Hair

Chloe

Hayden looked at me, his eyes devoid of emotion as they locked onto mine. I wasn't sure why we were staring at each other, but the intensity was palpable.

The therapist had stepped out of the room for a brief moment, and I made the mistake of glancing over at Hayden. Now I couldn't tear my gaze away from him.

"What's wrong with your mother?" he asked, leaning back and rubbing his temples. I hesitated, unsure if I wanted to share that part of my life with him. It wasn't because I didn't trust him, but because I didn't want to sink back into the depths of depression by dwelling on it.

"It's okay," he shrugged nonchalantly, his thick accent making it difficult for me to find my words before he swiftly grabbed his phone and began typing rapidly. I leaned my head back just as the therapist reentered the room and settled back into her seat.

"Okay, Slim. Now it's your turn. Where are your parents?" she inquired, oblivious to my silent warning. Unfortunately, she didn't catch on.

"Keep poking your nose in my business, and see what happens," he warned casually, and I glanced over at him. But he confided in me about it just last night..

"I'm sorry. I should have asked first," the therapist apologized hurriedly, rummaging through her disorganized stack of papers.

Hayden rolled his eyes, leaning back and focusing on his phone. He could be so mean and emotionless, yet I found myself captivated by him. We were complete opposites.

He seemed popular, while I always remained in the shadows. He was mean, and I didn't even possess an ounce of anger within me.

He was the bad boy everyone loved, and I was the good, partially stupid girl people hated.

"Well, I guess that wraps up today's session," the therapist declared, and I frowned at how short it was.

But I also thanked God because I despised coming here. I quickly stood up and walked to the door, making my way outside onto the sidewalk.

"Hale," I heard his deep voice call from behind me. I turned back to face him, offering a small smile.

"Hey, Hayden," I replied, and he approached.

"Where are you going?" he asked, pulling a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. I took a step back, knowing the smoke would trigger my asthma. The burning tobacco always left me wheezing.

"I'm going to grab some lunch and head home," I told him, and he nodded, his eyes lingering on the cigarette between his fingers.

He rolled his eyes before extinguishing the cigarette with his shoe and putting his hands back in his pockets. Then he gestured towards his car parked across the street.

"Need a ride?" he offered, his husky voice making my heart flutter. I pondered for a moment and realized it wouldn't hurt to accept his offer.

"Sure," I shyly smiled, and he turned, walking towards his car and unlocking it.

He opened the door and waited for me to get in, his eyes following my every move as I passed him. My cheeks flushed, but I tried to conceal it. However, the faint smirk on his lips indicated that I failed miserably. He closed the door and made his way to the driver's seat.

Starting the car, he immediately accelerated down the street, causing me to instinctively grab the seatbelt and buckle up. It seemed to amuse him as he chuckled darkly.

"Where to?" he asked, propping his elbow in the center console and lazily resting one hand on the steering wheel.

"You know that drive-thru downtown?" I asked, and he nodded, keeping his gaze fixed on the road as he drove past other cars in a nonchalant swerve.

The sight was mesmerizing. After a while, he merged into the line of cars leading to the drive-thru I had mentioned.

"Do you want anything?" I asked, reaching for my wallet and taking out some money.

"Nah," he responded in a monotone voice, and I frowned.

"Come on. You brought me here. Let me at least repay you," I insisted, and he gave me a blank look.

I flashed him a smile before taking the food order and swiftly paying for it with my money. He noticed this and gave me an inscrutable look.

But as soon as the cashier caught sight of Hayden, her eyes filled with adoration. She gawked at him, and he glanced at me, checking if I had received what we came for, before speeding away, oblivious to the stares he was receiving.

He hung up his phone, ending the call he had been on, and ran a hand through his hair.

"I like your hair," I blurted out foolishly, my cheeks heating up. He glanced at me, letting out a laugh at my lack of composure.

"Can you braid it?" he asked, and I felt a surge of delight. I grinned to myself before settling into my seat.

"Sure," I squeaked shyly, looking down at my hands as my fingers fidgeted nervously.

