• The moon shone overhead, a pale light falling down on the back deck and yard. A slow summer breeze slid through the trees, stirring the branches as they slumbered. The only sounds were the sounds of night. A frog or two croaking a lullaby as the cicada kept up the tune. Peaceful was the word that came to mind, a peaceful, perfect night.

    Hayls was the only thing that didn’t fit. She lounged in the moonlight, an open soda can in her hand resting on the chairs wooden arm. A black jacket was zipped up partly hiding part of the green tee-shirt she was wearing. Simple jeans covered her legs. Both her eyes were closed; breathing steady. She appeared to be asleep, drawn away into her mind for the night.

    The back door slid open, pouring light and Evan onto the deck. He was wearing dark washed jeans, held in place by a slender, leather belt. A white shirt on his upper body. His tanned feet were bare. He stood straight, eyes sliding to the girl. She opened one eye and watched him.

    “You didn’t even knock,” she spoke lazily, closing her eye again. “I could have been sleeping.”

    “This isn’t your room, and I know you well enough that you wouldn’t fall asleep, out here.” He moved a little closer to her, his hands in his pockets. The moonlight was bright, making the trees seeable. A smile came to his lips, picture perfect night.

    “What do you want?” Hayls asked grumpily, eyes opening to stare up at the younger man. Evan was a year and a few months younger than she. Now that she was twenty, he was two months shy of being nineteen. The thought was amusing.

    “You should be in bed….” he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. Pushing a side button, a slight glow lit up his face, “It’s almost two am.”

    Hayls ignored the time and settled more in the chair, a slight pout to her lips. “I don’t wanna.”

    “You should go to bed,” he stood above her, arms crossed, face serious. She might be older, but he was the more responsible one.

    Hayls opened one eye again, and lazily looked up at his face. She smiled. “No.”

    Evan rolled his eyes and moved to take the other empty chair. Arms still crossed, he glared at the relaxed girl across from him. The moon shone on her face, casting shadows by her eyes, nose, and lips. A smile warmed his lips, he couldn’t help it. Hayls, whom he has been in communication with for the past two years, was really something. There never seemed to be a dull moment. He even, right after graduation, moved up to Washington, which was on the other side of the US for him. Of course, when he first arrived, he questioned his actions over and over. After the first night at his ‘could be’ new home, he never once questioned them again. He was happy here… with Hayls. Was she really happy, too?

    “Er… Hayls?” his voice came soft in the night, mingling with the sounds outside.

    “Mm? What?” she shifted in the seat, eyes both closed.

    “I apologize if I got in the way. Yesterday, I mean, when that guy was over…” did his voice just get a little weaker?

    “That guy?” Hayls opened her eyes slowly and looked at Evan. His dark brown eyes were downcast, watching his fingers pick at the string on his knees. She smiled, “Ah, that guy… You didn’t get in the way. You didn’t get in the way at all.”

    “You sure? It seemed very important so.. I tired to leave you two alone,” he glanced up, meeting her eyes before staring back at his pants. Who was he? What did he want? Questions he didn’t feel he had the right to ask.

    “You worry too much,” Hayls sighed, sitting up in the seat. The empty soda can resting on the chair arm. “I know what is going on in that little head of yours, and I’m telling you now to forget it.” she stood up slowly as she spoke, stretching her five foot seven frame. She grabbed the can, crushing it. “Let’s go in.”

    Evan followed her into the house, locking the door behind them. Why was he here? “You seemed rather bored with him… why?”

    “It was for business. I hate business.” she walked out of the kitchen, hands on her hips, a serious glint to her eyes.

    “He stayed for hours, and you two were arguing… all that for your baking?” Evan thought back to opening the door to the bigger, mysterious man. He was heavy set, large arms. A black suit covered his body, trying to slim his frame, maybe. Evan shook his head, that guy looked like a mobster… and he didn’t think he was really Hayls’s type… but yet…

    “Not baking. Different business.”

    “Are you tied up with some mob in Bellingham?” the question stopped Hayls at the bottom of the stairs, finger tips resting on the wall. She turned toward Evan, laughter starting in her eyes. “You are?!”

    “A mob? Me? In Bellingham?” Hayls laughed as she started up the stairs to her room, he raced forward to follow behind her.

    “So you-”

    “Oh, please. Me, in a mob? They’d shoot me on sight,” she smiled to the image.

    “That guy looked like a mob guy… and… and if he was here for business, but not the baking, what else could he have been?” Evan stopped at the top of the stairs, horror filling his eyes as he watched Hayls walking into her room. “Was he your pimp?!”

