Heartbreaker Hanson (21 page)

“I
found him sitting on the curb outside Denny’s.” Cammy laughs. “He looked so
pathetic, I invited him to the party. He’s not spending the night
though—my mom would die.” She throws me a pillow. “So, go change, and
we’ll squeeze you in.”

When
I get back they’ve got my sleeping bag all laid out next to Jenny’s, which is
nice; only it’s right across from Matt.

I
lay down wishing I hadn’t come. It’s kind of weird seeing Matt wedged between
Cammy and Nina. Back when we were kids he would have definitely been next to
me.

Everyone
goes back to what they were doing before I came, which is asking Matt about
things they want a guy’s outlook on. Like, Megan asks him why Bobby Folton is
so nice to her when they’re alone, but treats her like crap around his friends.
All year I’ve been trying to tell her it’s because Bobby is a jerk, but as soon
as Matt says it, it’s suddenly gospel—Bobby’s a jerk.

Actually,
Matt is somewhat helpful with his advice. He seems to be completely honest, and
it’s slightly interesting hearing a guy’s perspective on things. But it’s
irritating that as soon as a boy comes to our party he’s the center of
attention—like how’d we ever manage a slumber party without him?

And
I cannot believe this, but Jenny asks him his favorite way to kiss, and suddenly,
he’s showing her. I mean, they’re practically
kissing
, and everyone’s watching. It’s stupid. And then, Nina says
she
wants a turn learning Matt’s moves.
Okay, Nina has a huge crush on Matt, so I can kind of see why she would do
this—act like she needs kissing lessons. But still, it’s dumb. This is a
slumber party, not a make-out party, right?

“It’s
to cheer him up,” Cammy explains.

“Cheer
him up?” I scoff. “Why does he need to be cheered up?”

“Oh,”
she says, sounding surprised. “Didn’t you hear? Matt got suspended today.”

I
look over at him. “You did?”

He
sets his jaw, like he doesn’t want to tell me. “Well, yeah. But only for three
days. No big deal.”

My
heart sinks. “Didn’t you explain what happened? Why you were fighting?”

“Yeah,
but I kind of got carried away on the guy. I mean, he was all bloody, and I
broke his nose. I didn’t mean to get so violent. I just … did.”

I
don’t know what to say. I feel horrible. I feel like it’s my fault. “I’m really
sorry Matt.”

“No,
it’s okay. Really. It’s just three days.”

Cammy
sits up. “Yeah, but then Jade dumped him right after he got suspended.”

Instantly
my self-loathing quadruples. “Why?” I ask, barely able to speak.

“Because
of you,” Cammy states with satisfaction. “She broke up with him because first
he says you’re the most important person in his life, then he gets in a fight
over you.”

“He
didn’t get in a fight over me. The guy was assaulting me.” I turn to Matt. “Do
you want me to talk to Jade? Do you want me to explain?”

“No,”
he says. “I tried. She won’t listen.”

“She
might listen to me.” I jerk up. “I’ll explain—”

“No.
Don’t, okay?” He sounds so despondent it makes me want to cry. “She won’t
listen to you. She’s like, insanely jealous of you.”

“Oh,
come on,” Cammy snorts. “You can’t blame her. You and our dear friend Nicole
here have the hots for each other—just get together already and give us
all a break.”

There’s
an awkward silence. “You know what?” I say. “I need to go.”

***

Thursday
Matt’s back at school. All week I’ve thought about him getting suspended and
losing his girlfriend all in one day. Of course in a way he deserved both, but
still, I feel really bad.

After
College Writing I go to my locker and a note falls out. The handwritten
“Nicole” scrawled on the front lets me know it’s from Matt. I read the
inscription, then squeeze my eyes shut, letting the words sink in, then read it
again.

“
Okay, Nicole
,” it says, “
This is it, me spilling my guts out. You
have to know I’m sorry. I’ve never been so sorry about anything in my whole,
entire life. What’s weird is, I didn’t even mean it. You weren’t even crowding
me. If anything, after the night I kissed you, you backed away.

And the crowding—well, I felt
crowded. But it was me, in my head. It was my fears. After I kissed you I got
really scared. It was like suddenly I couldn’t hide what I was feeling for you
anymore. It spooked me.

So, when I saw you at Graff’s that night
I was really messed up. What I should have said was I’m scared. Not just
because I’ve never felt like this before, but because it’s you I’m feeling it
towards. I mean, you’re my best friend. Did you know that? See, it’s not the
same for you—you have Sara. But for me, you’re it. I mean, you’re the
one—the only. When I have a problem, it’s you I talk to. And so if suddenly
we become a couple—which at this point I want (if you do)—then
suddenly you are my everything: my girlfriend, my best friend, my whole life.
That gives you a lot of power Nicole. I’m not saying I don’t trust you with it.
I do. I’m just saying be careful—you could blow me away.
”

Seeing
Matt leaning against his locker, his eyes closed like he has a massive
headache, I go over to him and put my arms around him, and without opening his
eyes, he smiles, and hugs me back.

