The next morning, Charlotte drops Halsey and Lincoln to school. Lincoln is sullen about his loss at the finals. He spots a few of his teammates at a distance but doesn’t acknowledge them. Instead, he avoids their gaze.“Linc, you can’t be sad forever!” Halsey consoles him. “You need to cheer up and try again.”“Hales, you don’t know how it feels to lose!” Lincoln exclaims. “It…I could’ve easily won the game!”“Yeah well…I know how it feels to be beaten up by a stalker,” she jokes, pointing at her injured head. Lincoln sighs.“I’m sorry Hales,” he mutters. “I’m just really sensitive right now…”Unbeknownst to Halsey, Lincoln is also upset that Nathan managed to wriggle his way back into the team. Nathan’s father made a ruckus last week with the Principal which forced Nelson to take Nathan back into the team from today. Lincoln is sour that he’ll have to play with his rival again but he has no choice.“Cheer up!” Halsey tells him. “You’ll be fine. You’ve got me. You’ve got Charlotte. We
“What if someone finds us here?” Halsey asks, feeling nervous.“Relax!” Nathan grins. “No one can catch us here. The CCTV has been broken for years and the guards don’t come here much.”They’re on the roof, sitting on the ledge. Nathan always felt peaceful on the roof away from people but with Halsey by his side, the feeling is more refreshing. He can’t help admiring her but tries to remain aloof to not scare her.“So, where do you wanna go on our first date?” he asks her.“I…I never really thought about it,” she admits. “I can’t decide!”“There must be something you want to do on your first date?”Nathan frowns at her. She genuinely doesn’t seem to know what she wants from her first date. “I’ve never thought of what to do on my first date,” she says sheepishly. “It doesn’t really matter. I’m fine with anything. We can just watch a movie or…er…”She’s fumbling to find an activity. What do people do on dates?“What did you do on your first date?” Halsey asks him. “You have plenty of e
That evening, Halsey knocks on Charlotte’s door. Lincoln is at basketball practice (Nathan skipped it as usual) so the coast is clear. Halsey is still not ready to tell him about her new relationship with Nathan but she doesn’t want to hide it for long. But what about Nathan’s expectations? She sadly wonders. So there’s only one person who can explain this to her.“Hey Hales,” Charlotte greets her. “What’s up?”“Charlotte, I need your help,” Halsey moans. “I…I talked to Nathan about my feelings for him.”“Really?” Charlotte is a little impressed by Halsey’s change in attitude and has to admit that being around Nathan is making the girl bolder. “What did he say?” She asks.“He likes me as well,” Halsey says sheepishly.“That’s great!” Charlotte squeals. “So, are you two dating? Tell me everything!”“You can’t tell Lincoln yet!” Halsey begs. “He still doesn’t like Nathan and I wanna patch them up before I tell him anything about this-”“Scout’s Honor!” Charlotte promises. “So what do
Nathan snickers at her.“Mac n’ Cheese?” He chuckles. “I can make other stuff, ya know! Steak, burgers-”“But I like Mac n’ Cheese,” Halsey murmurs, feeling crestfallen. It’s a simple dish but she loves anything with cheese in it, especially Mac n’ Cheese.“Fine!” Nathan groans. He was planning to cook something elaborate for her but he is puzzled by her simple request. Taking out a pan, he boils some water and starts to cook. Halsey watches him in wonder, her eyes gaping at his hidden talent.“You never said you like to cook!” She frowns. “I cook for myself most of the time,” he shrugs. “What about the maids or servants?” Halsey inquires. Surely a mansion that big should have a few household staff, right?“There aren’t any,” Nathan reveals. “It’s just me. I’ve been cooking since I was twelve.”Halsey is surprised. He’s been cooking all along? Why?“What about your dad? Does he cook?”Nathan’s jaw hardens at the mention of his dad. Halsey doesn’t understand why he’s so cold towards
Halsey releases herself from his embrace and strides over to his desk. There are a few law books on it which intrigues her. Nathan is slightly embarrassed, not wanting anyone to find out about it but Halsey was bound to find out anyway.“Yeah…I just thought I’d look into them,” he says trying to sound nonchalant but Halsey smiles at him.“You’re interested in law?” She asks as she flips through the book.“I was kicked out of the basketball team so I thought that I’d need a backup plan!” He grumbles. “And you…you told me that day that I might make a good lawyer so I thought I’d just check it out. Then I started reading a bit and got interested so I ended up studying a lot more.”Suddenly Halsey begins to connect the dots as she recalls how Nathan had read the books in their literature class and also realized that he had been taking school work a lot more seriously than before.Nathan’s ears turn red and he looks away. He’s embarrassed to show this serious side of himself. Ever since Ha
The car ride is tense. Halsey is sitting in the back seat while Nathan and his father are at the front. She can sense the tension between the men which keeps on increasing with every second. Nathan keeps on glancing at her through the rearview mirror as if making sure that she’s safe back there.He doesn’t trust his father one bit and he’s sure that Daniel is trying to think of a way to hurt Halsey, if not today then in the future.“So, Halsey,” Daniel begins. “How long have you been dating my son?”“Uh…today was our first date,” Halsey mumbles.“Is he treating you right?”“Yes, he is.”&ldq
Lincoln speeds past the opponents, dribbling the ball fluidly. His eyes are on the hoops and he seamlessly dodges the guards as he throws the ball in the air. It goes right through the hoop.The whistle blows and he feels triumphant. Nelson nods in a stiff manner but doesn’t comment while the other team mates marvel at Lincoln’s abilities.“If you keep playing like this, we might actually win the next championship!” Chad exclaims.Lincoln is flushed at his success but inwardly, he’s also sulking at his loss at the interstate championship. The defeat was humiliating to him even if the points were close. He wanted to win and gloat in front of Nathan. For years, he has seen Nathan being the center of attention but now, Lincoln wants the glory. He deserves it.“If you can keep your head in the game, then we have a chance to win,” Nelson comments. “Coach, we’re trying!” Lincoln protests. “The team-”“Is demoralized.”Everyone turns around to find Nathan standing there. He’s wearing his j
“Hales, you look lost!” Lincoln’s voice brings Halsey out of her reverie. She’s startled and gapes at him. They’re at the library where Lincoln was talking but Halsey is barely paying attention. “The captaincy is gonna be announced today!” He exclaims. “Aren’t you excited for me?” “Oh, yes!” Halsey smiles. “I’m really happy for you.” She’s sincere with her words. Seeing Lincoln happy makes her happy as well but Nathan’s actions are still bothering her. Ever since he admitted his withdrawal to her, she can’t help thinking if she’s responsible for his decision. She tried to ask him during their date last night but he avoided the topic. “It’s gonna feel so good to see the smirk being wiped off of Jacobs’ face!” Lincoln claims. “I know how badly he wants this but the rest of the team isn’t happy with him, especially after he got himself kicked out before the interstate championship. They blame him for the loss.” “But he wasn’t even there,” Halsey frowns. “Doesn’t matter. He was su