It's Complicated

27 ~ Who else has seen you in the shower?!

Chapter 27 ~ Who else has seen you in the shower?!

🎶 Who am I? Someone that's afraid to let go, uh. You decide, if you're ever gonna let me know, yeah. Suicide, if you ever try to let go, uh. I'm sad and low, yeah, I'm sad I know, yeah 🎶

My beats blasted at high volume as my tennis shoes pounded on the half frozen gravel. The cold air piercing my lungs as I inhaled it. It was probably around twenty degrees outside and my dumb ass decided it was a good idea to only wear a light jacket with my leggings and sweater. 

Once I get to the crossing bridge to Cedar Woods I bend over, emptying the contents of my stomach into the grass coating the ditch.
I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and let out a deep sigh. Note to self: six  miles is too many miles for your stomach. I lace my fingers together and put them behind my head, trying to open the airspace in my lungs. I had been going on a lot of runs lately, trying to get my mind off of everything happening around me.

I hadn't talked to him since the dinner, which was a little bit less than a week ago. It's not like I just didn't see him, I did I just chose to dodge him every time he tried to talk to me. He would open his mouth and before his lips could form a word, I was long gone. I couldn't handle him right now.

My aunt had to leave for her job back in California and the recovery program for my mother had ended so she was home. She's still required to attend AA meetings every weekend but she has never been as here as she is now. I still can't look her straight in the face with a smile but I was sure as hell trying. Not for her but for Lo, only for Lo.

As the song switched on my phone, my phone buzzed and I glanced at the screen to see I had gotten a text from Logan.

Shorty got Lo:
Hey when are you coming home?

Hallway:
I'll be home in 10, why are u so worried Lo?

Shorty got Lo:
There's someone here to see you.

Hallway:
Who?

Shorty got Lo:
Can't tell you that

Hallway:
Okay why?

Shorty got Lo:
I can't tell you that either. Just come home

I proceed to roll my eyes and pocket my phone back into my jacket. Why was he being so weird about the person at our house? I shake me head, trying to brush it off, and spin on my heal to turn around in the direction of my house. I puff out a cold breath and start running to my house.

I slide the key into the lock, turning it three times until it clicks, knowing that Logan most likely locked the door after I left. He's paranoid like that sometimes when it comes to safety of his house, or more likely his video games in his room along with his number of autographs from famous baseball players. I slowly take off my headphones while slipping off my shoes, when I hear muffled talking and laughing coming from the kitchen.

I quickly set my stuff down on the bench next to the front door and race into the room to see my mother standing at the kitchen island, drinking a coffee with Peyton. The minute my mother sees me she sets her mug down and sends me a warm smile.

"Hey sweetie Peyton here stopped by a little while looking for you. I told her to wait here until you got back from your jog and we got to talking." Peyton looks at my mother, nodding and looks back at me. "Thank you so much Mrs. Foster for the coffee but I must get Halston ready for tonight. We're going out."

I look at her stunned. "We are?" She looks at me sternly. "We are, now come with me we have a lot of work to do." She grabs my arm and drags me out of the kitchen. I narrow my eyes at her once we are out of my mothers sight and scowl.

"I did not agree to this," I say raising my eyebrows at her and she rolls her eyes in return. "Hal, you can't just sit around your house mopping, I know he hurt you but you can't have that ruin your life. So what he ignored you and shut you out, that's what a bad boy like him does."

"That's the thing Pae, he isn't....wasn't like that with me. I saw a side of him that no one else has, and then he just.....just shut me out. That's not even the worst of it, then he brought me into a fight with his dad. I didn't ask to be brought up, then all the sudden I was the one who the fight was about. He put me in a situation where I felt uncomfortable, just to get back at his dad, and it wasn't okay. Yet, I'm the one sulking about it."

I let out a heavy sigh, collapsing onto my bed, burying my head into a pile full of pillows. I feel the space next to me indent and I lift my head up high enough to see Peyton holding out her hand to me.

"Hey, come with me to a party tonight, it will be fun. I promise. Just come and if at anytime you say you want to go we will, Okay?" She looks at me pleadingly and I eventually give in.
"Fine, just let me take a shower first." I peel myself from the comfort of my bed and slump my way towards the bathroom, turning on the shower when I get there.

I'm halfway through deep conditioning my curls when I hear the bathroom door creak open. I pull back the curtain to see Pae sticking her head between the door and the trim.

"What is it with people interrupting me while I'm in the shower!" I say, rolling my eyes and I audibly head Peyton gasp. "Who else has seen you in the shower?!"

"Um...that's irrelevant- Now what do you want?" I raise an eyebrow at her and she fully step into the bathroom holding two outfits, one in each hand. In one hand: a black, skin tight dress with a loose denim jacket and in the other: a denim skirt and a black, cropped long sleeve tee. She teeter totters them in her hands and I let out a small laugh.

"I like the left one," I say and get a confused look in return. "Your left or my left?" Oh my god Pae can you just let me shower "Oh for gods sake, the dress! Now can you get out so I can shower in peace. Please." Peyton puts her hands up in defense, slowly backing out the door, closing I when she crosses the doorway. Leaving me to finish my much needed shower.

***

Hey I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, it's not very eventful but I promise that the next one will make up for it. I just really wanted to go more in-depth into Halston and Peyton's friendship so this is how it turned out. Anyways I hope you enjoy your upcoming weekend because mine will be filled with much snow. (9 inches to be exact)