hiimheartbroken

Chapter 8

The next morning, Baylee was bouncing off the walls.
"How was it? What happened? Where'd he take you? What'd you do?"
I laughed at her excitement and explained everything to her, detail by detail.
"Aw y'all are so cute!"
I giggled. "Isn't he adorable?!"
"Yeah he is. Don't forget t'ask him if he has friends!" she poked me jokingly.
"He mentioned he has four best friends."
"Oooh! We should all go out!!"
"But then the other three would be alone.
We've gotta do somethin' where the other guys can meet girls."
"True. That's true. Hmm..." she thought for a moment,
"What about dancin'?" She smirked.
The only time I had danced before was junior prom and the few parties I had gone to.
"Oh gosh, this is gonna be embarrassin'!" We laughed.
Her laugh was more of a cackle than anything. But it was kind of like her trademark.
You knew it was her laughing.
"No you'll be fine!
Okay, maybe not but he's not gon' leave you 'cause you don't know how to dance."
"Hey! Who said ah'm not good?" I joked, "It won't be my first time dancin'."
Down in Georgia the only other time we danced was at the small bonfires we had,
which I never really went to.
There wasn't enough people in the town to make a big party.
And there was no dance moves, when people danced, they grinded. Full on.
Like you could swear there was a hole in their pants somewhere.
"A'right so, when're we gonna do this?" I asked.
"How 'bout tonight?"
"You don't think that's too soon?"
"Ah mean it's just a little bonfire. With his friends too, so it's kinda casual."
"Yeah, ah guess." I giggled, "You really wanna meet someone don'chu?"
"Hell yeah ah do!" she cackled at herself, "Ah want a European boy."
"Okay ah'll text him."
hey so me and Baylee were going to a party today at 10.
we were wondering if you and a few of your friends wanted to come with us :)
its really small, casual, nbd. if you wanna come, meet at my house at 930
I hit send.
In the meantime, we walked to my dads bar and watched a few of the bands play.
We always wanted to play, because we sang together,
but we didn't know what was stopping us.
My phone vibrated in my back pocket.
"Ah got a text!"
We leaned over the cell phone screen and read:
yeah well be there :)
It was already 9 so we decided to head home.
I threw on a white t-shirt that had a gold lightning bolt,
my lucky pair of jeans, and my boots.
I heard a knock on the screen door and walked out to the porch.
Niall stood there in khakis, black high tops, and a mint shirt that said 'free hugs'.
"Hey!" I grinned. "Baylee! They're here!!"
"Ah'm comin'!" I pushed the screen door open and let them in.
I hugged Niall, pushing my waves away from my face, and Baylee walked in.
She was wearing a leopard print shirt, ripped jeans and cowgirl boots.
"Hey! Niall!!" They hugged and all the introductions began.

