When Kevin met Hailey...again(Closed for The_gladiator)

[purplerouge]

Hailey Monroe
Age: 24
Hair:shoulder-length, golden-blonde, wavy
Eyes: blue
Height: 5'6"
Slim build


Hailey Monroe sighed, closing her eyes as her head throbbed in time with the music that was pulsating out of the club's speakers. It was Friday night, meaning it was Girls' Night for her and her close friends. But unlike their usual nights of going shopping or going to the movies, the other girls had decided they wanted to check out a new club in town. Greatly outnumbered, Hailey had no choice but to agree.

Two drinks and some Tylenol later, Hailey found herself wishing she had begged off and stayed home. She opened her eyes when she heard her name being called, giving a little wave as she saw her friends out on the dance floor with some guys they had found.

As soon as the song had finished, her friends made their way back to the table and started talking about the various guys they had been dancing with. Her attention was caught when she heard her friends daring her to do something, barely able to hear them over the music.

"What was that about a dare?" she asked, taking a sip of her drink as her friends all started to talk at once. "The guys we were dancing with said that they had a friend who didn't really dance, just like you...so we dare you to go over and ask him to dance for a song or two," one of her friends repeated with a grin, taking Hailey's drink from her and pulling her to her feet.

Hailey groaned, slapping away the hands that were making her tank-top show more skin. "Alright! I'll do it...but only because you guys won't lay off until I do," she said with a glare, wiping sweaty palms on her jeans as she walked off in the direction her friends had pointed her in.

She bit her lip as she reached the group of guys at another table, running a hand through her hair as she took a deep breath. "Hey...umm...my friends are being idiots and dare me to dance with one of you. They said it was the one who..." she trailed off, as her eyes that had been sweeping over each of the men' faces fell on a slightly familiar one. Her own face paled as memories of a heated night rolled through her mind, almost as if it was yesterday. "K-Kevin?"

 

[The_gladiator]

Kevin Mitchel
Age: 23
hair: dark brown, like dark chocolate
eyes: bluegreen

Kevin sat in the middle of the bar with his buddies tapping his booted toe to the music. His buddies had dragged him to this bar saying it was a great place to pick up chicks. This really wasn't his place, he was probably one of the few real country people in this whole damned bar. Country bar his ass, since when did country music become the new pop? Even so, even if he was a real countryboy come off his farm into town, he didn't linedance, even if it was "Fun" and "Attracted chicks." So he sat, and drank Beer, and watched the city folk try to line dance, and fail miserably at it. It wasn't that he didn't like ladies, and he was farely assured of leaving the bar with some lucky woman, his good looks and easygoing manner attracted some women to him, he just didn't go in for the whole party atmosphere. For one the bar was much too loud. Kevin would shoot pool with the best of them, or throw darts or what have you in a real country bar, but this new fake bar was not his thing, it wasn't for real roughnecks, it was for city folks that had given up on the technized beats of hip hop and thought they'd try some guitar and fiddle.
Kevin was sitting his buddies having just returned to rave about all the "Hot chicks" Kevin was missing out on, when someone approached the table. It was a young woman about his age, but he didn't really pay attention until he heard his name from that mouth, in that voice he remembered.
["Its over Kevin, it was a nice time but I can't be with someone who's greatest aspiration is to shovel shit for the rest of his life"]
Her last words to him played out in his head as they had a hundred times over the years. He doubted she had meant them the way they had come out, she was just trying to get through to the then 18-year-old Naive Kevin, that what they had had was a one night stand, or three nights actually, and she was leaving to go back to the city and it was great, that she had enjoyed teaching the country boy how to be a man, but that was all it had been. Kevin had predictably for his lack of maturity at the time fallen for her hard and fast thinking he was in love with her when he was merely in lust. He thought she was in his heart as much as he was in his pants.
Kevin had grown up since then, had been with many women, had help to put himself on the road to success, but he had never forgotten that night when she had turned him down cold for another night of sex, flat out told him they didn't know each other and they weren't getting married, and gone back to the city. He thought he had learned everything he could from that moment, had put her out of his mind forever, and then it all came roaring back in a single instant as that voice intruded on his thoughts. He looked up, "Hailey." he said the voice not sounding like his. He cleared his throate and tried again, "Hi, Hailey. How's it going?" he asked as if they were old friends from school or something that saw each other all the time, not the first time he'd seen her in 5 years.