When we arrived at my house a short while later, he got out, opening my door and taking the food from my hands. He casually slipped the money into the bag, closing the compartment door and leaning back.

We walked towards my front door, and I fervently prayed that nobody was home. Otherwise, it would be extremely embarrassing.

Fortunately, upon unlocking the door, I found the house completely empty. I led him to the living room and handed him the food I had ordered for him. Then I sat down beside him, leaving a significant gap between us, and turned on the television, browsing through the channels.

Once I settled on a show, I put it on and became engrossed, momentarily forgetting there was a guy in my living room. I burst into laughter as the comical scenes unfolded, nearly choking on the noodles I was eating.

I could sense his gaze on me, so I glanced over at him. He was staring back with an enigmatic expression that eluded my understanding.

I quickly returned my attention to the screen, never one to sustain eye contact for more than a second.

After finishing my meal, I tidied up the mess and brought Hayden up to my room, where I could work on braiding his hair.

I seated him in front of my vanity table and gathered the necessary combs and products. I had honed my braiding skills by tending to my cousin's extremely thick hair, similar to Hayden's.

Whenever she visited, I would braid her hair until I became adept at it. He watched me through the mirror as my hands worked their magic on his hair. It was soft, with defined curls everywhere, and it smelled pleasant.

While I braided, he texted a few people, and I caught a glimpse of his neatly organized phone layout. Everything was categorized into labeled folders. Hours later, I finished braiding his hair, and he looked up from his phone to inspect the result.

He nodded in appreciation, and I knew he liked it, even though he showed no emotion. But they were just simple twists. Reaching into his wallet, he pulled out some money, and I shook my head vigorously.

"Think of it as a 'thank you' for getting me out of therapy," I told him, and he slowly nodded.

"Thanks," he said, Slipping his phone into his pocket, I gave him a smile before mocking his words.

"It's cool."

He chuckled and shook his head as I walked him to the front door. Opening it, he stepped outside and I leaned against the door frame, watching as he turned around.

"Hale," he said, signaling his departure, and I responded with a small smile.

"Hayden," I replied, and he left, heading to his car and speeding down the street.

I went upstairs and flopped onto my bed, exhausted from the weekend I had. After getting up, I locked my door and took a long shower.

Today, thanks to my medication, I wasn't as anxious. It would suppress everything for a day, but once it wore off, I knew I would cry for a week or two. Unfortunately, this had become my normal routine, and it frightened me.

Nevertheless, I preferred it to having everyone witness my breakdowns. Yawning, I changed into some comfortable clothes and climbed back into bed, grabbing my laptop and putting on a movie.

I needed sleep to prepare for the long day ahead. Given the night I had at that party, I was bound to face the consequences tomorrow. That's why I despised Mondays.

Sometimes I contemplated becoming the president just so I could ban Mondays forever. Tiredly, I chuckled at my silly thoughts before focusing on the movie.

Soon enough, I drifted off to sleep. In my dream I found myself sinking, surrounded by darkening blue water as I descended into what seemed like the depths of the ocean. No fish swam around me, and when I looked down, I couldn't see the bottom.

It dawned on me that I had been holding my breath the entire time, and my oxygen ran out rapidly. Panic consumed me as I thrashed around, feeling as though needles were poking my skin and a bitter taste filled my mouth.

Just as I was about to give up, a massive shadow loomed over me, and I was swept upward, nearly reaching the surface when...Gasping loudly, I emerged from my dream, drenched in sweat.

The credits of the movie I had been watching rolled down the screen, and I let out a sigh. Staring up at the ceiling, I collected myself before staying awake until it was time to get up.

I got out of bed, took a long bath, and changed into an outfit, taming my messy hair. Then I grabbed my bag and phone and headed downstairs.

My stepfather was passed out on the couch, and my brother sat in the kitchen, enjoying a bowl of cereal. I grabbed an apple, and my brother kissed my head before I left for the bus stop.

Anxiety clawed at my nerves, causing my steps to slow as I saw the bus approaching. My legs trembled as the bus stopped right in front of me, and I could already envision everyone inside laughing and whispering about me. Taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage and stepped through the open doors of the bus.