Ross darts his eyes up at me, his eyes widening every second. I don't want to know how this is going to end. We're still standing in the steamy bathroom both only dressed in our towels.
"I told you not tonight," he replies, standing up slowly and walking into the main room.
He throws me my shirt and shorts. I quickly throw my shirt over then drop the towel, sliding on my shorts.
"I just feel so lonely," she whines. "Please, come open the door."
Ross sighs. "My dad will seriously kill me."
He slides his shorts up, searching around for his shirt. I throw it toward him and grab the towels to put into the bathroom again.
"Don't you always keep the backdoor open? Should I just go that way so you don't have to get up?"
I widen my eyes more and search the room for anything else that would tie us to being here. I grab my phone and look at him to signal we're good to go.
He turns off the light. "No, I'm coming down. I just need to pee first. We can talk for a few minutes, but you can't sleepover. My dad will rip me to shreds if I don't ask permission first."
"Fine. I'll be waiting in my car."
Ross hangs up and glances at me with his hand on the knob. "I'm sorry," he apologizes.
I shrug. "You did say she was clingy," I reply.
He slides his hand off the knob and grabs my chin, pushing his lips on mine once more. We make our way across the grass and tip toe inside of the house.
"I'll let you know how it goes in the morning. Go to sleep. Nothing to worry about," he whispers.
I nod. "Okay. Have fun," I whisper back, kissing him quickly.
He smiles at me and watches as I quietly go upstairs into Rydel's room. As soon as I close the door, the front door shuts and I walk over to the bed. Once I lay down, she rolls over.
"Where'd you go?" She asks, very out of it.
Fuck.
"I felt nauseous. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," I reply, rolling over and putting my face into the pillow.
She hums and rolls over as well. Cuddled up with the top of the shirt pressed against my face, I fall asleep shortly after the long mess of the day.
When the door creaks open, I roll over and squint my eyes at the bright surroundings. I groan lightly to myself, covering my eyes.
I am not one of those people who have white curtains that don't block out sun. I like dark.
"What?" Rydel grunts from beside me.
I hear his laugh and I blink several times to look at him. "Let's get breakfast," Ross says, climbing into the queen bed and wiggling himself between us.
"What time is it?" His sister asks, tugging the blanket as she rolls over so her back is to him.
I lift my hand over my eyes to look up at his smiling face. He glances at her then down at me as he replies. "9:56. Wait - now 9:57!"
She groans more and buries her head into the pillow. I roll over so I face him, moving my face down slightly so his body shields the sun.
"Ten more minutes," she mumbles.
As he lays on top of the blanket with only a pair of shorts to his body, he lays staring up at the ceiling.
"I heard breakfast," Rocky says, walking into the room. "Oh, count me in," he says, climbing onto the bed as well.
Rydel groans loudly. "Get out. Both of you." As Rocky now wiggles himself into the nonexistent space between Rydel and Ross. "There isn't enough room for 4 people in here."
"Actually I think this is just fine," Ross comments as he scoots a bit closer to me.
I turn on my side, attempting to not slide off. "I'm gonna fall off," I say.
"Oh my god, she speaks," Rocky says, jolting his body up to look at me.
Rydel leans up with both her hands on the pillow. "I'm going to murder both of you."
I feel my body bit by bit sliding off the bed so I grab onto Ross's arm. "I'm falling off this bed," I laugh.
"Okay, breakfast? When?" Rocky asks.
Rydel groans and gets up. "Fine," she replies. He smiles and scoots into her spot so Ross moves over as well. "Get up, get ready. We are leaving in 10."
I roll my body quickly off the bed and stop. "I forgot I don't even have clothes for today."
"We can stop by your hotel if you want," she says. "So you don't have to go... like that."
I laugh, but before I answer, Ross speaks. "Ya know, I kinda like the whole big t-shirt and shorts thing. Isn't that what's in?"
"You only like it because it's your shirt," Rydel says then walks out of the room.
Rocky cups his mouth. "Oooh."
I roll my eyes and follow Rydel out. Ten minutes later, we were in the car with just the four of us. Both of the boys were in the front and we were in the back.
I'm praying Rydel doesn't bring up why I was out of the room for a solid hour and a half. She didn't seem to notice my hair was soaking wet as well.
I watch as we pass all of the palm trees and thankfully we didn't get stuck in any traffic on the way there. I heard all about the horrors of LA traffic.
"Why don't you just cancel your hotel reservation? How much are you even spending a night?" Ross asks, turning his body around from the passenger seat to look at me.
I glance over. "It's $180 a night," I reply. "It's fine, I don't mind."
"You're paying a grand just for your hotel?" He asks, his voice raised slightly.
I sink into my seat. "What else was I supposed to do?"
"Can you even get your money back if you cancel it right now?" Rydel asks from beside me.
I shake my head. "No, so there's no point anyway," I reply. "And don't yell at me."
As Rocky pulls up to the front entrance, Rydel turns to me. "Do you want me to come up with you?" She asks.
I shake my head. "Don't worry about it. I'll be down in less than 5!" I say, pulling out the little slip that has my room key in it, tucked tightly into their paper case with the room number on it.
"Okay, I'm going to park right over there," Rocky says, pointing to a spot.
I nod and climb out of the car to quickly walk to the entrance. I hurry up to my room, not wanting to make them wait long. I quickly change into a pair of jean shorts and a tank top along with a pair of converse. I have no idea what the plans are today but I figured to dress comfortable.
