Our Broken Pasts [Editing] | #Wattys2017

Chapter Ten

Hailey

It's been a week. Surprisingly, I haven't had any more nightmares. Whenever they would relapse, I'd have a couple in a row before they went away again. Like all the others, this one was about that night.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going, Hailey? You know that no one walks away from me."

"Stay the fuck away!" I screeched.

"I couldn't help it with your mom, you know. She was in too deep. She owed me."

"She owed you! I don't!"

"Oh, Hailey, don't you know? You're your mom's penance."

I faced the woman that gave birth to me, that had promised to me over and over again that everything would be okay. It wasn't my job. It wasn't my job and I was tired of everything.

"Mom?"

"Yes, honey. It's true."

In that moment, I couldn't see the woman who had laughed and cried with me all through my childhood. I could only see the pathetic waste that she'd become. I knew whose fault that was. "You didn't."

"She did." His voice cut back in. That drawl is used to like hearing had become sinister. I shook. I couldn't stop shaking. And then he raised the gun. "And there's one more thing..." He pointed it toward her.

"No... Please, no..."

He shot her.

"Hailey. Hailey!" Will had his hand on my shoulder, shaking me gently. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I shook my head to clear out the lingering memories. They hurt so bad. I just wanted them to go away again.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. What's up?" I smiled.

For the past week we'd been doing the Romeo and Juliet readings at my house. Every day was the same. We got treats from Marnie, then went up to my room, where Will read the assigned part, and then we discussed it. I marked down every discussion and dissection of the characters and the reality or lack thereof of the romance, external and internal factors, etc. I felt safe being there in Will's arms. We'd become friends, which surprised me. If you'd told me a couple weeks ago that something like this would happen, I would have laughed it off. But it was nice. I was happy.

"Blake and Jordan and I are going paint balling this weekend. Want to come?"

I'd always wanted to try paintball. My older brothers had gone a few times on "boys only" trips, always coming home with funny stories.

"Sure. Count me in."

Will

Call me crazy. I'm actually nervous.

I've been standing in front of the mirror for the past hour, trying to decide whether or not I should stick with the white shirt or go with the blue one. "This is ridiculous," I said aloud.

"What is?" Great, Mallory heard me.

"I can't figure out which shirt to wear."

Mallory squealed and clapped her hands. "Oh my God, I can't believe that this actually happens! In every book the guy is nervous, too, at least a little bit but it's never seemed true until now! Ahh, I can't believe it! God, this is so cute!"

"Shut up," I mumbled.

"Okay, okay. Let's see..." After a moment of careful deliberation, she said, "I think you should go with the blue. It brings out your eyes."

Blue it was.

"What about my hair?"

"OMG! You guys actually obsess about that too?! I totally have to call Lily and tell her!"

"Mal," I warned.

"Sorry! Umm... I would say just leave it mussed the way you normally do. It looks good that way and if she's used to it, it'll make it seem more casual."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

"But don't you dare call Lily!" I called after her as she started walking away.

"No promises!"

I sighed and dragged a hand through my hair. Blue shirt, messy hair. All advice from my eleven-year-old sister.

What is the world coming to?

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