Hayley's POV

I knocked on Taylor's front door, waiting for him to answer. After a minute, the door opened revealing Taylor. He looked worn down and sick.

"Hey, you alright?" I asked, tilting my head at him. He looked up at me with a small smile.

"Yeah," he said. "I am, now." I blushed a little, knowing he was referring to me.

"Just wanted to stop by and... say hi, I guess," I said sheepishly. Taylor stepped aside, letting me in.

"I know you wanted more than that," he said. "You can hang here if you want. I don't mind at all."

"Alright," I chuckled as I made my way to the couch. I sat down and took my blue notebook out of my bag and placed it on the coffee table.

"Want anything to drink?" Taylor offered.

"No, thanks," I said.

"You must've came here for something," he joked with a chuckle.

"Nope, just wanted to hang," I said as he sat next to me. "You look like crap."

"I was a little sick yesterday," he admitted.

"That explains it, I guess," I said with a smirk.

"I'm doing better, thanks," he spat jokingly.

I don't remember how it happened, but I found myself kissing Taylor. It soon evolved into something more, like usual. After we were worn from such an activity, Taylor and I just cuddled in his bed, playing random rounds of thumb wrestling.

"Taylor?" I tried as I wrenched my thumb from under his.

"Yeah?" he asked, still trying to attack my thumb with his.

"You're my best friend, you know that, right?"

"I thought I was more than that," he joked. I smirked at his remark.

"You are. You know what I mean."

"Yeah."

"I love you."

"I love you too, Hayles," he said. But he almost hesitated in the middle of saying this sentence. As I watched our thumbs move side to side; to and fro, I heaved a sigh to gather the strength to say something I hated to admit to myself.

"You slept with Veronica, didn't you?" I quizzed, my voice still remaining calm. Taylor's grasp fell loose, pulling my hand down in a normal knot with his that rested between us. I took his silence as a yes. "Taylor, there's one thing you need to know about me; and that's I hate being just one of those girls you'll fuck occasionally. If you love me like I know you do, leave her. Leave Veronica."

"I--"

"Unless you... love her," I swallowed. Taylor looked up at me, a horrified expression on his face.

"Hayley, no," he breathed.

"Then leave her," I begged. Tears started to blur my vision a little. "If you love me, you would leave her."