Hush (WATTYS 2017)

Chapter 8- Hair

The next morning I woke up with a heavy feeling on my side. As much as I moved around, the feeling never went away.

It was almost pleasurable.

My brain finally started working.

This isn't my room...my walls are cream. These ones are pure white. I don't know where I am...

I instantly start to panic. Did Carl somehow find me?!

I hear a groan beside me, causing me to freeze. Who. Is. Next. To. Me?!

My panic rises.

"Calm down." The person beside me mumbles. His voice was husky and sleepy. It was hot.

The man beside me sounded so familiar too. I turn my head to see Justin, his eyes are still closed. He's right next to me. His hair is a mess on top of his head, it's boyishly cute. Light freckles are peppered across his nose and cheeks. They're only a shade or two lighter.

His long lashes create shadows on his cheeks. His lips look soft and so pink. He looks so peaceful right now.

Does he know it's me...?

I lightly shake him. He groans, but makes no effort to wake up. I sigh and harshly turn to face him. He jolts awake.

His honey colored eyes searching the room for danger. His eyes land on me.

"Good morning." He whispers. I smile. He looks at his arm and clears his throat. He removes his arm from me, leaving me cold. I almost whimper at the loss of warmth.

I throw the covers off of me, and stand up. The shirt he gave me to borrow falls down to my mid thigh.

I stretch and turn back to him. He's on his side, leaning on his elbow for support. His eyes scan over my body. His eyes are now a darker shade of brown. I shift uncomfortably.

His eyes return to my face. I smile to say thank you. "You're welcome."

Seriously, he's a mind reader.

I take a deep breath, nod my head once, and walk out of the room.

"Wait!" I hear Justin call after me. I turn to him. "Your present is in there." Oh yeah. He told me it was. I nod and stay still. "Sorry, I just wanted to see your reaction." He says with a nervous smile. I smile back and head inside, Justin following.

A gasp escapes my lips. He did all of this?

When?

The room is now painted gray with a blue accent wall, a new, gray and blue comforter is on the bed along with white fluffy pillows and a throw blanket. More clothes are on the closet along with shoes. I turn to him and smile.

I walk towards him and hug him tight. He hugs back. I love it.

"So you like it?" I nod. "Good," he states. "Also," he says, reaching into the closet. "It's re-framed, you can do whatever with it." He says, handing me a large black frame. I turn it over and see it's his jersey. I smile. "So yeah happy early birthday."

I set it on the bed and sat next to it. Justin sat next to me. "So, I hope you don't mind, but I invited the guys from yesterday over for Tomorrow." I smile at him. "Good."

They were nice.

Genevieve was kind of harsh at first but she was nice later.

"So... what do you want for breakfast?"

•

After breakfast he told me he had to go to work for a few hours. I nodded.

"You..." he sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "You won't run away right?" He looked into my eyes. I nodded. I mean it.

I wouldn't run away this time. I liked it here. I was slowly starting to trust that I was safe here. At least with Justin. I knew I could fully trust Justin.

"Okay, I don't need another heart attack." I smiled. He cares about me... why though? We barley know each other.

It feels weird to have someone care about me like this. It's almost too good to be true.

•

It's now evening and I am currently relaxing on the couch. Justin is right next to me, watching 'Worst Cooks in America' with me. This show is actually pretty funny.

I turn to him and tap his shoulder. "What's up?" He says, his whiskey colored eyes showing the smallest amount of concern. I tug on my hair.

"Oh, um... Hair?" I nodded. I take my hand and use a scissor motion to "cut" my hair. "Oh! You want to cut your hair!" I nod. "I know a girl." He says smiling, pulling out his phone and texting someone. "She'll be hear soon." I smile, happy to get my hair cut.

•

A while later, a knock sounds through the room. Justin gets up and walks to the door. I follow.

A tall girl with dark, tan skin and black hair with pink highlights, holding a big black cosmetics bag, waits for us. "Hey, Steph." Justin greets. "Hi! Is this her?" Justin nods. She smiles at me. "I'm Steph." She holds out her hand for me. "This is Ariana." Justin introduced me. "Well lets go upstairs!" Steph takes my hand and guides me upstairs to my room.

"Cute room." I smile at her.

She hands me her phone, "So, tell me what you want done."

I type away on her phone.

I want a layered hair cut that goes to the middle of my shoulder blades, please.

She smiles. "That I can do." She says, pulling out some scissors, a hair brush, and a blow drier.

About an hour later, my hair is finished. I look in the mirror. I smile widely. I turn to her and hug her. "You're welcome!" She says, hugging back.

We walk downstairs, "Justin! Come see how cute Ariana is!" She calls. "I know she's cute, Steph." He says, making me blush.

A while later, he's here, in front of us.

"Wow. You look gorgeous." He says, smiling. By now, I'm tomato red. I smile back at him. "Thank you, Steph." He says. "My pleasure! Bye guys!" We wave goodbye and she leaves.

"She's talented, huh?" I nod my head. She really is. And my head feels so much lighter. Maybe now I won't need an hour to shower, and another to use the blow dryer.

"Y'know..." Justin starts, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I-I meant what I said, you do look gorgeous. N-not that you didn't always, but-..." He sighs, I let out a small giggle and a warm smile. Why is he nervous?

"What I'm trying to say is, you're new hair suits you."

I smile at him again. I put my hand on his bicep and squeeze. I feel the pleasurable sparks run through my arm and throughout my body. He looks at me, shock and amazement swirled in his honey eyes.

He was just about to go back to work, since the Alpha had called him, but stopped and turned to me. "And hey," hey smiled at me. I blushed, why does his smile do that to me?

"Tomorrow's your birthday!" I beamed at him.

"Maybe you'll find your mate." His voice sounded almost sad. I was sad too.

If I meet my mate tomorrow, I would have to leave Justin and Cassie... And Genevieve... All my friends.

And a part of me, a small part of me, hopes that Justin will be my mate... But that'll never happen. He deserves better than me.