Also the reason why Hayden had a sudden change in attitude will be made more clear in the upcoming chapters. 

---------------------------------

I had had a painful and restless night. In the hours of darkness my body was either throbbing with pain or my mind was clouded with the thoughts of Hayden. He had exhibited more kindness than I had ever anticipated him to. The moments of relief that I had been bestowed with after the agony had finally left my body and mind alone, I was left with another haunting and disturbing thought. 

Matt had found out about me, I had been so, so careful. How did he find out? In person, I had never told anyone about the real me; so, how? The weight of this disturbing thought increased with each passing hour. 

I had hated every day of my life since after my mother's death but how beautiful those days seemed in comparison to the days that were about to come.

The hands of clock reached six and I hadn't been able to have a minute of sleep.

I slowly helped myself out the bed; my aching body refused my every command but I had been through worse days. This too shall pass.

I dressed myself for school, made excuses when was questioned about the darkening, ugly bruise on my face. 'I fell '

My dad didn't have a hard time believing me as I had been making these excuses for as long as I could remember. Before, it had been for the bruises my father had given me and now, it was for these.

Hayden was awfully silent through the whole car ride and for the first time I looked at him with eyes that were seeing things differently.

His black hair brushed away from his forehead, the muscles of his neck, the protruding veins travelling down his shirt. The way his hands rested on the steering wheel, his thick arms. I had always known he was attractive but today, he just looked beautiful.

After what felt like an eternity he finally spoke, "You have my number, right?"

Taken aback, I just nodded.

"I will wait for you after school, we'll leave together."

Something clicked in me, was Hayden pitying me? Was that it?

Maybe, he was just being nice but I couldn't get that thought out of my head. I was furious and to be honest, a little sad.

For the rest of time, I silently gazed out of the window.

Before, I could notice, Hayden entered the school, with me in the backseat and Alex in the front. I was perplexed. So, I entered school that day with the two most popular boys, Hayden and Alex. Alex kept trying to talk to me, maybe, Hayden had told him about what had happened or he was just really nice.

This was shocking because I had always thought that Hayden and Alex might have been bullies too. Tuns out, they weren't, just arrogant.

Well, if I were anything like them, I would have been to.

After school, as Hayden had said, he was waiting for me. I opened the door of the backseat and sat in the middle. I had to talk to Hayden so, I bent forward and rested my face on the passenger seat.

"Where's Alex?"

"Football practice."

"Don't you have to be there too?"

"I do."

I frowned at him, "Then, why are you dropping me home?" 

A look of confusion crossed over Hayden's face and he said, "To make sure you're still alive when I get home."

His words bruised my almost non existent ego. "I can take care of myself." I said fuming with rage. 

Hayden scoffed.

Forget everything that I had said, Hayden is not kind. "What's that supposed to mean?" I raised my voice.

"Jake, do you remember your condition, yesterday? If it hadn't been for me you would have been in the hospital."

"That does not concern you! What difference would that have made to you?"

I could see that I had gotten on his nerves, his tenacity on the wheel increased. "Well, first I have a conscience and second, my mother asked me to take care of you." He said gritting his teeth.

I fell back on my seat.

So, it was pity and also force.

My life just got a whole lot worse, I was now the recipient of something worse than his hate, his pity.

"You don't have to drive me tomorrow." And with that I slammed his car door shut and walked into his mansion.