Because Of Him

When you fell in love with me

I woke up to the sound of something clanging against the car window. The sun beamed into my eyes and I squinted to see who was knocking on the window. I looked to my side and Hayes was slowly waking up, as well as I was. I opened the car door and my sister grabbed my wrist and pulled me out the car before I could even catch my breath. "Damn it. What happened last night!?" She yelled. Nash went over to hayes's side of the car and started yapping about getting up. "What?" I asked my sister.

"Did anything happen last night between you and Hayes??"

"No"

"Are you sure?"

"Jesus. Calm down Rachel, I'm not pregnant for crying out loud"

"Good. Now get washed up"

"Why?"

"We're going to the next destination soon. After everyone gets up and eats"

"Wheres the next destination?"

"Taylor's house party"

"Why is Taylor having a house party?"

"You'll see." She said, "but for now come with me to the bathroom so we both can get cleaned up" and like she said, I followed.

Since we were still at the beach, the washrooms weren't the cleanest. But they were okay. I managed to take a quick shower in one is the showers that were available and slip into different clothes that felt fresh on my body and I brushed my teeth.

"So what went on exactly?" My sister asked as she finger combed through her damp blonde hair.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw Hayes drag you away from carter."

"Oh that..."

"Yeah. So what happened?"

"Hayes just-was off last night. That's all."

"Oh really?" She said unconvincingly.

"He dragged me into the car and said that carter just was no good."

"And what makes Hayes any better?" My sister slurred. "I don't know" I said.

I

Don't

Know.

"Did you do anything on the bucket list?"

"Nope. I did not. And, Rachel?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we just forget about the bucket list?"

"How come?"

"I just don't want any part of it. Something about it just doesn't seem right."

My sister let out a deep sigh. "Fine. But you still owe me the amount of money of things you've already done on the list" she said as she started throwing her dirty clothes deep into her duffel bag like I was.

"Whatever you want. Here." I extended my hand to hand her the crumpled and slightly damp bucket list but she refused. "Keep it," she said "for memories." She gave me a small sincere smile as she threw her bag over her shoulder and walked out the bathroom. I smiled to myself. Sometimes my sister was a total b***h, but sometimes I wonder what I would do without her. I pulled out my journal and stuck the bucket list deep into one of the pages before I walked out the bathroom and tried to catch up with my sister.

When my sister and I arrived back at the area we were in before, all the guys were up and already standing by the cars that were ready to leave. I caught sight of Hayes but avoided my gaze towards him and carter. I focused on Riley who was covering his crotch with a blanket. "Man, I feel like my balls have been cut off" he muttered. "That's what you get for swimming in the water at night when it's like f*****g Antarctica" Dylan hissed and all the guys chuckled.

"So, what now? Taylor's house party?" I asked, still avoiding contact with Hayes and carter.

"Not yet." Nash said

"Then what?" Johnson asked as he squinted his eyes to avoid the sun and bring his focus to Nash.

"We gotta eat first." My sister said

"Where?"

"I don't know. Timmy's?" My sister asked. The guys stared at one another before all agreeing on Timmy's. Without hesitation everyone went to their assigned rides as before from when we arrived at the beach. And we all took off without bothering to look back.

When we arrived at Timmy's it wasn't busy. We walked in and the same bell went off by the door. An old couple sat quietly in the corner of the restaurant sipping on hot coffee and having a quiet conversation. Another family was seated at the opposite side of the old couple. A man, woman and a girl who looked about my age who was scrolling on her phone like her parents didn't even exist. She probably even forgot she was even at a restaurant.

All the guys, my sister and I sat in the middle tables. I sat at the opposite side of the table away from Hayes and carter who coincidentally, Ended up being forced to sit beside one another and both did not look happy of the results. I sat beside Johnson and gilinsky was seated on the other side of me. The table was filled with small talk to avoid the awkward silence and it worked. I ended up finding out that Taylor was having a house party for hayes's BELATED birthday which was supposedly yesterday. after that everyone ordered what they were going to eat for breakfast. Mostly the usual basics like eggs, bacon and toast or anything else. I wasn't that hungry. So all I got was just a cup of warm hot chocolate that I use to get when I was little. The funny thing about me was, even during summer time and when it was probably 20° outside, I would always get a hot chocolate. I don't know why. My mom didn't know why. And my sister didn't know why. My mom said the hot chocolate just made me happy. Like a cup of happiness.

And right now, I desperately needed that cup of happiness.

