Blank Stare
got caught, running up the tab.
| Hayden Brock stood in front of her best friend, not sure how to tell him what she and Kennedy had seen earlier that morning. John claimed to love Vanessa, his girlfriend of seven months, and she didn’t want to be the one to break them up. But she couldn’t just hide the fact that she had seen Vanessa cheating on him. She knew John would believe her words. They had been friends since they were toddlers, so there was no reason as to why he would doubt her.
“What is it, Hay?” John asked curiously, wondering why the girl seemed so nervous. She had arrived at his house almost fifteen minutes ago, claiming she had something extremely important to tell him, but she had yet to tell him what it was.
“You know I would never lie to you, right John?” she asked quietly, her green eyes wide as she sat on his bed.
“Of course I know that. Now, what’s the matter, baby girl?” John spoke sweetly as he plopped down beside her on his bed, worried about how she was acting.
“Vanessa… um,” she paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, “Kenny and I were at the park earlier today with Jace, and we saw her with someone else.”
It was silent for what seemed like an eternity before John finally looked over at her. “What are you trying to tell me, Hayden?” John questioned her lowly, not liking where their conversation was going whatsoever.
“She had her tongue shoved down some other guy’s throat, John.” The eighteen year old stated, popping her knuckles nervously as she glanced up at John, waiting to see his reaction.
John wouldn’t look at her as he venomously said, “You’re lying.”
“Why would I lie about something like this?” she asked calmly, trying to keep herself composed. She had thought John would believe her; she had never given him any reasons to not trust her. But she should’ve guessed that he was too “in love” with the witch he called a girlfriend to even think she was capable of cheating on him.
To him, Vanessa was absolutely perfect and never did anything wrong. She was an angel sent from above in his eyes. John would never believe she would cheat on him, or anyone for that matter.
“Because you’ve never liked Vanessa, Hayden. You and I both know that.” John said bitterly as he stood.
“That doesn’t mean I would lie about what I saw, John!” The short brunette shot back at him with wide eyes. How was it that every fight her and John had ever had was caused by Vanessa? She couldn’t understand it.
“I don’t believe you. You’re just jealous of what her and I have. You wish it was you with me instead of her,” he spat, watching as her face contorted to shock when he called her out on being jealous.
“I’m just trying to keep you from getting hurt.” She murmured softly as she stood as well, standing in front of him.
“No, you’re just being a bitch and making up lies to break Van and I up. But I won’t let it work. She was right; I don’t need you in my life. I don’t see why I’m still friends with you when it’s obvious you just wanna’ be the center of attention. You’re a stupid drama queen that causes trouble for everyone.” He paused, his eyes filled with anger, “I don’t need a bitch like you as my best friend.”
Hayden blinked as her eyes began to sting with tears, not believing what she was hearing. This was not her best friend. John would’ve never said those things to her. Vanessa had really changed him. He was blinded by her so much that he was picking her over Hayden, whom he’d known for years.
“You don’t mean that.” Hayden said, her voice cracking. But she refused to let her tears fall in front of him.
“I don’t want to see you right now Hayden. Don’t bother trying to make up more lies about the girl I love, so I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of our lives.” By then, John had walked over to his bedroom door, holding it open for Hayden.
“Just remember John… I won’t be around when you realize that your girlfriend is nothing but a cheating bitch.” Hayden said calmly, trying her hardest to keep her volume from rising. She glanced at John on last time before she walked out of his bedroom, not planning on coming back again.
She didn’t understand why John was so hell bent on saying she was lying. Anyone who knew the young Brock knew that she would never lie about something so drastic; everyone but her best friend apparently.
Hayden was exactly sure how she had managed to make it home in the state she was, but she did. She was lucky the O’Callaghan’s lived a few houses down and she could walk home. There was no way she would’ve been able to drive home with the way she was crying.
The sobbing girl was sure she scared her older brother when she ran straight past him on her way to her bedroom, just wanting to get away from everyone. But Kennedy Brock was far too protective over his younger sister to simply let her go without seeing what was wrong so he followed her into her bedroom, pulling the girl into his arms.
“Hayden, what happened?” Kennedy asked after he had pulled her into a hug,
“H-He,” she started, sobs wracking her small body. ”I wasn’t lying to him Kenny!” she yelled after a few moments, her voice muffled by his chest.
