We're Heading to a Place Where I'll Prove I'm All You Want and More

Haylee got out of Ian’s bed and straightened out yesterday’s clothes.
Singer had shown up while Ian was in the shower. Ian’s roommate had let him in. He was on the couch watching That 70’s Show when the two emerged from Ian’s room. He regarded them with a nod but was too engrossed in the show to say hello or ask them where they were going. He’d forgotten he was there to check on Ian and see if Haylee needed to go home.
Ian got into the passenger seat of his car and played quietly with his hands as she drove. She had to make a stop at her place so she could change. She made Ian breakfast so he could eat while she changed into something other than yesterday’s clothes.
From there she gave Ian the keys and he drove. She didn’t know where he wanted to go. It became obvious where they were when she saw the walkway and the other people walking around. They were in a park.
Ian got out of the car and so did Haylee. He met her at the front of the car and took her hand. She was thrilled by this gesture but reminded herself that it was probably because he wanted her with him and not to fall behind. It probably meant nothing, but she couldn’t stop her pulse from accelerating.
They walked for a long time without saying anything. Haylee was curious to know about Ian’s friend, but she didn’t think it appropriate to ask. She didn’t want to bring more pain to Ian than he could handle.
While they walked Ian felt better. He was able to think though things that he couldn’t in his cramped room back at the apartment. It was easier to think on how much he already missed his friend and to think about how Haylee’s hand felt in his. Did she even notice that her thumb was rubbing those same comforting circles into the back of his hand like she had to his back when he was eating?
It was a few hours and a couple sporadic conversations before Ian decided he was ready to go back to his apartment. His mind felt clearer and his depression lighter.
As they walked back to his car Haylee slipped her arm around Ian’s back. He was glad she was there with him and put his arm around her shoulders. Ian got in the passenger seat and she drove home.
Ian got out of the car when they parked in the parking lot but she didn’t. She hadn’t even turned the car off yet. Haylee assumed that Ian would want time without her now and thought about asking to borrow his car to get home. They’d spent more time together than they ever had since they met and he was probably sick of her by now. Ian didn’t want her to leave.
He bent down to peer at her though the car window. She rolled down the window and waited for him to say something.
“What are you doing? Don’t you want to come back in?” He asked.
“I figured you were sick of me.” She smiled.
He was caught by her smile before he could ask her to stay.
“No, I still need you.” He admitted.
She got that funny feeling in her chest again and shut off the engine to his car. Ian waited for her to get out of the car and lock it before they started to walk to the apartment building. They didn’t hold hands and Haylee didn’t slip her arm around Ian’s back. She was a little disappointed by this but she didn’t let it get to her too much.
They walked into the building and got into the elevator. Ian pushed the third floor button and the elevator started to climb.
“Thanks, you know, for this.” Ian said leaning back against the wall.
“It’s no problem, really.”
“I wouldn’t have figured you would be the one to care so much. I had it pinned on Singer. He was at my door every fifteen minutes before you showed up.”
“I didn’t expect this either.”
Ian smiled and moved a few inches closer to Haylee. She smiled back at him and he laid his head on her shoulder. Her left hand ran though his hair a few times and Ian closed his eyes. He really did enjoy this.
The doors to the elevator opened and Ian straightened up. Haylee exited first and led the way to his apartment. Ian fished his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door, allowing Haylee to go in before him. Haylee dropped Ian’s car keys on the counter as she passed it.
Singer was in the family room still watching That 70’s Show but now with Alexa and never noticed them walk in. Alexa did notice though and watched as Ian didn’t even mind that Haylee was still with him. Haylee followed Ian back into his room and laid on his bed. He shut the door and then curled up with her. She put her arms around him and he put his head on the pillow next to hers. For a long time they just talked. Ian didn’t want to cry anymore. He felt like he needed to try to keep himself under control now.
As they talked his head inched towards hers without him intending to do it. After a while there was no more talking. Haylee closed her eyes and started running one of her hands though Ian’s hair again. He watched her with a small smile playing on his lips.
Soon the tip of his nose touched hers. She smiled but didn’t open her eyes. Ian pushed his nose closer to hers. When she didn’t protest he ran his nose against the bridge of hers. She responded by doing the same back to him for a moment before stopping.
An urge came over Ian and he chose to follow it. She was just lying there enjoying the feeling of Ian against her and his nose grazing against hers. She was content to just stay in bed with him as long as he wanted her there. So when he stopped running his nose against hers she picked it up. This thrilled Ian and gave him the courage he needed.
She was surprised when she felt Ian’s warm, soft lips against hers. Neither of them expected that she would kiss him back and pull him in when he tried to pull back. The kiss was longer than Ian intended it to be but it was better than he expected it to turn out. She looped her fingers though his hair and kissed him deeper than he’d thought possible. Both of them were waiting for the other to break the kiss and be appalled at the other. Ian pulled back and put his nose next to hers but didn’t rub.
