They Said That I Had Changed - Book 2

Chapter 7 - Rayna

'Will you all be okay in here?' My mother murmurs to me and I nod, glancing at the table where the three of them are already seated.

'Yeah, we'll be fine,' I say, 'thanks,'

'It's okay,' she approaches the others and beams at them kindly, handing them their dishes. She passes me mine and places a jug of water in the centre of the table before leaving the room.

I sit myself down and try to smile as best as I can. Finn and Alice reciprocate with the same action whilst Hayden just stares with one eyebrow slightly raised.

'So Hayden,' Finn tries, directing his attention to the sullen young man.

'What?' He says, obviously not caring to being involved in a conversation.

'Are you glad you're back?'

'Depends what I'm supposed to be glad for? Glad to have my old house back? Yes. Glad to see people I used to hang around with? No,' he shoots me a cruel smile and I avert my eyes. I don't like this Hayden at all and I can't wait for this night to be over so I can kick him out and not have to face him ever again.

'What about you, Rayna? How did you feel when you knew I was back?'

'Truthfully?' I ask.

'Yep,'

'I considered calling my mother and telling her I wasn't going home,' I feel pride as I watch his smile drop. Apparently he expected me to say something contrasting with my actual admittance.

Alice tries her best to conceal a laugh and even Finn cracks a smile. But Hayden doesn't seem to appreciate being laughed at and he scowls.

'Just wondering because least time I checked, you were utterly obsessed with me,' he leans his chin on his clasped hands and I look away again. It's one thing to bring up something from our past but for that thing to be my liking for him is just cruel.

'I knew you'd like that goodbye by the way, I suppose it's a shame I didn't,'

'I don't understand,' I say in confusion though, upon studying their expressions, Finn and Alice seem to.

He doesn't even have to say anything before I suddenly realise and then I just stare at him in shock. No way did he just suggest that the goodbye kiss he gave me meant nothing to him.

I'm hardly upset since time has passed and I no longer feel anything for Hayden but I am angry. I'm angry he'd lie to me about something like that, especially in the vulnerable state I had been in all that time ago.

I push my plate away and stand suddenly, my angered stare so intense Hayden actually points his eyes to the floor. I'm out of the room before anyone can say anything else and I run up the stairs into my room.

I want him out of my house. He won't be welcome here again after tonight.

I stay enclosed in my room for a while, listening to the low hum of sounds echoing from downstairs. I know I'll be forced down at some point but for now, I don't want to even think about it. Hayden's been purposefully trying to infuriate me since he got here and now he's finally succeeded. Congratulations to him, I hope he feels pride right now.

A gentle knock on the door distracts me from my thoughts and I sigh.

'Who is it?' I call out and Anna responds.