Headline

twenty nine

troy

Sometime passed since the Booker's laid eyes on Troy's physical being and going into the early week of September. Every second he spent with Hailey in different homes the Butterfly's owned. The spot in Anaheim the two left since her parents grew suspicious of her being there with no contact and they happily fled to the different home in Santa Barbara.

Gated and on private acres, the mansion offered panoramic views of the Channel Islands. The sun shined inside the massive window directly into Troy's face, causing the instant scowl in his face as he wakes up. He raised up, the skinny arm falling off his back and his temples throbbing in agony. He sat with his head in hands. The cover pull away from the face revealed Hailey and her wild curly tresses. Her head pounded just as much him after a long wild night.

"What time and day is it?"

Hailey reached for the new Apple phone her parents couldn't track and tap the screen for it to bright up. "It's nine and the ninth."

"The ninth of what?"

"September. . What else?" Hailey asked, starting to embrace his back, but he jumped up with low curse word. She watched him scramble for his clothes. "Where are you going?"

"It's Miry birthday," he said, rushing into his clothes. "I gotta bounce."

"Okay. I'm coming, too."

Confusion latched onto his brows as he pulled on his final article of clothing: his brown hoodie and watching her jump out the bed naked searching for her robe. "Whatchu—Hailey, no, you not."

Hailey found her robe and tied it on looking across the room at him. "What? Why not? I know Miry."

"'Cause my family don't like you, Hailey, you know that. And you comin' gon' make "em ask questions and get all in my business. Ion' need 'em askin' bout the relapse. Plus you got these people in here. You gotta worry bout that."

"That's bullshit." She frowned, walking towards him as he put on his sneakers. "If you love me, it shouldn't matter what your family thinks. Or is it some other reason you don't want me to be there with you?"

Troy analyzed how close she was, chuckling as he raised up and guided her back gently. "Chill. Imma com' back out here. Just stay here and get those folks up outta here." he spoke, feeling his pockets for his keys just to come up empty. "You see my keys?"

Hailey rolled her eyes, letting it go. "Back in Anaheim. You have not been driving since we left there. The driver's here. He can take you."

"Where the hell we at anyway?" Troy asked, genuinely confused since he been high and drunk. His gaze looked over his shoulder to see the mountains.

"We're in Santa Barbara. You don't have your cellphone either because you decided to break it."

Hearing that, Troy vividly recalled throwing his phone right into the ocean in Santa Monica. "I'll stop by Apple. The driver here? I gotta go."

Hailey despaired, hugging his torso and her bottom lip poked. "You really going to come back?"

"Yes, Hailey." His annoyance laced while moving her arms from his torso. "The driver?"

"He's outside."

Troy start to leave out, but Hailey stopped him. "What is it?"

"A little.. pick-me-up." she smiled, placing something in his hand and press a long kiss on his lips. "I'll see you later."