=Hailey=
Everyone was silent, as they stared. I was silent. It was the last thing I’d expected to see.
Alexis and Max, hand in hand, laughing.
Alexis looked the happiest I’d ever seen her.
I clenched my fist.
No…this wasn’t fair…this can’t…
***
+Alexis+
“Are you going to the pitch?” I asked, swinging his hand.
“Yeah.”
I reached up, and kissed him. “Have fun.”
He waved, let go of my fingers and ran away. I sighed, watching him leave. I’d forgotten what it’d felt like…love… I smiled to myself, staring up at the clouds…hey, one kind of looked like a heart…well, a disfigured, twisted, diseased heart, but a heart all the same. I was deliriously happy.
Someone slammed me, shoulder-first against a pole. I blinked, my love-induced haze clearing. I was pulled back into the world.
“Alexis…” It was Blondie. “What happened? Why did you…?”
I smiled, pulling her hand off my shoulder gently. “I’m sorry, Blondie. I can’t do it any more. I can’t help your sister get revenge any more. I realized that I’m in love with –”
She slapped me.
“No!” she hissed, pressing her forehead against mine. I looked into her eyes. They were totally crazy with anger. “You can’t do this to me…you can’t…”
My cheek stung from her slap. “Get off me, Blondie!”
“Hailey!”
She’d slapped me again. “My name is Hailey, you got it? I’m not Blondie, I’m not Cheerleader, I’m Hailey.”
“Okay…” I said, glaring at her, and rubbing my cheek. I didn’t like how she was talking to me, now. But I’ll like it slide, just this once…
“If you don’t break up with him,” she said, staring at me, “I’ll tell them about Carter. They’ll believe me. They might not believe Tiffany, but they’ll believe me.”
I smiled.
She was blackmailing me?
I could laugh.
“I believe in him,” I said, my voice confident. “He trusts me. He won’t leave me, Hailey.”
***
“Hey,” I said, high-fiving Max. It was almost creepily lame, but I wasn’t considering that right now. Max looked up at me, blinking through his eyelashes. His green eyes shone. He had his headphones in, and I saw his eyes flick to my ears – I had mine in, too. Then Max smiled, this most gorgeous, beautiful smile. My breath caught in my throat.
He patted to the seat next to him, and I sat down.
It was History – it hadn’t started yet, but I knew it would be starting soon. I glanced around me, and saw that…something was different. Something had changed…wait…why was everyone clutching paper, and models of things…?
Max looked around as well, and slowly, his face paled.
“Oh God…” he whispered. “No. Please, God no…”
The teacher came in.
“Hello, everyone,” he said, briskly. “I hope you all have your history projects.”
