Hayden Scott

“Hey beautiful. Any chance you’d be down to get after work drinks?” Hayden asked the woman with a bright smile. “Please? I uh, I could really use an excuse not to go home just yet.”

“Damn, then I’m throwing the competition. Does forfeiting get me that same you rocking my world option? Because I’d happily take that,” she said probably far too eagerly. “Seriously I can quit before we even get started good,” she joked. 

“As long as I win, I’ll take it,” A grin broke across Hayden’s face as she dipped the other girl back and gave her a kiss.

“I don’t think that you necessarily need more coffee. You seem energized enough already,” she assessed. “So walk this back for me just a tad. Concerned looks on whose faces?” she asked, knowing that that was definitely an important detail. “And who did you notice grouping up in small groups?” she wondered. 

“What are you talking about? I haven’t even had one cup today,” Hayden laughed. “And okayy. On a bunch of different people’s. Rick’s, Alexa’s, Keanu’s, the Blind Guy- a whole bunch of people seemed concerned or off? And then there was a bunch of whispering. Especially coming from those Alliance guys, the ones who were grouping up, but I wasn’t close enough to hear anything.”

“That’s good. I really am happy for you, Arty,” Hayden promised her. She had always wanted her friend to have everything and, with everything that the two of them had gone threw, it was nice to know that at least things were somewhat looking up for her. “I’m glad I have you back too. Even though I don’t know if that’s um, true? I mean you’re happy with Noah, right?” She asked, giving her childhood best friend a light nudge as she did. “I uh I don’t know if I’d go that far. Compared to a skull hand, a rose seems pretty basic ‘white’ girl to me. I uh, I am? Still? After everything?” Hayden asked with a small smile. “I’d uh... I’d like that too. And like I could ever say no to you.”

“I don’t know what they could possibly do. This is all part of bein’ a skinwalker. And yet my insides might liquify and I die today tomorrow so…It’s inevitable if my sister doesn’t come out. I’ll be A-okay with a distraction. That way I don’t think about imminent death.” 

“Good point... Distraction it is. I could uh... give you a strip tease?” Hayden offered up with a playful shrug. “That would be distracting, wouldn’t it?”

“That they did. I noticed that I didn’t see your name on that list, so I guess you weren’t too interested in actually seeing it as a possibility,” he pointed out. Rick chuckled, grinning at her as she spoke. “Yeah, I’m always a fan of being called cute or handsome or attractive.” 

“Was I interested in the possibility of it? Sure. But, I happen to be a girl who reads the terms and conditions first, before endorsing anything. Have to protect the actress image. And seeing that there weren’t any, I figure it was uh better to wait and see how it all turned out,” Hayden said with a shrug. The corner of her lips tilting up ever more at the man’s words. “You’re not the only one, Cutie.”

Jae laughed. “Yeah that’s him. If you go once that’s all it takes he’s hooked. Yeah, Astrid didn’t know how to do many skull hand designs back then and I think she was trying to play matchmaker, so now when we hold hands most of the times it’s our skull hand.” Jae felt her cheeks heat and she hated herself for it. Blushing talking about holding skull hands with her boyfriend. She shook her head no at the question. “Nothing could stay the same. It’s probably stupid but I felt guilty being that version of me without you. It just felt like if mom was gone and you were gone that girl was gone too.” Jae chuckled. “So wait, if not a butterfly then of what?” She smiled trying to will away the tears. “We would just be two people crying in a really public space.” Jae nodded when Hayden had mentioned being out of school. “Yes I definitely remember that. Damn, I’m glad I never tried to confront anyone on my “who gave her mono” list. I don’t really know the right words to say here besides, I wish I could have been there for you.”

“So you’re, uh, you’re basically telling me I’m screwed now, huh?” Michaela asked Jae with a small smile. “Seems like she’s not half bad at it. The um, the whole matchmake thing. So, how are you two, anyways? It’s just weird, I guess? Not a bad weird or anything, but the entire time I knew you, it was just you and I. You were like my sister and now, you have this whole family of your own. It’s just crazy to think about is all. And I know. I just sometimes wish it could? Maybe just one thing? But, you should never feel guilty for letting yourself be carefree and happy, Arty. You don’t need me to be that girl. She’s always been with you, just waiting to come out,” Hayden promised her. Scrunching up her nose lightly as Jae asked her what her tattoo was, turning around and hiking up the back of her shirt to reveal a watercolor wilting rose tattoo where half of the rose where the wilting and falling petals were black and white and the few petals still clinging to life were in different shades of rosy pink. “Before you say it, I know roses as basic, but I was drun-” She stopped herself mid lie. Letting out a deep breath before starting again, “Manic and I guess a dying flower just felt right at the time. I don’t really remember getting it much? And um, seeing that I was also dealing with nymph stuff for the first time, that would have been a fairly uh, long list. And, you don’t really have to say anything. It’s not really anything to be there for... it’s just me? My brain just works a bit differently. But, um... can you not, uh, tell anyone? I just don’t really feel like I can be some bipolar spokesperson in the media?”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to taking your money, but just pretend this is one of those tourist attractions where you look but don’t touch,” he joked. As he lifted his shirt over head, actually swinging it around like a helicopter. He swore in a past life he was probably a stripper. He had the moves and the body for it. 

“Only I’ve never really listen to the whole look, but don’t touch thing. It’s like those don’t walk on the grass signs. You know you shouldn’t, but then again, whoops?” She teased, poking him jokingly in the chest as she did. “Whoa. You’re actually good at this. Never mind. Take my money,” She said holding out a couple of dollar bills to the other.

