Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right by Rosie Steppe

Chapter 172

"It's me!"

A familiar voice echoed down the hallway.

I grabbed the railing, coming to a sudden stop. All the tension drained out of me in an instant.

A second later, I turned around and saw Hayden standing there, half-hidden in the shadows.

The awkwardness from earlier still hung in the air, thick and uncomfortable. I didn't know what to say, so I went with annoyed-always a safe move. "Do you even realize how creepy you look just standing there like that?" He just grunted. That one sound.

God, it was frustrating. He had no idea how cold and dismissive that little "mm" came off, and it drove me insane.

I was ready to snap at him again, but then he spoke, his voice low and soft. "It won't happen again."

That shut me up.

I pulled out my keys, turning to unlock my door. Just as the key slid into the lock, his voice came again, low and quiet. "I had the wrong idea tonight. It won't happen again." Wait, what?

I froze, glancing back, but he was already slipping into his half-open door.

eyes met for a split second before he shut it.

but before I could even think of something to say,

He wasn't agreeing to end whatever this fake

doing

hard. Why had I ever asked

wasn't like I was worried he'd get too attached. No, the problem was me. I didn't want

freaking prop. His first hug, first hand-hold, even

felt like the worst person

apartment, guilt gnawing at me like a

Every time I turned around, there he was, looking lost. "Why'd you kiss me?" he'd ask, over and over. "That was my first

woke up suffocating in guilt, even though it was

grabbed my

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Chapter 172

up. If I had my timing right,

chance

on some clothes, and

empty streets as the sky barely started to lighten, I couldn't help but feel like a total loser. Here I was, grown, living in my own place, and yet I

there was always a cold breakfast sitting by

Hayden a bunch of times, telling