Because Of Him

When everything changed

The whole day went by faster than I expected. The usual murmuring behind my back and eyeing daggers that were fired to me was the usual. A couple glances from Jessica and sandy but I tried my best to ignore them. It was the end of the day and I walked out and immediately saw Hayes and Dante talking. Dante was holding a piece of paper and was pointing to something on it with a pencil in his hand, Hayes was replying with repetitive head nodding as he eyed the paper. I narrowed my eyes because I couldn't believe I actually saw Dante and Hayes. Talking. Socializing to one another. Without having curses being fired back and forth.

They never really got along, nor have they enjoyed each other's presence's since kindergarten. It all started the first day in kindergarten where Hayes spit into Dante's pudding. Funny, I know.

I was making my way over to them when I passed this group. They were all lined to the side as they scanned me as I made my way down the front vandalized steps of the school. "Whore." One of the guys from the group I had passed called out. Okay, I'm use to it. "Slut" never have I ever slept with a guy but okay. Whatever floats your boat. "Ready to suck another guy's d**k?" Yuck. That one was gross but whatever. Touché to you too asshole. "I bet your father never loved you" don't cry.

"I bet you stole that money and blamed it on your sister" don't. Cry. I never blamed my sister for anything that was taken so far. "Your father is probably dead"

"Hey, if he is dead, maybe she used the money she stole to buy a gun and shoot her father"

"Yeah that's it"

"Hey everybody, she killed her father."

"You cold hearted slut"

That's when I lost it. I didn't look back at the group but instead passed by Dante who grabbed me by the wrist and saw that my tears were uncontainable and were shooting out like fireworks. Today this group had taken it too far. "Woah. Are you okay?" He asked. Hayes was nowhere to be seen and I didn't know exactly how he disappeared so quickly. I faced Dante who was giving me a sincere look. "No. I'm not okay."

"I know that. But tell me, what can I do that'll cheer you up? Even a little bit."

"Tell me why you were talking to Hayes," And Dante got quiet. "You always said he's an asshole and a douche bag that deserves to die. So why now? Why are you all of a sudden close friends with him? Is there something you're keeping from harmony and I?"

"No, it's not like that."

"Then what is it?"

"I..I can't tell you. I'm sorry."

"I knew it." I pulled my wrist away from his tight grip and knew he was watching me as I ran. I knew the other group was watching me also. Probably pointing and just looking at me with hatred. Well some one tell me,

What did I do wrong?

I kept running until I stopped at a street that was literally 5 blocks away from my house. Normally I would've taken the bus today, but that group outside had made me confused of Whether or not I wanted to put my whole life and body to rest or to try and run away from my problems. I didn't want to die.

Not yet at least.

I passed by a tree and felt someone's grip hover around me. At first my heart raced in one beat and leaped out of my chest. "Hey! What are you-"

"Relax. It's me." Hayes said. He loosened his grip and released me and I wiped away the tears from my eyes before he could see. "Are you crying?"

"No. I'm sweating. What makes you think I'm crying?"

"Your eyes are blood shot red and you couldn't have been smoking weed without me" he said with a smile trying to cheer me up.

"You're funny" I said sarcastically. I had to admit, seeing his smile somehow did make me cheer up. Even just a little bit. Hayes had that type of smile. A smile where your day could go from awful to wonderful.

"Exactly. So why are you crying?"

"It's nothing"

"Nothing means something"

"Shut up. It does not."

"Yes it does, I'm not letting you go home crying."

"Then where ARE you letting me go?"

"I'm never letting you go." Hayes said. And a part of me took that in the wrong way. The way where my heart raced when it wasn't suppose to. Like in the movies. When the girl is concealing her feelings. Because she can't. She just can't,

She can't fall in love with him.

Because he doesn't love her.

"Um-er-I mean, I didn't mean it like-"

"I know. It's fine."

"Let's go for a walk before the party" Hayes said

"Party? What party?"

"The party that Dylan is having tonight at his place."

"I'm not invited Hayes, and it's a school night so I-"

"Well you are now. And school? Who gives a f**k. Live life remember?"

I rolled my eyes as I let out a quiet laugh. "You're an asshole." I said to Hayes.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

*

Hayes and I walked around the neighborhood just talking about things that lightened the mood. I tried my best to push my thoughts at the back of my head and not have them slip and ruin the whole night. I tried my best to also let the guilt of how I stood up my sister with our after school plans escape my mind and wash away the guilt that was floating inside my stomach. Hayes and I walked in circles half the time and somehow got lost on the way to Dylan's. It got dark really quickly and the time passed already to 6 pm. Hayes and I showed up to a big house. Bigger than what I had imagined. The yard was already filled with bodies of people socializing with red cups in their hands, bobbing their heads to the music that was loud enough to wake up the entire state. Hayes guided me inside the house and more people filled every inch of the rooms. The living room was piled with bodies grinding up against one another to fast songs that would give me headaches later tonight. "I didn't know Dylan had a huge house like this. Where's his parents?!" I yelled to Hayes over the loud music. Hayes laughed, "his parents are in Hawaii right now. Business trip." Hayes replied back in his usual voice, like he was use to the loud music. "Shots anybody?" A voice said behind a counter that was set up in the living room away from the dance floor with sweaty bodies.