    She stopped in mid-step. “My… pimp?” She turned around suddenly.

    Evan closed his eyes as Hayls pushed him hard against the slim piece of wall between the stairs and his bedroom door. His arms were straight along his side, eyes opening slowly. Her arms were on either side of his head, body close to his, head bowed, hiding her eyes. They stood silent.

    “No…” she said softly, “He isn’t my pimp.” He only nodded as she spoke, pulse racing. “He is a representative from somewhere I work…”

    “But bakers-”

    “I have more than one job.” she lifted her head, eyes locking on his. The look in them made Evan’s eyes go wide.

    Her eyes looked dead, cold. It chilled him to the bones, that look. Never once had he seen her face so lost of life, so different. He averted his eyes, afraid to show the pain of the fact that she used that look on him.

    Hayls dropped her arms and turned, leaving Evan pressed against the wall, his face looking lost. Why had she changed so suddenly? He had only asked a simple question. Then, he remembered.

    When Hayls and him first started to talk, first started to actually get to know each other, she had been straight forward. When questioned about herself, she answered without a thought. Even if she hated to talk about herself, to open up, she did so whenever Evan asked. “You’re special” would be her reply when he asked why she was so open. You’re special.

    Hayls explained herself as rather simple. She said she was a loner, that she kept to herself. She amused herself by making people feeling uncomfortable, awkward. When asked about her looks, she would reply with “I’m average, I guess”. About her personality, “supposedly cold-hearted, mean”. She promised to never lie to him, and now that he thought of it, everything she’s said has been true.

    Whenever they went out somewhere, like the store, or the park, she would always be so nice. Caring. Everything that had to do with Evan, Hayls would make sure that it was perfect. Food that he liked starting appearing in the cupboards. And after he had only brought one bag of clothing, she took him clothes shopping and bought him shirts, pants, socks, shoes- everything that he needed. “So caring…” he whispered softly, eyes shifting to her open bedroom door. His back was still pressed against the wall, as if he were afraid to move. All this time she was being careful for me… then I went and questioned her… even, he hung his head, even accused her of being a prostitute. Horror struck him.

    “Are you coming to bed?” her voice came from her bathroom, the sound of running water mingling with it. How many times has she said “I like you”? Could she mean more than just that “like”? Evan pushed himself away from the wall, moving to her door. And I best I could do was deny that I liked her…

    Hayls was crawling into her bed in her usual attire. A sports bra and a comfortable pair of panties. Evan watched her, questions still in his head. “I…” He stopped at the end of the bed, the black comforter moving as she squirmed to hide underneath it. I what? What was I going to say? She looked up at him from the bed, one eyebrow raised. “I’ll be right out.” he sighed as he moved to the bathroom. Idiot.

    When he came out of the bathroom, teeth and face freshly scrubbed, he was greeted by Hayls, eyes narrowed and watching him.

    “I forgot to ask, your mom called you yesterday, didn’t she?” her voice was the same, playful smile on her lips. That piercing sting to her eyes was gone, they were full of life again. He sighed with relief and moved toward the other side of the bed, questions still buzzing around his head.

    “Mhm, I just remembered while I was brushing my teeth.” He was silent for a moment and laid back on the bed. “She and her husband want to come up and visit.”

    Her eyes fell on him as he laid back, his stomach stretching tight. She couldn’t help but let her eyes linger on that tanned flesh, “And what did you tell her?”

    Evan knew she was watching him. He folded his arms under his head, giving her a perfect view of his stomach and chest. He closed his eyes as he spoke, relaxing. “I told her I would have to talk to you. It is your house.”

    “It’s our house. You are living here, too.” She ran a finger lightly along his rib cage, causing his body to shudder; goose-bumps ran across his skin like an army. Hayls had almost forgotten that he was ticklish.

    He opened one eye in protest, knowing exactly what she was thinking. “I may be ‘living’ here, but it isn’t my house. I…” he wiggled in the bed, discomfort clear on his face, “I am not paying for anything. You have two jobs to pay for this house, the food, clothing, and other miscellaneous needs. All I do is…”

    “Cook the food, because God knows I can’t cook without killing something, or someone. You also keep me company, make sure I stay healthy, get me to actually go to bed, and help keep me some what sane.” She smiled as she finished, her hand flat on his chest. She could feel his steady heart beat, his smooth and even breathing, his soft skin. “Why is the opposite sexes’ skin always smoother to us? Or, why is the skin of the person we are attracted to so smooth?”

