“So what has your panties in a twist today?” Chase asks as they walk farther into the kitchen.
“I don’t get it. Why aren’t you two pissed that Hailee just abandoned us? You know something and you’re keeping it from me.”
Chase and Willow share a look as she takes a seat at the counter.
“We’ve told you before, don’t believe everything you see or hear,” Chase says cryptically.
“Yeah, well I won’t stand for it.”
“Nate, you need to watch it,” Willow warns.
“Then tell me what the hell is going on!” I demand.
“Watch it, Nate,” Chase says coolly. “Brother or not, you don’t talk to Willow like that.”
Willow reaches over and rests her hand on Chase’s arm. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not,” he mumbles.
“Why are you taking her ‘betrayal’ so hard?” Willow asks.
“Why aren’t you?” I spit back.
“Hailee is allowed to do as she wants. You nor I can control her. If she wants to make new friends and see what’s out there, then let her. We both know she will come back.”
“Why would we let her back in?” I ask, leaning against the counter.
I’m not really angry at Hailee anymore. I now see that shit is not what it seems, but what I don’t get is why my family is keeping shit from me. It hurts more than Hailee leaving me.
“The only way she won’t is if you keep up this smear campaign treating her like shit,” Willow snarks at me.
I look away from Willow and grit my teeth. “She deserves it.”
At least she did.
“Does she? Last I checked she has done absolutely nothing to us. Yeah, she got in my face once in the hall at school but we both know her little posse was looking on. If they weren’t around, she would have never done that. It’s not her style.”
“So you’re just going to let it go?” I ask, throwing my hands up.
“I am.” Willow nods.
“You have to remember Nate, you can’t control everything,” Chase says as he pulls Willow off the chair. “Come on babe, we have somewhere we need to be.”
They walk toward the door, only for Willow to pause and look back at me over her shoulder. “Just remember, Nate, you may think Hailee leaving us is hard. But just imagine what your hate is doing to her. You have to ask yourself, are you burning bridges a little too soon?”
I hang my head as they walk out. The door slams down the hall, letting me know they are gone. I think about everything Chase and Willow said. What do they know that I don’t? Why won’t they clue me in?
I push off the counter and run my hands over my face. I groan, realizing I can still smell her on me. The taste of her is still on my lips.
Walking down the hall, I head into the bathroom and turn the shower on, needing to get her scent off of me. As the shower heats up I strip. I look into the mirror and have to turn away, unable to look at myself.
Stepping into the shower, I let the water roll over me and I can’t help but wonder. Is Willow right? Am I doing more harm than good?
I think about the way pain flashes through Hailee’s eyes as I take my anger out on her. The way she clings to me when we are intimate only for me to push her away as soon as it’s over. How her shoulders tense when she sees me, waiting for the attack.
Leaning against the wall, I let scene after scene roll through my head.
The pull between us is undeniable and I can’t stay away.
