Right In Front of Me (Finished)

Chapter 18: Being ignored

When I got home the next day, I hear quite an earful from Greyson. Mostly dumb things like, 'Do you know how dangerous that is?!' or, 'This is the third time you've blown me off, lately!' But the one that stuck with me was, 'When did you become like this?" I didn't know what he meant, nor did I want to. I was not in the mood for a fight. Not when I just had the best night of my life. I just said something dumb like, "I'm human, okay? I forget things. And you can't blame me for being human, 'cause your one, too." I went to bed, and he closed the window on his way out.
        Then it hit me; how could that have been the best night of your life if your best friend wasn't there? A voice in the back of my mind says, Psh, who needs that buzz kill? I tell that voice, I do. He is my best friend after all. He is the one who made me what I am today. I would be a complete Hayden-less loser if I never dragged him up to my room after he fell out of that window. But he's like a third parent, the voice hisses. Which is true, but it also means that he is caring, and an even better friend than before. The voice has no more ammo to shoot at me after I tell it that.
        That morning, I run to Greyson's window, shivering out on the bridge. I tap his window, but he's not home. Which makes me mad. He is supposed to be home today. He told me he'd be home today. And he's not. That liar. I don't know why I'm so worked up about this, he probably had some kind of emergency. Or... maybe he's in the kitchen eating breakfast like I should be doing. I run outside, knock on his front door; no answer. I stand there for a few minutes at his front door. Then his mom answers. "Oh, hello, Avalon. How are you?" I don't have time for this. I need to talk to Greyson. "Just dandy. Where's Greyson?" I ask in a rush. "Not home, sweetheart. Here, why don't you come on in for some tea, and we can tal-" I am already running back to my house. Tea? I wonder. I text him. No reply. I call him. I get the machine. I call again and, this time, leave a message. An hour later I am eating a bowl of cheerios, glancing between my spoon and my phone, which still hasn't buzzed. Where could he be? I check his room again, looking out the window. I finally give up. Talk about blowing people off. Though we never did make plans for today, he should know that if I feel guilty about a fight, I will try and make peace the next day. That's just the thing. He thinks you feel no guilt. That you are a heartless, selfish, bitch. That voice is back, and I shoo it away, Though it's thoughts still linger in my mind.
        I get a text from Hallie: Hey! :P
        I have no time to reply, and don't feel like texting her back, so I don't. I feel like if I do, then the voice is right; I would've stopped keeping my mind on Greyson, and would've started thinking about the night in the city. The night I ditched Greyson.

***Monday***
        I walk into school, wearing a less impressive outfit. I didn't try today, as hard as usual, anyway. I haven't seen Greyson since our fight. Suddenly, I feel two hands covering my eyes, and hear someone whisper "Guess who?" I reply in a monotone, unimpressed voice, "Jay Leno?"
I get a laugh for that one. "No, Loni, keep guessing." Loni? Oh, ok. Loni as in Avalon, I think to myself. Pet names? Really? I don't want this to continue, though it's cute, so I just sigh and say, "Hi, Hayden."
"You got it!"
"Well, I was pretty close with Jay Leno."
"Oh, that hurt, Avalon- you know, I don't know your middle name. What is it?"
"Why should I tell you? I don't know yours either."
"That's 'cause mine is embarrassing."
"How do you know that mine isn't?"
"Good point. So, prove me wrong and tell me what it is!"
I sigh, roll my eyes, say, "Sabrina."
"Huh. 'Avalon Sabrina Starr'. I like the sound of that." He smiled.
"Now yours."
"Huh?"
"You said you would tell me,"
"No where in this conversation did I say that,"
"Whatever, just tell me,"
"No,"
"Fine. I didn't really care anyway,"
I start to walk away, and I toss the words, "Benetugana, Hayden."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay, I'll tell you."
I pause then spin. "I'm listening..."
"Okay, it's... it's Branson."
"Whoa,"
"What?"
"It's cool! Like, 'Hey. I'm Hayden Branson Diamond. Wanna go for a spin in my Jeep?' I love it!"
"Glad you do. I think your middle name should be Toni. Then it could be like, Toni Starr. Get it? It sounds like Tony Stark!"
"Wow. I wonder how much of your brain power it took to think of that one. You better go plug yourself in, I think your battery is only at 6%."
"Ha-ha," He pauses. "What did you say a minute ago? Benetanga?"
"Benetugana. It means God bless."
"Ohhh. In what language?"
"Cornish,"
"You're joking,"
"I'm serious!"
The rest of the day went apace; I talked with Hayden, with Hallie at home, sick, we didn't talk, but I kept glancing around for Greyson, and in lunch, Greyson sits with Missy Cercy. Wow, he must have been desperate to stay away from this table, considering the time he said, 'yuck. I'd rather sit here,' when he would have to choose between Missy and Stephanie Turnblat. Hayden doesn't seem to notice. Yolanda notices the free space at our table, and her, Lana (who is intertwined with Jackson) Mercedes and Taylor and Mason, who are kissing the moment they sit down, join us. Yolanda and Mercedes say hi, trying to ignore the sound of kissing next to them. Soon enough, Lana and Jackson start kissing. Hayden and I look at the couples, then each other, shrug, and soon we are making out as well. I hear Yolanda making fake gagging noises, Mercedes laughing. They dig into their lunches, ignoring us. Mason's hands wander up Taylor's shirt (which was really cute, by the way)and I am so thankful that our table is in the back of the cafeteria. The administrators who watch the lunchroom can't see all the way back here, plus they are really lazy. People could be having full-out sex in the lunchroom, and they wouldn't even notice. Hayden bites my lip and I smile into the kiss a little. Hayden begins kissing my neck, and it's a little weird; I didn't expect the first time someone kissed my neck would be in the back of the cafeteria. I close my eyes, enjoying the feeling of his lips on my skin. I glance over at Taylor and Mason, and I see him slip his tongue in her mouth, while she tousles his hair. I rejoin my lips with Hayden's. The cafeteria falls quiet, and the other couples peel themselves off each other and eat quickly. We part from each other, and look at the head lunch Administrator, Mrs. Shipleft. "Aye, you two! Cut it out! Avalon, I am surprised. Well, sorta. And Hayden, I'm sure your coach enjoyed seeing that...," Hayden turned pink. What did she mean sorta? I'm not a bad person! I hardly ever do anything bad!

