More Than Friends - A Hayes Grier fanfiction

Chapter 37 - Chicken

I stand shivering in the cold waiting for Hayes. Planning what I am going to say has taken up most of my night however giving him the choice between me and Megan is still the only conclusion I can come up with. I fiddle with the friendship bracelet on my wrist and wonder if tonight will be the last time I wear it. I almost decide he has tricked me when I see a shadowy figure appear on the corner.

"Hayes?"

"It's me." I hear his voice and sigh. This is going to be difficult.

"Hayes, I need a straight answer, on this whole situation." I demand. His face seems to drop and he keeps his eyes on the floor.

"I don't know what to say Sophie." He whispers and I roll my eyes.

"Hayes we were meant to be best friends. Inseparable. Did you not want that?" I interrogate and finally he looks me in the eyes. After weeks of not having any contact with the boy, I finally can look into the sky blue eyes of his again and I sigh.

"I'm such an idiot." He says.

"I'm not going to deny that." I laugh and he gives me a half smile.

"I am going to get straight to it Hayes. It's me or Megan. If you want to be my friend you'll have to tell Megan to call off all of these rumours and make her apologise. Choose Megan and... I guess it's the end."

"Sophie... you know I can't."

"It's the last chance you will get from me. I can't deal with this anymore." I feel tears prick in my eyes and when I see him turn away I unclip the bracelet.

"Fine. But you can't run back to me when Megan leaves." I say and turn round to walk home. I knew this wouldn't end well.

"I loved you Sophie. I really did." I hear him say before I run home and cry in my room.

...

School seems smaller the next day, as if I know things have changed. For better? Or for worse? I silently go to my locker and across the hall I see Hayes opening his. Hiding myself, I peer over at him and see a flash of silver. Looking closely, I notice a familiar bracelet around his wrist. My friendship bracelet. I gasp in shock. What have I done? I realise I have overreacted badly and feel terrible. This isn't how the situation should have gone at all.

Hayes spots me and I whip round; I can't let him see me. Realising I have most lessons with him today, I think fast and decide to fake an illness. I head for the nurses office and complain of an upset stomach. As I walk my breathing quickens and my head is pounding.

"Don't you want to go back to class?" The nurse asks and I fake a groan and gag slightly. I can't believe i am chickening out of such a situation but i carry on my act.

"I need to go home." I wail and she finally gives in.

"I'll call your mom then." She sighs and I hear her dialling home. I lie on the gurney and stare at the patchy ceiling, thinking about the huge mistake. What was I thinking?

Mom arrives a while later and hustles me into the car in silence. She knows something is wrong. My eyes are pricked with tears and my mouth is like the crest of a hill.

"What is this really about?" She break the silence.

"I feel sick mom." I say bluntly and she sighs.

"I know something is wrong. You came in last night and it's like someone had died in the half an hour you were out."

"Mom please..."

"Sophie. Spit it out or I will turn this car round." She says this grimly and finally I tell her everything. I feels good to be pouring out my feelings to her. I tell her everything from the funfair right up to last night. She sighs when I am finished.

"Do I need to drop Elizabeth a call or do you want to sort this out yourself?"

"I can do this mom." I say, though I sound unsure. It just feels good to know she is on the same page as me.

"As long as you are happy. But, Elizabeth called and asked if you could babysit Sky tonight. Are you up for it?"

"I still like Skylynn mom. It's just Hayes."

"Okay but just a pre-warning as Hayes does live there so he might be there."

"He's probably at a football game." I say. I almost forgot about the games as I don't cheer for school so I don't really have a reason to go anymore.

I laze around the house watching tv for the rest of the day until the time comes for me to leave for the Grier's house.

"Bye!" I shout and leave the house. My heart pounds as I take each step and when I finally knock on the door (for use of a better example) I feel like I am going to poop myself. But, today must be the day God looks down on me, thank god Nash opens the door.

"Hey! Mom left already but I'm leaving in a bit and Hayes is going to the game soon too." I roll my eyes when I hear this and he sees.

"Heard what happened. Practically the whole neighbourhood did too." He says and I laugh.

"Oh god." I giggle and he grins.

"I'm kidding. Hayes said you can scream fucking loud though."

Nash leaves and I settle down on the couch to watch whatever is on. Footsteps from upstairs distract my attention and a minute later Skylyyn bursts into the room.

"SOPHIEEEEE" She squeals and I spin her around.

"Sky" I laugh and plonk her down on the sofa. I am just comfortable when another pair of footsteps can be heard. Hayes. I turn round and we give each other a smile for Sky's sake.

"See you later Sky!" he says and just as he is about to leave I see the same flash of silver from this morning. Hayes has my friendship bracelet on his wrist.

��B�"PZg�J