What Lies Beneath the Skin

Chapter Nine:

Sun-Soaked Melodies

Hayden

Rachel had to go authorize a few more things on Paige’s behalf after all, but instead of following the two, I opted to explore the campus a little while they were gone. Both were a bit uneasy about me hopping around alone in my banged up condition, but I reminded them that Paige and I weren’t going to be together all the time, so I needed to be a bit self-sufficient. In all honesty, I just wanted some coffee and didn’t want to share with Paige, who had become known to slurp down half of my cappuccinos if I left them alone for a single second.

The sun soaked my back in a stuffy warmth now that it was midday, which made me regret wearing two shirts, but it was kind of a necessity if I was going to be in public. The on-site coffee bar was situated just across the courtyard from the admissions building, so I was able to hobble across flat ground towards the set of glass doors. A few students were coming out of their morning classes, and eyed me curiously as I whisked by, but I tried not to pay too much attention. Of course I would stick out in the crowd in this state, but I prayed to be free by the first week of fall classes.

The air conditioning smacked my face so hard that I stumbled a little when I first entered the café, which made a chuckle escape the barista. When I sorted myself out and turned to the counter, a pair of hazel eyes were watching me from behind an espresso machine. He had his arm propped against the side of the maker, and his chin in his palm. His smile lit up the all glass room, and the longer he stared at me, the harder it became to move. “You look like you could use a pick me up.” His voice was smooth like heavy cream and had the slight hint of a country twang to it.

I swallowed nervously before wrenching myself towards the counter, trying to keep my gaze down to calm my nerves, while also not being impolite. I eventually had to meet his gaze to try and order; the moment I did, my heart fluttered in a way I hadn’t experienced in such a long time. He hadn’t moved from his casual spot against the espresso machine, but now that I was closer, his carefree smile turned much more serious. I still hadn’t worked up the courage to look at him fully, so in the meantime, I rummaged in my pocket for my wallet while tucking some hair behind my ear. “Um, yeah… G-Got any recommendations…?” I managed to stammer out.

My request seemed to snap him back into reality; he straightened out and nodded to the chalkboard overhead, “Depends how strong you like your drink. I usually go for an iced white chocolate mocha, heavy on the whip cream. When you stir it together, it sweetens the espresso perfectly so that there’s still a nice bite.”

I could listen to him talk for hours.

The way his strawberry blonde hair danced over his thin eyebrows, which moved on their own as he spoke, paired with a smile that revealed his dimples, was more than distracting me. He talked slow and smooth, careful in each word he chose, but his hazel eyes never left my face no matter what was going on around him. Not when a group of students broke out into laughter over a video, not when the blender chimed behind him, or when someone knocked on the window behind him obnoxiously. He kept his focus on me entirely, enough that we both exchanged blushes, but I was trying to conceal mine more than he was. “Sure, that sounds nice. Maybe just a small, though, so I’ll know if I like it.”

He chuckled and nodded once, “Sounds like a plan. I don’t recognize you, which is odd since I know most of the people that stop in here. Are you new?” He began skillfully blending my drink together, his hands moving a mile a minute in a rhythm he’d mastered at this point.

I watched him in awe, “Um, yeah. It’s a long story, but I’m going to be starting in the fall. We came by to get my admission process started.”

“Ah, nice. Well, welcome aboard. You’ll like it here, lots of nice people. What major are you taking?” He swirled whipped cream over the top before clasping the drink closed with a rounded lid. He made sure that our hands had to touch for me to take the drink, which made my cheeks flush so deeply that I teetered a little from the rush of adrenaline.

“I’m, er, um… undecided, yeah, undecided. B-But I like Biology and Psych…?” I could barely get my words out as I fiddled with the straw, trying to wrench it open without letting go of the crutch keeping me standing. I didn’t want to look like an ass in front of this gorgeous barista, but was failing miserably at being self-sufficient.

He pulled the straw from my fingertips and snapped it open, then popped it into the drink with a coy grin. “I’m a Biology and Math major myself. I’m planning on going to med school, so it’s good to be well-rounded. Maybe we’ll have some classes together?”

“Maybe; thank you, for the drink. How much do I owe you?”

