Ain't It SALTY

When you're living in a bubble

DAY FOUR

Hayley's POV (see above for Dalton's song):

I woke up (in my own bed) this morning, and decided to talk to Dalton about the "damage-control plan". I'm about to knock on his door when he opens it. "Oh, Hayley - I was just about to come look for you." "Ha ha I was looking for you too." He moves aside so I can enter his cabin, and I sit down in the couch. "Sooo... I was talking to my band... And since I kind of ran off stage to talk to you the other day, we think we should offer the fans an explanation." Dalton grins at me mischievously. "Oh, are they... thinking things???" He winked at me and I couldn't help but think that he enjoyed that thought, or he's just naturally flirty in a dark under-current kind of way. "Well... Maybe..." I blushed.

"Anyway..." The priss in me changes that subject fast. "I was thinking if I could... Tell them about... us? During Paramore's set tomorrow at the last show. And maybe... Maybe you'd want to sing a song with me?" Dalton grinned. "So... just to clarify, there is an 'us'?" I nod slowly, a smile creeping over my face. "Awesome! Okay, yeah. That'd be real danque." I smile at that. "But wait - what's danque?" Dalton fakes astonishment. "Wait, you've really never heard that before?" I shake my head. "Ha ha wow. Okay, well it means 'cool', 'dope', that kind of stuff." I nod. "Yeah I figured that much, from the context."

"So... What song did you want to sing?" I pause for a minute. "Um, I didn't have a particular one in mind. Any suggestions?" Dalton thinks for a moment. "Well, there is one that I've been working on recently. I call it 'Would You Like That?'" "Okay, can I hear it?" Dalton nods and grabs his guitar.

I'd pull out all my teeth
Arrange them into a crescent
If you needed a smile
All the skin that covers me
I'd dry it out and use it as kindling
If you asked for a fire
Ooooh baby I would burn for you
Ooooh baby would you like that?
Ooooh I would do anything for you
Ooooh baby would you like that?

I'm in awe over the lyrics. When he finishes I just sit there, on the couch, starting at my feet. "Well? What did you think?" And then without hesitation, I lean over and kiss him. And he doesn't seems to mind at all. His lips taste like sugar and are as soft as any I've ever seen. He leans over me on the couch and has his hands halfway under my shirt on my back. But as soon as I realize his intent, I break away. "Not until you put a ring on it, Dalty!" He looks hurt for a minute, but then smiles. "Who said I was ever going to? Just be glad I remembered to put on pants this time." I smack him in the arm playfully. Leave it to Dalton to make everything awkward. We both just sit there for a minute, caught up in the whirlwind of our crazy emotions. I'm falling for this guy hard, and I don't think I ever wanna reach the ground.

Dalton's POV:

After the kiss, we're kind of just sitting there for a while, thinking about everything. She still never told me if she liked my song. "So, umm, what did you?" "Of what?" "My lips - no the song you idiot!" Hayley rolls her eyes. "Dalton, that was so beautiful... I could sense the pain in your voice, and the longing." I can feel my face heat up. "Well, you should probably know... I wrote it, for you." Now her face is red, and her big brown eyes are wide with surprise. "Really? Now why in the world would you do that?" Her voice is sincere, not even sassing me at all. I think she's pretty shocked.

"Well, since Madison cheated on me a few years back, I've been so hurt and broken feeling. I told you how I had to re-balance my meds." She nods, her lips forming a rounded "O". "Well, I never thought I'd have any room to trust anyone ever again... Until I met you, that is." I reach over and grab both of her hands in mine. "Hayley, you helped me learn to love again." "Really?" I nod. "Yeah." She leans back on me as we're both sitting in the couch, my arm pulling her as close to me as possible. I'm inhaling her fresh, citrus scent when she interrupts my thoughts.

"Dalton?"
"Yeah?"
"Your song is amazing... And so are you."

I kiss the back of her neck. Her pulse quickens for a moment, and then slows down as her breath matches mine. And before I know it, we both fall asleep, with our bodies intertwined with each other.