Hi guys, thanks for sticking with this story to see the ending. As explained, the published version doesn't have the pregnancy scare in it (due to many negative comments I received about it). This chapter has been replaced with the published version which means there is no pregnancy scare AT ALL and this chapter DOES NOT have it like it used to. It has been re-written and the rest of the story from here is the published version ending. (There's more about the pregnancy part at the bottom of the chapter).

I hope you enjoy!

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Dedication: Thank you to SimplicityFault for the cover on the side!

Recap:

My mind kept thinking about the man in the photo.

John...

Johnathon...

The memory of meeting him burned my mind.

His hand grabbed my arm. He pulled my jacket back, revealing the Downright High emblem, perched above my left breast. I jerked my arm from his as though he had burned me. I could still feel his hot breath as it fanned across my face.

His smirk was full stretched across his face. "Downright High? That's interesting."

Imogen's step father was... Colin's step-father's boss? Was this just a coincidence? Dread and feelings of trepidation filled my veins.

Definitely not a good coincidence.

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The tension was so thick in the room, I was surprised I could even move.

I glared at my plate, unable to withstand the penetrating stare of Ameika's father. By the time I arrived at their place, their dinner was already served on the table. Swallowing nervously, I fiddled with my mashed potato, having lost my appetite.

"Tell us everything that has happened," Ameika's mother, Angela, gushed. She looked a lot like Ameika. They were both shorter than the average person and had lightly tanned skin from spending too much time outside. She leaned forward on her elbows with her chin cupped in her palm. "Your hair looks gorgeous in that shade of brown! It suits you much more than the blonde."

Ever since I set foot in the car, I had to endure a slingshot of questions. Before that, she embraced me so tightly, I wouldn't be surprised if one of my ribs had cracked. Honestly, it was great to be back here with Ameika, but at the same time, it was so hard. After all, so much had changed. How could they possibly understand what I had been through?

My mouth opened, but no words came out. She pushed forward with her questions obliviously.

"Are you still modeling?"

I gaped at her. Modeling felt like a lifetime ago.

"Er...Mum," Ameika interrupted and took an uneasy sip of juice. "I told you that Hayley has been at boarding school. She hasn't been able to model."

"Such a shame!" she cooed dramatically, giving me a sad look. "You were so great at it!"

I just stared down at a small scratch on the table, feeling uncomfortable. I used to enjoy Angela's persistent questioning and need to know every detail about my life. And I used to love talking about myself. It was a completely different story now.

"So, is this boarding school why you left without a word and broke my daughter's heart?" her father asked in a cold tone.

It was the first time he uttered a word since my arrival. I stared back at him coolly. His mustache had wisps of gray through it. He had also accumulated more wrinkles around his eyes since the last time I saw him. Apart from that, he looked the same as ever.

"Don't." Ameika sighed.

"What? Are we all just going to ignore the fact that she disappeared without a trace? Am I the only one who remembers Ameika waking up and crying in the middle of the night? The endless questions to where her best friend had gone?"

They all fell silent. Guilt flooded my stomach, but there was also a mixture of anger. He had no idea what had happened to me.

"Sorry," I choked out, my voice like steel. "It was a bit hard to pick up the phone and call while I was being molested by my uncle."

Angela dropped her fork, the clang echoing around the small dining room. Ameika sighed again, and her father looked at me speechlessly. His face reddened as he began to sputter incoherent words.

"Maybe this was a bad idea," I muttered, pushing the chair back. "I know you guys have a lot of questions. I know a lot has changed. I'm not the same person I was."

"We're going to go to my room," Ameika announced suddenly. "I'm not hungry anymore."

I stared at her in surprise. After what happened just now, she still wanted me to stay? Her eyes met mine, and she gave me an apologetic smile. She waved me after her, so I trailed wordlessly up the stairs that led to her room. She shut the door quietly behind me with her head hung low.

"I am so sorry, Hayley. They don't understand," she really sounded sorry when she apologized.

I shrugged in attempt to be nonchalant. "I understand where your dad is coming from."

"Want to get out of here?" she asked suddenly, not responding to what I said. A slow smile stretched across my face at her statement. She turned around, and rummaged through her drawers, before pulling out a bottle of vodka. She gave me an excited grin, her eyebrows dancing. "Want to get the crew together just like old times?"

