Still Beating

Chapter Eight

Someone is shaking my arms lightly and my eyes open to the rich navy of the September sky.

"Ethan?" my half-asleep mind asks. Shit, I've just called my boyfriend by the wrong name.

"It's Hayden," a sad and husky voice responds.

Now I'm awake. My body springs upwards like a windup toy and I glare at Hayden, whose pale skin is glowing in the moonlight.

"What time is it?" I don't know why I bother to ask. The time doesn't matter. The fact that I'm late for my date with Josh is what matters.

"It's 8:30," Hayden informs me.

"Crap," I groan, getting up and brushing the grass off my pants. "We slept for so long."

Hayden looks uncharacteristically nervous and I wait in anxious anticipation for what he's going to say.

"Actually, only you slept. I um...kinda just watched." He runs his hand through his hair sheepishly.

At Hayden's admittance of watching me sleep, I'm immediately reminded of Edward from Twilight. Shaking the random thought away, I wonder if I should be flattered or creeped out. In the end, my anger wins out and I accuse him of letting me sleep when he knew I had a date.

"Look, Sienna, don't be mad," Hayden says, holing his hands up in surrender. "It's just that I see in class how tired you are so I wanted to let you sleep..." His voice trails into a whisper. He knows I'm beyond angry.

I roll my eyes and begin walking back to the car. Who the fuck does this guy think he is? Thinking he knows what other people need. I reach into my back pocket for my phone but it's not there.

"Fuck! Where's my phone?" I groan.

"Relax, crazy. It's on the grass there," Hayden points out.

Hastily I grab it but almost throw it back onto the ground when I see its dead.

"Great. Battery's dead. Can I use your phone to call him?"

"It's in the car," Hayden says, eyes darting away from me.

For some reason I think he's lying but I don't press. I'm already two hours late, I think Josh has gotten the message. Huffing like a child, I begin to walk away from Hayden.

"Sienna," he says calmly. I'm not giving in this time. "Bambi?"

I grind my teeth. "Save it, Hayden. I don't care what you have to say." I don't hear any footsteps behind me, which is odd.

"You're going the wrong way."

The jerk is laughing at me as I turn on my heels and storm past him.

"Geez, take it easy, Flash." He cracks up at his own joke.

I'm so mad that I missed out on the first opportunity to spend time with my boyfriend in what feels like ages yet I too, almost smile.

Insanity must be contagious.

Hayden jogs and catches up to me within seconds. "Okay, okay, no more fucking around."

I study him with an untrusting expression. "Thank you," I say finally.

We're both quiet during the drive back. Hayden senses my nervousness but doesn't seem particularly nervous himself. Maybe the situation is only a big deal in my head. I'm about to be dropped off at my boyfriend's dorm two hours late by some guy he doesn't know. A guy I barely know. A guy I barely know, who I almost kissed.

Maybe it's warranted that I'm this nervous.

Hayden pulls into the Warren parking lot and I thrust open the car door just as he's turning the car off.