They Said That I Had Changed - Book 2

Chapter 6 - Hayden

'I'm not going,' I state, crossing my arms and standing at the bottom of the stairs. The rest of them are huddled by the door, waiting to go.

'Come on, Hayds,' Anna shoots me a smile and stretches her hand towards me. She drops it once I stare at it in distaste.

'I don't need help, I just said I'm not going,' I state and she sighs audibly.

'It's only dinner at your friend's house,' she says but I scowl.

'Rayna isn't my friend,' I snap much to the other's shock. I turn to go back upstairs until my dad grabs my arm and pulls me back down.

'Hayden, I said we'd all be there and that includes you so let's go!'

'I'm not going to her house,' I pull a disgusted face and I see the anger rise into Alice's eyes.

'That's my best friend you're speaking about there so watch your damn mouth,'

'Make me,' I challenge and she takes a threatening step forwards.

'Both of you stop!' Anna cries, clearly distressed. She places both hands on her stomach and tries to contain her emotions as best as she can. I suppose it's this that convinces me to go since I don't want to put any more stress on Anna then she already has. She needs to relax for a little while.

'Fine,' I grab my coat and slip it on, 'I'm leaving when I want to leave though so don't try to stop me,'

My dad shrugs, clearly unconcerned for now whilst Kyra takes Anna's arm and leads her out of the house. I follow behind the rest of them, isolating myself and ignoring their attempts to make conversation with me.

Despite being behind, I feel as though I'm leading the group. I could follow the pathway to Rayna's house blindfolded since I was so accustomed to going there when we'd been friends.

'Which way do we go here, Hayden?'

'Left,' I state and frown as my dad chuckles and begins to sing. Whilst the rest of them are amused, I'm definitely not and I'd rather he'd stop before we arrive at the house. I don't want their neighbours seeing that I'm somehow related to him.

Thankfully, he does halt the awful song protruding from his mouth and we near to Rayna's house. We can actually see it now and I note that it doesn't look any different to how it was last time.

Without warning, Anna quickly calls out in delight and I whip my head to where two people are approaching our group from the opposite direction. Upon closer inspection, I realise it's Finn and his mum and I feel my eyes widen a little.

Alice, who had been walking by my side for a little while, claps her hands and runs ahead to greet them. Finn's mum joins us and begins to chat in a lively attitude. I forgot how animated and alert she is.

'Hey, Hayden. How are you?' I turn to see Finn and Alice approaching me, their hands connected. It makes me to wonder what's going on with the two of them.

'I'm fine,' I say, not bothering to ask him the same question. Instead, I turn away hoping he gets the hint and does the same himself. However, I'm unlucky. Finn hates being ignored and he won't just leave it alone, he practically fights for the other person to talk to him.

He struts around the side of me so he's facing me again and smiles.

'How was Australia?' he asks and I shrug.

'It's okay,'

'Was it pretty?'

'Yeah,'

'Did you miss home?'