I had spent the whole weekend with Luna. We mostly spent our hours talking about her life on campus and my less interesting life in high school.
I even told her about the unfortunate time I walked into a dark room, only to find my two best friends on top of each other.
Luna said that I should give Kiera more time because she was probably just embarrassed, which I completely understood.
So here I was, standing by Kiera's locker on this early Monday morning. It had been days since I last talked to her. I think I gave her all the time she needs, she was going to have to talk to me no matter what.
I usually got to school early because I drove myself every morning, so I figured that I would wait until Kiera came to her locker before class started.
About ten minutes later Kiera finally appeared. She was walking towards me but she wasn't looking directly at me.
"Kiera!" I yelled.
Her head almost immediately snapped up towards my direction. "Khloe," Kiera let out a heavy sigh. "Why do you always have to yell? My head hurts." She rubbed her temples.
"What happened to you?" I asked stepping away from her locker so that she could get her books out. "Did I do something wrong?"
Kiera slowly tilted her head at me. "What are you talking about?"
I rolled my eyes. "Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about, Kiera!" I hissed crossing my arms over my chest. "Is this about what happened at the party?"
As soon as I mentioned the party, Kiera's eyes widened and she slammed her locker door shut.
Shocked, I took a step back. "Just leave me alone for once, Khloe!" Kiera screamed and before I knew it she was already gone.
I blinked out of utter confusion.
There was definitely something that happened at that party that I truly didn't know about.
"What the hell is her problem?"
I turned around and Hayden was standing beside me with a grin on his face.
A small smile broke onto my lips despite everything that had just happened. "Oh, hey Hayden."
"Hey," He waved. "What happened?"
I shook my head. "I honestly have no idea what's wrong with her."
Hayden raised an eyebrow. "I think I do." He then laughed as he shook his head. "Don't we all?"
My eyes lifted to his. "Why would she be acting like this over that stupid party? Noah doesn't even remember so why does she care so much?"
Hayden shrugged his shoulders. "There's only one explanation." He said slowly leaning into my ear. "She wants him to remember."
"Why would she want that?"
"Because..." Hayden softly touched my hair. "She likes him."
"I thought I heard my name!"
I instantly jumped back from Hayden and looked up with wide eyes to see Noah standing in front of Hayden and I with a wide grin on his lips.
But that grin didn't last long when Noah frowned. "Damn Khloe, you look like you've seen a ghost."
The sound of Hayden's laughter filled my ears. "Hey man."
Noah patted Hayden's shoulder quite roughly. "Hey, how are my favorite people?"
"Hey, Noah." I smiled. "I'm good, how are you feeling?"
Noah rubbed his forehead. "My head still kinda hurts, but it's all good!"
Within the next few minutes the bell rang and Noah waved goodbye as he walked away to go to his first period class.
Because of the mentoring program, Hayden and I still did have two classes together. First period was Chemistry, but we also had last period photography together.
Hayden and I walked to class in silence, and it wasn't necessary comfortable. Before Noah had interrupted, Hayden had been standing unexpectedly close to me. I could feel his warm breath against my skin.
I walked into the class first and sat near the back of the room. Of course, as soon as I sat down Hayden threw his bag down on the floor near my feet and took a seat right beside me. I glanced over at him slowly, and much to my surprise he was already looking at me.
"Didn't your mother tell you that staring is rude?" I huffed turning my head towards the front of the class in attempt to focus on whatever the teacher was teaching. Something about ions and protons. I honestly didn't know. Chemistry has always been confusing to me.
Hayden let out a low chuckle. "I could say the same thing about you."
I turned my head back around to look at Hayden. "What?"
Hayden shook his head, casting his hazel green eyes to the ground. "I mean, it's just every time I turn around I can feel your eyes burning holes into my back."
A slightly loud gasp left my mouth. "That's not true!" I tried to whisper because there was still a lesson going on. "You're talking about yourself."
Hayden laughed and when he smiled the sides of his lips curled upward. "You're funny, Khloe."
