Ten Things I Love (to Hate) About You

“ you know, this whole ‘you’re in love with Hailey’ rant is getting rather annoying.” I said mildly as I watched Trent and Hecklin go at it on my xbox. We where downstairs, in my game room, the day I got back from the hospital. They only had me in there for three days, and they gave me plenty of medicine to make sure I was drugged the next week or so. Hailey and my mom was working on making us a supper, and Brent was mercilessly berating me about asking her out.

“Just because it’s true! You looked like a lost puppy for a minute when she left the room!” Brent exclaimed, and Trent nodded in agreement. I scowled at the twin boys, then looked at Hecklin.

“Please, please tell me you don’t agree and are actually thinking rationally.” I begged. He paused the game, making Trent cuss, and then looked at me a moment before he grinned suddenly.

“You’ve definitely got it in for her, man. I wouldn’t say you where in love- yet- but you’re definitely getting there. I just suggest you dig into her past a bit deeper before you get too involved.” He said, then turned and turned the game back on.

“HEY! You cheater!” Trent cried. I laughed at him, but was puzzled about what Hecklin had said. I wasn’t in love-yet- sounded pretty ominous. I shivered, deciding not to think about it, only to see Brent looking at me expectantly, the other two gone.

“Welcome back to earth spaceman. You where on your own little world there for about five minutes. Kelly called us down for supper.” I grimaced, but nodded. He slid an arm behind my back and helped me lift myself up, my ribs screaming at me the whole time. I stood, and when I steadied myself I pushed him away gently.

“go eat. I’ll be up… eventually.” He gave me a worried look, but like the great friend he was, he gave me my way and walked away. I leaned against the wall, letting a low groan escape. I sat like that for a few minutes, and then I heard soft feet on the stairs. I immediately knew it was Hailey.

“Would you-“ I began, hoping to ask her nicely to leave, but she gave me a glare that had me shrinking back, putting her hands on her hips as soon as she was in front of me.

“Why didn’t you let Brent help you up here?” she said flatly.

“Because he needed to eat.” I said immediately. She shook her head, sighing. “ and you don’t? Child, I know you think you’re some big macho man, but right now you’re about as weak as a green bean. Lets get you upstairs.” In a move I couldn’t stop, She was under my arm, one wrapped firmly under my ribs so that I couldn’t feel it.

“Hailey…” I trailed off warningly. She was really pushing my buttons today. She pressed herself closer to my side, making me giver her a confused look as her body molded to mine, until I realized that she was squeezing us in the doorway to the stairs.
“Shut up and let me drive.” She said teasingly. I had to laugh at her, then groaned.

“Shit, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make you laugh!” she exclaimed. I rolled my eyes at her, grinning.

“uh-huh. Sure. Just shut up and steer.” She chuckled and began guiding my up the stairs, shifting her arm in such a way that I only felt a slight tweak in my side where as it would have felt like a blow torch was on it otherwise.

“OH!” she suddenly cried, and I realized she was tripping and falling against me a split second before I rammed into the railing behind me, my side screaming out in protest. My good arm immediately wrapped around her and her arm was still around my waist as her head shot up.

“I’m so sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going! I didn’t mean to run into you! I’m-“

“Shh, Hailey, stop apologizing. It was an accident.” I said, straightening up but not letting go of her. I felt my fingers subconsciously (or perhaps not) wrap in the ends of her hair, which was at her waist. She gave me a confused look. “It’s still my fault! I should have-“ I shook my head, grinning, and she stopped talking.

“Hailey, it was an accident. It happens.” She sighed. “Right. Sorry.” She muttered, resting her head on my chest suddenly only to gasp as the movement pulled the hair that I had been holding onto. She snapped her head back to look at me, and I grinned down at her innocently.

“Let go of my hair!” she exclaimed. I laughed, Letting go of the ends of her hair and letting my arm rest around her shoulders again. “Ok then. Lets get upstairs to eat.” I said. She nodded, and then, In one quick move so that she couldn’t stop me, I twirled her to face me again and dropped a feather light kiss on her lips. I pulled back just slightly, and when she didn’t slap me, just gave me a wide-eyed look, I kissed her again, slightly harder.

I love the way she responded to me. She tunneled her fingers through my hair and then wrapped them in it, pulling me down to her height. She let me hold her as tight as I wanted to, unlike Kelic, who always complained when I was ‘too rough’ on her. Every square inch of her front was pressed against mine, and it still didn’t seem like enough to me.

After a few moments of our lips moving in synch, I lightly traced the edge of her lip with my tongue. She gasped, and willingly opened her mouth for me, giving me a taste of something so addicting I felt like was spinning head long into a black hole. I lost all sense of time and space except for where my lips where pressed to hers, and what my tongue was tasting as I searched her mouth.

A throat clearing at the top of the stairs had me pulling away slightly, and she blinked her eyes open as her hands fell from my hair. I glanced up to see Brent, Grinning from ear to ear. Hailey gave me a look I couldn’t quite interpret, and then she slipped away and up the stairs, stopping to say something to Brent before leaving. Brent came down and Grinned at me.

“So-“

“You where right.” I muttered, cutting him off. He froze, then shrugged. “of course I was. What do you expect? How was it?” I shook my head, leaning against the railing slowly so I didn’t hurt my side.

“It was… it was Hailey. What do you think it was like?” I finally said. He laughed. “Right. Let’s get you upstairs so you can eat.”