 

[purplerouge]

For the second time in her life Hailey felt helpless; the first time being when she slammed the door behind her and ran back to the city five years ago. God...had it really been that long ago? Everything around her disappeared as memories swam through her mind, as her harsh words pierced through images of a few heated nights. She'd hated herself, and still did, for the way she had treated him...but she had been scared.

A holiday weekend away from the city and the school that ruled her life, that's how it had all started. She hadn't expected to meet someone like Kevin and spend a better part of the three days in bed with him, hadn't expected the hurt in her heart when she'd turned her back on him to return to school.

But it had all been because she'd been scared. She'd known how she wanted her life to pan out, at least she had before she'd met him. She'd lay awake at night shifting those plans in her mind as he'd slept beside, but the idea of change scared her deeply. So she had used her words to hurt him, knowing he wouldn't follow her, and had returned to school. After a hard month of regretting her actions, she finally got back into the swing of things at school. And she'd pushed him into the back of her mind...until now.

She heard him as her a question, his voice as familiar as it had been five years ago, and she shoved her shaky hands into her back pockets. "Going as good as it can be," she answered, fighting to keep her voice from shaking like her hands were. "You look good, Kevin," she added, trying hard not to remember how his body had felt pressed against hers.

 

[The_gladiator]

Kevin watched Hailey as she tried to act as nonchalant as he was, "Thank you you're looking good yourself."


"So you guys know each other?" Jim one of his friends asked.

"I guess you could say that, or I thought I did." Kevin said the first hint of an acidic tone sliding into his voice. He stood to his full 6 foot 3 inch height, his boots adding at least another inch and a half to that. Since she had last seen him, He had filled in, no longer the gangly youth who was all arms and legs. He moved with a grace now, akin to a stalking panther. He was muscled, but not as a body builder, but as one who had done hard work, something half the people in this bar couldn't say. "If you'll excuse me, I think its time to move from beer to jack." he said and walked towards Her on the way towards the bar, "Oh I'm sorry I almost forgot to ask, did you need something Hailey?" he asked cooly.

 

[purplerouge]

Hailey did her best not to wince at the bite there was in Kevin's tone as he spoke. He had a right to be angry with her, god only knew how angry she had been at herself that first month. When he turned to her on his way to the bar and asked what she had needed, she shook her head. "I'll let you and your friends get back to your drinks," she told him, then made her way back to her friends.

"I'm just going outside to get some air," she told her friends as she grabbed her purse off their table, ignoring the questions that were being launched at her. "Alone," she added, a bit harsher than intended, when she saw them start to stand up.

She made her way through the people, mumbling apologies when she bumped into a few. Once she made it outside she rested against the side of the building, drawing in a few shaky breaths as she shut her eyes. If she had known her friends were bringing her to that town, she would've made up a good excuse...one that didn't touch on her secret past in that town. She'd never told anyone about her time with Kevin, and she wasn't about to now.

She opened her eyes and dug through her purse until she found her cigarettes, grabbing her lighter too as she sat against the building. Smoking was something she only did when she was heavily stressed, which normally wasn't much. But judging by how much her hand was shaking as she lit up, she knew this was one of those times.

 

[The_gladiator]

Kevin walked to the bar, and downed a glass of Jack Daniels. He couldn't believe that she was here and act like nothing had happened, what was she playing at? He sighed and turned to leave the bar. He stopped seeing someone sitting on the ground smoking. "Have a light?" he asked before he knew who it was as he pulled out a sig. It wasn't until her eyes slid up his long legs stopped for a second at the top and up his black t-shirt to his face that he recognised her. He managed not to turn around and walk off merely held out a hand for her lighter.

