Chapter 18: Trouble in Paradise

Saturday couldn’t come soon enough.

I attempted to sleep in so I would be well rested for my dates with Justin and Toby, but the moment I rolled over, my mind went haywire, worrying about what I was going to wear and contemplating whether I should do something different with my hair.

At first it was fun, but then intrusive thoughts kept springing to mind, giving me an incentive to get out of bed.

The sun was still rising when I padded down to the kitchen and started brewing coffee. The week had gotten off to a rocky start, but now the servicemen had finished and we were no longer working at such a rapid pace, we had begun to enjoy a sense of normalcy.

After a quick breakfast, I returned upstairs to start getting ready for the day. I had just finished setting up my makeup station when I received a video chat request from Haylee.

I propped the phone up against a stack of books so I could chat with her while I applied my makeup.

“Ooo!” Haylee gushed as soon as we were connected. “Are you using mascara? What is the special occasion?”

Haylee and I hadn’t had a chance to chat lately, so I quickly summarized the series of events that had resulted in me having two dates on the same day.

“Two rescues and two strapping men to choose from?” Haylee cried, not bothering to disguise her envy. “Your life is so exciting, it’s almost unfair.”

“I would rather be at home enjoying a boring existence with you,” I asserted. “Besides, it’s not like you are devoid of romance. As I recall, there seemed to be a spark between you and Payton.”

I only mentioned Payton because I wanted to clear the air and assure Haylee that she could speak to me about her budding romance.

I had been jealous at first, but since talking with my mother, I’d longed to hear the juicy details of Haylee and Payton’s blossoming romance.

But when Haylee’s expression soured on the screen, I surmised that everything wasn’t champagne and roses.

“What did he do?” I demanded, tossing aside the lip gloss I had been applying and contorting my body so I could give Haylee my full attention.

“It’s difficult to explain…” Haylee paused as she chewed her lip thoughtfully, then her eyes brightened as if something had occurred to her.

“Do you remember when Payton was dating Jessica Maxwell, and when they broke up, she started dating all of his friends, and he was so heartbroken that we thought she was a vindictive bitch?”

“Yeah, because that seems pretty vindictive…,” I put forth.

“Well, she wasn’t being vindictive. Everyone owes Jessica a huge apology.”

“What happened that made you come to that conclusion?” I prompted.

“Well, it turns out that Payton is clingy. You know how he was always at Jessica’s side, and we thought it was ~so~ romantic? It wasn’t romantic at all—he was trying to smother her,” Haylee concluded.

“Well, at least you didn’t get in too deep,” I said, thinking this may comfort her.

Haylee scoffed. “I wish you had forbidden me from ever dating Payton.”

“I could have never done that!” I chided her. “And besides, you would have just defied me.”

“I know, but now I’m trapped, and I don’t know what to do!” she complained, bowing her head and covering her face with her well-manicured hands.

“Wait…you haven’t broken up with him yet?”

She dropped her hands; her eyes were rimmed red now. “I keep trying, but he won’t let me.”

“What do you mean, he won’t ~let~ you?” I demanded, feeling rage stir in my chest.

Haylee was always so happy and carefree—that was why I had gravitated towards her in the first place—so seeing her this distraught was a cause for concern.

“It’s my own fault,” Haylee admitted. “At first, I thought his obsession with me was cute. I even encouraged it a little. But at a rapid rate, our morning and night text sessions turned into a marathon. He even showed up at my work, angry with me because I hadn’t responded to him. He threw a fit in front of the customers, and my boss threatened to fire me.”

“That is bad,” I agreed. “Did you tell your parents what was happening?”

“Yes, and they banned him from the house, but now he just parks across the street and sits for hours.” Her voice trembled.

“I’m at a loss,” she continued. “I feel like I won’t be rid of him until he becomes infatuated with another girl. I thought about going the Jessica route, but we all know how that turned out.” She paused to give me a knowing look.

Months after their breakup, Jessica had abruptly left town. She told all her friends she was staying with her aunt so she could receive a private education.

Most people didn’t buy it and speculated that she was pregnant, but now I had to wonder if she had been fleeing from Payton.

I focused on Haylee, truly concerned now. “Have you tried calling the police?”

“My parents did,” she revealed. “But the police officers told us that he had every right to park on a public street. My dad got so angry that he threatened to march outside with a shotgun.”

“Oh, Haylee!” I cried. “I am so sorry.”

“Not as sorry as I am,” she said, grabbing a tissue from a box off screen and dabbing her eyes with it. “I can hardly wait until next weekend. I could use a break.”

“Do you think your parents would allow you to stay longer?” I suggested. “I may have to speak with my mother about it, but I’m sure she would agree if I explained your predicament.”

Haylee looked a bit hopeful. “Maybe with me out of the picture for a while, he will find a new girl to prey on…” She paused and shook her head. “I don’t know if my parents will agree.”

“All you can do is ask,” I encouraged her. “And if they refuse, you and I will hatch up a plan to get rid of Payton for good.”

I glanced at the clock and realized that I had let time slip away from me. I turned to Haylee and opened my mouth to apologize, but she waved me off.

“Shoo!” she cried. “Hurry to your savior—” She paused to correct herself. “~Saviors~.”

“Love you,” I said, blowing her a kiss. “I’ll call you tomorrow and tell you everything.”

“You better,” she said in a threatening tone. “And don’t skimp on the details.”