My Heart CH.22

My Heart: A Joshayley Story
CHAPTER 22

HAYLEY'S POV:
I paused as I felt that tap on my shoulder. Hopeful that it was Josh, I turned around with a smile. Unfortunately, tonight was not my lucky night. Well, most nights had the sadness of being unlucky, for that event with yelling at Josh at my doorstep (which felt like it had happened ages ago), had caused a chain reaction of unfortunateness.

The person I had the pleasure (well, not really the pleasure) of aquainting was a short boy with braces and big glasses taped together with duct tape. The sight was slightly amusing. He grinned up at me widely. "Would you like to dance with me?" he asked in a breathy voice, muffled by his braces and the stereos in the room. I smiled out of total politeness and blushed. "I was actually on my way out," I replied apologetically. He walked away as I turned toward the door, closing my eyes. "I knew tonight was a bad night," I whispered to myself. As I began to descend toward the door, a soft voice startled me. "Hayley," it announced. My heart skipped a beat...that voice. I turned around.

Josh stood tall, wearing a pink polo and nice pants. The cologne he wore was foreign to me, it seemed fancy and I'd never smelled it before, but it was wonderful and definitely suited his personality well. Fresh and sultry.
We stood in the midst of the people on the dark dance floor, though my senses were completely filled with him and only him and it was hard to believe that people surrounded us. They seemed to disappear as we stared into each other's eyes. The slow song was still playing.
"Dance with me," he offered, holding out a hand, like a gentleman. I carefully took it, and he led me to the middle of the dance floor. I locked my hands behind his neck and he placed his hands on my waist, loosely and casually. We swayed slowly, and just as we got situated, the song had ended and the deejay changed it to some fast rap song. "Crap," I whispered to myself, in hopes that wasn't loud enough for him to hear. Josh let go of me as I unlocked my hands from his neck. "See you," he said, disappearing into a cloud of people. That dance was short lived. Luke found me and approached from behind. "Hayley, we're off to Amanda's house for a party she's hosting after the dance. Want to help us set up?" His voice was muffled by the loud music, but I only nodded. If this was my escape from the torture I'd get from this place (well, mostly the torture of having Josh in the same room as me and not dancing with me and only me), than I'd simply oblige.

We arrived at Amanda's house. It was very big and situated in the corner of town where people were much more richer than normal. "It was supposed to be held tomorrow," Amanda said of the party in her posh accent, "but I decided to do it tonight. I've already invited everyone and the deejay will announce it once the dance is done. I've got some wild things planned tonight." I gulped. Amanda laughed at me and my most likely horrified expression. "Hayley, it won't be that wild. Now come help me with the balloons."

As people began to arrive, I started to get worried. What if Josh came? I'd be stuck in an even smaller environment, a single house, with him...and a million other girls most probably drooling over him and using all the flirtiness that was supressed inside of them. Why was I avoiding him? I ran through all the stupid things I've done lately, and a wave of realization came through me. There was no reason to be avoiding Josh at all. I almost laughed at it as I pondered.
Tonight, I'd talk to him.
More people greeted each other as they entered through Amanda's stain glass door, in a buzz and moving too fast that I feared there would not be enough room for everyone.
I watched from afar, well, Amanda's couch to be exact, and waited until Josh would enter through that door.
The music through the stereo boomed. Amanda stood in front of me and held out her hand, her expression excited. "Don't just sit and slump here, Hayley! Go mingle, talk to people. I can introduce you if you want." I shook my head and smiled. "I'm kind of waiting for someone," I replied. Amanda nodded and walked away. I turned my head towards the door again, watching it. As expected, it flew open and Josh, his body looking tall and his face still as gorgeous as I'd remembered it, entered. What wasn't expected was who appeared from behind, Blair Marshall. She looked pretty stunning with her short, silvery white dress and curled hair. She seemed...perfect, beside him, as if she totally belonged there because she was far more beautiful than I was.
His eyes locked with mine for a mere half second, until he had meekly turned away and was suddenly crowded with a sea of people, greeting him.
I stood up despite the crowd and tried approaching him...but my attempts were useless. There were too many people.

"Okay everyone!" Amanda called out, with a fancy glass cup in one hand, "Come to the living room for a classic party game: spin the bottle!" An explosion of frantic and excited mutters from the crowd came about as everyone walked to the living room and sat in one giant circle, some people draped on the couches, fearing the game and just watching intently. I frantically moved toward the kitchen but Luke pulled my hand and insisted I join. I sat next to him.

