Ain't It SALTY

It's easy to ignore trouble

DAY THREE

Hayley's POV:

I wake up to my ringing cell phone on a bed... next to Dalton. His strong arm is still around my shoulders, and he's still asleep... With his shirt off. Wow he is really toned. I'm still in my stage clothes that I ran over here in. Holy crap - it's 6:00am?! OHHHHH right... We were talking all night last night, and then we must have dozed off. Nothing happened, of course. I'm not that kind of girl. I look over and notice Will in the bed across the room. Ohhh right - they're roommates. Awkwarrrrrd. Well, I'm glad he finally got the hint, anyway.

"Hello, Zac?"

"Hayley, what the heck happened yesterday? Everyone is curious about what happened, I've already heard some interesting fan theories, and it's not even 8am!"

"Yeah, I really am so sorry... I just had to handle the whole thing with Dalton, I couldn't focus on literally anything else and the song lyrics just hit me right in the gut, you know?" I hear Zac sigh on the other end of the receiver.

"Yeah, I do understand. I don't like it, but I understand. Hey, that reminds me - I didn't see you at dinner last night, or at all after your little stage evacuation. Where are you?"

"In Dalton's room."

"What? OMG Hayley..."

"Zac, chill - we were up all night talking, and then conked out on the nearest bed. Nothing happened!"

"Are you sure about that?" I roll my eyes.

"I think I would know..." Zac chuckles a little.

"Okayyyyy... Well, we have to figure out a game plan for damage control, you'll have to explain some reason for such a strange event yesterday. Meet me in my and Taylor's room in a few minutes?"

"Yeah, okay, I'll be right there. Let me just run to my room and wash up a little."

"Sure thing!" I hang up with Zac and tiptoe over to a still-sleeping Dalton. "Hey Dalton..." He rolls over and opens his very blue eyes. "Hey there, Lightning Bug." "Ha ha what?" "I'm calling you Lightning Bug now, because of your hair." I smile at the nickname he gave me. "Um, okay, and I'll call you Salty." He snorts sarcastically. "Oh real original." I roll my eyes. "Well um, I have to go meet with my band. Will I see you later?" "Well, yeah, I guess for the show..." "Thanks a lot, Captain Obvious."

I ruffle his bleach-blonde hair, grab my purse off the chair, and head out the door. I run to my room and freshen up, and then walk out into the hallway again. In a matter of seconds I'm at Zac and Taylor's room. I knock, and they let me in.

"Okay so - damage control. Ideas?" I shrug my shoulders. "Was it really that big of a deal?" Zac and Taylor exchange glances, "Um, I'd say so. You ran offstage in the middle of the set and didn't come back. Fans are wondering what's up."

I shrug my shoulders. "Yeah, I suppose that's true." "So... What is up with you and Dalton?" My eyes widen. "Oh, you mean we should tell the fans that?!" I really hope they're kidding. "Maybe? Well, not all of the drama with Will and all, just that you really like Dalton and had to tell him how you felt? It would be good publicity for both of you, actually." I sit in silence for a minute. "Well, nothing has been established yet..." Zac pipes in - "I think things have been established since your little spontaneous sleep-over last night!" I shake my head. "Geez, guys - what's it gonna take to prove to you that nothing happened?!? We just talked for a while and fell asleep. Ughhhh..." The guys love embarrassing me. Then again, what are bros for? "Okay, well, I guess you can leave that part out..." I nod my head. "Yeah that'd be good." "Okay, so you'll play the 'love' card. All your teen girl fans will think that's sooo sweet and then you'll be set. Actually, you'll be better than set, you'll be great. I bet Dalton's fans will support that too."

Dalton's POV

I'm still laying in bed for a while after Hayley leaves. Will is still sleeping, but he wakes up when his alarm goes off at 6:30. "Good morning, Dalton." I rub the sleep out of my eyes and turn toward him. "Morning, Buddy. Hey, so about last night -". Will raises his hand to stop me mid-thought. "Say no more, I understand now. She's not into me, never really was. I really was just too blind to see that." I nod slowly. "But are you okay with this? I mean, I knew really liked her too." "I'm going to have to be. I'll still be a crazy fan though - Paramore rocks! And it doesn't really matter what I think if she doesn't feel the same way." I walk over to him and pat him in the back. "So... Is it okay with you if... I date her?"

Will smiles at me. "I'd be mad if you didn't! You seem to make her happy, really happy. And hey, she was in your bed..." "Hey now, nothing happened. We were talking and just got tired, that's all. You were here, didn't you see?" Will smirks at me. "I opened the door a crack late last night, and saw you guys talking and stuff. So I turned around and hung out in the lounge instead to give you some... privacy." I roll my eyes. "Will, you didn't have to, nothing was ever going to happen." Will smirked. "Suuuuure Dalton." And he winks at me. I raise my hands in frustration. "I don't know what more I can say to prove otherwise." He nods. "Yeah, I figured as much. But I did want to give you some space just in case."