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I didn't mean it as a direct attack at Ben, but he looked down at me, scolding me with his eyes. I continued since it was the truth.
“Remember that short story you read aloud in high school?” I asked. “The one Mrs. Howards made you read even though you fought tooth and nail to stay quiet in your corner?”
She nodded.
“I told you afterward how much I loved it,” I said. “And I meant it. I tried to talk to you then, but you pushed me away.”
“Because I was scared,” she admitted.
“Scared of what?” I asked. “Scared of me?”
“Scared that you were only being nice because you felt bad for me or something.”
“No, that wasn't it at all,” I said, standing up so I could join her on the bed. I sat down on the other side of her, sitting opposite of Ben. “I just didn't want to be the kind of asshole who kept pestering you until you talked to me just to get me to leave you alone.”
I shot a pointed look over at Ben who wouldn't look at me. Hailey stared down at her hands and didn't answer. A knock came at her door. “Yes?” she said, wiping at her eyes and smearing the mascara even more.
“It's me, sweetie,” her mother said. “Can I come in?”
“Uhh sure,” she said, giving us both a look. We scooted further from her, so that I was pressed against the wall and Ben was practically off the bed. “Come in.”
Her mom and dad both came into the room, making me realize just how small the room was with all five of us crammed in there. Her mom looked at me, then Ben, and cocked her head to the side in a questioning manner, but she tried to give her daughter a reassuring smile.
“Are you okay, honey?” she asked.
“I'm fine, Mom,” she said. “Now that he's gone, I'm fine. I'm feeling a lot better now.”
“I just want to thank you boys for everything,” her mom said. “I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been here.”
“No need to thank us,” Ben said.
“If you weren't here – well, I don't know,” she said. “Frank was out back in the shed and he never heard me calling for him.”
Her tears started to fall as well, and Frank held his wife, while reiterating what she'd said.
“Thanks for being here for Hailey, boys,” he said. “I'm indebted to you.”
“Anytime, Mr. Roberts,” I said. “She's a good girl. She didn't deserve any of that.”
“No, she didn't,” he said, his eyes dark as he looked at his daughter.
There was so much sadness and anger in that one look. Whatever had happened to Hailey reverberated through everyone close to her as well.
“We have to run down to the police station to file a report,” he said. “Mind staying with her until we get back?”
“Of course,” I said. “We'll take good care of her, Mr. Roberts.”
Her parents left, shutting the door behind them and leaving us alone again.
“For a minute there,” Ben said with a rueful laugh, “it felt like high school all over again. Parents walking in and us trying to act all innocent.”
“I've never experienced anything like that before,” Hailey said.
Ben and I both laughed, but it was obvious she was serious.
“I never had boys in my room in high school,” she said, shrugging.
