Comfort Zone

Chapter 3

A/N here's an update for my lovely readers. School's getting me really down guys. And I need to update my other story but I really want this one to get a lot of reads.

     Derek is pretty smart, but hangs out with the wrong people. He is honestly a genius, but because he hangs out with the jocks, he never uses his brain. He's a senior this year and has already got offers to so many colleges. His parents and I both have tried to get him to go to college, but he is insistent on joining the Marine Corps. He wants to be like his brother, Cody, and join the service. I don't know why when he could be so successful by just going to college.

  "Haylee, guess what!" Derek says, holding something behind his back. He always does this, he goes and buys me something and says it's just because.

"What is it Derek?" I ask him as he hands me the box. Since he's graduating soon, I've been wondering what's going to happen to us.

"I know you've been thinking about me graduating and well I've already been assigned to a base in Paris, France. I bought you a ticket so that you can come with me. We'll get a little apartment close to base or get one on the base. It'll be great. I'll get you a ticket to come back before school starts if I'm not back by then." Sure enough when I open the box there is a ticket to Paris. I don't think I can go clear to Paris. My dad won't let me, but I can't tell Derek that. He'll be so upset.

"Thank you so much babe! I'm so glad I have you." I say getting off his couch and kissing him.

"Haylee, you should know I'd do anything to be with you. I love you. I really do. You don't have to say it back. I know how you feel about it, but Haylee Jessica Shipman, I love you more than words could ever explain." He tells me. I almost start crying.

I am so lucky to have him. "Derek thank you. You mean so much to me. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you." He grins from ear to ear when I say this.

Derek comes running at me and before I know what's happening he has lifted me up and is squeezing me. "Haylee, I love you!" He's hugging me so hard it almost hurts.

"Derek, can't, breath." I tell him in between breathes.

"Oh, my bad. Sorry babe." He says putting me down and looking rather embarrassed. "I guess I just got carried away."

***********

"What's all this shouting about?" Derek's dad asks us, as we sit on his bed arguing about movies.

"Sorry Mr. Hensley, just picking out a movie" I say. I immediately regret calling him Mr. Hensley simply for the fact that he has now sat down beside me and is going to give me his famous lecture. I get it every time I come over. I was always raised to call people Mr. or Mrs. or ma'am or sir.

"I'm sorry Greg." I say before he can even start talking.

"Haylee, you can call me anything you want, but I just want you to know that Derek here has told me some things he has planned, like your summer trip to Paris. I wanted to tell you that if it's okay with your parents, you can start staying here sometimes and Derek is more than welcome to stay at your house as long as it's fine with your parents. I know we've tried to stop that from happening due to the fact that none of us want to be grandparents, but we all talked about it and we trust you guys." Oh my gosh. Derek and I have been trying to get them to let us stay with each other for like a year now.

"Thank you Greg. It means a lot that you trust us." I say giving him a hug. He leaves the room with a huge smile on his face.

"You know he wants you to ask him if you can call him dad. He said that he wants you to feel comfortable enough around him." Derek tells me.

"I am comfortable with him. Next time the opportunity arises I will ask him if he's okay with it. I think it'd make him really happy" I tell Derek.

"Babe, you make me happy" Derek says kissing my forehead.

************

"Derek Hensley"

They just called Derek's name at the graduation ceremony. Tina has started crying and she hugs me tightly.

"Haylee, I'm so glad Derek will have you in Paris this summer. I'm not ready to think about him living alone. He's my baby. Take care of him please?" She sobs into my shoulder.

"Of course I will Tina. I will take care of him for you." I tell her to reassure her son will be fine, but in all honesty I don't think I'm going to Paris with Derek. My dad said I could go and even offered to help us pay for our apartment, but I just don't think I want to go. It's mp the summer before my senior year. I want to have fun, I mean I'm sure Paris would be the perfect place, but I don't want to be tied down if you know what I mean.

**********

"Congratulations babe!" I tell Derek as he walks toward us. He picks me up in an aggressive hug and kisses me roughly. It's mid kiss that his hand finds my butt and I have to pull away and remind him that his parents are standing right there.

"Thanks gorgeous. I can't wait until we leave for Paris." He says hugging his mom and dad.

"About that..." I say. Derek freezes and looks concerned as I look at my feet and try to find a way to explain.