    The sudden question was so random that it startled Evan. “Wait.. What?” He had both eyes open and was staring agape at her. “Skin… smooth… attraction, huh?”

    “I find your skin to be so utterly smooth. And most other guys skin, like their hands for example, isn’t… this smooth. Unless if you use lotion, you have very, very soft skin.” She leaned over, face right next to his neck, “And you smell really, really good.” Hayls grinned as she sat back up in bed, hand now running back and forth along his ribs. He cocked an eyebrow.

    “No, I don’t use lotion and..” a soft blush filled his cheeks, “Thank you. I think you smell good, too.”

    “Is my skin soft?”

    “What?!” Horror masked his face. What was he suppose to do, stroke her like a pet?

    “Is my skin soft to you? Haha, all you have to do is touch my hand, it isn’t that big of deal, really.” she held her hand in front of his face, slowly pulling it back and forth. His eyes followed it.

    The questions were still there, still biting at Evan’s tongue. But, he couldn’t bring himself to ask her anything, or couldn’t bring himself to admit his feelings. Why? Why?!

    He sighed as he grabbed her hand gently, thumb rubbing back and forth along her knuckles. A surprise expression appeared on his face.

    “What?” Hayls questioned, interlocking her fingers with his.

    “Yes, your skin is rather smooth…. Lotion?”

    She shook her head and pulled her hand back, settling onto the bed. Wiggling to get comfortable, she picked up the ‘mother’ conversation. “Why does she want to visit? To make sure I’m not some murderer?”

    “Mm, probably something like that, yes.” He snuggled into the bed, eyes closed, body relaxing against the soft mattress. With all the questions buzzing in his head, all Evan wanted to do was sleep, to close his eyes and forget.

    “If I was a murderer, would I really let you use a phone?” the question Hayls asked made him crack an eye open, watching her.

    “Good point. I don’t know. It’s a mom, they… get all protective. I still think she has an issue with me packing up and moving across the US.” He closed his eyes again, shrugging against the bed. “Mothers, what are you going to do with them?”

    Hayls pursed her lips, “It’s not like I’m holding you captive. I mean, really, you could leave whenever you wished… I wonder if your mom would like me.”

    Evan rolled over, his back exposed to Hayls. “Does it matter if she likes you or not? I’m the one living with you, and I’m adult. I can choose where I want to be.”

    Her face shut down, “No, no. I guess it doesn’t matter if she likes me or not…” Silence filled the room, Hayls sitting up in bed as Evan laid still. “Goodnight…” she said soft, voice a bare whisper. The bed moved as she herself laid down. Evan’s eyes were wide.

    Does it matter? What a stupid question he asked. Of course it mattered if his mother liked Hayls. He was living with her. He liked her. Hell, he might even…. He shut his eyes tight, he might what? Love her? “Goodnight.” Those simple words, ’goodnight’, seemed dull as they echoed loudly in his ears. I love you… Would have been so much better.

    When Evan stirred awake, the room was still dark, quiet, in slumber. He laid on his back, the blankets and sheets pushed away into a mound, his upper body revealed. Clumsily, he felt for his cell phone beside the bed. Pushing a button, the numbers on the front screen burned to life. Only four am. He scoffed, only.

    Relaxing back on the bed, he glanced over to Hayls. Her spot was empty. Neatly made up, but empty. Is that what had wakened him?

    Evan moved to the edge of the bed, feet lightly touching the floor. The hardwood flooring was cool, sending a slight chill up his spine. His mind stayed on one thing as he stood, stretching his body, and that was where Hayls was.

    She wasn’t in the bathroom. Nor was she in any of the rooms on the upper floor. “Hayls…” he whispered her name softly, as if afraid she could jump out at any moment if he called too loudly. He hated the dark.

    Making his way down the stairs carefully, he searched for some sign that she was somewhere near by. In the kitchen, back deck, maybe laying on the couch. The kitchen was dark and silent. The back door was locked, he could tell by the light of the moon. The living room was unoccupied. Garage, maybe? The only thing in the garage worth while was the car. “Where is she?” His voice was a little louder.

    He made his way back toward the stairs. Her keys and bag were still there. She wouldn’t leave without her keys, for sure. The bag? She wouldn’t care if she left that. He sighed. Where else in the house could she be?

    There was only one place he hadn’t checked. A place where he himself had never ventured yet. Actually, now that he thought of it, Evan had never seen her or anyone going there. The basement. Or, what he assumed was the basement.

    A door was located next to the stairs. Most could mistake it for the closet if the actual closet wasn’t on the other side. Taking a breath, he gingerly touched the doorknob. The brass knob was cold in his hand, and as he turned it slowly, no sound came from it.

