Snapshots | ✓

Thirty Three: Hayes

Saturday, December 12th, 2015

Hayes was doing her best to pretend that the world wasn't real. She had gotten off the phone with her father, lain facedown on the couch, and hadn't moved in the ten minutes since. Frustration and anger and despair and anxiety all fought for dominance in her mind, taking her thoughts in circles as she tried to decide how best to deal with the news she'd received.

"Are you okay?" Micah asked.

At the question, everything bubbled over and she screamed into the pillow. Once she was done, and felt marginally better, she sat up and accepted the plate of food he offered her. She picked at it and stole the baby corn off of Micah's plate as she collected her thoughts. He waited and only frowned a bit when she stole the corn.

"My father's side of the family is so excessive and it's driving me up a wall," she began. "They're throwing this huge Christmas party on the 23rd with everyone from that side of the family and a bunch of family friends at some fancy hotel and it's a goddamn black tie affair so I'm going to have to wear a floor length dress and I just know that my aunt is going to try to set me up with this guy named—and I'm not joking—Peregrine whose father went to school with mine so apparently we're social equals which obviously means we have to get married and have children with names like Maximus and Horatio. Do you know how difficult it is to get away from annoying people in a floor length dress?"

"I can't say I do."

"It's impossible! They can just follow the tack-tack-tack of your heels as you run to the bathroom for the fourth time in an hour to avoid having to listen to their stories about meeting various world leaders and celebrities."

"Politicians?" Micah guessed.

"Yes, and they're terrible," she said, sticking another forkful of food into her mouth. After a moment of chewing she relented. "I'm sure they're not all horrible but the ones I've run into are. And admittedly I didn't give them much of a chance before making my escape. I met one or two when I was younger and had issues with them so I avoid everyone connected to that world. The last thing I need is someone connecting my face as an adult to the Incident."

"'The Incident?'" he echoed.

"When I was eleven I kicked the American ambassador to Spain in the shin so hard he had to sit down and eventually leave the party," she admitted.

He dropped his fork back to his plate, his eyes lighting up and a grin slowly spreading across his face. "What?"

"I didn't know who he was! I was still being warned about stranger danger every time I went outside so when he approached and offered me a candy I panicked and kicked him."

Micah laughed. A real, full-bodied laugh that shook his shoulders and had him doubling over. Hayes managed to look indignant for a few seconds before breaking down and laughing with him. It took them several minutes to collect themselves, their laughter transitioning into short bouts of giggling.

"That has to be my favourite story you've told me about your childhood," he said, leaning against the back of the couch.

"Just wait until I tell you about the time I nearly caused an international scandal with a minor member of the Belgian royal family," she replied, smiling around another bite of food.