Barely Gone (one direction)

Chapter 25

*are you okay?*

Hailey reached over her phone to see a text message from niall. Her and connor had found a hotel not too far from her school and checked into it. She laid there on the bed with connor opposite her.

She smiled reading the text.

*i'm good, thanks for asking*

*sucks you had to leave, you left me with a bunch of idiots*

*haha im sorry, i'll explain later but how come you weren't working tonight anyways?*

*took the night off, since i knew you was coming over :)*

Hailey smiled and couldn't help her blushing.

*sorry. but thanks*

*goodnight hailey :)*

*goodnight :)*

She sat there, cheeks rose red.

Am i falling for this guy?
impossible.
maybe.

"what's got you smiling so much over there" connor smiled at hailey.

"nothing" lies.

"oh come on tell me." he went closer to her and started tickling her.

"oh my god stop, it hurts , okay fine i'll tell you" they both laughed hard before she began.

There she told him everything between her and niall from the 7th grade to now.

"well i hate, he was part reason for your pain" connor had a poker face. mixed emotions about niall.

She told him all the text messages he had sent her, and how he's always checking up on her,

"well he sounds nice after all," connor half smiled.

"he is, and i don't know i feel like i may like him but i have no idea if i do."

"oh trust me you definitely do. girls don't just blush and talk to their older brother about any guy." they both laughed but hailey knew he had a point.

"and if my opinion helps, it sounds like he likes you too. keep an eye open kiddo" They both smiled and ate some frozen pizza hailey heated up while watching the sequel of The chipmunks.

***

The following day, connor had driven hailey to school, and lucky for her she hadn't seen monica all day. She was getting stared at a lot but brushed it past her.

After school, hailey had waited for maddy so she could finally meet connor.

"hey i'm here" maddy was cheerful, nervous and excited. She knew connor was great by what hailey had told her about him. She knew he wasn't anything like hailey's parents and that only made her more excited.

"hey, okay, come on"

"connor, this is maddy, maddy this is connor" They both smiled at each other and connor proceeded to tell maddy how much hailey has told him about her.

"shut up connor, i don't talk that much"

Maddy and connor burst into laughter.

"trust me girl, you do, but in a good way, not the annoying "shut the fuck up' way". They all laughed and headed over to a burger place to get some food.

The place was nice and luckily not full. It had a deck outside for customers to eat but it was very cold, so they sat inside and ate.

"mmmm this burger is so good." connor took a big bite of his burger and closed his eyes as if it was the best burger to have ever been made.

They were all enjoying themselves. maddy and connor got along very well. Hailey laughed at maddy's joke and looked out the window to see monica smiling at her. Hailey looked down to her plate and connor noticed she was off.

"hey what's wrong?" connor put his burger down on his plate.

"nothing, just unexpectedly saw someone. no big deal. keep eating"

"monica?" maddy knew her answer but asked to make sure.

Hailey nodded and maddy got up and went outside but came back in seconds later.

"i just saw her, she left in a car. dont worry about it, she won't get close to you."

"no she won't. and if she does , remember you're with me and i don't care about spending a night in jail for punching the shit out of her." hailey smiled but didn't say anything. She knew her brother would never hit a woman, but was glad he was here to protect her again.

They finished eating, dropped maddy home, and went back to the hotel.

"listen kiddo, i promise i'm coming back to you--" hailey cut him off.

"you leave in the morning?" she put her head down and stared at her hands.

Connor pulled her chin up so she could look at him.

"you know i don't want to, but i have classes and if i don't have good grades this semester i'll get kicked off the team."

"that team is nothing without their quarterback but i understand. promise to call" she smiled and so did he.

"i promise"

With that they both laid down to sleep .

*goodnight niall*

she didn't wait for a response but went right to sleep.

The next day she drove connor to the airport, went a little late to school, and afterwards went back home, ignoring her parents. She didn't want to do anything that day. She had spoken with her brother when he arrived , texted niall for a bit, and went to bed.

The rest of the week went by like that. School. home. text niall and connor. eat. sleep. repeat.