    Opening the door, he was met by a dark set of stairs which led down. No light switch was there to aid him. Not cool… he carefully started down the stairs, finger tips sliding along the walls as he descended. It seemed like the stairs went on forever. Finally, he came to a door.

    The smart thing to do would be knock, but Evan didn’t think of that. For some reason, his heart was racing. He had never been in this part of the house. He had no clue what would be on the other side of this door. A secret meeting room? A secret layer? A candy shop? The possibilities were endless… though, he doubted the latter of the guesses. It could have even been a collection of dead bodies. Evan blinked, “Dead bodies? Now I’m starting to think like my mother.”

    He opened the door a crack. Everything was silent… except, there was a scribbling sound. He flashed an image of rats, mice, of a man scratching at a wall to get out, away. Then, the door pulled open. Evan gasped, eyes wide.

    He looked up from the stairs which he had stepped back on and fallen. Hayls stood in the doorway, that questioning look on her face, one eyebrow raised. A hand was resting on the doorjamb as she watched the boy. He gave a nervous smile.

    “What are you doing up? You should be in bed,” her voice came soft but there was a tone of demanding to it. As if she was talking to a naughty son.

    “Me? I should be in bed? What about you, missy?” Evan scrambled to his feet, trying to regain some pride.

    Hayls only rolled her eyes and turned back into the room. He stood at the door, taking in the sight.

    Black carpet covered the mass floor. Lights shined on gray walls, the trim white and darker shades of gray. Polished wooden bookshelves graced one full wall. A matching desk was against the wall across from Evan, the bookshelves at the wall to his left. The right side of the room had a couch, two chairs, a matching coffee table, and what looked like an electric fire place. He turned wide, shocked eyes back to Hayls, who was now sitting at the desk. A laptop and a stack of papers were there, and a short pencil was behind one of her ears. And, the frosting on top, she was wearing glasses. She looked so professional… she looked like a completely different person. Who was this girl?

    “All this needs is a bathroom, fridge, and a pull out bed, and bam, someone could live down here,” Evan said as plainly as he could, trying to keep his shock from appearing. He was truly out of words.

    “There is a full bathroom to your right, you can’t see if because you are standing in the doorway of the stairs. There is a fridge, bar, and small kitchen set to your left. Again, you can’t see it because you are in the doorway. And, the couch can pull out into a bed. There is even a blanket and a set of pillows on it.” Hayls was standing now, pushing the roller chair back into the desk. She stalked toward him, body covered in a pair of her running shorts and a simple tee. She seemed completely at home.

    “Why have I never seen this?” he couldn’t keep the sadness from his voice. “Better yet, what is this? Your little slice of heaven when you need to get away from me?”

    She tilted her head in curiosity, “If you actually come in, you can see it. And, you never asked to come down here.” She shook her head and walked over to the couch, leaving Evan to make the choice if he wanted to continue the conversation, or argument, in the doorway or in the room. He followed.

    “What is this place? Tell me now.” He stood at the back of the couch. Hayls sat down, turning her head so she could watch him with one eye. In truth, he knew he had no right to demand such a thing, and yet…

    “I told you I have more than one job.”

    “You have yet to tell me exactly what the job is. I mean, how the hell can you afford this…. This…” he spread his hands wide, taking in the room. He made it appoint to not glance at the bathroom.

    “Go check it out. I know you are dying to,” she nodded toward the closed door. “Once you do, we can actually talk about this, okay?”

    Without answering, he stomped toward the door. He was not prepared.

    The bathroom was a full bath. Shower, separate bathtub, sink, toilet, cabinets… a large mirror. He stood there, jaw dropped, staring. The toilet, shower, tub, sink- it was all a gleaming, clean black marble with white accents. Clear glass doors led to the shower. There was an actual step leading to the bath.

    He turned slowly and met Hayls’s eyes. What was she?

    “Finished?”

    “How… Why…….what the hell are you?!” He stood by the couch, anger filling his eyes. He thought he might be in love with this… girl, and, now he had to question how much he actually knew about her.

    “That isn’t very nice,” Hayls said softly, settling on the couch. She rolled her eyes up his body to meet his, they weren’t happy. An amused smile painted her lips. “You shouldn’t look at me like you’ve never met me before.”

    “I have no clue who you are, really. You are a baker. You work at a small shop. You shouldn’t be able to live… like this!”

    “I told you, I have mo-”

    “More than one job, yeah, yeah. What? Marrying old rich guys?”

