Friends Don't Kiss, Do They?

Chapter 20

I was let out of the hospital that night. Mom decided to treat us for McDonald's. It wasn't something I wanted, but under Mom's supervision I had a cheeseburger and a chocolate thick shake.

Once home I headed straight to bed, not feeling in the mood to message any of my friends to let them know I was home. I will probably let them know in the morning.

I woke up early the next day, but just lie in my bed, wondering if there is a reason for me to get out of bed. After all it's Saturday so there is no reason for me to get up. But even if there was no reason, Mom wanted me to get up for breakfast she thought it would be a great idea to go out for breakfast.

My brothers begged her to go to this Waffle place, and that's where we ended up going. I ordered two waffles with bananas and chocolate sauce. The amount of calories I was consuming frighten me. I shouldn't worry right? I mean, it's not going to matter if I lose weight or put it on. It's not like Matt will notice me. He never had and never will. And Samantha, it won't matter anyway what she thinks because I might as well quit the cheerleading team just like she wanted me to.

Just thinking about the team, and I suddenly see Mrs O'Hare walking into the restaurant with her husband and twin daughters who were around my brothers' age. They take a table in the far corner of the room from us, the twins excited about getting a booth table. I watch them for a few minutes, wondering whether or not if I should talk to her about the final game. There was no doubt she would have heard about what happened yesterday.

I ask Mom if it was alright if I could speak to Mrs O'Hare, and she said I could. I walk over to my teacher's table.

"Mrs O'Hare?"

My teacher looks up from the menu and smiles. "Hi, Hailey. What a surprise to see you."

"Yeah, my mom thought she would take my brothers and me out for breakfast."

"Who is that, Mommy?" one of the twins asks.

"She is just one of my students, Alyssa," Mrs O'Hare tells her daughter.

"Mrs O'Hare, could I please talk to you if it's alright?" I ask. "I understand if you don't want to because you're here without your family."

My teacher looks over at her husband, who tells her it's okay and he will take care of the twins. She tells him what to order for her and then stood up. We stand near the restrooms where we were out of the way from everyone.

"Your daughters are identical twins, aren't they?" I ask my teacher.

She nods, and smiles. "Yes, they are."

"My brothers are fraternal. They're such a pain."

Mrs O'Hare laughs. "Double trouble, I know. Anyway, I heard what happened yesterday. How are you feeling?"

I nod. "I'm okay. I haven't eaten anything for a week. That's why I collapsed. The same thing happened at practice when I fell. I didn't eat for three days. I'm sorry for lying to you."

"I'm not mad at you for lying to me, Hailey. I just wished you could have told me what was bothering you. Is there anything you want to talk to me about? Something you would like to talk about?"

I shake my head, biting my lip. I couldn't tell her about Samantha. I should, but I couldn't. Who knows what Samantha will try to do to me on Monday if I tell our coach what she has been doing to me? I don't even know if Mom will tell the principal what she has done, and as much as I want Samantha to be dobbed in, I didn't exactly wanted her to be. Not if it means her coming after me.

"I have decided to quit the cheerleading team," I tell her.

Mrs O'Hare was surprised to hear me say it. "Hailey, I thought we discussed that I will help you performed stunts with one hand over the weekend. I can still do it if you like. I wasn't sure how your condition was so I wasn't sure if you were still up to practicing over the weekend. If you want to rest, that's fine. But you don't need to quit, Hailey."

"I have to quit. I can't do this, Mrs O'Hare. Thanks for the offer, but I don't think I should be a part of the squad anymore."

I turn to leave, but my teacher puts her hand on my shoulder.

"Hailey, has this got something to do with Samantha not wanting you to be a part of the team? Remember I'm the coach and I want you a part of the team even if Samantha doesn't."

I stare at my teacher without answering as tears began building up behind my eye lids. I turn quickly before she could see them, and ran out of the restaurant, forgetting about my mother and brothers.

I walk straight to the car park and rest my back against my mother's car. The tears fall, and I couldn't stop them. And when I wiped them, they continued to fall.

"Hailey, why are you crying?" I heard my brother Timmy asks me.

I see my brothers walking over to me. Mom was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Mom?" I wipe my eyes, sniffing.

"She is inside talking to that lady you were talking to," Tommy answers. "She told us to wait beside the car."

"Why are you crying, Hailey?" Timmy repeats his question.

I shake my head. I couldn't tell my brothers what was going on in my life. They were only seven. They were too young to understand anything.

Before I had to explain myself to my brothers, Mom walks over to us, unlocking the car and tell my brothers to get in. I was about to climb in when Mom stops me.

"Mrs O'Hare asked me what was going on, so I hope you don't mind that I told her about Samantha."

As soon as she mentions this to me, a wave of anger washes over me, as well as fear knowing Samantha will plan something evil to get me back for telling on her.

"Why did you do that Mom?" I raise my voice at her.

Mom gives me a puzzle look. "Honey, your teacher needs to know what is happening."

"Yeah, but Samantha is going to torture me when she finds out that I have told on her."

"That girl is not a very nice person, Hailey. Mrs O'Hare said she will punish her for the pain she has caused you."

I laugh hysterically. "Mom, you don't know Samantha. She is a teacher's pet. She will find a way to get out of it."

"Not this time, Hailey. That girl is going to be punished for what she did. Now please don't argue with me. Mrs O'Hare said she will speak to you on Monday. Could you get in the car please?"

Without saying anything to her, I climb into the car. Mom climbs in and starts the engine. As she drives us home, I couldn't help wonder all of the terrible things Samantha will do to me on Monday.

* * * * *

Mom pulls into the driveway, sitting on the front steps is Matt. Tommy got excited about seeing him, saying my boyfriend was here. I wanted to say that he wasn't my boyfriend, but I decided not to say anything. I get out of the car, walking behind it and stand there watching Matt, not making the effort to get closer.

My brothers get out of the car, walking over to Matt, greeting him as "Hailey's boyfriend". Mom walks over to him, greeting him and then heads inside with my brothers.

We were now alone, neither of us making an effort to come closer. After a few minutes of staring at each other, Matt made the first move, getting up and walking over to me. When he was a couple of metres from me, I stopped him from coming any closer to me.

"What are you doing here, Matt?"

"I want to talk to you, Hailey."

"Well, I don't want to talk to you."

"Can we just talk about what happened?"

"No. It's pretty clear that you prefer Samantha over me."

"No. I don't prefer that bitch. I want to be with you, Hailey."

"Then why did you let her kiss you?!"

My question hangs in the air. It was so quiet that not even the sound of the neighbours' dogs was barking. We stand there staring at each other with nothing to say. With the silence between us, I chose that moment to walk away and head back inside. Matt doesn't even try to stop me.