Not From Around Here- A Hunter Hayes fanfic

Chapter 29- Just As Friends

***Hey guys! So really quick- school starts back next week for me, meaning I won't be able to update every other day like I am now. I'll go back to updating only on the weekends, like I did last school year. School is my top priority, seeing as I'm now a freshman in high school, everything I do as far as grades go just got 100x more important. Please be patient with me on updating, I'll try my best to update at least once every weekend, but if I don't, it probably means I was busy and didn't have time, or I just forgot.***

Hunter's POV-two days later

Today is our last day in California. This means that it's my last day to try and get back on Melody's 'good' side, and that could be tricky to accomplish. She doesn't know that Jessie and I are over, and to be honest, I haven't really let it sink in for myself. I thought she'd be different!

You think you know somebody, geez.

As I pace back and forth in my hotel room, I nervously play with my phone in my hands. I know I should call Melody and at least tell her that Jessie and I ended things, I mean, it's only fair. The poor girl was in tears at the fact that I was dating someone the other night on the pier. The only problem is, when Melody decides she doesn't like you, she keeps her word. Unless you just happen to be able to get her out of her shell, like I almost had done in Nashville.

I have a feeling she won't have anything to do with me.

Now, before you go jumping to conclusions, no. I do not have feelings for Melody. We're friends, and only friends. I don't even think we're 'friends', more like frenemies, if she even considers me worthy enough for that title. I just think she deserves to at least know that I'm not taken anymore, for her sake. Hesitantly hovering my thumb over the 'Call' button next to her name, I start to second guess myself.

"Oh, stop it, Hayes. Be a man," I tell myself, hitting the green button, putting the phone up to my ear. The phone rings four times, before she finally picks up. "Hello?" she asks, her voice sounding tired. "Hey, Melody," I start slowly. I could almost hear the frown in her voice. "What do you want, Hunter? Did your little girlfriend decide she didn't want you anymore?" she snapped, clearly unhappy with the fact that I was contacting her. I scratched the back of my neck, feeling rather awkward. "Well, um, yes. She did, actually. I just thought you should know, you seemed pretty upset the other night on the pier," She was silent for a few moments. I wonder what she was thinking.

"Oh," she says, breaking the silence. "Yeah," I reply, not sure of how else to answer. "I, uh, I-I'm sorry to hear that," she said awkwardly, like she was forcing herself to feel sympathy. Knowing her, she probably was.

More silence.

"So, how've you been?" I ask, changing the subject. I flopped down onto the bed, putting my hands behind my head. I set my phone on my stomach, putting it on speaker. "Fine," she answered, almost too quickly. I could hear the shakiness in her voice. "You don't sound fine. You sound like you're about to be upset," I tell her gently. A few seconds later, I heard her inhale sharply, like she was holding back tears. "You alright?" I question, concerned. "I'm sorry, Hunter. I just don't know what to think of you right now," she admits slowly, as if she were admitting it to herself more than she was admitting it to me.

"It's okay, I get it. I'd feel the same way. Let me ask you this, do you dislike or like me any more than you did before?" I ask curiously. "I don't know," she answered, sounding frustrated with herself. "Tonight is our last night in California. We did the show the day after I ran into you," I explain, sitting up on the hotel bed. "I thought you and the band left after the show?" she asks, intrigued. "Nope. They wanted to stay for a few extra days, so we did. Anyway, I was wondering, and you, uh, you don't have to if you don't want to, but would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?" I ask her slowly, hoping that wouldn't scare her off.