Chapter 7

He was rigid for some time after that.
He walked to the back of the restaurant and I followed him.
"Why're we goin' this way?"
"Oi'll tell you later."
I could hear the anger in his voice and decided not to question him anymore.
We slid into the backseat of a limo and Niall stared blankly at his shoes.
I slid next to him on the leather seats and slipped my fingers in his.
"Hey please don't be mad." I looked at him sincerely,
"If it's somethin' ah did, ah'm real sorry. And, and if its the guy in the suit,
ah really don't care 'bout that. Just please don't be mad."
His face softened, and his voice dropped to a smooth whisper.
He placed his hand on my knee and said,
"No, no it's not you. Don't worry about it. Oi'm sorry oi had you worried."
His warm fingers brushed a hair from my face.
I sighed and rested my head on his shoulder, inhaling the distinct smell of his skin.
His body relaxed and he played with my hair.
My stomach fluttered with the beat of butterfly wings.
I could stay like this forever.
It was crazy. I was crazy.
I had met him just days ago. But I really could.
~    ~    ~
When we got to my house, he helped me out of the limo.
"Oi had uh really noice toime wid you tonoight."
He wrapped his arm around my waist and walked me to my door.
"Me too." I smiled, "Tonight was amazing." I pulled him onto the porch.
"Ah'd love t'hang out again."
"Me too Scarlett." His thumb brushed my jaw, "Oi really loike you.
Alot more den oi tot oi would."
He flashed a cute little side smile that made be absolutely giddy.
"Ah like you too Niall." I bit my lip nervously but I took a chance,
"So um, d'ya think ah could get that kiss now?"
His blue eyes flashed mischievously.
He ran a hand through his hair and cleared his throat.
My heartbeat jumped.
One of his hands slid behind my neck and the other pulled our bodies closer.
Feeling his torso pressed against mine made my body temperature shoot up.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and our faces creeped closer once again.
But this time there was no interruption.
I felt his soft lips press gently to mine.
I stood on my tiptoes and he pulled me off the floor and
twirled me around the wooden porch, our lips intertwined all the while.
I giggled and felt him smile into the kiss. He set me down softly and smiled at me.
"Yes! Oi got a kiss!" he shouted, pumping his arm. I laughed out loud.
"Shhh!" I covered his mouth with my hand, "Ma dad's home!!"
He chuckled. "Oh roight." he pulled my hand off his mouth and held it in his,
"Well good noight Scarlett. Sweet dreams"
"G'night Niall."
I walked towards the screen door and our fingers slowly unhooked from each other.
I watched him walk away, running his fingers through his hair.
He pumped his fists in the air until he got into the limo.

Chapter 6

He smiled big, an I wasn't sure why.
But I wasn't complaining, his smile was beautiful.
It wasn't perfect. His teeth weren't pin straight. And they weren't pure white.
But that's what made it beautiful. It was those imperfections that made him perfect.
"So where ya takin' me?"
He smirked at me. "Roight here."
He pulled into a parking lot and opened the door for me once again.
He inhaled, smiled at me, and
with his hand on the small of my back, led me into the huge restaurant.
This was by far the fanciest place I had ever been.
He watched me admire the dining hall and chuckled under his breath.
I felt his warm fingers slip in between mine,
and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from grinning.
Unexpectedly, he pulled me away from the dining hall, and up a flight of stairs.
A large man in a black suit walked behind us but I paid no attention to him.
We ended up standing in front of two large mahogany doors.
I felt him squeeze my hand, and I squeezed back as he pushed the doors open.
I inhaled at the sight before me.
There was a small table, with two elegant chairs and a candle in between.
To our right was a whole wall made completely of glass.
The city lights, and Georgia stars, shone in the night sky,
and I wondered how far away from home we were.
I heard the doors shut and jumped.
When I turned it was just Niall in the room. He was smiling at me.
"Niall, that is- this- ah can't believe ah'm here right now. This is beautiful.
I feel like ah'm in a fairytale!"
"Good. Dat's whut oi was shootin' for."
He pulled a chair out for me and I took a seat.
"You really didn't have t'do all this."
"Oi know. Dat's why oi did it.
Om, oi was wonderin', are you da type of girl who likes when lads order for dem?"
"Ah mean, ah don't mind." I stared at the menu,
"Ah don't understand anythin' on this menu, so ah'll have what yer havin'."
He laughed. "Alroight den. Oi like a girl whos not picky about her food."
"Then ya got the right girl!" I giggled.
He ordered for us and the waiter came up with our food.
We really hit it off. The conversation was flowing.
He was from Mullingar, Ireland, and his parents divorced when he was five.
He had one older brother, and went to a Christian school,
where he often sang in the choir.
Once we were on the topic of music, I found out he was into swing and rock music.
His favorite color was green, just like mine, and he plays guitar too.
He also told me about his fear of tight spaces, and strangely, pigeons.
He once went pee and one flew in through a window and attacked him.
I could not stop laughing at that.
I was honestly really comfortable with him after a while
and I couldn't help but be myself.
Once our dinner was over and I had laughed so hard I almost had abs,
we stood up and walked out of the room.
I leaned against the closed mahogany doors and he put his arms on my waist.
Lost in his sky blue eyes, I ran my fingers through my hair and said,
"Ah don't wanna go home."
"Well ya don't have to just yet."
His hands pulled me closer and his body was hot against mine.
He looked down at my lips and our faces slowly creeped towards each other.
"Mr. Hora- Oh I'm sorry." said the big man in a black suit.
What was he doing here?
I saw Niall's jaw strain as the man walked away.
"Who was that?" I whispered.
"No one. Just an old friend."
 