"This is Taylor, Taylor this is honey" Hayes said. I scrunched my nose again to the word "honey." Taylor had a muscular body with built muscles and abs. He wore a tie dye shirt with a bandana wrapped around his head. "Nice to meet you, shot?"

"Go easy on her Taylor" Hayes said as he started drifting farther away from me. "Where are you going??" I asked Hayes

"Relax. I'll be right back." Hayes said. And a part of me thought he wasn't coming back.

Taylor offered me the shot and It slid down my throat in a burning sharp pain. But to me, it was the least pain I've ever experienced. Before I knew it, shot after shot, I lost count after 7. I didn't know how much I've had but I didn't feel like stopping. The world was spinning and all I could see was patches of color of the bodies around me. I felt like I was floating. Like all the pain in the world was gone. That for once I was happy.

But I was drunk.

Wheres the happy in that?

I sat down by the counter. Just so I wouldn't get carried away in the sea of bodies. Taylor was offering some more girls some shots and he didn't seem to notice me still around him. I was fine with that. I narrowed my gaze to a small corner of the room and I saw Hayes.

With a girl.

Who was on his lap.

With his lips pressed onto hers.

And realized it was Jessica.

"Taylorrr one moreee shooot" i slurred my words giggly over the drunk ness. Funny because my thoughts weren't drunk but my entire body and brain was tricking me into thinking I was. "Woah, are you sure you want one more? Hayes said to go easy."

"Well f**k hayessss" I said and I didn't know why I said it. I guess it was the sight of seeing Hayes with Jessica that made me angry. I never told him why I was Crying earlier today. But after what I saw earlier, it didn't look like he wanted to do much talking. Taylor handed me a shot and before I downed it another guy came over to Taylor with his gaze focused on me. The liquid slid down my throat but I couldn't feel it. I didn't feel burning in my throat but instead I felt burning in my heart.

"Taylor, what the hell are you doing?" The Asian guy asked.

"Carter, she asked for one more shot!"

"Who is she?"

"A friend of Hayes. I thought she was hayes's girlfriend but earlier I saw hayes making out with a girl."

'I thought she was hayes's girlfriend' Taylor's words taunted me in my head as the world spun around me.

"Are you okay?" Carter asked me.

"I'm fiiiinnneeeee"

"s**t. No you're not. Taylor! Go call Hayes!"

"What for?"

"Just do it!"

"Geez fine." Taylor left the counter and went to grab Hayes. His body disappeared in the sea of bodies that were overrunning the dance floor.

Carter sat down next to me.

"Hey, I'm carter. What's your name?"

"Mahhh naaamee?" I said. God. What the hell was wrong with me. I was thinking clearly but it was like I wasn't in control of what I was saying and what I was doing. Carter laughed and he was quite adorable. "Yeah, what's your name?"

"Mah namee isss-"

"What the hell?" Hayes said. Taylor was following behind him with Dylan.

"What happened?" Dylan asked

"Taylor offered her too many shots and now she's on the drunk train and isn't getting off" carter said before nudging Taylor.

"Sorry man. I guess I-"

"Forget it. How drunk is she?" Hayes said before cutting off Taylor.

"I don't f*****g know Hayes. Just take her up to one of the spare bedrooms" Taylor said towards Hayes.

"Alright, fine. Dylan, you got a spare bedroom so she can rest and get off the drunk train?" Hayes asked before shifting his weight so he could face Dylan.

"Yeah man, upstairs, second door on the right."

"Alright thanks."

Hayes's POV:

I carried honey up the stairs trying to pull away from the large crowd that was jumping to the upbeat music. Once I got to the spare bedroom like Dylan had said I put honey down gently on the bed. I shut the door to push back the booming music. Honey was giggling and I wasn't sure why. "Damn it. Do you get drunk that easily?" I asked. She stopped laughing and stared at me and it looked like she was tearing up. Again, I don't know why.

"I'm sorryyy okaay? I guessss I- I don't knoow"

"Well okay. Just get some rest okay? I'll check back on you in a bit."

"Noo. Where are you goingg?"

"Back to Jessica, why? Is there a-?"

"No! Hayess don't do this!" She was crying now. "What? What's wrong?" I thought it was just the liquor getting to her.

"She's a bad person!!!" She yelled as she giggled more. Yup. Definitely the liquor. I laughed actually. "What? No she isn't."

"Yes she is!!"

"Why do you-?"

"Dammit grier just f*****g kiss me" she said. For a second the drunk ness In her voice disappeared. And I don't know why, but i followed what she had said, and I absolutely had no regrets in it.