common ground | hayes grier

2

[ Allie ]

5:30 am.

The usual time my alarm beeps. Even waking up that early, I only have 45 minutes to get ready. That is mission impossible for a normal girl my age but I somehow make it work.

First of all we live so far out of town, that my school would be a 2 and a half hour walk. That is why me and my brother go to the Grier's house every morning and afternoon.

But then there's the fact that my dad is always working and has no time for me nor my brother. He begins work at 7 am and ends at 6:30 pm. Almost 12 hours a day.

In the morning he's barely awake enough to speak to us, and at night he's too tired. But I don't blame him, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do when you're a single dad. Sometimes it's just hard because it's like he's a stranger. He knows nothing about me and the same goes for me about him.

I take a 10 minute shower since I don't have the time for a longer one.

In North Carolina, our springs are pretty warm so I wear a pair of black tights with a grey tank top and blue flannel.

I apply some minor makeup and leave my hair in its natural state, straight, then head downstairs. I see Brendan and my dad waiting for me. I groggily tell them hello as the 3 of us head to my dad's car.

I softly hum along to the music playing on the radio during the ride. Brendan is just scrolling through his phone the whole way.

We arrive at the Grier house at 6:32 which is  usually when we get there. Ethan and I quickly exit the car knowing our dad is a rush.

Nash comes to open up the door after we knock. Hayes is already awake chilling on the couch so I go take a seat across from him on the arm chair. Nash and Brendan come over to us and sit down.

"So guys," Nash begins, "I was thinking, why don't we just ditch first period and go to iHop for breakfast," he suggests. Hayes' face lights up at the word ditch as does Brendan's but I for one am a little skeptical about the idea.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea, guys," I mumble. All the guys start yelling and screaming attempting to convince me.

Ditching has never been my thing. Correction: do anything even slightly bad has never been my friend.

"Come on, Alls. Live a little," Hayes urges. They're all looking at me pleadingly knowing they need my agreement in order to pursue their plan.

Well what's the worse that can happen. I need to lighten up a bit. I've been a goody two shoes since kindergarten a little rebelling could do me some good.

"Ugh, why not," I smile caving in.

//

"What are you going to get?" Hayes questions looking over at my menu. Of course Ethan and Nash would want to sit together meaning I have to sit next to Hayes, but it's whatever. I can tolerate him sometimes.

"My usual. Plain pancakes with a side of bacon," I shrug pointing to it on the menu.

"Typical you, Al. Why don't you ever go for anything exciting you always play it safe and boring. Plain," he shudders. Me and Hayes are so different he always wants his life to be crazy and extravagant but that's not me at all.

"It's not boring, it's called simplicity. I like my life to be simple there shouldn't be a problem with that," I defend. Hayes just chuckles in response.

After a while our food came to our table. I used the original syrup and poured all over my mountain of pancakes with butter on top.

I moan as I take my first bite.

I haven't been to iHop since before my mom died and I forgot how good they tasted.

"You know, I have math first period. And if I miss a lesson today I could fall so behind and never catch up, and then I'll get a bad grade and when I don't get into my dream university it will be all because I decided to go to iHop today with you people," I ramble.

What if this actually happens. This one breakfast could ruin my entire future. Hayes just looks at me then starts laughing hysterically. I'm confused.

"Why are you laughing at me?" I inquire slowly, a bit scared for what his answer will be.

"I'm gonna take it upon myself to teach you how to have fun," he announces making me even more confused. "I'm actually going to start right now." Suddenly Hayes swipes three of his fingers across the top of his pile of pancakes. All the whip cream is on his finger and then out of nowhere he flings it at my face.

"Hayes? What the hell are you doing?" I exclaim. My make-up is probably ruined now. Hayes just continues laughing before smudging the whip cream all-over my face.

I look over at Ethan and Nash to see that they look extremely stunned. I'm honestly so close to blowing up at Hayes but the boy pushes it when he throws a pancake at my face.

"Now you've crossed the line, Grier," I exclaim but he's still laughing his head off. I grab the chocolate syrup and pour it all over his precious brown hair.

All of sudden a war commences. Left and right, me and Hayes are tossing, squeezing, pouring all this stuff all over eachother we were both soaked in syrup and covered in whip cream and butter. My hair has pancakes, bacon and sausage everywhere.

"Excuse me, but I'm gonna have to ask you two to leave the premises of iHop," someone tells us. I look over to see a man wearing a tag that says manager standing next to our waitress. Hayes and I  just laugh as we exit the building. I have not had fun like this in quite a while.

//

Idk I find this chapter cute