The Icy Beta

Chapter Nine

The Icy Beta: Chapter Nine

*Hailey's  POV*

I was sitting in my room. I wasn't in my room at Auntie Clara's house but one of the mansion's rooms. They told to stay with them as it was dangerous to go back to Auntie Clara's house. I didn't know that Chloe and everyone else lived together. Chloe never mentioned anything before. I guessed the reason of staying together was related to their secret. I was worried about Auntie Clara. I was afraid that man would hurt her but Jayden told me that he had sent people to protect Auntie Clara.

"Hailey, ready to go to school?" Chloe popped her head into my room.

"Yes." I took my bag with me and walked to the garage with Chloe.

"Where is Brayden?" I looked around but didn't see him anywhere.

"He left already." Chloe looked at me with a sympathy look.

I smiled weakly at her. "Let's go then."

At first, I thought it was nothing that he didn't go to school with us. As days passed by, I started to feel that he was actually trying to avoid me. He didn't have lunch with us in school. If I happened to be there early, he would just leave the table without eating. He wouldn't go home with us as well. I hardly even met him at home. If I did see him at home, he would just walked past me without saying anything. That lasted for a month. And this day, I decided to confront him. I woke up earlier than usual and hoped that I would meet him before he goes to school. I had decided that I needed to know what he felt about me. Otherwise, I would stop myself from having this stupid one-sided crush on him. Even though, I knew it would hurt me badly.

I went to sit in the living room facing the stairs. He would definitely come down from the stairs if he was going out. I looked at my watch. It was 6 in the morning. We would usually go to school around 9 in the morning. I wasn't sure what time he would go out of the house in order to avoid me. I was guessing the earlier I started waiting for him, the better it would be. After one and a half hour later, I heard footsteps and it was getting louder as the person nearing the living room. As expected, Brayden appeared and walked down the stairs. He didn't look towards my direction as if he knew that I was waiting for him in the living room. I stood up from the sofa and walked up to him. I grabbed his arm and stared into his eyes. I was shocked to see Brayden looking so pale and tried. He had eye bags and he looked like he hadn't been sleeping for days. His hair was in a mess.

"Can we talk?" I asked. He didn't move away from my grip but he avoided my gaze and was reluctant to look straight into my eyes.

"Why are you avoiding me?" I asked. He remained silent.

"I thought our relationship was making progress." Tears started rolling down my cheek. "After you talked to me in the storage room, I thought you were opening up to me. When you came to save me, I thought you cared about me." Brayden turned to look at me. His eyes were showing signs of sadness and pain.

"I do not know why. Ever since the first day I met you, I am attracted to you. Even though you were cold to me, I didn't really mind. At least, as the days go by, you were showing some level of concern for me.  Am I wrong about that?" Brayden continued to remain silence. He took his hand away from mine and walked away from me.

I turned around swiftly and faced his back. "I like you." He stopped walking upon hearing what I'd said. I ran to him and hugged him tightly from the back.

"I don't know what is wrong with me. But it seems that I can't stop thinking about you. I don't know what are you hiding from me. I don't know what those kidnappers want from me. I don't know whether what that man said was true about me being his daughter. I totally don't know what is going on around me. I don't know what danger I'm in that you guys needed to protect me. I don't know what is going to happen to me. All these don't matter anymore. I don't need any explanations. But there is just one thing I needed to know." I paused a while before continuing.