𝐂𝐎𝐖𝐁𝐎𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐌𝐄 || 𝐫. 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨

THE SLAM OF HADLEY'S DAD'S TRUCK DOOR CAUSED THE four teenagers sitting at the table to look up and see the blonde girl walking down the hill toward them. Tyler was sitting at a table with three of his friends — Ray Hall, Sarah Miller, and Adam Lyons. They were laughing when she arrived, and the Young boy looked up at her curiously from where he was rolling joints. "What can I do for you, cuz?"

"My dad sent me over to get the lawnmower that your mom borrowed," she answered, trying to ignore the stares of the other three people, especially the smirk of the Hall boy that she could feel burning a hole into the side of her head.

"I'll go get that for you," he told her, and he climbed out of his seat and began walking toward the house. Before he left, however, he gestured to the seat that he had just vacated. "Have a seat while you wait. They don't bite."

As he was about to enter the house, Ray muttered to them, "I might." His smug look just caused the Alden girl to roll her eyes as she plopped down into the seat next to Sarah. "So, Hadley, you thinking about playing?"

"I don't know," she answered, even though she knew the real answer. She did not have to wonder about what he was talking about since it was pretty obvious. The truth was, she did plan to compete, but she really did not feel like being bullied by her cousin's friends for it. Most people assumed that since she was quiet, she was scared of everything, but that just was not true.

There were certain fears that she was worried about that she knew would catch up to her if she played, though. If she made it all the way to the individual challenges, they would find something that scares just her and use it to test her.

Ray leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table as he raised his eyebrows at her. "If you decide not to, maybe you could be my own personal cheerleader."

"You're disgusting, Ray," Sarah told him, hitting him roughly on the shoulder while the blonde girl next to her just scoffed and shook her head. She actually could not stand the boy, and she wanted to know what the hell was wrong with his brain.

"Here, you go, Hadley," Tyler called from behind them, and she turned to see him pushing the lawnmower down the hill. He gestured to the truck parked on the side of the house. "Want me to help you load it into the truck?"