Down the Rabbit Hole (Stuck On You)

Chapter 7: Not a Boyfriend

I yanked my wrist out of his when we reached it. "Stop!" I yelled at him. He did. He looked both sad and mad at the same time.

"What's going on? You look like you're not even in this year anymore," I said. He sighed and ran his hand down his face. "She triggered something, didn't she? Something in your past that was painful." I said. "Stop talking," he snapped. I looked at his face. They were really watery. It looked like he was about to cry. I sighed and shut my mouth.

"Hayden," I said softly. I touched his face gently. He looked away from me for a second before he stared right into my eyes. He looked... pained. He fought with whether to tell me or not before he let out a deep breath.

she was dead. The police told me that the guy mugged us and raped her before he killed her," he explained. I ran my thumb over his cheek. "All I had to do was protect her, and I couldn't even do that. I swore never to put

me.

I said: I don't do relationships," he said. We got in the truck and drove to the

to me. "His name was Thomas and he was a lot like you," I chuckled and looked up as I remembered. "Had?" Hayden picked out. I sighed as my

car whipped around the corner and the driver didn't see him. I still blame myself. I shouldn't have let him go after that ball," I said, looking off into space. I felt Hayden's thumb rub my cheek. I looked at

kissed me gently. I tried to hold it back but I couldn't. I started sobbing. I missed Thomas; no matter how far back I pushed his memory in my head. Hayden pulled me onto his lap. I