    She laughed, “Why are you so upset? I have been able to make a fine living off what I do. Why are you so upset at that?” She could sense the anger, but she could not pinpoint the exact cause of it. What had she done? She hadn’t lied to him, ever. And yet… and yet, he was so angry he was shaking and almost in tears. What had gotten into Evan?

    “Because I love you and I have no clue who you really are! What you are doing to make a living! How much danger you put yourself in so we can live happily and comfortably!” Evan caught what he said when it was too late. He covered his mouth, face burning red.

    Hayls just stared, the laughter draining away.

    “I mean…I…” he had gone too far, he couldn’t think of anything to save himself, fix what he had said.

    “I am a author.” her voice came simple, as if it explained everything. It didn’t.

    “Huh?”

    “I am a writer, you know, books?” she sighed, and sat back heavily. “Remember, when we first started talking, I told you I use to write a lot when I was younger, that I enjoyed writing.”

    “Yes. I told you that I couldn’t stand writing, that I couldn’t get into it, nor was I very good.”

    “Mhm, well… remember when I started writing about you… me… us?”

    “Uh, yeah.” He smiled, “Yes I do. Your stories were very fun.”

    “Apparently, they were good.”

    “You don’t mean… you…. Didn’t…” His eyes went wide, “Oh my God, you did!”

    “Don’t get yourself so worked up, please. God, I didn’t use our full names. And nor am I publishing under my real name.” Hayls smiled playfully, that old look.

    “How many are there?”

    “Books?” She took a deep breath, thinking, “I think they are working on the seventh comic of it.” Horror struck him. “Don’t get your panties all twisted up. They are short stories, which, after writing more then five, I started posting to a blog. Someone asked to publish them and, kaboom, I became a…”

    “An author…” he said softly, sitting down on the couch. He leaned back, eyes closed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

    “I hate talking about it…” she shrugged, leaning back with him. Hayls turned her head and kissed his cheek. “I apologize.”

    “I was worried.”

    “I know.”

    “I thought you were a mobster or a prostitute.”

    “I know. You watch too many shows.” She smiled happily, pulling him closer against her body, hugging tightly.

    “Or I read too many books,” he joked softly, the energy was leaving him. It was past four, most likely past five am now, and he was tired, so tired. It was a long night. He relaxed against her, eyes closing to her laugh.

    “Hmm….”

    “Mm?” Sleep was sucking at his mind, it seemed to take too much effort to open his eyes, to give a real response.

    “I love you, Evan.” Hayls whispered softly against his ear, his breathing slowing down, beating against her neck as he started to fall asleep.

    “I love you, too…” Evan mumbled, snuggling against her, “Even if you didn’t tell me you were a published writer, or that you were still writing stories about us, or….” Hayls laid back on the couch, Evan coming with her. She rested on her side, he on his back. “Or that you had this… snazzy… little place down here… I still love you…” she chuckled. “And no, you can’t write about this.”

    Hayls laughed at his words and kissed his cheek. “Go to sleep, hon. You’ve had a long night.” She rested her head on her palm, other hand now resting on his stomach. Only then did she realize he had never put on more clothing then his boxers. Holding back a giggle, she watched as he fell asleep.

    Earlier that morning, she was upset because she realized her feelings might only be one sided. That she might be the only one in love here. That scared her, made her want to run away from Evan. And in doing so, his questioning, and accusations, she had to fight herself. It only took him this concerned, this worried over how she was getting money for them to live here, to admit he had feelings for her. And not just ‘like-like’ feelings, but ‘love’. She smiled at the thought, how childish it feels to say like-like.

    Evan rolled over in his sleep on the couch, snuggling closer to the front of her body. Carefully, she peeled herself away from him and moved over the top of the couch. Grabbing the blanket, she draped it over the slumbering boy, ruffling his hair. So peaceful, he looked so peaceful.

    Hayls moved back to her chair and laptop. The little cursor blinked on the word document page. She watched it, blinking, blinking, blinking. “How should I end this story?” she whispered to herself, scratching her head. Then, it came to her. A bright smile lit her lips.

    And the moon shone brightly overhead, casting shadows on the two as they laid on the grass. Her hand resting on his stomach. He sighed heavily, turning his head. “I have only one thing I can think to say.”

    “And what would that be?” she asked, eyes wide and full of curiosity.

    “I love you.” his voice came soft, low, and full of feeling. It was the first time he had said the words out loud to her, and he was sure it wouldn’t be the last.

    “I never once doubted it.” she replied, pulling him into a hug, “Never doubted it.”