Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Chapter Eight of the Most Indecribable Summer to Date

I was smiling all throughout work the next day. I had stayed out long enough to avoid Dalton, and with Halle’s Hero, nonetheless. We kept sharing these funny glances where both of us ended up smiling like complete idiots.

I wasn’t telling Kasey. Last night was my secret to keep. She hadn’t earned me telling her. Maybe I was being a baby about the whole thing, but friends just weren’t s’posed to put their new boyfriends before friends. Kasey was better than that. She had never done it before now. I was surprised at her.

So, no. The most exciting thing that had happened to me all year was my secret alone.

I watched the clock anxiously for twelve o’clock to hit, my lunch break. Today I would be having my usual lunch with Oliver. Only it wouldn’t really be usual anymore now that we’d kissed twice, would it? He wouldn’t be all weird, would he? I mean, he hadn’t been before.

Stop being so girly and insecure! I scolded myself. You crazy, insecure girl!

At that moment, the infamous boy sat on my counter, leaning too close to me. He smirked deviously. "Hello, sunshine," he murmured brightly. "What d’you say we take our lunch early today? Get your girl friend to cover for you."

I bit my lip, actually considering it. "Why? Did you have something else in mind?" I flirted shamelessly.

He lifted his brows. "Me?" he asked in mock surprise. He frowned. "Halle Queens, I am shocked at you! You brazen hussy."

I shrugged, trying not to giggle like a girl. "Hey, whatever rocks your boat."

He wiggled his brows suggestively.

I rolled my eyes, shoving his shoulder. "Shut up. You know what I meant."

"I do. That’s what’s so shocking." Oliver slipped off the counter before I could shove him. He came around to lean over my chair, getting right up in my face. "C’mon, Queens. Break the rules for me."

I felt my face flush. "I can’t believe you’re turning me into a rule breaker."

He stood straight, offering his hand. "You’re already a rule breaker, sunshine. But breaking the rules for me is different."

I took his head and let him pull me up, trying to ignore the jolts that rushed up my arm. "You sure are something."

Oliver pulled me closer to him. "No, Halle. You’re something," he murmured. His eyes held no hint of amusement.

I blinked, wondering what I was doing. And then not caring at all as he led me into the Employee’s Only room, never letting go of my hand.

I admit, I got myself all worked up, thinking we were gonna go make out in a closet or something. But we just ate our lunch and talked. And honestly? That was almost better. I didn’t think Oliver and I had ever really talked with no real flirting involved. It was….nice. Different. But nice. Refreshing.

I had never met anyone like Oliver Hudgenson. He claimed he was a bad boy, but he never did drugs. He was an infamous heartbreaker, but all I had seen so far was that he was a little bit of a romantic. Maybe he had been the heart-broken.

I had misjudged him. By a mile. I couldn’t imagine my days without him, now. He was….he made me smile in my sleep when I saw his face behind my closed eyes. He made me nervous and on edge, like how every girl is around her first crush. My stomach was a mess around him.

And the really weird thing was I didn’t wanna just make out with him in a coat closet. I wanted to stay up late talking to him about things that didn’t even matter, just for the sake of his hearing his voice in my ear. I wanted him to hold me when the world seemed grey and meaningless. I wanted him to hold my hand through the mall, or put his arm around me in the movie theater. I wanted to break the rules for him.