What A Lie Looks Like | ✓

1.23: sephine

I didn't quite know what to expect when I got to school the next day. I knew things weren't going to be normal, but I had no idea if Hayes would be here. After talking to Cam, I went back to the basement, and I dozed off after changing the channel to old reruns of Friends. But when I woke up with a blanket draped over me, the television was turned off with no Hayes in sight.

I had to suffer through the cold drive to school by myself, but I learned my lesson about setting my coffee on the roof of my car. I guarantee that the attention I'm getting for being associated with Hayes is nothing compared to what he, Cam, and Tessa will get.

I spot Tessa before Hayes or Cam, and I guess I shouldn't even be surprised that she's acting like nothing happened yesterday. Her clothes show no signs of wrinkles, and her hair is groomed to its usual smoothness; Tessa's even wearing a pair of snakeskin pumps that cause her to tower over people, which isn't something new.

She completely ignores me, and I can't say that I wasn't looking forward to the new string of insults I came up with. It's probably for the best that I don't say those.

Hayes is leaning against the locker next to mine waiting for me, and I'm once again thrown for a loop when he smiles at me, even though it doesn't meet his eyes. But he's trying to be okay, and that's what matters. "Hey," he greets, and I smile, trying to keep the air light around us.

"Howdy," I chime back, opening my locker to shove my jacket in the small space.

"Are you free tonight?" He asks, keeping his face neutral, and I shrug.

I'm trying to retain whatever normalcy I can, and typically I don't make things easy for him, so why should I now? "Depends on who's asking?"

Hayes tucks a piece of hair behind my ear, "Your oh so loving boyfriend." Is that what we still are? The question runs through my head, and the first thing I think of is that he's in no position to be getting into a relationship when his last one is still coming back to bite him. I guess the same could also be said about me.

Except I'm busy tonight, so even if I wanted to-which, I do want to-I can't. I'm sure I'm already going to get chewed out by Peterson today after skipping yesterday. "I have rehearsal until eight all week because there's a competition coming up that I have to get ready for."

"Listen, I uh-" He pauses to rub the back of his neck, "I know that things have been weird between us lately, but I wanted to say thanks for having my back yesterday."

I'm flipping my phone in my hands over and over while I think of the right thing to say, "You don't have to thank me. I wouldn't change anything I did regardless of what's going on with us."

His eyes light up in a certain way, and a small smirk appears, "Even the part where you were straddling me in a very short skirt?"

My jaw drops, "Yeah, I definitely wouldn't do that again. God, you're such a perve."

He wraps an arm around my shoulder, laughing softly, and we walk down the hallway. "No, I'm just a guy."

"Where did you go last night?" I ask, looking up at him, and Hayes's jaw tightens.

"My dad is in town, and while he normally couldn't give two shits about where I am, he wanted me to sit in on a call with some executives from one of our factories in Beijing at nine. You were asleep when I woke up, so I figured it was best to let you keep sleeping."

I rest my hand with the one that's looped over my shoulder and his curl around mine in response, "Did you tell him about it?"

Hayes sighs softly, "In his opinion, dating Tessa was the best thing I could have done. No matter what I tell him, it'll still be my fault that things ended. I'm pretty sure Dad was already making wedding plans considering he never stopped talking about the possible company merger between ours and her family's company if we stayed together. She could do no wrong in his eyes," He probably doesn't even realize how much his tone has changed and that his arm is now tense around me.