The Tale Of Hearts

Chapter 88

Hazel's POV

Throughout the night, I couldn't stop thinking about him. I kept turning side to side, which probably annoyed Tash as I struggled to get comfortable. His words kept replaying in my mind, making it hard to find any peace. Eventually, I managed to fall asleep, though it was well past midnight.

The next morning, the salty sea breeze and the fresh air greeted me, bringing a sense of calm and a new start to the day. After freshening up, we went to breakfast. Only Aunt and Mom joined us, as Kevin and Hyden had gone for an early morning walk with Uncle Collin, which I was relieved about. I wasn't ready to face him just yet. Nowadays even seeing him stirred a strange sensation in my stomach, as if those stupid monkies starting to dance in my stomach and I definitely wasn't up for dealing with the aftermath of last night's encounter.

After breakfast, Tash and I decided to head to the beach with aunt and mom. We busied ourselves getting ready, excited for a day by the sea. I looked at the two bikinis laid out on the bed, trying to decide which one to wear. One was a cute two-piece with a top that tied around the neck and a matching skirt. The other was another two-piece but wasn't really my style, which Tash had picked out for me. Since this morning, she'd been insisting I wear it, even though it felt way too sexy for my taste. The top had a plunging neckline that left little to the imagination, with thin straps that crisscrossed at the back. The bottoms were equally bold, with high-cut sides that accentuated the curves of my hips and a minimal coverage that made me feel exposed. 

"Definitely not my style," I thought, picking up the cute bikini and trying it on in front of the mirror. Just then, Tash came in from the bathroom, already dressed in her hot bikini which highlight her curves. She struck a playful pose. I gave her a smirk as she showed off her look., but she stopped and gave me a stern look. "Babe, don't tell me you're going to wear that."

I raised an eyebrow, trying to keep a playful tone. "What's wrong with it? It's comfy and cute."

Tash rolled her eyes, hands on her hips. "Comfy, sure, but today's theme isn't 'cute and comfy!' We need to look sexy. Remember, we have a plan, right?" she said in a nagging tone. "but_" i was about to argue but she stopped me in the middle, " No buts, end of discussion you are wearing this, "she stubbornly said pointing the sexy one.

I sighed, knowing she wouldn't let this go. "Alright, alright. I'll try on the other one." Tash clapped her hands excitedly. "Great! I promise you'll look amazing."

As I changed, Tash went to get the beach bags ready, clearly excited. As I got ready, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. Knowing what was going on in Tash's head made me even more nervous, especially with Hyden's threat still fresh in my mind.

I twirled around, checking myself out in the mirror, feeling a bit self-conscious. The bikini felt a lot more revealing than I was used to. I adjusted the straps of it and looked at Tash with a skeptical smile. "You know this is really not my style, right?"

Tash gave me a reassuring smile. "I know, but you look great. Trust me, that stupid Hyden is going to suffer a lot." Her reassuring smile slowly turned into a smirk making me cheeks hot.

Tash's smirk widened. "Exactly. Just remember, we're not just here to have fun. we're here to teach them a good lesson as well". I nodded, still unsure if this was the best idea. While Tash headed out with her beach bag, I threw on a loose, sheer T-shirt dress over the bikini to help me feel more comfortable. I took a deep breath and followed her out the door.

When we arrived at the beach, Aunt and Mom were already relaxing under a beach hut. To our surprise, the boys were there too, lounging and enjoying the sun. Tash and I approached the beach hut, and as we got closer, I quickly felt Hyden's intense gaze on me, making me nervous. I grabbed the sheer dress that reached my mid-thighs and pulled it down slightly, trying to cover up as his eyes scanned me from top to bottom several times. He released a deep breath, his jaw clenched, while his gaze stayed fixed on me.