After the tension left along with Julian, I fell onto the bed, falling asleep immediately. I dreamed about life when I was younger.
But something had changed.
Instead of running around with secrets, everyone knew. My parents were still around. And I was still in love.
I knew it was a dream. But I wanted to stay asleep forever, living in a fantasy. Where boys weren't assholes. Where I could love freely. And most of all, my parents hadn't left us.
"HAILEY" my loud as fuck brother screamed from downstairs, I could hear him start to run up the stairs. I got out of bed quickly, realising I was late for our daily run, and standing there in my baggy jumper and leggings. I hadn't bothered to change last night and I'm starting to smell. Wonderful.
I groaned and exclaimed, "don't come in here!". Unfortunately, my voice wasn't quite heard because he barged into my room anyway.
But it wasn't Harrison, it was Julian.
"You're awake," I stated, surprised. "You always sle-" I stopped abruptly, noticing his genuine smile.
"So you do remember." He said, the grin never wavering. Yet it dropped with my next words.
"I remember an asshole who changed everything for me." Making me realising what feeling empty was actually like. I didn't say the last part, I don't want him to know how much I was truly hurting. I hung my head down, staring at my feet.
"I never stoppe-" He started, but I interrupted him. Refusing to hear the rest.
"Please don't finish that sentence. Please." My voice broke slightly with the last word, my gaze meeting his.
"HAILEY GET YOUR FAT ASS DOWN HERE!" He's always had a way with words.
"You need to leave." I busied myself by making the bed.
"I'm going to respect your wishes, but I just want you to know th-" He was interrupted. Once again.
"Julian? What are you doing in here?" My brother asked as he'd made his way into the room.
Impatient little bugger.
"He was just making sure I slept okay. Weren't you." I raised an eyebrow at Julian.
"Yes?" He said it like a question and I rubbed my face with annoyance. "I mean, yes!"
Jesus can't help us now,
"Oh, alright. I put your suitcase by the door." Harrison gestured to the door, where, just as he said, my suitcase sat. I didn't even see him bring it in. He left, telling me I had "one minute to get changed or he's leaving without me."
Bless his little unaware, idiotic, useless brain.
"Okay!" I replied chirpily. I looked over at Julian who was now standing awkwardly by the door.
"Shut the door on your way out." I looked back to the bed and finished by fluffing the pillows. He sighed defeatedly.
"I'm not going to stop, Hailey. Not for you. Ever." The door clicked shut.
That's the first time he's said my name.
I bought the pillow up to my face and screamed into it. All the pain that came to me as soon as I saw him, easing slightly. Everything becoming slightly more bearable.
Setting the pillow back down and making it seem like nothing happened, I made my way over to my suitcase and opened it up.
I wore my sports burgundy bra, black shorts, black trainers and a grey jacket and left, slamming the door shut on my way out.
I slowly made my way down the stairs, avoiding the middle to stop any noises indicating I was eavesdropping.
"should come tonight." Julian finished. "No, they don't know." He was on the phone to someone, which ended with a sigh so I decided to make an entrance.
"Where's Harrison?" I asked and he bloody flew.
"Fucking hell, are you trying to kill me?!" He screamed, clutching the counter.
"If I was you would already be 6 feet under." I muttered under my breath while grabbing an apple from the table.
"You don't want me dead." He stated, almost casually.
"Why do you always think that you know what I want?" I asked, hands on my hips.
"Because sometimes I know you more than you know yourself." He replied, watching me.
"Your cockiness was always your downfall." I stated, now crossing my arms.
"I ju-"
"There you are! I was looking everywhere for you!" Harrison entered the kitchen.
"I'm sure you were." I answered shortly.
"Let's go." He said while rolling his eyes.
"Bitch," I started, "Don't roll your eyes at me."
"I can do what I want." He tried to intimidate me by standing up straight. Just because I'm small doesn't mean I'm scared by dis basic bitch.
"Say it to my face." I argued.
"Why the fuck would I want to do that? That's gross." He scrunched up his face in disgust.
"I know you are, you said you are, but what am I?!" I shouted childishly before running out the room.
Giggling slightly, I walked out the front door where I witnessed a sexy, shirtless stranger staring at the car we arrived in.
"Umm... can I help you?" I asked while walking towards him with purpose. He turned around to face me and shamelessly checked me out.
"You certainly can." He replied, finally meeting my unimpressed eyes. His eyes flicked towards the house and what he saw made him smirk.
"Hi, Zane." Julian came out of nowhere and stood beside me.
"Hey Julian." Was the reply.
No one said anything and I awkwardly stood there, watching them glare at each other.
"Hi, who's this?" Harrison was now on the other side of me.
Lovely.
"Hi, I'm Zane. I live there." He pointed at the house to the right of Julians and shook Harrison's hand.
"I'm Harrison, we just moved in with Julian." He introduced himself and Zane looked over at me.
"Hailey." I stubbornly said, I didn't really want to get any friends or to be known.
"It's a pleasure, Hailey." He grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it, maintaining eye contact as he did so. However, he remained unfazed by the glares he was getting and winked at me before saying, "I can show you pleasure."
Before I could pull back with some kind of rude reply, Harrison grabbed his arm and twisted it.
"Watch yourself." Overprotective much? Jesus.
I put my hand on his shoulder and told him to "let it go". He reluctantly did so, but not before pushing him away and warning him.
"Stay away."
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