Fake It

(06) hard to swallow

Pouring the tomato and onion sauce over the pasta, Hayley mixed it in with the mince meat as she made dinner. Holding her phone in her other hand and to her ear, she had just told Derek about the afternoon.

"No? You said no to a party at Ben Barlow's house?" Derek repeated what Hayley had said, in shock. "I can't believe this. Why did you do that?"

"I have... Stuff to do" Hayley trailed off, not at all sounding convincing. She didn't actually need to do anything - she was only cooking to distract herself.

Hayley had chosen pasta to make, seeing as the dish was just second nature now that she'd been working at an Italian fast food restaurant.

"Look, Hayles. I've been your best friend for ten years. I know you, and I know that right now your Dad and Cameron are probably watching Call Of The Wild Man while you cook dinner because you're bored" Derek replied, while he was watching the show himself.

Hayley was exactly the type of person who was the opposite to everyone else - she had the motivation to do the most boring of things, when she didn't even have a reason to.

Say for example baking pasta, or watching documentaries on the ocean - Derek didn't know how Hayley did it.

"You know, you're always right and it just sucks" Hayley smiled to herself, shaking her head. It's like Derek could read her mind.

"I know what's happening. You're too scared to let anything good happen to you, you think you're not worth it... But you so are" Derek sighed, wishing Hayley would see more in herself. "Maybe Josh does really like you."

"Doubt it" Hayley mumbled, yet Derek would've guessed she would say something like that.

Hearing a knock at the door, Hayley looked over at her father and brother and realised they weren't getting up anytime soon.

"Catch you later, gotta go" Hayley spoke quickly into her phone, before hanging the call up.

Placing her phone in her pocket, Hayley padded from the kitchen and to the front door. She was wearing her pyjamas and a food-stained apron. A signature Hayley look, really.

Opening the front door, Hayley's eyes widened as they landed on Josh. "I thought I told you I was busy?"

"You said you were cleaning and cooking, yes" Josh nodded, looking at Hayley's cooking apron.

"Yeah, I was" Hayley nodded, although lying about the cleaning part.

Hayley was hoping Josh wouldn't see that the house is almost completely clean already.

"How about I help you out?" Josh asked with an arched eyebrow.

Out of what felt like nowhere, a group of younger teenagers entered Hayley's house - they were Josh's cousins, around Cameron's age.

The group all chose a room in the house each where they would clean, leading Josh to smile at a stunned Hayley.

"So you can go and get dressed now that the cleaning and cooking will be done for you all" Josh's smile widened to a grin - one Hayley was beginning to find hard to resist.

"You look great, you really do. Look at me... I look... I don't even know what you could call this" Hayley sighed, looking down at the apron and pyjamas she had on. "I have nothing to wear."

Hayley's dilemma would be sorted, though, seeing as Chrissy walked inside and smiled. Linking her arm with now a very confused Hayley, the girl spoke.

"I'm Chrissy Franceschi, the star child. I'll be helping you tonight" Chrissie informed Hayley, giving the girl a nudge. "Helping you... Blossom!"

Turning to Josh, Hayley sighed and bit her lip. She didn't want to go, but she was so impressed with how sweet Josh was and how much trouble he went to just to get her to go to the party.

Taking a seat on the lounge, Josh looked up as Cameron stood beside him. "Hey, buddy."

"Hey Josh, would you like a drink?" Cameron asked with a grin, happy to see the male. "I'm having a Fanta."

"I'll have a Fanta too, thanks" Josh replied, with Cam returning soon after with the drinks.

Chrissy on the other hand, was applying mascara to Hayley's eyes. Hayley kept fluttering her eyelashes and opening and closing her eyes, which wasn't helping anyone.

"Gosh Hayley, haven't you ever worn this stuff?" Chrissy asked the redhead, wishing she would relax.

"No, never" Hayley shook her head. "I've never worn make-up. Mum left so I never learnt how to wear it. I haven't really bothered to try it out."

"Sorry..." Chrissy bit her lip, before taking Hayley's headband off. The girl tilted her head and smiled to herself. "What do you think of cutting your hair?"

"You know how to cut hair?" Hayley asked, smiling once Chrissy had nodded. "I'm up for a change, sure. What are you thinking of?"

"A big change" Chrissy smiled to herself. "A change in which you'll really have to trust me."

After three quarters of an hour of looking after Hayley, Chrissy was pleased with her work and skipped down the stairs.

Smiling, Chrissy got her brother's as well as Cameron's attention by calling out to them. "Boys, come here please."

Josh and Cam stood up, walking to the bottom of the staircase. Chrissy looked up, wondering why Hayley hadn't come down yet.

"After some hard work, here is the new and improved Hayley Williams!" Chrissy called with outstretched arms, although it was about a minute that they were all waiting and the girl figured Hayley's nerves got the better of her. "Hayley, get your cute self down here!"

Stepping down the stairs slowly, Hayley nervously walked down. Josh's eyes widened at the sight of the redhead - his sister really was good at what she does.

Josh took Hayley's hand in his own, which made the girl feel all new kinds of feelings.