Holding Back [COMPLETED]

Chapter 42 - "We fix Haley Day's broken heart."

Haley stared out the window as Matt pulled the car into an open parking spot. There was an ache in her chest that had been a constant companion to her throughout the week, despite all that she tried to tell herself.

Outside the car, the hum of excited voices filled the lot as Friday promised the end of the week and prom sat just on the horizon. After Matt cut the engine, he shook Haley's shoulder, rousing her out of her glazed reverie. Already tired with the day, she straightened.

"You alright?" Matt asked.

Haley conjured up the most convincing smile she could. "Yeah, it's just been a long week."

Her brother's brow wrinkled in sympathy then lightened.

"At least it's over and prom is tomorrow," he said.

Haley nodded. Seeing the lack of enthusiasm, Matt frowned.

"You're still planning on going, right?"

A shrug was all the reply Haley could manage. Matt rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well, my offer still stands, if you want to come with me and my friends you can. Derek is going to borrow his mom's SUV so I know we would have room for you."

The smile Haley responded with was more genuine than the last.

"Thanks, Matty," she said. "I'll think about it."

He returned the look and they climbed out of the car as the first bell rang. Students pushed themselves off hoods, exited cars, and linked arms with friends as they converged on the school gates. Haley kept her eyes forward as she walked, enough failures of looking for Isaac that week had worn her down. Even when she had spotted him the lack of a smile or light in his eyes had made her turn away.

She was about to step into her classroom when Rachel appeared. The two girls paused, blocking the entrance.

"Hey, I want to say thank you," Rachel said. "Your help this week meant a lot."

Haley twisted her lips to the side. "I didn't do much, just made copies and picked up pizza once or twice."

Rachel smiled this one holding a warm appreciation. "Yes and you doing that meant one of us didn't need to stop what we were doing. So it might seem small but it wasn't."

Still feeling like the gratitude wasn't fully warranted, Haley curled her fingers around her backpack straps and tugged at them.

"Yeah, ...it was nothing. Um...so how is it all going? Do we have a prom this year?"

Closing her eyes, Rachel let out a happy, relieved breath as if she had wanted to do that the entire week.

"We do. Though it took a lot of late nights we will still have a prom."

"Congrats, that's a pretty big feat."

"Thanks. As long as it's a night that as Ty would say 'is simply an entertaining evening in which everyone has fun hanging out with friends and has no high expectations that it will be a night to change their lives', then I'll be happy."

Haley laughed. "Well, with that crazy high bar to reach I'm not sure how you could ever succeed."

Rachel joined in with Haley's laughter. After seeing all that Rachel had to deal with that week, Haley wondered how she had ever imagined this girl's life was perfect or how she could have ever judged her for smiling so much when she managed to do it under constant pressure.

The second bell rang and both girls hurried inside, slipping into their seats as Ms. Henley rose.

"Final day of author reports," she said. "We have a good amount to get through so we will dive in. First up this morning is..." She consulted a sheet. "Haley. Come on up."