"Hey, you're supposed to be resting" I cry when spotting aunt Laura with her glasses on her head, looking down at a book, "What are you doing?"
"Studying for the bar" she admits.
"Come again?" My eyes widen.
"The bar exam" she continues, "so I can be a lawyer"
"Yeah I know what the bar is" I fold my arms, "you haven't said anything about wanting to continue law, in what? Fifteen years...what's changed?"
Before Aunt Laura was my legal guardian, she was living in New York and studying law. That was back when my mum was still alive. Aunt Laura ended up getting kicked out after getting a DUI.
"Last night when Raff told me that I can't drive any more, I realized that I should have lost my license in 2003 when I hit that guy with my car, after I had a seizure behind the wheel" Aunt Laura begins, "...But I was so scared of losing my license that I said that I was drunk driving and got DUI instead...if I had just been honest fifteen years ago, I would be a practising lawyer right now...and my life would have gone so differently"
"I get it" I half-smile, "but your life hasn't been so bad has it?"
She shakes her head "no it hasn't...I just would have done a lot of things differently if I had just stayed in law school...I would have hurt a lot less people"
Aunt Laura doesn't talk a lot about what her life was like before she took me and Angel in, back when she was living in New York. All I know is that she was living there when my mum was still alive and that's where she met her friend Doris. At some point, while she was there she was sleeping with her brother's husband.
I would be naive to think that that's all the harm she caused while she was there.
"Like uncle Matthew?" I raise a brow.
She nods "yeah well, that's all in the past now...You don't have to go to school today, you were up all night with me at the hospital, I can call the school and explain—"
"No, that's okay" I shake my head, "Hayden comes back today so...don't overwork yourself, you have a concussion"
"Yes, doctor" she smirks just as I leave the room.
***
"She's back today," Duncan's says cheerfully while we walk down the hallway, keeping a lookout for Hayden who has been absent for a week now.
"Yeah" I nod, "I still don't get why she was suspended"
"She told you" Tyler rolled his eyes, "she disrespected her teachers"
I would be an idiot to buy that story. Why would they suspend her just for that? After all, she's done worse and just got a slap on the wrist.
"There she is" Duncan points across the hallway where Hayden stood at the lockers. "Hay!"
"I spoke to you yesterday" she rolls her eyes while Tyler and I stood behind Duncan who approaches her.
Somethings wrong.
"Oh but it been so long"
"How's jess going?" Hayden looks over her shoulder, drawing her gaze to Tyler.
Hayden and Duncan still think that Jess is in long island with her grandma. How naive.
"She's great" Tyler nods, "says she's having a blast"
Yeah, a blast. She's stuck in isolation, praying that she's doesn't get an infection that'll kill her.
"I bet" Hayden smiles, "And what about Ayla?"
"Oh, that's what I forgot to tell you!" Duncan begins jumping up and down "we are officially an item"
What. Since when?
"Seriously!" she cries.
"As of yesterday," he informs her just as the bell rings.
"See ya later" Hayden waves before walking away from us.
I follow her down the hallway before saying "you know bio isn't the same without you" I start.
"I told you that I couldn't stay in his class" she shrugs.
"Because you're failing?" I raise a brow.
That's the story I've been told. The stunt she pulled in Glimmers class was because she was angry at him for failing her. Do I buy it? No, not really.
"He makes things so complicated you know," she sighs, "like I don't understand a thing he says....it's just so overwhelming"
I raise a brow "If you needed extra help you know I would have helped you"
"I didn't want to impose" Hayden admits.
I've driven Hayden to and from places so many times when I had plans and she couldn't care less. Yet when she's failing she felt she would be imposing by asking for help?
"Right" I nod unconvinced.
What did I really want to say? I don't believe you.
Hayden suddenly looks up, reverting her gaze to the distance, before being her attention back to me.
"I—uh just realized that I forgot something" she stutters, "I'll see you in class"
"Hay—" I call after her but she vanishes from my sight.
I furrow my brows in confusion. I look up to see Mr Glimmer in the distance. She's avoiding him, I wonder why? It doesn't make sense to me that all this would be over her having trouble understanding in his class.
There's something deeper going on, I care about Hayden, whatever is going on with her, I'll figure it in time to help her — I have to.
***
After class, I walk through the hallway. Hayden skipped again. I look up to see Jackson and Hayden exiting the principal's office with wide smiles.
What the fuck is she doing with Jackson?
They go their separate ways before she approaches me. "Where have you—" I start aggressively.
"Did you know Jim's back in town?" She looks me straight in the eye, "...I just saw him in the parking lot"
What? He was here?
"You're kidding" I widen my eyes.
"Did you know?" Hayden firms her gaze.
My mind goes back to that party where I saw Jimmy last. He made it clear that night, that we weren't finished, he also said that he wasn't done with Duncan.
"Does it matter?" I cry.
"Jesus, Jason!" She cries, "do the others know?"
"This is about Jim and I...No anyone else" I argue.
"Tell that to next person he puts in a coma" she snaps before storming off.
I facepalm. I wish she would understand that everything that I'm doing is to protect her and the others from my father and his wrath. I can't allow them to get involved again.
"Here you go" a high voice announces from in front of me.
I look up to see Ayla with a smile. "Thank you" I respond while she hands me a notebook and display folder.
"You okay?" Ayla questions.
"Fine" I nod, "so I hear you and Duncan are official...guess that means you'll be sitting with us"
"Yeah" she grins, "does that mean you approve?"
"Yeah, I guess it does" I admit, "just a word from the wise...Duncan is the most fragile person I've ever met, it doesn't take much for him to fall apart...whenever that happens, I'm always the one picking up the pieces...be careful with him..."
She nods "say hi to Jess for me"
"Always" I assure before she leaves my sight.
Since Jess has been out of school, I've been getting her English notes from Ayla, who happens to be in her class. I'm beginning to think that Ayla ain't so bad after all.
----------------------------
Hi all,
I've finished pre-writing The Precious One, so I'm FINALLY able to focus on this book :)
I have attached the song 'Ribcage' by Plested to this chapter. It reminds me of Jason and his relationship with his friends. So please listen to it and tell me what you think?
Any ideas what's going on with Hayden? Originally this book was written with Hayden and Jason's split perspectives, so only using Jason's POV has been challenging.
Please VOTE if you're enjoying this book.
Thank you
Enjoy!
- Rose xx