• click to see this quote •

Chapter 3

The next day after school we didn't have work, so we headed to my dads bar.
Baylee and I sat at high chairs by the bar.
"Hey girls, what're y'all up to?" He showed up in front of us.
His wrinkled wise hands were at work on the beer tap, pouring a customer a drink.
"Hey daddy, ah was wondrin' if ah could borrow a few dollars?
Ah promise ah'll pay you back."
He raised his eyebrows and the tanned skin on his forehead wrinkled.
His hazel eyes searched mine, a direct reflection of his.
"What fer?"
My dad knew me well, I didn't usually ask for money
because I never really wanted anything I couldn't afford.
"Scarlett has a date." Baylee smirked.
I smacked her arm. "Baylee!"
"Ooh!" He smirked, "Who with?"
Usually dads would get tense
and sort of angry when they hear their daughters going on a date, but not mine.
I was pretty quiet. I never really dated or partied that often.
It's not that I'm a prude, I didn't care that other people did. I just didn't want to.
"His name's Niall." I blushed.
Baylee poked my cheek.
"He's Irish daddy. And he's takin' her to dinner." She looked at my dad.
She called him daddy, because he practically was. Hers left when she was little.
And I called her mom my mama for the same reasons.
That man had gone through so much, and you could see it in his eyes.
You could see the pain.
You could see those eyes had watched things no human should have to.
Like his own wife waste away with cancer.
"He's takin' her somewhere real' nice. This Friday."
He pulled a bill from his wallet.
"Well then," he smirked, "Ah reckon y'all should get t'shoppin'."
I laughed, "Thanks daddy. We're gonna go now. D'ya think we could get a Coke to go?"
He poured two cups, and slid it across the table with a few straws.
We got up.
"See ya at home daddy!" I said.
"Buhbye!" Baylee skipped out the door and threw her bag in the bed of the truck.
When I sat in the passenger seat she pinched my elbow.
"I'm'a make you so pretty, that boy won't know what hit 'im!"
We drove to a local boutique that we liked to shop at when we had the money.
We flipped through all the racks, trying on everything.
From pinks to purples, greens, and blue. Fluffy, tight, long, and short.
We'd go through every rack and picked which ones we liked.
We both tried things on because we practically shared a wardrobe,
so we were really shopping for the both of us.
We tried on a bunch, and only liked a few.
There wasnt that one special moment where you suddenly find the perfect dress,
like they show in the movies. But we picked basic things.
A few simple dresses. Versatile shoes and accessories. And a jean jacket.
"Okay, well, that reaches our limit so we better stop shoppin'."
"Before I buy the whole store!" Baylee giggled and we paid at the cashier.
"Hun, in twenty-four hours, you'll be on a date!"
"Shh!" I hushed her, "No don't say that. You'll make me nervous!"
 

