Chapter Nine:The Almost Kiss đź’‹
372 Words
" Somewhere between the silence and the space between them, she forgot how to breathe."
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The fundraiser was only two days away, and Hailey had officially lost count of how many hours she’d spent with Chase.
Painting signs. Hanging lights. Testing music playlists. Laughing at dumb jokes she pretended not to find funny.
And feeling everything she didn’t want to feel.
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That evening, they were alone at the community center again. The others had left hours ago, but she stayed behind to help Chase finish the final booth setup. Or maybe she just couldn’t bring herself to leave.
Hailey stood on a small stepladder, pinning a banner over the doorway while Chase held it steady from below.
“You know,” he said, “you’ve gotten a little less bossy.”
She smirked. “You’ve gotten slightly less irritating.”
“Wow. High praise from you.”
She looked down to reply—and lost her balance.
Her foot slipped.
He caught her.
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It happened fast, but time slowed in that movie-scene kind of way. Her hands gripped his shoulders. His arms were around her waist. Their faces… inches apart.
Hailey’s heart slammed in her chest.
He didn’t move.
Neither did she.
His eyes searched hers, soft and full of something she wasn’t ready for.
“Hailey…” he whispered.
And there it was again — her name, like a song, like a promise.
She hated how much she loved it.
He leaned in — slow, gentle, patient.
Her breath hitched.
Their noses brushed.
She could feel it coming.
The kiss.
Real. Honest. Wanted.
And then—
Her phone rang.
Loud. Jarring. Obnoxious.
She pulled back like she’d been burned, stumbling out of his arms as if the moment hadn’t just swallowed her whole.
“I—I need to get that,” she said, grabbing her phone without looking at him.
Chase ran a hand through his hair, stepping back, his jaw tight.
“Yeah. Sure. Go ahead.”
The silence that followed was louder than the ringtone.
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That night, she sat in bed, staring at the ceiling.
Her lips untouched. Her heart restless.
And all she could think was:
What would’ve happened if I hadn’t moved?
- Writer
