Remaining Daylight (#Wattys2016)

Track XXI.

The house was empty when we arrived, just like I'd anticipated. Dad was almost never home when I was. I wasn't sure if he was avoiding me, or his problems, or what. But ever since it became me and him, he worked. All the time.

"Welcome to my house," I said, gesturing to the building. It wasn't big. We didn't stay in the house that we'd lived in when Mom and Caleb were still around. Instead, Dad found us a one-story house that was just big enough for two people.

As soon as we were through the front door, Hayden closed it behind us and pushed me against the wall. He kissed me hard, running his fingers through the end of my hair and pulling. Pulling me closer. Using it as something to grab onto.

"Was this too fast?" he whispered.

"Not at all," I replied, barely able to get out my response as he took control of my lips again.

My hands reached to the hem of his pants, pulling out his dress shirt which had been tucked in. Each button was unfastened slowly, until the shirt was open down the front, and all that was separating me from his chest was a white tank top. I ran a couple of my fingers down his front. Hayden grabbed my hand and bit his lip.

"I just want to feel you touch my skin," he said.

I grabbed his hand and slid out from between him and the wall. He followed me as I pulled him down the hallway and into my bedroom. It was still clean, despite being lived in for the past three weeks. The only mess was my pajamas lying on the floor.

"I want to let you know," Hayden said when we were closed into the room. "That I am a demanding guy. You can tell me to stop at any time, and I will listen. But I like calling the shots."

A small smirk found its way to my face. "Bring it on."

"Lay down," he said, gesturing towards the bed with his chin. I did as I was told, and Hayden climbed up onto the mattress, strattling my hips. His hands slid under my blouse and onto my stomach, and then pulled the shirt over my head. He effortlessly pulled me into the air with one hand and removed my bra with the other.

"Fuck," he whispered, chuckling to himself. "This is all mine, isn't it?"

"You claimed it weeks ago," I pointed out.

Hayden kissed my neck. Tracing a line down my skin with his lips, he stopped at the waistline of my pants and looked up to me with a grin. I watched him, waiting. Anticipating. And he knew it.

He pulled off his dress shirt and tossed it on the floor. I stared at him, waiting for him to take off the tank top as well. He did a moment later. Then, all of the beautiful ink was on display. My eyes followed the vines and leaves as they led into flowing script and birds. Roses. Stars. Oceans. Animals. There was so much art, and so much room for more.

Hayden was a walking masterpiece.

While I stared, Hayden continued to undress me. Undressing led to more kissing. The kissing led to fondling. And the fondling brought us to the real reason we were in my bed: sex.

Breathlessly, I leaned over Hayden, putting a small kiss on his nose. My hands pressed into the pillow, arms on either side of his head.

"Now, I want to talk about it," I said. "We had our fun."

"All right," Hayden replied. "I want you to be my girlfriend. But, you need to be ready for what that means. You know what my job is like, you know what the fans are like. Are you sure you're ready to have me on the road a lot, and to have fans trying to flirt with me all the time?"

I'd seen what some of these girls and guys had done. Comb the internet for half-to-fully-nude pictures. Stalk the ever living shit out of his social media. Kissed him when he wasn't expecting it. But, as long as he wasn't reciprocating, then I figured I would be able to manage. So long as I wasn't nearby to start throwing down with someone for coming on to my boyfriend.

"How often will we see each other?" I asked. He lived in Michigan. The only way I would be near him was if I decided to switch schools. Was I really ready to make that change for a man that I was just beginning a relationship with? No matter how close we were?

"We tour a couple times a year, usually for about two months at a time. I'll visit as much as I can."

"I'm going to school in Ohio. Which, I guess, is closer. But not close."

"I want to make this work, but I don't want to ask you to do anything that will be difficult for you. I'm willing to come visit."

I pictured sitting in my dorm room, hearing a knock on my door, and finding Hayden Grace on the other side. Going on dates together. Getting to visit his hometown in Michigan and explore the places he'd been through his childhood. See his high school, the places where the band had taken off, and maybe even meet a few of the friends he had at home.

And maybe it wouldn't be easy, but had running away with him? Clearly, we were both perfectly willing to make sacrifices for each other. Maybe we were ready for each other in general.

"Yes, I want to do this," I said. "You're everything I want, and I'm not letting you get away just because it might be hard."

"I can stay here for a few days before I have to go home. Let me take you out," Hayden said.

"Well, duh. I'm going to spend as much time with you as possible while you're still here."

Hayden put his hands on my hips and pulled me down against him. His arms snaked around me, squeezing. I giggled. He kissed my lips and said, "I'm going to sing you to sleep, and take you all over, show you the world, show you off..."

"Aren't I just lucky?"

"You and me both. Thank God you ended up in my life. I love you."

My breath caught in my throat. He could probably feel my heart drumming against my chest. How did I want to respond? Kiss him? Tell him I loved him, too?

With only a split second to decide, I said, "I love you, too, Hayden."

Softly, Hayden began to sing beautiful lyrics to me. A love song by an old punk band that everyone knew. My cheeks flushed. I buried my face in the crook of his neck, grinning from ear to ear.

Does this mean the next chapter of story is epilogue? I think it does. I wish I had so much more story to tell, and maybe I'll do a short story about their lives in a relationship because I would love to do more with these characters. If I think of anything good I'll definitely keep going.

The next chapter is being published at the same time. I wanted to give it it's own section of story, but it's essentially part of this chapter.

Is anyone else getting sad with me? We can cry together.