"This is my friend Hailey," Daniel introduces me casually.
Daniels father is the same height as him and looks much like an older version of his son. He has few streaks of grey in his hair, giving him a professional edge, and even his regular clothes look neat and sophisticated in some way. I'm assuming as a software architect he's used to a business suit, or is that just my imagination? Facial features are quite similar to Daniels, strong jaw, prominent cheekbones, blueish maybe green eyes, and the same charming smile. "It's nice to meet you, Hailey. I'm George, Daniels father."
I try to match his kind smile. "It's nice to meet you too. Sorry for my. . ." I peer down at my pajamas and George finds this amusing, but in an 'adult' way, the look where their eyes almost squint as their smile grows, maybe a little eyebrow-raising too.
I do not remember much from last night, exhaustion held my memory, but I know where I am supposed to be, and that is not in Daniels bed. Somehow I am wrapped in the blankets, warm and cozy. At first, I panicked. I freaked out. My body shot up and turned to the side, thankfully to find the bed empty beside me. Daniel didn't sleep here, we didn't do anything. At that point, I took and deep breath and fell back against his pillow.It smells like him, everything does. I could stay in his bed forever, which worries me. If I was a normal girl, I might be hurrying out of here and searching for Daniel, but I want to take in this moment while I can.Maybe this is a dream, maybe I never came over to his house in the first place. I'll wake up in my bed at home any second now, and I'll be extremely disappointed. I would groan and shove my face into
After dealing with my mother yesterday, and dealing with my thoughts on Daniel, school is the last place I want to be. Dodging annoying people who stand in the middle of the hall, I grasp onto my locker and tensely open it up. My mother yelled, yelled some more, then finally accepted my lie about being at Jana's—my excuse being that I forgot to let her know.Inside my locker is another note.With my bad attitude, I frown while unfolding it and read what it has to say.Please, Room 1244 at lunch. It really is important!Maybe they should have shown up the first time then. Tossing the note into my locker, I swing the door shut and head off to my first hour.After getting settled in my seat, I grumpily wait for the be
I couldn't sleep, not with that video on my mind. It felt like a dream, something far beyond reality. Seeing her again—that version of myself—put a good dent in me. It made me feel like a time traveler, yet no one would want to go back to their worst moment, something like that belongs in the past and for some reason mine won't stay. It's like a mosquito trapped inside of my clothes, constantly biting and never escaping.I have many questions for Sam, but I don't want to face him. Up until now I believed Harrison and I were the only witnesses, and here Sam is, an innocent boy who filmed at the wrong time. He shouldn't be dragged in. He already did his part by giving me the video.This is what I wanted, right? Proof? Now that I have it I am not sure what to do. It isn't that hard to turn it into the police, to prove everyone
Sitting at my desk, I replay and replay the minute of the video where it shows me and Harrison. During the first three times, I cried, during the next three, I was angry, and now all I can do is watch with a blank face, numb. I stare at my face, at the clear discomfort and distress, and I replay and replay it.It's been a week since I've accidentally mentioned the video to Daniel, and I've decided to tell him. He'd know what to do. Since my mother is staying late at the station, I asked if he'd come over, and by now he is on his way. I watch the video—not planning to show him it—and I wait to hear the knock at the door, trying to piece together my explanation. I wonder what he's going to say. He'd know what to do.The knock finally comes and I spring from my seat, shutting the computer screen and rushing to the door. I take
I subtly drag my bottom lip through my teeth, gently grinding my teeth against my skin as if I am slowly working my way through. My eyes stay fixated on Daniel, studying him like an exotic animal, waiting for him to pounce and dig his teeth into my neck until my blood seeps out, pouring down my body like a scarlet waterfall. My hands squeeze. My nails dig into my palms, leaving purple marks. "My moms going to be home soon," I say slowly, "we should go somewhere."He leans into me. "Where do you want to go?"He doesn't know how serious I am. "Somewhere where no one else is. Somewhere like this, but not."We get into his car. He tells me that his house is empty, that his father and Mike have gone to Chicago for the weekend. I smile. "Okay," I say and my head rolls to the side, my eyes ga
Daniel called a few times over the weekend, Jana too, but I wasn't answering anyone's calls. I texted Jana and said that I needed to be alone just so she wouldn't come snooping around the house to make sure I am still alive. Daniels, well, I left his to ring, each time forcing myself not to answer."I heard your Dad told you about Florida," my mother grabs my attention as I sit alone in the kitchen. She walks around to the other side of the counter island to face me. "Are you going back?""Yeah. I'm moving back during winter break."She raises an eyebrow. "That's hardly a month away."I nod. "I know. I'll be ready by then. I'm used to leaving quickly anyway." It feels like an extreme case of déjà vu. It feels like I am g
I rush to the cafeteria, to the table, then to Jana. She is sitting with Watts, Taylor, and Jordan, but I yank her up and drag her out, ignoring her "what are you doing" and "Hailey, what's going on" until we make it out of the cafeteria doors. The hallways are sparse with students, and I take her back to where Sam took me, yet he's gone as I expected. I wonder what he's thinking.I let her go and she lets out a weird laugh. "Will you tell me what that was all about? You know, I could have followed you, you didn't have to pull me out.""Shut up," I breathe out, panicking. "Something bad has happened."Her face turns serious. "What? Is it Harrison? Daphne? Did they do something?""Actually, yes, but I need to explain, and before I do,
My heart races relentlessly in my chest as I pull up to Jana's house, my fingers tapping on the steering wheel and my bottom lip between my grinding teeth. I watch as she flees through the front door and hurries into the car, her tight, black dress catching me off guard. "We aren't actually going to the party," I tell her and pull back onto the road."I know, I just want to blend in," she says while pulling her seatbelt on and glancing over at me, "and I see you don't.""I'm more focused on getting the flash drive. God I hope he hasn't smashed it or thrown it away. Just thinking about it...It makes me all anxious. And the fact that we're going to his party isn't helping either. The last thing I need is flashbacks.""You'll be fine," she encourages me. "You've healed so much the past fe