Page 20 of The Publicity Stunt
ChapterSix
Fourteen Years Ago
HAYDEN
It’s a Friday night and we’re lying on April’s rooftop, looking at the stars. A rough breeze picks up and the tree nearby makes a rustling sound.
“Parker,” she says.
“You know I don’t like that.”
“Like what?”
“When people call me by my last name,” I say.
“I’m the only one who does that.”
I turn my head to look at her. “It makes me feel douchey.”
“You share a last name with an Avenger. That’s not douchey. That’s badass.”
Biting back a smile, I turn my attention to the night sky. She has a point.
“Parker?”
“Yes?”
“Do you think we would’ve been friends if your mom hadn’t forced you to go to that party?”
Where is this coming from? “Yeah,” I respond without any hesitation.
“How do you know?” she says.
“I just do.”
Another beat of silence later, she speaks up again. “Something happened in school today.”
“You mean the soul-enriching experience of learning?”
“Tyler Hockman asked me to the Spring Social.”
Immediately my forehead scrunches up into a frown. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”
She takes in a deep breath, nodding. “Yeah. Yeah, I did.”
“Okay, then. What’s wrong?”
“The Spring Social is in a week.
“I’m not following.”
She sits up and a simultaneous expression of confusion and guilt paints her face. “I haven’t kissed anyone yet.”
Propping my hand behind my head, I frown. “Still not following.”
“What if he tries to kiss me? Or more?”
Pausing for a second, I gather my thoughts and sit up too. “Do you not want to kiss him?” What a moronic question. Of course, she doesn’t want to kiss him. Why else would she ask me?