Chapter 3

I answered the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey! It's om, it's de boy from de cafe. Oi never caught your name."
I giggled at the realization.
"I's uh, ma name's Scarlett. Wha's yers?
"Scarlett, that's noice. Oi'm Niall."
"Hi Niall!" shouted Baylee.
"Shh!" I whispered and pushed her away. "Sorry, that was ma friend."
He laughed, "Oh, well hello! Dos she know me? And are you still op fer dinner?"
I paused, confused. "Yeah, 'course ah am. And no, ah don't thank she knows you."
"Oh, alroit, uh, is Froiday okay?"
"Yeah i's perfect. If you don't mahnd, where er you takin' me?"
"It's uh surproise." I heard him chuckle through the phone. "Dress formally."
"A'right, you really don't have t'do this Niall."
"No, no. It's not about de coffee. Oi rilly want to take you out."
I smiled. "Well okay then, thank you! Really. Ah'll text you ma address later."
"Okay. Moi pleasure. Oi'll see you Froiday?"
"See ya Friday." I hung up.
I bit my lip and grinned at Baylee.
"Oh ma gosh Scarlett." Baylee said slowly, "You have uh date."
"Yeah." I exhaled, "Yeah ah do."
She jumped off the counter.
Nelson came out of the office to grab the basket of eggs.
"What's this ah hear."
"Scarlett has a date." Baylee skipped around the room.
"Do ya?" he looked at me, "Well good fer you. I's about time!"
I would've pushed him if he wasn't holding the eggs.
"I was startin' t'wonder what was wrong wichu."
"Thanks Nelson." I stuck my tongue out at him.
He chuckled and disappeared in the back and I looked at Baylee.
"I have a date!"
I felt light and giddy, and like there were bubbles floating around my stomach.
All of a sudden I felt like dancing, so I did.
All around the room, on the field, until I left work.
I was glad I had Baylee to share my excitement with. She was really happy for me.
She was usually the one with dates, She always had boys circling her.
With her silky blonde hair, fair, freckled complexion,
sea foam green eyes, and quite the bust,
they were wrapped around her finger for her use at any time she wanted.
I was just her sidekick. Along for the ride. Hidden in the shadows.
But she let me shine.
She danced around with me, at times as giddy as I was.
Then I remembered,
"We gotta find somethin' fer me t'wear!"

Chapter 2

After school, I went to work at the local petting zoo.
"Hey Scarlett, get t'feedin the chickens, will ya?"
"Yes sir." I responded to my boss.
I walked across the field to the chicken coup.
It was a little wooden storage room,
connected to a gated space where the chickens could roam around
and the kids could see the chickens.
I opened the wooden door and headed towards the bag of chicken feed,
and stepped into the chickens space.
The chickens clucked madly as I scattered the little pellets all over.
Once that was done, the eggs that had been laid needed to be collected.
The boss liked to sell them to the local farmers market.
So I put them in a basket, and headed towards the main building.
"HEY!" yelled Baylee.
I jumped and almost dropped the eggs.
"Woman, you need t'stop doin' that!"
She laughed.
Baylee was my best friend, we'd known each other since we were little.
I didn't have a memory without her. We were practically sisters.
"How er ya doin'?" she asked.
"Ah'm okay. You'll never guess whut happened t'me today."
"Whut?"
I hiked the basket up.
"So ah was gettin' ma coffee this mor-"
"Donchu have a coffee machine at home?"
"Well yeah, but ah wanted a nice one. Now lemme finish my story!"
"A'right, ah jus' think i's a waste a'money."
I sighed. "So ah was headin' out the door when a boy comes slammin' into me.
Got coffee all over maself."
She chuckled. "Well, was he cute?"
She flipped her blond braid over her shoulder.
"Ah have no idea. He was wearin' these fancy sunglasses,
a purple sweater with th'hood up, khakis, an' these clean white sneakers.
They looked real' expensive."
"Ooh, looks like we got ourselves uh new boy in town."
"Yeah ah think he's Irish."
"You talked to 'im?!" she skipped in front of me.
Our boots were squishing through the moist grass.
"Yeah" I blushed, "He asked fer ma number.".
"Well look at that. He's got you blushin' already. I better be meetin' this boy!"
I opened the door to the main building with my back.
"He's gon' take me out t'dinner." I smiled at my feet.
"Oooh!" she squealed.
"Nelson!" I shouted, "Eggs er on the counter!"
"A'right. Thanks Scarlett." He shouted back through the wall of the office.
Nelson worked in the main office with the people who came to see the animals.
He helped them out, gave them maps, and showed them around.
He's been working at the zoo as long as I have.
Baylee hoisted herself onto the counter and smiled.
"Well aren't you a lucky duck! When is it?"
"Ah dunno. He said he'd call." I picked the dead ends off of my long brown hair,
"He prolly won't even call."
"He'll call." She pat her chest, "Ah can feel it."
"Ah mean, even if he did, a boy like that would take a girl out somewhere real' nice.
Ah don't have nice clothes."
"Donchu worry 'bout that! Ah'll get you fixed up."
My phone vibrated in the back pocket of my favorite jeans.
Then Springsteen by Eric Church started playing.
Baylee grinned.
"Someone's callin'!"

