He Cares About the Truth

Hayley knew she couldn't keep lying about the bruises forever. She couldn't keep saying that the bruises appeared out of nowhere or that she fell out of a tree. She knew that eventually someone would see through the mask that she wore everyday. She knew it all, but she also knew that until that day came, it was just easier to leave well enough alone. 1

"Hey Haley, I think we need to talk." Said James. Haley knew right from the start that her little game of hiding the true bruises was coming quickly to an end. She just didn't know how she was going to tell James, of all people, she didn't even know if she could bear to tell James about where the bruises really came from. 2

James was Hayley's best friend. It was the typical friendship that had been together since preschool. However, James had just recently moved back from living at his dad's house in Virginia. James had moved to Virginia two years ago because he said that he needed to get away from the small town life for a couple of weeks. Weeks turned to months which turned to years and finally James decided that he wanted to move back. 3

Hayley had been the saddest to see James leave. However, while he was gone, they kept in contact every day, much to Hayley's surprise. She heard about how well his life was over there and heard about all the times he thought he was coming home, along with that all of the excuses that he made for staying in Virginia.4

It was tough being three time zones away. It was all worth it though every time that James spoke to her was like a breath of fresh air in her cold and dismal life. 5

The day that James finally moved back to the tiny Arizona town that Hayley lived in might've been classified as the best day in Haley's life. It was the best day until he started to want to talk.6

Hayley had been expecting James to be the one to confront her about it, but she thought she had a little more time to get her story exactly the way she wanted it. After all, it had only been about a week since James moved back and every day Hayley made sure that she wore long sleeves to cover up the massive bruises that had accumulated on her arms. She thought she had time.7

"Sure. Let's talk. So, how's you're day going?" Hayley asked in order to try and avoid the inevitable conversation that would quickly follow.8

"Hayley, this isn't about me. It's about you. It's about the way you've been acting since I've gotten back. You're so skittish and I don't know why. Something is wrong and I know it. What's going on that is making you so, not you." He said.9

"James, this is neither the time nor the place to talk about accusations of my life being in turmoil." Hayley retorted as she started to walk to her next class.10

"So when and where. I'll meet you there. Just tell me. I want to know. You know since I've gotten back and started noticing how you've been acting, I haven't gotten a wink of sleep. I'm so worried about you and I want to know what is causing you to be so not you. Please tell me the time and place." James said
"I will tell you what," Hayley started "Let's hang out after school, and I guess we'll talk."11

"O.K. that sounds good. just don't forget because I really want to know what is really on your mind."12

The school day passed quicker than Haley would've liked and soon she found herself sitting alone in her room with her best friend who had found out somehow that something was different about her since the last time she saw him . She found it to be extremely uncomfortable and awkward. If she were being completely honest, she would've rather been anywhere but where she was right then.13

"Haley, you know that I care so much about you. please tell me why you are acting so strange." James began.14

"I have a boyfriend now, James and this is probably going to sound really weird but I thought you would be upset so I haven't told you. That's why I've been acting so weird. That's all there is. Nothing is wrong. In fact, everything is great." Hayley said trying to make something up quickly.15

"Oh really is that where all the bruises are coming from?" James said almost in tears.16

"Yes, yes it is, I just want to make my boyfriend happy so I let him do what he wants." Hayley lied again. She would never be able to tell the truth to James. She was too ashamed to. 17

"Hayley, what are you doing with a man like that? You know that you deserve better than that. Who is this creep anyway?" James asked. He was angry and Haley could tell, but, she thought, he had believed her story about the bruises and for that Haley had been grateful.18

"His name is Mark." Haley said in a meek voice that was barely audible,even to her.19

"Mark Litel? Like the Mark that no one likes that graduated last year?!" James screamed.20

"Yes." Hayley said in an even meeker voice than the last question.21

"Hayley, not to sound cliche or anything but you deserve so much better than that. You could get any guy, just think about it before you run off with the first guy who ever had the guts to ask your pretty face out. Ok?" James replied. Haley blushed a little at the fact that James just called her pretty. If she was honest with herself, not even Mark called her pretty and actually meant it. It felt good.22

All of a sudden, tears started rolling down her face. She wasn't sure if they were just from the fact that James had been telling the truth, or from the realization that her boyfriend had been the first guy to ask her out. It didn't matter because for whatever reason, Haley was crying. Something surprised her, though. She felt James' arms wrap around her frail, fragile, and very bruised body. His warmth was comforting. It was so much more comforting than anything Mark had ever even thought to do, which sent Haley into another fit of tears.23

