7. Silence

Making way into the half-filled hallways of high school, or rather hell, had me a bit alert and alarmed. My eyes kept moving from one place to another as if to find someone.

I reached my locker and heaved a sigh knowing that after taking my books out of the metal locker and then closing it, I will get my whole body pushed into it.

I closed the locker after taking my books and waited for the push but it never came, instead came a tap on my shoulder.

I slowly turned around not wanting to know who it was but I had to.

"Hi." An enthusiastic Claire smiled widely towards me. She was accompanied by Clayton, Josh and Allison.

"Hey dude." Clayton raised his fist for a bump and Josh nodded with a friendly smile. Allison looked at the ground with her cheeks tinted red.

Receiving no bump from me Clayton raised my hand himself and bumped my loose hand to his fist.

He then smiled in content and dragged Josh away, maybe to their first class.

"Let's go to class, my hero." Claire smirked and grabbed my arm dragging me towards first class while Allison followed closely behind.

I didn't know what was happening and I didn't know why Jordon didn't greet me like usual, today.

Once we reached the class room, Claire dragged me to the back of the class and Allison followed.

I sat at my usual seat while Claire sat beside me with Allison beside her.

"At lunch, you're gonna sit with us." Claire whispered in my ear and smirked.

Just as I turned to look at her, Mr. Hayes arrived indicating the start of first class.

..................................

I got the usual from the cafeteria, a chicken sandwich and a juice box. I made my way out of the cafeteria and walked towards the outdoor tables.

I sat down on one and unwrapped my sandwich ready to eat it but someone else took the first bite. I stared at the girl who chewed while smirking.

Great, now she's going to steal my lunch too.

"Mm, chicken." Claire moaned and sat down beside me with her tray that had a plate of two pizza slices.

"Claire, don't be mean. You have your pizza, so don't eat Hayden's lunch." Josh scolded the green-eyed girl who just innocently smiled in return.

Josh and Clayton sat across from me and Allison sat beside Claire. Just as they sat, the conversations started to flow.

I silently ate my lunch zoning the conversations out. Claire glanced at me every five seconds and it was quite annoying if you asked me.

As I was drinking my juice, I tuned back in and I was interested in listening to what Clayton and Josh were talking about.

"Jordan won't be bullying anyone now." Josh stated and took a gulp of his bottled water.

"Yeah, and if he even dares to look towards Claire, Hayden's gonna beat the crap out of him." Clayton was eating like a pig and was speaking with his mouth full.

"Clayton, please don't talk while you have food in your mouth." Allison scolded while eating her chicken salad.

"Did you see how she punched those jerks and how she was so protective of Claire." Clayton ignored Allison and smirked towards me.

"Yeah and how they embraced each other so lovingly." Josh smirked towards me too.

"Don't gang up on Hayden, guys." Claire said while putting her arm over my shoulder.

"Oh, so we should gang up on you then?" Clayton raised his eyebrow and looked towards Claire.

Claire pouted, "don't be meanies or I'm gonna make Hayden beat you up."

Clayton and Josh both looked at me, "she wouldn't beat us up, we're her friends."

Friends?

"But she will, if I tell her to." Claire had a smug look on her face as if she won the argument.

Clayton and Josh both slumped their shoulders and ate their lunch in silence now.

"Claire 147, Clayton and Josh 0." Allison spoke causing both the guys to groan.

"You would always save me from insensitive jerks, right?" Claire whispered in my ear.

Her hot breath fanning my ear made me shiver internally and externally, making her smirk.

"I'll take that as a yes." She whispered again with a smirk.

"What did you say to Hayden?" Clayton asked with an eye brow raised.

"I asked her a question and she answered." Claire simply replied.

"She didn't even move her mouth." Josh stated to her like she was dumb.

"I understand her silence." Claire smugly replied earning a snort from the boys.

I looked at Claire to see her looking smug. I noticed Allison with her hands tightly shut into fists and her jaw clenched.

What's up with her?

When she caught me staring at her she immediately composed herself and gave me a smile.

I was still staring intently at her and this time she replied my staring with a blush.

What's going on with her?

....................................

Aunt Carrie had been humming a lot lately and it was starting to get annoying.

I dropped my pen on the kitchen table and turned my chair towards the woman who was humming while cooking dinner.

I stared at her back knowing that she got chills whenever someone stared at her so much.

She glanced from her shoulder at me and giggled at my trick to make her talk.

She walked over to the chair across from me and sat down elegantly. She smiled towards me and then kept smiling.

Now I seriously know that something is up.

I kept my eyes locked on her and she finally caved in. She ran her hand in her hair and then gave me a nervous smile.

"Nice weather today, right?" She spoke nervously.

