The Pact // Bradley Bradshaw

Chapter Three

Haley Seresin

Haley woke up the next morning feeling like she had been run over by a train. She didn't know the last time she'd had a headache that bad, or a hangover in general for that matter. She opened her eyes and saw Rooster on the floor. What was more alarming was she looked at her hand that she had hooked in his. She carefully slid her hand out, trying not out wake him up.

Please don't let him have noticed. Please don't let him have noticed, Haley thought. She could feel her face flushing out of embarrassment. Not that it was an excuse, but maybe if he did notice, he'd just assume she had been drunk and didn't know what she was doing. She couldn't believe she did that, let her guard down in that way. She saw she was still wearing her dress from last night, so at least she hadn't tried to strip or something in front of him.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Rooster asked, noticing she was awake.

"Like death." Haley answered. "I don't do well with tequila. And I'm not entirely convinced someone wasn't dropping stuff in drinks either. I don't remember a lot." She told him. "Thank you for getting me home though. I vaguely remember that." Haley appreciated that he had looked out for her.

"Of course." Rooster said, "I'd never leave you, Hales." He sat up and rubbed his eyes. Haley wondered how much sleep he had gotten. It didn't look like much.

"You could have shared the bed." Haley pointed out.

"Believe me, you tried to get me to." Rooster said, "But I didn't want to evade your space. Especially as out of it as you were. And the floor was fine."

Haley felt embarrassed again. Alcohol let her inhibitions down too much with him and clearly wasn't a good idea with the way she felt. She didn't want to expose herself and risk running him off. "Well, I sincerely wouldn't have minded. But thanks for staying. I was a little scared, definitely out of it."

"I better get going. I have some lingering assignments to work on." Rooster said after a moment. He stood up and picked up the pillows and blankets. He sat them on the edge of her bed. "Drink plenty of water and just relax. If anything was in your system it'll pass." He told her.

Haley felt disappointed he was leaving, but she understood. She nodded then slid off the bed and gave him a hug. Which wasn't out of the norm for them, they were close friends. "I'll see you later. Seriously, thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you." She told him.

Rooster patted her back gently, then released her. He moved his hand to her shoulder and looked at her intensely. "Haley, you don't have to keep thanking me. We're friends. We look out for each other." He replied, then dropped his hand. "I'll see you Monday." He added.

Haley watched him leave before she shut her bedroom door behind him. She sighed and climbed back onto her bed. She reached for her phone and hit FaceTime.

"Woah, you look like shit." Sabrina said when she answered. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Haley's makeup looked like the winter soldier and her hair was a mess. "Party last night at Jake's. Drank too much, might have had something in my drink. I don't know." She answered. She wasn't offended by Sabrina's bluntness. They were childhood best friends and could be openly honest with one another. "Bradley got me home. And stayed the night."

"Did something finally happen?!" Sabrina asked excitedly. She sat down on a bench. Haley recognized where she was, it was a wedding venue her parents owned. Sabrina was trying to get into the wedding business, and had been working for her parents for a bit. She had a bachelors degree, but had recently been discussing maybe going back for a master's in business. "Please tell me it did."

Haley shook her head, which hurt. She reached over and took some Advil off her night stand. She swallowed the pills with water. She realized Rooster must have left them out for her. "No. He slept on my floor." She answered. "Sabrina, I am so fucked. It's gotten bad. I can't hardly be around him."

Sabrina looked at Haley with sympathy. Haley noticed she had changed her hair again. She'd gone back and forth between her natural brunette and blonde a few times since college. She had put it back blonde at the moment. "I'm sorry, Haley Bug." She said, using her childhood nickname for her. "I think you should just talk to him. Shoot your shot. It's driving you insane. I don't think I've ever seen you like this about any guy."

"I can't. Because if he doesn't feel the same, I've ruined one of my best friendships. And then he'll leave." Haley replied, going underneath her comforter. She felt like people were always leaving. She'd felt like that since her parents died three years ago especially. It had been a car accident.

"Or he feels the same, which I think he does, and you start a great relationship." Sabrina pointed out. "Haley, I hate to say it but time is running out. You guys graduate in August and you'll get orders. You have no idea where you two will end up."

That was another factor. Haley had no clue where they'd be then. She felt like they both were going to become pilots without any trouble. So they'd go on to be stationed somewhere they were needed. Which may or may not be together. "I just think it's better this way. Get through the rest of school, and just stay friends." She told Sabrina.

Sabrina glanced up at something then looked back at her phone. "Do you think you're in love with him?"

Haley was quiet for a moment before she answered. "Yes." She finally said.

"You're either going to need to tell him or try to live with not telling him. Which means you can't stay hung up on him." Sabrina said, "I hate seeing you like this. I really think you should talk to him. I've only met him like twice now but I'm telling you, I think he's into you. Like head over heels into you."

Haley knew Sabrina wouldn't lie to her, but it was hard for her to believe it. "I can't say anything. I'll just keep doing what I've been doing. Trying to date occasionally, finishing up school and move on to becoming a pilot. That's why I came here. Not to find a husband, boyfriend, whatever." She said.

"You mean you didn't go for the MRS degree?" Sabrina joked. "You may not have but it doesn't mean it may not have stumbled into your lap. And God, Haley, have you seen him? You'd be pretty smoking together."

Haley snorted. She knew people from high school who had gone for the "MRS degree". She gave Sabrina a look. "Of course, I look at him every day. And it kills me." She answered.

"I've got to go, we have a wedding here today. I really think I am going to look into graduate school and up my resume." Sabrina said, "I like working with my parents and this venue is amazing. But I think I want my own thing." She paused. "Are you still coming here spring break?"

Haley agreed, the venue was amazing. She had been there plenty with Sabrina growing up. It was definitely a fairytale wedding location. "I am planning on it." She answered.

"Good. I miss you. And maybe we can talk this out more. Or maybe you'll be bringing your boyfriend with you." Sabrina told her with a wink.

"He is never going to be my boyfriend, he is always going to be my friend." Haley corrected her. The two girls said goodbye and Haley clicked off the phone.

Haley pulled her comforter off her and sighed. She had to get past these feelings some how.