"Hayden…are you really here?" I asked absentmindedly.


    "If you can ask a silly question like that, I think you’re fine now. I’ll take you back," he replied before loosening his arms from around my body.


    I stared up into his face although I knew that my face must look like a big mess right now with my eyes puffy, my nose red and my lips swollen from crying. However, I still wanted to see his face up close. Hayden stared down my face before he ced arge hand on top of my head and started patting my head.


    "You should go back and rest," Hayden said.


    He stood up and the next thing I knew, I was being carried in his arms. I gasped in surprise before wrapping my arms around his neck. Hayden smiled down a little at me and I started rxing in his arms. I felt so tired and weak, being pampered like this didn’t feel bad at all.


    If this is a dream, I pray that I never wake up. I don’t want Hayden to ever leave my side again. My honest thoughts and my desire for him was so intense that it scared me.


    Hayden drove me back to my apartment in his car. It was only when we arrived at the slightly run-down building that I realized that he hadn’t asked me where I was living. I guessed he knew everything already and I wasn’t that surprised about it. After telling him that I could walk, he offered me his arm for support before supporting me all the way to my room.


    Hayden looked out of ce in my small room, and I found it slightly funny despite my overall depressing mood. I wanted him to stay but I didn’t have the courage to ask outright. The thought of him leaving me all alone scared me senseless.


    "You should rest," Hayden said as he ushered me towards the bed.


    I got in bed with his urging andid down. As he sat down on the floor next to my bed and watched me silently. If prince charming ever visited Cindere in her small room under the roof, this would probably be what it’ll look like, I thought as a small smile curved my lips.


    "Hayden…please hold me…" I whispered.


    Those words escaped my lips before I could process them. I can’t believe that I just said that out loud. Hayden’s eyes widened a little at my forward plead and I reached out to hold his hand in mine. There’s no going back now. I pleaded to him with my eyes for him toe closer. I saw hesitation flicker on his face for a split of a second before he slowly got into bed with me.


    I smiled and opened my arms to him as he lowered himself down onto the bed next to me.


    In the next moment, I was in his arms with my face buried in his hard chest. He’s so warm and I love how he smells. Everything about the fact that he was here with meforted me and made me feel like everything would be ok. I clutched at this shirt with my hand as I cried softly against his chest, and he stroked my hairfortingly.


    He didn’t say anything, and he didn’t need to. Just having him here with me was more than enough already. I could hear his steady and strong heartbeat and my crying slowly started to cease. My eyes hurt so much, and I knew that I had to stop crying. The pain of losing my grandmother felt so raw and intense that it was hard to control.


    "Thank you…for being here with me, Hayden…" I thanked him.


    "You should get some sleep…" he said.


    "Will you…be here?" I asked, hopefully.


    "I will," Hayden replied after a short pause.


    I smiled at him through my tears. It was still hard for me to believe that he was actually here. Who would have thought that it would take my grandmother’s death for him to return to me. I wasn’t sure what exists between us right now, but I was thankful that he came for me. My eyelids felt heavy, and I could feel sleep starting to take over me.


    However, before that there was something that I had to ask him before I lost this opportunity.


    "Jack Witman…" I whispered softly.


    At first, I wasn’t sure if Hayden had heard me, but the way his body stiffened and the air around him seemed to change told me that he definitely heard me just now.


    "What did Ethan tell you?" Hayden asked, his voice suddenly very stern.


    "He told me that if I wanted to know how I’m rted to everything that’s going on, then I should ask you who Jack Witman is," I replied honestly.


    "That troublemaker…" Hayden hissed underneath his breath.


    "Who is he? Who is Jack Witman?" I asked, unable to hold back my curiosity any longer.


    "Let me ask you this. How important do you think it is to keep a promise?" Hayden asked.


    "Huh? What does that have to do with any of this?" I asked as confusion took over me.


    "Answer me. How important do you think it is to keep a promise that you’ve made?" Hayden repeated his question as his eyes looked down at my face.


    "Quite important, I think," I replied after some thought. I wasn’t sure where this was heading but I was anxious to find out.


    "What would make you break a promise that you’ve made?" Hayden asked.


    I snuggled closer to him as I thought about my answer to his question. Why is he asking me these things? Is he looking to break a promise that he made with someone? Who and what promise?


    "I guess it depends on what is best for everyone. Things might change that might make it impossible for you to keep the promise or…it might be better to break the promise…" I replied a little hesitantly.


    It was a hard question to answer especially if you didn’t know the context. Hayden seemed deep in thought at my response. I realized that he hasn’t answered my question and I was wondering if he would.


    --To be continued…