I was surprised at the excitement that rushed through my body. I felt elation wash over me at the thought of seeing everyone. I stared at Ameika, unable to wipe the genuine smile off my face. This is why this gorgeous girl was once and still is my best friend.

"Let's do this."

* * *

Despite being keen earlier, I decided against drinking. I didn't want to go down that road again. I just wanted to hang out with my friends and have fun, like old times. But that didn't mean Ameika had the same idea. She already chugged various drinks that she was already drunk before we even left the house.

We waltzed down the street, hand in hand. The night air was cool, cooling my flushed cheeks and blowing my hair annoyingly around my face, but I didn't care at this moment. I was free and with my best friend. Nothing else mattered right now.

We were meeting up at the diner, which used to be our traditional sanctuary. When I strode in, pulling Ameika behind me, the girls squealed upon seeing me straight away. I laughed as soon as I saw them, surprising myself. I felt an automatic sense of joy upon seeing them. With everything going on, I didn't even see them when they came to my school. When I was near enough, I was immediately pulled into a tight hug (Courtney's arms felt constricting around my neck). I had been close with everyone, but Gabe and Ameika took the medals for being my favorites.

After that heartwarming reunion, everyone started speaking all at once, wanting to know what I have been up to. Back at the house, I was annoyed. But now? Not so much. I didn't answer a lot of their questions, just replied with smart-aleck comments that made them laugh. I was coming back to my previous Hayley role surprisingly quick.

The bell rang, indicating a new person arrived. When I turned around to see who it was, my smile faltered. Once he saw me, his lips parted and his eyes got wide. For a long while, his dark brown eyes stared into mine. The group around us fell quiet, as if the accumulating tension between Gabe and I had shushed them. I swallowed uneasily and nodded at him.

"Howdy, old friend," I said to him uneasily.

Ameika sniggered beside me. Gabe smirked slightly in response and came toward me. I physically saw him relax at the sound of my voice.

"Friend?" he questioned, his head cocked to the side in confusion. Then he proceeded to wrap an arm around my waist and pressed his lips to my cheek. I felt my face burn hot at our proximity. He moved away only slightly. He was close enough that our noses brushed and his hot breath fanned across my own lips. "Friend?"

I stepped back to widen the distance between us, and he dropped his arm off me. My tailbone hit the edge of the table, and I felt a slight rush of panic at the thought of nowhere to go. Gabe stared at me questioningly. I could understand why he was confused. We had practically been together when I left. Also, he kissed me when he came to my school. Of course, he would think it was okay to still act this way because I did not give him any sign that we were over.

I forced a teasing smile on my face. "Don't think you're special."

"I'm hurt," he said dramatically, placing his hand over his heart.

Ameika dove in right then, breaking the awkward silence that was bubbling to the surface. Her eyes were slightly glassy, and her cheeks were flushed. She swayed, clutching at my hands.

"Want to split a pizza?" she asked, and it was as if her words triggered my stomach to rumble in agreement. So I nodded meekly, once again feeling slightly overwhelmed with everyone here at once. She took off toward the counter clumsily, and I laughed. It was so obvious she had been drinking.

I collapsed roughly onto the seat and planted my chin in my palm. My friends stared at me, as if unsure what to say now. I was sure they would know the general gist of why I left. After all, everyone in the whole town knew about my father's murder. But that still didn't explain why I left and never contacted anyone again.

"How's your new school?" Courtney asked. "Well, not new, but you get what I mean," she corrected herself.

"It's alright I suppose. Pretty different than here." I shrugged, playing with my coaster in front of me, my face feeling flustered. "It was hard at first, but I made a couple friends, so it's been okay."

"Any boys?" she asked teasingly, not caring that Gabe was there. I was actually glad for the question. This way, I could indirectly tell him I was unavailable.

"Of course. I have a boyfriend, and his name is Colin." I smiled proudly, suddenly having the urge to show her a picture of how handsome he was. I felt a slight pang in my stomach as I thought of how we left things. I shoved that thought to the back of my mind and decided to dwell on that later.

"Boyfriend?" Gabe cut in, his voice sharp.

