Dare to Fall

Chapter XL

The sunlight was sneaking through the edges of my curtains, trying to brighten up my room. Normally, I'd let it in, but today wasn't a day for sun. I swung my legs out of bed, crossed the room, and drew the curtains tightly closed, plunging the room back into its comforting gloom. After grabbing a towel, I headed into the bathroom to wash up, still shaking off the remnants of sleep.

I went through the motions—brushing my teeth, washing my face, letting the shower wake me up fully. Afterward, I slipped into my school uniform, threw on my jacket, and made my way downstairs. The house was quiet. My mom's usually bustling around by now, but all that greeted me today was the smell of waffles drifting from the kitchen.

The waffles were sitting out, perfectly stacked, topped with a generous helping of whipped cream. I grabbed a plate, cut into the waffles, and savored the first bite. It was like biting into a piece of heaven—my mom always knew how to make breakfast feel like a warm hug. I finished quickly, washed down the sweetness with a glass of cold water, and gathered my things for school.

Outside, the air was still thick with the bite of winter. The snow from yesterday's storm coated the streets, crunching beneath my boots as I locked the door behind me. Winter had always been one of my favorite seasons—something about the cold air, the stillness, and the clean, white snow was comforting. I had the option to drive to school, but today I felt like biking. There was something about cutting through the cold on a bike, feeling the wind whip past you, that felt freeing.

I arrived at school quicker than usual, the quiet of the morning giving me the space I needed to think. I parked my bike, securing it in the rack, and walked toward my locker. Inside the building, it was the usual post-holiday chaos—students reuniting after winter break, swapping stories of their time off, the noise bouncing off the walls.

As I finished grabbing my books, I spotted Amelia coming toward me. "Happy New Year, Hailey Felicity Jones," she said with a teasing grin, handing me a sleek black and gold box. I raised an eyebrow but took it.

"What's this?" I asked, peeling back the lid. Inside was a collection of my favorite candy, two books I'd been eyeing for months, and an electronic dictionary bookmark, something I'd mentioned in passing that I thought would come in handy. My heart warmed at the thoughtfulness of the gift.

I smiled and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you, Amelia. This is... perfect."

"You're welcome," she replied, and her eyes sparkled as I handed her a present I had bought for her last month. She ripped it open, and her grin widened when she saw the unicorn onesie she had been wanting.

"Finally! I'm wearing this to bed tonight," she said, holding it up to inspect. "Thanks, Hailey."

"Of course," I replied, but her next question wiped the smile off my face.

"So, are you and Cayden still not talking?" she asked, cutting to the chase.

I sighed, shaking my head. "It's... complicated."

"Homecoming's in three weeks, Hailey. Three weeks, and you two still aren't speaking? What happened this time?"

I shrugged, trying to seem more nonchalant than I felt. "Things just got... out of control. You know how it is."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Yeah, you're out of control," she said, pointing a finger in my face with a teasing smile. I forced a grin, but inside, the knot in my stomach tightened. We walked to English class together, taking our usual seats in the back.

"I don't know, Amelia. I feel like it's beyond fixing this time," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "Cayden's tough to talk to when things get serious, and I'm no better. We're both stubborn."

"Then tell him what you need to say. It's not that hard, Hailey," she said, her voice low but firm. I sighed again, slumping in my seat.

"I wish it were that simple. You know me—I can't get my words out right. Especially not with him."

She turned to me, her face softening as she took my hands in hers. "Hailey, you have to try. If you want things to get better, you need to talk to him. Tell him what's been on your mind. You're only making it worse by avoiding it."

I nodded, but I wasn't sure I believed her. "I'll try."

"No, don't try. Just do it," she insisted, her grip on my hands tightening as she gave me a reassuring smile. I opened my mouth to respond, but the words died in my throat as I saw Cayden walk into the classroom, Logan and Noah trailing behind him.

Our eyes met for a brief, tense moment before he quickly looked away, heading to his seat without a word. The tight knot of anxiety in my stomach clenched harder. Even from across the room, I could feel the weight of everything unsaid hanging between us. I turned back around in my seat, feeling Amelia watching me closely.

"Good morning, class," Mr. Brown greeted as he walked into the room. We all rose to our feet, mumbling a collective greeting before taking our seats. I flipped open my textbook and tried to focus on the lesson, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Cayden.

By lunchtime, I was a mess of nerves. I sat in our usual spot in the cafeteria, pushing my salad around my plate. Amelia gave me a sidelong glance as she bit into her grilled cheese. "You gonna actually eat that, or just keep stabbing it to death?"

"I don't know if I can do this," I mumbled, taking a reluctant bite of the salad.

"Do what?" she asked, exasperated. "You can't keep avoiding him, Hailey. You have to talk to him."

"I know. I just... I'm scared."

"Of what?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

I stared at my salad, struggling to put my feelings into words. "Because... he's Cayden," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Amelia looked at me incredulously. "What's that supposed to mean? You're scared because he's Cayden? You've known him for a while now!"

"It's not just that," I murmured, my voice barely audible. It's because he's Cayden, and I'm terrified of how much I'm starting to care about him. But I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud. Instead, I shook my head and stood up, grabbing my tray.

"I'll see you in art class," I said, walking off before Amelia could press further. I dropped my tray off with the lunch lady and headed to my locker, needing a moment to collect myself.

As I was swapping out my books, I felt a presence beside me. I turned to find Logan standing there, a small smile on his face.

"Hey, Hailey," he said, holding out a small, rectangular box. "I got something for you."

"Logan, you didn't have to—" I began, but he shook his head, insisting I open it. Inside was a delicate charm bracelet. My breath caught in my throat.

"This is... beautiful," I said softly, looking up at him.

"I'm glad you like it," he said, smiling as he helped me clasp it onto my wrist. "It's nothing, really. I just thought you might like it."

Before I could say anything else, I noticed Cayden standing a little way down the hall, watching us. My heart skipped a beat. He was holding something in his hand, but as soon as our eyes met, he turned and walked away, leaving the hallway just as cold as the winter air outside.