Only Half Expected

Chapter Five

I look at Nash and lean in to whisper in his ear, "Can we leave, like how?"

He looked at me, almost scared, scanning my face.

He nodded.

Hayes walked over.

"Hey Kyle," he smiled.

"Hey man," he said, then they did that man hug thing I've never understood, but the thought of Hayes doing it with the guy that hospitalized me, made me feel sick.

"Kris, you look so pale," Hayes said.

Kyle laughed.

"Oh, she does, doesn't she?" he said in a fake sympathetic voice that only Nash and I picked up on.

"Shut up, Kyle. Why can't you just leave me alone? Haven't you done enough crap to me?" I said, a small, broken stringed net only holding back the river of tears behind my eyes begging to flow free.

Stay strong, I told myself. This is what he wants.

He looked fake shocked.

"Whatever do you mean?" he gasped.

I turned to Nash, the. Hayes.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm leaving," I said.

Nash and I started towards the car, then I hear Kyle yell, "Why so mad? It's not my fault I told you I didn't like you the way you liked me. Yeah, I know that was only this morning, but still."

I turned around and ran up to him, Nash attempting but failing at holding me back.

"I never did crap like that. I never like you. I've hated you since the moment I met you, you fugly rich snob kid. Your only here because you knew that after what you did to me I'd be hospitalized. Yeah, you wanna see me broken? Here you go. Want me to commit suicide? I will if it means you'll leave me alone! What will it take?" I asked.

Hayes just blinked, staring wide-eyed at me.

"For you, to apologize for what you did to me," he whispered.

"What did I ever do to you?" I asked quietly.

He leaned in close.

"Nothing. I liked you in first grade, and when I tried to impress you, you told me you didn't like me. It sounds stupid now, but that hurt a six-year-old." He looked away.

"I'm sorry for not liking a kid that bragged twenty four seven that never left me alone," I hissed.
This was getting weird, what I said came out of now where, and so did he.

"Just go away," I said, tearing up.

Hayes just looked stunned, shocked.

I couldn't imagine three and a half months with him and Nash. In my house, without Liam looking out for me.

I walked away, towards Nash, who looked stunned, but not like Hayes.

Kyle came up behind me and whispered; "Fine. Unless you get this 'you and me' thing out of my system by going on a date with me, this will look like a breeze very soon."

Before he could move, I lifted by left, backwards, kicking him in the.. thing.

He groaned, high pitched, and fell.

I turned around, stomped on his man boobs, and punched him in the face.

"Let's go, now! I mean it this time." I started running towards Nash's grey Mazda, Nash following.

It takes Hayes a few seconds to process this, before he chases after us.

Nash climbs into the car, and when I go to step in, Hayes grabs my arm.

"Can you explain?" he asked.

"I might," I said. "But later."

I tried again, but he kept his grip.

It starting hurting me through my bruises.

"Hayes, that hurts... a lot," a winced.

He looked sympathetic, but kept his grip, shaking his head.

"No," he said, semi-confidently. "Your telling game first."

"No, I'm not," I said, and finally pulled away from him and climbed in.

"It's too hard to explain, okay?" I said, almost tearing. "It hurts to think about it."

He looked sort of sad, but kept a straight face.

"Your telling me, soon," he whispered, climbing in beside me.

"I make no promises of the matter," i said, matter-o-factly.

"Yes, you are," he said. "Please."

I sighed, looking at him.

"Fine," I said, looking away from him.

"Kyle has bullied me for almost six years now, and what I said about what happened was false; I woke up this morning, with Kyle beside me. He had a metal baseball bat in hand, and I asked him what he wanted. He said 'To beat you with a baseball bat,' and the last thing I remember was both sides of my head aching, and warm liquid, probably bloods, running down my face." I sniffle, trying to keep my tears behind my eyes.

Hayes wraps his arms around me.

"I'm so sorry,"he whispers in my ear.

"It's okay," I whispered back.

I yawned, suddenly tired.

"Go to sleep," Nash instructs. "You had a long day- well, two days."

I curl up next to Hayes

Then, Hayes says something funny before I doze off; "Wait, so should I de-friend him off FaceBook?"