Page 116 of Offside Attraction

Thehumofthetires against the highway fills the car, steady and relentless, like it’s matching the tension coiled between us.Hayes drives with one hand on the wheel, relaxed on the surface, while I stare out the window, watching streetlights blur past in streaks of gold and white.

The silence isn’t awkward. It’s loaded.

I clench my fists, trying to will the heat in my chest to cool down. The radio crackles to life, snapping me out of my thoughts. Hayes flips through stations—bursts of static, half-heard voices, a pop song that makes my skin crawl. Then an even worse talk show.

“You’re terrible at this,” I mutter before I can stop myself.

He raises an eyebrow, flicking me a sideways glance. “Got something better in mind, Miller?”

I open my mouth to snap back—but then he lands on another station.

The opening chords hit, soft and familiar, and my chest tightens instantly. The song pours into the car, warm and unmistakable, dragging memories with it—late-night drives, headphones in, lyrics I never shared with anyone.

I freeze.

Hayes notices. Of course he does.

“Leave it,” I say quickly, before he can change it again.

Hayes pauses, his hand hovering over the dial. “You like this?”

“It’s The Lighters,” I say, as if that explains everything. “Who doesn’t?”

A slow grin spreads across his face, and he leans back in his seat, letting the song play. “Didn’t think you’d be into them. Kind of… emotional for you, isn’t it?”

I glare at him, but there’s no real heat behind it. “And you’re not?”

“Fair point,” he admits, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel in time with the beat. “Their last album was solid.”

I blink, caught off guard. “Wait—you actually listen to them?”

He smirks, glancing at me. “What, you think I only listen to trash?”

“Yes,” I say without hesitation, and he laughs, the sound low and genuine. It makes something twist in my chest, and I hate how much I like the sound of it.

“Guess I surprised you, then,” he says, his voice lighter now. “I’ve got range, Miller. You should try it sometime.”

“Right,” I mutter, turning my gaze back to the window. But I can’t help the small smile tugging at my lips as the song swells, the lyrics filling the car. For a moment, it’s almost easy, the tension between us fading into something softer, something I don’t know how to name.

When the song ends, Hayes glances at me again, his smirk softer now. “So, what’s your favorite track?”

I hesitate, debating whether to answer, but his expression is curious, not mocking. “Probably ‘Shadows.’ It’s… good.”

“‘Shadows,’ huh?” He nods, his tone thoughtful. “Yeah, that one’s solid. Mine’s ‘Falling Faster.’ Something about it just hits.”

I glance at him, surprised. “That’s… a good pick.”

“Thanks,” he says, grinning. “See? We might actually have something in common.”

I roll my eyes, but the warmth in my chest lingers, and for once, I don’t feel the need to fight it.

A new song pops up, filling up the space of his car as I lean against the car seat. I can feel Hayes' eyes on me, his gaze intense, with a mixture of something else. It feels as if he's peeling back every layer of clothing I have on.

“Quit it, Hayes. Stop staring at me like that.”

“Like what?”

I shake my head, a small smile tugging at my lips as I look out the window. I don't know how he does it, but each time he looks at me, a wave of warmth spreads through me, uninvited and impossible to ignore. It’s infuriating how easily he gets under myskin, how his gaze feels like it’s unraveling parts of me I’ve tried so hard to keep hidden.