Maddison's POV:
I spent the last thirty minutes pacing in front of my friends, as everything in me was hesitant to break the news to Hayden of all people.
"What if he tells me to get an abortion?" I asked, tucking my hair behind my ears and placing my hands on my hips, as I walked back and forth.
"He's not!" Melody said, "and if he does, and that's not what you want, we'll kick his ass!" Sam said, as she high fives Laurie.
"Especially if he forces you or gaslights you into getting one. It's your body Maddie, your choice" Loren said, as I nodded. Sure I knew all of this, but I was terrified of his reaction when it came to him hearing the truth.
Did he know who I was when we met at the bar? or did he forget just like I did?
"For Christ sake Maddie, just call him already!" Sam said, as my heart was racing and my palms were so sweaty, I could barely hold onto my cell in my hands.
"You dial the number" I said, throwing the phone at Sam as she catches it and shakes her head.
"Fine, we'll give you a head start" Laurie said, dialing his number as she placed the phone on speaker, and I nervously listened to the call sound.
"It's ringing.." Melody said, as I literally felt like another panic attack was coming on. After a few more seconds of a call sound, I was hoping I could leave a voicemail. That sounded a lot less nerve-racking then speaking with him on the phone. But before a wave of relief could wash over me, he answered the phone.
"Hello?" he asked, and it was like my whole world shifted. Suddenly the baritone sexy voice that I was falling in love with that night, and couldn't get enough of was transitioning into the voice from my nightmares.
I could never think of that night the same way again.
Sam tosses me the phone, as the rest of my friends gather around me, to hear the conversation.
"Uh.. Hey, it's um.. it's the stranger you hooked up with from the bar a couple weeks ago." I said, slightly cringing cause I didn't want to give him my name yet or call him out for possibly using me. Melody muffles a laugh and Loren shoves her.
"Um.. oh right! hey.. what's up? how you did get my number?" he asked, as I heard him chuckle on the line. Anger started to boil within me, as I recognized him laughing at me the same way when we were kids.
Focus Maddison.
"It's a long story, and I want to tell you everything in person. Can you meet me at Enzo's near downtown Manhattan? this is really important." I said, as there was silence.
"Is everything okay? you know we agreed not to do anything like this.. just sex and then never see each other again. So, why are you choosing to break the rules now?" he asked, as I sighed, pulling the phone away from my mouth, so he couldn't hear it.
"I just need to see you again, and this can't be said over the phone. I know what we agreed on, but can you please just do this for me? it'll just be a one time thing." I said, not entirely sure if that's true but I needed to get him to that restaurant.
"Yeah sure.. okay. What time?" he asked,
"um.. three o clock" I said, looking at the time on Laurie's phone next to me.
"Alright, I'll try to be there. It's nice to hear your voice again, sexy stranger girl from the bar. See you in a few" he said, and before I could gag, the call ended.
The girls screamed, and tackled me with hugs on the couch, as I tried to catch my breath.
"Oh my gosh, what are you gonna wear?" Melody asked,
"does that really matter?" I added, staring at the ceiling.
"Yes Maddie.. it does! come on!" Loren said, as she pulled my arms, so I could slide off my bed.
Two Hours Later,
I was waiting at a table for two within a sea of other table for twos.
My eyes travel around the restaurant to see large windows rising from the floor to the ceiling, where you could see downtown New York. Time Square wasn't to far from the naked eye. I loved how electric this city was, the town that never sleeps they say. Maybe cause it was a place that never made you feel like sleeping. So many things were always going on, you had to keep your eyes open if you wanted to catch them.
I took a deep breath, playing with my napkin in front of me, as I checked my phone to see the time. I told Hayden three o clock, and it's now going on 4:30pm. Great, not only was I about to tell my arch nemesis I am carrying his demon child, but I am also about to be stood up by the one person who made my life a living hell in high school. My foot starts to bounce, as I can feel myself running out of patience.
"Are you sure you don't want to order?" the waiter asked me, as he passed my table for the third time now.
"My date will be here soon" I said, forcing another smile. As he looked over at the door, seeing no one come in, and nodded towards me.
"If they don't show up soon, we're gonna need you to give up the table. There's a waiting list." he said, pouring me some more water.
As my heart begins to beat a little too rapidly.
Fantastic, another humiliating moment to add to my list.
"I understand, thank you" I said, as he walked back over to the kitchen.
Just before I was about to forfeit this entire place, Hayden steps through the entrance of the restaurant. Eyeing the place, before he lands on me.
Why am I nervous? STOP. IT. MADDIE.
I can't describe the emotional destruction and physical battle of feelings my body is being tormented by right now. From the memories of the bar, and then to the bombarding of horrific memories from high school. I truly didn't know how to feel, while Hayden was walking over to me.
