Chasing - h.g

20

Hayes

Another morning of puffing smoke, reading through emails and walking Zan cause it's just too damn energetic.

I walked outside to my mail box and opened it. I flipped through the letters of payment notices, promotions and various letters from my mom. So old-fashioned.

I then came across a box. A green box with air holes in it. It smelt terrible. I slowly lifted the lid then dropped the box.

"What the fuck!" I yelled as I looked down at the abomination beyond my feet. A rat, bloody and dirty laid before me.

"Charlotte that bitch," I gritted through my teeth and ran inside. I picked up my phone and called Nash immediately.

"What's up?" Nash asked.

"Come over. Now," I commanded.

"Why?" he asked.

"No time to explain. Get Taylor and get your asses over here now. It's important," I blurted out and dropped the call.

"Fuck," I hyperventilated as I went back outside. I cleaned up the mess on my front yard and brought the box inside while I waited for Nash and Taylor to arrive.

She is a literal psychopath. A dead rat? A fucking dead rat? Who in their right mind would think that this is rational or okay? I need to get this girl out of my life now.

Within a matter of minutes Nash and Taylor walked in.

"Okay what's the situation," Nash asked.

"The box," I pointed to it on the other couch.

"What?" Taylor asked.

"Open the fucking box," I demanded.

Nash slowly opened the box and Taylor took a look and with one look the tears collected in her eyes faster than interest collecting in a bank account. I understood why she was so emotional. Taylor had an extreme soft spot for animals so it must've been difficult for her seeing an animal die undeservingly.

"Charlotte did this?" Nash gawked. I nodded and held my fist to my mouth.

"Look what you did! You couldn't have kept it in your pants for two fucking seconds bro!" Nash yelled.

"What I did? It's not my fault this girl is a fucking psycho! I'm scared for my life you asshole!" I yelled back and shoved him. Nash swung at me and I missed.

"Nash," Taylor held him back with tears in her eyes.

"He need to-"

"No Nash," she whispered something in his ear and he calmed down.

"You let this go too far," Taylor sat Nash down and sat down with him.

"I apologised to her this week some time," I shrugged defensively.

"How? The genuine way or the Hayes way?" Nash scolded.

"The Hayes way," I murmured.

"Hayes way?" Taylor asked.

"He buys gifts and takes that as apologising because he's a prick," he explained sarcastically.

"I will literally throw this dead rat at you if you don't shut it right now," I threatened.

"No!" Taylor interjected.

"You know what. You were never like this. You used to be so genuine. You've literally flipped. Even mom and dad say so. Ever since high school you became someone we didn't even recognise," he explained.

"You know nothing. Absolutely nothing," I intervened.

"Wait guys," Taylor peeped, "you've been like this since high school?"

"Yeah," Nash answered.

"Nash," she snapped, "really?"

"Yeah," I replied silently.

"What happened. If I can ask?" she asked as she wiped her tears.

"It's stupid," I muttered into my chest.

"Hayes," she began, "we're family now. You never have to be ashamed of how you feel. I feel like you've been deprived of that. You shouldn't be. Now is the time to let us know why do you hurt everyone so much. Who hurt you?"

Was I really about to do this?

"Nash, remember Amy Chrysalis?" I asked as I sat back.

"You dated her for some time. She went to that fancy prep school academy right?" he questioned.

"Yes," I replied and inhaled deeply, "she was a Senior. I was a Sophomore. I first saw her at one of the pep rallies we had and I fell in love with her. I tried to hard to get her. I really did. I pulled out all the stops. Remember that week I came home late everyday even though I didn't have football practice that day and mom thought I had started drinking? I went to her school every afternoon with a different bouquet of flowers just to impress her. After the longest time, I finally got her."

"Is that why you're so hurt?" Taylor asked.

"No. Little did I know that I was just a guinea pig for her tricks. She took advantage of me and my warm heart. She always used me to make her preppy jock exes jealous. She cheated on me several times and I could see the signs but because I was so madly, deeply in love with her I was blinded by her beauty, manipulative nature and money. After some time," I stopped and gulped, "we had sex. She actually took my virginity and there was I was thinking I was the shit for nailing an older prep school girl but God I was so wrong. Turns out the whole thing was for her Senior prank. She got me out of school and brought me over to her school. Then there I was, my naked ass exposed on various flyers around the school. I was the laughing stock of that academy and I swore I would never get played again. So I started playing the game and haven't caught feelings since. Until now."

"Now?" Nash asked.

"Kaylin has changed me. I haven't had sex with her yet. I just recently asked her to be my girlfriend and I really like her guys. You don't understand how much I like her. I don't want anything to ruin what we have. Including this psychopath of a girl. I need you guys. Please," I was out of breath by the time I was done. I had just spilled my heart to someone for the first time since Amy.

"Hayes," Nash stood up, "I never knew. I never even knew I'm so sorry. I had no idea," he hugged me.

"Thanks," I uttered and sat back down.

"We'll see what we can do. We won't let this girl ruin your heart being rebuilt by Kaylin," Taylor smiled and I actually believed her.