Falling For Hadley

Chapter 20

DYLAN'S POV

"To the new casino and to the young man that will run it!" My Dad cheers as we all sit at the brunch table and everybody smiles, except me. I just nod and clink my glass with everybody else's, I just play the part that my parents want me too.

"So, how does it feel to have most of the power in this situation?" my Father's top advisor asks me and I shake out of my daze.

"Amazing," I lie. I have been lying all morning. I wasn't perfect. I wasn't the amazing future billionaire that my parents wanted. And I wasn't over Hadley. Not in the slightest. My heart ached with every breath, and I wished that I had her in my arms right now. But I had messed up. I had lied to her for weeks. And she will never forgive me. I feel a pinch at my arm and it startles me out of my space out.

"Honey, why do you look like you're going to hurl?" My Mom whispers in my ear out of the side of her mouth and I clear my throat.

"I'm fine," I lie. I was breaking. Cracking. Falling. All that into one word. What word means all of those, anyways?

"You don't look like it. Cheer up, we're about to be ten million dollars richer," my Mother perks and I roll my eyes. Yay, more money that we wouldn't have anything to do with.

"But at the cost of what, Mom? People's jobs and animals lives aren't enough for you to stop?" I ask, a fury rising up from within me that I didn't know I had. My Mother stares at me, shocked and I stand up from the table. I excuse myself and head out of the restaurant to the parking lot. I take a deep breath and then I scream as loud as I can, getting many stares from people all around me. I walk out of the parking lot and down the streets, passing by the coffee shop where Hadley picks up a few shifts and her favorite bookstore. Everything in this town reminded me of her. Including myself. She had changed me, I'm a new person compared to the young man I was when I first moved here.

"Hey! Dylan, right? You and Hadley dating yet?" it was Jake, one of Hadley's friends that I met at the barbecue. I look up at him and all the pain becomes fresh again.

"No. And we never will after what I did," my voice grows cold and Jake gives me a worried look.

"Dude, what happened? You two are perfect for each other," Jake walks over to my side and waits for me to explain. And that's when I spot her down at the beach across the street. My lips part and I suddenly run out of air.

"I lied to her," I whisper as I watch her walking out of the water with an underwater camera. She did underwater photography too? Amazing, she was even cooler than I thought.

"What did you lie about?" Jake asks quietly and I watch as she runs around with her brothers on the beach. Her smile lights up my whole world as she looks up and I duck my head.

"I never told her that I was the son of the investor that bought out the Center," I admit and it breaks my heart as I look up and see her watching, I could tell she was still hurting just by the look on her face.

"Ouch. Yeah, she's not gonna let you get away with that very easily. And she's got three brothers that will pound you into the ground so good luck," Jake pats my shoulder and then continues to walk down the street in the opposite direction. I glance up once again and Hadley is gone. My heart throbs to see her again and jus to have her in my arms, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to. I continue to sulk down the streets when I feel my phone buzz in my pocket.

"Son, where are you? You excused yourself twenty minutes ago and haven't come back," my Father's voice reaches my ears as I pick up the call and I groan internally. Of course, he's worried about where I am on the day of the big celebration.

"I'm just walking the streets," I mumble in return.

"Well, you need to get back here. We're going to go home and get ready for the ribbon cutting in two hours. And since you're cutting the ribbon, everybody will expect you to look your best," my Father orders me and I roll my eyes.

"Dad, I don't know if I can do this," I suddenly blurt and my Father scoffs.

"What do you mean? If you're sick then we can just give you some medicine for that," My Father chuckles on the other end of the phone and anger boils inside me.

"No, I don't know if I can be the perfect son anymore," I add and the laughter stops.

"What do you mean perfect son? Of course, you're not. You still have lots of training to do before you'll be perfect," my Father says seriously and I scoff.

"Training? Come on Dad, I'm saying I don't think I can take on the center," I say coldly and my Father laughs some more.

"If this is about that girl, then you'll get over it eventually. And the money we earn from the casino will help with that,"My Father tries to comfort me, and it was failing majorly.

"Dad, have you never hurt someone who meant the world to you?" I ask him, disgusted by his last comment.

"No. Your Mother and I always got along. And if you hurt her, then she's obviously not worth it," My Father replies nonchalantly and I practically scream.

"You have no idea how wrong you are. She is the coolest person I have ever known! And she calls me out on my shit! Unlike my parents who just think I need training! Which is ridiculous by the way!" I shout into the phone and I hear someone drop their drink in front of me. And that's when I see the black coffee spilling all over the streets. I glance up to find Hadley standing right in front of me. I hang up the phone nad take a step towards her.

"Hadley," her name rolls off my lips like it was the most familiar thing in the world and she just takes a step back.

"I'm sorry, Hadley. You have no idea how sorry I am!" I try to apologize and I could see the tears pricking at her eyes, and I could feel them in mine.

"That's what Trent said," her voice was cold and weak, like she couldn't decide if she should be hurt or angry.

"I'm sorry Hadley. So so sorry. I thought you would never give me a chance if you knew who my Father was," I try to grab her hand but she yanks it away.

"You're wrong. I would've given you a chance, but what hurts the most is that you're not doing anything to stop it," a tear rolls down her cheek and I could feel my heart shatter all over again.

"You have no idea how sorry I am, Hadley. Just seeing you cry hurts me. Please just forgive me," I beg for her to come back and she looks at me blankly, another tear dribbling down her cheek and ono the pavement.

"If you don't do anything, I will. And it will be worse than you could have ever imagined," her voice grows cold and I suddenly fear her. I take a step back, like she was suddenly burning the air and she looks over me one last time before turning and walking away.

"I love you," I whisper as she walks away, but I was quiet enough so she couldn't hear. So that she couldn't hear my heart shattering on the pavement.