Maddie's Men

Maddie's Men Part 14 From a Kiss to Bed

Haley pushed hard against Chase's chest, but he was too strong. Get off me! She thought as he kissed her, and then, as if he'd heard her thought, he released her. Haley gasped, trying to hold back tears as she felt her hands knot into fists, ready to punch him.
"So, am I an okay kisser?" Chase asked, sitting on the edge of the bed as if nothing was wrong.
"What?" She asked, thrown off by his question.

"The kiss? Was it okay?" Chase's face suddenly looked vulnerable. "I like this girl, Sam. This totally amazing girl I met in high school, but—she hates me."
"She—What?" Haley took a step away from Chase, closer to the door. "What are you talking about?"
"The girl." Chase repeated. "I asked her out, but she turned me down." He paused, his eyes aimed at the floor. "I hadn't seen her since high school—when I kissed her." He glanced at Haley. "So... am I bad kisser? Is that why she doesn't like me?"

Haley opened her mouth to respond, but then she closed it. "Did you kiss her like that?" She asked, trying to force down her sudden anger. "Did you force yourself on her without her consent?"
Chase looked surprised. "You don't--you don't have to get consent to kiss someone." He told her, but his voice didn't sound confident.
Haley frowned. "Yes, you do." She insisted. "If you don't get consent it's assault."

Chase shook his head. "So, before you kiss someone you need to get them to fill out a consent form?" He asked, dumbfounded.
"No, not a form, but...." She felt tears spring to her eyes, frustrated. "Words, body language, you need something to let you know it's okay."
"But--" Chase frowned. "I mean, everyone wanted to kiss me in high school. Sam must have—"

Haley took a deep breath. "Just because you think everyone wanted to kiss you doesn't mean they did." She insisted. She saw the doubtful look on Chase's face. "I didn't want to kiss you." She said pointedly.
"So I should have asked about it before kissing you?" Chase asked, looking perplexed.
"Yes!" Haley said more forcefully than she'd intended.

"I'm sorry." Chase said, equal parts apologetic and surprised. "But it's--I mean it's just a kiss. It's not a big deal."
"It's a big deal to some people."
Chase thought about it for a minute and Haley frowned as she watched the gears churning. Is this why he's been in such a bad mood? She wondered. Some girl who isn't interested?
"Do you think that's it?" He asked finally. "She wanted me to ask first?"

Haley shrugged. "I don't know. I wasn't there."
"Yeah, but I'm a good kisser, right?"
"I don't know, Chase." Haley repeated, shaking her head, annoyed that he didn't seem to be getting it. "I was too worried about what you were going to do to me to think about whether you were a good kisser."

Chase looked at her in shock. "I wouldn't do anything. Jesus, Hay, you know me. I've never done anything to hurt you."
"You've never kissed me before either." She pointed out. "You have me alone up here, you suddenly grabbed me, I didn't know what you were going to do."
"Yeah, well, you know me, Haley." He said, scowling. "You should trust me."
"I've trusted people before." Haley told him, eyes flashing.

Chase looked at her in surprise. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, looking at his hands. "I'm sorry." He said finally, his voice contrite. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or... afraid." He paused. "Do you want to talk about—"
Haley shook her head, angry at herself. "So this girl." She said, changing the subject. "You kissed her in high school?"
Chase nodded. Haley could tell that he was watching her face closely to see if she'd reveal anything so she walked over to Gray's desk, picking up a framed picture of Gray with his dad.

"You weren't dating her or anything?"
"No. She--" Chase broke off for a second. "Sam didn't hang out with my group."
Haley heard it in his voice. It wasn't just that they were from different social groups. "You weren't friends?"
Chase shook his head, his cheeks turning an uncharacteristic pink. "She didn't really hang out with anyone."

Haley thought back to her own high school experience, when she'd moved from school to school, never really having time to make friends. She knew how scary high school could be when you didn't have any friends to fall back on.
"Where did you kiss her?"
Chase shrugged. "On the bus. We were on a field trip, so I sat with her."
Haley nodded. "Okay, well how did she react?"

Chase's cheeks flushed again. "I don't know. She didn't really say anything." He paused. "My friends kind of laughed."
"With her or at her?" Haley asked, feeling her stomach squeeze.
Chase opened his mouth and then closed it again. "I don't know." He said quietly.
"Did she laugh too?" Haley looked at Chase's downturned face, able to guess the answer.
"Not really." Chase admitted. "One of my friends said something kind of mean, and then--" He broke off, looking at Haley seriously. "I can't control what my friends say."

Haley wasn't so sure about that, but she let it drop. "It sounds like you already know why she doesn't like you, Chase."
Chase frowned. "How do I fix it?"
"You kissed her against her will on front of a bunch of people and then let your friends make fun of her?" Haley repeated. "I don't think you can fix it."
Chase groaned, flopping back on the bed and pulling a pillow over his head. "You have to fix it, Haley." He said, looking up at her desperately. "You're the smartest person I know and you know how girls think."

