The Anklebiters
Love Comes with Such a Cost
As soon as Hayley stepped foot in her house, she sprinted up the stairs to her room, where she found Tay clicking through TV channels in her PJs and eating a bag of popcorn. Hayley raised a brow, and commented, “Comfortable?”
The brunette suddenly looked up and grinned. She pushed aside the popcorn bag and made room for Hayley on her own bed, waiting in anticipation for the details of the date. “So?” She inquired.
Hayley shrugged. “It was nice.”
“Don’t be that way!” She groaned as her friend stood from the bed. “Give me all the juicy details!”
Hayley only chuckled and went into the bathroom, where she cracked the door so Tay could hear her. “Nothing juicy really happened, actually.” She slipped on her pajamas and started brushing out her hair. “It was a normal date.”
Tay knew that Hayley was already dressed, so she opened the bathroom door and leaned against the doorframe. “Did he take you to the movies?” When her friend nodded, she then asked, “Take you to an actual good movie?”
“War of the Worlds.”
She lofted a brow. “Decided against his original movie choice; the boy is smart.” She commented. “Did he hold your hand?”
“His hands were quite sweaty.”
“Did he kiss you?”
Hayley stopped brushing her bright orange hair and suddenly went quiet. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and slowly nodded. “Yeah,” she finally answered, “he did.”
Tay watched her, searching her face for any unfamiliar emotions, and she saw one. “You liked it, didn’t you?”
She smacked the brush in her hand on the vanity. “I did not!” She turned back to the mirror in front of her, sighing and looking at her reflection. Tay looked at her friend’s reflection too, seeing the walls around her slowly breaking. After a minute, Hayley admitted, “Maybe I did … But that doesn’t mean anything. I need to follow Taylor’s one rule for this, and I’m not going to mess up the plan just because I may be―”
“Hayles,” Tay reached over and ran her hand over her friend’s arm, “how do you really feel about the plan?” When Hayley looked at her incredulously, she continued, “Abi and I can see your tenseness whenever we talk about the plan.”
“I’m fine,” she lied, and Tay could see it clearly.
The brunette’s hand fell from her shoulder. “Stop lying to me.”
Hayley finally sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I feel bad for doing all of this, but I know I have to.” She sat down on the bathroom floor and let her head fall into her hands. “And it’s not just because I know Taylor will be furious if I don’t do this, it’s because I know I’m already in too deep. After just one date, I know how deep I’m in and I can’t get out anytime soon. I can see how much he likes me for the liar I am, and it kills me inside. If anything, I want him to like me for me, not because I was forced into this relationship with him for my social group.” When she looked up, Tay could see some of the tears falling down her friend’s cheeks. “He’s different from Jack and the guys. He doesn’t deserve this.”
Tay frowned, not quite knowing what to say as she hugged her. “If it’s hurting you that much, I can tell Taylor you don’t want to do this anymore.”
“I can’t get out of this, Tay. I can’t.” Hayley shook her head. “Besides, I still love the Anklebiters and I would do anything for you guys. You’re like my family.”
The brunette softly smiled, even though she knew it wouldn’t help Hayley at the moment. “But what if you actually fall in love with Alex?”
She rubbed at her eyes and finally stood up, composing herself. “If it’s not according to the plan, it won’t happen.”
Notes
The new Pretty Reckless album is fabulous and helped me finally write this chapter ^w^
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Rock on \m/
Haha, wait a minute, hold up. HOLD UP.
I started reading this story, thinking it was your other story I have yet to read with multiple installments... and then I just got to this last update, realizing I confused the stories the whole time AND THIS WAS NEVER FINISHED. UGH.
OMG. This story though...
This story is seriously amazing. Very John Tucker Must Die, but different. I've seen people take that plot and incorporate it with an ATL story before, but this story is definitely different with it; not as much of a direct influence, but kind of a similar thing going on, and able to stand alone on its own and be great. I'm really bummed that this was never continued; you're a really talented writer and I'm itching to know how this would have ended now. Especially considering I was thrown for a loop since I mixed it up with the other story, ugh! SO FRUSTRATING.
I hope maybe you still get on here, or get notifications, or are just able to see this comment... I see another person commented around a month ago, so you definitely still have readers!
That being said, I know that life can be hell with hecticness and just reality and so... that seemed to be catching up with you in your last author's note. I hope everything is okay with you. Even if this story isn't ever continued, I hope at the very least, you're still writing on your own time... you definitely have a knack for it.
And as Taylex_Jarkarth said... this story made me feel weird things as well. Maybe butterflies? Hayley's emotions definitely transpired through me as a reader; whatever she was feeling, I was feeling. You conveyed her as a very relatable character, and I commend you for that. I'm just bummed that things had to go down the way they did. :/ I'm just wondering how you planned to end it all, now. lol. I have faith that Alex still loves her, and if he knew the full truth (and Hayley plucks up the courage to tell him how she truly feels and how it changed for her), there may be chance for reconciliation. But idk. What she did was pretty big, so it's hard to tell and you honestly can't blame him for being angry. But I'm an optimist, lol.
How did I confuse the multiple installment stories. Ugh. I guess I would've had to reach the end of what you had eventually. XD But it just frustrates me that there isn't more to read!
But anyway, you are seriously an amazing writer, and I just wanted to let you know that. This story had me in with just the first chapter. Even though it's been a minute, I have faith that you could come back to it; I've seen other authors do so before. :) I will be here to read and leave feedback if you do, for sure.
7/2/17