The Pact

CHAPTER FIVE

"Hayley, Taylor and I have made the executive decision to remove '26' from the North American setlist. We've replaced it with 'Last Hope'." Zac told his friend tentatively.

Hayley looked up at him from the sheet music in her hands. She was sitting on her couch with Zac and Taylor over at her house for rehearsal. Taylor had gone to the toilet and Zac had taken this opportunity to tell her the news.

"Without even asking me?" Hayley asked quietly. "The fans love that song, we love that song." She stared at him.

Zac sighed softly and ran a hand through his hair. "But it makes you breakdown after every show." He said softly.

"It's worth it if the fans have a good night." Hayley said, leaning back against the back of the couch. She brought her knees up to her chest.

"It's not worth it if you pull away again." Taylor said as he came back from the bathroom.

Hayley looked up at him over her shoulder. "Maybe I need to cry, did you ever think of that?" She asked, looking back at Zac and ignoring Taylor's comment about her pulling away. Her phone beeped on the table but she ignored it, not realising it was her girlfriend texting her.

"Hayley, you don't get it. We almost lost you last time." Zac said softly, reaching out to take Hayley's smaller hand in his own.

Looking down, Hayley sighed softly just as her phone beeped again.

"We don't want you to go down that deep dark hole again." Taylor said softly as he jumped over the back of the couch and sat down beside her. He placed his hand on her shoulder.

Hayley wouldn't look at either of them, biting her lower lip roughly. Her phone beeped three more times.

"Why don't we turn our phones off and start practising." Zac said, standing up and turning his phone off.

Hayley leaned forward and pulled her phone off of the coffee table to turn it off, only to discover the messages from her girlfriend.

Hey babe, I've got a question. Taylor x

Hales? Taylor x

I'm sorry, you're probably busy. Taylor x

I'll leave you alone, text me when you can. Taylor x

x

Hayley frowned softly. She glanced at Zac and Taylor who were waiting for her to turn off her phone. She returned her eyes to the phone.

What's the question? Hayley x

Can I come over? I don't want to ask it over the phone. Taylor x

The guys are here for rehearsals but you can come over, they won't mind. Hayley x

Oh.... Um it can wait.... I'm sorry. Taylor x

No, come over, please, I'm begging you. The guys are trying to convince me that removing 26 from the set list is the right decision and I need your help to convince them it's not. Hayley x

Taylor's response took a few minutes before it came through.

Maybe they're right, Hales, it hurts to see you so upset after singing it. Taylor x

Hayley frowned, Taylor was supposed to be on her side, right? That's what girlfriends do, right? They take your side.

Come over. Hayley x

I'll be there in ten. Taylor x

Okay. Hayley x

Hayley placed her phone down on the coffee table. She avoided Taylor and Zac's gaze.