Chapter 1

I hopped out of my truck and pulled at the cold handle of the cafe door.
The smells of coffee and donuts enveloped me.
"Mmm." I sighed, walking into line.
"Could ah have uh Dunkaccino please?"
The blonde got to work behind the counter and handed me my drink.
I sipped at the heavenly combination of hot cocoa and cofee.
"Thank you." I smiled back at her.
I headed for the door when a hooded figure slammed into me.
I gasped as the hot coffee spilled on my chest.
"Dammit." I looked up.
"Oi-oi'm so sorry" muttered an Irish accent.
Tufts of blonde hair peeked out from his purple hoodie,
and his eyes were hidden behind a pair of expensive sunglasses.
"Oi'll boy you anuder coffee."
I chuckled, "Tha's not really whut ah'm worried 'bout."
I glanced down at my stained sweater and noticed his clean white high-top sneakers.
"Oh, oi'm so sorry! Wus that expensive? Oi'll boy you anuder."
"No, no i's alright, I'll jus', I dunno, buy another."
I headed for the door, "Thanks though."
I felt a tug at my arm.
"Wait! Wait, how can oi repay you?"
"I's fahne, really."
"Could oi at least take you out for dinner or someting?"
I smiled, "Okay."
"Can oi walk you to yer car?"
"Mhmm." I murmured.
He opened the door for me.
I smiled and asked, "Yer not from aroun' here, are you?"
"No, oi'm not."He smiled, "Whut gave it away?"
"I dunno if i's the accent er the shoes." I chuckled.
His eyes flickered to my feet.
"Cowgirl boots. Shud oi be werin' dose?"
I laughed, "Well either cowboy boots er cunstrukshin boots."
"Okie, oi'll keep dat in moind."
We walked into the parking lot.
"Which wone's yers?"
"That one." I pointed to my Chevy truck.
"Really?"
"Huhm." I grunted, "Yeah, is that a problem?"
"No! No not at all, just..." he paused
"Unexpected."
I chuckled, "Yeah don' worry, "
I smiled at him,
"I get that alot. Even 'round here."
"You've gut a cute ahccent too."
I blushed and climbed into my truck.
"So uh, wha's with the whole glasses an' hoodie thang?"
"Oh it's om, it's nutin. So could oi have yer nomber?
For de uh, dinner."
I giggled, "Yeah sure."
We swapped numbers and I drove away smiling.

