Forever and Always

Chapter 6

I pick up my phone and search for his number.

We need to start planning our project as soon as possible. It rings twice, before a woman picks up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, who is this?" She says, her voice sweet and gentle.

"Uh. This is Hayley, Harry's lab partner. Do you mind handing him the phone?"

"I'm sorry honey. Harry's busy now. Do you wanna leave a message?"

"Just tell him Hayley called."

"Alright. Will do."

I end the call and let out a long sigh. Usually, I'd start jumping to conclusions, that maybe that was the red head from last night but I'm not going to. I'm way too exhausted since Tessa kept me up all night. After spending hours trying to convince her that she wasn't superwoman and she can't fly and that she would certainly die if she had leaped off my balcony, she finally went to bed. But it wasn't long before she woke up and puked up my bedroom, that I had to clean.

I decide sleep for another hour.

Half an hour later, I am awoken by the sound of my phone buzzing. Its my dad. What does he want? I quickly press ignore and hop out of bed. So apparently I won't be getting much sleep today.

"Get up!" I shrug Tess, who is curled up on the floor, asleep. She mutters something before opening her eyes.

"What the hell?" She asks, propping herself up on her elbows. "What's going on? Why am I in your room?"

"You were drunk and your parents are out of town until Sunday so I brought you here."

"Well that explains this massive headache."

"There's aspirin in the bathroom." I tell her. After making my bed, I brush my teeth and head downstairs.

"Good morning honey." My mother greets me. "You look like hell." She smiles.

"Thanks mom." I say rolling my eyes.

"Did you sleep last night?"

"Just a little."

"Oh mother of Christ.." My mother gasps at the sight of Tessa. "Darling are you alright? You look like you got punched in the face!" She exclaims and I burst into laughter. Mom is happy again, so I'm happy.

"Good morning, Mrs. Green. Nice to see you too." Tess smiles and mom laughs.

"So what were you kids up to last night?" She takes a sip of coffee.

"Well...I think Tessie, here will answer that one." I smile, patting Tessa's shoulder and stand from the island. I walk over to the fridge and take out a bottle of orange juice. "I'm gonna go find my little sister."

I knock on Jessica's door twice before she opens. "Hey, what's wrong?" I ask, when I notice her distraught image.

Dark rings surround her eyes and her skin is pale, well paler than usual. It seems like everyone except mom, had a bad night.

She allows me to enter her room. Its been ages since I've set foot in here. Posters of her favorite rock bands are plastered onto the deep purple walls, I know if it were up to her the walls would be painted black but mom would never allow that. Jessica falls back on her bed.

"So, are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Has dad called you?" She asks. She's staring up at the ceiling.

"He tried this morning but I ignored it." I tell her. "Why?"

"He called me yesterday."

"You know its probably best if you don't talk with him."

"He's our father Hayley! You can't change that no matter how hard you try!" She screams, finally making eye contact with me.

"You don't think I know that!" I scream just as loud.

"Well you sure don't act like it!" She yells, standing up taking longs strides across the room to reach me." Why do you push him away?" Her voice has dropped to a whisper. "I thought you wanted him to come back."

"He left us Jessica."

"He did what he had to do." She defends.

"You know what? I'm done. You're wasting my time and I've got to go to work." I step past her and head towards the door.

"We're gonna have a brother soon!" She calls but I keep walking.

I get ready for work then rush downstairs and give my mom a hug. "See you later."

"You work way too much you know." She says.

"Bye mom." I choose to ignore her statement, even though its true.

"Be safe Hayley!"

I work in a small bakery just around the bend, so I walk. It's warm and windy today, with this kind of weather one would feel at peace, calm, relaxed but I feel the complete opposite. Thoughts of my father keep making their way into my mind and a tear escapes and runs down my cheek. Before I know it, I'm full on crying. I wipe my eyes but nothing seems to help as the tears keep flowing. I keep my head down as I walk. The last thing I need is to have my nosy neighbors assuming all sorts of things.

The smell of freshly baked bread fills my nostrils, signalling my closeness to the bakery. As I take the corner someone wearing black boots crashes into me and I nearly fall backwards, but they grab my arms pulling me forwards. The person's touch is warm, immediately igniting something inside me. The feeling is overwhelmingly pleasurable, and I find myself wanting more as they removes their hand. Our eyes meet and for a second I'm caught in a trance, where everything feels and looks perfect. But I instantly snap out of it the moment I realize who I'm locking eyes with.

Harry?

"Are you okay?" His accent is thick .

"Uh, yeah." I say, finally mustering up the courage to speak to him. His green eyes are so bright they're almost blinding.  "Why are you crying then?" He presses. His long brown hair tucked behind his ears.

"I'm fine." I insist. "Excuse me, I'm late for work." I step around him and continue along the sidewalks on the plaza. Justin is outside the bakery waiting, and smiles when he sees me. He was recently on the afternoon shift with me.

"Hey."

"Hey." I fake a smile.

He puts his hand on the small of my back and pulls open the door, allowing me to enter before him. I'm tying my apron and staring out the clear window, wondering if my life could get any worse, when I see Harry get in a car with a dark haired woman in the front. She looks old enough to be his mom, but I highly doubt that she is. I don't know what happened when he touched me, but I know what will if I dwell on these feelings. Harry gets more girls in one night than most men get in a lifetime. He is incapable of staying faithful, and I'd end up hurt and washed up. Whatever feeling I have for him must end now, because I won't allow myself to become like those slutty girls at school, desperate to sit in his face.