“I used to do that spend way more time talking than eating. But after the babies, I spend a lot more time eating and talking. Exactly that’s the trick. Focus in on what you’re going to eat. Time your bites out by how long-winded the person is so you can stuff your face through a story until it’s time for you to talk. I’ve practically got it down to a science.” 

“In that case, Brunch Yoda, what is the best food to start with? And any advice on how to avoid the long-winded people from the beginning?” 

“Thank you. I think enhanced beauty or not you’re stunning too. So it’s basically when there’s a camera involved and you’re being you that the issue arises. So without needing words, but just you in front of the camera, are you feeling nervouse right now?” she asked as her fingertips brushed along Hayden’s jaw, pushing her hair gently over her shoulder.

A hint of a smile played at the corner of Hayden’s lips as Luna brushed her fingertip across her jawline. Shaking her head slightly back and forth at the girl’s words. “No. Are you?”

“It does make us friends. I could use friends, so I’m always looking for new ones. Oh you’re definitely gonna regret this but I hope that you have your vocal chops ready for the karaoke portion of the night. We could put on a whole mini-concert,” he joked. 

“Friends it is then and I have a feeling I will, yeah. But, um bring it on?” She said giving the other man a small smile. “Wait- did you say whole mini-concert? Oh yeah... Definitely already regretting this.”

“Well, I’m definitely single, and definitely intrigued now to see what you come up with for if you win.” 

“Let’s just say, if I win, I’ll rock your world,” Hayden said, shooting Alexa a playful smile. A giggle escaping her lips as she pulled the other deeper into the crowd.

“Yes. My dad was in prison when he found me and he sort of bank rolled my whole college situation. And he wanted one of his daughters to take over, so I rose to the occasion. So yeah, badass gang leader.” She shook her head. “Not just some guy though. My best friend of fifteen years. You may know him. Noah St.Claire? Works on Operation Uknown. He’s my boyfriend and JJ’s dad. But yes that’s pretty much it.” Jae smiled when she mentioned the hand tattoo. She looked down at it. “Um, no. This actually…Oh I reunited with my sister. She actually did this. She gave Noah a matching one when we were eighteen. A butterfly tramp stamp would mess up the aesthetic I have going on,” she joked. “Am I okay? Well dad’s dead, so…I mean…no. But I guess. I just missed you a lot. And I…shut myself down the parts of the girl you knew I closed off no one knows her because it didn’t feel right to be her without you. I owe it to my dad. I don’t know where I would be without him finding me to be honest.” Jae wrapped her arms around her old friend, giving her a squeeze. “Normally I’m not a hugger, but this hug is going to last a while. I promise you this time I’m not letting anyone or anything rip me away from you. I have missed you.” She could even feel tears spilling down her cheeks. She felt all the old memories, the laughs, the old life, all of it rushing back and her heart ached for the years that she missed. Jae had never mourned who she was, but now she was faced with it. Faced with the woman that she thought she lost. “Catch me up on your life? I hope it was much better and less fucked up than mine.” 

“Oh. Wow. Okay and wait, the um, the tattoo guy whose always trying to get everyone to go to karaoke, right?” She asked with a raised brow. “Wait you found your sister and... you have matching tattoos?” Hayden asked, her eyes panning back up from the other’s hand. “Wow. Is there anything that stayed the same since I last saw you or is it all different? And I, uh, I don’t know. I think you could pull it off,” She told Jae. The corner of her lips tilting up in a small smile, before returning back to neutral. “I missed you too, Artie. And I get it. I think? I um, I sort of go by Hayden now? Hayden Scott to be exact. It’s my uh stage name? Guinevere didn’t really seem right after. And okay,” She let out a little laugh as she wrapped her arms around Jae back. “Hey. No tears, okay? If you start crying, I might start crying and then where we be?” She said, giving her childhood best friend a tight squeeze. “And okay? Yeah, um... I don’t really know what I can say that will come close to all that. Except I do have a tramp stamp? It’s not a butterfly. But, I guess that’s one little one up I have on you?” She attempted to joke, as she gave Jae another tight squeeze as if to double check that this was real. That she was actually there. “But, um, after everything, I moved in with my Aunt and Uncle and threw myself into working. I got myself on a Soap Opera and became a decently well known TV personality? Or at least, that’s how my agent would describe with the, um, occasional or more than occasional scandals. Often nymph related. I have a knack for getting myself into trouble apparently. But, I guess that much hasn’t really changed from back when you knew me?” She said, her eyes shifting to the ground as she fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve. “Except...” She knew the blonde had just spilled her guts to her and she wanted to spill all of her secrets back, but she was still trying to figure out how to explain it all. “Um... remember how I was out of school for almost a month with ‘mono’ right before the attack? Yeah, um, it wasn’t mono. I um... I’ve been in and out of rehab centers pretty much since then for bipolar episodes.” She hadn’t told anyone that before. Sure, Allie knew, but it was pretty hard to hide that fact when you were cousins. But, other than her family and her manager, Jae was the first who hadn’t absolutely needed to know before. 

“True. We can work up to the jugular. Deal I’ll buy. Drinks on my. You know I like you already. Willin’ to make a fool of yourself with me. I’d say we’re off to a good start already. Once we’re more impaired, we can decide just how embarassin we wanna be.” 

“I’m not going to say no to a free drink. And I guess this makes us friends then?” She asked, with a small smile. “And okay,” Hayden let out a small laugh. “Why do I uh- why do I get the feeling I’m going to regret this?”