Faking it.

CHAPTER 16

We're halfway through our second Harry Potter movie and I'm laying on my belly, hugging a pillow. The first hour I wasn't paying attention to the movie. I was more thinking about why the hell I decided to let Elliot through the loophole in my walls. What made him so special that my mind trusted him even though I don't know him at all and he doesn't know me one bit?

I came up with the solution that maybe I should try this opening-up-to-new-people-shit-thing. I mean it can't be any worse that what I'm already dealing with at home, right? My untrustful inner voice is telling me that I should get to know him and that he can't be that bad. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Elliot is leaning against the headboard, munching on chocolate. "Gimme some." I say and stretch out my hands. He laughs when he sees my pout and drops the whole bar in my hands. I break off a row and hand it back to him, when his door bursts open. Tyler is standing there, looking at the both of us like he just caught us making out.

Why the hell am I thinking of this?

When I turn my focus back to the TV he speaks, "Hi Elliot. Hi Hailey. Yeah school was great, thanks for asking. I mean- the two of you wouldn't know because you obviously weren't there because you were doing god knows what."

I shoot him a side glance and ask, "Want some chocolate?" Tyler grins but then Elliot interferes, "Hey! No, that's mine!" Tyler just shrugs and takes the bag of chips from the floor and sits down on the desk chair. "So, what have you two been up to the past few hours?" He asks and Elliot gestures to the TV. "Watching Harry Potter and nothing else?" Tyler smirks and I give him a disgusted look.

The Fuck?

"Why did you skip school in the first place?" He asks and I tense. Elliot looks nervously at me and I sigh. "You ask too many questions, Tyler." I tell him and look at my phone. It's already 3 p.m. and work starts in twenty minutes. I need maybe fifteen minutes from here if I walk fast. I hop off the bed and sit down on the floor to put on my shoes that I'd taken off when I got here.

Because who lays on their or anyone's bed with shoes on? It's disgusting.

I stand up and take my backpack in my hand. "As much fun as this has been," I turn to Tyler, "Definitely not with you," I turn to Elliot again, "I'm out of here." "Why?" Elliot asks as soon as I finish my sentence. "I've got places to be at." I shrug. "I'll walk you out." He tells me and I nod slowly. "I'll walk you out." Tyler mocks in a high-pitched voice and Elliot smacks his head.

Okay that's something I would have done too.

At the door Elliot scratches his neck. "Maybe... We could hang out again soon? As friends? And not under the same circumstances if you know what I mean." He says and chuckles awkwardly afterwards.

I smile.

"Maybe"

And walk away.

After my shift at Maggs, I decide to walk home, instead of taking the bus. I want to have more time at peace. And to think.

Somehow my mind drifts to Elliot. How protective he was of his chocolate.

I chuckle at that.

Then I remember why we skipped school. How he 'saved' me. Twice. And how he genuinely wants to be friends with me. I have a hard time trusting people but for some weird reason I want to trust him. I want to be friends. I want to spend time with him, even if we just watch movies all day long. I feel comfortable around him.

Before I know it, I'm smiling.

When I get home, I am greeted by a phone call. I pick up immediately and two familiar faces greet me. "Hi." I say and Milli and Simon greet me back. "What's up?" I ask and then Milli starts rambling, "So yesterday this one class in chemistry was doing different experiments and then someone thought that it would be funny to mix up some chemicals and then there was this huge explosion and the whole school needed to be evacuated and now we need to go another school for the next few weeks until they've cleared everything up."

"Which school are you gonna go to?" I ask and then shout, "Bullder High School!"

I scream. And then they scream.

"Oh my god. This is amazing! When are you starting?" I ask and they tell me that tomorrow will be their first day at Bullder High.

"Okay. Okay. Be at my house at a quarter 'til eight and then we'll drive there together. Send me your schedule a soon as you get it and- oh my god. You guys are finally coming to my school. I swear this are the best news that I've heard the entire week." I tell them and squeal.

"Yes, Momma Rudes." They give me a little salute and then end the call because Simon's mom is calling them downstairs for dinner.

I lay down on my bed and sigh. I am extremely tired but now I'm too exited to go to sleep or take a nap. With that I make my way over to my desk and work on homework. I try to get as much as I can finished before I eat dinner and then hop into the shower. The hot water running down my back feels as if it's washing and burning away everything bad that has happened today and I want to stay in there forever.

When I get under the cover of my bed, I can't sleep. My mind is running wild with thoughts of today, yesterday and scenarios of tomorrow. I get to the point of overthinking and try to write my thoughts down on a piece of paper. I read somewhere that this should help to calm you down but not with me, apparently. It's pretty late and I'm still wide awake.

I guess I'll have to do it the old-fashioned way.

I stand up to go to the kitchen and make myself a glass of warm milk. The milk works its wonders and when I hit the pillow again, slowly but surely, sleep overtakes me, and I fall into a dreamless night.