The unwitting third wheel or Hailey’s story

Before the comments on my original story turned into a bunch of pedophiles trolling for minors, it was suggested that I continue the story of Chris and Christie by writing about the other girls in the story.
Originally the story was about the two main characters, but since it took so long for them to reconnect, Chris’s girlfriend Hailey took on a larger part of the story than I had originally planned.
Here is th story from her point of view.
Fair warning, it takes a while before any sex occurs.

“So how was your big date?”
Hailey could hear the excitement in her best friend’s voice and sighed.
“It was awful. He’s a total ass.”
“What happened? What did he do?” The concern in Amanda’s voice was evident.
Hailey lay back on her bed, propping her legs against the wall and sighed.
“So we went to a movie, then afterwards we walked around the park.”
“Ok, nothing special, but that doesn’t make it bad.”
“Yeah, well he decided that he needed to pee, so he stopped at a bush and went.”
“In front of you? Ewww.”
“Tell me about it. But that’s not the worst part. He told me that if I wanted to, I could hold it for him.”
“Oh my God, are you serious????? That’s so lame!! What an ass!!!”
“Yeah. Can you fucking believe it?”
“So did you hold it?”
“Ew. No. I made him take me home, and when he dropped me off, he tried to kiss me, then tried to grab my boob. What a lame ass.”
Amanda sighed on the other end of the line.
“I’m sorry girl, I know that you were really looking forward to tonight.”
Hailey twirled her hair in her free hand and echoed her friends sigh.
“I know, right? He’s the only varsity football Sophomore, I thought that this would be so cool, and he turns out to be as big a jerk as the rest of the guys I’ve gone out with.”
Amanda began running down the list.
“There was Luke, he tried to feel you up.”
“Loser.”
“There was Cameron last year, he went around telling everyone that you blew him.”
“Total loser. My dad went to the school and threatened to kick his ass for that.”
“Then there was Jerry.”
“Lame ass. He kept trying to grab my hand and put it on his crotch.”
“Okay, so all boys are losers.”
“I can understand the guys in our grade being this way, they’ve always been dorks. But older guys? And a varsity football player, too? You’d think that he’d be different.”
“Well he wasn’t. And he’s just a year older than us.”
“Maybe you should date Senior guys.”
Hailey laughed at that ruefully.
“I don’t think they’d be any different.”
“Well maybe don’t date jocks. They’re all assholes anyways.”
“Cameron wasn’t a jock, remember?”
“Yeah, but he was a jock wannabe. The only reason he was telling everyone that you blew him was so the jocks would think he was cool.”
“You’re right, guys are losers.”
Hailey laughed ruefully and bade Amanda good night.

