Crossfire (Strangely Comforting #2)

Chapter 8

Hayden and I had never had talks about relationships, love lives, or anything of the matter. The day that he began dating Paisley was the first time he ever mentioned anything about love and I on the other hand, hadn't opened up to him. It was an unspoken boundary that neither one of us crossed until that day.

I still haven't spoken to him about my current situation regarding the intimacy I shared with his friend, Xander. And I hadn't planned on revealing it because I didn't know how to go about it.

Luckily for me, however, Hayden brought it upon himself to pull the truth right out of me.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked.

I leaned my back against the couch, my hands clasped behind my head and wondered what Hayden could possibly have to ask me. Maybe he needed help with the Biomechanics lab report, though I wasn't sure why he would be asking me.

"Yeah," I said. "What is it?"

He looked down at his hands and I found it strange that he was unable to meet my eyes as I peered over at him.

"It's just," he started. "I know we don't talk about this stuff but I haven't been able to get it off my mind."

I squished my eyebrows together. "What?"

He breathed out a long sigh before he said, "Is there anyone that, you know, you're interested in?"

My eyes widened and I felt my heart speed up in my chest. Did I have to tell him now?

"Uh," I said. "There is."

And suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a presence lingering by the basement door. I glanced over, recognizing Drey's face and he quickly hid himself on the opposite side of the door where he remained unable to be seen.

Evidently, his bathroom emergency was just a ploy to get Hayden alone with me while he could eavesdrop and hear the "drama" that he so badly wanted to know.

Hayden lifted his eyes to gaze into mine and asked the follow-up question that I had been dreading to hear.

"W-well," he said and it was obvious he was nervous. I thought it was odd but perhaps he felt awkward asking. "Who is it?"

"You're going to be really surprised," I warned. "Don't flip out on me."

"I won't," Hayden promised as he smiled.

I remained quiet for a while, longer than I cared to admit and Hayden must've felt the tension in the awkward atmosphere I had created through my unwillingness to tell him the secret I carried.

After considering it for a weird amount of time, I finally sided with the coward in me and opted out of revealing both my sexuality and partner with my best friend. Also, I felt it'd be better if I did it with Xander by my side.

"I'll tell you another time," I whispered to him. "We've got an eavesdropper."

Hayden whipped his head in the direction of the door and Drey walked out, his hands behind his back as he tipped his chin up in the air and whistled as if he was innocently returning from the bathroom he never went to.

"I already saw you, Drey," I said and laughed. "You don't have to pretend you weren't listening."

Drey dropped his head to look at his and hung his shoulders. "You guys are no fun."

Hayden laughed saying, "How so?"

"It was just getting juicy," he replied and sighed, taking a seat next to me again.

It wasn't long before Hayden's mother summoned the three of us to the kitchen as we feasted our eyes on the massive amount of food that her fiancé, Brian, prepared.

It was a very nice dinner and I was glad Hayden invited us over tonight. I needed to relax and hang out and this was the perfect opportunity to do so. I also hadn't hung around with Hayden in a while and it felt good.

When it was time to leave, Drey headed out the door before I did as he typically does, and left me to say my goodbye to Hayden alone. I smiled at the kind boy and before I knew it, he had wrapped me in his arms. I slowly brought mine around him and patted him quite awkwardly on the back and after a few seconds, he released me, a small smile spread on his lips.

I smiled back at him and we both said goodbye before Drey and I bought an Uber back to campus.

I jumped on my bed, eager for some rest from my long day and held my phone above my face as I wondered where Xander had gone with his friends. I thought about what they could be doing and who was there but I didn't want to be such a clingy boyfriend.

Even so, I couldn't stop myself from pressing on his contact name and calling him.

After a few short rings, he picked up, his words dragging out of his mouth.

"Jasssper," he slurred and I rolled my eyes.

"Hey," I said, sitting up in bed. Drey looked over and raised an eyebrow, curious as to who I was speaking to.

He always had to know everything.

"What's up, my mannn?" Xander said and loud voices sounded around him.

"Nothing," I sighed. "How's it going?"

I heard him laugh before he replied.

"It's wild," he replied.

"Oh," I said, feeling a tinge of jealousy. I thought it was understandable though.

"Cason wants to say hiii," he said and I felt my chest fall.

"Hey, little guy," a voice said into the phone and my eyes widened upon recognizing it to belong to Cason.

"Hello?" I asked, my body heating up.

"Your boyfriend is drunk as fuck right now," Cason said as I got angrier.

"So stop letting him drink," I said roughly.

"Sure," he replied.

But his next sentence sent me over the edge.

"He's adorable when he's tipsy though."

———
Hi, what do you hope happens next lol