pretty reckless ▷ mccall [1]

15

PART 15: First Facetime

"I've never done this before so excuse me if I run out of conversation ideas," Scott blurted as soon as she answered, cringing immediately after the rushed words spilled out of his mouth.

"You've never used FaceTime before?" Hayley asked, eyes sparkling with amusement despite their bloodshot and hooded appearance.

"You know what I mean."

"Do I?"

"Yes. You do."

Grinning, she flipped onto her stomach, burying her face in palms before sniffling slightly. "Let me just get my earphones," she yawned, before abandoning her phone on her bed as Scott was forced to stare at her ceiling which, fortunately seemed to be covered with fading fluorescence from broken glowsticks.

As Hayley fumbled with the phone a bit, before coming back on screen, Scott simply grinned. "You have a nice ceiling."

"I thought it'd be a good idea. It wasn't."

"No, it looks good. Like you. You look good. I mean...uh..."

"Scott?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

"Will do," he stammered, turning scarlet as he fiddled with his nimble fingers.

"How come you're calling now?"

"Beacon isn't exactly...great right now. I kind of needed to forget about everything for a while. And you know," he looked up, woes forgotten, eyes glimmering, "You're the only one I know that lives half-way across the world."

As she opened her mouth to retort, he cut her off, grinning. "I don't think either Isaac or Jackson would love if i woke them up at 2 in the morning."

"What makes you think I'm taking kindly to it?"

"The fact that you haven't hung up yet."

"Touché," Hayley smiled, slightly wistfully. "You're like the semi-smooth, better looking version of Lucas, honestly."

"Better looking huh?"

"Only because I've seen him in diapers."

"I find that vaguely disturbing because that basically means you've seen me in diapers."

"Let's not dwell on that."

"Well Hayley Blake, you're the semi-intimidating, better looking version of your pictures so I guess we're both special."

She simply mussed her hair in response, making no effort to hide the yawn that threatened to take over her face. "So, how's lacrosse going?"

"Our coach is back in rehab so..." he trailed off, poker faced as he raised an eyebrow.

"Well what do you know..."

"Kidding. He hasn't relapsed. Yet. Wait until we lose our next game."

"Wow way to take responsibility for the team."

"Yeah Coach is a real gem," Scott scoffs.

"Sounds like it. You're going to introduce me to him."

"Over FaceTime?"

"No. One day when I muster up the courage to visit the boring residents of Beacon Hills, I'm going to meet him."

"I have a feeling you two'd really get along."

"Scott McCall do you think that I'd sacrifice practicing on a decent sports pitch to visit you and your little ghost town?"

"I might," he grinned, eyes meeting hers- teasing as he pursed his lips. "Why would you want to visit here anyway?"

"Because I might be developing a certain fondness for the captain of a certain lacrosse team," she mumbled subconsciously, almost contentedly as she felt her eyes droop shut.

"And would that be me?"

"No. Jackson."

"You're not making sense."

"Of course not."

"Get some sleep Hayley."

"Says the one keeping me up."

"Sorry..." he trailed off looking awkward.

"Hey no, it's okay. And Scott?"

"Yeah?"

"Anytime you want to get away from Beacon, just call okay?"

"Okay but then I'd be talking to you everyday."

"Who's saying that's a bad thing?"

"That's fair."

"You're such a loser," she smiles, rubbing her eyes in one last desperate attempt to stay awake.

"Yeah but I like it."

"You know what Scott McCall?"

"What?"

"I like it too," she mumbled as her eyes fluttered closed.

She didn't see him bite his lip as worry lines creased his brow before he hung up.

➻