Preacher Man // ross lynch + driver era

81

Once we are back at Max's, I sit on his bed and contemplate a little more before I decide to grow some balls and call him.

The phone rings three times before his voice breaks out. It makes me nauseous, sad and happy all at the same time.

"Hayley?" Ross says in disbelief.

I can already feel my heart racing and my breath quickening. "Hi," I whisper and my voice sounds so sad, it makes me sick.

"Are you okay?" He asks. "Fuck, I mean how are you? But also, are you okay?"

I smile sadly to myself. "Yeah, I'm okay. How are you?"

"Can I see you?" He asks and I can tell he did it impulsively as he sucks in his breath immediately after in disbelief.

I furrow my eyebrows. "What do you mean see me?"

"Like FaceTime. Can I FaceTime you?"

I haven't seen him since our last FaceTime. I don't look at any media photos. Although I asked Max to check his Instagram and Ross tripled in followers with now almost 5 million from the last time I checked.

"Sure," I whisper softly.

Fuck.

I pull my phone away from my ear, Max staring me down from the other side of the room as he listens to the entire conversation.

Ross's face pops up on my phone and I feel like vomiting, but I can't. I can't succumb.

"Hi," he says softly.

I smile sadly at him. "Hey," I repeat the introduction.

"Did you lose weight?" He asks at the same time I ask him a question.

"Are you high?" I ask.

The two of us simply stare at each other, both of us thrown off by the others question.

We know each other like the back of our hands.

Ross speaks first. "Hayley, did you lose like thirty pounds? Are you treating yourself right?"

"Are you fucking high right now?" I snap.

"You look... sick. Are you sick?" Ross continues to pester questions about me.

I decide to further ignore his questions. "Where's your girlfriend?"

"Why'd you call me?" He asks. "Did you hear the song?"

I furrow my eyebrows. I now decide to not answer his question with another question in a way.

Instead, I ask for an explanation. That's different right? "What? What song?"

"Oh. Never mind," he says quickly, trying to shut me down.

I glance over at Max who is deeply invested in this whiplash conversation. I look back down at Ross who is staring at me.

"I'm sorry. I don't use my phone anymore really. I don't look at much on social media. I haven't stayed much up to date on what you've been doing," I admit. I can tell it hurt him. "I'm sorry, I've been too scared it'll make me spiral."

He nods slowly. "I get it. It makes sense. Why'd you call?"

"Um... I called to ask you if it would be okay if I went to Rydel's party. And I also wanted to know the odds that your um... your girlfriend will be there," I explain.

I'm letting him know he still has me wrapped around his fucking fingers by being afraid of seeing the two of them together.

Ross smiles. "I can try to convince Danielle to not come if that makes you comfortable. Rydel would prefer you than her coming honestly."