“I’m sorry, that was out of line. I don’t know…” He started.
“Don’t worry. It’s okay.” She smiled cutting him off.
He smiled back and the turned his face to the pillow when he began to blush. He couldn’t believe he’d just done that and she thought it was okay. It kind of made him want to kiss her again but he held back. He didn’t want to seem too weird. They didn’t even really know anything about each other except how to make it hurt. Of course Haylee had the upper hand at the moment but there was no way she would ever use his current pain to hurt him more, that would be way too cruel.
After a while Ian knew that Haylee was watching him and he wanted to take that away from her. He picked his head up off the pillow and then shifted so that he could pull her into his chest. Once she was where he wanted her, he curled up around her so that she had no choice but to stay where he wanted.
Haylee didn’t mind at all that Ian had decided to cuddle her. She snuggled into his chest and pushed her face to him in the same way that he had been before. Ian liked that and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
An hour passed and Haylee’s phone rang. She sighed and reached into her back pocket for it. Ian loosened his arms and let her shift. She laid on her back and saw that her parents were calling her. She answered the phone. Ian pulled his arms tighter around her and put his head on her shoulder. From there he could enjoy the view down her shirt. He was a boy after all.
“Hey Mom.” Haylee sighed into the phone while she pressed her cheek to the top of Ian’s head.
“Where are you? We are worried.” Her mom said from the other end.
“I’m with a friend. I must have fallen asleep. Sorry.” Haylee said.
“What are you up to?”
“I’m with Ian right now. He needed someone to cheer him up.” Haylee was being vague on the account that Ian was lying right next to her.
“Ian? The one that’s mean to you?”
“Yea, that’s the one. He’s not being mean though. Don’t worry.”
“Well come home please. I would like to see you.”
“Am I in trouble?”
“We’ll talk about it when you get home.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
Ian looked up at Haylee.
“What did your mom want?”
“I have to go. She wants to ‘talk’ to me.” Haylee said making quotes.
“Did I get you into trouble?”
“You’d like that.”
“No, not today I wouldn’t.” Ian said honestly.
Haylee was thrown off for a moment by the look of concern in Ian’s eyes.
“It wasn’t you. I’ll be back if you want and if I can.” She said letting her fingertips graze his cheek.
“Yea, if you can. Call me.” Ian said sitting up.
Haylee got up and went for his door.
“So,” Ian started to say something and then changed his mind, “see you later?”
“Yea, we just agreed on that Ian.” Haylee smiled and then walked out of his room.
She walked towards the front of the apartment. When she got to the door Singer noticed her.
“Whoa! Where are you going?” He asked.
“My mom wants me home.”
“Oh, should we have taken you home last night?”
“It’s not bad. Don’t worry. I’ll be back. Ian’s in his room and he should be awake. See if you can talk with him. I don’t want him alone.” She said leaving.
Singer nodded and then walked down to Ian’s, leaving Alexa to sit on the couch alone. The door was still open to Ian’s room. He was sitting on his bed running his hands though his hair and looking around.
“What’s up?” Singer asked knocking on the open door.
Ian looked up at him.
“Hey man.”
“Can I come in?”
“Actually I was just about to join you. I know that you’re watching good stuff out there.”
“Yea, let’s go. Alexa’s here too.” Singer smiled turning around to go back to the TV room.
He and Ian sat on the couch and started watching That 70’s Show together. Slowly Ian started up a conversation with Singer and Alexa but kept Haylee out of it as much as he could. He didn’t want to divulge to Singer that he’d kissed her. He wasn’t sure what that would mean or what it did mean.
Singer just interpreted Ian’s avoiding Haylee as his normal behavior. He was a little miffed because he would have thought that Ian would have softened towards her but maybe he was wrong. Maybe she just gave him comfort and that was it.
Alexa narrowed her eyes every time Ian avoided Haylee’s name. She thought there was something going on that he wasn’t telling her and Singer, but she wasn’t sure what it was. She would ask Haylee about it later.
At home Haylee was able to talk her way out of getting grounded for not coming home. All she had to do was explain the whole situation with Ian in detail and her mother felt sympathetic towards Ian. Haylee had to stay home for a little while just so her mom was happy. She spent that time in her room catching up on news about bands she liked.
When she knew she’d been home long enough she went downstairs. All she had to go through now was dinner and she was free.
Dinner wasn’t that long so she was free quickly.
“Hun, I made Ian cookies. They’re in the kitchen. Take them with you and if you stay over there again, call first.”
“Sure Mom.” Haylee said throwing a glance at her dad when her mom said something about the cookies.
He just shrugged.
