Friends Don't Kiss, Do They?

Chapter 16

Abby's pregnancy was still a shock to me. I thought about Matt and wondered what our future will be like if we were to be together for a life time, growing old and dying together. I imagined our children with bleached hair and brown hair. I'm not sure how many kids we will have yet, maybe two or three. Maybe we will even have a dog.

Okay, maybe that's thinking too much ahead, but there is no harm in fantasising what kind of life Matt and I will have in the future. We are at the very beginning of dating, and hopefully our relationship goes well for us to spend the rest of our lives together

Bailey and I caught the bus back to the place. Anna would have dropped us off, but she had decided to stay back with Abby. I stayed with Bailey for a short time, hoping to see Emma, but she hadn't returned home.

I head home, lying to Mom that I already had dinner. Once I entered my room, I text Matt to see if he wanted to hang out tonight. I stare at the phone, waiting for an answer when there was a knock at my door. I look up to see Mom.

"Hey, Mom." I set my phone on my bedside table.

Mom walks into the room, giving me a half smile. She closes the door so my brothers hopefully doesn't come in. "Are you sure you don't want dinner?"

I shake my head. "I ate something while I was at Bailey."

Mom looks at me as if she didn't believe what I was saying. "You aren't lying to me, are you, Hailey?"

She knows something is up, doesn't she?

I shake my head. "Mom, no. You know I wouldn't lie to you."

Mom sits down on the foot of my bed, and pats the space on her left, wanting me to sit down beside her. I do.

"Hailey, is there something bothering you?"

I stare at mom, wanting to tell her about everything that has been happening, but I don't. Like Bailey said to me earlier today. There is only two weeks left of school. Does it really matter if I tell her about Samantha when school is almost over?

"No. Why would you ask me that?" I ask.

"Well, for one thing you haven't been sitting down for breakfast and dinner with your brothers and me. Mrs O'Hare has expressed her concern to me about how you have been acting during practice."

"Acting in what way?"

"She said you haven't been concentrating and feels that something is on your mind. She said you were also very exhausted when you fainted. Hailey is there something you need to tell me. Have you been eating and sleeping right?"

I stay quiet. What do I tell her? Do I tell her the truth?

"Hailey?" Mom rests her hand on my shoulder.

I should tell her about Samantha.

No. I can't. She will talk to Mr Maxwell, and then he will talk to Samantha. She will then make the remainder of high school hell for me.

"Nothing is going on, Mom," I lie. "I have just been under a lot of stress with the finals coming up."

Mom rubs my back. "Oh sweetie, you know you can talk to me about this. I'm here for you."

I give mom a half smile. "I know."

Mom stands up. "Well, if you want to come eat something, you can. And just remember I'm here if you ever want to talk about how you feel."

I nod, and mom walks away. I wait until she was gone for sure before reaching for my phone. Matt hadn't texted me back yet. I message Emma, hoping to speak to her. She replies back to say she is busy, but promises to contact me later. I put my phone on the bedside table and lie down on my bed. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I drift off to sleep.