Haley sighed. As mad as she was that Chase had kissed her, and as much as she recognized that Sam was probably right to hate Chase, she knew he wasn't a malicious person. Although he often teased his friends and family, there wasn't any meanness intended—not even even he harassed Elliot. He just rarely thought things through. And Haley suspected that since he'd never been the butt of anyone's jokes, he just couldn't understand that not everyone could laugh off jokes at their expense.
Especially not someone like Sam or me, who didn't really have a lot of friends in high school. Haley thought, feeling an automatic kinship with the girl she'd never met.

Haley sighed. "I don't know, Chase. I'm sure her feelings are still hurt. In her mind, you bullied her at a time in her life she was most vulnerable." Her friend picked at the edge of the pillow, his clerks flushed guiltily. "Those wounds don't always heal. I don't know if she'll ever get over what you did to her. You need to think about how she felt, how that probably impacted her."
Chase nodded, but he didn't look up from the pillow he was holding, so Haley wasn't sure how much he was absorbing.
"You need to show her that you get it, you know how what you did impacted her, and you need to apologize sincerely."

"Can't I just get her gifts or something?" Chase asked hopefully.
"No." Haley's voice was firm. "You can't take the easy way out of everything. You humiliated her. You have to show that you get it and that you're sorry."
Chase tossed the pillow back to the top of the bed, getting up. "Okay." He said after a moment. "Thanks." He ran one hand through his hair, glancing at Haley's slim form. "Are you coming downstairs?"

"I'll be down in a minute." She said, deciding she needed a few seconds to herself.
"Okay." Chase frowned. "Thanks for helping me with this." He said after a moment. "I know I'm not always the most thoughtful person, but I really like Sam. I really want to fix things between us."
Haley smiled, because it was the first time she'd ever heard Chase talk about liking a girl and caring about what she thought. Maybe Chase is going to become a thoughtful person. Haley thought. It's so sweet that he's willing to learn about consent and feelings in order to—

Haley's thought was abruptly cut off as Chase grabbed her in a bear hug so tight she was sure her ribs were going to break. "Thanks, Hay. You're the best." Chase said, dropping one big hand on her head playfully as he released her. "Once I smooth things over with Sam I know you're going to love her."
Haley closed her eyes and took a deep breath as Chase disappeared through the door. She could hear him taking the stairs three at a time, fast enough that he'd probably destroy anyone who got in his way.

He can learn. She told herself. All evidence to the contrary I'm sure he can learn. She smiled ruefully. All that talk about consent went in one ear and out the other, but he's trying.
Haley went back to Gray's dresser and straightened out the picture she'd picked up, thinking about how different the brothers were.
Haley stroked one finger along a framed picture of Gray and Maddie. It's nice that they can be so similar, but so different.

*

Grayson smiled as he watched his sister and her boyfriend. He was always happy for his siblings, but it was a lot easier to be in a room with Calvin and Maddie as opposed to Oliver and Dian. While Maddie was all loving caresses and shy smiles for Cal, Oliver and Dian tended to be a little more R rated.
At least he's happy. Gray thought, averting his eyes from Oliver and Dian's lust. And Maddie is ecstatic. Even Elliot seems happier than usual. Gray noticed, watching his youngest brother make it through another slice of the pizzas they'd ordered.

And now he's not bothering Haley anymore. But even as the thought crossed his mind, Gray realized he hadn't seen the redhead in a while. I haven't seen her since the trivia game. His eyes automatically moved to Elliot who was peacefully eating a brownie. Was Elliot bugging her again? He wondered, watching his baby brother reach for another brownie, his shirt already straining to contain his growing girth. Did she go to Maddie's room to get away from him?

With a frown Gray got to his feet, wordlessly heading through the kitchen towards the stairs. I hope he wasn't too forward with her.
As Gray made his way down the upstairs hall, however, he noticed Haley was in his room, not Maddie's. Or, at least, the room he'd had before he moved out.
Grayson paused in his doorway, watching the tiny med student for a moment, a million thoughts in his head. Before he could say anything, however, Haley turned, noticing him in the doorway.

"Oh! It's you." Haley said, her voice carrying a note of relief.
Gray couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face at the sight of her. "Did you think it might be Elliot?" He asked, trying to think of a way to both defend Elliot's clumsy advances and also protect Haley from them.
He needn't have worried, however, because Haley wrinkled her nose, laughing. "No, Chase. He's been asking me for advice about some girl he's interested in." Haley set down the picture she'd been holding. "He wants me to perform a miracle."

"He's interested in someone?" Gray asked, surprised. Chase never fell for girls. At least not for longer than a night or two. Gray suspected his brother's sustained crush on Haley was as motivated by her disinterest as by her many assets. She'd inadvertently made herself more appealing by turning him down.
"I think she went to your school." Haley said, looking at a picture on the wall. "Sam something?"

Gray sat on the bed, trying to remember a Sam or a Samantha from high school. "I don't remember her. Chase had a lot of friends." He paused. "I think he dated most of the girls in his grade, so it could pretty much be anyone.
Haley laughed as she touched the medals hanging on Gray's bulletin board. "I bet." She smiled at Grayson. "Did you win all of these?" Gray shrugged. "Baseball, football, rugby, hockey, track—did you win everything?" Haley asked playfully.