Her Freshman year hadn’t been bad, as a cheerleader she was part of the popular crowd, but she still was at the bottom of the high school hierarchy. It had been an adjustment, going from being a popular 8th grader to an unknown Freshman. Their lockers were in a separate hallway, they had to eat outside, and at cheer practice, they were having to do all the menial jobs like carrying equipment and water for the varsity squad.
But still, things weren’t too bad. If only the boys weren’t such jerks….
As she sat on the patio one day eating lunch, she and her friends were commiserating about yet another disappointing boy experience.
“You mean he just grabbed you and kissed you? How awful!”
“I know, right? Just because we went to dinner didn’t mean anything. And the whole time, he kept talking about how good he was at sex. I couldn’t believe it. Like that’s going to make me give it up to him.”
Hailey laughed at the boys’ stupidity while her friend Samantha was rolling her eyes. Suddenly, Samantha’s eyes grew wide.
“Holy shit. Is he really coming over here???”
Hailey stared at her in befuddlement.
“Who? Who are you talking about?”
Then she heard it.
“Hey Hailey.”
She turned, and was stunned by what she saw. Aaron Stors. Aaron freakin’ Stors. The star lineman for the varsity football team. He was huge, his shoulders were so broad that he could barely fit through doorways. He was also reputed to be really smart, and was on his way to Harvard or somewhere like that.
Her eyes widened with surprise.
“Um, yes?”
“I’m Aaron.”
Are you kidding me? Hailey thought to herself. Of course I know who you are, everyone in school does! She began wondering how he knew who she was.
“I know. Everyone knows.” Hailey mumbled shyly.
She was aware of her friends at the table giggling. Was this really happening? Aaron Stors was actually talking to her.
“You know my boy Chris, right?”
Hailey glanced to his side and for the first time realized that Aaron wasn’t alone. He was accompanied by Chris something-or-other, the inner-circle’s pet Freshman.
Hailey vaguely remembered him being in English with her. What was his last name?
“Ummm, sure. We have a class together.”
“So you’d go out with him if he asked you, right? He’s a cool kid, really smart, even if he doesn’t apply himself.”
Hailey’s mind went blank. Was this really happening? Aaron Stors approaches her at lunch, only to set her up with his geeky friend? And why the heck was Chris even friends with him? What could they possibly have in common?
Hailey could hear her friends laughing, relishing in her discomfort, and glad that it wasn’t happening to them.
Shit! What should she do now? She obviously couldn’t say no, not with Aaron standing right there!
“Any of you girls would, isn’t that right?”
Hailey drew some small comfort from the sudden cessation of laughter.
Ha! Now you guys are on the spot, too!
Chris broke his silence.
“Hailey, it’s ok, you don’t have to go out with me, I’m not asking you, Aaron’s just joking. “
Hailey looked up at Aaron. The look on his face was pretty plain, this wasn’t a joke. And as much as she didn’t want to go out with Chris, she also didn’t want to say it out loud, and have him think that she was a bitch.
“No, it’s ok, I want to go out with you! Let’s go to the movies on Saturday.”
Shit! Did I really just say that????? She could tell that her friends were staring at her.
“Umm, ok. Let me get your number….”

As soon as Aaron and Chris walked away, her friends burst out laughing, unable to contain themselves any longer.
“Shut up!!!” Hailey hissed at them.
“Oh Hailey, it looks like you have another date!” Samantha teased.
Hailey buried her face in her hands.
“Oh my God. How did that just happen?”
Amanda chimed in.
“You could have told him no.”
“Right, with Aaron Stors standing right there? After he had set it up? That would have worked.”
“Well, look at it this way, he can’t be any worse than the other losers you’ve gone out with.”
“Who was that kid anyway?”
“You guys know him, he’s been in school with us since kindergarten.”
“Really? I thought he was new. Wait, why is he hanging out with Aaron and his friends?”
“Nobody knows. But they’ve been palling around since the beginning of the year.”
“Who was that kid again? Are you sure he’s been in school with us the whole time?”
Hailey tuned out her friends as they tittered at her situation and discussed Chris.
No way was she going out with him. She’d talk to him tomorrow, away from everyone else.


The next day, Hailey saw Chris in the hallway, standing at his locker. He looked a little different, his haircut was a lot more stylish.
Great, he had probably started to spend a bunch of money, trying to impress her.
Shit, she hated doing this, but she would just have to suck it up.
She strode up to him.
“Chris, can I talk to you about this weekend?”
Chris turned to face her and Hailey looked at her feet, embarrassed.
Thankfully, Chris spared her further blushes.
“It’s ok Hailey, I know this wasn’t your idea, you don’t have to go.”
Hailey sighed inwardly, grateful for the reprieve.
“Thanks Chris, I knew you’d understand.”
She hurried away, relieved. Chris seemed nice enough, but she wouldn’t date him in a million years.

Later that day at cheerleading practice, she and her friends sat stretching and chatting.
“So you broke his heart, huh?”
“Hardly. I barely had to say anything, I don’t think he wanted to go out with me anyways.”
“Wow, even the dorks don’t want to date you!”
Hailey laughed at her friends.
“Yeah, I guess not. The whole thing must have been a joke that Aaron was playing on him. I still don’t get why he’s friends with that crew.”
“Beats me.” Samantha said. “But they’re like, really tight. You guys know Tyler Loftin?”
Several of the girls rolled their eyes. Tyler was a total jerk, he had tried to kiss one of the cheerleaders, and then gone bragging that she had come onto him.
Samantha continued on with her story.
“Earlier this year, he was clowning Chris in biology, I mean, really being a dick, you know? And being Tyler, he couldn’t stop bragging about how he had punked him to everyone. Anyways, those guys cornered him in the locker room after practice, and threatened to kick his ass.”
“Really?”
“Yup. They even made him go apologize to him. Ever since, nobody’s messed with Chris.”
“I don’t know Hailey, sure you don’t want to reconsider? It sounds like he has friends in high places.”
Hailey grinned but shook her head. “No, I don’t think so.”
As the girls finished stretching, Hailey noticed that Christie Evans was intently looking at her. She thought that it was odd, but paid it no mind.

