Page 3

The stinging pain of rejection still haunted me days after being kicked out of Hayden's house. His cold gaze and distant demeanor haunted my thoughts and dreams, a constant reminder of my unrequited feelings.

I tried to move on, throwing myself into my studies and hanging out with friends, anything to distract myself from the ache in my heart. But no matter what I did, I couldn’t shake off the memory of Hayden...

It didn't help that I saw him almost every day in class. He sat right in front of me, his dark eyes and messy hair taunting me with what I couldn’t have. Every time he turned around to talk to someone, I could feel my heart rate quicken, my palms getting sweaty. I desperately wished for a fraction of his attention, but he barely gave me a second glance.

At nights, I found myself lying awake, staring at the ceiling and replaying our last conversation in my mind. I couldn't help but wonder what went wrong, where I had made a mistake. Was it my feelings that scared him off, or was it something else?

I tried to convince myself that it was for the best. After all, if he didn't feel the same way about me, it was better to move on. But my heart refused to listen, still stubbornly clinging to hope.

It was a typical day, the sun shining and the birds chirping outside. But my heart felt heavy as I walked into class and saw Hayden already in his usual seat, chatting with his friends.

“Hey.” Ben, one of my friends, came up to me, noticing my distracted expression. “You seem a bit down. Everything okay?”

I forced a smile and shrugged, not wanting to admit my true feelings. “Yeah, just tired," I lied. "Didn't sleep well last night.”

Ben gave me a sympathetic look. “That sucks. You know if you ever want to talk about anything, I’m here for you, right?”

"Yeah, I know." I appreciated Ben's offer, but I couldn't bear the thought of talking about my feelings right now.

I took a deep breath and made my way to my seat, steeling myself for the sight of Hayden in front of me once again.

As I sat down at my desk, my mind still preoccupied with thoughts of Hayden, I felt someone tap my shoulder.

“Hey, Milo.” It was Daniel, another friend of mine. “You gonna make it to soccer practice today?”

I had forgotten about our regular soccer practice after school. The thought of running around a field and trying to focus on the game seemed impossible in my current state.

“I don’t know,” I admitted, sighing. “I’m really not feeling up to it today.”

Daniel raised an eyebrow, looking at me with concern. “Are you sure? You’ve been quiet lately, and you’d be the only one missing from our team.”

I knew he was right. Our team relied on each other, and having one player absent could mess up our game. But the idea of being around Hayden and acting like everything was normal sounded like a nightmare.

“I just need a break," I mumbled, not looking at Daniel. “My head’s a mess right now.”

He studied me for a moment, sensing the turmoil beneath my words. “This has got something to do with Hayden, doesn’t it?” he asked, his tone gentle yet knowing.

I tensed up at his words, my heart skipping a beat. I had never outright admitted the reason for my distraction, but it seemed Daniel had figured it out.

I looked away, not wanting to confirm or deny his suspicion. The last thing I wanted was for my friends to know about my crush or the rejection that followed.

He seemed to understand my reluctance to talk about it, and thankfully, he didn’t press the issue. “Alright, just let me know if you change your mind about practice,“ he said finally. “We’ll miss you if you don’t show up.”

I nodded silently, grateful for his understanding. As he walked back to his seat, my eyes darted to the front of the classroom, where Hayden was laughing with his friends, completely oblivious to the effect he had on me.

Frustration and sadness welled up inside me once more. How could he be so carefree, while I was a mess because of him? It didn’t seem fair.

My fingers gripped the edge of my desk tightly, as I tried to push down the negative thoughts. But the more I looked at Hayden, the more my heart ached, reminding me of what I could never have.

As the class continued, I tried to focus on the lesson, but my mind kept drifting to Hayden. I was so preoccupied that I didn't notice a few of the guys in the class glancing my way.

Suddenly, one of them, a cocky jock named Jake, leaned over towards me. "Hey, Romeo," he mocked, a sneer on his face.

I glanced up, irritation and embarrassment already flaring in my chest. I had a history with Jake and his friends, always targeting me with their jokes and teasing.

"What do you want, Jake?" I asked, trying to keep my voice even.

He chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "Oh, nothing. Just noticed you’ve been staring at Hayden over there like a lost puppy. Got a little crush, do ya?"

My heart skipped a beat as heat rose to my cheeks. I tried to hide my reaction, but it was too late. The other guys were already snickering, having overheard our exchange.

"Aw, look at him blushing," Jake teased, a cruel smirk on his face. "Is that why you’re so distracted in class lately? Can’t focus on anything but your little crush?"

I clenched my fists, a mixture of anger and humiliation coursing through me. "Shut up, Jake. It’s none of your business," I retorted, trying to sound confident but failing miserably.

