CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
❝ dinner ❞
HAYDEN DIDN'T EXPECT to receive a phone call from her mother later on that day, just as she was leaving her fifth period class, nor was she tempted to even answer. But as the ringing from her phone continued as she walked through the halls, she couldn't help but wonder what it was all about. So, as Joseph joined her outside of AP Physics, she pulled him to the side and answered the call. Only raising a questioning eyebrow, Joseph complies with her actions, and stands by her side.
"Hello?" Hayden breathes into the phone, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Mom, why are you calling me?" She didn't mean to sound rude, exactly, but wanted her mother to hear the urgency and lack of enthusiasm in her voice. Maybe then she would leave Hayden be; every time they had a conversation, it ended with Hayden crying and her mother in a stiff mood, and the girl certainly didn't want any of those things happening while she was in the hallway surrounded by gossiping teenagers.
"Your father ran into Billy Black about an hour ago while we were grocery shopping," Amberley explains, ignoring her daughter's tone. "And we suggested that he and Jacob come over for dinner tonight. He agreed, of course, so I'll need you home to help cook after school."
"What time will they be over?" The brunette sighs, leaning into the lockers to her right. "And does this count as a formal occasion?"
"Of course it does!" Amberley chuckles as if it were a joke. "Anyway, Billy said he'd be over at around six, so that's plenty of time for you to get dressed."
"I don't know why you'd invite him over when you clearly are overrun by work," Hayden says, running a hand down her face. "You don't have enough time for me, let alone for a dinner and be up early for work."
"That's why we're taking off of work for the next couple of days." Amberley pauses, giving Hayden a moment to register the words that just escaped her lips. "We were hoping you'd stay home from school and spend some time with us. And this time, it's a promise. We won't let you down again, Hayden."
There was a clear moment of hesitation for the Marris girl, in which she seriously debated hanging up the phone. Did they really deserve her forgiveness after what they had done so many times before? In her head, the answer was straight-forward; not really. But she wouldn't complain or turn down their attempts to change their ways. This was a step in the right direction, even if it wouldn't nearly make up for all the mistakes they had made.
But it was something.
"Okay." Hayden decides, straightening her posture. "I'll do it. Don't think this makes everything okay, because it certainly doesn't. But I appreciate your effort, so I'll comply. I'll be over after school is out."
"Thank you."
And then she ended the call, looking to Joseph with a slight frown. "Sorry about that, I had some parental issues to deal with. Now, what do you say we head to my next class?"
"I'd say that'd be best," he chuckles, grabbing her elbow before leading her down the hallway. "What was that all about, anyway?"
"Mom and Dad have decided to try being parents," she replies steadily. "And it makes me upset that it took all of this time, but I'm glad they're trying to do better. It's better than nothing, I suppose. But I won't be able to go to the baseball game tomorrow night with you guys, so that kind of sucks."
"I'm sure my family will understand," he reassures her, his accent seeping through her skin like warm honey. "This is good, Hayden, and that's what we've all been wanting. Emmett can go without your attention for a while."
"Oh, I have no doubts," the brunette snorts. "He'll get attention from someone else if he has to. I'm just his main source."
"You have no idea how he acts when you're not around— like a kicked puppy, to be exact. It's sort of depressing, he's always whining."
"Really?" She arches an eyebrow. Joseph nods, patting the girl on the shoulder in content. "I bet you're teasing me. Emmett Cullen whining because I'm not around? More like pleased to see that I'm gone; I'm sure he's not that attached."
If Hayden was being honest; she did think that Emmett was a bit attached to her, but not as much as she was to him. It was so much that if he were to leave at this moment and never come back, she wasn't sure what she'd do with herself— it was as if these past couple of weeks had been her whole life. The Marris girl had grown fond of the Cullen family now, and couldn't bare to think of the what if's; what if her parents decide to move again?
"Okay, maybe he is just a little," she shrugs. "But I'm kind of worried about how my parents will act tonight, after the dinner is over. I'm not too excited about waiting to see if they'll yell at me again. I'm tired of the fighting, I just want things to be normal— the way they were before they both started taking up on-call jobs. When they used to care."