As she was leaving the locker room after practice, she found Christie waiting for her outside.
“Can we talk?”
Hailey looked at her, unsure of what to say. Christie was one of the most popular girls in school, and could be a little intimidating with her mix of looks, athleticism, and brains.
Hailey was surprised that she even knew that she existed. What was with all these upperclassmen approaching her out of the blue?
“Um, sure, but I have to get home, and I’m riding with Samantha.”
“That’s not a problem, I’ll take you.”
“Umm, okay, I guess.”

Christie drove them to a nearby Starbucks in silence. Hailey felt too awkward to try and start a conversation.
They went inside, and Christie bought them both green teas before sitting down across from her.
“I overheard you at practice today, that you broke off your date with Chris Roberts.”
Hailey was stunned. Why in the world would Christie care about that? And why was she eavesdropping on her?
“Umm, yeah?”
Christie smiled at her for the first time, and helped put Hailey a little more at ease.
“Hailey, how many dates have you gone on with guys who turned out to be total dicks?”
“A few.”
“Jocks, right? Lied to their friends about how they’d gotten lucky with you, when in reality you spent the whole time fighting them off?”
Hailey found herself nodding along as Christie spoke.
“I thought that these guys would be so cool, but they aren’t. I went out with one older guy, I thought he would be different, but he was still a dick, he was probably worse than the rest.”
Christie nodded sagely. “It’s how jocks are here. They think their shit doesn’t stink, and they only want one thing. Look Hailey, I’ve had my share of bad experiences with guys, my first boyfriend turned out to be a total jerk, and before him, I had dates that basically consisted of the guy trying to feel me up, and me fighting them off. I poured my soda into one guys lap in the movie theater, then slapped him and walked out in the middle of the movie.”
Hailey grinned. It was nice to know that even someone like Christie could have guy trouble.
“Why are you telling me all this?”
“Because as strange as it may sound, you’re making a huge mistake by not going out with Chris. He’s not like other guys. He’s a real sweetheart, he knows how to treat a girl, and he won’t be trying to cop a feel in a dark theater.”
Hailey was still unsure, and stared at her tea.
“He’s not really my type…” she murmured.
“I know.” Christie said. “And looking at him, you wouldn’t think it, but he’s more man than any of the guys in our school, I’ll bet.”
“If he’s so great, then why aren’t you going out with him?”
Christie’s gaze intensified, and Hailey had a feeling she had said the wrong thing.
“He didn’t ask me. He asked you.”
Hailey looked down at the table.
“I don’t know. I mean, he’s not …..”
“Popular? And people might say something?”
Hailey laughed nervously.
“Yeah. And when I hear it out loud, it sounds really bad.”
Christie chuckled and looked out the window.
“I know. But look at it this way: according to what people think, you should be dating popular jocks. How has that worked out? Do you really want to leave your happiness to what other people think? I stayed with my first boyfriend even though he didn’t treat me right, because people thought that I should. And the asshole dumped me anyway for another girl.”
Hailey was surprised that Christie was willing to divulge so much to her.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
Christie waved her hand dismissively.
“It’s not a big deal. I’m over it. I’m just telling you not to make the mistake of passing on Chris. Just give him a chance.”
Hailey squirmed uncomfortably.
“I don’t know….”
Christie smiled at her.
“I know that this is really weird for you. And I’m not telling you that you have to go out with him. I’m just asking you to reconsider it. Its one afternoon. And I promise, he won’t be like the other assholes who’ve tried to make you do things that you didn’t want to do.”
They made small talk as Christie drove Hailey home, Christie having said what she wanted to.
As she pulled up in front of Hailey’s house, Hailey turned to her.
“Will you be mad if I still decide not to go out with Chris?”
Christie thought for a moment before answering.
“No. But I think that you’re going to wind up kicking yourself if you don’t.”
Hailey thought for a moment.
“What if he doesn’t want to go out with me anymore?”
Christie’s face broke into a broad grin.
“Then he’s an idiot. Look at yourself girl, you’re hot. All the guys in my grade are lusting after you.”
Hailey brightened at that.
“Maybe you can introduce me to some of them?”
Christie laughed.
“I said that they were lusting after you. Hard as it is to believe, those guys are even hornier than the guys your age.”
Hailey nodded.
“You’re right. I guess I’ll go out with Chris.”
Christie nodded.
“You won’t regret it.”

