Love- As Real As the Moon

27

Hayley

I didn't want to shout at him like that. I didn't want to hurt him but it was very hard for me to put that day and Dave's words behind me and I just didn't want to remember it all again. I didn't talk about it again and thankfully Nick didn't bring it up too. Things got better, when I got a notification from my photos app. The was a 'memories' notification with a video of Luce dancing and singing around unaware of a camera I had hidden. That's when it striked me. The ultimate plan.

Nick

Hayley calls me and Olive to meet her at lunch in my cabin. She looks excited and nervous. We're seated at my table waiting for her to speak.

"So......." She slowly says.

"So?" I raise my brows.

"I have an idea. To expose AA."
"What?" Olive and I ask in unison.

"Yes!" She jumps and continues, " So as we all know, me seducing AA got him to almost talk and confess." She looks at me. "I think we should go with the same plan, recording. But with an upgrade."

I understand where this is going to go so I open my mouth to say no but she doesn't let me speak.

"This time, we'll frame him like he did with Lewis sir. Only he will be framed for actions he did."

"How?" Ol asks.

"We'll set up cameras. And then I'll seduce him. His brain stops working the moment he sees a sexy woman so he won't even know I'm trucking him into forcing me to uh..... do him."
"Hayley are you out of your mi-" I shout but she holds up her hand to stop me.

"Let me complete , please. We'll use the recording to arrest him and to get his confession about the truth about the framing." She grins. "One plan.One target. Mr.Andres Asshole Kennedy destroyed. We'll hit the Bulls eye. What do you think?" She asks excitedly.

"I think you should stop watching television dramas. This is risky and stupid." I kill her excitement.

She rolls her eyes at me and looks at Ol hoping she'll defend her but she does the opposite. "I think he's right, Hay. It's very risky. If he finds out about the cameras, he could do anything to you."

"Well then we won't let him find out. We'll work on our plan till it's freaking perfect." She counters.

"It's decided, Hayley.We're not doing it. I'm not going to put you in danger." I'll happily die before I do.

"Please Nic-"

"No. I said no. Don't you understand? He's not just an asshole. He's dangerous too. If he- if something happens to you, I won't be able to forgive myself." I say and Olive agrees with me.

"I know." Hayley sighs and looks at me.

"You promised me you will win my trust right? Well, this is your chance. Just trust me with this and you'll win it. Please, I need you to tru-"

"I do trust you. but I can't be so selfish. I won't put you at risk for our revenge. Not a chance. So you need to stop fighting me on this." I say looking at her. She sighs.

"Fine." She says and storms out of cabin.
Ol and I sigh together.

"I'll try to talk to her." I say.
She nods, wishes me luck and leaves.

~

She's standing in the balcony of the office, her expression sad and disappointed. I approach her.
"Moon?"

"What?" She doesn't look at me.

"Look at me." I say softly.

She shakes her head. I gently hold her chin between my thumb and index finger and turn her face towards me. I slightly lift it till she looks at me.

"Why won't you agree with me and my plan?" She asks sadly.

I don't let go of her chin. "Because it requires you to be in danger and I can't risk that. I'll rather jump off this balcony than put you at risk, Moon."

"You know why I want to do this? Why I want to destroy AA?" I shake my head.
"For Ol. For me and for every other woman that man has made feel unsafe. And - and for you." She looks away.
"No one deserves to go through what Andres put you all through. It breaks my heart to see all of you, good and innocent people suffer while that man goes around freely ruining more lives." She sighs sadly.
" I've seen you hurt yourself, Nick."

She gently holds my left hand, bandage wrapped around my palm and continues, "I know you didn't burn your hand while cooking. "

"What?" I did lie about it a few nights back but no one knew. Not even Ol.

"I saw you. I saw you crush the glass vase on the entrance after I heard Andres remind you and Olive of your failure at defeating him." I look away as she strokes a finger over my bandaged palm.

"I don't know why, Nick, but even I feel protective about you. And I - I can't see you bottle up all your emotions and hurt yourself again. I want it to stop. That is why I need you to let me do this, for all of you."

I hold her hand, " But Hay-"

"You're not the only one bottling and masking up emotions you know." She
interrupts.

"What?"

"I promised her I wouldn't tell you this but when you broke the vase, I didn't know what to do so I ran to find Ol and I
uh ..... I "

"You what Hayley? What happened? Did she hurt herself? Tell me!" I panic.

"No! She didn't hurt herself but I found her curled up under her desk crying. Her hands were shaking and she couldn't breathe. She was having a panic attack, Nick."
"Fuck!" I hit my hand on the railing. "How could I not know? She - she - Olive had a panic attack." My voice breaks on the last two words.

She hugs me and squeezes me tightly. I let her, for me. I need this. I need this comfort. I need her.
"It's not your fault. It's not your fault"

" It is. It is my fault. And I can't even fix it........ FUCK!" I shout.

"You can. Let me do this and everything will be fine. Everyone will be fine. Just let me do this for you all. Please, Nick."

I take a deep breath. "Okay. Let's do this. Together."

She breaks the hugs, her eyes wide.
"Really?"

"Really. We're doing this together. Me and you. And Ol."
She nods happily and hugs me again.