Chosen One

Saying Goodbyes

Hayley's POV

Leo stood next to me as I stood at my locker, taking out my clothes so I could pack them in my bag. He asked me how long we were going to be gone. I told him that Louis gave Alex and I the week off to spend time with our family. I still couldn't believe this was really happening. After all this time my mom was, I mean is alive I kept thinking. I blurted out "This is so unreal." Leo returned, "It's real Hayley." I coyly grinned at him. Then he said, "So if you get bored you know you can call me anytime." I shook my head as I said, "Sure."

Once I was all packed up I walked out into the upstairs of the foyer. I was greeted by Jackie. I told her to take care of The Greenhouse. She replied, "I'll do my best. What's the worst that could happen?!" We both busted out in laughter as we reflected on what transpired these last few days. We then lured each other into a doting hug as we continued to giggle. As we pulled away, I advised that I would see her soon. She acknowledged by smiling, saying ok and goodbye.

Just as I was about to make my way down the stairs Leo stopped me. He asked me if I needed any help carrying my bags and I stated to him confidently that I could manage to the car. He affirmed that he was happy for me that I had my mom back. I exalted that a lot of it was because of him. Then he confessed the unexpected, "You know I'd be even happier if, if we were together. Look I don't want to pressure you or anything, and I know it always seems like the wrong time, but I love you! I've loved you since the first time I saw you!"

After hearing all of that I couldn't help, but hug him. I felt bad because I knew I still cared for him, but not the way that I cared for Daniel. It hurt me to think that I would have to eventually tell him that I just wanted to be friends, but this wasn't that time especially since he just declared that he loved me. I slowly released my arms form the hug and said the only thing I could say at the moment, "I should probably go." He nodded, I smiled at him and then made my way to the stairs.

I walked down the stairs and apologized to my family for the delay, but I had to say my goodbyes. Dad asked us all if we were ready to go home and we all gladly said yeah. We were almost to the door when I heard someone call my name. I turned around and realized that it was Daniel. To get my family to give us some alone time, I asked them to take my bags to the car and that I would be there in a minute.

As I was handing my parents my bags, I unzipped my backpack and retrieved the special key that opened the door in the cave. I clutched it tightly in my hand. I looked at Alex to see him nod towards Daniel, wink and then smile at me. It was like he knew that we had something between us. Daniel and I slowly walked up to each other and I was the first one to speak.

"Hey!", I articulated as my heart started to race. I looked deeply into his big, warm brown eyes. When he was walking towards me I could see him anxiously rubbing his hands together. He retorted with a soft "Hey!", back to me. I instantaneously asked him how he was doing because I had been wondering since the police came down to the cave.

We hadn't seen each other so I wanted to hear what all transpired since we separated. Surprisingly, he replied that he was good considering what had just happened. Then he informed me that his mom turned herself in and that she was going to prison. With an empathetic look on my face for him, I told him "She will be fine. Strong woman!" He responded that he didn't want to bring me down and to go because my family were waiting for me.

I looked down shyly at the key that I still had clenched in my fist. Every time I looked into his sweet eyes my heart melted so without looking at him directly in the face, I opened up my fist and reached out to give him the key. He asked me, "Don't you want it?" I shook my head no, he took the key from me as I retorted, "Keep it. It will remind you of our Eureka times together." He looked down at the key in his hands, smiled then looked up at me and said "Eureka time. I like it." He bit his lip a little which made me quiver.