The Marriage Project

The Marriage Project [Part 4]

As Hayden and I drove back home, the awkward silence was thickening in the car. It felt stifling hot; it felt awkward. The awkwardness was reaching it's peak as we got to my place, the music in the background only in tensing it. I didn't know why it was so awkward - it's never awkward with him...

He pulled into my driveway and looked over at me with soft eyes as he half smiled at me. I returned the half smile and was about to get out of the car, but he leaned over and closed the door before I could step out. I looked back over at him with a raised eyebrow as he looked down at his lap and fumbled with his fingers.

"What is it, Hay?" I asked, pursing my lips soon after I did.

"Uh...nothing. Never mind." He said, shaking his head and unbuckling himself and opening his door, getting out.

Well that was odd... I thought to myself as I frowned lightly and got out, opening the door in the back to get one of the babies. Hayden had already grabbed the more decent one and the backpack.

After I had gotten the dis formed, creepy baby and backpack, we walked inside. Hayden's slightly parted lips seemed like they wanted to say something, but the words had gotten lost somewhere in his throat.

We clambered up the stairs and into my room, placing both babies on my bed and placing the baby bag and our backpacks down on the floor. I grabbed a piece of paper and pencil, getting ready to write some of the report we were assigned as well as the project.

Hayden kept acting weird as he grabbed things from his backpack and sat down beside me with one leg bent up in half by his chest almost and the other straight out as he hoisted himself up with his hands by both sides of his body, and leaning against the bed a bit. I sat Indian style beside him with the paper in front of me as I leaned over and stared at the blank whiteness, trying to figure out how to start it. I looked over at Hayden as if to ask him if he had any ideas to which he shook his head at me and shrugged.

I finally began to have an idea start to flow through my brain as I started writing. I was almost done when I jumped in surprise as one of the babies started screaming. It wasn't a cry as much as it was a screaming, wailing, high pitched terror that trilled from its plastic light pink lips. Hayden's weirdness turned into complete and utter horror as he slowly turned enough to look at the dis formed baby. Soon after the other baby started - both got louder by the second. Hayden and I both held our hands to our ears before we stood up and picked up the babies and tried rocking them. We each tried something different until we both accomplished walking around while lightly swaying back and forth, shutting up both of the plastic devils and finally going back to some peace and quiet.

We decided to take a break and walk down to the kitchen to search for some snacks. Every time Hayden comes over, at some point, we raid the cupboards and refrigerator. We found a pack of Oreos and milk and walked back upstairs to the now sleeping babies and homework. As we dunked our Oreos in our milk, Hayden suddenly spoke up out of the blue.

"Hey, Jade? Can I ask you something...?" Hayden asked, taking a sip of his milk awkwardly.

"Sure, Hay. What's up?" I asked, smiling lightly at him.

"Well...er..." He started, before he gulped and continued. "D-do you think..."

He stopped. I gestured for him to continue, but he kept hesitating. I frowned lightly at him.

"Hey, you know you can tell me anything, right?" I asked, scotching closer to him and lightly, playfully punching his arm gently. He lightly smiled and nodded, but his eyes held something. I couldn't tell what it was. Finally he started to speak up again.

"Do-do you...." He paused for a moment again, thinking how to ask. I patiently waited while taking another bite from my Oreo cookie. "Do you like me...?"

I almost choked on my cookie.

Did he just...?

I coughed lightly and took a sip of my milk, awkwardly searching my brain for an answer. I honestly did like him.... As a friend. A best friend. Is that what he meant?!

"Like a friend...or...?" I asked softly, trying to run it through my brain and realize he just actually asked that question.

"...Yeah, yeah." He awkwardly laughed. But something seemed off...

"Of course! Why wouldn't I...? We've been friends for ages, haven't we?" I asked, confused. Something defiantly seemed off.

"Well, yeah, but... You haven't really hung out with me except at school or now because of this project." He lightly furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips. He wasn't keeping eye contact with me though.

"Awweee, Hay's missin' Jadey tiiimmmeeee.'' I grinned and pinched his cheek lightly as he blushed profusely and awkwardly laughed. I hugged him and rested my head on his collar bone before I started talking again. "You know... If you want, we could hang more, I mean... If you want to..."

"Yeah, okay. If you want to." He answered softly. I smiled and nodded gently against his shoulder as I sat back up and looked into his eyes. The way his hazel eyes softened and glistened in the light gave him a certain... Certain... Charm...

I smiled softly, still locking our gazes as his lips played with a smile that was slowly starting to form across his face. His jaw was gently clenched as he started to slowly lean in. I found myself leaning closer to him as well before I caught myself and awkwardly coughed and pulled away quickly, rubbing my arm awkwardly and looking down. He looked down as well before he looked back up at me. I felt his eyes boring into my face as I stayed away from all eye contact incase it got even more awkward.

Well, this is quite awkward...

We finally began to work on our essay again, attempting to finish it before the night stars shown in the sky and the moon peeked out from behind the clouds. Soon it had happened like that - but we weren't even close to finishing our work. After he said good bye and left me with the twins (we agree'd on alternating them back and forth between ourselves), I was lost in my thoughts. The train of thought caught me off guard as I hopped on and began to realize something.

We almost kissed.

I almost kissed my best friend. But I don't like him that way... Do I?

I like Trevor. But Sofia likes Trevor, too.

What am I going to do?

Does Hayden like me... Like, like me?!

Oh god what am I going to do?


A/N: Ooooohhhhh! Hayden and Jade almost kissed. *crowd gasps* What's going to happen?! Well I think I shall only make this short story have ten parts. Ten. Maybe less - I'll figure it out quickly. But, yup! Just letting you know, also, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN BETWEEN THOSE TWO BFFS?!