Status: Read, Stay with me... Please!
Look at Me
3.
Paige’s house was nice. Not overdone or in any way ostentatious. It was a just a comfortably middle class home. The kind with a two car garage and a bluegrass lawn people would die for.
Typical, Hayden thought as Paige led him toward the front door. Completely freakin typical! He was going home with the Anti-Christ incarnate. The most sickeningly perfect All-American girl. God! She even looked the part…
Her hair was an innocent shade of the palest blond, her skin was smooth and fair with just the lightest smattering of freckles, and her eyes were the clearest blue he’d ever seen.
She was beautiful without being artificial. She was perfect without even trying. And for reasons he couldn’t or didn’t want to explain Hayden hated Paige for that.
“We’re home puppy,” she said turning those startlingly blue eyes on him as she unlocked the door.
At that moment, Hayden knew he should probably run away. What he was doing wasn’t exactly intelligent. But he was tired, hungry, and he could escape in the morning. So what was the harm in spending the night?
***
Paige led the stray dog into the living room and flicked on the light. Then she got her first really good look at him. He really was a beautiful animal. He had soft hair the color of midnight and his eyes…
They were the color of new leaves. Bright green with small gold fleck she didn’t notice until she got closer. He really didn’t look like a stray.
“I bet someone misses you right now puppy,” she whispered as she rubbed the area behind his ears. “ I bet someone wants you back.”
***
Hayden pulled away from the soothing touch of her fingers. His head jerked instinctively and he stared at the face so close to his own. Perfect, Preppy, Paige. What would she know about him? Nothing. She saw him every day and she never spoke a single word to him. She didn’t spare him the civility she did for an animal on the roadside.
Hayden’s thoughts took a bitter twist as he remembered the times he’d stared at her from across the cafeteria or looked out from under his bangs to glimpse her sitting a few seats away in History class. She looked so pretty. With her hair in a bouncy ponytail and her cheeks flushed from something the guy next to her had said. She looked like something too good to be real.
He’d expected to find out she was. He expected to find out she was a selfish, vindictive, greedy slut. But she wasn’t. She was a sweet, normal, teenage girl who’s only flaw was that she looked strait past him. Except when he was on all fours and looking decidedly like a German Shepherd.
“What’s wrong babe,” she asked as he pulled further away. “You okay?”
He eyebrows pulled together as she bit her lip in concentration. “Stay here,” she finally said as she jumped to her feet and left the room.
When she came back, Paige was holding a plate with the most heavenly scent on earth pouring off it. Pepperoni pizza with extra cheese and black olives maybe? Without even meaning to Hayden started to drool again.
***
Paige really hated giving a dog leftover pizza. He didn’t seem to be minding it, but still…pizza? That couldn’t be healthy. Their really weren’t any other options though. Her Mom was an absolute Health Nut and the fridge was stocked with tofu and green things. Pizza was practically a sin so Paige only got it when her parents were both out of town. Thank God that was at least once a month. She’d waste away to nothing on what her Mom ate.
The dog gobbled up the two slices she put on a paper plate and looked up as if to say, More?
But she just smiled and said, “It’s time for bed now pup.”
Typical, Hayden thought as Paige led him toward the front door. Completely freakin typical! He was going home with the Anti-Christ incarnate. The most sickeningly perfect All-American girl. God! She even looked the part…
Her hair was an innocent shade of the palest blond, her skin was smooth and fair with just the lightest smattering of freckles, and her eyes were the clearest blue he’d ever seen.
She was beautiful without being artificial. She was perfect without even trying. And for reasons he couldn’t or didn’t want to explain Hayden hated Paige for that.
“We’re home puppy,” she said turning those startlingly blue eyes on him as she unlocked the door.
At that moment, Hayden knew he should probably run away. What he was doing wasn’t exactly intelligent. But he was tired, hungry, and he could escape in the morning. So what was the harm in spending the night?
***
Paige led the stray dog into the living room and flicked on the light. Then she got her first really good look at him. He really was a beautiful animal. He had soft hair the color of midnight and his eyes…
They were the color of new leaves. Bright green with small gold fleck she didn’t notice until she got closer. He really didn’t look like a stray.
“I bet someone misses you right now puppy,” she whispered as she rubbed the area behind his ears. “ I bet someone wants you back.”
***
Hayden pulled away from the soothing touch of her fingers. His head jerked instinctively and he stared at the face so close to his own. Perfect, Preppy, Paige. What would she know about him? Nothing. She saw him every day and she never spoke a single word to him. She didn’t spare him the civility she did for an animal on the roadside.
Hayden’s thoughts took a bitter twist as he remembered the times he’d stared at her from across the cafeteria or looked out from under his bangs to glimpse her sitting a few seats away in History class. She looked so pretty. With her hair in a bouncy ponytail and her cheeks flushed from something the guy next to her had said. She looked like something too good to be real.
He’d expected to find out she was. He expected to find out she was a selfish, vindictive, greedy slut. But she wasn’t. She was a sweet, normal, teenage girl who’s only flaw was that she looked strait past him. Except when he was on all fours and looking decidedly like a German Shepherd.
“What’s wrong babe,” she asked as he pulled further away. “You okay?”
He eyebrows pulled together as she bit her lip in concentration. “Stay here,” she finally said as she jumped to her feet and left the room.
When she came back, Paige was holding a plate with the most heavenly scent on earth pouring off it. Pepperoni pizza with extra cheese and black olives maybe? Without even meaning to Hayden started to drool again.
***
Paige really hated giving a dog leftover pizza. He didn’t seem to be minding it, but still…pizza? That couldn’t be healthy. Their really weren’t any other options though. Her Mom was an absolute Health Nut and the fridge was stocked with tofu and green things. Pizza was practically a sin so Paige only got it when her parents were both out of town. Thank God that was at least once a month. She’d waste away to nothing on what her Mom ate.
The dog gobbled up the two slices she put on a paper plate and looked up as if to say, More?
But she just smiled and said, “It’s time for bed now pup.”