The next day, Hailey approached Chris before English began.
As awkward as breaking their date had been, this was going to be even worse.
God, she couldn’t wait until she was a grown up and didn’t have to deal with this shit.
“Listen Chris, this Saturday will be fine, we can go to the movies.”
Chris looked up in surprise, then resignation.
“I know you don’t want to do this Hailey, I know that Aaron embarrassed you into it, and Christie is making you go through with it. Let’s just forget about it, ok?”
“No,” she said. “Christie said that you’re a really sweet guy, and that I was making a huge mistake by not going out with you. I want to know what she sees in you.”
As soon as she said it, Hailey was kicking herself.
Dammit, dammit, dammit!!! Did I really just say that????
“Ummmmm. I didn’t mean that to sound as bitchy as it did…”
Great, she thought. Now he thinks I’m a total snob
Chris looked up.
“Ok. I appreciate you giving me a chance.”
Hailey was grateful that the hard part was over. She turned and walked back towards her seat. No, wait. She had to say something else, she couldn’t let their conversation end with her saying that.
She turned back towards him.
“I like your haircut. It looks really good on you.”
“Thanks.”
As Hailey got back to her seat, she remembered something that Chris had said.
“Christie is making you go through with this.”
Wait, he knew that?

Hailey offered to meet Chris at the mall on the other side of town.
Christie may have said that he was a nice guy, but no way was she going to risk being seen out in public with him.
Aaron was right, Chris was pretty smart, he saw through that move right away, even though Hailey refused to admit that was the reason.
She claimed that she wanted to go to the Mexican food restaurant that was there to give a more plausible reason for picking such a far away meeting spot.
Her mom dropped her off on Saturday, and Hailey took a deep breath.
Okay, you can do this. It’s just one afternoon.
Chris was waiting inside.
As they were seated, they kind of sat there awkwardly for a bit, making small talk, and to her surprise, Chris was actually able to carry on a conversation without sounding like a total idiot, unlike the rest of the boys her age.
He actually listened to her, and wasn’t trying to brag and impress her.
Hailey started to figure out that he was a lot smarter than she was, which made her a little nervous.
As they cast around for things they had in common, she discovered that he had a pretty good sense of humor, and they shared similar music tastes.
Unlike the other guys she had gone out with, he didn’t make of her for her love of boy bands.
As they ate, Hailey’s asked him why he hung out with the Senior football players.
In the strict hierarchy of High School popularity, they were at the top, whereas someone like Chris was way below even the bottom rung.
Chris just kind of blew it off and said that Christie had told them to take care of him.
As he mentioned Christie, Hailey’s curiosity got the better of her.
Why had she been so insistent that Hailey go out with Chris?
And how would she even know him?
Christie was a goddess, and Chris, to be kind ….
Well, he wasn’t in her league.
Not even close.
“Is she like, related to you or something?”
“Nope. She’s just my neighbor.”
Hailey thought for a moment. Surely not.
But you never knew.
“Did you guys used to go out?”
Chris was so surprised at that, he nearly spilled his drink in his lap.
“Are you kidding? Why would she go out with someone like me? We’re just neighbors. I’ve known her all my life.”
“Well, the way she talked about you, I got the impression that she had some strong feelings for you. She really wanted me to go out with you today. She told me all sorts of wonderful things about you.”
Chris looked pretty embarrassed at that, and for the first time, Hailey thought to herself he looked kind of cute.
Like a little boy. She thought.
“Well, she probably exaggerated pretty badly. I hope I can live up to it.”
As they kept talking, Hailey was more and more impressed with him. He wasn’t trying to act all cool, or show how tough he was, he was just being himself.
Soon, they left for the movie theater.
Everything he did, she noticed.
The way he stood back and let her walk in front of him, how he opened doors for her, how he let her answer for herself when the guy at the concession stand asked her what she wanted to drink.
Hailey was having a hard time figuring it out until it finally hit her: He wasn’t trying to impress her, he was doing these things because he was a genuinely nice guy.
Even the way he talked to people showed it.
Some guys she had gone on dates with had been really sweet to her, then a total jerk to someone else.
One of the jocks she had gone out with once had made fun of a poor man who had to wear a special helmet, in case he had seizures.
He had sat there making fun of him, then being all sweet to Hailey, until he started trying to feel her up later, saying that she owed him.
But Chris wasn’t like that, he was genuinely kind to everybody.