*********

Note
From the Author, Melanie Marks:

I hope you liked the story.

My standalone novel,
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS
, is based off this short story.

It is available now.

Also, as of interest, the novel that
comes after High School Boys is
Finn’s
Fall
. It follows what happens after
High
School Boys
. (It’s available now as well.)

Also
note: Though
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS
is a
standalone novel (200 pages), the book also includes as a bonus, the sequel to
Melanie Marks’ book,
His Kiss
(which
stars tough, hockey playing Griffin and his girlfriend, Ally). (The first pages
of
His Kiss
were included earlier in
this book.)

Summary of:

Melanie Marks’ book

FALL FOR ME

 
(Right now this book only costs a dollar)

http://www.amazon.com/Fall-For-Young-Adult-Romance-ebook/dp/B005GYEF4M

When
Zoey Jones’ long-time boyfriend, Finn, cheats on her—kissing a girl he
“just can’t resist”—he gives Zoey a “free pass,” telling her she can kiss
any guy she wants. Finn is so cocky and sure of their relationship that the
arrangement seems perfect. He’s not worried Zoey will fall for another guy, and
he’s itching to get rid of his feelings of guilt. But the thing is, Zoey knows
exactly who she wants to kiss—longs to kiss—Finn’s best friend,
Riley. But, she wants the kiss too much. She knows that. So, she resists the
“Free Pass.” Still, she’s pushed into it when Finn loses a bet to Riley, and Riley
wants his payment—a kiss from Zoey.

Excerpt from the book,
FALL FOR ME
:

“Don’t worry Riley,” I growled, “I’ll stay out of your way.
I wouldn’t dream of getting between you and Ava.”

Riley blinked, then tilted his head, like he was trying to
figure out what I was saying. “Get between us?” He blocked my way as I tried to
storm past him to the door. “Jones, I broke up with Ava.”

“Oh.” My heart started doing a strange flutter thing. “You
did? Oh. Well, that’s good.” I breathed—tried to breathe. I choked out,
“I mean, the way you two were—it seemed like it would be hard to …”

Riley raised his eyebrows, waiting for me to go on. But I
didn’t wanna.

Still, he waited, watching me.

“—I mean, in case someone else, better for you …”

He tilted his head. “What?—you mean if my true love
ever comes along?” His lips quirked. “She did, Jones. Just unfortunately, my
best friend saw her first.”

Below is a peek at Melanie
Marks’ newest book: Kissing Kade

(It’s available now)

Summary
of

Melanie
Marks’ book

Kissing
Kade

To
get back at her cheating ex-boyfriend, Leah Hanson impulsively kisses the hot
new guy at her locker, only to discover when roll is called that the dreamy boy
she just kissed is in her first period class (yay!) but then she discovers he
isn’t just any boy. (Gasp!) She just kissed her childhood ex-stepbrother.
Face-palm. Not going to lie though, the kiss was smokin’ hot!! However, Leah
only kissed those fantasy-inducing lips to (metaphorically) stab her
ex-boyfriend, not to SWOON over a steamy kiss ... from an ex(sort of)relative.
She really can NOT catch a break. (Or stop thinking about that kiss.)

However,
her sexy soul-mate of an ex-stepbrother hasn’t just turned into delicious
eye-candy … he has secrets. Big time. He had warned her not to kiss him. She should
have listened. There’s a cost to kissing Kade.

Kissing Kade

By
Melanie Marks

CHAPTER 1

“Hi
… do you need help with those?”

The
husky (sexy) voice makes me glance up, away from my combination lock that I’m
trying to work while holding a bunch of books—books that I
used
to keep in my boyfriend’s locker.
But now he’s my
EX
-boyfriend
(as of like, two minutes ago), so my eyes are welling, and my hands are
trembling … and yes, I could definitely use help.

My
lip quivering, I look up at the helpful boy. Whoa! My heart thumps—hard.
‘Cause the guy? Dead. Sexy.

I’ve
never seen him before in my life; he’s gorgeous. Insanely so. Tall, with dark
hair, and his (gorgeous) lips are forming the most adorable smile.

I.
Think. I’m. In. Love.

Well,
anyway, his sexy smile makes me feel that way, and his eyes glued on me like
that—all interested. And the way he shoves his awesome hair out of his
eyes, like so he can get a better look at me. (I love his hair, by the way.)
(And his eyes.) (And his smile.)

Yes,
I’m in love.

