When Robyn gets stranded in the woods one day with none other than her high-school crush, the last thing on her mind is coming face-to-face with who he might be beneath the skin.
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For two years Robyn Hale successfully managed to hide her inexpli...
That night, Robyn was up way past her bedtime. A part of her wished for Ray to visit her and spend the night with her, but from his reaction earlier she knew he wouldn't do that. Not tonight.
The kiss played over and over in her mind's eye. She couldn't get over the way he looked at her, the way he didn't respond, the way he ran away from her, literally. Of all the reactions she had envisioned him to have, this was not one of them. He surprised her every time, like that night in the woods. Their first encounter. She was scared and confused, and he had abandoned her.
Why did he do that? Did he not feel the same way she did? Robyn couldn't deny the effect the kiss had on her. She couldn't deny the ever increasing longing deep inside her, which she didn't know how to deal with anymore. The only thing that soothed it was Ray's presence, and even then she wanted more. She wanted more than just his company.
Robyn turned on her side, breathing out in frustration. Why couldn't he have pulled her closer and kissed her like he meant it? He was perfectly capable of it, she had seen so with her own eyes while he was with that wretched Chrissy. Why couldn't he do the same for her?
"Why? You moron," she whispered into her pillow, a stray tear trailing down her nose and disappearing in the fabric.
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The next morning, the gloom was still settled over her head. She was glad, suddenly, that Ray hadn't come to visit her. She didn't want him to see her in her pathetic state--all over one kiss. It was laughable. He must have had many in his lifetime, but for Robyn it was a first. She dismissed that thought and went down for breakfast.
Laila wouldn't stop talking about Ray, which didn't help her at all. She kept gushing about how ideal he was, because he had perfect grades, definitely a perfect face and had his future planned out ahead of him. Robyn wondered if that was actually true. Laila didn't know his biggest secret.
Ray had mentioned he would go to University to study accounting, and that was a thought Robyn was actively pushing to the back of her mind. She didn't want to overthink on that matter. The idea of him leaving her and going off to University unsettled her, but Robyn didn't voice it. She felt like she had already gone too far with that kiss yesterday, going to him being all clingy with the issue of him going to Uni would scare him off even more.
Harry teased her when Laila turned to wash up but he didn't get the satisfaction from it because for Robyn, everything was playing in the background.
After breakfast, Robyn followed her usual Sunday morning routine. Just as she set her canvas down and perched on her stool, wondering if art would even help, her phone buzzed to life.
"Hey! You free now?"
The grey cloud that was following her everywhere suddenly cleared at the sound of Kate's voice.
"I am. Where should we meet?" Robyn said, packing her art supplies away.
An hour later, Robyn was showered, dressed and eager to see her friend at their local coffee shop. It had been so long since they met up there. Just over a year ago the cafe was their regular place to hang out after school, revising for their finals together or catching up on homework. It was before either of them had boys in their lives to distract them from each other.
