In the Beginning

The end of this town as we know it

My heart ached. I didn't want to leave, but I knew I had to. How am I supposed to be with someone who doesn't consider my feelings or thoughts?

I picked my suitcase up and unlocked the guest bedroom door. Hayes was waiting for me outside. He looked distraught. I wanted to ask him what was wrong, but things changed. He stood in front of me and grabbed my suitcase, "Please wait, Stephanie. I want to tell you everything that happened." My eyes were still red and puffy from crying. I tried to pull my suitcase back so he would let go of it, but instead he pulled me closer to his body. I just wanted him to hold me. "Move, Hayes!" I yelled. We both dropped my suitcase and he tried hugging me. I kept resisting, "Let go of me! Let go of me!" I started pounding his chest with my fists and he just took it. "Stop- Let go-" I started crying again. As I sobbed he held me tightly in his embrace.

I finally stopped crying and he kissed me on the forehead as I stepped back. "I didn't want to leave, but seriously Hayes you could have gotten hurt going there by yourself." He knew he let me down, "I know. I know. I'm sorry."

We sat down at his kitchen table, i started talking first, "I want to know want happened since you promised you would tell me." He nodded and leaned forward, "I will, but first you have to tell me who told you where I was." I knew I was in the wrong. "Don't get mad at him, but it was Henry." He responded, "Of course it was. I told him not to talk to you and he goes and does it anyway." I laid my hand on top of his to console him, "Henry apologized, I don't think he's a terrible person." I took a deep breath, "Now tell me what happened."

Hayes squeezed my hand. "Brace yourself, Stephanie."

He told me everything. How Valentina warned him and then how my mother and Zach have been working together forever. How my mother traded me in for her comfortable life and how she was going to disappear until I died again to preserve the curse. That in order to break the curse I have to love Danielle, despite all the horrid things she's done to Hayes, everyone else in this town, and me.

I was too stunned to speak. How does someone keep going on after hearing all of this information? "I'm so sorry, Stephanie. If I knew that Danielle was this person I would have never-" I tried to smile. "Hayes, this isn't your fault. Don't blame yourself. This is all Danielle's and Zach's doing." "I would usually never say this if it was only me fighting these people, but I have to protect you. Let's run away." My eyes widened. This did not sound like Hayes. Hayes could tell I was shocked. "Stephanie, listen. Maybe Danielle was right you can live with me for the rest of your life anywhere you'd like, away from here. Where Zach, or Damon or Danielle, or anyone in this town can't hurt you anymore." I leaned back in my chair, "No. I refuse to run away and be scared from them for the rest of my life." Hayes got closer to me, "But you heard what I told you, if you die now then you die for good and I can't risk that! I won't risk that!" I think he started crying. He covered his eyes with his hands. I reached out to hug him and he buried his face in my chest. "Hayes, you won't lose me. I promise you. We will end this curse. Together."

After he collected himself, we laid together on his bed with his arm around me and my hand placed on his chest. I was the first one to speak in an hour. "I know what I have to do." He kissed my forehead, "We don't have to discuss this now." I looked up at him, "I think if I speak to Danielle then the curse will simply break." He looked down at me, "What do you mean?" I answered back, "At the end of the day she is still my mother. I may never want to talk her again but I have questions to ask her and who knows maybe just talking her will help to break the curse. I will be safe, I promise." Hayes responded, "I know how we can do this." He was onboard! "When I left I had to speak to Zach, he made sure that no one knew I left. If Danielle leaves then she will have to go through him. I will take care of Zach, while you talk to Danielle. We will do it tonight, I'm afraid if we wait any longer than Danielle might leave before we have the chance to do this." We were breaking the curse tonight.

...

Hayes and I had spent the rest of the night planning out what we were going to be doing exactly, after we showered together and ate leftovers. "Do you really believe that Henry is worth trusting?" Hayes asked me. "Look you've known him much longer than I have, but I think he may be. If he betrays me then we will take care of him together." Hayes smirked, "Sounds wonderful, are you going to call him here or are we going to meet him at Zach's house?" "We will need as many alliances as we can get, I'm sure he can get the twins or David to join us since he's friends with them. If they try anything then we will plan accordingly." "If David tries anything then I will fire him." I laughed. Hayes began hugging me, "Do you trust me?" I nodded. "Then this will work." He looked into my eyes, "You look so beautiful, as always." I started blushing. Then we started kissing. It was ravenous and long. As if he was scared that this was the last time we would kiss.

I called Henry and he was able to convince the twins and David to join us. Once I heard a knock at the door I knew they all had arrived at Hayes's apartment. Henry looked better than this morning and David was beside him, while the twins were behind them. Aiden had her arms crossed and Jackson was beside her, offering an awkward smile. Hayes opened the door, "Did anyone follow you?" Henry answered him as the all of them walked inside. "No. At least I don't think so." Hayes closed the door behind them. They all greeted me although it seemed that Aiden was forced to. David turned to faced Henry and Hayes who had already moved to the corner of his apartment to speak, "Hayes, I need a drink." Hayes responded, "You know where they're at." David moved towards the kitchen and I turned to speak to the twins. "I appreciate you two coming here. After everything, I'm sure Amy must have told you what went down." Jackson began talking, "It's no problem. Henry is a good friend and you are his friend so then that makes us friends." I smiled at him, Aiden flashed an angry look at her brother. Aiden started speaking, "Stephanie, I am only here because of Henry and because of Jackson, so don't even bother trying to be my friend. Especially since you don't even want to be a part of this town, and now you are planning on starting a war." I answered, "A war? I just want to talk to Zach and the rest of the town to clear things up." Hayes and I decided that's how we would start this off, by simply trying to talk to everyone. "Stephanie, Aiden, Jackson come here!" Hayes yelled out. We walked over to them.

Once we reached David, Henry, and Hayes, Aiden started talking, "Let me get this straight, all we're going to do is talk to everyone?" Henry and Hayes nodded. She rolled her eyes, "Then what was the point of me and Jackson coming tonight, we could've met together at Zach's house?" Hayes stared Aiden down, "Because we need your help."