The conversation went on and on. Halfway through the conversation, I pulled out my journal and scribbled things down that came to mind. I sort of got lost in my thoughts like i was escaping everybody else.

"What are you writing?" Gilinsky asked. I suddenly felt everybody's eyes pierce towards me. "Oh nothing. Just...for fun" I said. And everyone gave me little head nods before shoving their faces with their breakfast again. "My little sister here is a wannabe writer" my sister Rachel said.

"Shut up Rachel"

"It's true. She writes a lot, or, she started writing more again"

"Oh. Really? How'd you start again?" Taylor asked before devouring more of his breakfast.

"I'm not sure. I got inspiration? Again? I guess?." I felt both Hayes and Carter's stare stinging my cheeks. I gave a quick glance towards carter and he quickly averted his gaze. I stared at Hayes who stared at me right back as he chewed his food in his mouth and moved his fork around his plate. If he wasn't chewing his food and looking like an i***t, I would probably almost be able to feel his death stare murdering me.

After breakfast we all drove towards Taylor's house. Who, had a house that was just about the size of Dylan's house. We all made our way inside. Taylor opened the doors and gestured his hands out as he circled the front area. "Welcome, to hotel de la caniff"

"Holy shit..." Riley said as he eyed the house with an amazed expression. Dylan and Logan sprinted towards the living room where Taylor had the game just dance 3 in play. "Get the bar counter out now for the party later" Nash exclaimed. "Yeah sure" Taylor said as he put his house keys on the kitchen table. "Go easy on the shots this time okay?" Taylor whispered in my ear with a smirk on his face. I laughed quietly. "Of course." Taylor gave me a playful smile before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Why the hell are you guys playing just dance?" Hayes asked Dylan and Logan who were laughing as they did a bunch of Radom moves that was shown on the tv screen. "Nothing better to do right?" Logan said.

"Don't break any thing!" Taylor yelled as his presence was nowhere in sight. "No promises!" Dylan yelled back.

"You break anything, you pay for it!" Taylor lastly exclaimed. "No problem. I'll pay with my stripper money" Dylan jokingly said before bringing his focus back into just dance. Carter and Hayes were giving one another dirty glares as they sat on opposite sides of the couch. Everyone else was occupied of having something to do. My sister, Nash and Taylor were busy setting up for the party and everyone else was relaxing in the living room occupied by their electronics. I rolled my eyes as I made my way back onto Taylor's front porch. Socializing and partying, both were not my thing. So I decided I would just sit outside on the front porch the whole day. Maybe writing, maybe doing whatever. Who knows.

**a couple hours later**

I spent the whole time sitting on the front porch as unfamiliar faces and bodies started filing into Taylor's house and the sun started setting itself. The music started booming and I've probably already seen 2 drunk guys pass out on Taylor's front lawn. "Haaaaay baaaabeee" a drunk guy slurred at me as his body tumbled out the front door and out on the porch to where I was. This guy looked about my age but completely drunk. Probably someone who just wanted to get into my pants without even knowing because the drunk ness was numbing his brain. I glided past his drunk body without speaking to him and made my way inside the house where the music pierced into my ears and the hot air from the non stop dancing crowd flew past my body. I slipped through tight spaces trying to find someone who I actually knew. I ended up with Taylor at the bar counter. The exact same one where I first met him. "One shot Taylor?" I asked as I giggled. "just one. Okay?"

"Sure thing" I said. He handed me one shot and I downed it. I had gotten use to the odd taste that it first brung to my tongue. It didn't bother me anymore.

"One more?" I laughed. Taylor laughed back. "Naw, that's enough for you." "Aw, come on -"

"f**k you!" A voice yelled in the distance over the music. Someone cut the music and all you could hear was constant fussing at one another. A circle formed with the unknown people at the party and Taylor and I slipped our way to the front of the circle to see what was going on.

Hayes and carter.

They both looked drunk. Well.

Hayes looked drunk. Not carter. Carter looked his same old self where hayes however, his eyes looked tired and slightly red.

"f**k you man! Get out of here!" Hayes said. He was drunk. But he was obviously better at speaking than I was if I were drunk.

"Why the f**k should I leave?!" Carter hissed

"You bastard! You know what you did! Now get the f**k out you dip s**t!"

"Wow, Hayes is a big boy now right?" Carter sarcastically said.

