Misery Business (Sequel to Never Let This Go) *Paramore*

Chapter Twenty-Three: Mistakes

Hayley's P.O.V.

Before it gets too far, I hear a voice call my name in the distance. David pulls away from me and I just giggle for no apparent reason. He pulls out his rope and turns me so he is facing my back, with my hands behind me about to be tied together. "David, what are you doing?" I ask curiously as to why the cute man was tying me up.

"Shut up," he tells me coldly. I gasp at his attitude toward me and try to turn around to face him but end up being pushed into a tree, my hands completely tied now.

"What is going on?" I ask as another pain shoots up my fragile body. The voice calls my name again.

"It's time," David replies as Andrew walks to us holding a noose in his hand. Andrew is the one to climb the tree and set it up for me apparently. Why would David want to hurt me? The voice calls my name again and I finally realize it belongs to Chad Gilbert. Will he try to hurt me too? Are these people trying to hang me?

These feelings soon wear off though, and I realize that this is when my life ends. What just happened? The last I remember is David threatening Taylor. "Get yours hands off of me," I tell David, who is rubbing circles all over my back. I try to escape his grasp but all that happens is a slap in the face. "You sick people killed an innocent little girl!" I scream.

Andrew jumps down from the tree and grabs me by my neck. "Honey, if I were you, I would shut my mouth," he tells me close to choking me. "You are an undeserving, disgusting, selfish, worthless, ugly, disgrace of a person and need to be punished," I try not to let his words touch me, but they punch me straight in the stomach. I'm a disgrace of a person, huh?

All of a sudden, David falls to the ground, spitting out blood and Andrew lets go of me. I turn around to see Chad breathing heavily, his fist clenched, and his eyes on me. I have no idea what I should be thinking, because he just punched someone I though he is working with, but was calling me name as if he were on my side. David tries to get up, but Chad lifts his foot and kicks him were in hurts, harder than I've ever seen before.

Andrew is in shock, so Chad takes it as an advantage to him and punches him hard in the jaw as well, and kicks him in the stomach for good measure. They are on the ground trying to regain their strength as I'm in shock now. Chad unties me though, and motions for me to follow him, and for some reason I trust him. So I follow. Maybe it's because he hurt them, or untied me, or that I was once in love with him, but I trust him. A lot.

Out of nowhere, I feel something pull my ankle back and I fall letting out a scream. I try to get up but the person is sitting on my back. Chad turns to face me and stops. "Get off of her " he says simply. I'm suppose to be dead, Chad. I don't even know why I'm not already.

I hear the person pull something out of their belt, and realize what's about to happen. I'm about to die. I feel a knife trace my back gently as Chad slowly steps closer. "Step any closer and the girl gets it right in the neck," I hear the voice say, Andrew's voice. I look up at Chad with wide eyes and he doesn't move.

"Andrew, we both know I have a lot of information about you that is secret for a reason. Not even your precious Angela knows. I can spill whenever I want, so hand over Hayley or I will," he replies to Andrew in a calm voice. He knows what he's doing.

"Like what?" Andrew asks in a cold tone. I still can't move, but my breathing is heavy and Andrew is not helping with my back problems,"

"You know exactly what I mean. Unless you want me to tell Hayley," Chad responds looking straight at Andrew. I'm resting my head on my arms as my body gets used to the dirt I'm laying in. "Now unless you want Angela to find out, as well as the rest of the world, get off and leave her and her loved ones alone. Do you understand?"

"I'll finish you later Williams," Andrew says getting off of me. He didn't leave a scratch. I get up as he walks away, David waiting for an explanation of what happened. I don't know why Chad would do that, but I owe him my life now.

"Why?" Is all I can get out as I stand.

"I was never truly working with them, Hayley. I did it to get the information I needed. Angela never even knew I was involved on their side at all, Andrew and David and strong, but they're not smart," he explains to me from a couple feet away as I brush some dirt off of my clothes.

"Chad, you saved my life," I say in a hushed voice stepping closer to him.

"I told you I would get you out of this mess, Hayley. I still care about you," Chad admits as my eyes start to sting. I thought I hear a voice, but I push it away and in the heat of the moment, press my lips against his. I don't know what I'm even thinking doing this, If I'm thinking at all, but I know it's only right for a split second. I have Taylor. The karma bites me quickly though, as Taylor and Jeremy appear through the trees.

The kiss doesn't last, and I find myself speechless as Taylor just stares at me. Who could expect this from me? I just kissed another man for goodness sakes! Chad looks at me through wide eyes and Jeremy looks more shocked than all of us, actually. What in the world did I just do? "Taylor, I don't know what that was..." I claim almost in tears.

"Save your breath, Hayley. It's not like I could've stopped you," he says turning away from me and walking into the trees where he came. The tears start pouring down my face as Chad walks away too, not a word from him. That leaves Jeremy and I as Taylor's words break my heart into a million tiny pieces. He doesn't stay, though. He walks away, leaving me standing more vulnerable than ever.

I can only walk as far as Lacey's tiny body hanging from a tree that Andrew must have put there for me. I kneel down to the ground sobbing, close my eyes, and I pray. I pray for Lacey, and I pray for forgiveness.