"Hayley, you shouldn't be crying. I hate seeing you like this, but even I hate even more seeing you hiding secrets from anyone. You know, you can tell me that. I will never judge you. I could never do that to someone like you, I don't want to lose you. Especially not to someone who doesn't treat you the way you deserve to be treated." James said, breaking down into tears as he said it.
To Hayley, being held by James when she was crying just felt so right. She had never felt this right with Mark around. In fact, she always felt abused and slightly neglected. 24

That night, Haley fell asleep in James' arms. She didn't dare move away from him because she felt that if she did, a 25

refrigerator would fall on her or something like that. James' arms just felt so safe. 26

Hayley woke up about 2 in the morning and she was still in James' arms. However, James hadn't even fallen asleep. She could 27

tell because his breathing wasn't deep like he was sleeping, and James snored when he was asleep. Hayley knew that because of 28

the time they went camping together only two years ago. She remembered that night because she put a marshmallow in his mouth 29

to stop him from snoring. This caused her to giggle a little bit which lifted James out of his trance that he was in.30

"Hayley, are you awake?" He whispered. 31

"Yeah. Have you been awake this entire time?" Hayley whispered back.32

"Yeah, I just wanted to make sure that nothing happened to you. I finally have you in my arms. I don't want to lose you now." 33

James whisepered. This sent shivers up Hayley's spine and caused her stomach to flutter a little bit. 34

"Go back to sleep, O.K. I don't want you to be tired tommorrow." James said as he started humming a sweet little lullaby and 35

started rocking Hayley back and forth as if she were a little baby. Within seconds, Haley had passed out again to the tune of 36

James' impeccable rendition of Mary Had a Little Lamb.37

However, Halyey woke up once again, about half an hour later. She kept her eyes closed and her breathing deep this time to 38

fool the inevitably awake James into thinking she was still sleeping. 39

James had moved from rocking her and humming lullabies to stroking her perfectly blonde hair. It felt really good, and Hayley 40

was almost asleep when James moved close to her ear and whispered "I love you, Hayley." If she wasn't awake she wouldn't have 41

heard it, but she was and so she did hear it. She almost sat up and screamed "I love you too James." but she thought that 42

there was a reason James had waited until he thought she was asleep to tell her that. So, Hayley went back to sleep with 43

James stroking her hair.44

The next time that Hayley woke up, it was morning and time to go to school. She was fairly disappointed because she knew that no matter how great her morning seemed to be, once she hit the first class, everything would change. She just wished that school would get randomly canceled for no real reason that way she could stay in James' safe arms for the rest of the day. But, she knew there was no possibility of that. So she faced reality and got up to get ready for school.45

"What? I don't even get a 'good morning'?" James remarked sarcastically.46

"Ha. That's funny. Why do you think you deserve a 'good morning'?" Hayley replied back.47

"Well, considering that you used me for a pillow for the night, I think I deserve some recognition." He said.48

"O.K. fine. Good morning, James." Hayley replied.49

"Thank you. Good morning to you, too, Hayley." James said.50

The rest of the morning was fairly normal, except for the fact that most of the time Hayley was alone when she debated whether or not she had enough time to eat anything before running out the door to catch the bus to go to school. And normally, she actually made that decision. That morning, however, James made that decision for her. He kept pointing out that breakfast has actually been proven to do everything, basically. He gave the same reasons that the schoolteachers did, and eventually Hayley gave up and grabbed two bowls, two spoons, the milk, and the Fruity Pebbles. 51

"You're persistent, do you know that?" Hayley commented later on the bus.52

"I'm only persistent with things I care about." James replied.53

"You care that much about eating? Wow, you're a pig." Hayley said even though she knew what James meant by that statement. It was a weak effort to avoid the inevitable conversation that was to come.54

"You know that's not what I meant. I care so much for you that I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't even want you to be hungry as you try to get through until lunch. I want the best for you." He replied as he turned to stare into her eyes.55

Hayley turned away quickly because she knew that if James looked into her eyes, he would see the beginning of tears starting to form in her eyes. That was one conversation that she could live without. She didn't want to have to explain the whole reason behind her tears.56

The rest of the bus ride was filled with silence. Even the kids around James and Hayley seemed to be more quiet than normal. They seemed to catch the hint that talking wasn't a good thing that morning.57

58

59