Maybe This Time // Hayes Grier

chapter 21

My theory isn't going to well right now. As of now it's raining and I'm throwing clothes that I think are mine into a bag. It's dark and I don't want to turn on any of the lights in Hayes' room. I may have accidentally grabbed a few of his shirts since they were mixed in with mine. Like I said, no lights, no one can know I'm awake. I walk into his bathroom and grab my toothbrush, hairbrush, and makeup. Do I have everything I need?

I scrabbled words down on the back of some paper I found on his desk. I had no idea how the letters turned out sense the pencil I used was dull and the room was only lit up by the crescent moon and street lights outside.

I take in a few deep breaths and grab my bag that was on his bed. My feet stop moving right before I come up to the stairs. But then I go down the stairs quickly, not bothering to make noise at this point.

My head is filled with so many thoughts and scenarios. I look at the pictures of Hayes' family on his walls. I can barley make out who each of them are, but they are there. Then I keep my pace to the front door and wipe a tear off my cheek.

A cool breeze hit my face once I opened the front door and I see the cab I called waiting for me on the street curb. I stand in the door frame for a few moments just to make sure I won't regret doing the actions in doing. I know I'll regret this later, I know I will. But it is the best thing for me and him.

I pull the door shut behind me as quietly as possible to prevent waking anyone, especially Hayes, his room is right above the front door.

A queasy feeling sits on my stomach as soon at my butt his the leather sit in the cab. I tell the driver to go to the airport and he pulls out of the driveway soon after.

↠Hayes

I wake up to the sun shining through the shades and leaving shadows from where the blinds are. The bed next to me is also empty and cold, she must have gotten up long ago.

I sit up without getting out of bed. My hands run through my hair and I just sit there and attempt to think of a reason why I would have come in here last night after I became infuriated with her only hours before.

One possibility is that I could hear her sobbing. I just wanted all the muffled crying to stop. And honestly I don't know if she was crying over me or how absolutely stupid her actions were. But God, did being able to hear every gasp of air she's tried to grab was heart wrenching. She tried to quiet herself too, I could tell. She tried to shove her face into a pillow to try to mute herself. It didn't work so well.

So I get up out of bed once hearing her cry became unbearable. I walked into the room and she stop crying as soon and the door opened. I saw her silhouette lying in that bed and hugging a pillow to stop herself from shaking. So I crawled into the space next to her and wrapped her into my arms. I had to say something to her, so I told her exactly what the truth was.

My bare feet hit the cold floor and I stand up and stretch. I head down the carpeted staircase and then into the kitchen. Nash sits there eating Captain Crunch and ignores my existence. I deserve that, I do. Then I take a look at his black eye that my single punch created yesterday evening.

"My bad," I say, not really meaning it.

"It's fine," he said.

"It wasn't an apology," I say back. I honestly don't regret punching him, maybe a little, but not totally. I've only punched another person once in my life. My reason being that during my freshman year some jackass shoved my friend into a gym locker. It hurt like a bitch.