Hayden's POV:
If I stare at the wall any longer, I may or may not go insane.
Letting out a deep exhale through my nose, I lean back onto the uncomfortable bed where I have slept the last two nights.
Like father like son, I suppose. Except I'm not actually guilty, go figure.
Running an agitated through my hair, I begin to think about the topic that has consumed my mind the last two days.
What the hell do I do about Grace?
I'm torn. A part of me wants to say fuck it and be with her because I love spending time with her. She's amazing, she's funny and my entire body aches when I think about being away from her. Thinking about someone laying their hands on her makes me see red.
On the other hand, a part of me is asking myself not to get wrapped up in this drama again. I need to focus on my swimming, get myself a scholarship and get away from this town.
I'm so mad at her for not saying anything, even though I did ask her not to. I didn't expect it to be Coach Brennon, of all people.
Worry consumed my entire body at the thought of her being in the hospital all alone.
Leaning forward so that my elbows are resting on my thighs, I bury my face in my hands, wanting to forget about everything that is going on inside my mind. But most of all, I want to see Grace.
As much as she is driving me crazy right now, I miss her.
I hear the door open and I don't bother moving from my position, assuming it's the guard who does his hourly patrols to make sure I'm still sitting here, wasting my time until they find the dumb bastard who did this to my girl.
My girl...
"Hello Hayden," an all-too-familiar voice greeted. "Long time no see."
My eyes lift slowly.
"Carrie," I replied with my teeth gritted. "Who let you in here?"
"My uncle works here in the administration, remember?" she asked, a faux sweet smile on her face.
"Oh, right," I sighed.
"How are you?"
"How do you think?" I lean back, resting on the wall, folding my arms across my chest, attempting to keep an impassive look on my face.
"I think you're wishing you were at the hospital visiting Grace."
"That's about right."
"What you and her have..." she trailed off, looking at me thoughtfully. "Was it like us, Hayden?"
I latch my eyes onto her. "It's better."
Her face twists into a scowl. "Yeah, sure seems like it."
I turn away from her.
She stirs up trouble wherever she goes and frankly, I want no part in it.
"I don't want you here."
"After all this time, you can't even be friends with me?" she asked and I turn to look at her incredulously.
"You're kidding, right?"
"Okay, I get it," she replied softly. "You don't care about me anymore. You have her now."
"That's right," I snapped. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out."
I refuse to look at her as I hear her footsteps descend from me. When the door closed, I let out a huff of air, before getting up and letting out a ragged scream. I pick up the mattress I have been sitting on and throw it onto the floor.
If they don't let me out soon, I really am going to go crazy.
***
Grace's POV:
Just as the movie for the third time today began, my door opened, revealing my best friend.
"Harvey!" I semi-shouted in a deep whisper, my throat still not recovered from my strangling incident.
"Hi Grace," he smiled, holding up a bag of McDonald's. "Thought you might appreciate some greasy junk food."
"You are the bestfriend I could ever ask for."
"I know," he bragged, passing me the bag.
I notice his eyes roaming over my face as he assessed my injuries.
"So it's true?" he said softly. "Hayden went bat shit crazy and beat you up?"
I was half way through stuffing fries down my throat, causing me to choke and spit out most of what I had in there.
"What! No! Who the hell is spreading these rumours?"
"It's a small town," he shrugged, scrunching up his face as a half-chewed fry landed near him. "So, it's not true?"
"Of course not, Hayden would never hurt me."
"He'd also never punch lockers or scream at girls in the hallway?" he asked with a frown.
"You're as bad as my mother," I groaned, stuffing more fries into my mouth, managing to actually chew and swallow this time. "It was Ashton who did this to me."
"Oh shit," Harvey exclaimed, his eyes widening. "You're joking?"
"Deadly serious. He came to my house, off his face on drugs. I can't talk, I was completely zonked out on sleeping pills but anyway. It was a messy situation."
"Why would he attack you?"
Letting out a sigh, I took a quick drink of my coke, before I launched into relating our conversation at my house when he threatened to tell Hayden about us (which Harvey already knew but not all the details), to our disagreement at the pool, resulting in him benching me, to going to confront him and seeing that Carrie was there, and something I vaguely remember about it being my fault that she now wants nothing to do with him.
He sat still, unblinking almost the entire story.
"Wow."
"I know," I agreed with a nod.
"And I thought I had a bad day because I got a B- on my maths test," he stated, more to himself, I think, than me.
"I would be lucky to get a D in that stupid subject," I muttered. "Dumb equations that don't make any sense."
"Lucky you're not taking a mathematic elective," he smiled. "Anyway, what are you going to do about Ashton? Have you told anyone?"
"I told my mum, only so she would let Hayden out of lock-up. Did you know she got him arrested?"
"Yeah, everyone knows," he admitted with a sheepish smile. "She rang me and asked me about it. To be honest, I thought he was the one who did it."
"Harvey!"
"What? I don't even know the guy, really. I didn't expect your swim coach to be a psycho now did I?"
"But Hayden is?"
He rolled his eyes. "Obviously not but considering the things I've heard about his dad, I wasn't sure."
"Wait, you knew about his dad being in prison?"
"His dad is in prison?" Harvey repeated in shock.
I blinked, staring at him. "You're confusing the hell out of me right now."
"Sorry," he apologised. "Just enjoy your nuggets. We can talk after."
Agreeing, I continued to stuff my face, not realising how hungry I was until I smelt food.
After talking about the complicated life I now live a little longer, he pulled a chair up beside me as we watched the rest of the movie.
"Mum hasn't come back," I murmured after a while. "Do you think they've let Hayden out?"
"I can try and find out, if you like?" he asked.
"I'd really appreciate it if you did."
"No problem."
He got to his feet, as mum poked her head inside.
"Oh, hello Harry," she smiled.
"It's Harvey," both Harvey and I chorus at the same time.
"Sorry Harvey," she grimaced. "Grace, I wanted to tell you that Hayden is out now, no charges, no criminal record. I informed the police about Ashton, that's where I've been all day. They're issuing a warrant for his arrest as we speak."
A wave of relief washed through me at the thought of never having to see that jerk-face again.
"I have to get back to work. You feeling okay?"
"Fine, mum," I replied, my voice still raspy. "Thanks."
She gave me a tight-lipped smile, before disappearing back out of the room.
"Do you think he's going to come here and see you?" Harvey asked me. "Hayden, I mean."
Biting my lip softly, I swiveled my eyes back to the door.
"I hope so."