A sigh escaped me. Courtney averted her eyes and Jordan suddenly got up to help Ameika with the drinks. I turned my eyes to his. Slowly, I nodded. I understood why he was upset. Despite his obvious feelings toward me, I once told him I didn't want to be in a committed relationship, and I was determined about that for a long time. I honestly was set on that goal—until I met Colin.

"Are you seeing anyone?" I asked lightly.

"No," he replied dully.

At this point, even Courtney got up to "help" Ameika. I rolled my tongue across my teeth in trepidation at their not so subtle exit.

"So how long have you had this boyfriend?" he asked me, not dropping the subject I wanted nothing more than to avoid. His tone was light, but his tense jaw indicated he wasn't impressed. Slowly, I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling slightly cool from the air conditioning.

"A while," I muttered guiltily.

"Were you going to tell me about him?"

That was a hard question. I opened my mouth to reply, but Ameika's return to the table saved me. She tripped, sending Courtney's lemon, lime, and bitters spilling across the table. My hand shot forward quickly and righted the glass before it could make much more of a mess. Ameika laughed so loudly, causing me to wince at the volume, while Gabe jumped backward to prevent getting wet from the drink.

"Oops," Ameika slurred without remorse.

"Jeez, Ameika." Jordan sighed, but the truth was he wasn't mad. Even now it was obvious to everyone that he was in love with her—everyone except Ameika. She was the most oblivious person I've ever met. I might have a chat with her about this when we get home. A small smile danced on my lips at the realization that not much has changed over time apparently.

At first glance, you'd think Jordan looks like the ultimate playboy. He had a tall, thin build with rich golden locks. However, looks could be deceiving. Despite his heartthrob looks and overly loud voice, he was rather shy. That was why nothing ever happened between him and Ameika. She was too oblivious to notice, and he was too awkward to start anything. I shook my head with slight exasperation at the two. Even though he was the loudest among us, he was the gentlest person I've ever met. They would go well together.

"What are you looking at?" Courtney murmured by my side. I hadn't even realized she was there.

I simply nodded my head in the general direction of Ameika and Jordan. She gave me a knowing smirk, obviously realizing there was something between them too. Everyone knew, of course. I shrugged off the thought for now and tried to focus on something else. But when I looked up, I locked eyes with Gabe again. Swallowing uneasily, I tucked a stray bit of hair behind my ear. It was great to see Gabe, but I wish there wasn't so much history between us. It made the whole situation tense and uncomfortable, for everyone.

"Let me have a look at Colin," Courtney gushed, lightly shouldering Gabe out of the way.

I ignored his stare and fetched my phone, hoping that I had a few decent pictures where he wasn't smoking or pulling a "cute" face. Eventually, I found one of him sprawled across his bed, his arms folded behind his back. It was a perfect, model-like shot. I made a mental decision to save that as my phone's wallpaper so that I could wake up and see him every morning.

"Wow, he's gorgeous," she said, her mouth falling open. "Mamma Mia!"

An unattractive snort escaped me.

"So, Hayley, what's the latest?" Jordan asked me and small smiled, effectively changing the topic.

"Well, I'm glad you asked Jordan," I said loudly, throwing my hair off my shoulder excitedly. "I was recently told that once I turn eighteen, I can legally sign myself out of school!"

I expected awkward silence. Instead, I was rewarded with the cheers and claps from my group of friends, which surely surprised me. A genuine grin spread across my face as Ameika got up and started fist-pumping in the air.

"Come and live with me!" she sang, then shook Gabe's shoulder aggressively for no apparent reason.

"That would go down well with your father," I joked.

She shrugged at that. I glanced at Gabe, who was watching me silently. I felt terrible. He probably waited for this moment for months. But now that it has finally arrived, I was with someone else. I sighed, turning away from him.

"What are you doing? What's your plan?" Courtney asked me, calming down and becoming serious.

"Well, I have a temporary place to stay, but I need to find a job."

"My mum still owns Wallflower down the street. I could ask her if she's still hiring," she offered me, excitement lighting up her eyes.

