Quarterback Dare

6

Hayden followed me to the shower and bathrooms I grabbed a paper towel wet it a little and went to Hayden who was leaning against the sink. I started to pat his cheek which was bleeding gently. He winced softly.

"Sorry. Just trying to clean your cheek." I murmured.

He looked at me and grabbed my hand. His hand was still. There with mine entangled with mine. "Thanks, Lils."

"You're welcome." I smiled.

Hayden walked to his locker put on a black t-shirt and grabbed his bag. He turned to me and asked, "Are you ready?"

"Uh, yes."

We walked out of the stadium and towards Hayden's motorcycle. He put his bag on the back and put his leather jacket on. He grabbed his white helmet and put it on me. "There you go." He chuckled.

He put his helmet on and got on. I got on and grabbed onto him. Hayden drove a while until we reached a fancy neighborhood. We reached a gate and a guy with a black suit, white button-down shirt, and black khakis. He had a gun strapped to his hip and black Hayden stopped and took off his helmet. "Hey, Jack."

"Mr. Anderson. Ms—?"

"It's Ms. Lily Matthews."

"Of course. Hello, Ms. Matthews." Jack said, happily. Looking at me.

"Jack. It's nice to meet you." I murmured.

As Hayden drove away from the gate I saw a freaking mansion. Annalise and Myles got out of their Lamborghini and waved at us. I turned to Hayden. "You live near the Byrons?"

"Yeah. We all live near each other." He said, pulling into his mansion. It was a massive white mansion with amazing big gardens. There was a staircase leading up to the mansion. Hayden grabbed his helmet and put it on his motorcycle. He nudged me to follow me.

He opened the large door and the second I was in Hayden's house I was attacked by a slobbery pouch. A black lab was barking and whimpering at me.

"Callie. Off, now girl."

I looked at Hayden and Callie. It's not that I'm a dog person. I'm not too fond of dogs jumping up on me.

I looked at Hayden's foyer and the tiles were black. The staircase leading up to the upstairs was black, but the walls were tan. It had an accent to Hayden to it.

Hayden looked at me. "Come on. We need to talk." He led me to the living room where everything was dark brown and black. He had a black U-shaped couch and a brown table with books. He had a grand piano by the TV.

Hayden sat on the couch and Callie sat by his feet. I sat by Hayden and he looked at him. "So, do you want to go to dinner tonight?"

"I do. I just..."

Hayden looked at me anticipating for me to talk. "Yes?"

"It's very hard for me to ride in cars because of—well something happened to me and it gave me a lot of PTSD about riding in a car. I haven't ridden in a car in six years."

"I get it." He says softly, looking at me tensely. "I mean—"

"It was an accident." I let out. Holding my breath.

"Oh? What kind of accident?" He asked.

I couldn't believe I was telling somebody that wasn't my family or Chris. Hayden sat forward and grabbed my hand as I frowned. "You can trust me, Lil."

I took a deep breath. "It was a car accident. I had just graduated and my sister and I were on the way to Chris's graduation party. Emily was going into junior year and I let her drive that night." I said. Feeling guilty. Hayden looked at me.

"She had a stroke and wrecked the car. After I woke up from the 6-year coma Chris was there when I woke up he told me my 'ex' boyfriend didn't want to wait for me to wake up." I sighed heavily and cried softly.

"Jacen has been texting me wanting to get back together. I block him but he just seems to come back."

"How often does he text you?" He asked, scowling.

"Every two weeks."

"Hm."

"Chris also said that someone helped me out of the burning car. But I don't know who. I wish I could know so I could thank them." I murmured.

Hayden cleared his throat. "Thanks for telling me, Lily. I'll protect you."

I blushed. "Thanks, Hayden."

"So do you want to try to go with the Byrons or go on the motorcycle?"

"I'll try. I just don't like cars because of the accident."

Hayden nodded. He looked at my shirt. "Do you need a shirt?"

"Why? Isn't this fine?" I asked, looking at my shirt.

Hayden went to his downstairs closet and found a black shirt and black and orange flannel. "Here."

I grabbed the shirt and jacket from him and went to the powder room to change my shirt. When I came out, Hayden was sitting playing his piano. He had a red flannel on. I sat by him and looked at him.

"Do you play?" I asked, bubbly.

"Uh, not really. I just like playing the notes for fun to impress the ladies." He looked at me with a sarcastic smile.

I laughed sarcastically. "What can you play?" I asked seriously.

"Anything."

He plays a few keys to the Marvel theme and I look at him impressed. Was there anything that this gorgeous man couldn't do?

He played the final key and he looked at me. I clapped as a sign of me being impressed. "Is there anything you can't do?"

He smiled mischievously. "Oh! There's many things I can do, Ms. Matthews."

Was he flirting with me?

I looked at him and smiled. He looked at me and grinned.

When it was time for dinner Hayden led me out of his house and we walked to the Byron's. Myles and Annalise were out in their front yard dancing with each other. The way Myles held Annalise. The way he looked at her. They seemed infinite.

"I love you, Annalise," he said, softly. As he dipped her.

"Myles." She gasped. Annalise saw me and Hayden. Myles looked at us.

"Oh, hi guys," Myles says. "Ready for dinner?"

I looked at Hayden and we nodded. Myles nodded and went into their house and came out with a leather dark brown jacket and his keys in his hands.

"Ready?" Myles asked, looking at all of us. Annalise wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. As Annalise opened the back seat of the car I breath rapidly. My mind keeps going back to that night. The night my sister died and I lost my boyfriend.

"You okay, Lily?" She asked. Looking at me. "You look pale."

I walked back from the car. I looked at Hayden with tearful eyes. Hoping he would get the message that I wanted to go on his motorcycle. He looked at me and took my hand swiftly. We walked away from Annalise and Myles.

Hayden put his hands on my neck and his thumbs creased my cheek. His eyes looked at me with compassion. "I know you're nervous, Lily, but I'm right here. Annalise is here. Myles is a great driver. You've got this." He murmured

I nodded and smiled. I took a deep breath and walked up to Myles's car. I breathed deeply when I jumped into the back. I couldn't believe I was in a car again.

Annalise jumped in the back with me. She smiled and looked at me concerned. "Are you okay?" I nodded and she grabbed me and hugged me from the side. Hayden got up in the front and laughed at Myles's stupid football joke that I didn't understand.

"It's a stupid thing Myles did when we were dating."

"Oh." I laughed.

Hayden looked back and had a concerned expression and I saw that he was mouthing, "You okay?" I nodded.

This was the time when I started liking Hayden as a person. Not a football Quarterback.