The Bad Boy and the Piano Girl (Book #1)

Chapter Twenty One: Ice Cream? Ice Cream.

Chapter Twenty One: Ice Cream? Ice Cream.

As soon as I pull the string to turn on the lightbulb, I'm met with an angry Landon ready to pounce on his next victim. Okay, dramatic I know, but the deathly glare he sports on his face scares the hell out of me.

However when his eyes finally adjust to the light and focus in on me, they soften.

"Gem?" I try to contain the smile that tries so hard to overtake my face, after hearing his nickname for me once again.

Before I can reply, he beats me to it. "Did you just kidnap me from the hallwa- wait shit did I hit you?" He grabs my arm gently, pulling me closer to him, inspecting for any injuries. "Shit I can't believe I punched you so hard... shit shit-"

I place my hand over his mouth to stop him from talking. "Zuko chill. That was Carter you beat the shit out of."

He licks my hand making me draw it away immediately. "Asshole!"

He gives me an innocent smile in response, but goes back to being worried again. "You sure I didn't hurt you?"

I nod. "Listen Landon-"

"Gem I just-"

We both laugh slightly. He looks at me and I signal to for him to go first.

He scratches the back of his head and sighs. "I-I'm sorry for being a complete jackass to you this whole week...."

"I deserved it for being a bitch-"

He quickly cuts me off. "No no, you didn't deserve it at all okay? I was just pissed off when you said that because I don't want you to think I'm some dumb player. I know I act like a douche half the time and act like I don't care about anything, but I guess hearing you say that to me made me realise that I do care. Maybe not about what other people think of me, but I know damn well that I care about what you think of me."

I stare at him speechless. Landon cares what I think about him? The thought makes my heart flutter.

I step closer to him, our noses almost touching. "Then let me get to know you."

His eyes meet mine. "What?"

"Let's start over. Let me get to know the real Landon Knight, not the douche everyone knows at school."

His eyes trail down to my lips and a feeling I can't quite decipher flickers through his eyes, and then it's gone. He holds out a hand to me. "Hi I'm Landon Knight and I fucking hate basketball."

A wide smile spreads across my face as I shake his hand. "Hi I'm Heidi Thompson and I fucking hate high heels." That earns me a genuine smile from him. "Now Landon Knight, what's this about you hating basketball."

He taps his chin. "Well Heidi Thompson, that's a story that needs to be told over ice cream."

"Are you subtly asking me out for ice cream?"

"Yes, yes I am."

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Our hysterical fits of laughter fill the empty ice cream parlour. Since I had the keys to the shop and we didn't open for another hour, Landon thought it'd be the perfect opportunity to skip school and eat ice cream instead. I sure as hell didn't mind.

"You actually got Gigi and Taylor to pretend fight and then used the principles mic to get me out of class?" He manages to get out between laughs.

"It was a great plan okay!" I smile whilst point my spoon at him.

He ruffles my hair. "I'm impressed. I'm already rubbing off on you Gem."

I swat his hand away and laugh. "Now what's the whole deal with you hating basketball?"

"Oh that..."

"I mean you don't have to tell me if-"

He quickly silences me. "My Dad loves it and uh he'd always talk about how I was going to be the star basketball player he could never be. My grandfather wanted him to take over the business so he never got to play, and I guess he just wanted me to fulfil his dream."

"But what's the point of doing something you don't even care about?"

"I do care about it I guess. Well it's the most important thing to my Dad. He'd be crushed if I told him I didn't want to play, and I can't do that."

I place my hand over his. "I think your Dad seems like an awesome guy and would be proud of whatever you wanted to do."

He interlaces our fingers and his grey eyes bore into mine. "Do you wanna see what I wanna do instead of basketball?"

I nod.

He smiles and grabs his phone. I watch him as he texts someone. I only realise he texted me when my phone beeps. I open the message and see an address.

For what?

As if reading my thoughts, he replies. "Meet me here at 11pm tonight."

"11! My Dad will kill me for being out that late on a school night!"

"I'll talk to him."

I shake my head furiously. "No no he can't know I'm with a boy that'll make it worse."

"I thought he likes me!"

I throw my hands up. "He's a father with a teenage daughter, what do you expect!"

"I'd let our daughter meet a boy at ni- okay true I see your point."

Wait did he just? 'Our daughter'.... why is he not freaking out that he just said that! Stupid feelings.

Landon snaps his fingers in front of me, bringing me back to reality. "Earth to Gem."

"Huh?" I look at him dazed.

"Will you be there? I'll be with you the whole night I promise." He gives me a pleading look that I can't just seem to say no to.

"Fine. I'll be there."
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ANOTHER UPDATE WOO. Next update will be posted when this chapter gets 100 reads!

Love you all!
~H <3