I went to hand him a twenty but he shook his head, his smile pulling up the corners of his lips slyly, “First one’s on me, cutie.” My heart did a backflip, but his impenetrable confidence did not waver as he looked up at me from under his wavy bangs, “I’d be happy to show you around, if you’d like? Maybe we could get to know one another a bit better after I’m off?”

Before I could respond the café doors opened, and a familiar laugh echoed through the air. “Oh, there you are Hayden. Geez, could you answer your phone once in a while…?”

“Hayden?” The barista gasped in surprise as Paige and Rachel came up behind me.

Paige blinked at him before exploding into laughter, throwing her arm around my neck to shake me wildly, “Figures you’d run into this loser! How did you two end up together, Garrett?”

“Garrett?!” I yelped, snapping my head in the barista’s direction. He was busy staring at me with his mouth hanging open, a look of utter shock smacked across his face.

Rachel ruffled his hair wildly, “Yep, this is our baby boy! He was supposed to join us for dinner tonight, but I guess destiny nudged you his way! Garrett, this is Hayden, the boy you’ve been dodging for weeks?” She said through her teeth to show her disappointment.

Garrett stuttered like a broken record before clearing his throat, his cheeks so red that they matched the logo on the sign above him. “I, er… I, sorry…?”

“Geez, cat got your tongue or what? I know he’s cute, but could you make it more obvious?” Paige cackled while sticking her tongue out.

Garrett shot her a demonic glare and smacked the back of her head, “Shut up, idiot!”

“See what you’ve been missing out on!?” Paige pinched my cheeks and mushed them around, “You could have been home flirting with this adorable Potato, but instead, you’ve got your head up your ass in the library.”

“Ouch…” I whimpered playfully, but Paige just laughed and smacked a kiss to my cheek.

Garrett flattened his apron out carefully before turning to scowl at Paige, “Some of us have responsibilities, like class and a real job?”

“Real job? If I didn’t run that desk, we’d get no customers!”

“Alright, alright, enough arguing you two.” Rachel kissed Garrett’s temple three times, “You probably have your hands full, but can you please try and make it back tonight? At a reasonable time? Hayden and Paige are going to start class here in the fall, and I really would like you three to get to know one another before then.”

Garrett flashed his hypnotizing smile to his mother, “I will, I promise. I already told Isaac I was busy tonight, so as soon as I’m off I’ll head back.” He turned to me with fake confidence, but I could see his hands trembling under the counter, “Let me know how you like that coffee, Hayden; I suppose we’ll have the time to chat later, huh?”

“I suppose so.” I gulped, still shell-shocked from not only his comments prior to his family joining us, but the fact that he and I were going to be seeing one another a lot more often.

╪

Paige spent the rest of the afternoon excitedly going over the class catalogs, attempting to sort out which ones she wanted to take while we awaited our admission letters. Rachel served the few customers who joined us that night, but most were elderly couples who were in bed by seven, so that let our weird little family enjoy the evening alone. I still felt odd calling myself a part of their family, but the Cromwells insisted on it, so I let the idea slide off my tongue occasionally to see how it felt on its way out. So far, it felt more right than anything ever had.

I knew at this point that I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and while I embraced that I was now the newest member of the Cromwell clan, there was always a looming fear surrounding my full acceptance of the idea. It wasn’t something the Cromwells themselves were doing; in actuality, they were making it utterly impossible to not want to stay. My main issue concerned outside forces that could be looming around the corner; Liam, specifically. I couldn’t quite shake the feeling that I had truly out run him this time, and each time I began to settle into the idea that I might have finally found my own place in the world, the reality of my situation crept in.

I was still on the run, and I was still vulnerable whether I liked it or not.

Coming off this thought, there was now a new wrench thrown into this perfect paradise I had created for myself; Garrett Cromwell. I was pretty quiet after my interaction with him, for two acute reasons. One, this was the first time a boy boldly called me cute, let alone asked me out with such open confidence, and I still could barely contain my excitement at the idea that even in my current state I was desirable. I wasn’t exactly planning to pursue him now that I knew of his relationship with the girls, and wouldn’t torture him with the awkwardness of bringing up our chat, but pretending I wasn’t flattered was near impossible, especially since he was so damn handsome.

