All Better Beautiful (Payton's Heart) by C.A Harms Read Free Book Online

as a third wheel. That was
the story of my life...the outsider.
    I was
sitting in study hall last period on a Friday and my phone vibrated in my bag.
I checked the text message of course from Casey "TODD IS GOING TO ASK YOU
TO THE DANCE!!!" I stared at the screen for a minute before replying
    "How
do you know?"
    Almost
immediately she responded, "He told Seth 2day at lunch...we can
double!!!"
    "K"
was all I could think to say.
    It would
be nice to actually have a date instead of feeling like a tag along with Casey
and Seth. But I couldn’t help it that my heart still sank when I thought about
the fact that the guy I would be dancing with wouldn't be Dylan. After school I
walked to Casey’s car waiting for my ride to work. I could see Todd, Casey and
Seth were approaching as I leaned against the passenger side.
     
    Casey
grinning from ear to ear walked up and smiled at me as her and Seth said their
goodbyes. Todd walked around the front of the car and then leaned against the
door with me he lightly nudge my shoulder with his,
"How do you stand that, it looks like they're gonna swallow each other." I laughed pulling away from the car now that it was
unlock to get ready to leave when Todd quickly said, "Hey Payton, um I was
wondering if maybe you wanted to go to the dance me...I wasn't really going to
go but then when I found out that you'd be going I thought maybe we could go
together." He was beginning to ramble and to save him from continue any
further I responded by saying, "Sure why not."
     
    Casey
dropped me off at work and told me she would be back at 8:30 pm to get me. Work
went pretty fast. I cleaned up after we closed at 8 and told Mr. Martin I was
leaving when I walked out front I looked around for Casey's car and then that's
when I saw him. Dylan was sitting in his truck waiting, looking at me threw the
opened window. My heart skipped a beat, my mouth became dry and for a second I
actually felt like my legs were made of concrete. I wasn’t sure I could move,
he hadn't said more than two words for almost two months and now here he was
picking me up. My eyes connected with his and he smiled. I took a deep breath
and walked over to his truck. After I got in he looked at me still smiling,
"Hi." That was it really after we kissed and then he ignored me for
months that’s all I get. Smiling in return but not replying he started the
truck and we drove home in silence.
     
    After coming
to a stop in the driveway I grabbed the handle to get out and he reached out to
place his hand on my arm. With the contact my heart raced I wasn’t sure what to
say, what not to say, how to act...anything. "Payton wait," he
removed his hand from my arm as quickly as he had placed it on me. I turned my
head slightly toward him my body still slanted outward. I just looked at him
waiting for him to continue. He placed his hands on his steering wheel and
squeezed. He looked out toward the house as if he was trying to figure out what
to say. I had butterflies, maybe he was going to tell me he loved me and that
he had for so long just wasn't sure how to tell me....maybe just maybe for once
someone could love me the way I loved them..., just maybe. He took a deep
breath and then crushed my hopes. "Payton, I never should have kissed that
day in the kitchen it was wrong of me. Your only 17 and your my sisters best
friend. It was a mistake, I am so embarrassed that....." I cut him off I
couldn’t take anymore I was on the verge of losing it. I had to get out of here
and quickly. I held up my hand as to wave it off, "Wow Dylan seriously, don’t worry about it honestly it was no big deal." I
slid out of the truck and went for the house I never looked back I went straight
for the bathroom, turned on the shower, after climbing in I sat down on the
floor as the water hit my body and face. I cried silently for what must have
been too long. Casey knocked on the door bringing me back to reality.
"Payton are you okay? You've been in there awhile," I