Just Call Me Later

I waited for Trish to wake up, and Rolo scratched to get out of the house. I let him out the back door, and turned to my new laptop. Ben went all out, assigning the wallpaper and everything. It was a picture of us, sharing a smoothie.

I smiled to myself. I love him, and I never said that about anyone, not even Karlee. He's special. I checked my phone, and he already sent a dozen texts. I know he missed me already too.

I heard footsteps and turned to a freshly woken Trish. I beckoned her to me, wanting to show her my present. She stumbled towards me, and leaned on the counter next to me.

"Aw, that's so cute, Hayz." I couldn't help but laugh.

"I never thought in a million years I'd have a guy do this for me, let alone the Benedict Cumberbatch."

"I'm guessing you dont see that video he made for you," she said, pointing at the screen. My eyes landed on the screen, where she pointed.

"Click on it, Hayley, don't be shy."

I hesitantly clicked on it, and Ben's face popped on the screen.

"Hello, my love. I made this video so you could still have me with you, and so now I'll sing a song for you. I know I'm bad, so don't judge."

And he sang. It was bad, but beautiful. It was just the thought of him doing this for me, and I cried tears of happiness. Trish looked pleased, and she giggled.

When it was over, she whispered:

"Beyonce? You never knew..."

Granted, I never thought that he'd listened to her. But I guess he's unpredictable. I called Tom, my newfound friend, and told him what happened.

"Oh did he really? He never did that for Olivia," he told me.

"I guess I'm better than her," I said, matter-of-factly.

"Now now, claws away." He always made me laugh.

Trish looked at me, and I mouthed "Tom", to which she wanted to talk to. I handed over the phone, I went to my room, and fell on the bed, taking in Ben's scent. I was probaly laying there for an hour, when Trish came and sat on the bed.

"Listen, Hayz. We need to talk," she said seriously.

I looked at her, scared that maybe she didn't want to be friends or something like that. She saw my face and shook her head.

"Nothing like that. But Hayz.... I think I'm in love with you."

I stared at her speechless. What? No. I sat up, pulling myself away from her.

"That can't be. You must still be sad over your break up with Amber. You can't possibly love me."

She again shook her head, looking into my eyes.

"No, I'm not. I fell in love with you a long time ago, Hayley Leslie Taylor. In fact, when you told me your full name." She slid closer to me, and I leaned in closer to her, remembering when I first thought about a possibility of us. She pressed her lips to mine, and for a few second, I kissed her back. But then I felt the pang of guilt, and pushed her away.

"No, I'm with Ben, and we are disrespecting him. This is his house! And he let you stay here!"

Trish looked sad, and nodded.

"I'll just go to my room for the rest of the night. I'm sorry. So sorry." And she rushed from the room, leaving me in the remains of the experience.

God, what have I done? What do I do? I know I should tell Ben, but he might hate me afterwards! Tell him anyway, he deserves to know.

As if by fate, he then called me.

"I just touched down..."

"I kissed Trish!"

A pause crept through the phone.

"Hayley, I... I don't understand."

I told him the whole story, everything rushing from my mouth.

"Hayley, I.... I really don't know what to say. The day I leave, and you're smooching other people?"

"I'm so sorry, Ben." I really was.

"Well, I know one thing. I want you to leave my house. I don't think I can trust you anymore."

"I understand. I'll just grab all my stuff and leave."

"Good idea. You can take Rolo." Then he hung up.

The phone falls from my hand, and cracks on the floor. I run to the guest room, where I told Trish the situation.

"Thanks a lot, Patricia. You ruined my life."

I took as much as I could to my car, and grabbed my phone, which was still laying on the floor. Trish run from the house, crying.

"Save your damn sob story, bitch. Leave me alone."

Trish walks to her car, and drove away. I grabbed the rest of my stuff, and picked up Rolo, laying him in the front seat. I sat there for a second, then acted. She picked up on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Karlee, listen..."

***

It's been six months since I last seen Ben and Trish. I went back to Karlee, who welcomed me with open arms. Her brother, Todd, was there too.

That night went Ben told me to leave, I went to her crying and she comforted me. Todd sat and listened too, rubbing my back.

"I'm such a fool. How did I ever think it would last? An International star, and an English major?!"

"Oh, no, he was stupid. He let you go. You're amazing." karlee said this, no grace of sarcasm I her voice.

And now, six months later, we were back to our regular abusive relationship. She yelled, threw punches, and occasionally tried to stab me. Everytime, I'd leave, just to come back when she called apologizing.

Finally, I called the police, and she was arrested. She screamed bloody murder all the way to the cruiser.

I was all alone, yet again. I haven't spoken to Trish since that day, and Ben was out of the question.

But one day, I was walking the park, and there he sat, reading the paper. I walked up to him, consciously.

"He-hello?" He looked up at me, then stood up.

"Hayley, what happened to your face?"

My hand flew to my face, trying to cover the bruises.

"Nothing. Just ran into a pole." I could tell he knew I was lying.

"Hayley Taylor, tell me what happened!"

I flinched at his voice raising. He noticed his mistake and apologized.

"I... Went back to Karlee. You know, after...." and he pulled me into a hug.

"I'm so sorry, Hayley. I really am truly sorry." He pulled away, then his phone rang. " I gotta go. Lunch sometime?"

Before I could answer, he left. He grew smaller and smaller as he went to his car, and I went the opposite way, pulling my phone to call my mum. But I had a different plan.

"Todd, can Rolo and I come stay with you for a while?"

Todd was 17, but his parents emancipated him at 15.

"Yeah. No problem."

I went there, and I fell asleep thinking about the words to a poem my mum wrote to my dad, just before he died.

When we lose it all,
We lose our heads.
Can't break the fall,
Into our death beds.