The Exception:Midnight Red fan fiction

Chapter 9: All This Time

I was so tired. I stayed up half the night talking to Eric about basically everything. He was such a good listener. I did not want to go to school, but I had to. I felt myself slowly getting sick so I will take time off then. I haven't talk to Colton in days. But I wasn't going to to let the sad and bitterness of that take away the excitement of it being my 16th birthday. Thomas insisted taking me to school. So I told Justin last night and he left early to go pick up his friend Josh and head off to school. I went down stairs earlier than usual hoping I could take a glimpse of my birthday present early. "Morning sweetheart, happy birthday" my mom said sitting at the kitchen table. "Your father had to go to work early but you will see him later. We planned on giving you your present early but he really wants to see your face." "It's fine" I said. "Thank you." Then I heard a knock on the door. It was Thomas and Ali. "Happy Birthday" they shouted both giving me a hug. "Thanks guys." "Ready to go?" Thomas said with such a big smile on his face showing his pretty much perfect smile. "Yep by mom" I said. When we got into the car, Bre let me have shot gun. After Thomas started his car him and Bre handed me a box. "Guys you shouldn't have. I really didn't want any presents." "Shut up and open it" Ali added. It was a beautiful pair of earrings and a card that said,

Hope you like them! As soon as we seen them we thought of you.                                                                    Happy Birthday:) Love Always, Thomas and Bre

"Thank you guys so much." "Your welcome." We drove off to school.

When we arrived, we saw Eric waiting anxiously outside his car with Anthony and Joey by his side. They mobbed me as soon as I got out of the car. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" they all yelled together. "Thanks guys." "We got this for you" Anthony and Joey said. They handed me a bag of all of my favorite things. They knew me so well. "It was Joey's idea to get you The Vow" Anthony stated. "He's such a marshmallow." I laughed at his comment. "I love it guys really. Thank you." I hugged them both. After that they went to go meet up with Taylor and Joey's girlfriend Rebecca inside. "See you around" they said walking toward the main entrance. Thomas and Ali gave me one last hug before they walked off to go inside as well. "Hey I got you this" Eric said as we were walking. He handed me a silver Kay Jewelers box. "Oh my.. Eric this is gorgeous. I don't know what to say." "Glad you like it" he smiled. It was a locket necklace. Inside it had a picture of us from when we went to the movies 2 weeks ago. "I love it." I hugged him tightly. "And um there is something else I wanted to tell you." he said as he watched me admire my present. Then the bell for homeroom went off. "We better get going were late" I said pulling on his arm. When we got inside, I asked 'Okay what did you want to tell me?" "Uh it can wait til later. I will see you around. Happy Birthday." he said walking off to his locker in the opposite direction.

In third period, I had such a bad headache. I went down to the nurse to get some advil. On my way back to my class, I heard my name being called from the hallway behind me. "Hey Hailey wait up a minute" the voice said. I knew that voice any where.. I continued to keep walking because I didn't want to look him in the eyes. Just as I thought I was in the clear, Colton jumped in front of me. "Hey it's been a while" he said. "I call and text you all the time and you never respond. Did I do something?" "It doesn't matter" I said trying to walk around him. "Yes it does you're mad at me and I don't know why. Tell me. You can't leave until you do." "Fine you really wanna know? I fell in love with you okay? And the craziest thing is I felt that you may of had feelings for me to. Then I find out after you have been leading me on that you have a girlfriend. You have absolutely no idea how I'm feeling." He didn't know what to say. "Exactly". "You are in love with me?" he added in a innocent feeling guilty voice. "Yeah Colton. I am. Not like you care. Just forget about me." After that I stormed off back to class trying my hardest to hold back my tears.

We made absolutely no eye contact at lunch. I could feel him looking over at me from time to time. I didn't care. I just wanted to leave. So much for a great 16th birthday. After school, Eric wanted to drive me home, so I allowed him. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Yeah I'm fine." I didn't want to bore him with my life so I kept what happened between me and Colton to myself. "Okay" he said pulling up to my house. "Thanks so much for my necklace again. It's beautiful." "Not as beautiful as you" he said. His comment made me blush. I got out of the car as I heard him say "Happy Birthday" one last time.

When I got inside, my parents and Justin were waiting for me. "I'm giving you my present now. Follow me." Justin said. I obeyed and followed him out to the kitchen. "Happy Birthday" he said handing me a adorable black and white kitten. "Oh my god Justin thank you. He's so cute." "Our turn" my dad said. "Close your eyes." My mom put a blind fold on me and let me out to our garage. "Surprise princess" my dad said taking the blind fold off me. It was a red punch buggie. "I absolutely love it. Thank you thank you thank you." I said hugging my parents. My own car. I couldn't wait to get my license.

After we had cake my mom was doing the dishes, Justin was playing his Xbox and my dad was on the computer. I heard the door bell. "I'll get it" I shouted. I didn't see anyone when I looked out the peep hole. So I opened the door to find a bouquet of flowers on the step. There was a note inside. "Happy Birthday. Sorry about everything. Look up." There Colton stood leaning on his car in a blue button down with black skinny jeans. I walked over to him. "Hey. I'm sorry about before. I shouldn't of piled all that on you. "No it's okay. I'm glad you did actually. It got me to realize some things." "Like what?" "I love you too." I didn't know what to say. "Wait what about Abby?" "I broke up with her. After you told me you loved me, I realized I loved you too. And also I can live without her. I can't say the same about you." I looked into those adorable brown eyes of his and he leaned in and kissed me. "I'm sorry" he said. "It's okay I wanted you to for the past 8 months." "Good well I better get going then. Happy Birthday." he said again kissing me softly. As he was getting into his car I heard him say "I love you Hailey Marie." "I love you too Colton Rudloff." I watched as he drove off. My head was spinning. But as I turned around I saw some one else there. It was Eric holding a rose in his hand standing by his car. I heard him say "I knew after all this time you still had feelings for him." "Eric I" he cut me off. "Save it. It doesn't matter. Happy Birthday and see you at school." "Eric wait please." Just like that he threw his rose on the ground and drove off. I stood there in the darkness catching a tear that had fallen down my face. "Eric" I said as my voice faded out into the night.