Love Heals All (7 page)

“I know! She's so annoying, and for some reason, she always glares at you. I don't like it,” he said, glaring at her back while she tramp strutted away, as we say. Well, Carter doesn't say that, because she's his girlfriend.

“Don't worry about her, Pooh Bear, she's a mess,” I said. I hope he doesn't find out about what she did.

Bailey

Something's up with
Autumn, I can tell. It's a best-friend thing. When she went to the bathroom, the wicked witch Ashley got up and followed her. I didn't want to follow, so we wouldn't look suspicious, but I really need to figure out what's going on.

When she came out of the bathroom, only a girl could tell, but she had a little bit of makeup on one side of her face. Autumn
never
wears makeup, ever. Only the occasional lipstick with an outfit or a bit of foundation when supposedly she looks bad or has a lot of acne, but come on, y'all, she is flawless.

She gave us girls a we-need-to-talk-later look, and all of us nodded ever so slightly, so the guys and Ashley wouldn't see.

I wonder what happened in there? If Ashley did anything to my
muchacha
, I'm gonna cut a bish, specifically Ashley.

Autumn

I'm scared to
tell the girls. What if Ashley shows up and hits me again? I don't want her to tell my secret. I want to be the one who decides when to share it. They probably wouldn't take me seriously again if she told them; they'd think I'm some messed-up freak.

We finished eating at IHOP and just went back home to watch some movies. The first pick was the girls' pick, and we all picked
Mean Girls
. The second pick was the guys' pick, and they picked
The Avengers
.

Well, knowing me, being the tomboy/girly-girly type I am, I was really into both movies, but I really needed to talk to the girls. I saw they weren't as interested in
The Avengers
, which I don't get why, so I gave them a nod to go upstairs so we could talk.

“We're gonna go upstairs and do girly things to get to know each other better while y'all watch this boring movie,” Abbie said to Jonah.

“But baby girl, I thought you liked this movie?” Jonah looked at me with a pout.

“Um, well, I do—it's just, I want to get to know the girls better!” I told him.

“Okay.”

Hayes helped me up both set of stairs and over to the game room door, which is where we girls were going to talk.

“Sorry you had to help me,” I said, looking into his eyes.

“There's nothing to be sorry about, sweetheart. Now go have fun.” He kissed my forehead, and Ella helped me to a beanbag next to her and Bailey.

“Okay, now what did you have to tell us?” Gabby asked.

“Well, um, you know when I went to the bathroom at IHOP, and so did Ashley?” They all nodded. “So I guess she followed me in there, and she was saying how I was just using Hayes and the guys for fame and stuff like that. But she said she
knew
,” I said, putting air quotes around
knew
, “I was using him because she was doing the same thing with Carter.” They all gasped.

“After she said that to me, I kinda went off on her, telling her that I hadn't known who Hayes and Nash were before I met them, and that I've known Cameron all my life, and that I fell in love with the real Hayes, not the famous one.” They all awwed. “I also said that she didn't know anything about me, like I didn't know anything about her, except that she was a coldhearted tramp that was looking for fame from one of the nicest people I know.”

“You go, girl!”
Abbie yelled, giving me a high five. She's exactly like Jonah.

“But then the next thing was unexpected: she slapped me,
hard
!” I said.

“But you can't see anything, so that's good,” Alyssa said.

“Does anybody have makeup remover?” I asked tentatively.

“I do!” Aly said. We all looked at her, surprised. “What? It makes your skin soft! I swear I don't wear makeup!” she explained. We all laughed as she handed me one of those little pad things.

I lifted it up to my face and removed the concealer, wincing as the pad slid over my skin. When the girls saw the bruise, they all gasped.

“I'm killing a bish!” Ella yelled, popping up out of her beanbag.

“Let's get a shovel!” Bailey screamed, standing up next to her.

“She's dead!” the other girls yelled.

“Thanks, guys, but no. She said if I told anyone, she would do it more, and worse,” I said.

That's when the guys came in.

Hayes

“Guys, let's go
see what they're talking about,” Jonah said with a smirk on his face.

“Yeah!” all the other guys said, except for me. They all looked at me for approval.

“Are you sure? I mean, I don't want to intrude on their personal conversations or anything,” I told them uneasily.

“Oh, come on, Hayes—stop being a wussy!” Nash said, and he pulled me up out of my seat.

“Fine, I'll go. God!”

“Yay!” Cameron yelled.

“Shut up, or they'll hear us!” Jonah whisper-yelled.

We silently walked up the set of stairs to the game room.

We got to the door and put our ears to it so we could hear everything. I think they'd just started talking, so we'd be able to hear the entire conversation.

“Well, um, you know when I went to the bathroom at IHOP, and so did Ashley?” I think Autumn said. “So I guess she followed me in there, and she was saying how I was just using Hayes and the guys for fame and stuff like that. But she said she
knew
”—yep, that's Autumn talking—“I was using him because she was doing the same thing with Carter.” We heard them all gasp and looked at Carter. He was pale as a ghost. Bart started to rub his back in a soothing way.

“After she said that to me, I kinda went off on her, telling her that I hadn't known who Hayes and Nash were before I met them, and that I've known Cameron all my life, and that I fell in love with the real Hayes, not the famous one.” They all awwed, and I smirked. “I also said that she didn't know anything about me, like I didn't know anything about her, except that she was a coldhearted tramp that was looking for fame from one of the nicest people I know.” We all smiled at Carter, and he blushed.

“You go, girl!”
Abbie yelled. She's exactly like Jonah.

“But then the next thing was unexpected: she slapped me,
hard
!” Autumn said. My face went red in anger. I was about to barge in there, but all the guys held me back.

“But you can't see anything, so that's good,” Alyssa said. She's just like Aaron, sees the good in everything.

