Noah sits back, and looks his sister in the eye as he says, “That’s where I’m smart. I have a rule about that.”
“And what’s that?” Hannah asks, skepticism written all over her face. Noah’s dark hair, matching Hannah’s, falls into his eyes and he brushes it away.
“Well, it’s quite simple,” he replies. “Up the bum, no babies.”
Hannah’s mouth drops open and Cameron howls with laughter. I start laughing next to Cameron but cover my mouth when Hannah glares at me.
“Ugh, you really are gross. I can’t believe we are even related.”
Noah pats Hannah on the back. “You still love me sis.”
“Well played dude,” Cameron says next to me, giving Noah a high-five.
“Thanks,” Noah smirks.
I glance down at my watch. “C’mon, Han, we have to go,” I tell Hannah.
I stand up but Cameron grabs my hand and pulls me onto his lap. His one hand stays wrapped around my wrist, while the other rests on my hip. His closeness is wreaking havoc on all of my senses. My yellow sundress rides up my thighs and my skin tingles where it makes contact with the rough material of Cameron’s jeans. His hot breath hits my neck and I have to clench my muscles to stop the shiver that wants to run down my spine. His stormy eyes meet mine and I see a smile playing at his mouth.
“Go out with me,” he whispers. “Put me out of my misery.”
Out of all the ways he’s asked me out, this has to be the best. He lifts a finger, tracing it from the soft spot below my ear down to the hollow of my neck. He seems oblivious to the eyes that have now fallen on us, and it feels like the cafeteria has grown completely quiet. Everyone’s watching us.
Deciding to be brave, and play Cameron at his own game, I lean in close, our lips almost touching.
“No,” I breathe.
He grins and I can see the challenge swirling in the depth of his eyes.
I climb from his lap, feeling my head swim. He drives me crazy and I’m sure he knows it. I accidentally knock my bag over, causing him to chuckle. Bastard.
I pick up the few things that fell from my bag and start towards the cafeteria doors, aware that everyone, including Hannah, is gawking at me. As soon as I’m outside, away from the scrutiny, my shoulders relax. Unfortunately there relief is short lived when Cameron bursts through the doors and runs after me.
“Hayley, wait!”
I spin around and see Cameron jogging towards me, a sexy, wide grin on his face. I take a moment to look at him, admire his boyishly rogue features. He really is stunning, in a rough kind of way.
“Go out with me,” he says, catching up with me.
Now I have no choice but to roll my eyes because that’s twice in one day that he’s asked me and it’s twice in one day that I’ll have to reject him.
“Cam,” I sigh. “We’ve been through this every day for the last month. My answer is no.”
“But now you have no choice but to say yes.”
My eyebrows dip and from a frown. I’m confused. “What do you mean?”
Instead of explaining, he simply hands me a crumpled piece of paper. I take it from him and unfold it. When I read it, my face splits into a grin and I struggle to contain the giggle that wants to explode from my chest.
“U.O.ME,” I read out aloud. “Signed, Cameron Argent.”
It’s the note he wrote after he gave me that ride to Campus. I can’t believe that was eight weeks ago. I feel like so much has happened between then and now, when in actual fact, very little has happened. Except that Cameron and I have become friends and I’ve been trying to ignore the obvious chemistry that always hums between us when we’re together. It’s in the way he smiles at me, and the way he makes me laugh, even when he’s not doing anything at all. I decide then, staring down at the silly little piece of paper, that I want to know more of Cameron Argent.
“So I’ll pick you up tomorrow night then. At your house, seven p.m. sharp.”
It’s not a question, but I can hear the hopefulness in his voice.
“Ok,” I acquiesce.
His shoulders relax and he smiles at me, only this time there’s a shyness to it that was absent before. He takes a step closer and leans down, his lips brushing my cheek.
“I can’t wait,” he says softly. He places a whisper of a kiss on my cheek and then turns to walk back in through the cafeteria doors. I stand, stunned, and slightly taken aback. Once again we had an audience but I hardly notice. In fact, I hardly notice anything else for the rest of the day until a slight panic washes over me.
I’m in trouble.
Because for the first time, I’ll have to tell someone about my daughter knowing that they’ll leave once they know.
** ** ** ** **
At quarter to seven, I walk into Ari’s room, dressed and ready. I’m wearing a dark pair of skinny jeans and a red strapless empire waist top. The cute pair of black wedges on my feet round of the outfit perfectly. My long brown hair is clipped on either side and curled at the ends, just to give it a little more bounce. My make-up is subtle, and I opted for a light pink blush, mascara and a nude lip-gloss.
Ari’s eyes light up when she see’s me and she squirms out of my grandmother’s hold to get to me. She climbs into my arms and hugs me, wrapping her arms around my neck. Her embrace does little to calm my frayed nerves. I’ve spent most of the afternoon worrying about tonight instead of getting lost in my excitement. Most girls would be feeling enlivened with nerves over a date, but all I’ve been able to think about is how I’m going to take the blow when Cameron decides we can’t be more than friends because I’m not like most girls my age. I wouldn’t be able to put him first. The little person in my arms already has that spot.
“You ready for bed, monkey?” I ask Ari, smiling at her pajama’s with all the Disney Princess’s on it.
She yawns and rests her head on my shoulders. I kiss her forehead, which feels a little warmer than usual, and lay her down on her bed, tucking her in.
“I love you,” I whisper.
She turns, giving me a shy smile. “I love you, mommy,” she whispers back.
I watch her close her eyes and switch on the night light next to her bed. I leave the door open slightly and head downstairs. My grandmother is drying the dishes when I walk into the kitchen.
“You look beautiful, Hayley,” she says warmly.
“Thank you,” I reply. “But I’m nervous.”
“I can tell,” she chuckles. “You look about ready to throw up.”
I look down, staring at my feet. My grandmother’s hands lift my face and she looks at me, her eyes shining bright with love and understanding. “You’re worried about telling him about Arianna,” she states. I forgot that this woman sometimes has a direct line to my thoughts.
I nod, biting my lip.
“Hayley, honey, you have to be honest with him, and if he’s the man God chooses for you and Arianna, then you’ll know. It will take a special kind of man to open his heart to both of you and when you meet him, your heart will know.”
I sigh. “But Gama, what if I want him to be that guy?” I ask earnestly.
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way, sweetheart. Sometimes the people we want are not the people chosen for us. But you never know, he might just surprise you.”