No answer. A chill crept down my spine.But now wasn't the time to chicken out. I forced myself to sound braver than I felt. "Who the hell are you?""It's me, Pete!"Footsteps followed, and then he added, "Your date from the café earlier."Wait, what?Of all people, Pete? After just one coffee date, he was out here creeping on me? That made this whole thing even creepier.The hallway was pitch black because the lights were out. I could barely see a thing, just some vague shapes barely lit by the moonlight sneaking in through the window.He wasn't close enough for me to see his face yet.I gripped my key tight, ready to defend myself if I had to. "Why are you following me?""Don't freak out, okay? I'm not here to hurt you. I just wanted to make sure you got home safe. It's late, and it's not exactly safe for a girl to walk alone at this hour," he said as he finally stepped into view.I almost laughed at that.Like, seriously? Stalking me in the dark was supposed to make me fe
Hayden had been popping up in my life a lot lately, but this was the first time he'd actually shown up at my doorstep. "What do you want this time?""I agreed," he said, throwing me off for a second.Agreed to what?"To pretend to be your boyfriend. To be your temporary boyfriend," Hayden clarified.I was taken aback, especially since he'd turned me down before. "Why did you change your mind?""If I didn't, you'd just keep going on ridiculous dates and end up being stalked again like today, wouldn't you?" Hayden's tone started off resigned, but by the end, there was a sharp edge to it.I couldn't help but notice the mix of frustration and concern on his face, barely visible in the dim light. It was almost... amusing."Aren't you going to be miserable, doing something you don't even want to do?"He caught the teasing in my voice and took a step closer. Instinctively, I stepped back, only to bump into the railing behind me—no escape.He leaned in, his arm trapping me between the
I turned to look at Hayden, and he was staring right back at me. With just the two of us alone in that quiet room, the air felt thick.It was crazy, though. We'd stayed in the same hotel room before without any issues.But now, in this two-bedroom apartment, it was like the walls were closing in, and the space between us was shrinking, making it hard to even breathe.After a few moments of this intense staring contest, Hayden finally broke the silence. "Maybe I should just crash on the couch."I blinked, completely thrown."Only your real boyfriend should be sleeping in your room. I... the couch is fine," Hayden added, sounding like he was trying to convince himself as much as me. His words hit me, making me feel like I was somehow being unfair to him.I knew what he was up to—he was laying on the pressure, subtly hinting that he wanted to be more than just a friend.Guess it's true what they say: honest guys can be the most cunning.But I wasn't going to fall for it. I just sh
I didn't even know why I felt like crying—my heart felt heavy, like it was too full.Maybe it was because, in this apartment that had been so empty without my parents, someone was finally showing me some care again.Or maybe it was because Hayden just got me. He knew that even though I'd left the amusement park project behind, my heart was still tangled up in it.I kept staring at the note over and over. Finally, I took it down and walked out of the bathroom. That's when I saw it—a thermal container and a plate with a fried egg sitting on the small dining table in the kitchen.At that moment, I pressed the note to my chest, and the tears I'd been holding back started to spill over.Hayden had made breakfast for me. I couldn't just ignore that, so after eating, I sent him a quick message: [Thank you.]Two simple words, but I couldn't take his kindness for granted.As soon as I hit send, I started messing with the trinkets I'd bought at the night market yesterday. But before I cou
Sometimes, you just had to cut through the mess before it swallowed you whole.I really hoped Hayden could be the one to finally sever my ties with Jace for good.After hanging up on Gavin, I got back to tidying up my apartment, trying to distract myself. The pink blanket Hayden had used last night was folded neatly on the bed.I couldn't help but laugh as I pictured him wrapped up in that pink blanket.Life was going to throw a bunch of challenges our way, but these little random moments of happiness? They made everything worth it.Even though Gavin's news should've made me anxious, I weirdly felt calm. I was actually ready to wait for the call from my new job, even if it was to let me go.But I cleaned my tiny apartment, made sure every corner was spotless, and even took care of the plants on the balcony—still, my phone stayed completely silent.Finally, I brewed some tea and curled up in the rocking chair on the balcony with a book. That's when I heard voices from outside.C
Just as Lena and I were having a great conversation, I heard a door open and close across the hall. Ms. Brown had mentioned a new tenant was moving in today, so I figured my new neighbor had finally arrived."Do you think I should introduce myself? You know, just in case something like last night happens again. It might be easier to ask for help," I asked Lena."If your new neighbor's a guy and you go knocking on his door right after he moves in, he might think you're either way too friendly or, worse, a total creep," Lena said, making me laugh."Really?" I asked."Really," she confirmed.Alright, I guess I'll just wait for a random run-in.You'd think I'd bump into someone living right across the hall, but nope. For the next two days, I didn't see the new neighbor even once, and Hayden didn't show up either.So, the hero saved the day once and then just dipped, not caring if that blind date guy might come back for round two?Yeah, that definitely knocked Hayden down a peg in m
There was no response on the other end, just the sound of the call disconnecting.Even though the door in front of me hadn't opened yet, I knew I'd guessed right.A moment later, the door swung open, and there stood Hayden, dressed in gray loungewear.So, my new neighbor was Hayden.So, the past few days, it wasn't like he hadn't been around—he was literally living right across from me.He wasn't pulling late shifts anymore; instead, he was coming here early, staying in that apartment, quietly watching over me. But even though he was just across the hall, he hadn't said a single word to me.And now it all clicked—he must've decided to rent this place when he was fixing my pipes.When I saw him, everything finally made sense."Come in," Hayden said calmly, not even a hint of embarrassment for getting caught.Honestly, there was nothing wrong with him renting the place; I was the one making a big deal out of it. But still, I couldn't bring myself to just say, "Hey."Instead of
My heart pounded like crazy. "I already told you, we can't happen. If this is how you feel, we should stop pretending to be a couple. I'll find someone else."As soon as those words slipped out, Hayden, who'd been standing there like a statue, suddenly took a big step toward me. "And who exactly do you plan on finding?"I instinctively stepped back, but he just kept coming, his voice low and intense. "Another blind date? Or maybe some friend?"The jealousy was practically dripping off him."Hayden Hart!" I tried to stop him, but I ended up backing right into a corner, nowhere left to go.Before I could say anything else, he was like, "Yeah, I have feelings for you. But you turned me down, so I'm not gonna push it."Wait, what?Now I was the one who was totally confused.Hayden's expression stayed serious, his eyes locked on mine. "I'm just your neighbor now. If you don't overthink things, there's nothing to worry about."I stood there, speechless.Was he saying I was the one