Somewhere in the Middle

As soon as I stopped infront of Barbie's house I layed on the horn. A moment later she walked out of the house and got in the car. What the fuck was up with her outfit? She's gonna be so fucking hot in that.

“Hey girly." I said after staring toward Ace's house. It was quiet for a while until she muttered a, “hi." Ok she's usually not like this. 

“What's wrong? Your usually hyper and loud." I asked coming to a stop at Ace's house and honking. Never again will I go up and knock on his door. I think I learned my lesson last time.

“My fish died." She muttered playing with the hem of her shirt. I looked at her with raised eyebrows and snorted, “Your fish died and that's why your dressed and acting like this?" I asked. Ace ran out of his house and got in the back seat after Barbie scooted her seat up.

“Shut up Hayley. Have you ever had a pet die?" She asked angrily. She doesn't even get it does she.

“No but I've had my parents die and I think that's way worse then a stupid fucking fish dying." I said in the same tone and sped down the street.

“Your fish Prince Killjoy died?" Ace asked leaning forward. Barbie nodded and looked out the window. The rest of the way to school the only thing that could be heard was the radio. 

When I parked in the school parking lot I got out and slammed the door after letting Ace out. Everyone outside looked at me and I just asked them if they had a staring problem. After that they all looked away and went back to what they were doing.

“What's wrong Hayls?" Riley asked. I shook my head and felt my eyes sting with tears. She saw this and pulled me into the school and straight into the girls bathroom. 

“Barbie's making a big deal about her fish dying; I laughed and she got mad at me and asked me if I've ever had a pet die. I told her no but I've had my parents die and that, that's a lot worse then her stupid fucking fish dying." I said wiping my eyes. Riley wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug and rubbed my back.

“It's gonna be ok. Just don't let it bother you." She informed pulling away from me. I sniffed and splashed water on my face, drying it off, “She just doesn't get it Riles. Everyone takes things for granted and they don't think about the effect it has on other people. I know I probably overreacted but she has her biological parents and we don't, we were in an orphanage for four years and she had an actual home, and she's had it easy her whole life and we haven't." 

She nodded and hugged me again saying it was gonna be ok and that we should get to class. So after I fixed my makeup we both went to our first boring ass class.

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Finally lunch time! Heck yes bitch! Can you tell I really hate school? Well if you haven't then I think you need to get checked or something.

“Hey um Hayley and I are going to eat outside. We have to talk about some stuff." Riley said standing by ‘our table'. The four of them nodded and asked if something was wrong. 

“Um no we just need some twin time, that's all." Riley answered with a small smile. Giana smiled, “Don't ditch because we need rides home." Giana said with a chuckle. We rolled our eyes and walked out the front doors to the outside eating area. Sitting down at a round table I started tapping my fingers on the surface.

“So is the reason why your were so emotional earlier because you're still worked up over Ronnie and Pauly being back?" Riley asked. 

I nodded, “I'm fucking scared Riles. I thought we weren't going to have to deal with them anymore. Right when something good happens in our lives they come back and make it worse." I stated looking at her. 

“I'm surprised dad and the guys even let us out of the house. Dad looked like he was about to go ape shit, well so did the other four." Riley said with a giggle. When I opened my mouth to respond I was cut off by two voices we could never forget.

“Never thought you two sluts would get adopted." Pauly said coming around the corner of the school with Ronnie close behind. 

“Let alone by a famous person." Ronnie finished with a smirk. Their voices sent shivers down my spine and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

“What do you want?" Riley and I asked in unison. Don't let them know your scared Hayley. Keep a straight face and don't show any emotions.

“What a stupid question. I want you and Ronnie wants Riley." Pauly said in my ear. I scooted closer to Riley and tried to calm my racing heart. 

“Awe is little Hayley scared. Pauly she's scared." Ronnie taunted. “Are you scared Riley?" He asked pushing some hair behind her ear. She jerked her head out of his reach and glared at him. 

“Don't fucking touch me or Hay-" Riley started to say but was cut off by four car doors slamming and our dad and uncles loud voices.

“Pinky. Smurfette. Your getting outta school early." Uncle Brian said in a sing song voice. I jerked my head in the direction of his voice and mentally thanked them a million times. I heard Riley breath a sigh of relief from beside me.

“What for Uncle Bri?" Riley and I asked in unison. We really have to stop doing this. I mean it has to get annoying to other people. 

“Is it ok if we want to spend time with our favorite neices and daughters?" Uncle Matt asked sarcastically. I'm guessing he finally noticed Ronnie and Pauly because he looked at them with raised eyebrows and a ‘who the fuck are you dudes' look. The others had the same look on their faces.

“Who are they?" They all asked in unison. Oh shit! Don't say something stupid you idiots.

“Oh we're just good friends of theirs." Ronnie said getting up with Pauly.

