Now you owe me

F i f t e e n

Chapter Fifteen

I need you.

Two months and fifteen days. It was the fourth of April when I finally realized that I was in an awful situation. Not only was Damian pissed about my fake-escape, but also Jason was giving me the silent treatment after he told me that he was disappointed that I lied to him. Honestly, what did they expect?
"You told me that you would stay by my side", he shouted after I left Damian standing inside my room all alone.
"I did", my voice monotonous as I was used to. It was like I was not even feeling anything at this moment. No guilt. No sorrow. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
"I trusted you!", he yelled before I placed my left hand on his mouth, shutting him up.
"I hope that you've learned your lesson then."
"Why do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Try to be a heartless bitch so everyone will hate you!", he answered. His voice so strong and his words so harsh. Cute.
"I don't try to be a heartless bitch Jason. I am a heartless bitch", I countered. and he stared at me with no emotions reflecting in his dark-green eyes. He didn't understand.
"You asked me once whether we could still be friends even if you screwed up. Did you mean it?", his question barely left his tongue, and I shook my head from one side to the other.
"Of course not." A chuckle escaped my lips.
"Good because I think we could never be friends, Haley Parker", the second his words left his mouth, my eyes widened, and I stared at his face. My expression was blank.
"You're right", I mumbled, before I slowly turned around and left him in the darkness. Heartless bitch. We could never be friends. That boy was definitely growing up. I knew that we couldn't be friends, and I knew that I betrayed him, but I warned him, didn't I?

"Haley can we please talk?", Andrew's scratchy voice asked, and I turned around, nodding softly. How can I escape these darned talks?
"Then talk", I summoned, and he stepped into the room.
"I don't understand", he muttered softly, and I stared at him as I sat up, patting the right space beside me.
"What don't you understand?"
"Everything. I just don't get you Haley. One the one hand, I think that you want to leave this place so badly and that you don't give a shit about anyone living in this house, but then, on the other hand, it seems like you are not ready to fully go. You might think that I'm stupid, but I noticed that your last attempt to escape was a joke. It was nothing that you would do if you tried to leave for good, you know?", he asked sincerely, and my eyes grew bigger with every word he said.
"How do you know?"
"You had a head start of three to five minutes Haley, and even if you ran out of gas without knowing that you would, you wouldn't sit in the car, waiting for us to catch up. That didn't make any sense", he explained. Did I underestimate Andrew?
"So, what is your assumption Andrew?", I asked him, hoping that he didn't figure out what was really going on.
"I-I think that you did this to save us from our miserable situation with Stanley", his voice a quiet whisper and a small smirk stretched on my lips. Oh, wait. What? What a brilliant idea.
"And tell me. Why would I do that?"
"You said that we should be spontaneous in case something goes wrong and I believe that this is your way of being spontaneous. You tried to steer the attention away from the heated discussion", he answered before he held my glance without backing away. He was far more interesting than I gave him credits for.
"And why exactly are you here Andrew? Why are you telling me all this? Does it change anything if it's the truth?", I asked, taking full advantage of this misunderstanding.
"Thank you, Haley. Thank you for helping us even though I know that you don't really like being here", his eyes sparkled with gratitude. Poor little Andrew.
"Don't mention it."
"You! You really did this to safe us?!", the cheerful, singing voice of Kathleen appeared. Subsequently, my glance wandered to the door and I noticed that every single one of them was standing in front of the yellow-painted room, listening to our conversation. Steven, Kathleen, Kimberley, Jason and even Damian. Ah damnit.
"How long have you been listening?", I asked before I felt two arms wrapping around my frame, pulling me into a gentle embrace.
"Kimberly don't suffocate her!", Steven laughed. His eyes filled with joy and love. It was only then when I caught Jason's and Damian's glances that I realized that there were two very different people staring at me with guilt in both of their eyes.
"I'm. I'm sorry Haley", Jason apologized, his head lowered, and I felt Kimberly's arms wrapping around me tighter.
"What are you apologizing for?"
"My distrust in you. I judged you without knowing the story", he answered and when his glimpse met mine, I nodded softly. That was just the misunderstanding that I was needing.
"Damian, don't you have anything to say too?", Kathleen asked as she pushed him gently so that he stumbled forward.
"No", he snapped, and a sincere grin formed on my lips.
"Don't be an asshole Damian!", Kathleen continued as I raised my right hand when Kimberly finally released me out of her embrace. Disgusting.
"Let him be", his glance met mine, and he stared at me intensively. His mouth dropped open as if he couldn't believe what I said. I needed him to be a little salty.
"But he...", she persisted, but I shook my head from one side to the other. This was an easy game for me. Twisting all their minds because of one false assumption from Andrew. Lovely.
"I'm not sorry", Damian murmured when they left, leaving the two of us alone.
"I know that you aren't, and I don't expect you to, Damian."
"But was it really necessary to break the window?", he asked, and I bursted with laughter.
"Hey what is so funny?!", he snapped, and I tried hard to suppress my laughter, but it was no use.
"Are. You. For. Real?", I asked during breaths, and he nodded while his eyes alighted with satisfaction.
"I forgive you for smashing the window Haley", he mumbled before he quickly turned around and made his way to the door.