As the movie started, Hailey turned to Chris.
“You know, you’re actually kind of cute. In a nerdy kind of way.”
“Thanks, I think.”
Dammit. Every time I try and say something nice, it comes out wrong. He must think I’m such a bitch.
As the movie went on, Hailey was aware that Chris kept his arm on the arm rest, not wandering over to grope her. It was a nice change of pace from her normal dates.
At one point, more out of curiosity than anything else, Hailey leaned against him, just to see what he would do, but Chris didn’t respond.
After the movie, they wandered around the mall, just talking.
Hailey was still trying to get over the fact that Chris hadn’t tried to put the moves on her, or grope her, or anything.
As odd as it sounded to her, she found herself wanting this to keep going on.
She wanted to do this again.
She turned to him.
“You really are a nice guy. I’ve gone out with a couple of other guys, and all they wanted to do was grab my boobs, or try to get me to touch their junk. Gross.”
Chris looked slightly embarrassed at that. How cute.
Hailey saw her mom pull up.
“That’s my ride, I have to go.”
“Okay.” Chris said. “Thank you. I really enjoyed myself this afternoon.”
“Yeah, so did I.”
Hailey stood there next to Chris, each of them awkwardly waiting for the other to say something else.
Ask me out again! Hailey thought to herself fiercely.
When Chris didn’t say anything else, Hailey gave an awkward wave.
“Ummm, well, I guess goodbye. I’ll see you in school.”
Chris nodded, not really sure of what to do next.
As Hailey walked to the car, she realized that she would have to make the first move. She took a deep breath and turned back to him.
“Would you like to go out again next weekend?”
Chris looked shocked, and stumbled to find the words.
“Really? You want to go out with me again?”
He was so shocked, Hailey struggled not to burst out laughing.
She looked at her feet and nodded her head.
“I think it would be nice. Do you IM?”
Chris nodded dumbly, and Hailey scribbled out her screen name for him.
“Here’s my contact information.”

As she drove away, her mom glanced back at Chris.
“So how was it?”
“It was nice. We’re going out again next weekend.”
“Really? He isn’t … like the boys you normally go out with.”
“I know, it’s kind of nice.”
Hailey’s mom smiled at her. Maybe she was getting smarter about boys after all.

When Hailey saw Chris in school on Monday, he gave her a shy smile and a tiny wave.
Hailey wondered why he didn’t come up and talk to her, when she realized that she was surrounded by all of her friends, whom Chris didn’t know.
She gave him a big smile and waved back to him, trying to let him know that it was okay to come talk to her, but he didn’t get the hint.
Dammit. I’m going to have to teach him this stuff. She thought to herself.
Chris headed over to his Senior friends, and Hailey noticed that they were all talking excitedly to him, glancing her way on occasion.
That son of a bitch.
What was he telling them? Yeah, he was nice enough to her when they were alone, but get him with his buddies, and he started lying and bragging, just like all the rest.
Well Hailey wasn’t taking that. She would shut that down right away.
She began marching over to them, seething with anger.

