(Complete)
After a terrible encounter at a party, one year later, Hailey Fonte is ready to return to her hometown. With everyone against her because of last year's events and horrible rumors, Hailey must overcome many hurdles, which includes coming...
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As I lay on my bed, my phone rings. It's Jana. I answer and hold the device to my ear. "Hello?"
"Finally," she groans, "you should really answer my texts. Talking on the phone freaks me out."
"It freaks you out?"
She ignores me. "Something happened between Harrison and Daniel—"
"What," I interrupt her and swiftly sit up.
"Should have answered the texts, you would have known about this much sooner," she scolds me, but I could care less at the moment.
"Just tell me what happened."
I hear her take a deep breath. "Jordan heard from Bradley that Daniel confronted Harrison in the locker room, pushed him against a wall and asked him if he abuses girls."
My eyes widen. "No way."
"No one knows what else was said, but I'm almost positive it's because of what happened in the cafeteria yesterday. I mean, what else would tell Daniel that Harrison abuses girls, other than a 'don't touch me' with a flinch?"
I run my hand through my hair. "So what? Daniel thinks Harrison hit me?"
"That's what I'm guessing."
I fall back onto my pillows and let out a loud, dramatic groan. "This is terrible."
There's a small moment of silence from Jana. "Well, I mean, it is kinda sweet that Daniel pushed him against a wall and stuff—I don't know. It doesn't seem like him, to care about other people's problems and all. I know Harrison hitting you would be a horrific situation, but no one else did anything. It seems like a humane thing to do, but maybe there was more reason behind it."
"What are you trying to say? That he likes me? He doesn't even know me, Jana. He was just trying to stop Harrison, not help me."
She sighs. "Fine. Whatever. But I'm sticking with my theory."
For the rest of the night I cannot help but wonder, what did Harrison say back? Did he say that he never abused me? Did he tell Daniel to back off? I can hardly sleep with the question constantly prodding at my mind.
The next morning, with no sleep at all, I pick up Jana on the way to school and let her drive. I don't tell her of my plan to ask Daniel what happened, she would probably think that I believe her theory. I don't. I don't believe that Daniel cares about me, even a bit, but that isn't going to stop me from digging. How can someone care for a stranger? We hardly know each other. We've only spoken once, and that was at Trent's pool party. Sure, I think he is very attractive, and sure, I think what he did was amazing, but I can't let that fool me into believing things that simply aren't true.
When we arrive, Jana and I go our separate ways for the first period. Daphne isn't here today, and I am thankful for it. Everyone seems less tense when she is not around.