"They still care about you, Hayden," Joseph assures the girl, the pair stopping just outside of her next class. "It's just rough for them, I assume. I think it's good that they're putting in a newfound effort, maybe your relationship with them will get better in the near future. Have a little faith in humanity, love."
"I have absolutely no faith in humanity." Hayden chuckles, shaking her head. "But I like your accent, so I may take it into consideration. Maybe someday I can go to Rome and you can show me around."
"I'd love to, doll," he flashes her a brilliant smile, one that quite possibly lights up the entire hallway around them. The bell rings all too quickly, though, cutting off the continuation of his first sentence. Joseph sighs. "I'll see you later, love. Have a fun time in class."
She simply waved goodbye to the angelic Roman, tightening her grip on her bag.
Yes, the brunette thought. She was indefinitely getting attached to the Cullen family.
---
The rest of the day flew by with nothing too important happening to Hayden— except, of course, getting to spend more time with Emmett. Every time she saw him, the brunette seemed to get a little more happy. He was beginning to be the reason she smiled every day, and she now looked forward to getting lost in his beautiful eyes. Emmett was growing wary, though, as he had lately began to notice that Mike would stare at her. Edward informed him, on several occasions, that the boy was planning on apologizing to Hayden for what he had done.
Emmett was cautious; he didn't want Hayden getting hurt again because of a jealous boy who couldn't seem to stay away. But at the same time, he knew that Hayden wanted just that— an apology from Mike, who she had been close with, but had lost in spite of the accident. Emmett knee she wanted his company again, no matter how much he despised it. And so he would let Mike talk to her soon, and see if the problem would be resolved. But for now, his hatred for the Newton boy would burn as bright as ever.
After school ended, Hayden wasn't too hasty with getting home. She drove slow on the road, and took her time when unloading her bag from her car. Amberley waited patiently, watching her daughter's actions from the kitchen window. She noticed that, even though Hayden wasn't trying, she completed every task with grace. Her daughter was well-near perfect; she had always known that. But Amberley couldn't always be there to watch her graze through life. There was a point where she needed to worry more about her job than her child, and that was her biggest mistake yet. Why was she just now noticing it?
"I'm home," Hayden announces as she steps into the warm house, closing the door tightly behind her. The girl proceeds to toss her book bag into the couch, along with her keys, before quietly venturing into the kitchen. Her mother stands, leaned up against the counter with her arms crossed over her chest. Hayden visibly winces, prepared for what her mother might say to her. But this was normal now, and she had already grown used to it. She was prepared for the harsh words that would be thrown her way.
But none came.
Instead, Amberley dropped her arms, before moving forward to the bar and grabbing a box. She placed it into Hayden's hands, before retaining into the same stance before. Hayden furrows her eyebrows, gazing over the neat box— it was covered in pink satin, like something you would receive an expensive gift in. Is that what this was? An apology gift?
"Your father and I picked it up earlier after we talked," Amberley speaks up, nodding for her daughter to open it. "I don't plan on buying your forgiveness, but I do think you'd look lovely in lace."
Her mother leaves the kitchen, likely to go get dressed for the upcoming dinner. Hayden carefully removes the lid, placing it into the bar. She pulls out the contents, surprised to find a blue dress. It was royal blue, and off-the-shoulders. She admired the silky quality, and then the lace that laid over it. It was beautiful.
Hayden glances to the stairs, where her mother had retreated only seconds ago. There was a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she tucked the dress back into the box, and made her way to her room to change. There was only one point in time when Hayden told her mother and father that her favorite color was blue— a time so long ago that she barely remembered. A day when she was very young, and it was her first visit to the beach. She loved the color of the deep blue water, and murmured to her parents that she was no longer infatuated with the color of pink. After seeing something so beautiful, her favorite color had no doubt changed.
And maybe it wasn't supposed to mean anything— maybe it wouldn't have meant anything to any ordinary person. But it meant the world to Hayden.
Because maybe her parents were trying after all.
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