“See ya later girls." They said and winked at us before they rounded the corner of the school. 

Riley and I stood up quickly, “I'm gonna give Ace my car keys so he can drive it to the house." I said trying not to let my voice crack. They nodded and I walked in the school with Riley right behind me.

“Hey Ace." I said putting a fake smile on my face. He smiled back and pulled me to sit in his lap causing me to blush. 

“Hey babe. What's up?" He asked wrapping an arm around my waist. I cleared my throat and felt the heat leave my face, “Dad and the uncles came to get Riles and I out early so I'm gonna let you drive my car to the house." I responded and chuckled when he smiled great big. 

“Your really gonna let me drive your baby?!" He asked shocked. He makes it seem like I would never let anyone drive my car.

“Yeah. Come with me to my locker so you can get the keys." I said standing up. He grabbed my hand and dragged me to my locker. I'm guessing he's excited to drive my car. 

“Calm down there turbo." I stated with a laugh. He playfully glared at me and stuck his tongue out at me. Childish I tell you, very childish.

Rolling my eyes I turned around and after I took the lock off I grabbed my bag. Rifling through it I finally found the keys and handed them to him. He grasped them and wrapped me in a tight hug; then he did something I never thought he would do. He kissed me....ON THE LIPS! Yeah it was just a quick peck but still, we aren't even dating. 

“Thanks babe. I won't mess it up, I promise." He said excitedly and ran back toward the lunch room leaving me stunned. 

I shook my head and told myself that it meant nothing and he was just excited, then walked to the office where Riley was standing whistling. Somethings up and I know it. 

“What are you up to?" I asked cautiously. She stopped whistling and looked at me with a smirk gracing her mouth.

“Nothing I was just going to tell dad and everyone that a certain someone got kissed by another certain someone by their locker." She said slowly inching toward the school doors. I narrowed my eyes at her and moved toward her causing her to break out in a sprint.

I ran after her as fast as I could in heels and almost slipped a couple times. I finally made it to the car to see her in the very back looking as innocent as ever. Innocent my ass.

“I need water." I gasped buckling my seat belt. Riley snickered which in turn caused me to smack her upside the head. Uncle Johnny passed me a half empty water bottle and turned back around. I really don't care who's drink this is because I'm about to die of thirst. 

“What do you guys want to do today?" Dad asked turning around in the passenger seat to look at us. I shrugged and tried to catch my breath. 

“Before we do anything I have some news." Riley looked at me with a smirk, “Ace kissed Hayley!" She exclaimed loudly. Uncle Matt slammed on the breaks and we all jerked forward; mind you we are on a fairly busy street.

“What?!"

I smacked Riley in the face and looked to the five pairs of wide eyes, “He kissed me. It couldn't even be considered a kiss, it was a peck on the lips." I responded feeling my face heat up.

“Did he force you to kiss him?" Uncle Zacky asked with an edge in his voice. I think I'm gonna laugh in his face.....yep I just started laughing in his face!

I shook my head ‘no' and tried to stop laughing. Riley looked at me with a blank face and then burst out laughing causing me to laugh even harder. Holy shit my sides hurt!

“Girls breathe." Uncle Matt said looking in the rearview mirror. He had started driving when Riley started laughing and people behind him in their cars started honking and yelling out their windows. I think they need to go somewhere for their road rage.

Riley stopped laughing and gasped, “I wanna go to the park!" She yelled excitedly. Volume button oh sister of mine. Everyone nodded and told us to calm down before we got there. It's like their embarrassed of us.....well we do act like dad and sometimes we're twenty times worse then him.

“Hayls do you know what songs playing?" Riley asked. I listen to what was playing on the radio in the car and shook my head.  

“Nope but I know what song will be playing in a second." I said with a smirk. “Hey dad can you put my mix cd in and turn it to number five? Oh and turn it up really loud please." I asked handing him my mix cd. He nodded and turned it to song five after putting it in. 

“Oh my fucking god! Not this song!" Uncle Brian said groaning loudly. Barbie Girl by Aqua started playing throughout the car causing everyone but Riley and I to groan; we just smirked.

“Why are we having to listen to this?" Uncle Johnny asked after dad turned it down a little. 

“It might have come up in a conversation-" Riley started.

“That Uncle Matt used to love this song." I finished. Smirks were prominent on our faces. They all narrowed their eyes at us and had this ‘who the hell betrayed us and told you' look on their faces. We both looked at each other after looking at all their faces and burst out laughing. They mumbled under their breaths and shook their heads.  

 
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Our trip to the park wasn't that good because of one reason, well more like two. Pauly and Ronnie just so happened to be there. They followed us and even ate lunch with us and everyone else at the little cafe by the park. I was weighing the pros and cons of telling dad and the guys that it was the Pauly Gore and Ronnie Payne but the cons outweighed the pros. So right now Riley and I are sitting in my room in my hanging chairs just talking. 

