LIABILITIES

Chapter Six - Old Ghosts

HADLEY

"What the hell do you want?" I have seriously had enough of this Griffin's shit. As if being an ass at the beach to both of us wasn't enough... he's now found a way to get my number?

"Just hang up the phone, Hadley." Ellis hand gently squeezes my arm in an attempt to get me to listen to him but I can't focus on anything other than this phone call.

I try to listen to Griffin, despite Ellis' protests. He says he wants me to meet up with him and I laugh in disbelief.

"No way in hell." My face is red hot from anger.

"What's he saying?" Ellis' voice is considerably louder now and it's making it difficult to hear Griffin so I just give up trying.

"Yeah, I'm not doing this right now. Have a shitty evening." I say before hanging up my phone. Ellis moves his hand from my arm to grab it and I can't even be bothered to try and get it back. He holds it next to him and shrugs.

"Well?"

"Thank you for shouting in my ear that whole time!" I say, sarcastically which only makes him more agitated. He steps back, obviously not feeling as nice as he was a minute ago.

"What do you expect me to do? Be chill? Did you give him JUST your number?"

My mouth actually drops open at his implications.

Levi jumps in as I think he knows where this conversation is going "Ellis, I think you should --"

But it's too late, I'm severely pissed off. "Are you fucking kidding me? You calling me a slut or somethin'?" My voice projects far louder than Levi's does.

"When the fuck did I say that?" He's now also pissed off at my allegations.

"You didn't have to, Bainbridge."

"Don't fucking call me that."

"You call me 'Rose' so I'll call you whatever the fuck I wanna call you."

We're full on arguing now. Pointless words getting us nowhere.

Levi attempts to step in again. "How about we all just calm down -"

"Or, how about Rose tells us why Delaney has her number."

I stand there with my arms crossed fucking glaring at him. "Let's just clarify that I don't have to tell you anything. But, just to shut you up, I don't know why. He knew my name at the beach so he obviously knows who I am."

"How the fuck?" He's shaking his head, still raging.

"Seriously, Ellis, calm the fuck down before you pop a vein." I think that's the first time I've heard Levi swear.

I take a deep breath and look at Ellis' eyes, trying to convince him. "I don't know how. I just told you that."

"What did he say on the phone?" He talks quieter now but I can still hear the animosity in his tone. I clearly take too long to respond - "Hadley, I'm not playin'."

Hadley. He must be serious.

I take a step towards Ellis. I'm not sure why but I think I'm attempting to calm him down. Somehow, I think my presence might help with that. "He asked me to meet with him, before I hung up." I say calmly.  "He just said he wanted to talk to me about something."

He laughs but not in a that's funny way - more like a I'm gonna kill someone way. "Yeah, you're not going."

"Ellis, not being rude but why do you care?" Levi looks done with this whole thing.