The Secrets We Keep

The Seventh Chapter

Hayden

On Thursday, I wait a whole hour before I realize Christopher has stood me up. I try not to let it bother me as I pack up my things. But I can't stop myself from being annoyed. This whole week I feel like I've been treated badly by people because of things that are not my fault. And it's really, really starting to piss me off. 

-

Christopher

One Day Later

I wait for Nathan as he finishes getting changed after our rowing session. He finds me leaning against the wall outside of the changing rooms and gives me a knowing look. 

"You were slow today," he says, referring to our practice. "What's going on with you?" 

"Nothing. I'm just stuck in my head." And feeling bad about how I treated Hayden. But I can't tell Nathan this. I don't think he even knows her. "Hey, do you want to do something tonight?" I ask as we start walking away from the lake that runs through the school grounds. It's Friday and I've never been so glad to see the end of a school week.

 "Sure. What did you have in mind?" He asks, shaking out the remaining water in his dark hair. 

Anything that will keep me out of the house for the night... "What about that club in town?" 

He laughs. "Yeah sure, you got a fake I.D. on you?" He asks and starts picking up his pace as he spots his jeep parked under a tree for shade. 

"We don't need them. We'll bribe the bouncers like when we went to that club in New York."

Nathan digs around in his pockets to find his car keys and gives me an unsure look as he blips the car open. "I don't know man, I don't feel like getting in trouble tonight." 

"If the bouncer doesn't let us in, we'll head straight to your place," I say, watching his expression start to thaw out. 

"Fine. But if we do get in, I'm not babysitting your ass if you get pissed drunk." We get into the car and he starts driving on the dirt road that leads back onto the main one. 

"Why? Will you be otherwise engaged?" I ask and he shakes his head as he reaches over to his stereo and turns it on. 

-

Hayden

I unceremoniously dump my bag down on the floor as I enter the house. I have a lot of homework to catch up on but for at least a few hours I want to forget everything about that school and the people in it. 

Today, I saw Christopher in Chemistry and he blanked me. My nails bite into my palms as I find myself balling my fists. 

"Hayden don't just leave your shit on the floor! I almost tripped!" My mom yells after me. I sigh as I turn right back around, grumbling under my breath. Sometimes I wish I lived by myself. I'm so sick of sharing a space with other people. 

As I head back to where I left my things on the floor, I hear my phone ring in my bag. I fish it out and my bad mood dissipates when I see who's calling. 

"Hi, Diane," I answer, balancing my phone between my ear and shoulder as I start heading to my bedroom. 

"Hi, yourself, Hayden. Are you free tonight or have you made a whole bunch of rich friends that you're going to ditch me for?"

"Oh totally. I'm actually getting into some guy's lambo and he's going to drive me to his daddy's boat house." 

"Who are you talking to?" My mom asks, popping her head around the corner. I show her the phone and mouth Diane's name. My mom rolls her eyes at me. Ever since we got called in to headmaster Gibbon's office she hasn't been in a forgiving mood. "You should watch your mouth, Hayden. Don't let your father hear you talking like that."