𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐨 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 ~ 𝐇𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐤𝐚𝐡

17. Leave Your Sanity Behind

TOBIAS had taken Hayley to a diner that was a little further down from where Chloe's house was. It wasn't anything remotely fancy, more commonly a place for biker gangs and alcoholics in the area.

The restaurant was a dimly lit, hole-in-the-wall kind of place. The kind of joint that barely clung to its former glory. Between the poor choice of dingey yellow lighting and the scent of reeking cigar smoke, Hayley was unsure of which was more nauseating to her.

Tobias had chosen a corner booth, far from the other patrons, allowing them to talk in relative discreteness. Hayley sat stiffly across from him, her hands fidgeting tightly under the table. She could feel Tobias's gaze upon her, but she kept her vision elsewhere, desperate to ignore the tension coiling in her stomach.

"Order what appeases you." Tobias said, his voice dripping with false kindness. The smile he wore was an attempt to charm, though to Hayley, it felt like a predator sizing up its prey.

She muttered something noncommittal, merely glancing at the menu in front of her. The last thing she wanted was food. Her stomach was sick in knots and the thought of eating made her feel closer on the verge of puking. Still, she forced herself to go along, being cautious of her fragile appetite.

A sickening voice in her head spoke to her, leave your sanity behind. She twitched at her own thoughts, her mind being her worst enemy.

Amidst harassing herself in her head, Tobias spoke up, "Your father and I, we go quite a ways back." He started before Hayley fired an immediate response.

"Don't call him my father... please."

Tobias was left staring blankly for a couple seconds before adjusting his posture, "You must have it tough at home, eh? I can only imagine he gets pretty rowdy—"

"Can you?" Hayley felt the gash burn under her chin as she spoke, a reminder of why she can never view him as a father, yet alone her own.

Tobias tilted his head slightly, eyeing the white bandage under Hayley's chin, "Was that from him?" He nodded.

"No... hit myself on the bathroom cabinet." Hayley barely moved her mouth as she muttered the response.

"Some gash for a cabinet, eh?"

"Some gash." Hayley kept her eyes down, dedicating herself to the salads and fruit section on the menu.

Tobias attempted to revive the topic surrounding her father, "He's certainly a stern man, there's no doubt there. Where the doubt does come in is that he could be capable of such aggression." He sat up once more, this time with great confidence. "One of the things I admire about your f— Angelo, is his sense of leadership. He's got all the qualities: communication, consistency, knowledge, I mean the guy is just brilliant at his work."

Tobias marveled at his own words, praising a man who, on a daily, was destroying the very girl sat in front of him. He studied Hayley's body language as he spoke, taking note of the disturbed expression on her face. "That look would suggest you disagree with me."

Hayley came down from her distorted state, her mind shifting back on defense, "And your delusions suggest you witness a rather faux version of Angelo."

Soon after, a waitress came by and took their orders. While Hayley felt nauseous to the core, she made a point to herself to over-order for a couple of reasons, the more Tobias pays, and the more food she'll have for a later time, given she doesn't eat much from home.

Hayley sat, content with herself after listing a meal big enough for a family of four. She displayed a cheeky grin whilst folding her hands on the table, Tobias appearing stumped at the alter in her demeanor.