You never know how lucky you are to sleep on a mattress until you don't have one.

It's been three weeks since I've been living in my car, and while I'm thankful to at least have that...I feel the damage on my self-esteem.

On Wednesday, I'm at work, organizing my cash drawer, waiting for the next customer to walk through the door. It's a small commercial bank. The clientele comprises old folks who need someone to talk to. Some of them are kind and gentle, and they like me, so I look forward to their visits.

What I don't expect is to look up and find my mom's boyfriend.

My breath halts with instant anxiety.

He's never visited me at work before.

It's obvious from the way he's glaring behind the glass door that he expects me to meet him there. I let my manager know I'm making a quick stop at the convenience store and step outside.

He follows me.

"You good?" A sleazy smile forms on his mouth. Even his voice sticks to my neck like grease.

"What do you want?" I pretend to browse through snacks.

"Your car."

"What? No."

"Someone hit our car a couple of days ago. How are we supposed to go to work?"

We. As in, my mom and him. As if I was never a part of her life. Did she forget giving birth to me? Did she forgot that she has a daughter?

"None of my business," I say. "You're grown adults. Figure it out. I need my car."

"Isn't your friend, Dania, rich? We don't have connections like that. We only have you."

"You don't have me, actually. I want nothing to do with you."

And although I leave him in the store with my head held high, I feel his prescence, the threat of never-ending drama.

I'm the only stable thing in their life. The resource they drain until I'm a shell of a human being.

Well, not anymore.

I manage to get through the day. Then the next one. And the next.

Hayden pops into my mind from time to time (okay, often). During lecture, when a tall guy walks into class. I think of his brooding ass. When someone turns their head, I think of Hayden's grumpy profile.

I almost text him, but I don't. He doesn't text either. Why would he?

On Saturday, he digitally unlocks his front door and I start cleaning. A sticky note waits for me on the coffee machine.

Use it
(with ice cream)

For the first time today, I smile.

Hazel: Is this supposed to be a kind gesture or a THREAT?

Hayden: You tell me

Hazel: Depends on the consequences

Hayden: Slow death

Hazel: Oh, ok. I was worried it might be something serious

Someone knocks on the front door.

Hayden?

Wait, why would Hayden knock on his own front door?

Carefully, I approach and check through the peephole...

No.

My mom's boyfriend. He followed me.

My chest tightens from stress, heart pounding too fast for me to think straight.

He knocks with manipulative gentleness. Milo starts to bark-

Milo. I'm not alone.

Plus, Hayden has cameras outside-

"I hope you know that you're being recorded!" I yell to warn him.

"Open for a second."

"No!" The audacity. "What are you doing here? Leave. Right now!"

"Why didn't you tell us that you work at such a place? This is a very nice neighborhood."

Milo barks louder, sensing that something is wrong.

Would he dare to break in? He's never raised his hand at me. He's never gone this far. This is a new kind of pathetic desperation.

"Open." He sounds like he is smiling, enjoying the fact that I'm freaking out. "Come on, don't you want to help out your mom? Don't you feel bad? You've got nothing to lose. Just let me in."

"Sergio, leave-" My voice is trembling. If Hayden's neighbors hear him, I'm done. I will lose this job. "Please, just go-"

"Is there a reason you're on my property?" Hayden-

Hayden?!

He is speaking through the cameras outside. I'm stunned into silence. So is my mom's boyfriend. He whips his head left and right, confused.

"I asked you a question. Is there a reason you're on my property."

The pure authority, the calm rage in his voice is music to my ears.

Sergio craps his pants. "N-no. I-I didn't know-"

"Oh, you didn't know?" He mocks sarcastically. "Then I guess you better fuck off before my dog turns you into his new favorite chew toy."

Milo growls and I swear, that sound does not belong to a dog. Even I get terrified.

"We'll talk later," Sergio mutters to me behind the shut door before finally leaving.

Hayden calls me immediately. My back is sweaty and I'm dizzy from the attack of adrenaline.

"Y-yeah?" I manage.

"Who was that?" He snaps.

"My mom's boyfriend...I'm sorry-"

"What the fuck did he want?"

My eyes water. What the hell am I supposed to say? That my mom's boyfriend wanted me to step aside so he could rob Hayden's house?

"I don't know." I sniffle. "I'm sorry. I don't know why he showed up like that. I-he came to my other workplace this week too. He wanted to borrow my car. I said no. I think he followed me here because..." I am gulping for oxygen but it doesn't reach my lungs. "I don't know-"

"Okay. Hazel? I didn't mean to sound angry at you. I'm sorry." His voice softens so much, I barely hear it over my breathing. "Go to Milo, he's worried about you. I'm on my way."

"What? No-you don't need to-"

"I'm on my way. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"You're at work-"

"Hazel, go to Milo. He has to see that you're okay before he breaks his gate down."

Oh, that's why. "Okay, got it. I'm going."

Outside, it is bright and sunny. I didn't realize that I was shaking from head to toe, until the sunlight soaked into me.

As soon as Milo notices me, he starts whimpering. I grab him a snack and pet him for a while, so he calms down.

That was humiliating.

Utterly humiliating.

He's going to fire me. What type of a housekeeper brings this kind of drama into someone's home?

"I need to quit school," I whisper to Milo, scratching behind his ear. "It was stupid of me to think I could graduate with my current living situation. I need a full-time job. I need money."

Milo whines, licking my palm.

"I should get a sugar daddy."

He sneezes, spraying the contents of his nose, no doubt as punishment.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm not a sugar baby material. Unless he has a nonexistent sex drive who will be down to pay me to make jokes and take me to nice places and pay for my rent, tuition, clothes and health insurance. A girl can dream, right?"