Especially
because my ex-boyfriend (as of
two
minutes ago) is watching us from across the crowded hallway with his eyes
narrowed, like how in the heck did I pick up a new guy so fast? Ha!

“Yes!
I need help,” I tell the new guy, though he’s already being all helpful and
taking my stack of wobbling books from me.

“Thank
you,” I tell him, then lean into him super close and whisper, “Actually, I need
more help than just with the books.”

I
whisper, “I need to kiss you.”

The
guy’s lips part slightly. (He has gorgeous, red,
perfect
lips.) It gives me tingles thinking about kissing
him—though I’d only made the request to rile up my ex (Chad, The
Cheater).

I
whisper urgently, “Please?”

Indecision
flickers in the guy’s eyes.
Oh man!
I
hold my breath, seeing his hesitation. But his answer is a slow nod.

My
heart flutters. Big time.
Happiness!
“Okay, I’m going to put my books inside, then I’m going to do it.”

I
tell him this—my plan—like to give him warning.

“Yeah,
okay,” he murmurs huskily, sounding reluctant, but at the same time sort of
pleased.

“I
should maybe warn you though—” he says as I open my locker and stuff my
books inside.

“What?
That you have a girlfriend?” Of course he does (sadness). I go on quickly, “It
doesn’t matter, okay? Just tell her it was a
job
. ‘Cause I’ll totally pay you—tons. I’m only doing it to
get that back-stabbing jerk over there to see how it feels to have your heart
stomped on right before your eyes.”

The
guy nods slightly, looking sympathetic. “Okay, but I don’t have a girlfriend. It’s
that—”

I
don’t let him finish. I grab him by his collar and pull him to my face and
plant my lips on his. As I do that he immediately stops talking. I feel his
intake of breath.

For
a moment it’s like he’s trying to fight a
real
kiss, but sorry, Sexy Guy. I need some serious PDA.

…
Then suddenly I’m getting it. He stops trying to fight me, and his hands tangle
in my hair. Instantly we ignite like the friggin’ Fourth of July. Holy smokes!!
The guy can kiss. I mean, whoa!!! I’m on fire.

His
talented velvet tongue entwines mine, making me dizzy and breathless and
(embarrassingly) moaning in his mouth. I go completely weak in the knees. I
swear. He has to hold me up. But he does, like he’s used to this, girls going
weak and swooning from his passionate kiss. But it doesn’t distract him even
slightly, he just pins me against the locker, holding me steady and keeps on,
hungrily driving me wild with his hot, passionate kiss, his hungry hot mouth
seducing mine, exploring it like it’s heaven and he will never get enough of me
and my enraptured mouth.

Holy
smokes!

When
the bell rings, he finally drags his mouth from mine with a tiny groan,
sounding like he doesn’t want to stop. (Hey, I know the feeling.)

His
seductive eyes on mine, he reluctantly pulls away from me, slowly releasing my
hair from his gentle grip, like it’s somewhat torture for him to do it.

He
stuffs his hands in his jacket pockets as though to keep them from reaching
back for me (which I’d love for them to do).

I’m
dizzy and swooning, and for a moment forget that this was all to get
Cheating-Chad spun up, and not to get
me
spun. Since, you know, I’m quite spun.

Hot
Kisser gives me a tiny grin. “I think your ex-boyfriend is securely
heart-stomped.” He adorably raises his eyebrows, “—he’s stomping over
here.”

“My—?
Oh, Chad,” I stammer out in a dizzy, breathless daze. Then totally change the
subject since my brain has floated away. All I can think about is this yummy
kisser, and how I want to kiss him some more. “You said you don’t have a
girlfriend, right?”

His
eyes flash with something I can’t read. He nods, “Yeah, but—”

“Here,”
I snatch his phone from him quick as lightning, since Chad is storming over to
us and in a moment all the world will explode—well, that’s the way Chad’s
making it look. (Scary!!)

I
quickly punch my phone number into Hot Guy’s cell phone. “Call me later,” I
tell him. “But right now run—hurry, before Chad gets here.”

Hot
Guy lifts his brow, like he’s not afraid of Chad and has no intention of
running away, which is sweet, really, but … not wise. Chad is a huge football
player and likes to get into fights. Well, he’d
like
to get into them. But I don’t let him … only I don’t think I
can stop this hazard. Hot Guy is extremely built, exquisitely, but no one needs
this on their first day of school—a violent fight—especially not
when it’s with one of the most popular seniors in our whole school.

Gah!
Since Hot Guy just stands here, clearly not going to run, just staring at
me—sort of dazed (yay!), yet being defiantly brave (foolish) I yelp at
him, almost pleading, “Go!”

He
shakes his head slightly. “I need to tell you something.”

“Tell
me later—call me,” I instruct over my shoulder as I dash away from him to
detour Chad and his angry fists.