My heart jolted slightly in my chest. I used to adore Linda's store. It wasn't your typical teenage clothes store. It had really funky and unique outfits that I was once obsessed with. I used to shop there a lot. You could say I was pretty much an unpaid advertiser for her. Having the chance to work for her would be like getting a part of my old life back.

"I don't have a very good track record," I began, but she soon cut me off.

"It's you, Hayley. We've known you our whole life. She would love to hire you. It's just a matter of whether she actually can or not. She will definitely need more staff leading into Christmas anyway. I'm happy to ask."

"That would be amazing." I choked up, my eyes getting teary. They burned with surprising intensity, causing my mouth to feel hot and sticky.

"Aw, Hayley!" Courtney laughed, at which point Ameika reached forward and pinched my cheek.

I felt like bawling. A weird rush of emotions that I haven't felt for a long time surged through my body, making me dizzy. I didn't know why I suddenly feel so emotional. I began fanning my face, feeling even more flushed than before. For a long time, I refused to cry, refused to let any emotion break through my shield. It was crazy how much has changed.

"You've gone really red. Let's go outside and eat," Courtney suggested with a laugh, grabbing the pizza.

I nodded, looking forward to the idea of fresh air. But before I even went outside, someone grabbed my arm and reeled me back in.

"Hayley, we need to talk," Gabe said ominously.

I was nervous about this confrontation, but I also understood that it was unavoidable.

"Why?" he asked indignantly.

That one word definitely summed up all the questions and feelings he left unspoken. We might not have called ourselves boyfriend and girlfriend back then, but we did have something. And for me to just move on with another guy and leave things hanging between us was definitely not fair to him. With that thought in mind, I strengthened my resolve and owned up to my mistakes.

"I'm really sorry, Gabe. I know this doesn't seem fair to you, but please know that I definitely didn't mean for this to happen. But I can't help what I feel, and I am really happy with this guy. I will understand if you get angry with me and don't want anything to do with me anymore."

I meant every word I said, but that didn't mean that I was brave enough to look at him. I couldn't bear to see the look of hurt and anger on his face. As I looked anywhere but him, I couldn't help but notice that we were the only people left in the diner. I was slightly relieved by that because I didn't want anyone witnessing this tense moment. Also, if Gabe were to scream his guts out and call me names, I would definitely be mortified.

Gabe took his time before he answered. He just repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists. Finally, he stopped fidgeting and took deep calming breaths before he spoke.

"Are you sure he's worth it?"

I thought about this for a moment. Colin and I had our ups and downs, but I just could not imagine my life without him.

"Yes," I said with certainty.

Gabe instinctively clenched his jaw at my response, but not long after, he said with a neutral expression, "Then I'm happy for you."

He even managed to smile at me as he said this. He looked sad as well, but for the most part, I think he really meant he said. So I smiled at him in return and gave him a brief hug. I went out of the diner feeling like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.

When we tumbled outside restlessly, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I glanced down and saw there was a message from Colin. My stomach clenched uncomfortably. Sliding my thumb across the bottom of my screen, I opened it.

I hope you're having a nice time.

I narrowed my eyes slightly. Was he swallowing his pride and being nice to me despite our fight, or was he being sarcastic? Hastily, I texted back as the rest of the group filed out of the diner, deciding on being nice in return.

I miss you.

It wasn't long before he responded.

I love you.

I love you, too.

A sense of relief settled over me. We obviously still needed to talk about everything we've been through, but I was glad we were mature enough to move past this argument. Maybe he finally came to his senses and realized I needed this reprieve. I never thought I would say this, but I suddenly couldn't wait to get back to school.

* * *

"Me and Jordan?" Ameika reiterated. "As in Jordan and myself?"

"Don't act like you haven't thought about this before." I laughed, rolling my eyes. "Remember, I've been best friends with you for a long time. I know when you're lying."

"I'm not lying!" she said defensively, shoving me lightly. "Can we talk about the important matter at hand since you just got a job and you're signing out of school, Miss Independent?"

Turns out Courtney's mother, Linda, was hiring and surprisingly was overjoyed at the thought of me working there. I think she was more excited that she had an ex-model hired to walk around and advertise her clothes, more than the fact it was me. I used to do it for free anyway. I was more than happy for the job offer. I was expecting some part-time work at a dingy restaurant with minimal pay.

