How Hailey Met Cullen

Installment IV

     “Look, my car’s right over there, Cullen said. “If we can just get past the house without anyone seeing us and get out of here, we should be just fine.”

   “Just fine?!” Hailey exclaimed. “How am I going to explain my disappearance to Alexa? On second thought, how am I going to explain my disappearance to my mother?!” She peeked around the door of the barn. Cullen’s car seemed like it was about a mile away, and, to get to it, they would need to cross the tree-less, empty yard right in front of Wyatt’s house. If Wyatt or either of his parents saw them, she didn’t know what she would do. 

   She pulled her head back into the barn and turned to Cullen. Her mouth opened to say something, but the expression on his face cut her short. The innocent puppy look was back, but this time it was that of a wounded innocent puppy.

   “You...you don’t think last night was worth all that?” he said, and Hailey’s heart melted in her chest.

   “No, no, it’s not like that,” she said, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly. “Last night was great, I just...I’m really scared of having to face them. I just don’t know what I’m going to tell them.”

   He nodded and wrapped his arms around her, leaning his forehead on hers. “It’s gonna be okay,” he told her, but she saw fear deep in his shamrock eyes, too. “We’re gonna get through this.” Then, quickly, he kissed her and pulled her to the door. “Let’s discuss it in the car, shall we? Are you ready?” Without waiting for an answer, he dragged her out of the barn and began sprinting across the lawn. Hailey worked hard to keep up, and hoped with all her heart that no one was watching from the house.

   As luck would have it, Hailey’s hopes went unheard. Inside the house, on Jared-the-star-forward-for-Winona was just waking up with a nasty hangover. After finding him passed out by the fire pit, Wyatt had stashed him in the guest bedroom, which just happened to have a nice view of the front lawn.

   Jared rubbed his eyes, wincing at the headache that throbbed behind them, and looked around. he barely remembered anything. There was the car trip with Hailey--Jared sighed longingly at the memory of her--and then the first beer by the fire pit, but after that...nothing. He got up and went to the window. Sure enough, there was Wyatt’s yard, complete with mud, empty beer cans, and the new, green shoots of spring grass. And--Hailey, being dragged at full-speed across the yard by--wait! Was that...the famed Cullen McGrady, star forward of the Rochester hockey team? Jared’s mouth dropped open and he stood, dumbstruck, watching the love of his life run away with the enemy.

   What had they been doing all night that--? Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no! They hadn’t...Hailey wouldn’t... Jared’s eyes narrowed and his upper lip curled up in a furious snarl, headache forgotten, as he watched Hailey get into the passenger’s seat of a smooth black Camaro and drive away. He dashed out of the room and down the old stairs into the kitchen, where a surprised Wyatt in boxers and T-shirt was just sitting down to a nice bowl of cereal. “Wyatt, I need to borrow your truck!” he cried, and then, spying the keys lying on the kitchen counter, grabbed them and headed for the front door without a backwards glance.

   “Wouldn’t it be easier if I just--” Wyatt called after him, but Jared was already outside, the door slammed behind him. He was at the wheel of the old white Ford in an instant. Quickly, he started it up and sped out of the yard with the pedal to the floor.

   He followed the rich bastard’s disgustingly gorgeous car at a distance all the way into town and down Mankato Avenue. He turned left on tenth and watched as the Camaro pulled up at a little green house, where it sat for a while, its passengers doing Jared abhorred to think what. Finally, Hailey got out, blew the driver a kiss, and walked up to the door. It wasn’t till after Alexa had answered it and welcomed her friend in that the black Camaro finally glided back onto the street and headed off.

   Jared waited until they’d gotten back out of town to take action. As soon as they got up out of the bluffs on Highway 14, he sped up until he was parallel with the fancy Chevy, making sure there was no one coming in the opposite direction. He gave McGrady a glare and stepped on it, swinging out in front of his hot car and forcing him to a stop.

   The two rivals met each other in the middle of the road. “What do you want, Johnson?” Cullen asked, his tone almost friendly.

   “So you know who I am, asshole?” Jared drew himself up to his full height and stuck his chin out at the Rochester scum.

   “Course I do. You’re the star forward for Winona. I haven’t forgotten yesterday’s game, and you’re pretty well-known for...several things.”

   “Let’s skip to the point. What the hell were you doing at last night’s party? And what the hell were you doing sleeping with Winona’s number one fan?! Who do you think you are?”

   “I’m not gonna fight you, Johnson.”

   “Oh yeah? Well I don’t think you have a choice!” Jared’s big, meaty fist came out of nowhere, aiming for Cullen’s nose. Cullen ducked just in time, scooting back behind his car to avoid more trouble.

   “I can’t fight you, Jared! Please don’t make me do this!”

   “Why not? Come on out and face me like a man!” He was coming around the side of the car. Cullen inched his way back, trying desperately to find somewhere to hide.

   Suddenly, they heard the noise of a car door slamming. Both boys froze.

   “What’s going on here?” A familiar face appeared over Jared’s shoulder. Cullen’s stomach fluttered with relief. It was Michael Brooks, Rochester’s esteemed goalie and Cullen’s best friend. “What’s going on here?” he repeated. “Cullen? What are you doing?”

   “What’s he doing?” Jared’s laugh was rough and low. “He’s hiding, that’s what. I got a bone to pick with him, and he won’t face me like a man.”

   “Aw, man, what’ve you done now?” Michael sighed. “Dude, I can’t keep--”

   “He’s gone and slept with my girl, that’s what! He’s gone and slept with my girl!” With that as his battle cry, Jared descended on Cullen, his face red, his eyes bugged out, and his fists flying.

   “Hey, hey, whoa, now!” Michael slapped a hand onto Jared’s shoulder and yanked him back, throwing him against the Camaro. “You can’t just--”

   Jared punched him straight in the face. “Bastard slept with my girl!”

   Cullen recognized the look that came over Michael’s now bloody face. It was murder. Jared was gonna have to get real lucky to get out of this one alive.

   The first punch struck Jared on the lip. Fuming, Winona’s star forward took only the time to spit out his tooth and a bit of blood before he swung back, determined to hold his own. But Michael caught his fist before it made contact. He pinned both Jared’s arms to the car above his head with one hand, and with the other he drew back for another blow.

   Cullen watched, almost in slow motion, as Jared’s foot came out and made contact with Michael’s knee. He watched his best friend as his face contorted in pain, and then his body crumpled to the ground, his left leg bent the completely wrong way. Michael’s head hit the asphalt with a thunk, and he ceased to move.

   “Michael, no!” Cullen leapt to his feet and hurried over to his friend. Michael’s breath was ragged, but it was still there, though there was a pool of blood gathering on the pavement beneath his head.

   Cullen stood without thinking and turned on Jared. The Winona boys face was plastered wit ha look of utter shock, but that didn’t stop Rochester’s avenging forward. “I’ll fight you,” Cullen hissed.

   Jared turned and attempted to dart over to Wyatt’s rusty white truck, but Cullen grabbed him and yanked him around. Holding the other boy by both shoulders, Cullen brought his knee up and slammed it into his stomach. Jared gasped, his eyes going wide, and then he went limp. Cullen let him fall to the ground, and then stepped back. Quickly, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed three short numbers.

   “9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”

   “Hi, yeah, there’s been a...an accident...”