The Text

Chapter 29

"Well it all started when Mike and I met. It was my freshman year and his sophomore year. Grayson and I had a class together and he mentioned a small 'get together' him and his brother were having. He invited me and of course, being the nerd I was, accepted his offer so I could say I hung out with the cool kids."

I nodded my head, telling him to go on.

"Mike and I got along pretty good. We listened to the same music and liked doin the same stuff. We started hangin out more and soon, we were like brothers. He introduced me to partying and alcohol. Every weekend, we would go down to his uncles pond, drink a few beer, and talk about stupid stuff. It was a routine for us. I got used to it and then a year later in my sophomore year and his junior.........everything changed."

He started playing with my hair, twisting strands around his finger. I couldn't identify the emotion he felt. His face was blank. His eyes were focused on my hair, nothing else. I waited patiently on him to continue his story, giving him my undivided attention. I never knew he went to this school, but I never really looked. I didn't start talking to Grayson until the end of last year so not knowing Hayden existed is understandable.

"Please, don't leave. I want you to hear the whole story before you decide to just throw me out of your life."

"You're not some piece of trash Hayden. I'm not just gonna throw you away. My life is screwed up. I'm not gonna judge you because of a few mistakes you made in your past. Unless you've abused someone. In that case, I never want to see your face again."

"It's nothing like that. I would never abuse someone. No one deserves to be treated like that. Especially not a beautiful, caring girl like you." He smiled, pushing a few strands of hair out of my face.

"Thank you. Now, would you like to continue?" I asked, laying my hand over his.

I felt a spark. I know that sounds so da** cliché, but it's true. I felt that explosive, undeniable, lightening bolt travel through my body, making me shiver and grow goosebumps.

"Mike started hanging out with these bad guys at school. He skipped classes, got suspended, and uh...started dealing drugs. He didn't tell me about the drugs. I had to find out myself. I noticed he was wearing the most expensive clothes, sometimes buying his way out of trouble, having bank rolls of money in his pocket at all times, and meeting with mysterious people at lunch. It all clicked together and I confronted him about it."

I squeezed his hand, reassuring him that I'm not quick to judge. He smiled down at me and took a deep breath.

"Mike said that I should try makin a sale just once and if I didn't like it, he would quit dealing. I didn't think I would like it so I made a small deal one day after school. That was the worst decision of my life. I asked to help make deals. I ended up getting into the business and started living like a rich drug dealer. I was partying every day, sleeping with tons of girls, using drugs and getting drunk every opportunity I got. Mike and I thought we were living our dream. We were stupid and careless. I don't know why I thought it was a good idea. I knew better but still continued to do it."

"Like I said, we all make mistakes. We just have to learn from them and never make the same mistake twice." I stated, trying to make him feel a little bit better.

"It all caught up to us. We were both arrested. He blamed all of the bullsh** on me. Mikes parents bought his way out of juvie. He only had to serve a month while I had to serve a year. I was released the day I turned 17. They put me on a years worth of probation. I just finished it not too long ago. That's why I'm in that program. When I came back to school, Mike had graduated and left his friends in the lower grades 'in charge' of the school. They started messing with me. I got tired of it and began to get in fights with 'em. The school and my mother thought this da** program would be a good idea. It's not helping. All of those kids in there do drugs and deal them. I don't see how in the he** that's supposed to help me."