Playing The Risk - Book One in The WSU Series

- Chapter Fifteen -

I hate to be one of those girls who lock themselves in their room crying over a boy, but I am. It's been a week, I know that the distances have been good for me. I was getting attached. I still am.

I like Roma Carter.

"Gomez, are you in there?" Hayden? I get up off of my bed opening the door to see Hayden standing there. My expression softens as he pulls me into a hug. "I wanted to come sooner but we've been busy with practice." I bury my face into his chest as he brings one of his hands to the back of my neck while he rests his head on top of mine. 

"Are you okay?" I know Hayden's trying to do the right thing, but if you ask someone who's clearly not okay if they're okay— they're going to cry. I release a quiet sob when he pulls away. "Hey, Gomez don't cry." He moves his hand from my waist to my face wiping away the falling tear. "I'm a mess." He shrugs, "aren't we all?" That makes me release a small laugh, "how is he?" I remove my face from his chest again looking up at him, "a mess." Great to know he's also suffering. "What happened, Ele?"

"He didn't mention anything?"

"He hasn't said a lot recently."

"Oh." Hayden releases a quiet laugh, "if you ask me, I think he knows he messed up." Now it's my turn to laugh, "that's great." He doesn't reply instead we just stare at each other before the sound of ringing fills the room. "Oh shit, that's my phone."

"Are you going to answer it?" Because at the moment Hayden doesn't make any actions that indicate differently. "I'm talking to you." I pull a face as if to say 'answer the phone'. Hayden releases a sigh before accepting the call, "what do you want, Bliss?" I can't hear what Kian's saying obviously but whatever he said, guessing from Hayden's reaction it wasn't the best. Hayden releases a groan, "shit, okay I'm coming now." He hangs up the phone and with his free hand, he grabs my wrist pulling me out of my room. "Hayden, what's wrong?"

"I'll explain when we get in the car." I laugh but it doesn't come out as joyful as I'd like but rather a nervous laugh. "I need to grab a pair of shoes." He comes to a halt before we make it to the front door, he releases my wrist. "Thank you." 2 minutes later Hayden's dragged me to his car and was pulling away from my apartment complex.

"What's going on Hayden?" He doesn't answer. "Hayden?" I'm slowly getting irritated by the silent treatment. "I'd like to say that we're friends, right?" That grabs his attention, he looks over to me raising his eyebrows, "Something happened with Roma." Shit, "is that why Kian called?" Hayden returns to look at the road nodding. "Apparently he's depressed and drunk."

Roma barely drinks and when he does he only has around two. "Carter doesn't get drunk very often— if ever." I can either take the high road and be the bigger person or I can be petty. "And you dragged me out of my apartment because?" Apparently, I'm going to be petty. "Because— Gomez you're his friend and right now I think he'd prefer your company to ours." I scoff, "we're not friends." Hayden releases a groan probably annoyed at my stubbornness, "Gomez. Ele. I appreciate you and as much as I love the little friendship we have going on, you're being very stubborn right now." I lean back into the seat as Hayden continues, "sweetheart, it's very clear that you two aren't just friends. Stop trying to kid yourselves."