Chapter 24: Everyone Knows About Everyone


    The next day, I didn’t wake up until thest minute. I got up and got dressed. Hayden had been up for


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    hours before me but he let me sleep in. Practice was like a wakeup call. I wanted to just stay in bed


    with Hayden all day, but here I was, around people. We stretched before we started. Sophia was still


    here. We worked on lifts; today of all days. I hissed in a breath as Hayden pulled up on my waist for the


    millionth time. My bruises were really tender. I balled up in the air before I pulled Hayden’s hands off of


    me. I sighed and put my hands to my face.


    “What’s wrong?” Hayden asked worried. I sighed and just lifted a corner of my skin-tight tank top that I


    strategically wore to cover the bruises trailing across my t stomach. My hickey was still showing


    though. He chuckled and kissed my cheek. “Oh yeah, I almost forgot,” he said. I rolled my eyes and


    looked at the others spread around the room working the same thing. I saw Sophia walking towards us.


    She put her hands on her hips as she neared us.


    “What’s the problem?” she asked loudly, drawing attention to us. “No more fire?” she smirked. Hayden


    was practically ring at her.


    “This is hurting her,” Hayden seethed. The others were walking over now. I put a hand on his chest


    gently.


    “It’s okay,” I said softly. I turned back to Sophia. “I’m fine,” I lied. Sophia shrugged her shoulders and


    took a few steps back.


    “Let’s see it then,” she said. I sighed and took a beat before I spun into Hayden and leaped. His hands


    held my waist and I winched again. I stopped and Hayden lowered me to the ground. I sighed and


    rested my hands on my back as I looked away from the crew and Sophia.


    “Jo, what’s wrong?” Quinn asked worried. I shot her a fake smile.


    “Nothing, I guess I’m just tired,” I lied.


    “I’ll take you home,” Hayden offered. I shook my head.


    “We can just work the routine without the lifts for now,” I said. Luca walked over and lifted my tank top. I


    sighed and closed my eyes briefly.


    “What the hell?” Luca breathed. I pushed my shirt back down and took a step away from him. Everyone


    was silent for a moment before Jason broke outughing. Everyone looked at him confused. He


    couldn’t control it. He wasughing so hard, tears wereing out of his eyes. He only pointed at


    Hayden.


    “Dude, you banged her, didn’t you?” he finally got out. Hayden smirked and looked away from


    everyone, trying to hide it. “I was wondering where you got those scratches from,” Jason said as he


    started calming down. Hayden looked at him curiously.


    “When did you see that?” Hayden asked. Jason shrugged as he straightened.


    “I saw earlier when you lifted your shirt on our water break. She did a number on you, dude,” Jason


    said, raising an eyebrow at me. I felt heat creep into my cheeks as I looked towards the floor.


    “Are we done here?” I snapped. I couldn’t help it. I didn’t like the idea of people knowing what I did in


    my spare time… or who I did. Quinn, Luca, Lana, and Sophia started walking away but Jason stuck


    around a little longer. He sprawled on the couch near us and smirked at me.


    “How many times?” Jason asked Hayden. Despite himself, a tiny smirk crept across Hayden’s face. He


    looked at me before he looked at the floor.


    “Three,” he answered. It was then that I realized what the question was. I rolled my eyes and started


    walking away from them. Hayden caught me around the waist gently and pulled me back to him.


    “Ow Hayden,” I whined. He loosened his grip but he didn’t let go.


    “I’m sorry, Jo. I know that you’re upset but it’s prettymon to know who slept with whom around


    here. Like, we all know that Lana is sleeping with Lewis, Luca is sleeping with a girl named Crystal…


    and Quinn is sleeping with Jason,” Hayden tried to exin. My eyes widened as I looked to Jason. He


    shrugged as a satisfied smile spread across his face.


    “I didn’t know that… I didn’t want to know that,” I said, covering my face. Hayden chuckled and kissed


    my head.


    “We can go home if you want to,” he said, changing the subject. I nodded, all too ready to leave this


    disaster of a practice. Forget it, we could practice at home.


    “We’ll see you tomorrow, Jojo. Hopefully tomorrow you won’t be so sore, but who knows? Maybe you’ll


    go to round six,” Jason said smugly. I wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground. I settled for grabbing


    my stuff and walking quickly out of the door. Hayden followed behind me, chuckling softly. My bag


    bounced against my side as I walked but I didn’t care. I just kept walking until I reached Hayden’s truck.


    I put my bag in the back and climbed into the passenger side. He got in the driver’s side a moment


    “How could you just… stand there so calmly when everyone was practically dissecting us?” I asked him


    curiously. He only shrugged as he pulled out of the parking lot.


    “I don’t care what they think, Jo. I just care about you. So what if they know?” he exined. I sighed


    and closed my eyes briefly before I looked out the window at the passing scenery. His hand rested on


    my thigh and he squeezed it gently. “I love you, and that’s all that matters,” he said. I sighed and looked


    at him. He was smiling easily. I rolled my eyes and smiled too. I couldn’t stay mad around him.