        We walk out into the chilly air, crossing the parking lot to the Jeep. "Thanks for driving me this morning, Hayden." I whisper. He picks me up, setting me in the passenger seat. The doors are still off of his Jeep, and he stands in between my legs, touching my forehead with his. "No problem." He replies. After a ten minute makeout session, I lay down, across the front seat and he climbs in on top of me. He kisses my neck, and I put my hands in his back pockets, and though he doesn't realize it, I steal his keys. His kisses trail down my neck and just below the rim of my shirt. I put the keys in the ignition and start the car, roaring it to life, which scares Hayden so bad, He bit me accidentally right above the boob. I am laughing so hard, even after he sits up, and walks around to the driver's side of the Jeep. "Okay, okay, that was not funny, Avalon Sabrina." He says. I cover my face, shaking with laughter. I nod slowly and say, "Y-yes it... so... was..." He says, smiling, "No, no it wasn't. Just get up so I can drive you home." My laughter thins out and I reply, "Wait! Can I drive?" He says ha-ha, no. I sit up and look at him with begging eyes, trying to keep a straight face. "Please?! I'm stable now! I can drive without laughing..." I begin to giggle on the word 'laughing.' He just stares. "Please?"

        I climb out of the driver's side (Yes, he finally caved and let me drive) strutting toward my house. I said that since my parents weren't home, that he could come inside. He follows. When we get inside, we drop our bags and he pushes me against the wall, biting my lip. I kiss him, but then look to the side and see my 10-year-old brother standing there, mouth wide open. "H-hey, Brian. Haven't seen you in a while! Did you have fun sailing yesterday?" I ask him. He ignores my question and says, loudly, "Who is that? Is this the guy you've been talking about for the past two years? Hayden, is it?" I glare at him and say, "Brian, you silly little punk! This is my boyfriend, Hayden." I say with a fake smile. "He's not your boyfriend. You've been talking about him for two years, and how he would someday be your boyfriend. I thought you made him up!" This kid will not live to see the morning, I'll make sure of it. "Brian, don't make up stories. Go watch 'Ben 10'."
        We go to my room, and I announce that I am going to the bathroom. When I get back, Hayden and Brian are in my room, holding a letters made out of lined paper, Spelling out 'Prom?' It's a little early in the year, but I say yes. Once Brian leaves, we lock the door, and I collapse onto Hayden on my bed, kissing him roughly. His tongue is in my mouth, and I find myself grinding on him. His hands are on my back, pulling me as close as possible, and he starts sucking on my neck. I get a text and look at it and he continues. It's from my old friend, Eliot, who was, like, my only friend last year, but she moved. The text says:
Eliot ;} : Hey! Haven't talked to you in forever! Whatcha doing?! I miss you!

Avalon ;P : You really wanna know?

Eliot ;} : Tell me!

Avalon ;P : How about I send you a picture...? ;)

Eliot ;} : Okay... should I be worried?

Avalon ;P : Not a bit...
         I send her a picture of Hayden and I kissing, then another of him with his lips on my neck. She replies:

Eliot ;} : ...got yourself a boyfriend?...or a FWB?

Avalon ;P : Boyfriend. Hayden Diamond. He's amazing <3

Eliot ;} : Am I interrupting... or...

Avalon ;P : Nah, what you just saw was me thanking him for asking me to Prom

Eliot ;} : Just don't thank him too much...

Avalon ;P : Eliot! It's not like we're having sex! Stopitstopitstopit!

Eliot ;} : That's a relief. Wait! Is it THE  Hayden Diamond!? OMGOMGOMG!!!!!!


I try not to let Hayden see that text...