The Closer You Are

• chapter five

Progress.

That's what Hayden thought was conspiring between the two.

Progress.

They were nearly friends at this point. And to an outsider observing the two, they would consider them friends.

They hung out everyday at the library during lunch. And sometimes they would meet at the eatery cafe if the library was too crowded.

They were practically friends, Hayden thought. Although Rachel was only doing this to work on the project, Hayden wasn't complaining. He would give anything to be spending time with Rachel. And if someone told him a month ago that they were friendly enough  to be partners on a school project, he would spit out his drink and laugh.

~

Soon enough, word was starting to get out about Hayden and Rachel. He didn't need to hear it for himself to know that the whispers in the hallways were directed at him. It was an overnight sensation. Like all of a sudden they became friends and nobody, not even them, could explain why.

Hayden was waiting for Rachel to get out of class. She was walking with one of her good friends Meghan. Hayden knew very little about Meghan, only that she was the most popular girl in school and Rachel's best friend.

Thankfully, Meghan did not spot Hayden in the crowd of people. He like Rachel, but that didn't mean he wanted to be friends with her friend.

Hayden knew the crowd Rachel hung out with. Most of them bullied Hayden all throughout his childhood. It only stopped once high school began because by then they were bored of picking on the same group of kids since elementary school and moved on to other victims. But Hayden knew Meghan's boyfriend very well. And he also knew that wherever she was, he would also be lurking around close by. Those types of people tend to gravitate together, never without the other for too long.

But Hayden never quite understood Rachel and why she hung out with those people. Sure -- Rachel was good looking, easy to talk too, and had a nice personality. Of course people would like her. But why did she like them?

They did nothing but treat people who weren't popular, people like Hayden, as if he was dirt.