“Oooooohhhhhhhh!!!!!” They all shouted.
Mother Fucker!! Did he tell them we had sex? I’m going to rip his fucking head off!!!
They were all passing money to one of the guys.
You are going to wish you had never been born, you little worm.
“What’s going on here?”
They all turned to face her, and Chris turned bright red with embarrassment, evidence of his guilt.
“There she is!! Queen Guinevere to our noble Sir Galahad! Welcome m’lady.”
One of the guys bowed to her, waving a hand in the air, looking like a total jackass.
“They were betting on what would happen on our date.” Chris mumbled.
Hailey was seething, but kept her voice under control.
“I see. And what did you tell them?”
“I told them the truth, that we never touched.”
That brought her up short. She looked around at their faces and realized that Chris was telling the truth.
Even with all his Senior buddies, Chris was honest.
Hailey felt a huge sense of relief, and then admiration for Chris.
“Well that’s not entirely true, I cuddled up against him during the movie, but he didn’t push it.”
OOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Really????? Chris, you’ve got to recognize the signs man!!! I bet you could have gotten to 2nd base!!!”
God, what a jerk.
Hailey turned to the offender.
“Eeeeewwww, you’re gross!! But I tell you what; Chris is too much of a gentleman to do that. That’s why we’re going out again next weekend, and you guys can’t get decent, self-respecting girls.”
Hailey took Chris by the hand and led him down the hallway, away from his jock friends, lest he be corrupted by them.
As she led him away, she could hear them calling after him.
“Chris, you the man!!!”
Chris looked mortified. “I’m awfully sorry about that.”
“That’s ok,” she replied. “They’re boys, that’s what they do. But I like you, you’re different.”
Hailey was aware that people were staring and whispering, but she didn’t care. Chris was a good guy, and she liked him. Who cares what other people think?

Later that day, her friends cornered her at cheerleading practice.
“Ok, what’s going on???? I heard that you were holding Chris’s hand in school today!”
“Yeah, I thought that you didn’t go out, what’s happening?”
Hailey just shrugged. “I changed my mind.”
“So what, you’re dating now?” Samantha made a face.
“He’s so ….. bleah. You can totally do better than him.”
Hailey shrugged. “We’re going out again next weekend. He’s a really nice guy.”
“Hailey, are you kidding me? He looks like a school shooter!! I guarantee you that one day he’s going to come in here with shotguns!!”
“No he won’t! That’s an awful thing to say!!” Hailey snapped.
As her friends stared at her, Hailey felt her anger grow. She was tired of guys who only wanted one thing, and she was upset that she had to justify Chris to her friends.
So what if he wasn’t popular? So what if he wasn’t part of the cool crowd? She liked him.
“I had a really good time with him! We talked! About everything! And he actually listened to what I had to say!! He wasn’t spewing some bullshit line, trying to impress me!! He was nice to me and didn’t expect anything in return!!! He didn’t try to feel me up, or kiss me, or get me to touch his dick!! He’s a lot better than all the so called ‘cool kids’ that we hang out with, and a hell of a lot better than all the other jock assholes I’ve gone out with!!!! So we’re going out again next weekend, and I don’t care what anyone thinks!!!!”
Hailey brushed away some angry tears, and stood up and stomped away from her friends to stretch by herself, leaving them in stunned silence.
She was quickly joined by Christie.
“I wish I had your courage.”
Hailey looked up in surprise.
“What are you talking about?”
“To do what you want to do, no matter what your friends think, or whether or not it’s popular. That’s pretty courageous. I really admire you for that, and wish I was a little more like you.”
Hailey’s jaw dropped open.
“Are you kidding me? You wish you were like me? You’re like, the coolest girl ever!!! All the guys want you!!! All the girls wish they were like you!!!!”
Christie smiled and squeezed Hailey’s hands.
“I’m not as cool as you think. I still worry too much about what’s popular and what’s not popular, about what people think about me.”
Hailey was struggling to process this when she felt a pang of embarrassment.
“I made him take me some place where no one I knew would see me with him…”
Christie smiled.