On the flipside, though, I was worried about how Garrett was going to react to this situation. I knew that I was nowhere near ready to pursue a romantic relationship, let alone with someone I was going to be living with, but would he still pursue me? Would the awkwardness be too much, or better yet, would he keep pushing until I felt suffocated? I knew nothing about Garrett Cromwell beyond what his family had told me, and while he was supposed to be a polite people pleaser, would that change if he was interested in someone? Considering he was such a big part of his mother’s mission, I tried to remind myself that he most likely would not cross those boundaries.

Paige snapped me out of my mind when she rushed outside to greet her brother, who was in fact on time for dinner this evening. He drove a beat up, red, 1994 fourth generation mustang, which explained why the porch out back always had tools scattered everywhere. I recalled that the horrendous sputtering and clunking from his car was a familiar sound, and now understood that whenever I heard it, it was Garrett coming home or leaving for the day. The car’s exhaust plumed black smoke when he switched the engine off, stepping out with a cemented scowl as he cursed the car to kingdom come. He pulled a leather messenger bag from the passenger side along with a white paper one, which he was careful not to tip over as he walked up the path to his sister.

The two shared some pleasantries before the bells on the main door clanged, and they entered the dining room with smiles. “Look what the cat dragged in! It’s nice to see you in the flesh for once, Pumpkin Pie.” Emily laughed, standing to kiss Garrett’s cheeks lovingly. Standing together, it was undeniable that he was her son, as the two mimicked one another perfectly. Garrett must have had his donor father’s height, since his mother was short and a little heavier set, but their hair and skin were exactly the same. I never noticed Emily having the country twang that Garrett had, but now that they talked freely to one another I could hear it.

Garrett set the paper bag on the table and his things on a spare chair before turning to nod to me warmly, “Hey, Hayden. Sorry for how long it’s taken for us to meet; I’m kind of too busy for my own good. I promise I wasn’t trying to avoid you?”

I cracked a smile to ease his obviously trembling nerves, “I understand, really. It’s not like you expected me to show up or anything.”

“This one’s a keeper, Garrett, let me tell ya…!” Rachel came from the kitchen with a big pot of sauce in her arms, “I think you’ll get along great once you get to know one another; we surely have come to love him to bits and pieces!” Rachel ruffled my hair to make me giggle, and my laugh made Garrett’s eyes soften lovingly.

“I’ve never had a problem with anyone before, have I?” He held his hand out for me to shake, “My moms told me a bit about your situation, and as unfortunate as it is, I’m glad you found us.” I shook his hand firmly in between his greeting, “We have a lot of love to give in this house, which I’m sure you’ve already received plenty of. It’s a great place to get back on your feet.”

“To say the least. I’m going to help get the place in shape outside of class, so hopefully I’m not being too much of a burden.”

“I don’t think you’re going anywhere anytime soon. Moms already adopted you, so you’re stuck with us.” Paige laughed, nudging me with a wink before turning to her brother, “You should see them, Garrett. Maybe it’s cause he’s our age, but they’re, like, obsessed with him.”

“So are you!” Emily wailed, throwing a slice of French bread at Paige as she and Garrett laughed in unison. “It’s not my fault he’s such a little sweetheart! Besides, we tend to attract misfits in this house anyway. What’s one more? He needs some good ole fashion love before he conquers the big world on his own, right Potato?”

“I’m not complaining,” I giggled.

Garrett fished an assortment of baked goods from the paper bag and set them in the center of the table. “Considering you’re new to town, I figured you’d like to try some of the local stuff. We’re known for having some great Italian bakeries, so I grabbed a few things for everyone.”

“What kind of cookies are they?” I asked, leaning forward to eye the spread hungrily.

Garrett chuckled at my expression, “Well, I picked a basic assortment, but there’s: Milano’s, Snowballs, Raspberry Thumbprints, Jewels, Almond Crescents, and Pignoli’s. They’re a good mix of the popular options they have. I also grabbed a couple cannoli’s.”

“Did you go to Libby’s without me!? I would have picked some stuff out!” Paige whined sadly, though she was salivating over the tray.

“Where else was I going to get them, moron? I called you twice!”

“Let’s eat some real dinner before someone blows a gasket,” Rachel handed each of us a heavily portioned plate of pasta, bread, and salad, “Jesse called today by the way, Hayden. He’d like you to come in at the end of next week for a follow up on your ankle and hand.”

“Oh, ok. I need to thank him anyway.” I nonchalantly replied.