 

[purplerouge]

Hailey froze when she heard a voice asking for a light, knowing who it was even before her eyes traveled up his body to his face. She let out a breath and dug her lighter out of her purse, reaching up to hand it to him as she fought with herself to say something.

After a few moments of silence, she sighed and looked up at him. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry, Kevin," she said softly, as she watched him light up. "I was a complete and total bitch, and I wouldn't blame you if you felt like punching me at the moment...but I'm sorry," she murmured, then took a drag of her cigarette. She knew her words wouldn't matter, knew that it would take a lot more than that for what she had done to him, but she knew she had to start somewhere.

 

[The_gladiator]

He took a long drag dropping her lighter back down to her and leaning on the wall. He listened to her appology in silence and shrugged, "And you expect that to make things all better?, you expect that to erace the pain you caused?" he asked, "You have a lot of guts sister, coming up to me like that, like nothing happened. Well, I've grown up Hailey." he said, "I'm not the cute little boy you hurt all those years ago." he said cooly.

 

[purplerouge]

Hailey put out her cigarette as Kevin spoke, her hand tightening around her lighter as she listened to his words. "Damnit, Kevin...do you think I wanted to put myself through this?" she asked, slamming her lighter into her bag as she stood up. "I had no idea where I was being dragged tonight...just like I had no idea you were in that group when I accepted that stupid dare," she replied, shoving a hand trough her hair as she looked up at him.

"I'm sorry that I hurt you five years ago, I really am. I knew that I hurt you the moment I said those words, but I had to keep running," she told him, forcing back tears that she didn't want to fall. "I never wanted to hurt you, Kevin...but it was the only way I could get you to let go, to get me to let go," she continued, feeling her face heat up as those unwanted tears fell.

"I'm sorry I'm even still here trying to explain this to you, even though I know it won't fix things," she said and dug through her puse for her keys, knowing the friend she had driven down with could go in the other car. "If you could, tell my friends I left," she mumbled, turning and heading towards her car before more tears fell.

 

[The_gladiator]

Kevin could never stand to see a woman cry and he went after her catching her in his arms, and holding her to his chest startled at how good she still felt there. "I didn't mean to make you cry." he said brushing away a tear with his thumb, his hands gentle on her face, "I should have been a little more understanding, I've just been planning what to say to you if I ever saw you for 5 years, and I forgot all of it." he sighed, "Why would it have been so hard to love me back back then?" he asked softly finally after a long pause with he just cupping her cheek waiting for her to pull away.

 

[purplerouge]

Hailey was shocked when Kevin caught up to her and pulled her against him, even more surprised when his tone was soft and gentle as he spoke. She looked up at him, feeling that same tight feeling in her chest as she had five years ago. "It wasn't hard to love you...that's why I left," she whispered, leaning into the hand that cupped her cheek. "I didn't want to fall in love with you...but I did. And it scared me because for once in my life, I wasn't sure how things were going to work out."

She wanted to pull away and run to her car, to lock herself in it so she didn't have to bare her soul to him. "I had my life planned since I was little...and studying hard at school was what I had planned for 19. I hadn't expected to come here and meet you, Kevin. I was afraid, because I knew that I would throw all those plans away in a heartbeat for you," she whispered, closing her eyes as she rested her head against his chest.

 

[The_gladiator]

he sighed, not knowing what to say finally he broke the silence, "I'm a part owner of a caddle ranch now. The youngest owner the ranch has ever had." he said, "I leave the shit shoveling to others usually now." he said not able to keep that jab to himself throwing it back at her. He couldn't help it, she was lucky he wasn't shaking her screaming, frankly he thought he was doing pretty well, all things considered.

 

[purplerouge]

Hailey groaned, shaking her head as she lifted her head to look up at him. "I was such a bitch for saying that Kevin. I knew you were a hard worker, but I still went and said that," she murmured, resting a hand against his chest as she looked up at him. "I'm happy you finally got what you wanted," she said with a small smile, remembering the dreams he had once told her of; dreams that she had thrown in his face when she had walked out. "Ugh...why do you have to be so understanding?" she asked with a little laugh. "I'd probably do better if you yelled at me, cowboy," she added softly, inhaling sharply when her old nickname for him slipped through.

