Family Matters

PART 2: Chapter Six

"Ohh let's join this PVP battle!"

"Yeah, they have a level eighty life wizard we can totally take the other team!"

"Ah shit, this guy on the other team is a level 110 fire wizard...that's a pain in the ass"

"We can do it! If we hit them hard before they can get enough pips to cast their spell, it'll be easy"

"Geeks..." Diana muttered as she listened to Fred and Ross play some online game together on their laptops they had brought over to Diana's house.

"Hayden, aren't you supposed to be helping them?" Diana asked and Hayden shrugged while tucking a piece of Ceres' hair behind her ear. She had fallen asleep after finishing some problems on her homework and no one bothered her since they knew she needed the rest.

"If they want to play around that isn't my problem" Hayden muttered.

Diana huffed in frustration. She was trying to do her own AP English report but having to hear Fred and Ross' nerd talk behind her was greatly distracting her.

"NO! HIS CRITICAL ACTIVATED!"

"WE'RE FUCKED!"

"Will you two shut up?!" Diana exclaimed but her words fell upon deaf ears as the duo's screams overpowered her.

Ceres' ears twitched at the loud shouts and her eyes opened slowly only to see her looking up at Hayden's jaw. She noticed that it seemed his lap had become her pillow and she sat up quickly.

"Sorry..." Ceres muttered tiredly and Hayden just gave her a smile.

"It's alright" he said.

Ceres' phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket and she saw that she had a text from Lance.

Lance: Everyone is going to be out of the house today, are you going to be alright by yourself? Do you want to stay with Diana?

Ceres: It's alright, I'll be okay

Lance: You sure?

Ceres: Yes, I'm sure

Lance: Okay, Lucas made you some dinner before he left so it's most likely in the microwave

Ceres: thanks

"Why do I even invite you two?! All you do is sit here and goof around!" Ceres and Hayden watched as Diana tore into their other two friends who both just looked at her.

"Free WiFi" they said in unison and Diana let out a scream of frustration.

"If you want free WiFi then go to a Starbucks!! You're not doing any work so get out of here!!"

"Oh come on Dia don't be like that"

"Don't be what? Annoyed?!"

Ceres let out a tired yawn before looking at her work. She had finished it for the most part and there was only a small portion left that could be done at a later date. For now, she just wanted to go home and rest.

After announcing that she was going to leave, Hayden had decided he'd walk with her since he didn't want to listen to Diana chewing out their friends the whole time.

"Are you going to the college fair?" Hayden questioned as the two walked.

"Mm...yeah. I think I want to look at some of the marine bio programs" Ceres said. She had always loved aquatic creatures, and she loves the beach even more so of course she wants to pursue a career that had both of the things she loved.

"I see. I'm not sure what I want to do, I might just check out some of the liberal arts programs" Hayden said with a sigh. He was always indecisive when it came to what he wanted to take up in college as he had no real dreams or specific interests in his heart.

He was always someone who just went with the flow of things and his parents weren't exactly the best role models to help him figure out his interests.

"I'll look with you. Who knows, you might find something you like" Ceres said as she offered up an encouraging smile albeit it wasn't at its full potential due to her tiredness.

Hayden could only thank her with a nod but in his heart sat a small bud of sadness, knowing that the two were not really likely to go to the same college as their interests in subjects were far too different. With Ceres wanting to go into marine bio, she might even end up spending a semester at sea.

Of course Hayden wanted her to go off and do the things she loved, but that small selfish feeling of wanting her to stay with him was always there in the depths of his heart. He often wondered if Ceres felt the same but then again, he never knew what she was thinking. It was one of her specialities after all, if Ceres didn't want people to know what she was thinking then she had no difficultly hiding her feelings.

Without even realizing it, the two had reached Ceres' house and Hayden's mind was still thinking about the possible complicated future ahead for the two of them.

"Thank you for..." Ceres was speaking but Hayden couldn't hear any of it. Her words were muddled and his only focus was when he saw Ceres turn her back on him to walk into her house.

'Dont go...'

Hayden's heart sped up at the sight and before he knew what he was doing, he had hugged Ceres from behind, completely stopping her in her tracks.

"Hayden?" Ceres said as she turned her head up in order to see Hayden's face but his face was buried into her shoulder.

She was surprised to be embraced by him all of a sudden but what made her worry was his refusal to show his face.

"I-..." Hayden's eyes widened when realizing what he was doing and he let go of Ceres who just looked at him with confusion and worry.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" Ceres questioned and she tried to approach Hayden but he just shook his head. He couldn't believe he had just acted like that...

"Sorry, I'll see you tomorrow" He muttered before quickly walking away.

"Hayden..." Ceres called out weakly. She had never seen Hayden act so distant before, it was almost as if she wasn't even actually talking to him.

Letting out a small sigh, Ceres figured she'd just wait for him to talk to her about it and headed inside.

Hayden ruffled his hair as he walked away. He didn't mean to be like that to Ceres but he had to admit, he didn't think he was in the best state to be around her at the moment.

'That voice just now...'  Hayden thought to himself. He knew that voice, he'd recognize it anywhere. It was his own voice after all.

"Please don't go! I don't want to be by myself..."

"Hayden, sweetie, we know you can take care of yourself. You don't need us to always be around. The babysitter is here too just in case, it's alright"

"No! I don't want-"

"Stop complaining. We'll be back soon"

"Don't go..."

Hayden swallowed thickly before taking a few deep breaths. He figured he would just walk around for a bit to clear his head, that's what's always helped him before.

He panicked at the idea of Ceres leaving him,  he knew that much but now he tried to push it out of his mind. He knew she wasn't like his parents who always left as they pleased, she was completely different from them.

Her touch was warm, her smile was kind, and her eyes were always full of love whenever they looked at him. She was not his parents and he knew that but he still couldn't help but get insecure when thinking about it.

'Let's calm down...' Hayden thought before taking a seat on a bench. He figured he'd rest there for a few minutes since there wasn't really an urge to go home.

It wasn't as if there was anyone there waiting for him anyways.