I hear the crunch of Hayden's boots on the grass and turn around to find him marching closer.

With that intense expression on his face.

I hold my breath for his interrogation-

He pauses instead and scans me, breathing heavy. "Did he do anything?"

"I didn't open the door-"

"You said he visited you at your other workplace. Did he do anything there?"

"No." I'm caught off guard by how concerned he looks. "We just talked. He's never hurt me. Not physically, at least."

"How has he hurt you before?" His eyes narrow.

I shouldn't have said anything. "Look, it doesn't matter. I'm fine. I'm sorry he came here. If you don't want me to come back, I totally get it-"

"Where does he live?"

"Huh? Why?"

"I want to talk to him. Tell me. Where does he live?"

He and Milo share the same overprotective DNA.

"Hayden, calm down-"

"I won't. That piece of shit scared you. He thinks he can show up at your workplace-he thinks he can follow you and get away with it? No."

"What part of I come from a dysfunctional family did you not understand? This is my life. It's nothing new. And I don't need you to get involved. Thank you for your concern, but-"

What if Sergio is stealing my car right now while I'm wasting my time arguing with Hayden?

"I have to go-" I start to move-

Hayden grabs me by my arm. "Where?"

"Let go! I need to make sure-"

"What?"

"That he hasn't stolen my car already! Can you let me go, please?" I yank my arm free, even though he was never holding it hard enough to hurt me.

"I'll come with you. Is it parked at your apartment?"

"No, it's right here-"

Aaand I just fucked up. Big time.

Hayden frowns. "Your car is not parked in my driveway. You told me you take the bus here."

I laugh sheepishly. "About that..."

He lifts a threatening eyebrow, waiting.

My heart is pounding uncontrollably. "It's parked down the street."

"Why?"

"Why?" I repeat, praying for an answer to fall from the sky.

Think, think, think of something-

"Because."

Such brilliance. Such logic.

"Why?" Hayden is steaming with irritation.

"Because! I have a terrible hoarding problem. There. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Hoarding problem?" He squints.

"Yes, I have a hoarding problem. My car is a mess and I was too embarrassed that you would judge me if you saw it. So I park it down the street."

"You have a hoarding problem." He sounds unconvinced.

"It's bad. No, you don't know. Trust me. It's disgusting. Horrible. A huge problem."

After a moment of silent scrutiny, he shakes his head and sighs. "Whatever. Don't park it down there anymore. Keep it in the driveway."

"Anymore? As in...I'm sticking around?"

"Not if you keep lying." He unlocks Milo's gate and clips the chain leash on him. "Let's go."

"I got it-"

"Let's go, Hazel."

"Dude." I frown. "Quit bossing me around-"

"I'm not bossing you around. If you think I'm going to let you walk out of here, by yourself, when that fucker might be waiting, then think again. I'm going to get your car. You can come with me if you want. But you're not going alone."

Well, then...

Tell me why I find that so hot.

No, seriously. What's wrong with me?

"Okay, but you don't have to be such a bossy bitch about it." I cross my arms.

He tilts his head with a mocking smirk and takes a step closer into my space. "A bossy what?"

Heat gushes to my face from the proximity. From the way he overpowers in a matter of a blink.

"What did you just call me?" He taunts.

Words. Use your words. Say something clever.

"Nothing."

"You sure about that?"

"Oh my God, can we just go!" I stomp away, aware and mortified that my face is on fire.

Behind me, he chuckles. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

Bitch.

When we reach my car, I remind him not to look inside (my pillow and blanket are there). He rolls his eyes, but thankfully respects my wishes.

I drive my beat-up Honda and park it in his fancy driveway. He takes Milo to the back, then we go inside the house for whatever reason.

"So are you going back to work?" I ask. "Or should I continue to clean while you're here-"

"What are you going to do about him?"

"My mom's boyfriend? Nothing. What am I supposed to do?"

He looks at me like I don't have any brain cells. "Shouldn't you report him? Or file a restraining order?"

I should probably do all of that...

"No..." I bite my cheek. "As much as I would love to see him behind bars, I can't do that."

"Why is that?"

"Because his income guarantees that my mom has food on the table and a roof over her head. If I send him to jail, she won't manage on her own."

Hayden studies me for a long moment. Long enough for me to wonder what the hell is going through his head.

"Anyway, so are you going to stay while I clean or what?" I sigh.

"You should file a restraining order."

"Aye aye, captain. For the thousandth time, is your ass staying or what?"

"Does your apartment have security?"

Oh. Uh...I manage my best poker face.

"Well, it's a cheap place. So no..."

"Does it at least have a gate?"

If he only knew that we're talking about a car.

Speaking of which, it's probably not smart of me to sleep in it tonight. Not when that lunatic is on the loose, probably waiting for his opportunity.

Would he steal my car? I don't know. But I am not willing to find out.

"I'll text my friend and ask her if I can sleep over tonight. She lives in a house with her parents."

That settles him. "Does she live far from here?"

"I don't know, about forty minutes. Why?"

He looks away. "No reason."

"Okay, well...if you're done drilling me with your lovely, wonderful questions..." I need my two hundred dollars after all.

"I'm not leaving." He opens his fridge and takes out a water bottle to drink.

"Oh-kay...what are you going to do? You know, besides breathing down my neck?"

He throws me an unamused side-glance and lifts the bottle to his lips. "I'll leave you alone."

"Thank God."

At least for the rest of the day, I'm not scared.

A/N
These 2 don't even realize how natural their chemistry is...