Preacher Man // ross lynch + driver era

36

Dave stares down at me, clearly not effected by my screaming or shoving. I decide to go with my gut and lift my hand up, slapping him across the face. That, thankfully, takes him by surprise.

He stumbles back and I open my car door, getting in and shutting it quickly behind me. Dave lifts his head to stare at me. He reaches out to open my car door, but thankfully I locked it immediately. I fumble around with my keys and put them in the ignition. I pull out of the spot and drive quickly out of the parking lot. I turn down the road that leads into a residential area.

I turn down multiple streets without having a clue where I am anymore. Tears are streaming down my face and I can hardly contain my breathing.

I glance in my rear view mirror to make sure he wasn't following me then I pulled over near a house. I got my phone from my bag and immediately opened my call logs.

I press Ross' name and put the phone to my ear. By now I am full blown sobbing.

"Hi baby," he says nicely as he answers. I can't even form a word as my dry heaving goes into the microphone. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Where are you?"

I'm trying my hardest to form a word. I attempt to answer, but it's all mumbled. "I don't know," I manage to get out.

"Hayley, calm down. Tell me where you are and I'll come to you."

I glance around and all I see are houses. "I'm in some development," it's whiny, but he was able to understand.

Ross asks, "can you drive? I don't want your car towed. Fuck, um, your apartment is closest."

"I can drive there," I reply.

I rub my eyes and thank the heavens that I did not wear any makeup today. "I have to go. I'll talk to you later," I hear Ross say. He then directs his attention back to me. "Alright, baby. I'm heading toward your apartment."

I nod. "I am too," I say softly.

I begin the ten minute drive and am constantly wiping away tears as I continue my drive. They aren't stopping.

I pull into the parking lot and pull into a spot. I wait patiently for Ross. "I'm about to pull down your street. I'll be there in a minute, okay?" He says.

"Okay," I whisper pathetically.

My eyes are puffy and my skin is blotchy. I look like shit.

I see his car peel into the parking lot and park right beside me. I get out of the car and begin crying all over again.

"I'm here, I'm right here," Ross says as he rushes over to me and pulls me against him.

I sob into his chest as he has one hand against the back of my head and the other against my back. My hand is gripping his t-shirt tightly as he lets me just cry. He doesn't ask any questions.

Once my body stops shaking and my body is calm, I lean back to rub my eyes. "Dave, my ex, came into the store," I explain.

"Let's go upstairs, baby. It's cold, I don't want you getting sick. We can talk about it there," he says sweetly, his hand moving down to grab my bag that I let fall to the floor. He put it in the crease of his elbow and put his other hand onto the small of my back.

I was beyond happy to see my roommates weren't home so we went right into my bedroom. Ross climbs onto my twin bed and kicks his shoes off then extending his arms to me. I kick my shoes off and climb beside him.

I bite down on my lip, diverting my eye contact away from him. "Dave came into the store," I repeat. Ross leans down and grabs onto both of my hands, an action that I always do to him. His thumb moves slowly. "And he said he wanted to catch up and called me out for not responding to the text he sent me when we are at the ski resort. I don't know, I guess I felt pressured and didn't know how to say no, so after my shift we talked."