I shook my head, my curls bouncing up and down. "Yeah, I've been told that before." A wide smile broke onto my lips as well, so I quickly placed a hand over my mouth in attempt to cover my smile from Hayden. "That's why—"
"That's quite enough, Khloe King!" The teacher yelled loudly and all eyes in the classroom immediately turned to look at me. "Why are you distracting our new student?" Mr. Brooke snapped with a stern look on his face. That poor man. He looked like he was in his late fifties, wore clothing that was a little too large for his small fragile frame, and always had a red face. "You are supposed to be mentoring and guiding him."
Without even looking over at Hayden I already knew he was trying a little too hard to contain his laughter. "I'm really sorry, Sir." I glanced down. "Hayden was just asking me a question about the homework."
Mr. Brooke tilted his head. "What homework?" He snapped and the class broke out into laughter.
My eyes widened. "Didn't we have homework?"
"That's it," Mr. Brooke sighed loudly. "Both of you get out of my class immediately!"
Without any hesitation Hayden picked up his bag and got out of his chair with a wide smile playing on his full lips. "Come on mentor girl." He whispered glancing my way.
I let out a breath as I also grabbed my bag and gathered my books.
"Come back when you both are ready to learn."
Once Hayden and I walked out of the classroom, the door closed loudly behind us.
"Look what you did, Hayden!" I huffed crossing my arms over my chest. "That was so embarrassing, I have never been kicked out of a class before."
Hayden's eyes widened, "Really?" He asked and I shook my head. "Not even once?"
"No!" I clarified laughing. "Sorry for always being such a great student."
Hayden didn't say anything he just smiled at me.
I smiled back at him for a second too long. "We should go back in." I turned away from Hayden and towards the door as I let out an awkward cough. "I think I'm ready to learn again, are you?" I questioned reaching out for the door handle.
Hayden quickly touched my hand and immediately I paused, feeling my stomach fill up with butterflies. "What are you doing?"
"I'm not ready to learn yet." He explained pulling his hand away from mine. "Let's skip."
My jaw dropped. "Skip?"
Hayden nodded his head slowly. "Yeah skip. Have you ever heard of it?" He said slowly as if he was talking to a child. "Skipping is where—"
"I'm not an idiot!" I laughed, "You already made me skip once! But like I said before, I'm just a great student, I don't skip often."
Hayden stood up straight as he reached out his hand expecting me to take it. "Come on, Khloe."
I stared down at his hand probably longer then needed.
Of course I wanted to spend more time with Hayden but I wasn't sure if that was such a good idea. Years ago, I could barely gain his attention and now he suddenly appears out of thin air and wants to skip class together. It was all very confusing, but on top of that it was also forcing me to think of my past, which I definitely did not want to do. I knew I wasn't the same shy girl I was years ago, but sometimes deep down I thought I still was.
Hayden wiggled his hand eager for me to just take it so that's what I did.
A loud sigh left my lips as I quickly placed my hand in Hayden's. As soon I did, I felt my whole body being pulled strongly by his force. "Damn," I hissed. "Hayden, how are you so strong?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "Playing basketball and you know, going to the gym." He winked.
I laughed as I rolled my eyes. Hayden smiled but his smile quickly disappeared and he was no longer looking at me. Instead he was looking past me, so I slowly turned around to see what he was looking at.
"Don't you remember anything?" Kiera hissed.
Noah took a step back away from her. "No," He said firmly. "What is wrong with you, Kiera?"
Oh shit.
I don't think Kiera or Noah noticed Hayden and I yet, but we were standing at the end of the hallway basically listening in on their intense conversation.
The more I looked at Kiera the more I could see right through her. I don't know how I missed it at first but Kiera did have feelings for Noah. She wanted him to remember, but the only problem was that he didn't.
They both had feelings for each other, but I knew neither Kiera or Noah was willing to actually confess.
Kiera's face was red as she looked up at Noah, while on the other hand Noah looked utterly confused. "Never mind." She mumbled simply walking away, leaving Noah standing there alone, not knowing what to do with himself.
