The Odd One Out (Hailee Steinfeld)

Chapter 23

    "Alex.....I have a boyfriend." Alex sat there for a second puzzled not fully taking in Hailee had just told her. There was a long pause as the feeling finally punched Alex in the face. Alex's breathing got faster but of course she had learned to hide it from past situations. Hailee looked back over at her quickly. "Are you okay." "Yeah no I'm good. Im just glad you're not mad at me." Alex said trying to change the subject or else she just might break. Hailee let a quick smile through the mask but it was gone just as quickly as before in Physical Therapy.

   The rest of the drive Alex stared straight ahead at the road as thoughts poured into her head.

It's not like we were even dating. Why should I even care? I do not- She didn't even like me anyway.

Other thoughts were forming in the middle of other thoughts making them all jumble around in her mind. Even when she tried to sort them out it didn't work.

They got home as Hailee got out setting Alex in the wheelchair and pushing her into Hailee's house. She wheeled her into the living room turning on the TV. Alex sat there and stared at it like she was watching but she wasn't she was more just zoning out as more thoughts consumed her.

Hailee took her up to bed a little while later laying her down. Hailee offered to stay until Alex fell asleep but Alex quickly denied not even looking Hailee in the eye. Hailee left without asking any questions. Alex laid there staring at the ceiling at all her emotions came and hit her hard. Tears flooded her eyes and started streaming down her face. She let out quiet sobs as she thought about how she had just lost Hailee. Maybe a friendship maybe something more.

How long have they been together? Were they together when she tried to kiss me?

More thoughts came flooding into her mind making her doubt herself. She had ups and downs of gaslighting herself into thinking it was fake or Hailee was just trying to make her jealous. Alex didn't know what to do she was afraid to close her eyes because she didn't want the nightmares to come.....not tonight. She was too much in a broken state for nightmares and the last thing Alex wanted was Hailee coming into her room in the morning while Alex is crying.

After the long night of emotions went by Hailee came in bringing in a tray of food. No one said a word as Hailee fed her a few eggs again. Suddenly once again she spoke without thinking it through first. "You don't have to take care of me anymore." Hailee set the fork back down on the tray before quickly looking back at Alex. "It's okay Alex I don't mind." Alex swallowed hard trying to keep her voice from breaking. "No it's okay I know I am probably taking away from your daily activities so my mom can just take care of me." Hailee stayed silent as she just stared at Alex. Alex quickly folded looking away and bringing her eyes back to the ceiling. "But Alex-" "No Hailee it's okay." Alex said interrupting Hailee. Hailee nodded quickly picking up the tray and taking it back out the door and down stairs. Alex let out a deep breath that she didn't know she was holding. Had she just made a mistake or had she done herself a favor.

Hailee came back into the room but this time she had different clothes on and a little bit of makeup on, but her eyes looked at little redder than before. She came and picked up Alex's limp body setting her into a wheelchair.

   Alex looked around the house for the last time as Hailee went to go grab her keys off the nightstand. She quickly came back rolling Alex out to her car. Hailee set her carefully into the car before getting in herself.

Hailee drove back to Alex's house before wheeling her in. Alex looked around realizing something was wrong as everything seemed spotless. There was a smell in the air but it wasn't a normal smell it smelled like a freshener that Alex never bought. She always bought the vanilla one but this one smelled like coconut. "Is my mom here?" Alex got out finally after assessing her surroundings. "I don't think so." Hailee said quietly as she looked around.

She must've cleaned to "make up" for what happened.

Alex rolled her eyes as she heard Hailee take a deep breath behind her. "Well I guess this is where I leave." Alex slightly turned her head trying to look at her but was clearly unable to. Hailee didn't even bother stepping in front of her to where she could see her. All she said was a quick goodbye before closing the door behind her leaving Alex alone in silence. Alex sat there in disbelief as she muttered goodbye knowing Hailee couldn't hear her as a car started up leaving her driveway. Alex darted her eyes around as she wasn't able to move around and for a split second she thought she was going to rot here forever unable to move and no one to come help her. Until there was a knock on the door, "Come in." Alex got out just as the door opened and Tracy came stumbling through. Alex looked up at her surprised as Tracy gave her a small smile. "Hailee told me you wanted some time away so now we are going to take care of you." Alex looked at her for a moment as disbelief covered her face of the fact that Hailee lied one and two Tracy out of all people was going to be taking care of her. "We" Alex repeated quickly seeing Elizabeth step through the door with a few bags in her hands. Alex closed her eyes for a second trying to wake up from this horrid dream but of course she didn't wake up because it was no dream. Lizzie quickly walked in setting the bags in her hands down beside the couch. "Oh joy" Alex said as no emotion crossed over her face. " Oh don't be like that Alex we are going to have fun." Tracy squealed causing Alex to furrow her eyebrows and close her eyes once more. Lizzie walked up behind her setting a hand on her shoulder. Alex shifted her eyes to where she was able to see her a little bit. "Don't worry Alex." Lizzie gave a small smile as Alex returned a fake one.

    Lizzie rolled her to the bedroom as Tracy made herself at home on the couch with snacks and a drink. Lizzie closed the door behind her, "We already contacted your college and such, told them what happened. They said take your time and come back when you're ready." Alex let out a sigh of relief hearing those words come from Lizzie's mouth. "You wanna lay down? I know how bombarding Tracy can be. I think she's more excited about having a sleep over than worried about you." Lizzie looked over at the door hearing Tracy laugh at something on the TV. Alex looked up at Lizzie as she rolled her eyes. "Yeah I wanna lay down." Alex said answering Lizzie's question. Lizzie nodded her head wheeling her over to her bed and laying her in it. "Light on or off I know how sometimes you can be afraid of the dark." Lizzie said with a small smile. "Off please." Lizzie nodded but just before she turned off the light, "Thank you Lizzie....I mean it." "Don't worry about it." Lizzie said turning off the lights and walking out the door closing it behind her. Her sweet voice rang through Alex head as she lay there unable to move. She stared at the ceiling for a little bit as more emotions and feeling started overcoming her mind making her unsure of any of her actions at this point. Anything she does or says might be wrong and might screw her life up even more than it is right now. Alex focused on moving her finger for a little bit to take her mind off of everything and all her feelings. After feeling that unexplainable feeling a few times she drifted off into the unwanted sleep.