Outspoken ❂ Hayes Grier

xii

the grier house was like no other. everything was so different from places i've lived; it was serene and spread out. i imagined hayes as a kid, running through the knee-high grass and climbing trees. i'd never experienced the "skinned knees and bike rides" type of childhood, but the placidity of the farm made me long for a more fulfilling youth.

i watched hayes, noticing that his lips had remained upturned since he woke up this morning. his opal eyes glistened as he scanned the farm. i could tell how happy he was being home.

"the chicken coop is over there." hayes pointed at a rickety hut, its beige paint worn and peeling. straw stuck out from every direction, and the sound of clucking grew louder as we walked closer. "we haven't fixed it up since i was probably about 4," hayes grinned, noticing my facial expression. "i'm sure johnny will get to it."

i didn't bother asking who that was. i didn't want to interrupt hayes' tour, because it was obviously keeping a smile on his face, which kept a smile on mine.

nostalgia bubbled in his eyes as he explained and showed me everything else. everything had a backstory or an explanation, which i loved.

"nash made this for skylynn a few summers back." hayes gripped the rope that held up a piece of wood. i looked up and saw that it was tied to a sturdy branch that looked at least 25 feet off the ground.

"how did he get up there?" my neck began to hurt from looking so high up. i tripped over something as i was looking up. i tried to steady myself, but hayes caught my elbow just in time. he laughed and i tried to pretend that his touch didn't leave tingles on my arm.

"you're clumsy as hell, shay." he laughed and revealed a row of perfect, white teeth. i rarely got to see them.

hayes began to explain how nash had built the swing, but my mind was traveling elsewhere. i couldn't stop looking at his eyes, or his nose, or the cute little moles in the shape of a triangle under his lips. his lips. were they always that big? they looked soft. i shook my head.

"get on!" he held the circular piece of wood with both hands and motioned for me to sit.

i laughed. loudly. "that was made for skylynn. do you really think that's gonna hold me?" i pointed at my thighs, which weren't particularly small or ladylike. quite the opposite, actually.

hayes frowned. "don't say that, shay."

i knit my eyebrows together. "what-"

"i hate when girls put themselves down. i hate when anyone does." hayes looked at me genuinely. "you're fucking... perfect. so don't say stuff like that."

i didn't know what to think. i bet my face was twisted into some kind of confused grimace, but i couldn't help it. never in my life would i have thought of him to say that.

"that's really fucking sweet, hayes." i couldn't help but smile up at him.

his eyes wavered between mine and my lips. i realized how close we were.

i coughed. "anyway. i'll just-" i swung a leg over the seat, steadying myself with hayes' arm. i swung my other leg over and allowed my hands to grip the worn rope.

hayes spun me around so his hands were on my thighs and i could feel his breath on my neck. i was aware again how close we were. i secretly wished he would keep his hands on my legs, but the longing was replaced by fear when hayes sent me flying into the air. i'd failed to realize how high up the swing would go once i was on.

"WHAT THE FUUUUUCK!" i half laughed, half screamed as i clung onto the rope for dear life. "YOU DIDN'T TELL ME IT WENT THIS HIGH!"

i mustered up enough courage to look down, only to see hayes laughing like a hyena, back on the ground. the ground looked pretty fucking nice at the moment.

after getting over the fear of being so high, i discovered i was able to see the entire farm from so high up. it was nice. i breathed a happy sigh; something about being here made me forget all my problems. almost.

fuck. thoughts of my sister, mother, and colin flooded my mind as the swing lost height and brought me back to the ground. i doubt hayes had checked his phone since i saw colin's text, and i've been ignoring my mom, sister, and cara since this morning. i would give anything to forget about it all and just have fun.

"fucking most fun you've ever had, right?" hayes looked at me and leaned down to pat zan, who'd found his way outside.

i breathed slowly. "you could have told me it went that high."

hayes smirked. "you're cute. c'mon, i wanna show you something else."

my chest grew hot and i'm sure my cheeks did as well when he called me cute.

what was i getting into?