Strangely Beautiful, Chapter 8

I drowned out the worried screams from Hayden. He continually tried to make me feel better. But he had to have known about Analee's feelings toward him, right? He knew her all his life, but just met me a matter of hours ago.

At some point, I got up and began a long walk home. I hope that uncle Roy would understand when he heard about it. It wasn't like I left my work unfinished, I'd done what he asked me to. Or rather Hayden did.

Going home seemed a bit pointless, what with Analee living in the same room as me, but I had to find somewhere to think. Back in California, my room was really the only place to go. So I guess you could say it was out of habit that instead of waiting for uncle Roy to come back and drive me home, I spent two and a half hours walking.

When I arrived, uncle Roy had beat me there. Though no one was there, I could see the curtains shake in the house. I could feel the judgmental eyes of the several people who lived here. It was when my Mother burst out the door that I broke down crying, hugging my knees once again.

"Violet! What's wrong?" She asks, rubbing my back. I couldn't speak through my sobs, so I just sat there, drowning myself in my tears. I hear the door creak open and slam shut again.

"Violet! Did he hurt you?" Analee shouts in anger. "So help me if that boy did anything to hurt you."

"He? Who's he?" My mother asks, turning to Analee for answers.

"Violet met someone today. He was super sweet to her, even did her work to 'show her the ropes' and when I found them, they were sitting on a haystack kissing." Analee says. But how did she know what she wasn't there for? She was at school when he helped me out this morning.

"Analee..." I mumble. "I thought you were mad at me. I thought... Don't you like Hayden?" I ask in disbelief. She laughs.

"No, silly. I guess I overreacted a bit, huh. Come to our room, I want you to meet Michael." She smiles, grabbing my hand and pulling me to my feet. She leads me up the stairs and to our room where there is a boy sitting on her bed. He wears a cowboy hat, with the familiar boots that everyone seems to have in this town. His shaggy brown hair reaches down to his shoulders in half-curls.

"Violet. This is Michael. Michael, this is Violet." She says,  forcing both our hands forward. I shake his hand, but pull back quickly at his powerful grip.

"Sorry 'bout that. Forgot you was new 'round here." He laughs.

"Nice... to meet you." I half-smile, trying to forget the pain that was still in my hand.

"Michael, is it okay if I let her in on your little secret?" Analee asks, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Not much of a little one, why she need to know anyway?" He asks, brushing her hand off.

"I kind of lashed out on her earlier, and she needs to know why." She hugs him now, I can feel his discomfort from across the room.

"Alright fine! But she better not be blabbin' it to the neighborhood! Got a reputation to keep, y'know!" He glares at me. Analee breaks her hold on him and turns to me.

"Violet... I didn't yell at you for me." So she doesn't like Hayden? Well then why did she lash out on me? And what did this have to do with Michael.

"You don't mean..." I start, but was quickly interrupted by Analee.

"I yelled at you for Michael. He likes Hayden. Michael is gay." She says, hugging me now, but all I can see is the glaring eyes of Michael who has connected the pieces faster than I. I can tell that he knows I kissed the one he fell for.