Chapter Four: The Almost Smile
390 Words
The community center smelled like fresh paint, old carpet, and way too many cinnamon cookies. Hailey wasn’t sure which was more irritating — the mess, the noise, or the fact that she’d agreed to volunteer for something that involved glitter.
She tied an apron around her waist and avoided looking across the room, where Chase was surrounded by giggling kids and paper signs. He looked so... natural. Like he belonged here. Like he hadn’t turned her world sideways a week ago with a rain-soaked smirk.
“You’re early,” he called across the room.
“You’re still loud,” she replied, not looking up from the folding table she was setting up.
Chase walked over, two mugs in hand. “Peace offering.”
She eyed the mug suspiciously. “If that’s decaf, we’re done here.”
“Extra caffeine,” he said, setting it down. “Figured you needed fuel for bossing me around.”
She tried not to smile. She really did. But something about the way he handed her the coffee — warm fingers brushing hers, eyes soft and steady — made her lips twitch.
Just a little.
Almost.
Chase noticed. Of course he did.
“You almost smiled,” he said.
“I didn’t.”
“You did. I’m calling it a win.”
“You’d call a flat tire a sign from the universe.”
He grinned. “Depends on where it leads.”
She rolled her eyes, but inside, something fluttered — quietly, rebelliously.
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An hour later, they were sitting side-by-side, painting signs for the fundraiser. Hailey was focused on her brush strokes when Chase said, almost casually:
“I used to watch you write, you know.”
She froze. “What?”
“Back in high school. You’d sit on the bleachers with that same notebook. You always looked like you were somewhere else. Like the rest of us didn’t exist.”
She didn’t know what to say to that. So she said nothing.
Then — softly — he added, “You were the first girl I ever wanted to know more about.”
Hailey didn’t look up. Didn’t breathe. Her heart was doing strange things in her chest, and she wasn’t ready for any of them.
Instead, she dipped her brush in gold paint and whispered, “You missed your chance.”
- Writer
