When I get to lunch I see that I'm the last one to arrive at the table in the middle of the cafeteria.
"Howdy y'all." I greet them and look at Elliot specifically, who is rolling his eyes, but still smiling. I sit down next to Simon who slings his arm over my shoulder. Anna is already sitting next to Elliot and the two of them have a conversation of their own going on. My stomach churns again but I push the feeling down.
Sarah asks about prom and this time I'm actually interested in the topic.
"I'm going. As long as you two come with me." I say and look at Milli and Simon. "I'm down." Milli answers immediately and Simon shrugs. "Better than no prom at all I guess." "What? You don't have a prom at your school?" Tyler asks and Milli answers, "Junior prom got cancelled since the guy that blew our chemistry lab is or was a junior. I don't know if he got expelled or what other punishment he got from the principal."
I remember when they told me. They weren't that sad about it, since the three of us were never really into those kind of things, but now that we're going as a group I think it will be fun. Or at least I hope that it will be fun.
I listen to them talking about the themes for prom when the whole cafeteria dies down. It's completely silent for a second, only after I hear the double doors shut I turn around and my eyes open wide, everybody staring at the person standing there which looks a little bit lost through the room.
It's Joey.
He's looking around, searching for me I guess. Then he sees me and his huge smile mirrors mine.
"Dude!" I yell and quickly stand up, running through the tables to get to him.
"Dude!" He shouts back and runs towards me, with his arms open wide.
He engulfs me in a hug and I smile. "I missed you." I tell him and he chuckles. "I missed you too."
People start whistling around us, shouting Joey's name, trying to get his attention. I forgot to mention that Joey went to the same high school as me and Abby. But not only that. He was the most popular guy here and star quarterback. Most of the trophies this school got, were because of him.
"You always know how to make an entrance, don't you?" I ask and he smirks. "You know I do."
When we get back to the lunch table- after way too many football players stopping us and congratulating Joey for whatever reason- Milli and Simon are standing in front of us. Joey let's go of me to hug the two of them and greets the others at the table.
I sit down next to him and lean my head onto his shoulder.
"Guys. This is Joey. My older brother and he's definitely off limits." I say giving Sarah and Gillian a pointed look.
"Wow Hailey. That's a real mature way to introduce me to your friends." Joey jokes and I shrug, taking one of my fries off my plate. Just as I'm about to eat it, Joey snatches it away from me, eating it.
Then grimaces. "I really didn't miss the school food."
The table laughs and Tyler asks, "Hailey your brother is actually funny. How come you're related?" Joey starts laughing hysterically and I elbow his stomach. "Har Bloody Har." I say sarcastically.
"Anyways. How long are you staying?" I ask after Joey has calmed down. "I'm driving back tonight. Just wanted to visit you for a little bit." He answers and I pout.
"Doesn't matter. You're staying at my place tonight anyways." Milli says and I nod.
"Do Mom and Dad know?" Joey asks and I give him a look, to which he sighs.
"Okay let's get going." He says and stands up. "Why?" I ask and he looks at me like I just said the sky is pink. "To spend time together, duh." He answers, rolling his eyes. I look at Milli and Simon. "Meet us at Maggs after school?" They nod and Joey looks at me surprised. "Do you really need to go to Maggs today?" He asks and I nod. "But you go there like five times a week. Can't Susan handle it on her own?" I shake my head. "You're acting like a child and of course I need to go there. She pays me, idiot."
"I'm not and idiot, idiot." He mutters and I laugh.
I look back at the table and see that most of them have turned away again, except for Elliot. He's looking at me, furrowing his brows. "Bye guys." I tell them when Joey pulls at my hand.
"Where are you taking me?" I ask once we're inside of his car.
"To that bowling arcade we used to go to as kids." He answers and I think of my time with Elliot there.
The way we were competing the whole time, but not in a bad way. I smile a bit. Then I remember what happened with Noah and my fists clench. I feel like I'm going to be sick.
"Hailey? Are you listening?" Joey's question snaps me out of my thoughts, and I give him a nod.
"I know you, Hailey. What's on your mind."
He doesn't want to know truth and neither do I want him to. I don't want another person worrying about nothing. Because that's exactly what happened. Nothing at all.
I give him a sad smile. "Just thinking about simpler times, I guess."
He gives me a sympathetic look, squeezing my hand. "Just a little bit over a year and then you can go to college and out of this town. Just a little bit longer until you're finally free, Hailey." He tells me and focuses back on the road.
It's scary how good at lying I've become. It has become one of my personality traits that I really shouldn't be proud of, but sometimes it's just easier to lie and keep certain things in the dark.
I look out of the window, staring at the trees passing by. "Can we go to the beach instead?" I ask him out of the blue.
"Isn't it a little bit too cold for it now. I mean march just started." He says and I raise my eyebrows. "Is my brother trying to back out of something because it's 'too cold'?" I mock him and he gives me a look. "Never." With that he makes a turn to the right, heading to the beach.
Once we get there, I race Joey to the water, him being obviously faster than me. The water is freezing and I know that I'll catch a cold, but just spending time with Joey again makes it all worth it.
There isn't a single soul around us, not even all of the restaurants and bars are opened which makes all of this seem surreal. Joey catches me off guard when he splashes the freezing water in my face. When I recover from my shock I give him a playful glare. "Oh, you're so on." I say and start chasing him. He squeals like a little girl when the water touches his face and then runs out of it and away from me as fast as he can.
After some time we sit on the beach, our clothes completely soaked and the waves occasionally touch our bare feet.
The clouds are getting thicker and darker, blocking the sun from shining down on us. No one says anything, we just sit there, minds in our own worlds. I hear Joey sigh next to me and I look at him. "You've been awfully quiet today." He says and I turn away again. "No, I haven't." "You have Hay-Bay." He responds with the nickname he used to give me when we were still kids. "No I haven't Jo-Jo." I counter and he rolls his eyes. "Usually you are talking all the time, telling me stories of little, dumb things that happened but still made you laugh. Usually you are trying to insult me every second you have or teasing me." He explains and this time I'm the one to sigh. "It's nothing." "It obviously is."
I lay down on the sand and he copies my movements. "I don't know. It's just- Dad has moved to ignoring me completely now. Sometimes I wonder what would've happened if I grew up in another family. A happy one, like Milli and Simon. Heck- Their parents care more about me and consider me more family than Mom and Dad do."
"Hailey look at me." He says and I do. "I don't know their reasons to act like this and I'm definitely going to have a chat with them but- listen to me. I will only say this one time. Everything happens for a reason. I realised that a few years back and since then I always think of it when something bad happens."
I give a sad smile.
"Now I don't want this to turn into some depressing shit and I'm extremely hungry." He says and I feel the tension go away immediately.
When we stand up the sand sticks to our soaked clothes and he grunts. "Okay we definitely need to change. I have a few clothes in the back of my car."
The clothes consist of t-shirts and sweats. Eh. It'll do.