I grab my cross body purse and throw all of my stuff in. As I flung open the door, I almost fall to the ground. "Fuck, Ross," I say, putting my hand over my chest. "Nearly gave me a heart attack."
"Grab your stuff," he says, walking straight past me to get to my suitcase.
I grab onto his arm. "Why? What's wrong?"
"I managed to cancel it and get a refund," he says, pulling out of my grasp to continue walking.
I sigh and stand in front of my suitcase. "You're lying to me."
"You're not paying a grand for a hotel, Hayl!" He says, zipping up my suitcase even though I'm standing in front of it.
I shake my head. "Ross, I'm seriously not arguing with you right now. They wouldn't give a refund and you're not paying it off. I know you. I chose to come here and I know the financial responsibilities I had while booking it."
"No. I'm seriously not letting you do that," he says, his head moving to make direct eye contact with me as he towers over me.
"Well, you don't have a choice," I mumble.
Ross laughs and leans over to grab my suitcase. I automatically grab onto the handle and raise my eyebrows at him.
"So you have two choices, Hayley. I already changed my card on the account so it doesn't matter. Your two choices: you either keep staying here although you and I both know damn well that you'll be with us 99% of the time so it'll be useless. Or you stop arguing with me and stay at my house."
I grab onto his t-shirt, my fingers grasping at the fabric. "Don't. Stop trying to take over all of my financial responsibilities. And you have a girlfriend, you do understand that don't you? I can't just stay at your house for days straight. Shit is going to hit the fan in many ways."
Ross groans, stepping back a few steps so I let go of his shirt. "I don't know how many times I have to tell you that I don't care about her! I don't!"
"Maybe Danielle let's you talk to her that way, but you're not talking to me like that."
With his voice laced with attitude, it immediately starts a fire within me.
"Oh my god, okay, I'm sorry. I want you to spend as much time as possible near all of us... near me," he sighs. "And I know you're not going to want this hotel going to waste because you spent so much money into it."
I nod. "And you think I'd want to waste your money?"
I can tell he's starting to get very aggravated that I'm not just giving in. I can read it on his face. His jaw is clenched and he stares intensely into mine. His hand moves to his hair, pulling it back before he speaks.
"Hayley, holy shit. I am actually begging you to come back with me. We hardly get to see each other, just think of it as me flying out to see you or something. I don't care! Please."
I sigh, glancing back at my bag. "Ross, I just don't-"
He crosses the room quickly, his hands going to my cheeks. His mouth is quick to possess mine, attempting to silence more of my protests. I slide my hand down his chest, gently applying pressure as I pull away after a few seconds.
"I'm literally begging you to spend more time with me. Please," he whispers, leaning his forehead against mine.
"Oh my god," Rydel says from the doorway.
Ross immediately drops his hands from my face, taking three steps back with his eyes locked on hers while I'm staring at him.
Fuck.
He shakes his head quickly. "Rydel-" He starts.
She laughs and he immediately silences himself. I wish I could hide beneath the blankets as the blood rushes to my cheeks.
"I knew it, I fucking knew it!" She says.
He attempts to speak again because I know damn well that I am not opening my mouth. "Rydel, it's not that big a deal..."
"You have a girlfriend, Ross. Hayley, he has a fucking girlfriend!" She says. "I mean, I'm all for the two of you, but man... this is low. Willing to cheat on her? I'm disappointed in both of you."
Ross yells, the loud noise making me jump. "Shut up! Shut the fuck up, Rydel!"
My eyes begin to water and I want to cower in the corner. I knew this was going to go wrong.
"I don't even have words," she replies.
He laughs. "Good, you shouldn't. Because at the end of the day, you don't understand. And it's none of your damn business."
I don't know how he's going to try and dig us out of it. As the few tears begin to roll down my face, I'm quick to wipe them away, but not fast enough.
His eyes lock on mine and I bite down on my bottom lip, trying to stop my emotions. I can see he's resisting to reach out and touch me.
"You have no reason to cry, oh my god." She says. He immediately whips his head to look at her.
The next thing I know, my feet take full control over my actions. I sprint into the bathroom and kneel against the floor, throwing up whatever was in my system. Knowing stress triggers it, I'm not surprised as I grip the toilets edge.
"Get out, Rydel! Get the fuck out," Ross screams once more, the sound of the chair falling to the floor as I'm assuming he slams his fist against it.
I'm heaving into the toilet, my stomach trying to release anything that it can. I feel his hand touch my back and I lean my forehead against my arm, the pain killing me.
"Please, get out," I beg, my voice hoarse.
He rubs his hand against my back. "No," he sternly replies, sitting beside me.
"I don't want you to see me like this," I whisper, inhaling deeply to try and subside the burning.
Ross pulls my hair back. "I don't care," he replies as one hand rubs my back.
I lean my forehead against the edge again, closing my eyes and waiting to see if anything wants to come up.
We sit in silence for a few minutes, his hand never seizing the movements. I exhale, turning my face slightly to glance at him. "I'm sorry," I whisper, my cheek pressed against my arm.
Ross shakes his head, his hand resting on my back. "Don't," he replies, tucking the loose ends behind my ears and out of my face.
I lean up and flush the toilet before sitting onto my butt. "Now what?" I ask, staring into his sad eyes.