BESIDE YOU

Chapter 9

HAYDON

All week I've thought about that strange girl from the party. I want to know where she disappeared and why she was really scared. But hey, I'm Haydon Flynn. I'm not that lucky.

Monday morning I pick Laura from her house and I drive her to school. She is looking pretty in denim overalls and really cute braids. She fidgets with her phone for a few minutes before she turns to me.

"Haydon, I wanted to clear something", she looks a little uncomfortable.

"Yeah go on", I say.

"Are we dating?"

"We are testing the waters", I state.

"Oh?"

"Yeah"

"What's that supposed to mean"? she says raising her eyebrows.

"It means that we are two friends who are trying to see if we are compatible or not"

"And when are we going to reach a conclusion?"

"I don't know", I say.

She lets out a sigh.

" Haydon, stop playing with words. I need a clear answer".

"What do you want to know Laura", I ask.

"Are we boyfriend girlfriend? Are we any close to being official?"

"I don't know", I say seriously.

"Why?"

"Because I don't know if I am up for this. I need some time to process everything"

"I am sorry. I should have been more understanding", she smiles at me.

Damn this girl is too nice, I think.

She resumes playing with her phone.

I feel bad for how I am treating her.

"Look Laura, I'll try okay. I'll try to make this work", I say sincerely.

"I know Haydon. You are too nice to me", she says.

"Too nice? You seriously don't know me at all", I snort.

We laugh and everything is okay once again. We get to school. The day is very slow. I yawn at almost all the classes, gaining dirty looks from my teachers.

I have to stay over after school for completing some work. By the time I'm done, most of the people are gone. Only the kids for sports practice and play practice are still there.

I walk through the hallways and suddenly I feel the urge to take the back door for a change. But that meant that I had to pass her locker.

I tell myself that it's going to be okay and just turn and walk towards the back door. As I approach the familiar locker of hers, I feel the anticipation building in my chest.

Almost a month ago, people had decorated her locker with pictures and notes of how she will be missed. Nobody invited me to join them and even though I knew about it, I didn't go. It was just too weird to put up things for her when she wasn't around to see it anymore. It was too hard.

Nobody removed those things from the locker. I guess it won't be used anymore.

As I turn to look at the locker, I get the shock of my life. To put it mildly, the pictures are still there but they have changed a little.