Tearing Me Apart

7

Nick's POV
I walk in from practice and I'm met with a shirtless man pulling on shorts in my living room.
"Um may I ask who you are?" I question.
He looks up and his raspy voice mumbles a quick no one.
"And you are in my house because?"
"Had to see her" He grabs a set of keys and leaves through the door I entered driving away in a car I'm unsure of how went unnoticed to me.

"Hailey??" I call through the house and find my way to her room. Her tan arms are lazily hanging around her knees which are pulled to her chest.
"Hey uh- did you know him? The tall, in a girls eyes, attractive, man in my living room?" I watch her eyes flash to a duller blue as they crinkle and her giggles fill the room.
"Yeah he's my ex. Always should've been." She looks up with a smile making me curious.
"Wait so he's your ex? But he was not wearing pants?"
She laughs again untucking her knees and sitting criss cross.
"Okay so when I left I didn't tell anybody. I want nothing to do with anyone from home all I want is to make it to North Carolina and go to college. He was my boyfriend when I left. I never really loved him to be honest but he was dead set on us getting married and having this huge family. I guess he tracked my phone or something and found me here so he came. He tried making me stay with him by having sex but I don't want that. I don't want him. So I broke up with him, finally."
She looks up at me as if asking me if I understood. I nod my head and give her a quick smile.
"I'm glad you can be happy now and about North Carolina. I leave tomorrow, I was thinking you were coming and you can stay with me again so I got you a plane ticket." I hand her the slip of paper and watch her face drop.
"Nick I can't take this. I already owe you so much I'm never going to be able to pay you back for this."
"Hailey I'm not leaving you here alone and you don't have to pay me back. Gifts are for you, you don't pay people back for gifts."
"You're version of a gift is very over the top."
"I only do what's best for those I care about."
I honestly have no clue what I'm doing.

Hailey's POV
My memory flashes back to the bright smile he gave me yesterday. His smile makes me smile and makes me happy but I don't want a boyfriend. And he doesn't want a girlfriend so it's settled. That doesn't stop my heart from rushing and stomach from fluttering every time he does anything for me.
"Almost done? We gotta head out in 5 oh and Richie just called he's coming too. I swear management needs to check some stats." He mutters the last part shaking his head and going back to his room.
Richie has by far become my best friend through these changes. I've told him everything through our late night texts and hang outs when Nick is sleeping or busy. The only thing I hide from him is Nick because I know they are better friends and my little secret will be guaranteed to come up in conversation.

"HAILEY HAILEY HAILEY" Richie yells and runs at me hugging me as if it has been months since our last seeing.
"Dude you just saw her 3 hours ago" Nick laughs and I swear I see a glare thrown Richie's way but unable to tell I let it go and hug Richie back.
"But she's my best friend in the whole wide world" He laughs and shoves me playfully into the car jumping in the front seat yelling shotgun.