Ways To Win A Girl's Heart (Discontinued)

Chapter 2

I guess it really didn't hit me until I was getting my usual at my favorite coffee shop, realizing that Damien wasn't waiting for me like always.

Always. God, who you knew that word was such crap?

'Always' Severus Snape said. 'Always' Peeta said. Well, don't believe them, Dumbledore and Katniss. Because they're just going to go and ditch you with some stranger so that they can make out with your supposed best friend behind your back.

I didn't cry. I didn't even break down when I realized that I had to walk to the hospital instead of getting a ride from Damien. I just sucked up every ounce of energy the coffee had to offer me and thanked God that I was wearing proper shoes today.

Lucky me, it started to rain, almost as if on cue the moment I stepped out of the shop.

My life sucked.

It didn't take as long as I thought it would getting to the hospital- I guess the running helped- but it didn't stop me from bursting through the patient room door, soaked head to toe with rain and mud and my teeth chattering so much I felt like somebody up above messed up and made me a human instead of a beaver. Hailey, looking all warm and cozy in her bed while she read a book, merely glanced up at my dramatic entrance. Her eyes widened at my wet hair and the small lake that was slowly forming at my feet, "Avi, you look like sh-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I've looked better." I wave her off with my hand and trudge into the room, peeling off my jacket, then my sweater, then my cardigan, and yet my shirt was still soaked through. I kick off my boots and drop everything on top of the heater in the corner of the room, knowing nothing was going to set fire any time soon.

Hailey, as always, was looking gorgeous today, her thin blond hair tied into a perfect fishtail braid and her eyes bright and alive. Sitting down on the bed next to her, I felt like a tramp, with my tangled dark hair in my face and my clothes wrinkled and dirty. I probably looked exhausted, while Hailey looked like a paler Ava Sambora, like a model that Hailey so desperately wanted to be. She would have made it in the teenage modeling business, too. Life could be so cruel sometimes.

Hailey marked her page and threw her book onto the chair next to the hospital, turning back around with a hair tie and brush in her hand, "I have to be blunt, Avi, you look disgusting."

I stick my tongue out at her and turn around, sitting cross-legged and getting comfortable as Hailey started to work the tangles out of my hair. I stretched my arm out and turned on the iPod dock on the table near me, and soon we were listening to Hailey's favorite music, which consisted of Justin Bieber, One Direction and Taylor Swift.

I smiled. Hailey was such a fourteen year old.

"So..." Hailey dragged out behind me. I raise an eyebrow, even though she can't see me, "So?"

"How was your date with Damien last night?" Hailey asked, her voice giggly and happy. She always had a couple crush on us ever since I had introduced her to Damien, and insisted I bring him with me every chance I got. Damien was polite to Hailey, but wasn't very interested in hanging out with a sick girl every day when he could have been studying for college or reading a book about quantum physics. Either way, Hailey asked about him every time I came over.

My heart drops into my stomach. I didn't know if I had the energy to explain to Hailey, who worshipped our relationship, that Damien had cheated on me.

"Um, well..." I start. Hailey brushes through the last knot in my hair and my head feels tingly from all the pulling. "You see, Hailey, I don't think- Damien and I, we're... Something happened, and- Well-"