Refuge

Chapter 24: Can You Get Over My Blushing?!

Sorry this has taken so long! I've been so busy and my mind has been overflowing with ideas! Schools almost out though so hopefully I'll be able to update quicker and quicker!!!

Enjoy!!!!!

-A

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“Want to go for a walk?”

I look up at Hayden who’s standing in front of me. I put my book down on my chair’s armrest and pull my hair behind my ears. “Sure. Where do you wanna go?”

Hayden just shrugs, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I don’t know, really. Since everyone else is out with the dolphins-” I decided to pass on that. I’m not a fan of dolphins. Far away? Sure no problem! Up close? Hell to the no. “-I thought I could maybe take you into town? Show you around the little touristy areas, maybe?”

I bite my lip in an effort to keep the stupid grin off of my face. “Yeah, I’d like that. Are we gonna go now or later?” 

“Either,” he says, leaning his hip down on the chair, moving my book to the table as he does so. “If you’re ready and wanting to go right now, we can head out in a couple of minutes. I can grab some cash from my mom and we can grab something to eat...?”

Okay. There’s no stopping the grin that spreads from ear to ear this time. “Yeah, I’m ready to go now. Lemme go grab my sandals and a jacket and we can go, yeah?”

Hayden smiles and nods, leaning in to kiss me quickly on the cheek. My cheeks heat up at this and my heart skips a beat, but if Hayden sees anything, he doesn’t say. “Sure thing. Meet me on the front porch?” he asks, standing up and walking backwards towards the kitchen, grinning. 

I give him a cheesy smile and thumbs up, my face still a bit hot. “Sure thing, Watson.”

He just shakes his head and walks into the kitchen, humming to himself. Humming. Weird. As long as I’ve known Hayden, which albeit isn’t all that long, I’ve never heard him hum anything. Hell, I don’t even know what kind of music he likes.

Okay, that’s a lie. I know he listened to My Chemical Romance religiously when he was in middle school. He still has the poster pinned up in one of the corners of his room. The CD’s in his SUV include some of the older stuff from MCR’s glory days, but he also has some more modern, rap and hip hop albums in his glove box. Oh, and he cannot stand country, preferring older the late 60’s and 70’s radio to most everything. 

I smile as I pull myself out of the deep, comfy chair and launch towards the stairs, sprinting up to my room to grab some sneakers, excited for my day with Hayden. It’s just past one, which means he plans to spend the whole day with me, something we weren’t able to do yesterday because his mom had wanted me to rest all day. Well, I mean, we did spent the day together, but it was restricted to the couch. We watched movies all day but had to keep a foot’s distance between ourselves just in case Hayden accidentally “hurt her in this fragile state”, as Miss Abby had put it. Both Hayden and I had given an eye-roll at that, seeing as the new medication worked a freaking miracle what with the pain and...stuff, but she didn’t budge. So, Hayden and I watched a little over half of the Harry Potter movie series, eating around his weight in popcorn. 

It was a pretty chill day. 

I run down the hall, feeling way healthier than I did a few days ago, and into my room, grabbing the closest shoes to me. These so happen to be my sneakers, the black converse that I love so much and never leave without. I sit down and slip them on my sock-less feet, lacing them up loosely.