I knew what she was doing, she was poking around the bush. I stared at her with a straight face and she sighed.

"Kyle's coming over for dinner." Aunt Carrie said and closed her eyes.

I was shocked to know that Kyle was coming over, but there was some part of me that was happy knowing that my best friend was going to be here.

Ex-best friend. Don't forget that he hurt you.

I sighed and aunt Carrie peeked an eye open to maybe see my reaction.

When she got nothing, she smiled happily now and stood from the chair, going back to cooking. She began humming again.

I hadn't seen Kyle since the day he kicked me, it was painless and quick but it hurt a lot mentally. I didn't know why he wasn't coming to school or why he didn't come to the party since Jordan was there.

I was worried now for my childhood friend.

I looked over at aunt Carrie who was singing now, happily at that too.

Well, let's just pray everything goes well.

....................................

"Hayden, the guests are here." I heard aunt Carrie yell from downstairs.

I closed the book I was busy reading and got off my bed. I tidied myself up and then went down the stairs to the living room.

I saw Kyle's parents sitting on the sofa while Kyle was sitting on the couch for two. Aunt Carrie was standing in front of the two adults discussing Lord knows what.

I walked over to the two people I had learned to love when my parents were still alive.

When they both saw me, they stood and embraced me in a hug. It was a bone crushing hug but it felt like they were pouring all of their feelings into it.

I limply hugged them back and then pulled away. They had concerned looks on their faces and I knew that were going to start the questioning.

It was like the first time I had seen them after my parents' death. Mr. and Mrs. O'Connor both looked just as great together as they did before.

"How have you been Hayden?" Mr. O'Connor questioned.

"How about Hayden and Kyle go upstairs for some catching up?" Aunt Carrie quickly spoke up causing all eyes to fall on her.

"Okay, sure. Go ahead Kyle." Mr. O'Connor reluctantly agreed.

Kyle stood up from the couch and came towards me slowly, not sure what to do.

We both made our way upstairs and into my room. He first just stood outside my room and then came in my room hesitantly.

He came over and sat on my bed and I sat beside him.

"So, how have you been?" He asked with a nervous smile.

I looked at him with a straight face. He sighed and then turned himself so that he could face me completely.

"I'm really sorry Hayden for what I did." He said with a shaky voice.

He looked down at his lap, "but you hurt me too."

He lifted his head and I could see the slight tears in his eyes that were about to fall.

He reminded me of when we were just little kids. He reminded me of everything we had been through and at that moment I did the only thing that could tell him, convey to him, that I forgave him.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, and in that moment, he broke down into a waterfall of tears.

I patted his back gently and he hugged me back just as tightly as I did. He kept crying and saying sorry over and over again.

After a moment of crying and hugging, we both pulled back and I saw the slight smile he had on his face.

"Does this mean you forgive me?" He asked while wiping his nose with his sweater sleeve.

I nodded to which his smile only grew wide.

"Does this also mean that I'm your best friend again?" He asked to which I nodded again and his smile grew even wider.

He hugged me again and pulled back.

"This time you won't be able to push me away because I'll just push you back to me." He quietly said maybe for me not to hear but I did. I heard him clearly and I knew that I could never push him away again.

Everything was alright, now.

..................................

The dinner went by smoothly with Mr. and Mrs. O'Connor kept asking me questions to which only Kyle and aunt Carrie replied.

It was time for the O'Connor's to leave and I was standing beside Kyle while aunt Carrie was in front of Mr. and Mrs. O'Connor saying her goodbyes.

Kyle and I were standing in the drive way and Kyle kept smiling.

After the goodbyes, Mr. and Mrs. O'Connor called for Kyle and he replied with an 'I'm coming'.

"Well then, this is goodbye." He said while facing me. "For now." He smirked and then looked towards his parents.

"I'm gonna see you tomorrow at your locker, okay? So, wait for me." He said and I just nodded.

He hugged me for the millionth time during the night and I lamely hugged him back.

He pulled back and looked into my eyes. He smiled his charming yet goofy smile and then went towards his parents' car.

Once he arrived to the car he looked back and waved at me, before going in.

I waved back to which he smiled. Their car drove out of our driveway and I saw aunt Carrie walking up to me.

"I'm proud of you." Aunt Carrie said and hugged me.

What is up with people and hugging?

I hugged her back and then pulled away. She just smirked at me and then went inside the house.

I tilted my head upwards to look towards the night sky, and to admire the stars that lit up the sky.

I made my way inside the house when I felt chilly and I remembered that I didn't have a jacket on.

Tonight, was pretty eventful and things were set straight. I got my best friend back and I got a lot of hugs too.

But there was only one thing on my mind when I laid on my bed awake.

More like one person.

Claire.

Silence speaks when words can't.

-anonymous