Backseat Serenade Chapter 5

So here's the next update of Backseat Serenade. Enjoy:)

Hayley glances up as she hears a soft knock on the door. 'Come in,' she mumbles.

Nate pops his head round the door. 'Hey, um, can we talk?'

'Yeah, sure,' she nods.

He joins her on her bed and sighs. 'Hayles.'

She glances at him, waiting for him to continue. 

'Hayles, I'm really sorry. I... I just think it's not exactly... right? And I don't want to lead you on if I don't want this anymore.'

'Mm,' Hayley nods.

Nate bites his lip. 'Hayley, I honestly didn't mean to hurt you. I promise. I just wanted to be friends, and I'm really sorry...'

She sighs, and wonders what to do. Whether to swallow her pride and get on with it, or treat him like crap. Either way, they're not getting back together. She knew this would happen. 

He glances at her, wondering what's going through her head. He feels like such a jerk for this, but he just didn't feel comfortable about it. 

'I know,' her voice is quiet. 'It's okay, Nate.'

Relief washes over him. 'Thank you,' he whispers. 'I am really sorry, Hayles. I'll try make it up to you, I swear.'

'Don't,' she shakes her head. 'Please. I'll be fine, honestly.'

He sighs and gently, cautiously wraps his arms around her for a hug.

Biting her lip, Hayley hugs him back, inhaling his sweet scent. They sit like that for a moment, and then he pulls back. 

'Friends?'

'Brother and sister,' she laughs. 

He smiles. 'Good. I am sorry, Hayles.'

'Don't be,' she shakes her head. 'I mean, I could sit here and get really mad at you, but what's the point in that?'

Nate smiles. 'I'm glad you're so nice,' he chuckles. 

She nods. 'Yeah, you're lucky.'

//

'Wow, you forgave him easily,' Tay comments.

Hayley shrugs. 'Yeah, I don't mind though. I mean, it's kinda stupid to just make a massive drama out of it all. I guess he has a point.'

'Really?' Jeremy raises his eyebrows.

'Well, yeah, we are kinda brother and sister. I mean, if that bothers him, then there's no point forcing him into anything,' she smiles. 

Alex frowns. 'You make that sound like it doesn't bother you that you guys are technically siblings.'

'No, it doesn't, cause we're not really siblings at all. I mean, I could have been adopted by anybody,' she says with a little lump in her throat as she says adopted. 

He smirks. 'Well, at least Josh still has a chance.'

Hayley rolls her eyes. 'Wow, real funny.'

A slight frown passes across his face as he tries to figure out if she took offence to that.  He decides in the end that she didn't and smirks. 'You love me really.'

'I do?' she raises an eyebrow.

Tay frowns at her friend. Why is she flirting with Alex? She literally just got out of a relationship with Nate and now she's flirting with somebody else. 'Um, Hayley, can I talk to you a sec?'

A look of irritation passes across Alex's face, but Hayley smiles easily. 'Sure.'

They walk slightly away from the group. 'Hayley,' Tay says in a low voice. 'I thought you weren't over Nate?'

Hayley frowns. 'Not really... Why?'

'You're shamelessly flirting with Alex,' Tay points out.

She shrugs. 'It's just a bit of fun, Tay, you know that. But are you jealous?'

'No,' she shakes her head, confused. 'Why would I be?'

Hayley shrugs her shoulders again. 'I dunno. I was just wondering. But anyways, was that all you wanted to say?'

'Yeah. Just be careful, Hayles. Alex doesn't always play fair,' Tay warns her.

She smirks. 'Oh, it's okay. I can look after myself.'

Tay doesn't say anything as she watches her friend wander back to the group.

//

Hayley flops down in her English seat and smiles at Tay. 'Hey.'

'Hi,' Tay looks at her briefly, a smile flitting across her face, before quickly turning back to her jotter where she's scribbling down the homework she didn't do.

'Haaaaaayley,' a voice behind her drags out her name and she turns around, smiling at Alex. 

'Hey.'

He smiles and looks at her. There's a pause as he looks her over and she feels slightly uncomfortable about this. Tay's earlier words replay in her head. Alex doesn't always play fair. What does this even mean? 

'You look pretty today,' he smirks.

She cocks her head to the side, smiling. 'As do you,' she returns. Two can play at this game.

A chuckle escapes his lips. 'I've never heard you be so charming towards me,' he reflects, still grinning.

Hayley raises an eyebrow. 'And that's supposed to mean...'

'I dunno,' he shrugs. 'I was just pointing it out, that you don't ususally say that sort of thing to me. But thank you.'

'Neither do you,' she smiles unconvincingly, not really sure where this is going.

He smirks slightly and glances down at his jotters for a moment, before looking back up. 'I know, I just thought I would say it.'

She shrugs and turn around again back to Tay. She raisse an eyebrow at her and she shrugs, just as confused as Hayley is at Alex's strange behaviour.

'Hey,' Alex says from behind her, sounding slightly hurt.

Hayley turns back around and frowns, confused. 'Um... yeah?'

'Why are you ignoring me?' he pouts.

She shakes her head, laughing slightly. 'I'm not ignoring you? I just turned back around again in my seat...'

He shrugs. 'If you say so.'

Hayely sighs and runs a hand through her hair. 'Just cut the crap, Alex.'

'What?'

'You're acting really weird today, what's up?'

He shakes his head quickly. 'Nothing, nothing,' he mumbles, looking away. 

'Are you sure?' she asks quietly, concerned.

Alex nods. 'Yeah, sure. I'm fine.'

She shrugs, unconvinced, but she doesn't push it. 

---

So. That was a long time since the last update of this, huh? I'm sorry:/ But I hope you liked it!