 

[The_gladiator]

he shrugged, "Sorry, I did really care about you so its hard to..." he sighed, "I don't even know, I was so hurt that I didn't know what to do... so I fucked anything that would have me. Guess I put your lessons to good use." he said, having no idea why he was admitting all this.

 

[purplerouge]

Hailey winced a little, running a hand through her hair. "I'm so sorry I put you through that, Kevin. You're an amazing guy....I shouldn't have made you think so little of yourself," she murmured, resting a hand against his cheek as she smiled weakly up at him. She wished there was some way to go back in time and change all that she had done to him, but she knew there wasn't anything she could do to make it up to him.

 

[The_gladiator]

"I thought that since I was obviously not worth love, maybe people would want to fuck me the way you tought me." he said softly, "I was a good student, but all the women had the same problem...they weren't you, and they never would be, and so I tried again and again." he said softly. "Sorry you don't care about this." he said shrugging.

 

[purplerouge]

Hailey felt a sharp pain in her heart as he spoke, dropping her hand from his face as she shook her head. "I do care...I cared then too. It was more than just sex for me, but I was scared. No one had ever treated me like you did, and I didn't know how to handle it," she said softly, remembering how she'd nearly been swept off her feet by him. "I'm in no shape to drive back to the city tonight, so I'm going to find a room at that inn across town. I'll give you my cell number, if you want to talk in the morning," she offered, wanting to at least be his friend again.

 

[The_gladiator]

"There's room at the farm if you want to stay with me." he said softly, not sure why he even offered, but then again maybe she would accept. "You could save money at least." he said adding to his offer, trying to find a reason why she would want to.

 

[purplerouge]

She gave him a little smile and nodded. It was definitely a start, a chance that she would take. "That sounds like a good idea to me," she said, though she didn't care about saving money. She desperately wanted to show him that she was sorry, that she wanted to start over. "I'll follow you over, if that's alright. I don't want to leave my car here," she said, then started to walk to her car before he could disagree. "And for the record," she started, looking over her shoulder before she got into her car, "You are worth love. All of us women have just been too stupid to realize it," she said, then got into her car.

 

[The_gladiator]

He only shrugged to her words and turned to his truck, his buddies would know he made it home. He got in and turned on the radio and started to sing Jake Owen's Startin with me along with the radio as he drove out of town towards his farm. He tried not to wonder what the night would bring, and rather focus on just getting home.

 

[purplerouge]

Hailey started her car and followed him out of the lot, telling herself to send a message to her friends later. Her radio was down low, the melody of some hit song soothing her nerves a little. She had no idea how she was going to get Kevin to understand how much what she'd said had hurt her as well, but she figured they were at least off to a good start. She hummed softly to herself as she drove, hoping the rest of the night panned out peacefully.

 

[The_gladiator]

Kevin got to his farm house on the outskirts of the ranch and got out of his truck waiting for her to park her car along side his before heading towards the door. He didn't know what to say or do next but furiously thought about what could happen tonight as he waited for her to get out of her car.

 

[purplerouge]

Hailey pulled up next to Kevin's truck, grabbing her purse as she got out. "This place is so peaceful," she murmured, looking around a little as she walked up to meet him at the door.

 

[The_gladiator]

"Yeah it usually is quiet out here." he murmered as he opened the door leading her into a small 4 room house, with living room kitchen bathroom and bed room with a farely large bed. He showed her around and then waved at the couch, "Its not much but its home, make yourself comfortible, did you want anything to drink?" he asked moving towards the kitchen.

 

[purplerouge]

Hailey smiled to herself as Kevin showed her around, knowing that he truly had been working hard to get where he was. "It's a lovely place," she said truthfully, though she was stunned by how much she loved the quaintness. When he asked if she wanted a drink, she shook her head and sat down on the couch. "I'm fine, thanks," she told him, stiffling a small yawn. "I'll probably fall asleep soon anyways....and I'll be out of your hair in the morning."