The Photo Project (#Wattys2014)

18: I'll Always Be There

I hissed and flinched away from Hayden's hand, glaring at him.

"Your hurting me."

"I'm sorry, Isobel. But it needs to be cleaned out. I need to see how deep it is, but HeI'm almost done."

I groaned and closed my eyes tightly as he lightly rubbed the alcohol over the cut on my cheek.

"Alright.." He trailed off, lifting my head up more.

He looked at it closely, touching lightly around the cut. "I don't think it needs stitches, but it does need to bandaged."

"What am I supposed to tell my mom?" I mumbled out, taking the ice pack from him.

"Just.. Tell her you fell and sliced your cheek on glass." He shrugged, throwing away the bloody paper towels and washing his hands.

I nodded slowly, biting my lip. "Hayden?"

"Yea?"

"You've been avoiding me."

He sighed and rested his hands on the counter I was sitting on, staring into my eyes.

"I had to."

"That's all I get? 'I had to'?.. I think I deserve more than that." I huffed out.

"I.. I just did.. I care about you, Isobel. And I'm not used to this whole thing.. Having friends, and caring about other people other than my mother and my sister.. And my father." He ground out, clenching his jaw before relaxing it.

It seemed like anytime his family came up, he tensed up.

I blushed as his words caught up to me. "I care.. About you too, Hayden." I whispered out, keeping my eyes down.

"But when I care about someone, I don't avoid them." I grumbled out, looking up at him.

"Isobel.. Please just forget it, alright? I wont avoid you anymore."

I grinned but quickly stopped, wincing at the pain it brought to my cheek.

He winced and traced under the cut lightly. "Are you alright?"

I nodded. "Yea, I'm fine. It just hurts really bad when I.. You know.. Breathe.." I trailed off.

He chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Then maybe you should stop breathing."

I gasped, staring at him in horror.

"Your-Your going to kill me?"

He let out a loud laugh, throwing his head back.

I stared at him in disbelief. He was laughing, before he killed me?

He calmed down and grinned down at me, shaking his head.

I was thinking more along the lines of.. Me, not breathing, with you."

"Wait.. So your going to kill me, and then kill yourself? That just doesn't make any sense. I mean, who goes through the trouble of killing someone, only to die themselves? Who gets a knife, or a gun, or whatever, goes through all the work of putting gloves on so the finger prints wont show-.. Well I guess you wouldn't have to do the finger print part, because you'll be killing yourself too, but I mean-"

I was cut off by Hayden's lips slamming against mine, making my head tilt make slightly.

MY eyes widened as I realized what was happening.

Hayden Arcane was kissing me. Again.

My eyes fluttered closed as my arms came up to wrap around his neck.