Following Me(47)

“Hey,” Hadley said awkwardly as if she wasn’t talking to her best friend.

“What’s up, Hadley?” Devon asked, knowing there was something to this.

What was she going to ask for—money for her drugs? Devon couldn’t help thinking the worst of Hadley, and it made her feel bad. Hadley was her best friend, and Devon needed to act like it. Just because she was going through her own issues didn’t mean she couldn’t keep trying to help Hadley. It was something Devon could work toward, but it was another thing she had just as little control over.

Hadley sighed and looked down at the ground. “I didn’t know who else to talk to,” she whispered.

She sounded more like the Hadley that Devon knew before she had found out Hadley was on drugs.

“About what?” Devon asked carefully. She didn’t want to scare Hadley off.

Hadley swallowed and fidgeted. “I’ve…I’ve been trying to quit.”

“That’s great, Hadley!” Devon cheered.

“I’m still working on it,” she said, fidgeting some more. “I didn’t really come to talk about that though. I just…just thought you should know.”

Damn! That was the best news she’d had all day. Devon didn’t know exactly what it meant, but at least it showed that Hadley knew she had a problem. Progress was progress.

“I’m really glad you told me,” Devon said honestly.

“There’s, um…more.” Hadley bit her lip and moved from the ball of her foot to the other. “Garrett and I got into this huge fight the other night.”

“You did?” Devon asked, feigning surprise. Now wasn’t the time to reveal that she already knew this much.

“Yeah. You might have noticed I haven’t been at the apartment much.”

“I did.”

“Well, I just got so angry at him. I…I slapped him, Dev,” Hadley said, her hands shaking. “Gah, I mean…what happens if we break up, and he kicks me out of the apartment? It’s his place. He could do it if he wanted.”

Hadley was blabbering on, and Devon was just staring at her, surprised that Hadley had told her.

“Wait…wait…back it up,” Devon said. “What were you even fighting about?”

“That’s the thing. I don’t even know. It all just escalated and got way out of hand,” Hadley said, glancing off into the distance.

Devon knew that look anywhere. She was lying. Everyone was lying to her. It was only fitting, considering she was lying to everyone else, too.

“Hadley, come on. I know you too well. What happened?” Devon prodded. She took a chance and reached out to touch Hadley’s hand.

Hadley flinched but let her take it.

“You can tell me what happened.”

“I wasn’t in a good place the night it happened. I was trying to stay off of it for the show. It was…bad. Then, he kept acting so funny, and he made some f**king cocky remark. I freaked out and started yelling at him. I don’t know, Dev.” She stared at the ground with an expression on her face like she did know. “I think he might be cheating on me.”

Devon stared at her with her mouth hanging open. Garrett? Cheating on her? No. That didn’t make any sense. That just didn’t add up. When would he have time to do that? He worked all day when he didn’t live in the gym. His body was a testament to his dedication in that area. The only other time he was awake and not with Hadley was when he was goofing off with Devon late at night.

Also, how could Hadley even freak about him doing something like that when she was doing drugs and hiding it from him? Okay. Devon would give Hadley some credit. Devon would freak about that too, but it was kind of hypocritical, not that she would ever say as much to Hadley, who looked devastated.

“Oh, Hadley, no way. How could you think that? He’s so into you,” Devon said.

Hadley shrugged. “I told you. He’s been acting so weird. I thought he was just as into me as you said, but lately, he hasn’t wanted to come to bed with me. I mean…f*ck, we haven’t had sex in two weeks. Two weeks! We used to not be able to go two days!”

Devon didn’t want to think about Hadley’s sex life right now. Hers was nonexistent at the moment.

“You guys have both been under a lot of stress. I’m sure it’s all just a misunderstanding,” Devon said, trying to reassure her friend.

“If you knew anything, Dev, you would tell me, right?” Hadley asked, staring at her straight in the eye.

“Of course!” Devon said automatically.

Hadley looked at her for a second before nodding and looking away.

“Maybe you’re right,” Hadley said finally with a heavy sigh. “I have this Fourth of July dinner with Garrett and his family tonight. I was freaking out about it. I even considered canceling. I don’t know. His family is even weirder around me. I wish you could come with,” she said impulsively.

“I have to work,” Devon said, wanting to be as far away from that get-together as possible. After a day like today, she would prefer to be in bed before the fireworks.

“You think it’ll all be fine?” Hadley asked.

“Just be yourself. How could they not love you?”

“You’re right,” she said, regaining the strength that Devon had always loved about her.