Because of You

Chapter 10: The Dinner Plate

"Hey beautiful." Hayden's perfect voice drips through the phone like honey. It's seven AM, Friday morning. Hayden's heading into his shift at the grocery store. He likes to quickly call me before he goes into work, which I absolutely love. It reminds me that he's thinking of me too.

"Hi boyfriend. How are you?" I've just woken up, so my voice is slow and tired.

"Gosh. Your voice makes me want to jump through the phone and kiss you," he whispers seductively. I blush and giggle in response. "Okay so, bowling tonight. With my mom, Marcus and Haley. Are you good to come?"

"Yeah I should be. I'll double check with Mom and text you later, okay? Have a good day at work, babe. I love you."

"Love you more."

**

Mom is out for the day shopping with one of her teacher friends, Amy. Amy is what you would call a shopaholic, so these outings are an all day affair. And that means I have most of the day to myself. I text her about bowling with Hayden and the family, to which she responds, "Sure."

I spend the day cleaning my room, throwing away my posters, working on my audition piece, doing laundry, reading and talking with Maggie on the phone.

"So I'm not really sure. I mean, sometimes she's fine, but then she'll be weird. I don't know, it's just confusing," I tell Maggie as I snack on some popcorn. I'm laying across my bed and Minka is snuggled up next to me.

"Maybe your mom is going through menopause now too."

I laugh. "Honestly I hope. I hope there's an explanation. Or if something's wrong, I just wish she would tell me."

**

Hayden gets to the house to pick me up at five and greets me with a big, intense kiss. Because my mom is still not home, I tell him to come inside. As soon as he steps through the door, his hands are on my waist and his lips are on mine. Kissing as we walk, we make our way to the couch. I lay on top of him, and we continue kissing. One of his hands is wrapped around the back of my neck, and the other is on my lower back, under my shirt. Every touch and every kiss sends electrical shocks through my body, in a way I've never felt before. It's terrifying in a way, but also glorious. My hands in his hair, and not thinking straight, I start trying to take his shirt off.

"Woah," he whispers, as he pulls his lips away from mine. He looks at me seriously, then grins. "We gotta get going." We're both breathing heavily and I can feel his hot breath on my face.

"But...but..." I whine.

He laughs and kisses my forehead. "Come on," he whispers. Begrudgingly, we finally gather ourselves and head to the bowling alley.

**

In the car, we listen to love songs and sing along together at the top of our lungs. The evening sun shines through the windows and casts the most beautiful glow on Hayden's skin. As he's singing, he glances over at me and flashes his perfect smile. I think back to the first day I saw him. That day in the hallway, when I was just a little eighth grader. I can still picture locking eyes with him for the first time. And the way he flashed his smile at me back then. I didn't even know him then, and now, he's my everything. I'm overcome with gratitude in this moment, thinking about how much has changed for the better since then. I think of all those nights I cried myself to sleep, just dreaming to be his. And now I am.

**

"STRIKE! Suck it!" Marcus shouts at Hayden as he walks away from our bowling lane. The bowling alley is loud and full on this Friday night. Pop music blares, a little too loudly for my taste, and neon green and purple lights are flashing like we're in a disco.