My eyes widened as I reached out for Hayden's wrist. I pulled him behind me, before Kiera saw the both of us. I didn't need her yelling at me once again.
"Damn," Hayden breathed out. "I think they are both making this more complicated then it needs to be."
I nodded my head in agreement. "I don't see why Kiera can't just tell him." I sighed casting my eyes to the ground.
"Well," Hayden shrugged his shoulders. "Sometimes it isn't easy to just tell someone that you like them. It's happened to me in the past."
Thankfully, I was looking down and not at Hayden because, my eyes grew so wide I was sure I looked insane. I had no idea who Hayden was actually referring to, and I knew even if I did ask he wouldn't tell me, so I quickly changed the subject. "I'm going to call Kiera later. Hopefully she still isn't mad at me." I blurted out.
"Hey," Hayden said softly which made me look up at him. "I'm sure that she won't be." Hayden's sparkling earth like eyes looked genuine.
I smiled at Hayden and I continued to walk down the hallway towards the side door of the school so that we could leave.
"Mrs. Richardson!" Hayden suddenly yelled a little too loudly. I wasn't paying attention so I didn't even see her walk up beside us. "How nice it is to see you!"
Mrs. Richardson's yellow spaghetti like hair bounced up and down as she nodded her head. "Hello Hayden," She said smiling at Hayden completely ignoring my whole existence. "What are you doing?"
"We're working on our project!" I quickly said and Mrs. Richardson finally glanced over at me. "We should probably get going now." I quickly rushed past Mrs. Richardson so that I could open the side door. Hayden followed slowly behind me.
"She hates you." Hayden mumbled once we were outside.
"I know!" I sighed. "I don't know why though. No one has ever hated me, except for Ashlynn and maybe Luna, but Luna is my sister so that doesn't count."
Hayden was quiet for a second. "How is she?" I looked up at him in confusion. "Luna, I mean."
"Oh," I let out a nervous cough. "She's good! That reminds me, she's back in town from school. She was just talking about you actually."
"Really?"
I nodded my head. "She misses you, she would love to see you soon." The words left my mouth quickly and as we walked outside I could feel Hayden's eyes on me. "So, this is what people do when they skip?" I questioned with a small smile playing on my lips.
Hayden laughed loudly and started running away from me. "Where are you going?" I questioned chasing after him. "I can't run." I bent over trying to catch my breath.
I really needed to exercise more.
"Wanna go for a drive?"
I stood up straight as I looked up at Hayden. "You want to go on a drive with me?"
"Sure, why not?" Hayden beamed but suddenly his phone rang and he quickly reached for his pocket. "Hello?" He answered whoever was on the other end happily, while I stood there waiting for him to finish his call.
Hayden's hazel green eyes went from shining with happiness to cold and sad almost. He said a few more quick words before he hung up the phone.
I didn't want to invade his personal life but I felt almost obligated to ask him if he was alright. "Hayden," I said hesitantly and he wouldn't look up at me. "what happened?"
Hayden didn't answer my question, he just pulled open his car door and jumped inside. "Come on Khloe, we have to go."
I was completely puzzled but I did what he asked me to do anyway. I opened the door to the passenger side and quickly sat down. "You're kind of scaring me." I let out a nervous laugh.
Hayden finally looked over at me with a look of realization. "Sorry," He shook his head. "You're probably confused." I nodded my head and he continued. "It's my grandmother." Hayden said so quietly I almost didn't hear him at all. "She's getting worse, they have to do an emergency surgery on her. We have to get to the hospital as soon as possible."
• • •
I.AM.THE.WORST.AT.UPDATING!! I'm really sorry. The reason why I take years to update is because I honestly didn't know which direction I wanted this story to go in. But I think I finally figured it out, so within the next few chapters you guys will see that things will start to get interesting! This chapter was kind of just a filler because I haven't posted a chapter in awhile and the chapter is pretty lengthy as well! Love you all.