Hard to Love You

At the end of Hailey’s parents’ divorce, right before her dad moved out, things turned ugly and mainly for Hailey. I got a text from Hailey one winter night when she was around fourteen. I had just gotten my driver’s license and she sent me a text in the middle of the night to come and get her. I jumped out of bed and rushed to her house. When she got in the car all I saw was red. I was livid and she hadn’t even explained yet. Hailey had a cut on her eyebrow, thankfully it didn’t look like she was going to need stitches but then she turned on the light and I saw a black and blue mark forming on her cheek.

“Hailey, what the f**k happened?”

She didn’t answer.

“Hailey I need you to tell me right now. I want to go in that house and beat the living shit out of your dad.” I said with rage dripping from my words.

“I’m fine Mason. I just needed to get out of that house. Can you take me back to yours?” Hailey whispered.

I took a quick glance over at her and she was holding the side of her face where the black and blue mark was.

I didn’t say anything else. Hailey wouldn’t tell me. She was closed off; she was protecting herself and me. I hated that she wouldn’t tell me but I understood that she knew if she did I would stop at nothing to get to her piece of shit dad.

When we arrived back at my house I expected her to go to MacKenzie’s room, at least for a little while, but she didn’t. She bypassed it and went right into mine. I followed behind her and closed the door. Hailey took her socks and shoes off and climbed in bed. I pulled my shirt off, then left to go to the bathroom so I could grab her some pain medicine and a cup of water. I went back to the room handed them to her before turning the lights off and climbing in bed with her.

I was still pissed off and irritated so I didn’t pull her to my side like I normally did. After a few minutes I heard her sniffling and then I felt like an ass**le. I turned on my side and wrapped my body around her.

“It’s gonna be ok, Hails. I’m sorry I was acting like a jerk.” I whispered in her ear.

She sniffled again. “This was my fault. I egged him on. I don’t know why but I was sick of his shit Mase.”

“It doesn’t matter what you did, Hailey. He shouldn’t be laying a hand on you.”

Hailey wiped her eyes with the palms of her hands. God I hate that she is going through this. I wish there was something I could do. I knew if I talked to Mom and Dad that they could probably do something, but Hailey made me promise that I wouldn’t and if she ever needed their help she would go to them.

“He came home late from work and was drunk. He was pissed that his dinner was cold and he blamed it on me; said I should have kept it warm.” She turned her body so she faced the ceiling. “I told him if he didn’t get home so late it would have still been warm.” Hailey took a breath. “He picked up the first thing he could lay his hands on, which happened to be cordless phone, and threw it at me. I tried to duck but I was too slow. Then I was in shock and holding my eye so I didn’t see him walk over to me. He slapped me across the face and told me to never talk back to him.”

I swore under my breath and turned Hailey so she was facing me. “I hate that man, Hailey. I’m so sorry he did that to you.”

“It’s ok Mase. I’ll be fine.”

I knew she wouldn’t be fine deep down inside though, and my heart broke for her. I wanted to keep her locked away in my room and never let her leave.

I drop Cooper off and tell him I will text him as soon as I find out what the hell is going on. When I pull into the driveway at my house Hailey’s car is there. I turn the engine off and run up to the house.

“Hailey?” I call out.

No answer.

I kick my shoes off by the door and take the few steps that lead upstairs two at a time.

“Hailey?” I yell out

Then I notice the scene before me. My living room is f**ked up. My DVDs are thrown around, all the wires to my cable box, TV and x-box are cut and the cushions for my couches are spread out all over the room. Hailey sits in the only recliner, rocking herself. She has her knees drawn up to her chest. Her face is blotchy, eyes are red and puffy and her hair is all crazy.

I kneel in front of Hailey trying to see if she is hurt, “Hailey? What the f**k happened? Are you ok?”

I reach for her and she flinches. “Don’t f**king touch me Mason!” Hailey yells.

I hold up my hands in surrender. Something is seriously wrong. “Hailey, tell me what happened. Are you hurt?”

She stares at me like I’m stupid. “Yeah I am hurt, Mason.” She says in a calm voice.

Panic starts to set in, “Boo, please tell me what happened. Where are you hurt? Talk to me.”

She laughs an evil, sick laugh that hits me right in the gut. “You want to know where it hurts? My heart Mason! You f**king ripped my heart out, stomped on it and then fed it to the wolves.”

My stomach turns. “What are you talking about, Hailey? I don’t understand.”

She stares at me. I feel her reach in and grab my soul. “I woke up this morning and had to run out to the store to get something for Ryder. Well I wasn’t expecting to run into Whore 1 and Whore 2 when I was there.”

She stops talking and the world around me stops, very, very slowly. Without her saying their names, I know exactly who is she referring to. What the hell did Lily and Brittany do? FUCK! I’ve waited too long to talk to Cooper and figure this shit out. She knows the secret I’ve been keeping and she is blaming me.

“I guess I hit my target huh, Mason? Feeling a little guilty now that you got caught?”

I have to figure out a way to explain why I didn’t say anything to her. “Hailey it seems really bad but I don’t think it ever happened.”

Before I could finish she cuts me off. “You don’t think it ever happened? That’s rich Mason, really rich.”

“I didn’t get a chance to figure out what I was going to do about it yet.” I say.

Hailey again cuts me off. “There isn’t much to figure out now, Mason. Lily told me everything that has been going on for god knows how long now.”

I’m confused. “What are you talking about? What’s been going on?”

She laughs once, “Why are you still hiding it Mason? Lily told me everything. Are you really going to break my heart even more and make me repeat it?”

I didn’t think this could break her heart. She would be hurt that I didn’t tell her, yeah. “Hailey this doesn’t have anything to do with you and me. I mean, I get that you’re pissed that I didn’t tell you but I promised I wouldn’t ask you to keep secrets anymore.”