Daydream (Maple Hills, #3)(38)
What about the replacement sketchy bar?
HENRY
Halle is going with her friends and is going to use Emilia’s ID
LOLA
Uh how?
RUSS
Aurora said they look similar enough and “no one will care if Halle’s boobs are on show”
BOBBY
No one say anything. Muffin is setting up a trap MATTIE
I didn’t even know she had any, Hen. Promise
ANASTASIA
WHY are you guys like this?
LOLA
Let’s hope they don’t pay too much attention to height lol KRIS
It’ll be fine. What’s 7 inches between friends
JAIDEN
That’s what Henry said to her last night
JAIDEN
Boom
JAIDEN
Good evening
JAIDEN
Who’s Halle?
LOLA
Jumpscare. Yuck
JAIDEN
Now that isn’t very nice is it
BOBBY
Halle is Henry’s new “friend” who he wants to spend all his time with but “definitely isn’t hooking up with”
MATTIE
I’m down to give sketchy bar 2.0 a chance.
KRIS
Same
ANASTASIA
It gorgeous there isn’t anything sketchy about it now
Russ is trying to hide his laugh at the same time as hiding his phone from Aurora. I switch back to Halle.
HALLE
We’re going, too. Aurora is bringing you a fake ID.
Thank you!! See you later
I—incredibly reluctantly—switch back to my friends.
PRETTY BEST FRIENDS
ANASTASIA
Of course they can be friends and not hook up JJ
KRIS
Are you really the person to champion that as a possibility?
LOLA
She’s so gorgeous I sort of want to bow at her feet ROBBIE
I’d like to see how she’d react if you did that MATTIE
No I get what you mean in a very platonic and not at all triggering to Henry way RUSS
I think she’s a nice person
BOBBY
That’s the spirit, muffin
HENRY
Please don’t be weird to her. She’s my friend.
KRIS
We’re just playing, Cap. She’s great and we’ll stop BOBBY
Message received mon capitaine
ROBBIE
Fuck it maybe one drink
MATTIE
Normality at last
I THINK EVERY SINGLE PERSON in LA decided to try to come to this bar tonight and I haven’t even seen Halle yet.
Four people have hit on me according to the guys, who take great enjoyment in keeping count, but I hadn’t noticed. I don’t know how many times I’ve checked my cell phone, but I now receive punches to the arm every time I tap my screen. I keep looking at the time, but I can’t actually remember what time it is.
It’s too hot. It’s too busy. It’s too loud. My clothes feel too tight and scratchy and it’s like I can feel my hair too much, but I need to be here for the team. And I do really want to see Halle. We were lucky to grab a few tables next to the wall when another big group left as we arrived, but even with more privacy than standing at the bar, it still feels too busy.
I didn’t notice Aurora was gone until she reappears, tailed by Halle and her friends. Halle immediately makes a beeline for me, grinning broadly. As she gets closer to where I’m sitting, her smile dulls and eyebrows pucker. “What’s wrong?”
How do you tell another person that you can feel parts of your body too much? And if whoever is in control of music puts on one more squeaky, repetitive, poorly remixed track that you might scream. “Not a fan of the noise.”
She nods and puts her purse down on the table beside my phone. “Can I touch your head? Just your ears and temples.”
Anyone else I’d have immediately said no, but I nod. She steps closer, positioning herself between my legs. The bar stool I’m sitting on puts us face to face and she really is even more beautiful up close.
Halle’s palms flatten over my ears, and she applies pressure gently. Her thumbs find my temples, and to anyone else she probably looks like she’s about to kiss me, but she’s muffling the noise. Leaning in toward my left ear, she lifts the pressure of her hand slightly. “Should we leave? You’ve had a big weekend. Nobody would blame you if you needed to rest.”
Her hair tickles against my cheek. I tuck it behind her ear, placing my mouth next to her ear so she can hear me. “You only just got here. Your friends…”
“We’ve been together for hours and they won’t mind. Let’s go!”
Before I can object she’s picking up her bag and walking toward Cami and Ava. She leans in and they both nod and smile, seemingly unbothered that I’m stealing her away. The guys all give me a look as I let them know I’m leaving, and I don’t have it in me to argue that we’re not leaving together in the way they think. Halle slides her hand into mine as we navigate out of the bar, and as soon as the fresh air hits me the tightness in my chest slowly begins to ease a little. “Sorry for ruining your night,” I say as I summon a car on my phone.
“Has anyone ever told you you apologize a lot?”
“Never.” I slide off my jacket and place it over her shoulders. “Here, you’re not wearing a lot and you might get cold.”