Holding Back [COMPLETED]

Chapter 9 - "Ummm...where's dad?"

Steam spilled into the hallway as Haley opened the door to the bathroom. She stepped out, her damp hair falling over her shoulders and turning her t-shirt dark. She was halfway to her room when something made her stop.

It was the muted tones of two voices. Two voices that were trying not to be heard but couldn't seem to control their volume. Haley's stomach clenched and she looked towards the stairs. She knew her parent's door was closed, if it hadn't been she would have been able to make out words instead of disjointed mumbles.

Further down the hall, Matt walked out of his room, dressed in a polo shirt with a coffee mug logo on the breast pocket. At the muffled voices he paused. The two siblings looked at each other.

"I thought you didn't work Saturdays," Haley said.

"I don't, but I thought I would pick up a couple extra shifts. You know...more money."

Haley nodded. The voices continued to go back and forth, slowly losing their battle to remain in the range of quiet.

"Will you be home in time for dinner?" she asked, her eyes flickered to the stairs and back. "We could eat together or something."

A sharp 'I know' rang out from below them.

"I'll be out late," Matt said, his fingers tightening around the strap to his bag. "I'll be helping with closing up."

Haley nodded again as if it really didn't matter either way. "Of course."

The voices cut off and the silence was almost just as unnerving.

"I should go," Matt said. "I don't want to be late."

Though he said this he didn't move. His gaze was on Haley as if he wanted to say something more. Say something that would help them get back to where they had once been, but instead, he jogged down the stairs and left, the door banging behind him. Haley remained in the hallway, waiting.

She didn't know what she was waiting for, more talking? Something smashing? A shout that the whole neighborhood could hear? None of those things happened. The voices picked up again, but the tones had somehow shifted.

Haley didn't let herself think about what the difference meant. Turning away from something she didn't know how to fix, she headed into her room. Grabbing her headphones, she climbed onto her bed and blasted her music.

She leaned her head against the wall, trying to drown herself in lyrics that she barely heard over her thoughts. Eyes closed, she gripped her phone, swallowing down all the emotions that were building in her chest.

They weren't worth acknowledging.

Instead, she let the singer scream for her as he banged away on a piano.

Eventually, she opened her eyes, feeling as if she could face the world. Even if that world was her room. A flash of movement caught her attention and she looked to her balcony. Nothing was there. She was about to look away when a small object flew at her window. It hit the glass and fell to the ground.

Frowning, Haley took out one earbud and waited. This time she heard the tiny plink as another object bounced off the window. Removing the second earbud, she climbed off her bed and walked to the doors.

The sight that met her had her frowning more deeply but for a completely different reason. Jace stood on his balcony, holding a bag of M&Ms.

Again Haley was faced with the reasons that almost every girl in the school drooled over him. He looked like a model from those clothing stores that despite the fact that they sold clothes only have pictures of half-naked men on their shopping bags. She had never understood the point of those stores, were they selling clothes or shirtless men?