"Best Friends"

Chapter 16: Face to Face

Cara's POV*****

As I stand outside of Hayes' haunting house, I wonder how in the heck did I end up here?

Veronica persuaded me to talk to him even though I wanted nothing to do with his well being

Well, not true. A part of me missed him and desired to hold him in my arms.

"I'll call him, just in case he's making out with another girl in his house," I say with an unamused face.

"Whatever you still like Hayes, and he still likes you, Cara!" Veronica truthfully spits.

"Don't worry I'm penny boarding away from this neighborhood, until you call me after you've talked with Hayes, alright?" she said with emphasize on away and talked

I roll my eyes, and dial his phone number, as he immediately answers.

"Get your butt outside," I harshly say.

I hear loud footsteps, and a door squeak open, signaling Veronica to penny board away.

Veronica was accurate. The moment I see Hayes, I feel a wave of electricity navigate though me, making me giggle and blush.

Nothings changed.

His ocean eyes sparkle when they meet my red eyes.

He runs and pulls me into another loooong hug, resulting in me pushing him away.

Does he think everything is forgiven?

He yanks me to his backyard hammock, as his speech starts off, "Originally, I was gonna surprise you today. Claire was gonna to give me insight on what you liked, like advice. She kissed me..."

Not 100% persuaded.

"I - I don't even know if this is the truth!" I exclaimed

He grabbed my hand, making all the butterflies flutter in my uneasy stomach.

"You have no idea how much you mean to me, do you?" He blinks and stares at the ground, hurt, "I've known you since we were 8... 6 years. 6 years, Cara, and you've always been right by my side. I care about you so much, do YOU even know me?" His sad and desperate eyes focus right on me...

Making me shiver, nervously.

"I- I uh... You... Uh - uh.... Ummm," I reply confused

what do I say?

"The last thing I'd ever want to do is hurt you. Real boyfriends don't hurt their girlfriends," he replies.

"I uh- uh.... Um," I cleared my throat hoping I can think of something to say. An hour ago I was sobbing thinking he cheated on me. Now he's confessing how much he cares about me and that Claire kissed him....

"This is so much to take in, I'm speechle-" he cuts me off by asking

"Can we pick up from where we left off?" he says with a smile.

I missed him.

"Yeah," I answer only to awaken a flood of tears.

I don't want him seeing me like this, this miserable.

I weep into my hands and it won't stop. UGH. STOP CRYING!

"Babe don't cry," he says comforting me

"I'm just so confused," I say. My head is whirling with thoughts, creating a huge tornado inside of me. I'm trapped and there's no way out. NO WAY OUT.

Emotions. Confusion. Him. Games. Truth. Lies. HELP!

Hayes grasps my hands, that were covering my face, and pulls them away.

He titls my head, so he can witness my strained red eyes, hear my stuffy nose, and discover how broken I am.

"Here, that's better, gorgeous," he says pulling my hair behind my ear.

"You're confused I get it, but I care for you so much. I didn't waste 6 years of friendship, to give up now," he let's out.

I'm pushing him away. Scaring him away. Pretty soon he'll be away from me. Gone. Vanished. Forgotten.

I snuggle onto him, as he puts his arms around me laying his head on my back.

Why am I so broken?