Status: Read, Stay with me... Please!
Look at Me
19.
Hayden grabbed the towel and wrapped it around his waist again. Then he cleared his throat awkwardly and watched Paige turn her eyes back to him. For several breathless seconds she just looked.
Finally, he asked the same question he had at school, “Want to tell me why you’re staring?”
She bit her lip. (Something he noticed she did quite a lot.) Then she said in a voice full of false confidence, “Want to tell me what you are?”
Hayden almost wanted to laugh at the irony. The one question she chose to ask was the one question he really couldn’t answer. He honestly had no idea what he was. A shape shifter? A werewolf? Did it even matter? Whatever he was it wasn’t human.
“Paige…” he said slowly. “What do you think I am?”
As usual, he was going to let her assume what she wanted to, because it couldn’t be worse then what he imagined himself to be. An animal, a beast,… and possibly a murderer. Whatever Paige was thinking couldn’t be worse as that.
***
Paige hadn’t expected him to ask that. She bit her lip nervously and looked away again. What did she think he was? Well, he defiantly wasn’t human. That was for damn sure. But what was he…
He was someone she cared about far more then she should and he was someone she thought might need her help for some reason. So when she met Hayden’s eyes again, Paige asked him, “Does it really matter?”
***
Hayden’s hands fisted in frustration. Of course it mattered. Of course he wanted to know if she thought he was a monster! And after what she’d seen, how could she not?
The blood…Oh god, it had been everywhere. Maybe he didn’t feel guilty for what he’d done, but how could Paige possibly understand? Hayden had been prepared to tell her about the abuse, about his… gift(curse), but this…this was different. It was worse. He changed into something he didn’t know and couldn’t remember. Then he’d probably murdered someone. That wasn’t exactly something you told the girl of your dreams.
So Hayden just shook his head and said, “That’s up to you. If what I am bothers you. Just tell me to leave and I’ll go…”
Please, he begged silently. Please don’t say it does.
***
Paige paced over to her bed and sank down on the edge. Hayden question was ringing in her ears. Did it bother her? Hell yes it did! It was slightly unsettling to learn that things that weren’t supposed to be real actually were. She half expected the vampires and fairies to show up any second. But did she want him to leave? No. She didn’t even have to think about it. She never wanted to see Hayden Peirce walk (or run) away from her again.
So she patted the spot on the bed next to her and said, “ Make yourself comfortable. I get the feeling this might be a long night.”
Finally, he asked the same question he had at school, “Want to tell me why you’re staring?”
She bit her lip. (Something he noticed she did quite a lot.) Then she said in a voice full of false confidence, “Want to tell me what you are?”
Hayden almost wanted to laugh at the irony. The one question she chose to ask was the one question he really couldn’t answer. He honestly had no idea what he was. A shape shifter? A werewolf? Did it even matter? Whatever he was it wasn’t human.
“Paige…” he said slowly. “What do you think I am?”
As usual, he was going to let her assume what she wanted to, because it couldn’t be worse then what he imagined himself to be. An animal, a beast,… and possibly a murderer. Whatever Paige was thinking couldn’t be worse as that.
***
Paige hadn’t expected him to ask that. She bit her lip nervously and looked away again. What did she think he was? Well, he defiantly wasn’t human. That was for damn sure. But what was he…
He was someone she cared about far more then she should and he was someone she thought might need her help for some reason. So when she met Hayden’s eyes again, Paige asked him, “Does it really matter?”
***
Hayden’s hands fisted in frustration. Of course it mattered. Of course he wanted to know if she thought he was a monster! And after what she’d seen, how could she not?
The blood…Oh god, it had been everywhere. Maybe he didn’t feel guilty for what he’d done, but how could Paige possibly understand? Hayden had been prepared to tell her about the abuse, about his… gift(curse), but this…this was different. It was worse. He changed into something he didn’t know and couldn’t remember. Then he’d probably murdered someone. That wasn’t exactly something you told the girl of your dreams.
So Hayden just shook his head and said, “That’s up to you. If what I am bothers you. Just tell me to leave and I’ll go…”
Please, he begged silently. Please don’t say it does.
***
Paige paced over to her bed and sank down on the edge. Hayden question was ringing in her ears. Did it bother her? Hell yes it did! It was slightly unsettling to learn that things that weren’t supposed to be real actually were. She half expected the vampires and fairies to show up any second. But did she want him to leave? No. She didn’t even have to think about it. She never wanted to see Hayden Peirce walk (or run) away from her again.
So she patted the spot on the bed next to her and said, “ Make yourself comfortable. I get the feeling this might be a long night.”