Prisoners of Love ☾☾ Hayley Williams + Josh Franceschi

nine ☽ safer to hate her

Monday, stupid fucking Monday. It was Hayley's last week here. She was getting released on Friday, and it felt like the time went by way too fast. The band had slowed, she was always packing, we barely talked at all.

I loved having Matt around, though. It almost felt like old times.

"How have you been?" Matt asked. He brought tea, so we were sitting out back in the "garden" drinking tea. I'd been there long enough and I hadn't got in trouble, so I was allowed in a few other visiting areas.

"Hayley leaves on Friday." I said, my tone not changing from a monotone.

"Oh yeah, I remember you telling me that. What's the update on your guy's relationship?" Matt asked, trying to recall everything I'd tried to tell him before.

"I have no idea. I don't think I'm getting out of here any time soon." I said, then finished the rest of my tea.

"Well, she'll visit you a lot, won't she? I mean, if you guys are together, she'll do as much as she can to see you."

"I don't know, that's up to her."

A nurse that was standing around, monitoring us, told us it was time for me to go. Matt and I hugged real fast, then I was shooed away.

I ran into Hayley in the hallway, literally ran into her, and she just walked away like I was no one. I turned around and watched her walk for a little bit.

"Hayley!" I called after her. She turned around and looked pissed off.

"What?" She said and started walking my way.

"What's up?" I asked. "You've been ignoring Dan and I."

"Nothing, I've just been busy."

"Do you think you're better than us just because you are getting out of here? Well guess what, you were still sent here. You aren't any better than anyone in this hellhole, so stop acting like it." I yelled, then stormed off.

I met up with Max and we went to lunch together. While I was getting my stupid pills, Hayley came over and stole Max. She was crying and Max fell right into her trap.

I ate lunch alone, the way it had been for a few days. Hayley always had Dan and Max away somewhere else. Chris still didn't eat with us. I figured he just liked being on his own.

Today though, he walked over and sat across from me.

"What's wrong?" Chris asked.

"Nothing." I mumbled, stabbing my peanut butter and jelly sandwich with my plastic fork.

"Don't use that shit with me. I'm not our oblivious girlfriend." Chris said, taking my fork from me. If the nurses had seen me doing that, I probably would have gotten in trouble. This stupid place and their stupid rules.

"Hayley's being a bitch." I said, making sure my voice was low enough that no one would hear it. Although it didn't matter if Hayley heard it, wherever she was, I didn't want the nurses to hear.

"I don't know what you saw in her in the first place. If she's leaving on Friday, just dump her." Chris said. He looked around cautiously before using his spoon to throw peas in my face.

"Wow, thanks. I'll have to take a shower now and be late to band practice." I said, standing to throw my tray away.

"It's not like we do anything anyway." Chris said, also standing up.

The week dragged on. Chris and I had gotten a lot closer, not that we had anyone else to talk to anymore. On Thursday night, Dan said he had a surprise. He made me change back out of my pajamas, then he blindfolded me. What surprise this could be, I had no idea.

Dan guided me along the boring hallways until I heard a door click open. I heard some other voices, but I was too far away to figure out who they were coming from. Dan pushed me forward, then the door slammed shut.

Dan pulled on my arm until I was in the right spot. "Take off the blindfold." He said. I took off the stupid shirt tied around my head.

In front of me was Hayley, dressed in an amazing dress. She had her hair up all fancy, as well as dyed a little differently, her makeup done, and she had the biggest smile on her face. To her right was Max, dressed in pajamas like he had just been pulled out of bed. Dan stood to Hayley's left, the same clothes he was wearing in our room.

Hayley stepped forward and took my hands.

"This is why I've been ignoring you. I didn't want to ruin your surprise." She said, her voice quiet and soft. I could tell from her expression, just everything in her face, that she was telling the truth. There are some things you just can't deny. And this was one of them. Hayley really loved me.

"What is all this for?" I asked.

"It's because I'm leaving. They let you throw a little party. I only wanted you three here." She said. Dan turned around, and turned on a little stereo. "Will you dance with me?"

Hayley and I started dancing, but Dan and Max just stood where they were. I think Max tried to get Dan to dance with him, but Dan definitely wouldn't. Max actually started dancing with himself.

"I'm so sorry I called you a bitch and everything I said the other day." I said, before twirling her around and bringing her right back into my arms.

"It's okay. I was being a bitch. I should have just pretended like everything was normal. I was just so nervous that I would say something in front of you and this whole thing would be ruined."

I pulled her right up against me and kissed her. It was the simplest kiss we'd ever had, but one of the best.

"Promise you'll visit me." I said, trying not to tear up.

"Anything you want." She said, before wrapping her arms back around my neck and starting to dance again.