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Unbroken

Chapter 6

I woke up with Ryan next to me.
I knew nothing happened because I remembered falling asleep watching Spongebob
and Ryan sleepily crawling into bed, oblivious of me there, around midnight.
I whacked him with the pillow I'd been sleeping on.
"Wake up! I need to be fed!"
He grumbled, turned on his side and pushed me off the bed.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" he said in his deep morning voice.
"Let's go! We got school buddy!" I laughed running around the room,
"So I gotta be fed, then I gotta go to my house and change, and then we gotta go to school!"
I jumped on top of him.
"Woman, are you crazy? Get off of me and I'll feed you."
I obeyed. "So what're we eating?"
"I dunno, I don't really make breakfast."
"How 'bout we stop by the cafe on the way to school?"
"Deal." He trudged to his closet in his boxers.
"You sleep in your boxers?"
"I only kept 'em on 'cause you were here." He stuck his head out of the closet and winked,
and I fell on the ground laughing.
"Let's go?" He pulled a blue shirt over his head and grabbed his keys.
When we got into the house he sat on my bed and looked around.
"I like it, its nice." he looked up
"Thanks." I went to my closet.
I put on a loose white shirt, a big owl necklace, dark skinny jeans, and white sandals.
Then I brushed my hair and swiped on some mascara and eyeliner.
"Coffee time!" I said, walking out the door.
"Wow, its like a transformation!" I pushed Ryan and he laughed.
We stop by a cafe and got coffees and donuts, and drove to school.
"Alright I'll see you third period." he called down the hall.
The day passed by slowly. Every hour dragged along.
School had ended and I was in my pool when I heard my phone vibrate on the marble counter.
I walked out and grabbed my phone.
My hair dripped on the screen, so I wiped the drop away and read the text.
I'm gonna be with the guys ahead of time
the party starts at 9 so come then and call me when you get there so I can meet you out front :)
I checked the time, it was almost 8 already.
Jeez, the sun was still out! I ran inside and hopped in the shower.
Once I got out, I put on the costume, added some fishnet tights, and black suede wedges.
Then I focused on hair and makeup. I straightened it and let it fall loose.
Then I darkened my eyes, heavily lining them and putting on fake lashes.
Once the mask was on, the look was complete.
I checked myself in the mirror one last time and headed out the door.
The University of Florida was absolutely beautiful.
The red brick buildings contrasted against the green palm trees.
This was the school I dreamed of going to.
I found myself in front of a frat house. Kappa Sigma to be exact.
"You've got to be kidding me." I muttered to myself as I dialed for Ryan.
"Ay! You here?" His words were a bit slurred and I could tell he had already been drinking.
"Yeah. You didn't tell me its a frat house."
He appeared the porch with his dress pants, bow tie, shirt cuffs, and dress shoes,
and looked up at the Greek letters.
"Well it's too late to tell you now." He flashed a side smile and hung up.
"Look who's a sexy stripper."
His abs were on full display and it was hard not to stare.
"Oh trust me. I know!" he laughed, "I like these."
He tugged at the fishnet tights,"It didn't come with it."
"No it didn't but I thought I'd add them."
"Looks good." he pulled at my arm "Come say hi to the guys"
He pulled me all the way into the kitchen where a girl was laying on the counter
as a guy took a body shot off her.
"Hey look who I got!" He threw his hands up in the air and grabbed his bottle of Corona.
"Ay! Hayden!" Mike and Will walked over and sandwiched me in a hug. I giggled.
"Hey guys, how've you been?"
"We've been awesome" Will said. A lock of hair fell over his sweet eyes.
Will was genuinely a nice person, and you could tell by just looking at him.
"How about you? We need to catch up." Mike asked.
They both looked the same as last summer, like time froze with us in it.
"Later!" Ryan insisted, "First we gotta party!"
"Wait we gotta show her our costume!" Mike insisted
I looked down, Mike was the G in the Google logo, and Will was the gle.
"Wheres the two 'o's?"
"We were waiting for you to supply those." Ryan glanced at my cleavage.
"'Scuse me!. My eyes are up here!" I jerked his chin up and smiled at him,
"I will not be supplying any 'o's today!" The boys laughed.
"C'mon Hayden." he chuckled and pull me to the dance floor.
The bass in the music made the floor shake and the place was now teeming
with college kids holding their red solo cups high above their head.
Ryan pulled me close and started grinding on me.
It was a little strange at first, but after I stole his drink and took a few swigs, I got into it.
His warm breath on my neck and his hands rubbing my sides turned me on a little,
but I knew he was drunk. And so was I but I was having a good time.
My hips swayed to the beat.
Our bodies were pressed against each other and I recognized the smell of his skin.
It was familiar, and made me feel kind of safe.
I was completely emerged in the music when I looked up.
My hips froze. It was him.
"Kasey."