“Why do you think they followed us?" I asked sitting indian style in the chair.

“I don't know but maybe we should tell everyone that we saw them." Riley shrugged. I sighed and picked at a loose thread on my shirt, “It would probably be best but do you really want to see them get pissed like they did last time?" I asked pushing some hair out of my eyes. 

“I don't care if they get pissed I just want Ronnie and Pauly to go away." She replied getting up and pulling me out the door. 

“Flash keep it at a slow pace." I said sarcastically. She playfully glared at me and pushed me down on the living room chair that was across from the big couch. She sat down in the chair beside me and yelled, “family meeting" really, really loud. 

Aunt Val sat on Uncle Matts lap who was sitting on the couch infront of us and the others did the same. I hope the couch doesn't break; now I'm not calling them fat but you get what I'm saying?

“What's up girls?" Aunt Gena asked with a curious expression. Riley took a deep breath and motioned for me to start talking.

“Um you remember our exes we told you about?" I asked cautiously. I recieved ten nods and five set jaws. Shit they look mad.

“Well they um were at our school today and at the par-" I started to say but was cut off by dad.

“Those guys who were sitting with you at school and at the fucking park are your exes?!" He asked harshly. Riley and I flinched at the sound of his voice; not because we're scared of him but how it reminded of us of them. 

“Babe quit talking like that, it's scaring them." Mom said with a glare directed at dad. Dads eyes softened and he moved to get up but we both shrunk back into the chairs. He frowned and hurt was swirling in his bright blue eyes. 

“Girls he's not going to hurt you, none of us are. We promise." Aunt Lacey said in a comforting tone. That made me feel a little better. 

“Um I'm gonna go to my room to rest." Riley and I said in unison. We both got up ignoring the calls and went into my room. I layed face down on my bed and felt the hot tears roll down my face, landing on my bedspread. Riley layed down beside me and rubbed my back, telling me it was gonna be ok.

“I-I'm scared R-R-Riley. They're g-gonna find a w-way to get us." I cried rolling over to face her. She opened her mouth to say something but a knock at the door stopped her. She looked at me and I nodded my head, she told whoever it was to come in. My door opened and dad walked in closing the door softly behind him.

“Can I talk to her alone?" He asked looking at Riley. I nodded and wiped the tears at my face. 

“Your moms in your room Riles." Dad said. Riley nodded and walked out shutting the door behind her. 

Dad layed down beside me and pulled me closer to him, “It's going to be ok Hayls. We won't let them get you, I can promise you that." He said softly. I nodded with a sniff, “Can you sing me a song?" I asked quietly. 

“What song?"

“Dear God." I responded and sniffed. He nodded and cleared his throat and started to sing.

“A lonely road, crossed another cold state line
Miles away from those I love
Purpose hard to find
While I recall all the words you spoke to me
Can't help but wish that I was there
Back where I'd love to be, oh yeah

Dear God the only thing I ask of you
Is to hold her when I'm not around
When I'm much too far away....." I fell asleep before he could finish the song.

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Hushed voices woke me from my nap. It sounded like dad and Ace. Maybe he's dropping off my keys with Aiden. I felt dad slowly move away from me and walked out of the room but not before telling Ace something. A moment later the bed dipped and an arm was wrapped around my waist pulling me closer. 

“Ace what are you doing here?" I mumbled opening my eyes to see him looking down at me. He smiled and brushed my hair out of my face, “I brought back your keys and I wanted to talk to you." He replied. After I rubbed the sleep from my eyes I looked at him showing that I was ready to listen.

“You know earlier when we were at your locker and after you gave me your keys I....kissed you?" He asked. I nodded and tried to hide my blush. “Well I don't regret kissing you. Can I ask you another question?" He breathed a shakey breath. 

“You just did." I smirked. He rolled his eyes and put his hand on my face, running his thumb over my cheek, “Hayley Ryan Sullivan would you like to be my girlfriend?" 

Holy fucking mother of batman! I did not see that coming. What should I say? My last relationship didn't go so well but Ace would never do anything like that to me. But maybe he might...no, Hayley he's not Pauly and he never will be.

“I shouldn't have asked. God I feel so fucking stupi-" He started to say while shutting his eyes but I cut him off my smashing my lips to his. 

It took him a minute to respond but when he finally did, it felt like there was a swarm of butterflies in my stomach. When he nipped at my bottom lip I gasped, he took that as his chance to enter. Our tongues fought for dominance for a while until he won. It felt like he pulled away all to soon and I whined in protest. 

“I'll take that as a yes?" He asked sarcastically. I slowly opened my eyes and layed my head in the crook of his neck.

“Duh." I replied placing a kiss on his neck. All I have to say is, I'm so fucking happy that I finally have a boyfriend that I can start fresh with.