Not to mention, I'm taking Hayden Hiddleton in with a whole new set of eyes. To his olive skin and shaggy chestnut blonde hair, and his ocean blue eyes that make me want to forget why I hated him in the first place. To the smirky smile he has on his face, that makes me cross my legs from getting a little too excited. Anger was toying with frustration at the moment, as he took a seat in front of me.
My eyes were playing tricks me, confusing me between what Hayden looked like before, to what he looks like now. Sure he was a boy going through puberty in high school and I was too pubescent to toy with him.
But here he was before me, as a man. Same face, but growth from age.
"Sorry I'm late.. I know we agreed on three o clock." he says, as I try to get my hands to stop shaking. Moving them into my lap, under the table.
I cleat my throat, "it's okay.." I added, knowing it wasn't, but I didn't have it in me to argue about something pointless at the moment. He was here now and that's what matters.
Before I could start talking about why we were here, his eyes were traveling down my body, and I became gravely aware of my attire, thanks to Loren. My blouse was skin tight, hugging my torso, and giving my breasts a bit of a squeeze, as cleavage revealed itself. My jeans were also skin tight, which made me feel comfortable before, but now it's like I'm suffocating.
But he was doing that thing with eyes that my boss use to do, when he was about to rip my clothes off. Remembering what I looked like naked. And even though that night we had at the bar has been constantly playing on a loop in my mind these past several weeks. I also remember how terrible he was at a "good time".
It didn't matter if he's grown from his mistakes he made when we were younger, or if he wanted forgiveness now. And that's why he sat with me at the bar. None of that mattered. Cause no matter what he said or asked for from me, he was never receiving it. And if he did change, I don't care.
He didn't deserve me.
I folded my hands, as he raised an eyebrow.
Gosh, why was this so hard?
I broke eye contact with him for a second, trying to find the right words to begin with in a conversation like this.
"Hey, you're scaring me.. what's going on?" he asked, leaning forward in his seat, as he looked at me nervously.
"I'm pregnant" I blurted, looking up at him, as his expression changed.
But within a split second, he throws his head back, allowing laughter to escape his mouth, as some people around us stopped to wonder what joke they missed. I threw them apologetic smiles, and then frowned at Hayden.
"I'm serious" I said, as he coughs for a moment and then settles his eyes back on me.
"You told me you were on the pill that night" he said.
"I forgot to take it afterwards" I replied.
He then sits for a moment, surrounding himself in his thoughts.
And I was too nervous to ask him what was on his mind.
"Didn't you have sex with your boss that day though? so for all we know this kid is his!" he said, as I groaned, eyeing the ceiling in annoyance.
"I used condoms with my boss!" I argued, as he shrugged.
"Maybe one broke.." he says, as my hands clench into fists.
"YOUR THE FATHER GODDAMMIT!" I yell, as my fists bang onto the table, like some two year old who is trying to get their parents attention.
My eyes narrow, as I try to ignore the fact that I have everyone's attention in this restaurant right now. It's awfully silent. The loudest thing in here is the pounding of my heart rate within my ear drums.
"And don't think I don't know who you are.." I said, as he seemed nervous, jaw clenching, as he clears his throat, and fiddles with his fork.
"I don't think I know what you're talking about" he says, as I chuckle sarcastically.
"Oh cut the shit Hayden Hiddleton" I said, as tension builds between us, when I say his name for the first time aloud within four years. It's a lot for me to handle, but it also seems like a lot for him to hear. As I watch his Adam's apple bounce. He swallowed hard.
And that right there, tells me everything I needed to know.
He did remember me that night.
"Wait a minute.. Maddison Manson?" he asks, thinking I'm gonna fall for such a stupid lie. Making me roll my eyes.
"How long did you know? what? was this your plan all along? to sleep with me, like it was a goal or something?" I asked, not caring that I was shooting question after question before he could even think of an answer.
"No, of course not! I never meant for this to happen, I swear!" he says, as he shakes his head and stares into my eyes intently.
"But you knew who I was, and you also knew that I didn't remember you that night. So you took advantage of that." I said, so done with this conversation. I get up to leave, too angry to even hear his explanation.
"Wait, Maddison! please, just let me explain!" he says, getting up with me, and grabbing my arm to stop me from leaving. A waiter then passes by with a tray of drinks for another table, as I grab what looks like a wine glass and throw it in Hayden's face.
I snatch my arm out of his grasp, as he's taken back by the alcohol being thrown on to him.
"Stay the fuck away from me!" I yell, storming out of the restaurant's entrance, as tears stream down my face. I was angry, I was disappointed, not just in Hayden, but also myself. How could I let this happen? how could I have been so stupid?