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Groaning, I throw my phone down, reading the message Hailey had texted telling me she was on her way over.
At least she’s one relief. Her life messless.
two
Rory
“Whatdoyouthink?”Hailey asks, glancing at me through the mirror.
She’s been doing this for about ten minutes now. Angling her head as she swaps out the silky pajama sets, holding them in front of her.
“You’re getting ready for bed, not an award ceremony. Pick something,” I groan.
Mmmphing, she sticks out her tongue and throws down the pink set. Opting for the yellow one that reminds me of daisies.
Switching off the light to the bathroom, she comes back over to the bed after changing and washing her face. Taking the pillow behind her, she fluffs it up before sinking down onto her back with a sigh.
Hailey’s been doing this since she arrived. She’d been her usual alive and bright self but like everyone else, hers too almost seems like a facade. Not wholly her perky personality.
The longer she’s here, the more I notice her going in and out of these periods. She’s here physically but mentally, she’s somewhere else.
For example, she’s still looking up at the ceiling and barely blinking.
“Are you alright?”
Squinting, she slowly looks over at me, flipping over on her side, and tucking her hand under her chin. “Never better.”
Her answer almost mechanical, forced.
I give her a tight-lined expression that tells her exactly what I’m thinking. There’s something going on with her.
Cracking an overripe smile, she adds, “You sure Cole doesn’t mind that I’m taking his spot tonight?” Wagging her eyebrows as she wiggles her butt under the covers.
She, like everyone else, other than Abram, knew he spent most of his nights here sharing my bed. He’s been doing this since we got back together.
Her eyes glint while mine roll.
“Do I need to spoon you too?” Mercilessly she reaches over and hugs me before peeking up through her lashes, voice growing serious. “I love you, but my limits stop there. You’ll have to get yourself off if you’re feeling frisky.”
I shove her off with a chuckle. The sound grows louder the more I take in her fake disappointment. It feels good,reallygood, laughing like this.
Even if I know she’s only asking this to get the topic off herself. It’s nice to have at least a few moments where the weight of everything going on right now is forgotten.
Turning over, I reach at the lamp beside my bed and turn it on, further burying myself under the covers.
Lying here, I realize I’m glad I’d asked her if she wanted to stay the night.
Cole’s still out of town with his father anyway. They’re trying to figure everything out with their parts of the business. The longer he’s gone the more that void grows, festering.
Plus, I’ve gotten used to sharing this bed with someone. It’s almost laughable. That’s something the Rory from a few months ago never would’ve admitted but I also never would’ve acknowledged I missed him. I miss Cole.
That’s the funny thing about life, isn’t it? We’re always constantly changing…whether we want to or not.
Glancing at her, she’s once again on her back, eyes open but that same distant haze is present.
Hailey may not be telling me what’s going on, so I have no idea if it’s about Finn or something else entirely. All I do know for certain is that she seemed more than willing to stay when I’d asked.
“Do you think they’re going to be okay?” Hailey questions after a while into the stillness of the night.
