Chapter 1.25: Talk to Me

Hayden looked down at his phone, grimacing at the wallpaper it had as he could remember when they took this picture, eight months ago before her step father or step whatever passed away. His mind slowly drifted off as he waited for her at the Art Museum, the one he took her to on their first date...

"Hayden, are you going to get in my picture or are you just going to be an awkward photo bomber?" Isobel asked him. He couldn't help but to laugh, and he grinned. Isobel Bay was the perfect girl for him. She knew just what to say and just how to tell him to shut the hell up without ticking him off, who could ask for anyone better?

"Yeah yeah, you and your pictures," Hayden said. He shook his head lightly and got behind her, smiling as the phone's light blinked. She looked at it, laughed and then giggled. "What's so funny?" he asked her.

"You look like I had to pull some teeth to get you to smile," Isobel said as she laughed. Damn, she had a nice laugh. "Why are you staring at me?" she asked him.

"There was...." Hayden said struggling to come up with an excuse. "There's a bug in your hair," he finally got out.

"Asshole! Get it out! Hayden, I'm serious!" Isobel said. She even looked cute when she was panicking. He chuckled, and then messed around in her hair to get the pretend bug out of it, yeah he was a genius alright."Is it gone?" she asked with her eyes closed.

"All gone," Hayden said. She opened her eyes and looked directly into his, then she narrowed her eyes at him.

"I swear the next time you just watch a bug crawl around in my hair you won't see me coming," Isobel sad ominously.

 "Hayden," her voice called to him. He blinked, and smiled a little. "You wanted to meet up?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just wanted to see if you wanted to talk, grab some dinner or a movie," Hayden said. He already knew her answer. He didn't need to ask but he wanted to hear it, again.

"I don't know, I still have to help my mom at the soup kitchen and Serene is being a little odd lately. I should be with them," Isobel said. He knew it, the same old excuse he had been getting in the past two weeks.

"Okay, what if I help you?" Hayden asked her. She shook her head, and he sighed. Why wouldn't she talk to him or do anything with him? Was it really that hard to open to him? Hayden wasn't that awful of an person, and yet she still refused to have a decent conversation with him. "Why not?" he demanded to know.

"You just can't," Isobel said. It wasn't good enough.

"Dammit Iss, what's going on with you? When do you have minute to talk?" Hayden asked, he was beginning to feel irritated with her constantly brushing him off. "Iss, are you ok? If someone's bothering you, you can tell me. Don't let him get to you," he said, gently. He hadn't meant to say he but it was too late to take it back. Ever since Toby died Seth Marino has been hanging around her place and it was really starting to make him angry.

"No, it's not about you! You didn't lose someone you loved! I did, and I have been struggling to come to terms with that and you won't give me the damn space I need!" Isobel yelled at him. Space? That's all they had now was space.

"You want space?" Hayden snapped. Did she not know that the only thing between them now was space and it still wasn't enough. "Fine, you can have your space! Take all the damn space you want! We needed a break anyways, this is bullshit and you know it," he growled.

She didn't say anything as tears streamed down her face, and he almost took it back. All the angry thoughts and words over her excuses, but he was right. Her excuses and the way she had been lately was too much. The girl he knew before wouldn't have given him all this crap. No, that girl would have talked to him.

"I don't understand, Isobel, what happened to you?" Hayden whispered as she walked away from him.