We sat outside as more and more cops and medics arrived. Hayden was siding in the back of an ambulance with a blanket around her, talking to a cop as a paramedic cleaned up a few minor scrapes.
"That was a hell of a night," Jack said, as he came to the ambulance I was sitting in. Not feeling in the mood to talk, I started fiddling with a paper clip.
"Mac. Talk to me," Jack said, nudging me with his shoulder. I shook my head as to say "no."
"Dude. Come on," he insisted.
"She could have died, Jack!" I snapped, my voice raised but not too loud. I then went back to my paper clips.
Jack sighed. "I know, I know man. Buuut, she didn't. Don't you see that? She COULD have died, but DIDN'T die. Thanks to a little someone I know," he said. When I didn't answer, he said, "you should go talk to her."
I shook my head again. "Cops are interviewing her about what happened," I mumbled.
"Not now, they aren't," Jack said. I looked up and tilted my head sideways to look at him.
"Dude," I said.
"Come on. She doesn't bite. I think...." Jack said, trailing off.
I shook my head and chuckled. "Fine." I then pushed myself off the edge of the back of the ambulance, and walked over to where Hayden was.
"Hey," I said simply, putting my hands in my pockets.
"Hi," she said quietly. She was probably traumatized today, with all that went down.
"Good news," said a paramedic that arrived. "No major brain damage. Not even minor. Just a medium case of trauma. Should pass within the next few days. You'll be okay."
Hayden nodded slowly as she looked down at the floor, not making eye contact to anyone.
"Um...can I talk to her in private?" I asked the paramedic. He nodded and walked off. I then sat down next to Hayden, pulling her into a one armed hug.
"I thought I was gonna die," she said, just barely above a whisper, as tears made their reappearance.
I nodded and rubbed her arm to comfort her. "But you didn't."
She sniffed. "Why does my life suck?"
I chuckled. "Trust me, my life sucks way more than yours."
"No. If it was a contest, I would win," Hayden said, the tiniest hint of a smile on her face.
I shook my head. "Mmmmm nope. I think I would." She chuckled.
"You're too much," she said, leaning her head on my shoulder.
I looked down at her. "Too much what?"
She shrugged. "Too much you."
I grinned. "I hope that's a good thing."
She nodded. "Both. But trust me, its better than worse."
I smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Here," I said, handing her the paper clip I was messing around with earlier.
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I took it in her hands and gasped. "How did you make this?!"
I smirked. "Magician never tells."
She twirled around the paper clip ring in her hands for a few minutes then stopped, leaving us in silence for a bit.
"Do you care about me?" She asked, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
I gulped. Should I tell her? I mean, if I told her I didn't, that would come off as horrible. Like I was a terrible person. And there is no other way to rephrase the word "no." Dammit why is life so hard?!
"Um...a...a-a little..." I said, that last bit more of a whisper.
I could hear her smile. "You're not so bad either. Don't worry, I know I can be rude and stubborn as hell. But that's just me."
I grinned. "I think I love you."
She didn't say anything. Oops. Shouldn't have said that.
"Like...platonically or..." she asked, though Im sure she already knew what I meant. And that left us in silence for a full ten minutes! Not awkward at all! And that was sarcasm.
"Im not big on emotional displays, but I think I like you too," she said after a while.
"Like?" I asked.
"Like as in, like like," she said, with a slight laugh.
I grinned. "You're weird, Maxwell."
She smiled and looked up at me. "I know that. But that is what you like about me, ain't it?"
I nodded. Before I knew it, I pecked her on the lips. She smiled.