"You little-" Hayes had a shot glass in his one hand and threw a punch at carter with his free hand and it landed perfectly near his eye. The crowd oh'd as carter came back and threw a punch back at Hayes. It landed near his eye as well. Hayes spilled the drink which landed on his shirt and the glass shattered on the floor as he released his grip from the cup and had both hands on carter who was squirming and fighting back just as well as Hayes was. Carter ended up dropping Hayes to the ground who's hand landed on the shattered glass and had small cuts which started freeing blood. But Hayes was still fighting back.

"s**t," Nash mumbled as he came through the several bodies "okay! That's enough! Everybody back to whatever they were doing...Taylor and I will handle this." Nash straight up said.

The music started again and bodies stared fleeing in different directions. Taylor and Nash stopped carter from throwing another punch at Hayes. They lifted him and brought him outside. Where I didn't know if they were going to kick him out or just talk to him.

I brought my gaze back to Hayes where Dylan and gilinsky were picking him up and bringing him upstairs. Little beads of blood from hayes's hands left a trail upstairs. And of course, I followed them.

They walked a faster pace than I did and they brought him up to, what I assume was Taylor's room. Hayes was on the bed with his hands on his face. Not even caring about the dripping blood.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Dylan yelled. Hayes didn't reply. I knocked on the door and gilinsky and Dylan both eyed me. "I-I'll look after him," Dylan and gilinsky smirked at one another. "I mean, if you guys wanna get back to the party. I can-"

"Talk to him. Okay?" Gilinsky whispered to me before exiting the room with Dylan and shutting the door behind them.

I sighed loudly as I went to the bathroom to get a couple bandages,bandage wrap and a wet towel and sprinted back to the room Hayes was in. I sat beside him on the bed as I sat up and he laid down. He lifted his hands from his face and saw that I was there. He sat up.

"What are you doing here?" He said quietly. Like he was nervous to speak to me.

"Trying to help you recover from the s**t you did..." I said as I started wiping away the blood from the cuts with the wet towel I had gotten. Hayes smelt of vodka because of the drink he spilled on himself earlier before throwing a punch at carter.

"Hayes. You wanna tell me what the f**k you were thinking?"

"I was thinking, he was an ass."

He slurred. I wasn't sure now if he was drunk or just insane. "Just because you think he's an ass doesn't mean you can-"

"You don't know what he did!" Hayes yelled. His eyes were slightly getting watery and he immediately went mute after his outburst.

"...do you wanna tell me what he did?"

Hayes sniffled as he wiped away some tears with his free hand. "You know how...Before the guys told you about crystal?"

"Yeah. What about her?"

"She didn't cheat on me with Nash," Hayes said. "She cheated on me with carter." His voice went from a cracky tone, to a strong tone. Like his anger was escaping out his lips like venom.

"Now I understand..."

"Yeah."

"Hayes. You smell like vodka" I said as I scrunched my face to the unappealing smell that was escaping his shirt and changing the subject. "Well sorry." He said. As he lifted his shirt off and threw it onto the floor. A shirtless bad boy Hayes Grier sat in front of me. I averted my eyes quickly before I could clearly see his abs and anything more. Hayes let out a small chuckle. "You still smell like vodka" I said.

"Then I'll take a shower-"

"Good."

"-only if you come with me though."

"What?!"

"Just kidding."

"f**k. You scared me."

"Why?"

"I'm...just insecure of my body and all that."

"Well you shouldn't be." Hayes said softly. I coughed to clear my throat from the awkwardness.

"...I thought you said you were trying to move on from crystal?"

I said, changing the subject. "I-i am. It's just..I don't know. I guess the memories just came flooding back."

"Why'd you lie to me?"

"I didn't mean to. I got caught in the moment and the guys knew I didn't like to be reminded of the past and they said Nash was the first person to pop into their minds when they told you."

"So Nash, DIDNT date crystal?"

"Yeah. He didn't."

"Hayes. Why are you talking to me?"

"What?"

"I mean, why? Why did you ever talk to me in the first place?"

"Didn't we talk about this before?"

"Yes but, I wanna know!"

"Know...?"

"Know why you came into my life. Why did you ever talk to me...?"

"Like I said, there was something I saw in you."

"You barely knew me"

"But I wanted to know you."

"You did?..."

"Yes. And I actually wanted to fall in love with you."

"Wha-?"

"And guess what? I did."

"So you love me?" The words were flying out quicker than ever now like a speed game.

"Hell yes I do," Hayes said. "So can I kiss you?"

"You smell like vodka though." I said

"And my lips taste like vodka, but that's not gonna stop you now is it?"