats me like trash in front of his friends?
I need to accept the fact that Hayden isn’t mine. Even though he’s not interested in those girls, it doesn’t mean he wants me either. Not in the way I need him to.
Hayden’s dark eyes scan the people around him with that signature mix of arrogance and disinterest. Suddenly, he turns his head, right in my direction.
My stomach flips.
I tear my gaze away from him, too fast, too obvious.
My pulse thunders in my ears as I force my feet to keep moving, keep walking like I hadn’t just been staring at him like an idiot, wondering if he was doing okay.
My jaw clenches as self-hatred washes over me.
I hate feeling this way. Hayden keeps reminding me how it’s always going to be so damn hard to find someone who’ll proudly stand by my side and face the world with me.
I just need to stay away from Hayden, I tell myself, entering the crowded cafeteria. It’s the only way I can stay strong and give myself a chance to forget about him.
16
Hayden
Over a week has passed since Liam cut me off completely. He didn’t stop just at canceling our tutoring sessions. He’s also ignoring all my calls and texts.
This afternoon, I met his gaze for one fleeting second. Before I could tell whether he was looking at me or not, Liam walked away, heading toward the cafeteria.
Had it just been in my head or was Liam truly looking at me?
A group of puck bunnies were hovering around me at the time, being extra annoying. They touched me, poked me, and laughed at me each time I glared at them. My cold indifference seemed to have no effect on them as they collectively took it on themselves to annoy me.
Did Liam see them and misunderstand me?
“Hey, are you okay?” Logan asks, clapping a hand on my shoulder.
I grunt.
“Wow, you’re not even speaking to us now?” Mitchikov says with a chuckle.
