Heart Strings

Chapter 11: What it Takes

The rest of the week finished up and Hayden saw no sign of Everett anywhere. He hadn't had the nerve to text or call him, and he was only worrying more as time passed. Jason picked Hayden up so that they could catch their flight to Tacoma. "Tell me what's wrong, son." Hayden didn't even have to say a word before Jason knew something wasn't right. Hayden's phone started ringing, and he desperately grabbed it to check who was calling. Dammit it's Chase.

"Yup?" Hayden answered. "You dick, you didn't even say goodbye. I see how much you care." Chase sounded mildly hurt. "I'm sorry Chase, I was in a hurry. I'll see you in a week, okay? And if you need to talk about anything, call me. I'm serious," Hayden replied. He didn't feel right leaving Chase alone after what had happened. "I'll be fine, probably. Don't worry Hayden, I can take care of myself. I'm a big boy." Chase jeered. "Can you?" Hayden sounded more serious than he had hoped. "Fuck off," Chase fell back to his usual reply. "Alright man I'll see you next week. Take it easy," Hayden said, ready to hang up. "Hayden wait," Chase hastily spoke. There was a moment of pause. "Who died? I mean, what's wrong? You sound like you lost a loved one," Chase's concern was evident in his voice.

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing Chase. I'm just tired from waking up late," Hayden tried to hide the sadness from his best friend, knowing that Chase didn't need any more to worry about. "Well when you're ready to talk dial me up, chap." And with that, Chase hung up. Jason took his sunglasses off and met eyes with Hayden for a moment before turning his attention back to the road. "Hayden I've known you since you joined Demetri's orchestra. I know the difference between something getting on your nerves and something deeply bothering you. Tell me, what's on your mind?" Jason's voice was as soothing as the jazz he played. For a moment Hayden wanted to spill it out, but he knew he wasn't quite ready to talk. "Jason I'll be fine. I don't want to talk about it right now, and don't try to convince me otherwise." Hayden knew that is Jason were to keep pressing, he would end up talking, and he really didn't want to. Jason saw this and moved onto a different conversation. More accurately, he talked while Hayden listened, and they were comfortable with this. Hayden slept on the plane and when he arrived home in Washington, he pretended like nothing was wrong. He at least pretended to be happy for his family, as much as he could.

Hayden almost dreaded when it was time to go back to California. He wasn't sure how to approach his situation with Everett, and if he should approach it at all. It made him nervous to the core when he thought about it, which was all the time. There was no way that Hayden was going to just give up. Something that he had never felt before had been brought out in him, a willpower like none other. He didn't even know Everett all that well but he could not fathom the thought of losing him, even when he wasn't sure he even had him.

It was all strange to him, especially since he had just warmed up to the thought of trying out a relationship with Everett, then for him to act so out of character just because they both got caught in the heat of the moment. Before that, it seemed as if Everett's carefree self wouldn't have minded to take things as far as they went, but when he mentioned not wanting to put Hayden in danger... Hayden had no clue what he meant. Things were really starting to seem strange and nothing was adding up. The frequent phone calls that made Everett nervous, that breakdown just after they had made out... but then he would present himself so confidently, as if he had nothing in the world to worry about or anchor him down. Hayden just couldn't stop thinking about it all, and it was giving him a very bad headache.

  Jason still couldn't get Hayden to say much at all about what was bothering him. "I'm just worried. There's just some stuff going on." That was the type of reply that Jason could get out of him. "Hayden, I'm just going to tell you one thing, and you take it as you want to. You need to talk to someone, I don't care who. If you can't talk to me, talk to someone. Talk to Chase, talk to Demetri, talk to anyone." Jason seemed more worried than before. "I'm going to handle it, Jason, don't worry," Hayden replied.