Haylee went into the kitchen and picked up the Tupperware cake box filled with cookies and went out to her car. She put the cookies on the floor in the passenger side and then got into her car.
Just as she was about to turn the ignition her phone rang. It was Marshall. She answered.
“Hi!” Haylee said.
“Hey, it’s Alex.”
“I know, what’s up?”
“Can you give me a ride somewhere? My mom had to take my car.”
“Sure, I’ll be over in a moment. Where are you headed?”
“Singer wants me at Ian’s. Apparently Ian is out of his cave.”
“Oh, I’m headed there as well. This works out.”
Haylee drove to Marshall’s house. He was sitting on the stairs waiting for her. When he saw her car approach he stood up and began to walk to the sidewalk. She pulled up and unlocked the doors so he could get in.
“Be careful. There are cookies on the floor.” She warned him as he got in.
“Cookies?” Marshall said sitting in the passenger seat and picking up the Tupperware.
“Yea, my mom made them for Ian. I told her what happened with him.” Haylee said pulling out of the neighborhood.
“Oh, is he better?”
“He hasn’t cried since last night. He’s watching TV with Singer. Singer has to be into his second time of watching that DVD set I brought.”
“He loves that show.”
“At least Ian’s out there.”
“I’m glad you made him better.”
“Me too.” Haylee smiled.
There was another reason that she was glad that she would never tell to anyone, except maybe Ian. She was glad that she was spending so much time with him. She was glad that he seemed to want her around him all the time now. Even if it was just because she’d been though the same thing and he needed her support she was going to be there. Even if it all went back to how it was, she would still be happy.
Marshall didn’t pick up on this train of thought that Haylee had. He just smiled and fiddled with the radio. They arrived at the parking structure to the apartment and Haylee parked in the same place always parked in.
Marshall got out and took the cookies with him. Haylee took the cookies when they got into the elevator. Then she remembered she was supposed to call Ian. Then she also remembered that she didn’t have his number because they’d never exchanged them and laughed.
“What?” Marshall asked.
“Nothing. Just laughing at an earlier conversation.”
Marshall walked slightly in front of Haylee and knocked on the door before she was there. Singer answered the door. He greeted them with a hello and hugs.
“You brought cookies?” Singer asked when he noticed what Haylee had in her arms.
Ian looked over the back of the couch and smiled when Haylee walked in. He said hi to her and she smiled back. It thrilled her more than it should have for him to say hi.
“My mom made you cookies.” She told him.
Ian got up to see what she had. Haylee took them into the kitchen and all the boys followed her. They all wanted cookies.
“That was nice of her.” Ian said.
“She wanted you to feel better and this is how she makes me feel better so she thought it would work for you too.”
“Yea, ‘cause we’re so much alike.” Ian rolled his eyes.
“Well I’ll just take them back then. Or I’ll give them to these guys and you won’t have any.” Haylee shot back.
Ian smiled.
“Tell your mom thanks for me.”
He opened the Tupperware and looked down into the variety cookies. Johnson and Cash appeared out of nowhere and grabbed a handful of cookies each before going into the TV room. Ian picked out a few that he wanted and then followed them. Alexa got up from the couch to go into the kitchen when Johnson and Cash came back with cookies. She wanted some too.
“Aren’t you going to get some?” Singer asked when Haylee started to follow Ian.
“I just had dinner. Maybe later.”
“Okay.” Singer turned back to the cookies and debated over which ones he waned.
Singer and Marshall looked at each other and then back towards the TV room. Everyone was getting settled and not paying any attention to them. Alexa entered and gave Marshall and then Singer a hug. The two boys were still looking into the other room. Singer was first to look back at Marshall. Marsh could see the thoughts swimming behind Singer’s eyes.
“New speculations?” Marshall guessed.
“He hasn’t said a bad thing about her yet, even when I brought her up on purpose. He just avoided the subject of Hales and then talked about something else.”
“That’s true.” Alexa agreed.
“Did you see the way they were kind of fighting before? There was a sort of actual joking to it rather than all fight.” Marshall noted.
“I know. I think that something is changing between them.” Singer said.
Marshall nodded and then they all went to the TV room. Haylee was on the reclining couch with the footrest out. Ian was lying on her with his head on her shoulder so he could see the TV and eat at the same time. He’d placed his napkin on her chest so that crumbs didn’t fall down her shirt. They had a blanket over them too. Singer and Marshall glanced at each other and nodded.
They would have gone crazy if they could see what was under the blanket. Ian had taken his free hand and laced his fingers with Haylee’s. Haylee was having a hard time not smiling because she didn’t want to give anything away.
Ian finished his cookies and let his other hand slip under the blanket without anyone noticing but Haylee. He wrapped his other hand around the hand he was holding and massaged it. She sneakily bent her head down and kissed the top of his head without anyone the wiser.