This whole thing seemed surreal. It felt amazing to actually have a plan. My life was actually coming together. A year ago, I would never have expected me to be in this position. Who knew I would actually be grateful to my grandfather?

A laugh escaped me. "I guess it really is coming together, isn't it?"

"I'm so proud of you." she murmured to me, squeezing my arm. "You've been through so much. You're honestly inspiring."

"You did not just say that." I laughed, although her words meant a lot more to me than I let on. "Don't go getting all sappy on me now."

With an eye roll, she laughed, getting to her feet. "I'm hungry. Want some lunch?"

"Always."

I was thankful for the change of subject. After walking around aimlessly for a few minutes, we made the easy decision of visiting the diner for lunch. I slipped into the booth, happy to sit again. Ameika pulled her phone from her pocket with a small smile on her face. A little dimple appeared on her left cheek like it always did whenever she smiled.

"Texting Jordan?" I teased.

Her cheeks reddening answered my question. She not so subtly changed the subject by showing me a photo of us from back when I lived around here. It was one Halloween where I had dressed up as the evil Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz, and Ameika had gone as Dorothy. A genuine smile danced around my lips at this. That had been one hell of a night, ending up with me in limited clothes on a table.

"Remember how you took your pocket knife around with us?" She laughed.

"Well, better to be safe than sorry," I argued.

It wasn't long until we ordered, ate, and were on our way back to Ameika's place. Turned out Anthony's place wasn't too far from here, so I could walk to work. I inhaled deeply, the warm air inflating my lungs. I had missed this place. I had missed these people.

Slowly, I was beginning to get my old life back.

* * *

"What?" I asked in alarm.

"He's gone."

"What?" I repeated again stupidly, his words not processing enough in my brain.

Chase stared at me, a foreign somber expression etched on his face. I gulped uneasily, panic rising in my chest. If this was just some sick joke, I didn't find it funny. He shifted his weight from one foot to other, casting his eyes downward.

"He left for the weekend and didn't come back. I honestly don't know where he is."

I shoved past Chase, expecting to see Colin sprawled on his bed, with a phone in hand and a lazy smile on his face. I expected him to roll his eyes and say something completely inappropriate that would make me sigh and smile at the same time. I expected him to get up and wrap his arms around me.

He didn't. He wasn't there.

I stormed toward the drawers and began rummaging through them. Apart from loose items and scrap paper, all his stuff was cleared out. His bed was unmade, but I knew he definitely hadn't slept in it recently. Tears burned behind my eyes upon realizing he was gone.

Why would he leave? Where did he go?

The messages he sent me the last time were a goodbye.

"Hayley..." Chase began, but I turned around and blindly pushed past him. My hands were trembling, and my vision was fogging. I felt a weird ache in my chest at the thought of something happening to him. All I wanted to do was hug him and tell him I was sorry, but it was too late.

As soon as I reached my bed, I collapsed on top of it, frantically swiping my phone and immediately dialing his number with shaky hands. It rang multiple times, but no one answered. I wanted to scream. This could not be happening. I felt so pathetic at being left behind, but my entire mind was consumed with him leaving. I focused on breathing normally as I redialed his number. Again, there was no answer.

When the door of my room swung open, I glanced up eagerly, hoping it was Colin. Instead, it was Imogen who walked in, with a dreamy smile on her face and the end of her hair wrapped around one of her fingers. I pressed my lips into a thin line and turned away from her, annoyed that she was happy right now. It wasn't fair of me to react that way, but I couldn't stand to see her like that when I feel so betrayed and empty from Colin's disappearance.

If he went away to visit his family for the weekend, that was fine. But it was Monday, and he should've been back by now. Last night, I didn't bother to go see him because I got in really late, and I knew I would disturb Chase if I went there. I was glad I waited though. Otherwise, I would have another sleepless night and probably would have done something I'd regret.

"Hey, stranger," Imogen said to me, obviously skipping her first class too.

"Hey," I croaked out, wiping the corners of my eyes. I cleared my throat and turned, forcing my face to be neutral. I narrowed my eyes at her once I found the hickeys on the base of her neck. Her shirt was unbuttoned, and her messy hair was wilder than usual. "Where have you been?"

