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Closed Doors
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Episode Seven
"GUEST (Part I)"
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Hayley stood at the counter, impatiently waiting on her Pop Tarts to jump out of the toaster. She was in a hurry to get back to the hospital, but she was starving so she granted her stomach the time it would take for the toaster to pop.
God, how can you eat at a time like this? With Jack laying there in that hospital bed.
There was a knock on the glass of the beach door that drew her attention. When she looked, Hayley saw that it was Zooey, who was giving her a little wave. Hayley returned it as she went to open the door.
Oh, shit! What's she doing here? Okay, just act normal. She can't find out about last night and what all went on.
"Hey," Zooey said, with a little nervous smile, when Hayley answered the door.
"Hey, Zooey," Hayley greeted back, "come on in." She stepped back to allow her guest past and couldn't help but take notice of what she was wearing. Zooey had obviously dressed up for Jack, even if it was 'casual up'.
A pair of white Capri pants hugged each sensuous curve of her hips and thighs, rolling back over her firm, full ass to define its seamless flow from and into the other smooth lines of her legs.
Damn, her ass is perfect.
Hayley stopped short hearing herself admit that, surprising herself.
Where did that come from?
"I like your shoes," Hayley commented, though truthful, it was said as much to take her mind off of her admiration of Zooey's body as it was to slightly overplay the appearance of 'everything's normal' that she wanted Zooey to see. She looked down at the cute pair of white Sketchers worn without socks.
Zooey turned slightly to Hayley and replied, "Oh, thank you," with another anxious smile.
This profile view allowed Hayley to notice the tight tank top stretched over Zooey's full, voluptuous globes and tight around her small, toned waist.
Wow, it's a beautiful symmetry with her bottom half. She is as close to perfect as I think I've ever seen.
Stop it, Hayley. Thinking like that at a time like this. Besides, you're not gay. Although Kara was fun, that was it.
A loose, short-sleeved rainbow-colored button up shirt hung loose and open over it.
Hayley felt herself a bit underdressed, standing there in a pair of socks and tennis shoes, her pink 'yummy-sushi' pajama pants, and snug little blue t-shirt. She still hadn't changed out of the first items of clothing she came to when the two sisters were rushing around waiting for the paramedics to arrive. The ambulance got there just as she and Kara managed to clothe themselves.
"You want some coffee or something?" Hayley asked, starting to close the door and follow Zooey in.
"Umm...sure," Zooey replied.
God, she's even got perfect hair.
No wonder Jack looked and acted the way he did around her. God, I would want to date this girl.
The meticulously placed curls in the thick, blonde hair that hung down past Zooey's shoulders didn't escape Hayley's notice.
"Okay, have a seat," Hayley offered, pointing to a stool at the island in the kitchen.
Okay, act normal. A cup of coffee, then you can go. Don't act like you're anything but a normal person in a normal situation with absolutely nothing out of the ordinary, extremely out of the ordinary, going on.
"Umm...is Jack here?" Zooey managed to ask as she sat down.
Damn it.
"Well, no," Hayley answered, her back to Zooey as she poured leftover coffee from the coffeemaker into a mug and slipped it into the microwave.
Should I tell her about his accident? She might ask about it.
Hayley was surprised by the flood of sadness that washed over her when Zooey's hope dropped with her shoulders upon hearing the news. "He left something for you though," she quickly added, remembering just then that before they went out last night, she had teased Jack about a letter he was writing to Zooey.
Zooey's head popped up with hopeful eyes. Hayley giggled a little, and Zooey realized the humor Hayley must have seen in her reaction and blushed a smile. The toaster popped. "You want a Pop Tart? They're blueberry," Hayley offered. Zooey nodded.
"Okay, here. I'll be right back," Hayley said, handing her a toaster pastry on a paper plate.
Zooey picked at her food, while Hayley disappeared upstairs into the loft, nervously wondering about whatever it might be that was left for her. A minute later, Hayley returned and handed her a folded piece of paper.
"It's a note," Hayley smiled after a few seconds of Zooey's staring at it. Zooey smiled up at her then took the note and started to read it.
Hayley watched for Zooey's reactions at the note, while she sat down and began picking at her own Pop Tart. She grew a knowing smile and felt a little for this girl, whom seemed to like Jack as much as he seemed to like her, when she saw Zooey's eyes begin to water up as her smile got real big. Hayley watched as Zooey, in a world of her own lost in the note, reached up and wiped away a forming tear with her finger.
"He really likes you," Hayley broke the silence between them, popping a piece of blueberry pastry into her mouth.
Zooey looked up at her with anxious eyes, "He said that?"
"The note says that, doesn't it?" Hayley said, pointing to the paper Zooey still held in her hands.
Zooey looked down at the words and back up to Hayley, "You read it?"
"Yeah, I'm really sorry. I tend to be incredibly nosy when there is nothing stopping me," Hayley nodded wit a sly, yet apologetic, grin.
"Where-, where is he?" Zooey asked.
Oh no, she asked. I have to tell her. Would Jack want me to?
Hayley gazed across the kitchen island at the blonde who was looking back at her expectantly.
Zooey wants me to tell her. I think she deserves that. Just don't say anything about how it happened.
"He's um," Hayley cleared her throat nervously. "He's in the hospital."
"What? What happened?" Zooey shot out in complete shock.
"We don't really know, yet. He kinda just went over unconscious and fell over this weird way." Hayley watched as tears started forming in Zooey's eyes.
"Is he okay?"
Hayley looked at her sympathetically, and with a slight shake of her head, said, "I don't know. He hasn't woken back up yet."