“Does anybody have makeup remover?” Autumn asked tentatively. We guys looked at one another, confused.

“I do!” Aly said.

“
What?
She's only eleven!” Bart whispered.

“What? It makes your skin soft! I swear I don't wear makeup!” We all snickered.

It was silent for a second until we heard the girls gasp. My face hardened.

“I'm killing a bish!” Ella yelled.

“Let's get a shovel!” Bailey screamed.

“She's dead!” the other girls yelled.

“Thanks, guys, but no. She said if I told anyone, she would do it more, and worse,” Autumn said.

That's when the guys and I stepped into the game room.

Autumn

“WHAT DO YOU
MEAN SHE HIT YOU?” Hayes screamed.

“No, Hayes, calm down. It—”

“CALM DOWN? I CAN'T CALM DOWN WHEN MY GIRLFRIEND GETS HURT! AND YOU'RE ALREADY HURT ON TOP OF THAT! OH, SHE'S GONNA GET IT, I SWEAR!” he ranted. His hands were flying around in the air, and he was pacing back and forth. It was crazy.

“Hayes,
calm down
!” I stood up and drew his arms down to his sides and looked him in the eyes. He was breathing heavily from that little episode, and I couldn't blame him.

“How did you know?” I whispered.

“Uh, well, we sorta got bored, and Jonah suggested that we kinda eavesdrop on you guys and—”

I cut him off. “Y'all eavesdropped on us?”

“I didn't want to do it at first, I swear. I'm kinda happy we did now, though, because you probably wouldn't have told me,” he said, and I looked down.

“You're probably right. I just didn't want to see you hurt anymore after what happened and all,” I mumbled, a tear rolling down my cheek.

He lifted up my head and wiped the tear away. “You know I'll always be here for you, sweetheart.”

I nodded and smiled. Then he kissed me. I love it when we kiss. It's magical, like no other. It's always just him and me in the room when we kiss—no one else.

Then, of course, the camera click just
had
to ruin it.

“DO YOU GUYS ALWAYS HAVE TO RUIN OUR MOMENTS?!” Hayes screamed.

They all laughed. “Yeah, pretty much,” Bart said, holding his stomach.

“They're fine—the pictures always turn out great,” I said, pulling Hayes into a hug and looking up at him, resting my chin on his chest.

I guess you could say we had a mini staring contest, but then, it had to get ruined again.

“I took one without the camera clicking!”

We looked over to Bailey, who was holding up her phone and starting to giggle. “Oops?”

“But can you guys not confront her about it, please?” I asked, looking hopefully at everyone.

“But that butt scum needs to pay!” Bart said. He then looked at Carter in apology.

“No, guys, it's fine. She's a coldhearted slut who toyed with my heart for fame. I'll get over her and find someone better,” he said, smiling bravely.

I shuffled over to him in pain, because my back was killing me, and hugged him. “I'm sorry for ruining your relationship, C.”

“It's all right, Auts, I should've seen the bad in her. I'm sorry for making you get hurt even more,” he said, kissing the top of my head.

I shuffled back over to Hayes, who was now sitting on a beanbag, and sat on his lap with my head on his chest. He intertwined our fingers and kissed the top of my head.

“Seriously, though, don't confront her about it. If she hurts me more, she hurts me more, but don't talk about it around her or anything. Got it?”

“When she's out of our lives, she's dead meat. I'll need a shovel, duct tape, rope, and a bridge,” Bailey said seriously. We all laughed and started talking, really getting to know one another even better.

I found out that Abbie and Jordan are going back to California tomorrow, so Abbie can get back to cheerleading, and Jordan is going to try out for volleyball. Then Alyssa has to go back to New Orleans for extra school stuff.

Hayes and I were quiet, just enjoying each other's company. Then I decided I wanted to look over the couples, so I did.

Bailey and Daniel were in the corner with Aly, and Daniel was singing songs for them to help pick which one he should do for a cover.

Shaelyn and Nash were having a funny-face contest, and Nash was winning. I'm not surprised.

Alyssa and Aaron were nowhere to be found. Probably on a walk or something.

Cameron and Ella were sitting on the couch watching TV. Cameron's arm was wrapped around her shoulders.

Gabby, Tez, Jordan, and Alec were all talking and laughing with one another.

Carter had gone out to the porch swing, I'm guessing getting some fresh air after the news he just got. I mean, his girlfriend had tormented one of his best friends. That's something to take in.

But Abby and Bart were a different story. They were out back screaming at each other. You see, there's a huge window in the game room that looks out on the whole backyard, and sadly, we had the curtains open. You could tell Abby and Bart hadn't been on each other's good side lately, and I guess they just snapped. Then Abby slapped Bart in the face, kicked him in the stomach, and ran to her car. I flinched and hid my head into Hayes's shoulder, wishing I hadn't seen what had just happened.

“What's wrong, sweetheart?” Hayes asked in a worried tone, wrapping his arm, the one that wasn't holding my hand, around me and pulling me closer.

“Abby just slapped and kicked Bart, and I saw the entire thing,” I said shakily.

I don't know why I was so scared. I mean, probably because Bart's one of my best friends and I hate to see him hurt.

“He'll be all right, beautiful, I promise!”

I just nodded and kept my head in his shoulder. God, my emotions are all over the place today. I'm so overreacting about this. I slap Bart playfully all the time, and it doesn't bother me, so why did it bother me when she did it? Even though it wasn't playful when she did it, but still. I just need to get some sleep.

I relaxed and rested my head in the crook of Hayes's neck and closed my eyes again. He started to rub my back softly, which felt very soothing. I started to drift off to sleep, and the last thing I heard was, “I'll always be by your side.”

Then I slipped into darkness.