The guys around us broke into laughter, amused by my weak response. Jake just grinned wider, enjoying every moment of my embarrassment. "Oh, come on, don’t be like that," he mocked. "I’m just trying to understand what’s got you all lovestruck."

As the guys continued their jokes and teasing, I noticed Hayden looking back at me, his gaze filled with a mix of curiosity and concern. It was like he knew something was happening, but didn’t know how to react.

After a few minutes, the teacher started the lesson, and the guys in the class reluctantly settled down. Hayden leaned back in his seat, still watching me from the corner of his eye. I tried to avoid his gaze, not wanting to draw any more attention to myself.

But a few moments later, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked up, expecting to see Jake or one of his friends, but it was Hayden.

He leaned in a bit, his expression serious yet gentle. “Can we talk after class?” he asked quietly.

My heart skipped a beat as his voice sent a shiver down my spine. I had to remind myself not to let my feelings show.

"Um...yeah, sure," I managed to respond, trying to act casual.

He nodded and straightened back up in his seat, not saying anything more. The rest of the class felt like an eternity, my mind racing with possibilities. Why did Hayden want to talk to me? Did he know about the teasing and wanted to say something about it? Or was this about my feelings for him?

As the bell finally rang, I slowly packed up my things, my heart beating faster with each passing second. I glanced over to see Hayden putting away his things too, his expression unreadable.

Everyone else hurried out of class, eager to start their Friday plans. But Hayden and I stayed behind, the room suddenly feeling smaller as it was just the two of us.

He waited until the last student had left, closing the door behind them, before he spoke. "Can I ask you something?" his tone serious and cautious.

My heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest, but I tried to keep my voice steady. "Yeah, sure. What is it?"

He took a few steps closer, his dark eyes studying me closely. "I've noticed you've been kind of...distracted lately. And today, those guys were giving you a hard time. What's going on?"

This was not what I had expected him to say. I had assumed he would bring up my feelings for him, not the guys' teasing. I hesitated, unsure of how much I should admit.

"It's nothing," I said, forcing a reassuring smile. "Just...been a little stressed with school lately, that's all."

He didn't look convinced, his eyes searching my face. "Are you sure that's all it is? You seemed pretty upset earlier."

I sighed, realizing he wasn't going to let it go that easily. "Yeah, I was just annoyed with those guys, that's all. They like to mess with me sometimes," I said, my voice a bit strained.

He nodded, understanding, his expression softening a bit. "I see. Have they been picking on you a lot lately?"

I shrugged, not wanting to admit how often they targeted me. "Sometimes. It's not a big deal. I can handle it."

Hayden’s eyes narrowed, clearly not thrilled with my response. "Just because you can handle it doesn’t mean you should have to. They shouldn’t be picking on you like that."

I was surprised by his protectiveness. Why did he care so much? "It’s fine, really. I’m used to it," I assured him, trying to keep my tone light.

He shook his head, a determined look in his eyes. "It’s not fine. It’s not right. You don’t deserve to be treated like that."

I was touched by his words, but also confused. This wasn’t the reaction I had expected from him. I had assumed he would brush it off as insignificant, like everyone else did. But he seemed genuinely concerned about my feelings.

“Why does it matter to you so much?” I finally asked, meeting his gaze head-on.

His eyes held mine for a moment, and I could see a flicker of hesitation in them. "Because...because you’re my friend,” he responded eventually, his voice soft. "And I don’t like seeing my friends being treated badly."

My heart skipped a beat at his words. Friend. That’s all he saw me as. But a small part of me had hoped for something more. I pushed that thought away, reminding myself that he didn't feel the same.

"Thanks for your concern, but I really am okay," I said, forcing a smile though my heart was aching. "Those guys don’t bother me too much. I’ve got thick skin."

He scrutinized me for a moment, as if trying to see through my facade. "Alright, if you say so," he replied, his tone still a bit uncertain. "But if they ever do something that really bothers you, let me know. Okay?"

I nodded, touched by his offer but knowing I would never take him up on it. Admitting my feelings for him was too risky, and I didn’t want to lose his friendship. "Sure thing,” I said, feigning nonchalance. “And thanks, I appreciate it."

He smiled faintly, seeming relieved to see that I was okay. "No problem. Friends look out for each other, right?"

I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth as he referred to me as a “friend" once again. "Yeah," I agreed, forcing a smile. "That's what friends are for."

Later that night, Hayden sent me a text asking if I wanted to come over. As I read the message, my heart skipped a beat. Why did he want me to come over again? Was it just as friends, or was there something more to it?

I hesitated for a moment before replying, my fingers hovering over the screen. Part of me wanted to say yes, but I knew that spending more time with Hayden would only make my feelings for him grow stronger.

But curiosity and a hint of hope won out, and I typed a response, saying yes. I tried to convince myself that it was just a friendly hangout, nothing more. But deep down, I couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, something else would happen tonight.

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