Adopted By Matthew Espinosa (Hayes Grier)

Chapter 38

CHARLOTTE POV.

We arrived at school. On time this time. As soon as we got out of Nash's car, Hayes and I went our separate ways. I couldn't care less at this point, about anything really. I started to walk to my locker which was at the other end of the school, when I heard someone yell my name. "Charlotte! Wait up!" I turned around to see Hunter running from the other end of the hall towards me.

I stopped walking waiting for him to catch up. "Hey," I said as he started to walk beside me. "Hey locker buddy," He said with a small grin. "What's up?" I asked looking over at him. "Not much, I just had football practice," "You play football?" I asked. "Yeah, what? Don't I look like a football player?" He asked joking. "No, it's just... Yeah you look more like a musician," I said starting to laugh. "Yeah well the only instrument I can play is the triangle, I still suck at it," He said laughing himself.

We went to our lockers and then home room. I was in a different class with Hunter, but Rosie was in my class so at least I knew someone. On the way to home room Hayes walked pass me. He looked at me in the corner of his eye making me turn around as he walked pass. I stopped walking and ended up facing Hayes direction as he walked around the corner. "You okay?" Hunter asked as he stood behind me. "Um, yeah," I said before starting to walk again. Why was Hayes acting like he didn't even know me? I was pretty confused.

I had to go to Biology in first period, so I went to my class alone. I walked in and spotted a very familiar face, Hayes. He was sitting in the back row. His eyes scanned me as I walked in the door and sat in the third row. The whole lesson was quiet. I could see Hayes in the corner of my eye and he wouldn't even look at me. I don't know what happened this time.

When Biology was finished I went to find Rosie. I walked around the corner after coming out of the girl's bathroom to see Hayes and some blonde chick 'flirting'. She had her hand on his shoulder, laughing, flicking her hair. Everything that girls do to flirt. I stood there like an idiot just watching, until Hayes turned his head to look at me.

We eye-contact for a second until he turned back around to the tall blonde girl. I walked back around the corner to find Rosie. I felt this pain in my stomach that wouldn't go away. I knew I didn't have feelings for Hayes.

The day went by rather slow, I had most subject with Rosie and only one with Hunter. After school I walked out of the gates and waited for someone to pick me up. I was standing there alone when it started to rain. I ran under cover which wasn't too far. But the rain was still pretty hard to make me drenched. I stood cold and wet as I watched that blonde girl and Hayes talk. Finally Taylor arrived. I ran d got into Taylor's car.

"Are you okay?" He asked noticing my drenched clothes. "Yeah," I said as Hayes got in the car with a smile on his face. "What's up with you?" Taylor asked as he saw Hayes smile widen. "Nothing," He said looking at his hands. "You met a girl didn't you?" Taylor asked eagerly. "Her name is Brittany," He said with a smile. Even though I was in a warm car, I still felt cold as if I was standing out in the rain.

The car ride home was interesting. All Hayes was talking about was Brittany. "Did you know she is a gymnast and a cheerleader?" "Brittany is so smart," "She use to live in Norway for 4 years," Brittany this, Brittany that. I didn't feel jealous, I just felt annoyed how Brittany was the main topic of everyone's conversation.

As soon as I got home I went upstairs to get changed out of my wet clothes. There was a huge storm happening out side. So bad that there was a black out. Dad got us all down stairs; Nash, Taylor, Carter, Hayes and myself. "What's going on?" I asked as I sat down on the floor in the living room. "We are going to play a game," Dad said sitting on the ground with candles around us. "Really?" I asked.

"Yeah why not?" He said as he looked around the little circle that we were sitting in. "What are we playing?" Hayes asked. "Truth or dare," Dad continued to say. I was surprised that we were going to play truth or dare since that was a game that young teenage girls play at sleepovers. "Okay, who goes first?" I asked.

"I will," Carter asked. "Wait, there is a catch. I put names in one glass and the other has truth's and dare's in it," Dad said placing the cups in front of Carter. To be honest I was quite scared. "Okay," Carter said picking a name out of the glass. "Hayes," Carter said as he read the paper. "Okay truth, what do you think is your biggest flaw is?" Carter asked as he looked at Hayes. Every one in the room payed close attention to Hayes.

"I don't know, I guess I'm just scared of being used or something," He said looking over at me. I rolled my eyes. every one in the room knew that he was talking about me which made it very awkward. "Okay, moving on," Nash said as he picked a name out of the glass. "Carter, dare," He said reading the small piece of paper. "Wear your pants backward for the rest of the game," Nash said. Carter got up and ran upstairs and came back down with his pants on backwards. It was pretty funny, but honestly not that bad.

"My turn," Taylor said as he grabbed a name. "Charlotte!" He yelled. "Yay!" I mocked. "Truth, what is one thing you've never told anyone?" The room went quiet. Great. I knew I had to answer this question, but I didn't want to. "Well, after my mom died, I well, I started to have panic attacks. But they don't happen anymore so yeah" I said as I twiddle my thumbs. I didn't have many secrets, but that was one of them.

All the guys just looked around the room. The awkwardness was high until the lights came back on. "I'm going to bed," I said before I hopped up and went upstairs before anyone could say anything. I guess it wasn't a big secret but it was my little secret that no one knew. I hopped in bed and tried to fall sleep until I heard a knock on the door and the door open. "Are you okay?" Hayes asked as he walked in my room.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I asked as I sat up. "I don't know, it's just you never told me that," He said looking concerned. "I know, I didn't tell anyone so yeah," "Are we good?" He asked as he sat on my bed. Seriously? "Your the one that won't even talk nor even look at me!" I shouted. "Yeah because I don't want to get hurt again!" He barked back. "You have clearly moved on," I said calmly this time.

"What do you mean?" He asked confusedly as he stood up. "Brittany," I said. "She is not my girlfriend, we only met today," He said looking at me. "Same is Hunter," I told him. "Well, I just wanted to check on you anyway," he said before walking out the door.

I was pretty confused. He friend zoned me last night and now he wouldn't even look at me let alone talk to me. I really missed having him in my life. Even as a friend.

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