Chapter 57 – November 10th

"I got you there. I hope you like them," Caleb said as he lends me the bouquet. I grabbed the bouquet of roses from him, gladly accepting it as I smile. I smelt the roses and looked at him.

"Thank you very—"

My words are suddenly cut off by Caleb when he kissed me out of nowhere. I was really shocked, and I do not know what to think, but I know that this is not the right thing to do, and kissing him back will make him get the wrong idea about what's happening between the two of us.

I opened my eyes and pushed him away from me, "I like you, Hailey," Caleb said.

I hear someone drop something heavy wrapped in plastic. I look over and saw Cayden and Amelia staring at us, shocked at what they just witnessed. Cayden dropped the bouquet of roses he bought me. So that's what his message is all about...

"It's not what it looks like," I said, looking at Cayden. He closed his mouth and gulped down the lump that was stuck in his throat.

"Yeah, It's not," Cayden says and starts storming out of Amelia's house. I looked at Amelia with a hint of sadness in my eyes. Amelia points at the door, telling me to go after Cayden.

Caleb grabs my arm, refrains me from leaving him. I looked at him with a hint of disappointment scattered all over my face. Disappointed of what he just did, "I'm so sorry." I removed the grip of his hand from my arm.

I ran towards the front door and left Amelia's house to chase Cayden, hoping that he's still around somewhere. "Cayden, wait!" I shouted as I try to catch him as he starts heading towards his car.

"I...We... He... I didn't kiss him. He kissed me," I said as I stuttered.

"Clearly, you were enjoying it after I decided to let my stupid ass enter the room, ruining the moment for the both of you. Well, guess what? I'm sorry," He says, sounding sarcastic about his apology. He starts walking towards his car as I stop him by grabbing his wrist.

"Hey! You threw yourself on Katie when I told you that we should end something that we have. And that was the night before I told you about it and the next day, I say you... with her!" I said as I point my finger, poking his chest aggressively.

"At least I didn't go around kissing people!" He defended himself.

"What the hell Cayden? I did not even kiss him! I don't like Caleb! Can you start getting over it?" I argued with him to let him see my point and that he doesn't have to worry about Caleb or anything because I am not attracted to Caleb, and the kiss meant nothing to me.

"Yeah. I'll get over it once I am done getting over you," He says as I let out the breath I didn't know that I was holding. He unlocked his car and opened the door.

"Cayden, look. I love you," I said, caressing his cheeks, "It was just a kiss. Stop making it such a big deal," I said, and he rolls his eyes all over at my response to him.

"A kiss that was about to hit the next level!" He shouted, "What would you do if you caught me kissing another girl? Would you be happy about that, huh?"

"Okay, that's it. At least, I didn't let myself be taken away by that moment, and at least I'm not the type of person who would fuck another human being after their fucking break up!"

"Oh, sure! As if you didn't do that after you and Levi broke up. Or maybe, that's why Levi broke up with you; it's because you were never good in bed!" He screamed at my face as I slapped him across the face, mad about the words he just said. My eyes start to pool, and the next thing I know, I was crying, bawling my eyes out in front of him.

"You know... Maybe this is wrong. Everything that I said to you was wrong. That you are not really worth fighting for, and maybe I should stand up for that choice," I said as the tonality of my voice becomes soft because of the feeling of melancholy.

I did what I have to do, and so I start walking away from him. I walked away from the scene and am not looking back this time, just as when I thought that everything is starting to build up once again, everything went back, falling into pieces.

"Hailey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say those stuff to you," Cayden says as he starts to catch up with me. He grabs my wrist as I aggressively let his grip go, escaping the sudden feeling of being caged.

"But you did! You chose to say it," I said as I keep on crying, "Well, I guess the game's over for the two of us," I said as I remove the heels that I'm wearing and threw them away on the grass. I walked away from Cayden and away from Amelia's house.

I started walking all the way back home, even though I know that it isn't the best place to be at right now and it isn't the safest place, hence the thought of thinking that Trevor might decide to pop out, out of nowhere while I go cry in my bedroom, sucking up all of the misery, all by myself.

