The Dark Ones

Chapter Twelve: Pleasure

Georgia's heart was still singing odes of joy when she pulled up to her house. Hayden had taken her halfway and Lisa had picked her up outside their favorite coffee spot to drive her home from there. When he hugged her goodbye before escorting her to the other car, Lisa was practically giddy with excitement. The short ride home was punctuated by her boisterous chatter and endless questions.

"Oh my God, I knew it! I'm so happy for you. I knew he liked you. This is so awesome. Tell me everything. What's he really like? Where's he from? Did you kiss him yet?"

Georgia spent most of the trip trying to diplomatically answer as many questions as she could. She didn't want to completely shut her best friend out, especially since Lisa was inconveniencing herself just so Georgia could spend time with Hayden.

She gave answers like, "We just like each other for now. Things are still early. I don't know where this is all going yet."

This helped her avoid needing to get into too much detail but Lisa was lost in her own world of glee now so Georgia knew she'd have to open up more at some point. For now, she just wanted Hayden and her to be something she explored by herself. Whatever it was they shared, it was certainly no ordinary relationship. Trying to stay calm and casual after watching him transform into a werewolf, learning for sure that she had psychic powers, and knowing that there was another monstrous creature out there trying to track and kill him, were all things she hadn't begun fully processing herself yet.

"Oh my God, Benny's gonna flip when he finds out. That's his problem though. He had his chance and never did anything about it," Lisa mused out loud.

Georgia groaned in her mind. She'd completely forgotten that she still had Benny to contend with. He'd never behaved this way during her other relationships. Of course that was because he'd been dating Salma Campos back then. Benny had always displayed hints of having feelings for her but he'd never previously been cold or distant when she'd gotten close to other boys. With Hayden, it was different; almost like he sensed that this time, there was a chance that if things went well, Georgia may never be available again.

She knew Benny had no right to behave so coldly toward her for liking someone else. After all, they were never together. He'd never made a move but she was grateful for that because it meant she'd never actually had to turn him down. That way she got to preserve the friendship without needing to make it awkward. Now she found herself wondering if this was maybe a bad thing. Maybe the fact that they'd never spoken about his feelings for her and put them to bed meant he thought there was still hope for them. She still valued him as a friend.

He had been a constant in her life since they were kids and she knew underneath his moody exterior, he was still a kind, caring person, and a good friend. Only time would tell just how much more being with Hayden was going to upend her previously ordinary, boring life.

"I'll talk to him about it when I get a chance," she said to herself more than Lisa.

"Just let him down slowly, George. I know he's being an ass but he's been our friend for ages. I guess he deserves some sympathy."

"I know. You're right," Georgia replied with a sigh.

They got closer to her house. As she jumped out, Lisa was still beaming. She hushed her a little, afraid that her parents might hear her speaking about Hayden. After promising to speak more at school the next week, Georgia thanked Lisa for everything and walked to her front door, greeting her elderly neighbor Mr. Lehman on her way in. Seeing him made her realize just how consumed she'd been since Hayden's arrival in Grayston. Her life was once so plain and vanilla. She went to school, hung out with her friends, read books, wrote blog articles, watched her favorite shows, and was busy preparing the rest of her college applications.