I send the text back. Setting down my phone I shake the mouse to wake the computer. Pressing down on the mouse, the Internet window opens up. I type in my name and student ID so I can have access to the web. Everything I do on here will be tracked. I wonder what the principal will think when he sees that I’m searching Hadley Carter.
He won’t think much because all the boys here talk about her, he’ll probably think I’m normal except there isn’t anything normal about me looking for her on the web. I feel like I’m crossing some imaginary line between us.
Her reply pops up. Call me, please. I want to explain before you see the pictures.
Pictures? Is this what Dylan was talking about? I look at my phone and the computer, my temperature rising. I’ve never been one to get too angry, but right now I’m on edge. What kind of pictures is Hadley talking about? And Dylan, what’s she trying to tell me? I’m not sure how much more I can take. Yesterday it’s the ex and today it’s photos.
I type in her name and hit enter, closing my eyes before anything appears on the screen. I’m about to do something I’m going to regret, but I have to know. When I open my eyes, I wish I hadn’t. I wish Dylan hadn’t said anything and that yesterday never happened. I wish I could go back to the night of the concert and tell Dylan no because staring back at me is my girlfriend with her face buried in some guy’s neck while he carries her. Best part, he’s smiling, which tells me she’s not hurt.
I reach for the mouse and click through the images. One labels the guy as Coleman Hollister and says that he and Hadley are back together. Back together. So this is the ex-boyfriend. The one she loved before me, who knows her better than I do. The one I can’t compete with. I bite my lip to stop myself from yelling. My fist slams down on the table, making the computer rattle.
I pick-up my phone, determined to throw it against the wall. Instead I open her message and reply.
TOO LATE!
I storm out of the library, the door slamming against the wall, almost hitting Dylan. I stop and look at her, she’s rubbing her arm, but I don’t care. I can’t even comprehend what she’s doing here. She knew what I’d find and encouraged me to look. Why would she do that? Does she hate Hadley that much or is she trying to hurt me?
She yells my name as I stalk down the hall. I don’t know if she’s following me. I lose myself in the swarm of kids coming out of the cafeteria. Their talking drowns out her voice. I don’t want to talk to her right now, or even see her. I can’t get over the fact that she knew.
My phone goes off again and this time I answer it hearing Hadley’s cries. I want to scream and tell her to shut up because I don’t want to hear it.
“Ryan, let me explain.”
“What’s there to explain?” I ask as I push open the front doors of the school. The fresh air feels good. I breathe in, hoping to calm down before I continue this conversation with her. My heart aches knowing this is the last time I’ll talk to her, because even I know cheating isn’t okay.
“Those photos… they aren’t what they seem.”
I laugh. “I may be na?ve, Hadley, but I’m not that stupid.”
“I never said you’re stupid. I’m asking you to listen to me so I can explain what happened after you hung up on me yesterday.”
“So this is my fault?” I cross the parking lot and wait for traffic to clear before walking across the street. I don’t know where I’m going. I need to get away from this school and from Dylan and her stupid looks.
“I didn’t do anything wrong!” She says this with such vigor it makes me stop.
“Why me, Hadley, huh?” I’m asking the question that has been plaguing my mind for months now. “Why did you pick me?”
“Why you? You know this, Ryan. When I first saw you, I felt something and that was without even knowing you. After we met, I knew you were the one for me. I’m in love with you. Why can’t you see that?”
“Because I’m seeing you in the arms of your ex-boyfriend, the one I just found out about.”
I take a shortcut through the park, keeping off the roads. The last thing I need is for my dad to drive by and see me walking down the street, talking on a cell phone that I technically don’t own and I’m not allowed to have.
“I’m sorry about not telling you earlier about Cole; he’s not a subject that I like talking about and definitely didn’t want to bring him up. Had I known Ian was bringing him on this tour, I would’ve told you everything. I don’t want to keep secrets from you.”
“It’s all excuses, Hadley.”
“For what? I’ve done nothing wrong. Those pictures you saw, I have a feeling I was completely setup by Ian. I walked from his house back to my hotel and right before I got there, Cole showed up and told me that Ian was getting reports of me staggering in and out of bars. The next thing I know he’s picking me up. The flashes started immediately and I hid my face out of reaction, not out of embarrassment. I wish I would’ve punched him or something, but I was too shocked and didn’t realize what was going on until I was already in his car and the questions were being fired at me.”