I hear myself sobbed. My phone vibrates, and I look at it, seeing a message from Amelia. I unlocked my phone and read the message she sent me.

Amelia <7:32 PM, Saturday> I'm ditching Noah. Tell me where you are at. I'm coming for you.

Another message popped on my screen as Amelia sent me another message.

Amelia <7:33 PM, Saturday> I'm sorry about my brother. I'll kill him for you. Just say the word!

Me <7:33 PM, Saturday> As much as I would love to kill someone (me). I'd rather not, and it's alright. Maybe your brother just got caught up in the moment.

I sent her the message and locked my phone as I kept walking alone in such a dark and terrifying neighborhood. The surrounding are perfectly silent but, it's too silent for me. The thoughts of someone scaring me or kidnapping me at this very moment are starting to make me go crazy.

***

Once I reached our house. I walked up the front porch, moving the plant on the side to grab the emergency key hidden under. I grabbed it, and I unlocked the house. I entered as I closed the door behind me, placing the emergency house key on the coffee table in the living room.

I opened the lights and sat down on the couch, taking a minimum amount of deep inhales and exhales to get myself calm because I know that this is the best way to relieve some stress. I grabbed the remote and opened the TV.

I started surfing on some channels, and when I didn't find a movie that I like to watch, I decided to turn it off instead. I stood up from the living room couch and walked towards the kitchen to grab myself some cold glass of water.

After I finished drinking, I placed the empty glass on the kitchen sink and decided to go head upstairs and change. I know that Cayden got all of my clothes in their house but, I kept some clothes in my secret box under my bed.

I entered my bedroom, opened the lights, and closed the door behind me. I bent down and grabbed the box under my bed. I opened it and grabbed some black leggings and a white hoodie that I haven't worn for so long because it was kept under my bed.

I remove the dress that I was wearing, which was sort of dirty already, and changed it into my black leggings and my white hoodie. My phone vibrates again, and I look at it, seeing a message from Cayden and Amelia. I put the dress on my dirty laundry and unlocked my phone.

I deleted the message Cayden sent me and opened Amelia's message.

Amelia <8:49 PM, Saturday> Where are you at?

Me <8:49 PM, Saturday> At our house, alone.

Amelia <8:50 PM, Saturday> That's what I figured.

Me <8:50 PM, Saturday> The front door is open for you. I was too lazy enough to lock it. But call me if you are here.

Amelia <8:50 PM, Saturday> You and your lazy ass. Alright, I'm 3 minutes away from your house.

I left her a message on seen and locked my phone, placing it on my bedside table. I lay on my bed as I try to make myself fall asleep when suddenly, I hear noises downstairs. I sat up on my bed, wondering who or what it could be.

I stand up from my bed, slipping on some slippers.

I opened my bedroom door and decided to get downstairs and check who it was. It could be Amelia since she said that she's 3 minutes away from my house, maybe she arrived earlier than what I was expecting.

"Amelia?" I said as I start walking, taking each step slowly and quietly. I'm not ready for the jump scare. Knowing Amelia, she could be here already, hiding somewhere. Ready to scare the hell out of me.

I enter the living room first, knowing that Amelia decided to hide here. There are many hiding places in our living room, and I know that Amelia found the best one to hide at.

"I'm not in the mood for your jump scares. But, I hope you brought pizza with you," I said as I hear another noise. I looked back, hearing the noise coming out of the kitchen. I rolled my eyes and stopped walking slowly, and decided to just enter the kitchen.

"Amelia, didn't I tell you to call me—"

An arm suddenly surrounded my neck as I felt the point of the knife swiftly moving up and down behind me. I felt the person's breath caressing my neck as I try to keep my breathing stable and quiet.

"Surprise," I already know that it was a he because of his rough voice. A voice is so familiar that its sound never once left my head, and I can remember exactly who it was because he knows where I am and knows that I'll be around this house.

"We meet again, Hailey Jones."