Ten Things I Love (to Hate) About You

The next morning, I again woke up with the sense that something was off, with someone basically laying on top of me. When I realized it was Haliey, I relaxed, not wanting to move her so she could sleep. Her head was buried on my chest, all but her legs on top of me. I pushed her hair out of her face and she stirred before sighing and stilling again. I studied her now exposed face, which was paler then it should have been. Her cheekbones where high and defined, almost too defined. I had the feeling that this step dad of hers didn't care much if she ate. Her lashes where the long kind I remember Kelic envying on other girls, the long, dark black kind. Her nose was one of those 'small buttoned' kind that people always wanted, and her lips were full and kissable. I realized with a start that she really was quite beautiful, even if all he girls around the school complained she was too tomboyish. I knew when she opened her eyes they would be a deep sapphire color, full of mischief or sorrow, depending on her mood. Even her slight frame fit perfectly with her features, Enhancing the beauty instead of taking away from it. 

She stirred suddenly, and I held my breath, hoping she'd fall asleep again. Instead she rubbed her eyes and smiled slightly as she opened them. 

" Morning. " I grinned at her. " morning. Are you hungry?" she shook her head no. " no, I'm not. Not yet, anyway." she coughed just slightly, propping her elbow on my chest as she covered her mouth with the other hand. 

" there's a glass on the sink in my bathroom if you want to get a drink before you really start to cough. " she groaned, laying her head back down on me. 

" I just want to sleep. And you make such a nice pillow. " she murmured. I laughed at her, and I could see her smile slightly. 

" fine, we can lay here until mom comes up, which should be in about an hour. " I said, glancing at the clock. She nodded, and we sat in silence for awhile. 

" why didn't you just go to the police?" I said suddenly. She turned her head so I could see her eyes, which looked tired, and almost vacant. Now I knew what my mom meant when she said it looked like she had no soul, no spark. The life looked sucked out of her eyes. 

" my step dad is the sheriff around here, remember? That's why I never get in trouble like the other kids. The officers all know they'll get their ass chewed out if they bring me in. " I sighed, rubbing her back in small circles until her rigid posture she'd developed relaxed and she was half asleep again. My door opened, and mom stuck her head in. Hailey turned her head slightly, and mom smiled at her softly.  " hey, Hailey. How are you feeling?" she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed closest to us. She shrugged, turning her face into my chest. I laughed at her. 

" she's doing alright, mom. She just woke up not took g ago and was going to fall back asleep before you came up here. " she nodded, touching her forehead slightly. Score frowning. 

" you're not warm anymore, so that's good. Did you get a shower last night, or is my sons hospitality lacking?" Hailey  giggled slightly. " I got a shower, thanks. And thank you for letting me stay here. " mom waved a hand in the air. " don't you dare worry about it. You can stay as long as you want, and Mocan can even go and get your clothes if you'd like. " she nodded, sitting up next to me and stretching and yawning at the same time. 

" sounds good to me. But where am I going to stay?" she asked when she was done and she was leaning on my chest instead of laying in it. I rolled my eyes.  

" yes, Hailey, I don't mind propping you up at all. Please, continue digging your elbows into my solar plexus. " she stuck her tongue out at me, but moved her elbows away from me and instead climbed over me to sit in the desk chair. I sat up and ruffled my hair, knowing the the shaggy brown fluff was sticking every which way. I had missed a lot of hair cuts to get it like this, and I was too lazy to get it done now. 

" and you ca stay in the guest room in the attic, which we'd have to move a few boxes for, or you could stay on here with Mocan. " mom said, looking at me to make sure that it was ok. I nodded after a moment. If it kept her away from that house, I could deal. Hailey sighed. " I don't want to to move everything around for me, ms. Grant. "

" miss Wetherford. And you can call me Kelly. " she corrected gently. Hailey shot me a look, and I grinned. " i'm adopted , and she had me use my original parents last name when I started going to school. " she raised an eyebrow. " you don't look adopted. " she pointed out. " well, my sister and her husband had him, but died in a freak plane accident when he was a few months old. " mom cut in. Hailey nodded, and then sighed. " If it's alright with Mocan, i'd like to stay in here until I can find a different place to stay. " mom stood and gave her hand a squeeze. " Hon, you don't have to go anywhere. You can stay here as long as you want, I promise. " Hailey shot me a smug look. " we'll see. " when my mom left I sling my legs over the bed. " what was they look for?"

" we'll, one of the ten things I was talking about yesterday is that you grow on people. If I stick around too long, you might grow on me too. "  I rolled my eyes, deciding to not let that bother me. 

" the fact that you even have this list is stalkerish. you realize this. "

" no, it's observations I've made about you that I decided not to like. Technically, it's the opposite of stalker, because these are things I hate, and stalkers tend to have a loving fixation on the person they're stalking. " I shivered slightly. " the fact that you know that is more then slightly terrifying. "