Fallen

Chapter Eleven

Hayden

I woke up in a bedroom that was not mine. I glance over at the clock to see that it is only 2 o'clock in the morning. I sigh as I step out of bed and make the realization that I am still in my dress from the party. Oh, the party. I has almost forgotten. I feel my hand slightly throbbing and look down to see that it is wrapped up in a bandage. Man that guys face was hard. I make my way out of the bed and out the door. I assumed I was still in Colton's hosue, but the party had seemed to go silent. I walk downstairs to find Colton silently picking up trash.

"It's amazing the mess just a few people can make," I say picking up some trash for him. He jumps a little like I caught him off guard. I smile at his expression. I motion down to my hand, "I assume you did this?" He nods and I smile wider, "Thanks."

"You should probably text your aunt," he tells me.

"She's working the night shift tonight, and Mia won't care. Olivia won't even know I was gone."

I kneel down next to him and help clean up some more trash. The two of us sit in silence for a while until I decide that I couldn't stand it much longer, "Why did you help me earlier?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I don't understand this town. You all are so nice to me but you barely even know me. And I am sorry, I don't mean to be judgmental, but from what I have heard you aren't exactly the nicest person in town."

Colton smiles and looks across at me, "Maybe there's just something about you that I would like to get to know. You aren't like a lot of girls in this town, you're different and it fascinates me."

I quirk my eyebrow, "I fascinate you?"

"Is that so wrong?"

I smile slightly and look at the ground. I felt absolutely horrible about what I did earlier. I feel his gaze on me and I force myself to meet it. Colton was sweet, but I don't know if he is what I want or what I need right now, as selfish as that sounds. I don't want to lead him on, and that is exactly what I did tonight. To be honest, I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted right now. I knew I wanted friendship, someone that I could really trust, and that was what Colton was giving me. Maybe I should just go with it. I mean it might not be what it seems anyway.

"You didn't really get to enjoy the party tonight," Colton spoke up after a few more minutes of silent cleaning.

"I guess not," I say thinking back to a few hours ago.

"Well I say you deserve a good one after standing up for Ryder like you did." He gets up and pours two drinks handing one to me and keeping one for him. "Cheers to newfound friends," he says raising the cup in the air. I mimic his actions and take a drink, wincing at the unfamiliar taste of alcohol.

"If you are planning on attempting to get me drunk so I will reveal all my secrets to you," I joke, "you are going to have to try much harder than that."

Colton laughs, "Darn you have foiled my evil plan." The two of us spend the rest of the night cleaning up his house.

-

The next day Colton drives me to school.  I was only a little hungover, but I was in the best mood ever. The two of us walked to first period together and sat in the same chairs we sat in the first day. I only felt slightly uncomfortable by the looks so many girls were giving me; okay maybe I was really uncomfortable. I mean you would be to if you had every girl in the school giving you death glares as you walk by. It wouldn't surprise me if I went home later to find all of the girls in my grade waiting outside to personally kill me. I shrug off the thought, I was just happy that I had someone to call a best friend.

As everyone makes their way into the classroom I lean over to whisper in Colton's ear, "Thanks again for the clothes. You're a savior." I look down at what I am wearing, sweatpants and a t-shirt, both belonging to Colton. I knew I looked ridiculous, but it was better than wearing the dress I wore to the party last night.  I could just feel that today was going to be a good day.

When I see Ashton and Mia sit down in the back of the room, I notice that neither of them bothers makes eye contact with me. In fact, they both seem to be avoiding me. I clench my jaw. Ashton had to have told Mia about me at the party.  I knew I shouldn't have trusted them.

The bell rings and Mr. Harris made his way to the front of the class, "Alright, everyone pair up for a research project. Then one of you will come to the front to get a text book." I make quick eye contact with Colton before heading to the front of the room to get a textbook. Ashton cuts me off.

"So what, are the two of you dating now?" He whispers this harshly.

"No, we're just friends," I mutter.

"Then what's up with your outfit?"

"Well not all of us got home last night."

"You slept at his house?"

"More like passed out."

"Did he hurt you?"

I roll my eyes, "He wouldn't be here if he had. Forget it, why did you tell Mia that I was at the party?"

"What?"

"She won't even look at me! And that is the only thing I can think of that was bad enough for her to not even acknowledge my existence!"

"You really don't know, do you?"

Our conversation was cut short by Mr. Harris, "Mr. Green, Ms. Chambers, if you aren't going to be partners, you can save that conversation for another time."

"Meet me after school if you can. I'll explain everything then." Ashton says before scurrying back to Mia. Like hell I was going to meet him after school. I bitterly walk away from Ashton, grab a textbook and walk back to Colton. For some reason Ashton just drove me insane.

When I return to Colton he reads me like an open book, "Is he bothering you?"

"No," I lie. I couldn't help but think about what Ashton said about me not knowing. What did I not know?  Should I meet him? Was he telling the truth? There were too many questions.

Colton smiles. "Cause you know I can beat him up right?" He jokes. I return his smile with a fake one. I was so caught up in everything I didn't know what to do.

The rest of the class was spent reading back and forth in the textbook about gibberish in the olden times. It was weird because it was like I was there, but I wasn't. I just couldn't seem to concentrate. The rest of my day after that class zoomed by and when the day came to an end I felt myself get really nervous. I still hadn't decided if I was going to meet him or not.

After school I stood at my locker, debating my options. That was until a little girl with jet black hair came rushing over to me.

"So you're the infamous Hayden Chambers?" She asks with a huge grin on her face. She looks like a ball of energy. However, I can't remove my gaze from her bright green eyes. They were like the focal point of her whole body. And they seemed to glow.

"That's what everyone has been telling me," I say with an attempt at a playful smile.

"I'm Kyra," she embraces me with a hug.  I feel myself stiffen by the sudden human contact, but I eventually gave in.  "I have been dying to meet you," she says with a smile.

I lean against my locker, confused.  "Why?"  As far as I knew I wasn't special at all so I didn't understand her interest.

"Because I have just heard so much about you."  She grins.  Once again, I am caught off guard.  Had the party really been talked about that much?  It was weird to think that complete strangers knew me because of one night.  However, with all of that said, I couldn't deny the fact that Kyra was a strange girl.

I return her smile.