My Heart: A Joshayley StoryChapter 4
Saturday was the day that finally came, and when Hayley awoke to the sound of her own alarm clock, she had no idea what to wear or what to think. All she heard was the loud buzz of the annoying alarm clock, distracting her from her real goal: getting dressed and getting out of here.
It was 9 AM.This whole outing was supposed to be an all- type of thing. It wasn't just a "meet us here and let's hang out" outing, it was a "let's go to breakfast, lunch and dinner, while hanging out at various spots" type of gathering.
All day with Josh.
He had emailed her about it already, and she had all the details she needed. They would all meet up at his house, 11 AM, and go out for some breakfast and who knows what else. Tennessee could be more fun than she expected. The phone rang, startling Hayley. Unfortunately, her mother got to it first.
"Hello?" she heard her mother say, her voice echoing through the house.
"Yes, she is here. You must be Josh, she's talked a lot about you." Her mother then cracked a laugh. "Yes, I'm sure she likes you a lot, Josh. I'm just glad my daughter has a friend. Anyways, let me just check if she is awake yet..." she could hear her mother's footsteps carefully creaking up the stairs.
Hayley was hitting her head. Why did mothers have to be so embarrassing?
"Oh good, you're awake! Your friend is on the ph--"
"I know mom! Hand it over," Hayley said, sighing, ripping the phone from her mother's hands. "Hello?" she squeaked, biting her lower lip.
"Hayley! Hey! So are you still coming over later?" Josh said through the phone eagerly.
"Yeah, I am. Thanks for asking. Sorry about..." she paused quickly, "my mom. She can be...you know..."
Josh laughed. "It's okay! I understand how moms are Hayley, I've got one too."
She was glad to hear that. Well, obviously he had a mom but Josh brightened the mood with good humor.
"But hey, I need to get ready, so I'll see you later." Hayley finished the conversation briefly, and he agreed, saying goodbye and his voice disappearing.
She sighed and ran downstairs. "Mom! If you hear his voice again just please hand me the phone!" Hayley yelled. "I'm sorry, Hayles, I just..."
"Don't 'Hayles' me mom! God, that was so embarrassing!" Her face felt heated. Her mom looked disappointed. "I'm sorry, Hayley. Maybe next time I just won't pick up, if it bothers you that much. This is what I get for being a mom."
She walked away into the kitchen. Hayley sighed. Yes, she was annoyed but she hated it when her mom went all "guilt-trip" on her. She acted guilty, just so Hayley would feel more guilt in yelling at her. What a tactic. She rushed back upstairs.
Her wardrobe wasn't really what you'd call girly, and immediately after looking at her clothing she felt as if she'd double over with nausea.
All the rich kids here wore the trendiest clothing--how could she possibly fit in with what she had now?
She reached out and grabbed a long sleeved shirt, striped with alternating red and grey that would accentuate her bright hair. It was a warm and breezy day outside. This sweater was too itchy, anyways.
She hung it back up, shaking her head. She pulled out another shirt, it was black with no pattern on it. A plain V-neck, suitable for this weather. Maybe her black skinny jeans and that white cardigan would be enough. It was just a simple outing with tons of people, not a date. Hayley rolled her eyes. I'm doing all this for an outing! It's not a date...just an outing. I don't need to impress anyone, she thought.
She looked at herself in the mirror. She wasn't very confident in this outfit, or her face, for that matter. There was a new breakout of pimples around her forehead, but not an overwhelming amount. She brushed her bangs against them, ignoring them. Those simple blemishes made her extremely aggravated--and yet she dropped the thought. "It's not a DATE!" she screamed to herself.
Her mother abruptly appeared at the door, with her face in a state of shock. "What's going on?!" she asked worriedly. "Nothing..." Hayley said, rolling her eyes, "Sorry. It's just I'm extremely nervous for this whole outing thing with my friends. Well, friend. I haven't really made that many friends yet..." she dragged on, but then pushed away the whole conversation. "Never mind, mom. I'm fine. I'll just be waiting for them now."
Time passed much faster than expected. Hayley sat on the couch firmly, her feet shaking. Before she knew it, the time was 10:57.
She freaked for the briefest moment, and then a car's honk startled her, coming from outside.
Just as expected, Josh was behind the wheel, waving to her. Hayley smiled and slipped out of the room before her mom even had the chance to come out and say goodbye. She felt guilty though, she didn't even apologize to her mother for yelling, and paused quickly at the porch.
She stole one quick glance at Josh and felt hurried again, so she simply rushed toward the van. She hurried and opened the passenger door. Nobody was in the backseats yet. Josh looked over at her. "You're the first one I picked up. You live closest to where I do, anyways. So...yeah. Why am I explaining?" He smiled at her shyly, his awkward attempt at humor making a blush slide onto his cheeks.
Hayley sheepishly smiled back, just as nervous. She couldn't wait for this day.
Maybe once, just once, she'd finally fit in with this school...
Even if it's just been a few weeks...
Catch more of Hayley and Josh in the next chapter COMING SOON. :)