Kennedy sighed, knowing instantly what she was talking about. He knew there was a possibility of John acting this way when he found out, but he had hoped he believed his sister. John should know better than to think Hayden would ever lie to him. He listened carefully as Hayden explained everything that had been said between her and John, wanting nothing more than to punch his friend in the face for hurting her.
It took Kennedy a good hour or two to finally calm his younger sister down, but when the tears had stopped she looked at him, a sad smile on her face. “I guess one good thing will come out of this,” she whispered, pulling her knees up to her chest.
“And what’s that?”
“I can move in with Mom and Brice. She’s been asking me to for weeks now.” Hayden was trying to make herself sound cheery and happy, but Kennedy knew better than that. He knew his sister was only saying that in order to make John happy.
Two days after the John incident, Hayden was still contemplating on moving in with her mother. She didn't want to leave her dad, brother, and friends behind but, she couldn't stand being around John after the way he'd been treating her.
They had always been close, but that all came to a halt the moment he and Vanessa began dating. She was controlling and jealous. Especially when it came to Hayden. At first, John had ignored Vanessa's anger whenever Hayden and him hung out, but as the weeks went on he began listening to her.
He stopped hanging out with Hayden as much as they used to, only choosing to see her or talk to her if Vanessa was out of town. Even then, he hung out with her without anyone knowing. Hayden couldn't help but feel replaced.
John had acted like he didn't want to be around her because of Vanessa, and him yelling at her made her realize that he wasn't a good friend. He should've believed her.
Hayden knew she might have been overreacting as she sat on her bed with Kennedy, talking to him about moving in with her mom. But she was hurt. Hurt that her best friend had picked someone else over her. Hurt that he hadn't realized her feelings towards him. The only solution the teen could see was to get away, even if it was only for a few weeks.
“Hayden. Don’t do this,” Kennedy pleaded when he saw that she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. She didn’t even glance up at Kennedy as she dialed her mom’s number, putting the phone up to her ear.
“Mommy?” Hayden questioned softly when her mom picked up, her voice cracking as she tried to not cry again.
“What’s the matter, sweetie?” her mother questioned, her voice worried.
“I changed my mind. I wanna move in with you and finish high school there.” Hayden murmured, ignoring the stare her brother was giving her. In that precise moment, Hayden needed to be away from Tempe. She needed her mom to comfort her, but most of all, she wanted to put as much distance as she possibly could between her and John. |
“What is it, Hay?” John asked curiously, wondering why the girl seemed so nervous. She had arrived at his house almost fifteen minutes ago, claiming she had something extremely important to tell him, but she had yet to tell him what it was.
“You know I would never lie to you, right John?” she asked quietly, her green eyes wide as she sat on his bed.
“Of course I know that. Now, what’s the matter, baby girl?” John spoke sweetly as he plopped down beside her on his bed, worried about how she was acting.
“Vanessa… um,” she paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, “Kenny and I were at the park earlier today with Jace, and we saw her with someone else.”
It was silent for what seemed like an eternity before John finally looked over at her. “What are you trying to tell me, Hayden?” John questioned her lowly, not liking where their conversation was going whatsoever.
“She had her tongue shoved down some other guy’s throat, John.” The eighteen year old stated, popping her knuckles nervously as she glanced up at John, waiting to see his reaction.
John wouldn’t look at her as he venomously said, “You’re lying.”
“Why would I lie about something like this?” she asked calmly, trying to keep herself composed. She had thought John would believe her; she had never given him any reasons to not trust her. But she should’ve guessed that he was too “in love” with the witch he called a girlfriend to even think she was capable of cheating on him.
To him, Vanessa was absolutely perfect and never did anything wrong. She was an angel sent from above in his eyes. John would never believe she would cheat on him, or anyone for that matter.
“Because you’ve never liked Vanessa, Hayden. You and I both know that.” John said bitterly as he stood.
“That doesn’t mean I would lie about what I saw, John!” The short brunette shot back at him with wide eyes. How was it that every fight her and John had ever had was caused by Vanessa? She couldn’t understand it.
“I don’t believe you. You’re just jealous of what her and I have. You wish it was you with me instead of her,” he spat, watching as her face contorted to shock when he called her out on being jealous.
“I’m just trying to keep you from getting hurt.” She murmured softly as she stood as well, standing in front of him.
“No, you’re just being a bitch and making up lies to break Van and I up. But I won’t let it work. She was right; I don’t need you in my life. I don’t see why I’m still friends with you when it’s obvious you just wanna’ be the center of attention. You’re a stupid drama queen that causes trouble for everyone.” He paused, his eyes filled with anger, “I don’t need a bitch like you as my best friend.”
