Diva Diaries of Haley Dunphy (Modern Family)

6. Why We Loved

Then I did something bad. I yelled angrily at Dylan, who abruptly stopped playing his dumb guitar. I snatched the guitar and almost banged it on his head.

He stopped me, giving me a confused expression. ''Haley, what are you doing?''

''What every girl would be doing in my place! Don't you dare give me that look! I'm sick of dragging it around with me EVERYWHERE!'' I took deep breaths. ''Dylan, why is there another girl in your house? Stopping by your room, our age, and sh-she looked really pretty!''

Dylan didn't answer, and I continued.

''I know you're popular now, Dylan, but this doesn't mean you start beef with Alexa, bring me over to your house and GO BEHIND MY BACK!''

''I-I don't know who she is!'' Dylan yelled.

''Is it a friend of Alexa's? How close have you been with her, that you're bad mouthing me the moment we broke up? Because that's not fair for me, when our whole damn relationship was so.. BORING!'' I don't think I meant that. 

I don't even know whether or not he was bad mouthing me, but he hasn't explained what happened with Alexa. At first I didn't care, but now I do because I MAY get back together with this guy, and I'm starting to regret this. Tears start streaming down my face.

''You know what, if you want to know so much about Alexa, then fine!''Dylan yelled. ''They think you're using me for popularity. I didn't know if it was true or not, and I blurted out something that's not true. And I'm sorry, but I guess the reason I said you MIGHT have been using me was because a part of me..believed it.''

Okay, this is messed up. I'm out of here.

I jump off his bed, racing to the door, even if the whole darn hallway is so..long. Dylan comes running after me, but I run until I'm in the street. He's changing the subject with the last part, because he's lied about me and ruined my reputation. Does he expect me to beg for forgiveness and look over that, not get angry?

Hot, stinging tears flow down my face and I hold on to a bench in the sidewalk, dizzy and overwhelmed.

''Dylan, excuse me? You're the one who's been using me for popularity, and now that you have it, you don't care about me anymore! Moving on with Alexa Morceli, who has so many boyfriends.. How could you want someone like HER?'' My voice came out broken, but also..wrong. Like I said something wrong. 

Like the type of realization when Alex says something that someone like ME knows is wrong, for once.

''And what you said..that's not true! You didn't let me explain.. That girl you saw in my house was my COUSIN. That's Ember, and she's afraid of people. She's going through therapy and she stayed at my parent's apartment because Aunt Josie couldn't take her anymore..it's a long story.''

I take a step back, shocked. My mouth hangs open in embarrassment. And from the hurt that I was scared of losing him to some girl because reality is, he treated me right. He was a great boyfriend, and I messed things up. Why? Did I still want him? Here goes the messy feelings, it's too much for me..

Dylan suddenly grabs my arm, leaving me hanging on to him in confusion. ''W-What was that for?''

''You were about to fall off, Haley!'' Dylan admonished.

I knew without seeing it that my cheeks are red, but before I could apologize or anything, Dylan blurted out,''How could you think I was using you, Haley? I didn't even know who you were when we first met! Remember? Or did you forget all about it?''

Dylan fired that with a spark that ignited in his eyes. Was it passion? Nostalgia? Sad nostalgia?

My mind didn't take in him leaving me alone, but instead, I was taken back to March 21st, a day I thought I'd be telling my children about. It was when we first met- a day I'd never forget.