"With Chase." She sighed, oblivious to my mental breakdown.

That was odd. I was with Chase just a while ago, and she wasn't there.

"Did you come straight here from his room?" I asked, a little suspicious. I studied her face for a moment.

"Yup," she said, popping the p as she strolled to her side of the room.

I stared at her as she wandered into the bathroom. She just lied to me. Was she hooking up with someone else? Why was it a secret? A sigh escaped me, and I pushed the possibility of her cheating on Chase—even if they weren't technically together—to the back of my mind. I had more pressing matters at hand. Like my boyfriend missing. I continued to call (the number of times I did so must have reached double digits already) when he finally answered.

My stomach clenched as I heard him pick up. He didn't say anything at first.

"Colin." I breathed, leaped to my feet, and rushed out of the door, not wanting Imogen to overhear our conversation.

"Hey," he mumbled quietly.

"How come you're not at school?"

I could just see him doing his nonchalant shrug in my head the one that irks me to no end. "Didn't want to come back."

Running my tongue across my teeth, I leaned back against the wall. "Is that so?"

"If you get to leave, why can't I?" he challenged. I stood up a little straighter at his sharp tone.

A frown formed on my face at his immaturity. I thought we were beyond something petty like this. Guess I was wrong. "Colin, you can't just leave."

"I already have," he argued.

"I'm sure Derek appreciates this brand new attitude you have," I retorted sarcastically.

"I left home as well," he said.

"Colin," I snapped, getting frustrated. I wanted to grab him and squeeze some sense into him. "Let's be serious here. Think about what you're doing."

"I am. I have. I'm over school and over being stuck with him," he sounded so resolute.

It sounds as if I wouldn't win this argument. "How do you have any money to afford this?" I asked instead.

"Mum gave me some, and I have a little saved. I'll get a job. I've already looked into apartments to rent."

"Oh. Did you now?" I said with a deadpan tone.

"Yeah. Mum signed me out. I'm done."

"She did?" I exclaimed, a little surprised that Miranda would be open to just sign him out of school before he was eighteen. "Why?"

"Because she knew I needed to leave. I'd had enough. I might even join the army," he said that last part quietly.

The blood inside my veins went cold, and my mouth turned dry. His words bounced around my head, making me feel dizzy. I swallowed uneasily and leaned heavily against the wall behind me for support.

"The army?" I echoed faintly.

"Yeah."

"So I wouldn't get to see you for years at a time..." I trailed off, feeling sick to my stomach. My head was shaking in denial, and my lips were parted. There was a strange sense of desperation coursing through me. I felt like dropping to my knees and screaming. I also wanted to pound the floor with my fists. I just wanted him to stop being so selfish and stupid.

He didn't reply for a while.

The prolonged silence became uncomfortable. So I asked him another thing. "Where are you living?"

"With a mate," he replied just as flatly.

My teeth gritted. I was trying hard not to scream at him for being a moron. Exhaling deeply, I decided against reacting. That was what he wants, for me to react. Clearly, he wanted a fight. He wanted us to leave things on a bad note so he wouldn't feel as guilty. I wasn't going to go through with that.

"I got a job," I told him to change the subject.

"You did?" he asked, the surprise evident in his voice.

Thanks for the boost of confidence, Colin.

"Yeah, at a clothing store across town. I just need somewhere to live. I was hoping we could live together, but clearly, you've made plans without me."

He grew quiet once more. He probably felt guilty.

"Colin, I can't leave yet. I don't have a parent to sign me out, but I want to come and live with you. I want us to build a life together. I love you. It's only a few days until I can leave."

He was silent. He was quiet for so long that I even checked if the call was still connected. Nerves bubbled in my stomach as I thought he wasn't going to say it back. Now that he was out, what if he didn't want me anymore? Initially, he was the one who feared I would forget him, but what if it turned out the other way around?

"I want to live with you too."

A relieved smile stretched on my face. I also let out a laugh, shaking my head at how much I panicked for a moment.

"Okay. Think you can find a place by the end of the week?" I couldn't keep the happiness out of my voice.

"That's a bit of a stretch, but I can try," he responded just as enthusiastically.

