Getting Under Nathan

22: "She's hardly my friend."

Chapter 22 - "She's hardly my friend."

I woke up the next morning with a funny feeling in my stomach, and it wasn't hangover-induced nausea. After quickly recalling the previous night, I remembered the reason for my distress: Hayley. Was this an issue we were going to have to address today? I hated confrontation, but there was no way I was going to sit back and let her inappropriate behaviour be ignored like it normally is. 

Groaning at the thought of it, I rolled over and snuggled closer to Nathan, draping my arm over his stomach and resting my head on his chest. Immediately I felt better. It was amazing how simply being close to Nathan could make my problems fade away; I tried not to think about how this particular problem was because of Nathan.

Ten minutes later and I was wide awake with Nathan still snoring away beside me. I could hear voices in the kitchen, including Hayley laughing away in the kitchen about something, seeming as chipper as always. Despite how drunk she got, Hayley never seemed to suffer from hangovers and was always the first awake after a night out.

Another five minutes passed, and I found myself getting more and more wound up. I couldn't just lie here. I had to get this over and done with. Sitting up, I gingerly climbed over Nathan's sleeping body, careful not to wake him.

I'd hoped it was Jack or Shaun in the kitchen with Hayley, someone who'd maybe give me a bit of moral support. Unfortunately, it was the worst possible option. It was Gemma. I didn't really want to distance myself from the girls any more than I had already, especially since I knew how close they were, but this was something that I wasn't willing to let go unsaid.

"Hey, Izzy," Hayley smiled, as if everything was normal. "How was your night?"

My heart was thudding. I really wasn't confrontational and I didn't want to cause an argument or an awkward situation. But I did need to grow a backbone.

"It was okay," I lied. "But we left early."

"Oh." Hayley frowned. "How come?"

"I'd had a bad day and didn't feel like staying out." 

Was Hayley going to pretend like nothing had happened? Could I guilt trip her into apologizing first so I didn't have to bring it up? Unlikely.

"You should have just stayed out and got really drunk." Hayley laughed. "That's what I did."

"As per usual," Gemma said with a snigger. It was frustrating how amusing everyone found Hayley's drunken antics.

"Did you have a good night?" I asked Hayley.

"Dunno. Don't remember a thing. Although that usually means I've had a good night."

"Usually means you got with about ten men more like," Gemma smirked.

This was my chance. Taking a deep breath, I blurted it out, despite my best attempts to remain casual and conversational.

"You tried to get with Nathan."

Both girls stared at me, as if they were trying to work out if this was a joke or not.

"Are you serious?" Hayley asked. 

I didn't like her tone of voice. She didn't sound embarrassed or horrified, but rather disbelieving, like she thought I was lying.

"Yeah," I murmured. "You were all over him."

"With all due respect, Izzy," Gemma began, "he's the one with a girlfriend. He shouldn't have let a wasted girl pawn all over him."

I frowned. "He wasn't letting her! He was trying to push her off him but she wouldn't let go."