Page 65 of Stay

Ah. I get it now. The problem is, I have no clue what to say about it.

“Everyone’s just so supportive and sweet.” She looks back at the house. “I…God, what’s wrong with me?” She rubs her chest, wincing.

“Nothing’s wrong with you, Hales.”

She scoffs, letting me know she whole-heartedly disagrees. “I would have given anything to have what you have here.”

And just like that, I’m thrown back to the last time she came to dinner at my parent’s house…

Our bellies are so full, I swear I’m gonna pop. We’re spending the night because the trip home is a long one and nobody’s up for that kind of trip after eating their weight in turkey and pie.

“Get in here with me.” Haley lifts the covers to my old bed. “I can make you fit.”

She said those exact words to me last night too when I fucked her in the ass.

We both cram into my full-sized bed, the old bedframe creaking loudly. I make a uh oh face at her and she laughs. It’s late. About two am. We’ve been out on four-wheelers, playing cards, and drinking until most of the family called it quits at midnight. Haley stayed up to watch Christmas Vacation with my dad, the two of them practically lip syncing the entire movie together.

She fits so perfectly in my family; it makes me want to confess a lot of things to her. None of which I will because she’s never once expressed getting serious with me. We’re exclusive, but not committed. If that even makes sense.

In the silent darkness, her cell goes off.

“Ugh, watch that be Jenna, drunk off her ass.” Haley climbs over me, straddling my hips to get her phone from the low hanging shelf with the docking station. She looks at the screen, and her smile falls so fast it makes me tense. “Hello?”

“About time you answered me,” a woman sneers on the other end of the line. “Your father and I were worried sick about you.”

Haley practically curls in on herself, sliding off my body and tucking her legs up. “What are you talking about?”

“You think you’re too good to come home for break, is that it?”

“What? No. Dad said to not bother, so I didn’t.”

“Sure. Blame your dad.”

I feel sick hearing the way her mother treats her. Haley won’t look at me, and I want to rip the phone out of her hands to spare her more abuse.

“Where are you?”

Haley’s gaze flicks to mine for a fraction of a second before she looks down again. “With a friend.”

“A boy?”

“Yes.”

“College turned you into a slut then. Nice.”

“Mom.” Haley’s voice sounds strong even though she’s shaking. “Stop.”

“I’m just trying to understand why you’d choose to go home with someone else and be with their family instead of coming home to yours.”

Oh, I can think of a million reasons why. Too bad she didn’t ask me.

“A flight home is too expensive,” Haley says cautiously. “I couldn’t afford it.”

There’s silence on the line.

“Well, can you afford to pay your portion of the electricity bill at least? Or do you want your parents to suffer and freeze?”

Haley licks her lips. “No. I’ll pay it. I’ll…” She climbs off the bed and starts pacing. “I’ll wire dad some more money.”

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