𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙯𝙮 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡𝙨 ➳ 𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘦𝘺

(05) Home Alone

"If you could pull up just here, that would be good" Taylor pointed his house out after taking a lift home with Hayden - who was really Hayley. "Thanks for the ride, by the way."

Hayley pulled up and smiled over at Taylor's house. It was a nice place - nothing like her own, but still nice. Turning back to the guy next to her, she raised an eyebrow. "So, what are ya up to now?"

"Oh, not much. Do you want to come in?" Taylor offered, figuring that maybe his new friend might want to hang out with him.

"Well I was going to just maybe play some football or meet some of the guys from back home but actually, sure, I'd love to... I mean..." Hayley trailed off, trying to paint an entirely different picture than one of her real life.

Normally after school, Hayley would hang out with Jenna and Zac, do some cheer practice or have an afternoon at the spa. This was going to be like entering a whole other world.

Hayley and Taylor left the car and headed into the home, with Hayley taking in all of the sights around her. This was an entirely different neighbourhood than her own but it was still quite alright.

"Oh, um... If my mother comes home from work early, well... My girlfriend's name is Ashlynn and she looks very similar to Ariana Grande" Taylor blurted out as he shut the front door behind him.

Feeling confused as she sat on the guy's lounge, Hayley shook her head. "Wait, what now?"

"I just don't want her to worry about my social life or my... Love life. You know?" Taylor explained, hoping he hadn't just embarrassed himself too much.

"Sure, I can understand that" Hayley slowly nodded, lifting her feet up onto the couch as she got comfy. "But... Ariana Grande? Really? And Ashlynn... Is it a coincidence that this made up girl has a name like Lynn's?"

Taylor wanted to change the subject. Now that his new friend was aware of his own fake girlfriend, he was ready to move onto something else. "Want a beer?"

"Sure" Hayley nodded, going along with whatever Taylor wanted to do. She wasn't much of a drinker at all but she wanted to fit in.

As Taylor headed for the kitchen, Hayley looked down at herself and made sure she was still looking up to scratch with her character. Once she knew she still looked like she could pass for Hayden, she relaxed.

Taylor returned back to the living room with two beers and sat on the couch that was opposite the one Hayley was at.

"So, you don't actually have a girlfriend?" Hayley questioned, though she already knew the answer.

Hayley had no idea why the girls at school weren't more interested in Taylor. The guy was undeniably handsome and had a great personality too.

Taylor let out a sigh, one that expressed that he felt disappointed in himself. He simply nodded. "Yep, you guessed it."

"So, what about the prom?" Hayley asked next, her questions becoming a bit much for Taylor. She could tell the guy wasn't interested but yet wanted to dig a little deeper. "Don't you want to go?"

Taylor gave a small shrug. He hadn't thought much about prom, having assumed there would be no reason for him to go. "Prom is kinda romantic though, or at least sentimental. I can't ask my mother to go with me!"

"Well, did you ask anyone to go with you?" Hayley wondered, though she had a feeling that maybe Taylor didn't go after what he wanted so much. Watching the guy shake his head 'no', she nodded. "Well, you better start asking. Who'd be your first choice?"

Taylor sat up from the couch and paced around his living room. "Geez, you sure do ask a lot of questions."

"That's because we're talkin', man to man..." Hayley trailed off. She just wanted Taylor to see himself as a catch, because to her, that's exactly what he was. "Have you ever hooked up with a girl?"