Adrenalin

Chapter 17 - Sydney

Aha, sorry I took so long to upload. I think you'll enjoy this chapter. Please let me know what you think xxx
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And so we dance again – like proper dancing this time. It feels very fancy and I laugh. Who ever knew I’d learn how to dance? Who ever knew a boy could turn my whole life upside-down?

We dance until the sun goes down and my feet start to ache. Sometimes we dance properly, sometimes we dance stupidly, and sometimes we have a cheesy high school moment where we simply just sway – until I ruin it all by laughing at us.

The music ends and so does the night.

“Thank you much for coming, Sydney.” Rachel says as the lights shut off and people start to leave. “I’m sure Hayden really appreciates it.”

Hayden says nothing, standing with his hands in his pockets and kicking at the ground outside the hall. I feel like I haven’t had enough time with him tonight, just him and me, alone somewhere we can talk. I have questions.

“It’s my pleasure,” I say eventually, tearing my eyes away from Hayden. “What you do here... I think it’s great.”

Rachel gives me a watery-eyed smile and pats my cheek. “I’m glad he chose youto bring home.” She whispers as she hugs me. I don’t know if Hayden heard or not.

“I’ll take her home, Mum.” Hayden says, looking up finally. “Then I’ll come back and get you. There are people waiting to talk to you.” He motions to the people lingering at the entrance behind us.

“Okay, sweetie.” Rachel pats his shoulder. “Take your time.” She smiles before turning away and greeting her friends.

I look up at Hayden as he takes my hand. He looks drained somehow... Not physically; I can just see it in his eyes. I raise my eyebrows questioningly and he shakes his head. Either that means he’s not okay or he wants me to drop it.

We drive home in silence. I don’t know how to bring it up, or what I want to ask exactly but the silence is killing me. Hayden pulls up outside my place and cuts the engine, staring out the window.

“Hayden?” My voice is quiet, gentle. He looks like a bomb about to explode.

He doesn’t look at me. “Mhm.”

“Can you, um... Can you come in for a bit?”

He looks down at his lap. No one is home. Nan and Pa took the boys to their place instead. The text said that Riley wanted to see their dog, so that’s where they went.

I climb out of the car, making my way around to his door and opening it for him. I take his hand and tug gently. “Come on.”

He gets out slowly, locking the car behind him. I pull him up the stairs to my porch and unlock the door with one hand. He’s too quiet – it scares me. It scares me to know that he feels, to an extent, the same things I feel every day. And I don’t want him to. He deserves so much better.

I walk to my room and sit on the end of my bed, slipping off my heels. Hayden stands at the doorway awkwardly before sitting down next to me, his elbows resting on his knees. I open my wardrobe and pull out some comfier clothes.

“Hayden,” I look at him over my shoulder. “Can you unzip me?”

His eyes switch to the zip on the back of my dress before he stands up, crossing the room to me. He brushes my hair aside and his fingers tickle my neck. I hold up the front of my dress as the zip slides down slowly. A shiver runs through me that is impossible to hide. Cold air brushes my back and goose bumps rise on my arms.