Gray smiled, feeling his cheeks warm up as he shook his head. As Haley moved over to look at stuff on the other side of the room, Gray stretched his legs out on the bed, propped up against the backboard, eyes on her slender form. "How's your back?" He asked, seeing a bit of her bruise above her shirt.
"Totally fine." Haley said dismissively as she came back around the bed. "Definitely not enough of a reason to not let me play ball today." She said pointedly.

"I just didn't want you to get hurt." Gray said honestly. His brothers were definitely not gentle, and they took any opportunity to put their hands on Haley. Chase in particular was always picking Haley up, tossing her over his shoulder, throwing her onto couches—he was physical with everyone, but Haley seemed to be his favourite target.
"I'm tougher than I look." Haley said defiantly. She smiled. "In fact, I've been known to stop grown men in their tracks with one finger." She said playfully, and then she put one finger in the middle of his chest, her eyes laughing.

"I—" Gray felt his cheeks warm up, half in embarrassment at his own anxiety, and half because he could feel his heart beating beneath her finger.
Haley's smiled widened and she laughed her sweet little laugh. "Would this really stop you from moving?" She asked, her hair spilling to one side as she looked at him.
Gray shrugged again, embarrassed. He felt a little relieved now that he'd explained his anxiety to Haley, but the anxiety was still there.

"At least now I know that you don't mind being touched." Haley said, and instead of removing her hand she sat next to him, one hand flat on his chest, the other picking up a picture of Gray and his mom from the nightstand. "I love that your house has so many pictures everywhere."
Gray smiled. "My mom loved pictures." He explained.
"Your mom was so pretty." Haley tucked her hair behind her ear. "What colour of eyes did she have?"
"Brown." Gray remembered. "With little green flecks in them."

"Maddie told me you and your mom were really close." Haley said, smiling softly at him.
Gray took a deep breath. "We were." He told her, feeling his chest constrict at the memory. "She went to all my games, and we used to go out afterwards and talk."
"It must be so nice to have so many sweet memories with her." Gray heard the wistfulness in Haley's voice as she put the picture back, and he remembered that Haley had no such memories of her own mom.

"I still miss her." Gray admitted. He paused. "Have you had any luck with your mom?"
Haley sighed. "Not really." She twisted sideways, adjusting her position, and Gray was suddenly worried she was going to pull her hand away. She lay next to him, half propped up on the pillow, not touching him except for that hand. "I think I'm at a dead end."
"I know you said you don't want help, but—" Gray met her gaze, feeling his heart picking up speed as he looked at her. "I'm always here for you."

Haley smiled and moved her thumb ever so slightly. "Of course you're here for me when I have you pinned down." She said playfully. She bit her lip and her face became more serious. "I don't want a detective or anything, but maybe you could look over the information I've collected?" She said hesitantly.
"Yeah. Of course." Gray said immediately.
"You're smart." Haley observed. "Maybe you'll see something I missed of make a connection I didn't."

Gray nodded, unable to stop the corner of his mouth from turning up. She thinks I'm smart? He thought, amazed. It shouldn't have been so shocking. Gray was smart. He'd always gotten decent to good grades. But he'd also always been a lot bigger than his peers, and on the quiet side, so he knew most people assumed the stereotype of the big dumb guy fit him. But Haley thinks I'm smart. He thought, elated.
"I think your heart rate is back to normal." Haley observed, pressing her fingers to his chest. "Do you feel less anxious the longer someone touches you?"

Gray nodded, even though it was usually the opposite.
"Well, maybe we can help each other out." She said hopefully. "If you want?"
Gray nodded automatically, because he was hoping it would mean she would touch him some more.... As anxious as she made him, he wanted her hands on him—and he was aching to put his hands on her.

And then she pulled her hand away, and sat up slightly. His disappointment at the removal of her hand was only shortlived, however, because then she was leaning over him. His heart beat faster as her lips came closer, and he lifted up one hand to touch her slim waist....
"Look at how adorable Maddie is!" Haley said suddenly, picking up a picture on Gray's far side. "Oh my god, both of you are so cute!"

Gray swallowed as Haley leaned back to her side, eyes on the picture in her hand. She wasn't going to kiss you, stupid. He berated himself. She just wanted to reach the picture. I'm smart enough to help her search for her mom, but not smart enough to date her. He thought without bitterness.
Haley sighed wistfully, her face close to his shoulder. "I don't have any pictures of myself as a kid." She said after a moment. "I don't even know if my mom had any other children."

Gray looked at her face in surprise. It was such a strange thought. Gray had no memory of being an only child. Oliver had come along before Gray was even a year old, so as far as he could remember, he'd always had siblings to rely on. He couldn't imagine how it would feel to not have brothers and a sister.
"We'll find out." He promised, looking into her ocean coloured eyes. "I'll help you look and we'll find out everything you need to know."

Haley gave him such a grateful smile that Gray felt his heart beating faster. I'll help her find her mom. He promised to himself. Even if she never falls for me, I'd help her do anything.
He felt her rest her cheek against his shoulder and he smiled. Anything.