“For doing his job? Man makes a six-figure salary for a reason,” Emily snorted teasingly as she slathered butter on her slice of bread. “How was class today, Garrett? Get that physics paper in on time?” The normalcy of the conversation made my heart twitch with love. I hadn’t ever sat around a table and talked about my day with family, only fantasized about it growing up.

Garrett rolled his lips loudly, “Somewhat. Katie was trying to help me finish but before I knew it, it was four o’clock…” he pushed his plate back so he could smack his chin into the table with a low sigh, “I seriously need to cut back on some stuff. Getting my bachelor's has killed me, and I still got four years of med school starting next spring. I’m going to burn out way before I get to my residency…”

“Bachelors? How old are you?” I asked in surprise.

He chuckled at my tone and shrugged lamely, “I turn twenty in a couple weeks. I’ve been taking eighteen credits and summer classes, so one more fall semester gets me at the one-twenty for my bachelors. It took a lot of convincing to let them give me eighteen every semester, but I made it happen. Cut two years off my schooling that way, too!” He laughed, though he was mainly trying to convince himself that this was a good thing. I could tell because his cheerful smile did not reach his eyes whatsoever.

“What are you going to school for again?” I asked, giggling when he shot me an eye roll.

“I want to be a general practitioner; I plan to help Mom run the clinic so that we can ensure low-cost care options for our cases and the community as a whole. Once this place gets renovated properly, we can have a clinic and recovery space all on one block. It’s always been a dream of mine, especially after our moms bought the hotel. It’s gonna take some serious work, but in the end, I can give back to the community that’s been so supportive of me.”

“Wow, that’s… that’s so admirable. No wonder you’re working so hard; that is incredibly kind and selfless, Garrett.” I said in awe.

“Most people say I’m just running myself into the ground…” He murmured with a slight glare at his ashamed family.

Emily hid her face behind her glass, “Honey, we don’t mean it like that. We just, worry about how hard you work yourself is all…”

Garrett stared down at his pasta with a near emotionless expression, “I need to finish school.” Was all he said in return.

I ladled some dressing over my salad with a shrug, “I understand why you’re so passionate. You’re just trying to make a difference, and school is stressful regardless. As long as you’re happy, I think you’re doing something incredible.”

Garrett raised an eyebrow before turning his head to face me fully, “You know, you’re the first person in a long time who’s said that to me.” His voice wavered with slight sadness.

“I’m kind of the crowd you guys are trying to help, so of course I think it’s incredibly sweet. If you guys hadn’t helped me out, God knows what street corner I’d be standing at right now.” I pushed some pasta around my plate, “Guess I’m a good trial run for your future plans?”

“Until we adopt you and make you stay with us forever,” Emily added.

I chuckled lightly, “You guys are too much. I don’t really know where I’m going to end up, but right now, I’m just trying to enjoy these few moments of peace…” my voice fell a few octaves, changing the tone of the conversation instantly. I brought my eyes down to the table, “It’s been a long time since I’ve felt, safe. Even if it’s temporary, it still means more to me than I can convey. I’m very scared about what the future holds, what consequences come from me leaving, but at the very least I can say that I am grateful. Even if I had to leave tonight, I’d still cherish the time we spent together. You’ve been more of a family to me than my own ever was.”

An eerie silence came over the table as they let my words sink in.

Rachel finally broke the silence by laying a hand on the back of my neck so she could scrunch my hair, “You know, I’ve met a lot of people over the years; people with horrific backstories, some worse than I could imagine, but I’ve never gotten this close to them. I know you and Garrett just met, but the three of us have really come to enjoy your company. There is nothing wrong with wanting to stay here with us, Hayden.”

I shrugged as I broke my chicken up with my fork, “I can’t stay forever, and I know that.”

Emily set her own down with a lopsided smile, “Try not to worry about anything but feeling better. The rest will fall into place, I promise. We’re here for you every step of the way, and you certainly don’t need to rush to face the world alone.”

I glanced at each face at the table, soaking in their loving smiles and warm energy like a sponge. I let my head fall, though I was smirking slightly under my hair. “I’m trying.”

Garrett sighed deeply to himself, frowning at the scene, “Man, I sure missed out on a lot. We’re gonna have to catch up, Hayden; I’m feeling a bit left out!”