Creatures

I just stood in the doorway, the smile wiped off of my face, and my hand still holding on to the bottom of my hair from smoothing it out. I didn't know what to say, what to do. I was starting to feel better because of Hailey, I hadn't even gotten a chance to talk to Skylar about it. He cleared his throat and looked at the door, not being able to look me in the eye.

"Halibell, I....I....can we talk?" He asked slowly. I felt tears welling up in my eyes, the hurt coming back. I don't see why. I didn't like him. I closed the door in his face, and dragged my feet back to my room. I sat down on the edge of my bed, and messed with Poot, my green stuffed elephant that I've had since I was 5.

I wasn't sobbing, but I could feel the tears steadily rolling down my cheeks, hot and itchy. But I didn't care. Skylar and Hailey walked into my room, and sat on both sides of me.

"Are you okay?" Skylar asked me.

"Not at all." I bit my lip, not wanting to cry. I felt my chest having the desire to heave, to let all of my hurt and sadness out of me. I didn't know what this boy had done to me, but I was in pain.

"Okay, so, what happened?" Skylar said, handing me my mug of tea.

"I don't know why Ricky was mad at me in the first place, but it started the day before yesterday. He just started being mean." I closed my eyes, and got closer to Poot. I felt Hailey squeeze my shoulder.

"Yesterday, she was down about it, and she let TJ kiss her. Ricky saw, and got really upset." Hailey continued for me. I could not thank her enough. This was so hard for me to talk about.

"I don't know. I went to go talk to him about it, because, he stormed off. He told me....he told me..." my voice started occupying a higher pitch, and I started hyperventilating.

"He said he didn't want to be friends anymore, and for her not to talk to him." Hailey said, starting to hug me, then sobs erupted from my chest, hot tears spilling every where.

"I can tell you he really wants to talk to you, though." Skylar said, joining in on the hug.

"Really?" I said, not really caring. "Because I don't want to talk to him. I spent so many years building up my walls so I wouldn't feel like this. Ricky comes along. All my walls are torn, and I haven't even let him in yet." I said, calming down, my breathing going back to normal. Hailey used the sleeve of her shirt to wipe away my tears. I was blessed with such amazing friends to care for me so. I knew through anything, I would always end up feeling better in the end from them.

"Well, that's unfortunate." Hailey said, frowning.

"What do you mean?" I looked at her, furrowing my eyebrows.

"He's downstairs." Skylar said.

"So, why don't you take a shower, get dressed, calm down, and then he can come up to talk?" Hailey suggested.

"I'll think about it when I'm in the shower." I said, standing up, planning on taking the longest shower in my life. They both hugged me and shot to me a couple of "I love you's" and "I'm proud of you's." I stripped off my clothes, and stepped into the warm water of my shower. This time, not just in there to get clean, but in there to think and calm down. I lathered my hair in shampoo and conditioner, and shaved, seeing as I've deprived myself of that lately. I used nicely scented body wash, and after washing it all off, I just stood there.

I didn't want to get out, and if I didn't prune up, I would probably stay in here for hours. Unfortunately, it was that time where I had to get out. I wrapped a towel around my hair, and around my body. I sat on the toilet, and dried off slowly. I put on my under garments and put on a pair of read plaid pajama pants and a black crop fitted t-shirt. I went back into my bathroom and lazily dried out my hair, watching it go into it's usual loose curl form. I put on foundation this time so it didn't look like I had been crying, and mascara. I put my hair up into a ponytail, and cleaned my gauges, so they wouldn't smell. I sprayed myself quickly with perfume.

I didn't know why I was dressing up so much for him, while hurt, I was also pissed. I didn't want to go upstairs, so I took out a random Lovecraft book and started to read it. I'd have to say, H.P. Lovecraft was my hands down favourite author. I wrapped up in my blanket and started to read until I heard a knock on my door.

"Who is it?" I called out cheerily.

"Ricky. Can I come in?" He asked.

"Sure." I said, grumpily. He walked, and closed the door behind him.

"I don't know where to start, Hal..." His sad eyes looked in mine from across the room.

..::SKYLAR POV::..

We were about to all sit down with tea and talk about what Hali had been sad about. Right when the words were about to escape her mouth, there was a knock at the door. Hali got up regretfully and slowly walked towards the door, smoothing out her messy black hair. Me and Hailey crowded up behind her to see who it was. When she opened the door, we saw that it was Ricky. I thought this was a good thing at first, because I thought Ricky and Hal were friends.

I guess I was wrong considering how tense Hali got and the "Uh oh." that escaped Hailey's mouth from under her breath.

"Halibell..." Ricky said in a pleading tone. The next thing that happened was Hal closing the door in Ricky's face. She walked back upstairs, and I immediately opened the door again. Ricky was turned around, about to walk to his house.

"Ricky." I called out. "Come in." I said when he turned around.

"I don't think I should. Hal hates me." He said. I wonder what he could have done for Hal to be mad at him.

"No, come in." I insisted, and stepped aside for him to walk in. "We'll go talk to Hal. Why don't you make yourself comfy in the living room? Watch what you like." I smiled at him. With the tea in mine and Hailey's hand, we walked upstairs to Hal's room.

"How are we going to convince her to talk to him?" Hailey said in a quiet, concerned voice.

"I don't know. Let's just go from where ever." I didn't know how we would get her to do it, but we would. When we walked in her door, tears were rolling down her cheeks, and she was holding her stuffed elephant. Poot, I think it's name was. Hailey and I sat on either sides of her and I put my hand on her back.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Not at all." She bit her lip. Hal and Hailey started getting in to what all happened between her and Ricky, and what happened with TJ. She must have been so sad if she let a random guy steal her first kiss. We convinced Hali to think about talking to him while she took a shower, and with that satisfaction, we went back downstairs to Ricky to keep him company.

"What did she say?" He asked.

"She'll think about it. She's taking a shower to calm down." Hailey said.

"Wow, you must have said some really harsh words." I scowled at him for hurting one of my best friends.

"I know. I'm so horrible." He put his head in his hands, and I could tell he felt bad about it.

"I'm sorry." I apologized, putting my hand on his back.

"So you seemed to have gotten mad about her and TJ kissing." Hailey implied that Ricky liked Halibell.

"I didn't have a reason to. We don't like each other. I don't see why." He said, looking up.

"So then, if you don't like her, then why are you over here?" I asked, one of my eyebrows raised.

"I didn't have a reason to get mad about her kissing TJ. That's why I'm over here. I want to be friends." He admitted.

"But you told her you don't want to be friends." I said again.

"I was mad." He started getting jumpy, starting to look around and scratch his arms.

"But you didn't have a reason to be." I pointed out.

"I know." There was a quiver in his voice.

"Skylar, stop it. You'll scare the boy." Hailey said, giving Ricky a hug. "She's just so over protective." She assured him. Eventually, we heard her shower turn off.

"Give her 15 minutes." I said, talking about Hal. After 15 minutes was up, he walked upstairs, and I could hear him knock, then I could hear the door being closed. I hoped to god that he was on the other side of the door aside from the side where he was in the first place, if that makes any sense. If it doesn't, I just hoped that Halibell was talking to Ricky. I couldn't stand to see her so sad.

My phone beeped when I was deep in thought, and it was Bella wanting to go out again.

"Hailey, I'm going to go out, make sure Hal's okay when Ricky leaves. If she isn't, I'll murder him." I threatened, causing her to chuckle. I texted Angelo to meet me outside so he could tag along. Ang was cute and all, but I wouldn't say I borderline liked him. Not yet at least.

All I could do is hope for Hali.

(c)Shannon.