Hayden blinked as her eyes began to sting with tears, not believing what she was hearing. This was not her best friend. John would’ve never said those things to her. Vanessa had really changed him. He was blinded by her so much that he was picking her over Hayden, whom he’d known for years.
“You don’t mean that.” Hayden said, her voice cracking. But she refused to let her tears fall in front of him.
“I don’t want to see you right now Hayden. Don’t bother trying to make up more lies about the girl I love, so I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of our lives.” By then, John had walked over to his bedroom door, holding it open for Hayden.
“Just remember John… I won’t be around when you realize that your girlfriend is nothing but a cheating bitch.” Hayden said calmly, trying her hardest to keep her volume from rising. She glanced at John on last time before she walked out of his bedroom, not planning on coming back again.
She didn’t understand why John was so hell bent on saying she was lying. Anyone who knew the young Brock knew that she would never lie about something so drastic; everyone but her best friend apparently.
Hayden was exactly sure how she had managed to make it home in the state she was, but she did. She was lucky the O’Callaghan’s lived a few houses down and she could walk home. There was no way she would’ve been able to drive home with the way she was crying.
The sobbing girl was sure she scared her older brother when she ran straight past him on her way to her bedroom, just wanting to get away from everyone. But Kennedy Brock was far too protective over his younger sister to simply let her go without seeing what was wrong so he followed her into her bedroom, pulling the girl into his arms.
“Hayden, what happened?” Kennedy asked after he had pulled her into a hug,
“H-He,” she started, sobs wracking her small body. ”I wasn’t lying to him Kenny!” she yelled after a few moments, her voice muffled by his chest.
Kennedy sighed, knowing instantly what she was talking about. He knew there was a possibility of John acting this way when he found out, but he had hoped he believed his sister. John should know better than to think Hayden would ever lie to him. He listened carefully as Hayden explained everything that had been said between her and John, wanting nothing more than to punch his friend in the face for hurting her.
It took Kennedy a good hour or two to finally calm his younger sister down, but when the tears had stopped she looked at him, a sad smile on her face. “I guess one good thing will come out of this,” she whispered, pulling her knees up to her chest.
“And what’s that?”
“I can move in with Mom and Brice. She’s been asking me to for weeks now.” Hayden was trying to make herself sound cheery and happy, but Kennedy knew better than that. He knew his sister was only saying that in order to make John happy.
••••
Two days after the John incident, Hayden was still contemplating on moving in with her mother. She didn't want to leave her dad, brother, and friends behind but, she couldn't stand being around John after the way he'd been treating her.
They had always been close, but that all came to a halt the moment he and Vanessa began dating. She was controlling and jealous. Especially when it came to Hayden. At first, John had ignored Vanessa's anger whenever Hayden and him hung out, but as the weeks went on he began listening to her.
He stopped hanging out with Hayden as much as they used to, only choosing to see her or talk to her if Vanessa was out of town. Even then, he hung out with her without anyone knowing. Hayden couldn't help but feel replaced.
John had acted like he didn't want to be around her because of Vanessa, and him yelling at her made her realize that he wasn't a good friend. He should've believed her.
Hayden knew she might have been overreacting as she sat on her bed with Kennedy, talking to him about moving in with her mom. But she was hurt. Hurt that her best friend had picked someone else over her. Hurt that he hadn't realized her feelings towards him. The only solution the teen could see was to get away, even if it was only for a few weeks.
“Hayden. Don’t do this,” Kennedy pleaded when he saw that she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. She didn’t even glance up at Kennedy as she dialed her mom’s number, putting the phone up to her ear.
“Mommy?” Hayden questioned softly when her mom picked up, her voice cracking as she tried to not cry again.
“What’s the matter, sweetie?” her mother questioned, her voice worried.
“I changed my mind. I wanna move in with you and finish high school there.” Hayden murmured, ignoring the stare her brother was giving her. In that precise moment, Hayden needed to be away from Tempe. She needed her mom to comfort her, but most of all, she wanted to put as much distance as she possibly could between her and John. |
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blah. i don't know how i feel about this chapter yet. i feel like i could've spent more time on it, but i wanted to post it, haha. this is only the prologue. the next chapter will be set about nine or so months after this. hope you guys like it. :)♥analeise.