"Okay. Well, keep job hunting as well. Preferably in the next town over, so I can just walk to work."

"In Gabe's town?" he asked quietly. There was an undertone of uncertainty in his voice.

"Gabe isn't an issue. It's you I want to be with," I reassured him.

He was silent again after I said that. He probably doubted that statement considering he saw Gabe kiss me. I couldn't say I blame him too. So I decided to delve into a related subject.

"Besides, I want you to meet my friends. They all want to meet you."

"You told them about me?" he asked, and I smirked slightly at his eager tone. He loved being talked about, especially if we talked good things about him. He knew I would have been boasting about him. I mean, why wouldn't I?

"I sure did. Even showed them a photo."

He chuckled slightly, and I smiled. I was grateful the rapport we had before our fight was back. "I'll try and find a place. I'll let you know."

"This week is going to suck without you," I complained, feeling like a whiny teenager who just got their iPhone confiscated. I had become pathetic and dependent on Colin's presence in my life, but I didn't care. I love him.

"I know, I feel the same" he replied just as sadly.

"I am so excited to be with you. I can't describe how much. It's going to be so much better once we're out of this place. I promise," I gushed.

"I love you," he said all of a sudden.

A full-blown grin spread on my face as he said this. Relief flooded through me at the thought that we were going to be okay.

"I love you more," I responded without hesitation.

With that said, the line went dead, and I leaned heavily against the wall in high spirits. I knew that this arrangement was going to be hard. We both would have to work and support each other, but I was so excited. I was excited to leave this place and be with the boy I love. It was like everything in my life was finally coming together. I never would have imagined this would be possible.

I had to talk to Anthony. I pushed myself away from the wall and began searching for him. It took me about half an hour of aimless wandering before I saw him. He was just finishing his break. He took one last sip of his coffee before throwing the empty container into the bin. He turned around and jumped a little in fright as I stood there. I tilted my head up to stare at him since he was significantly taller than me. It was weird. Usually not many people were my height, but everyone here was just as tall (if not taller).

"Hi," I greeted animatedly.

"Hey." He laughed, taking a step back. "How was your weekend away?"

"I got a job!" I announced with excitement.

"You did?" he exclaimed and a genuine smile breaking out on his face. I suddenly felt the urge to hug him, but I knew that would be inappropriate. "That's great! Where?"

"Wallflower. It's a clothes store."

"Oh, yeah. My fiancé has shopped there before. Congrats!" he commented.

"And Colin is looking for an apartment, so hopefully we can find one soon," I said in a rush, feeling slightly exhilarated about it all.

"Just let me know what happens," Anthony said and smiled. The way he was looking at me made my stomach squirm. He was staring at me with such utter pride it left me breathless. It was the look I always got from my father. The look I would have gotten if he hadn't been taken away from me too soon. In all honesty, I think my grandmother would've been proud of me too, and that was all I ever wanted. I didn't know why, but it felt so nice to have someone proud of me. To actually care about my life and about what I was doing. My eyes began burning with unshed tears.

"Thank you," I told him sincerely. "I am really grateful for everything."

"Welcome," he said with a nod. "I have to keep going, but I'm really glad things are working out for you, Hayley. I'm proud of you. I'll see you later."

"Alright," I said with a small wave, the grin on my face widening. I quickly turned on my heel and began strolling back to my room before Anthony witnessed me blubbering like a baby.

I was genuinely pretty content right now. I had an amazing boyfriend, a set of good friends, a job, and, hopefully soon, a place to live. I brushed back some loose tendrils of my hair away from my face as I rounded the corner, feeling the inside of my mouth turn hot. But what I saw next caused me to stop short.

Imogen was leaving a classroom. Her face was flushed, her lip gloss smeared, and her clothes unbuttoned again. She obviously had gone back for round two once I left. She walked away from me with a slight skip in her step. Silently, I crept toward the classroom. It was where I had English. I swallowed uneasily and peered in through the little glass window, where I saw someone's back was to me. He was tucking his shirt back into his pants and adjusting his tie. I felt sick as soon I a recognized who the man was.

Imogen was hooking up with Mr. Johnston.

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Hope you enjoyed and I apologise to those who were expecting the aftermath of pregnancy.