"Okay, it's only five minutes in the closet per person," Amanda said, standing in the middle of the circle. The scene was slightly reminiscent of that campfire I had along with Jaelyn. What embarrassment would be brought to me here?
She pulled out an empty soda bottle and placed it in the center. "Okay, let's begin!" I watched the bottle spin around wildly. People's eyes widened as it slowed, and finally pointed to the lucky winner. And it was perfect, just perfect. Me. I'm being sarcastic about the perfection of the event, mind you.
"Hayley!" Amanda exclaimed. "Okay, you know the rules. In the closet you go!" Amanda pulled out a red bandanna. "Here's your blindfold." She wrapped it around my eyes, and I was led into the closet. As she closed the door, my heart threatened to pump out of my chest. I curled into a fetus position, my back against the closet wall, as I tried to breathe. Muffled voices ran through the room and a sudden stream of light had entered the closet. Someone entered, and it was closed once more.
I turned my head instinctively towards the direction I presumed the person came from and only frowned. "Okay, you enjoy yourselves. We'll be timing." I heard Amanda say. She closed the door as my unknown man entered the closet with me. I gulped, it was the only reaction I thought right.
The person in the closet with me seemed...hesitant. His breathing matched mine, we were both nervous, it was clear, and I was glad we were on common ground. Something familiar encircled the closet...I couldn't put my tongue on it. Cologne...fresh, wonderful smelling...but the events prior to this were blurred because all my concentration was focused on this moment.

And suddenly, I was feeling his hot breath against my lips. He was closer now...and for some reason, I wanted him to close the gap between us. And finally, his lips touched mine.
The kiss was strange, with both a familarity and unfamiliarity to it at the same time. But I had never felt such a connection in such a long time. I felt my hands feel for his hair, trying to see if I remembered his features. His tongue had darted in my mouth and I felt my heart beat faster. His hands felt for my back, and we both leaned in closer to each other. I felt myself lean even more against him, and my chest touched his. We both broke for air and panted heavily. That kiss was amazing. Suddenly light broke into the dark closet as Amanda opened the door. I heard voices and rude whistles as they looked at us, locked in the position. I could feel their eyes.
The boy pulled away and he was gone in a flash, his lips unlocking from mine so hastily that I almost groaned at the loss of contact. Amanda untied the blindfold. I walked away and out the door. I had no reason to stay anymore.

That party was the buzz of the school Friday morning. But the even bigger buzz was that spin the bottle game. I heard my name and Blair's name come up in many conversations. "Can you believe who she kissed?" A girl asked during science. "Blair must be pissed," another voice said. At lunch, everyone who sat around me had some...tension, like they knew something I didn't, which I was very sure of. Nobody talked to me. I looked toward Blair and Josh's usual spot.
Wait, Josh wasn't there.
Blair, her hair still perfect and her facial features accentuated with the make up she wore, sat with some preppy girls. I looked around at other tables. Josh wasn't anywhere in the cafeteria. But where was he?

"Hello?" I called, knocking on the Farro's door after school. Zac opened it up for me. "Josh isn't home. He said he had to take care of some business," he said. "Mmm...er, okay. Can you tell him I was over? I...I really need to talk to him," I said. Zac nodded and munched on a chip before closing the door.

Around eleven PM, I dragged myself up into my dark room, disappointed I did not have one opportunity at all today to get things straight with Josh. Mom was working a night shift, and of course, dad was gone. I tried turning the lights on--my room was impossibly dark--but something brushed against me and locked the door from behind. I gasped, but a pair of lips hit mine hard. It was too dark to see anything...but this kiss had that same amazingness that came with that one at Amanda's party...and I wanted it to continue.
My eyes closed as I willingly kissed back, trusting the lips that were around mine. This person's hands moved to the small of my back, pulling me closer in. There was a sudden fire everywhere, my body feeling exhilarated and excited. He was everywhere, whoever he was.
The hard wall of my bedroom had suddenly slammed against my back, but there was no pain. I couldn't feel anything else besides a beautiful burning, a longing, the desire. I pulled him in, my hands knotting in his hair, my legs wrapping around his waist, the wall giving me the leverage I needed. And he held me up as his hands wrapped around my thighs.
His lips tasted every inch of my lips, his tongue twisting with mine. We gasped and broke for air, but his lips slammed into mine again. It was so passionate, so needed, and I pulled him in to me even closer, if that was even possible. I felt my feet on the floor again, and my hands began to pull his soft shirt off. Sudden guilt hit me as the warm skin of his body reached my fingertips. I was still fully clothed, until my tank top was yanked off quickly. This desire was way too overpowering, and my hormones had began to take over. My mind raced back to the thought that I still did not know who this guy was.
We made our way to my bed in a tangle of arms and fast paced kisses.

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Hmm...who could he be? Find out in chapter 23! Oh, and thank you so much for the supportive comments I get from you readers. Obsessed, huh? Haha, those types of comments made me crack up. :) Toward the end of this chapter it was getting a little steamy and I was a bit nervous on how to handle it. Is it too much? I'm really scared (well, nervous would be a better word) to hear thoughts! Sorry if I totally burned your eyes out with it. *crosses fingers nervously*