Alison was leaving for California today. She hadn't told anyone that she had let Kate go with her, but Hayden found out when he stopped by and saw the printed tickets on the counter.

"I just don't get why you would invite her," Hayden grumbled as he helped Alison pack.

"She kind of invited herself," Alison mumbled as she threw a hoodie for Hayden to fold for her.

"But you went along with it," Hayden pointed out.

Alison sighed. She wanted to change the subject. "How is your ASL coming along? Brady said I should be fluent by the time I get back. I don't know how he can expect that."

Hayden rolled his eyes. "Don't change the subject."

Alison let out an exasperated sigh.

"What is it with Kate?" he asked.

"You wouldn't get it," she mumbled.

"Try me," Hayden challenged.

She stared at him for a moment and then took a deep breath.

"Promise you won't say anything to anyone?" she asked.

He nodded. "I promise."

Alison sighed. "I was this baby freshman in a math class for juniors when I met Kate, she took me under her wing and helped me out. Not with the class, I normally helped her with that, but socially. She taught me how to dress, how to wear makeup, how to talk to guys, everything. She even helped me get over this crush I-" Alison paused.

Her cheeks flushed red. It had been Hayden that Alison was crushing on freshman year.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"N-Nothing," she stuttered. "Anyway she was just always there for me, even for things as dumb as guys. Why wouldn't I do the same?"

Hayden glanced over at her. "Why are you so red?" he asked.

"I'm not," she protested.

Hayden chuckled. "Jeez, who was this crush?"

Alison looked horrified which was a rare look on her.

"Oh man, is it someone I know?"

Alison turned an even deeper shade of red.

Hayden grinned. "Does that mean I am getting closer?"

He stood up and came over to where Alison was leaning against the counter.

"Just tell me. I graduated like over a year ago. It won't even matter. I bet I don't even keep up with the person anymore."

Alison refused. "Come on, I have to stop by your place before I go to the airport. Brady wants to practice his ASL with us."

Hayden chuckled. "Maybe I should grab your yearbook before we go. Maybe if I say the guy's name your face will get redder."

Alison shoved him out the door as he continued to laugh. He pestered her about it the whole drive there and while they were with Brady, who was growing annoyed with his brother.

Tell him to shut up already, Brady signed in ASL.

Alison chuckled.

"What did he sign to you?" Hayden asked.

Brady got irritated with his brother and stormed into the kitchen.

"He asked you to shut up," Alison explained.

Brady came back and rolled his eyes and signed something else to Alison.

"He also said that maybe if you spent as much time on ASL as you did bothering me, then you would have known what he signed in the first place."

"He signed all that?" Hayden asked.

Alison shrugged. "I'm paraphrasing."

Brady smacked his forehead with his hand. It was clear both of them were beginning to annoy him.

"Oh, don't be like that, Brady, I'm sorry," Hayden called after his brother who only flipped the two of them off as he went to his bedroom.

"I'll call you when I get back," Alison said after him.

Brady just waved a hand in the air before slamming his bedroom door shut.

Alison chuckled. "All right, I better get going."

"How are you getting to the airport?" Hayden asked.

"Kate is picking me up from here," Alison explained. "I'm just going to go call her."

Alison went into the kitchen and called Kate. She didn't pick up the first two calls, and on the third a male voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Uh, hi. I'm trying to reach Kate," Alison said, a bit confused as to who the man was who answered the phone.

"She's not available," the man said.

"Well, we were supposed to go to the airport together, I'm Alison," she explained.

The man paused for a second.

"Alison?" Kate asked.

"Are you coming?" Alison asked.

Kate giggled. "Oh! I forget," she said. "I'm actually pretty tied up right now. Like actually tied up to a bed," she added through a laugh.

Alison let out an exasperated groan. "Are you telling me that you're ditching me to have kinky sex?"

"Kinky sex on some crazy drugs, it'll be so fun!"

Alison suddenly had the realization that Kate was with Oliver, the town drug dealer. She hung up the phone and leaned against the counter. Hayden came in and checked on her.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Kate's not coming," she sighed.

"Oh," Hayden said softly.

"I know you don't like her, but I really didn't want to see my mom by myself."

Alison looked upset. Hayden came over and touched her arm comfortingly. It was quiet between them for a while.

"I'll go with you," he offered gently.

Alison looked up at him. "Really?" she asked. "You'd miss your parents' annual Fourth of July barbecue just to go with me?"

Hayden leaned a bit closer and smiled at her. He had his little brother's charming features. His blue eyes were staring deep into her green ones.

"One condition," he said.

"What?" she asked, staring up at him.

"Who was the boy you had a crush on?" he asked.

Alison stared at the ground shyly. Hayden managed a small smile as he ran a hair through his messy dirty blonde hair.

"I won't tell anyone," he promised. "Just say it, I think I know anyway."

Alison peered up at him, his face was inches away from hers.

"It was you," she finally admitted through a whisper. "It was just a dumb crush and that's why I didn't want to tell you."

Hayden used his index finger to tilt her chin up a bit so she was looking at him again.

"A trip to California wouldn't be so bad."

***

Alison was surprised that her workaholic mother was willing to let her visit at all. In her whole life, her mother had never been there for her. It was typical. It started when she was five. Her mother missed her graduation from preschool. Alison was mildly upset. But then it happened again for most of elementary school. Both of her parents worked, so Alison took care of herself. No one showed up to her school events, the family picnic, the art shows, the award ceremonies; neither her mother nor father were present in her life. Alison refused to care. She just let the Carson's comfort her at said events and let Max try to distract her as they grew older and the lack of parental figures became typical.

The trip was not out of the ordinary for Alison.

Fiona Hart had only agreed to let her daughter visit because her ex husband threatened her. Fiona and Paul fought a lot. Over dumb things and rather serious things. There was one reason Fiona had left for California as soon as possible, her husband cheating on her. But her company going under because of poor investments was another reason. Ditching the sinking ship, she escaped for sunny Malibu, California. Unfortunately, her ex knew, so when their daughter was "out of control" and he was twisting her arm into taking her in for a weekend, she had no choice. Much to Fiona and Alison's dismay. Not that Alison knew the real reason for her mother's disappearance, her father had conveniently kept that from her.

On Friday, Alison and Hayden arrived. A car was waiting for them as her mother was working and too busy to pick them up. In the evening, she was promised a dinner and a conversation. Hayden and Alison waited in the restaurant for two hours, before Hayden suggested they go to the boardwalk and play some games.

On Saturday, her mother told them she would make them breakfast. At half past eight, she got a work call. Fiona promptly abandoned her attempt at pancakes and Alison and Hayden found their way to the pool in the backyard instead.

On Sunday, the day they were supposed to leave, Hayden and Alison were lounging by the pool again enjoying the California sun. They had yet to really talk about what Alison had admitted in the Carson's kitchen, but it was clear sparks were flying as they relentlessly flirted with each other the whole weekend. It was refreshingly easy for Alison.

Whereas Max knew everything about her and often saw through her acts, Hayden didn't call her out on anything and Alison loved that. If she wanted to pretend that she wasn't having nightmares, then Hayden let her. If she wanted to act like day drinking was normal, then he let her.

Hayden was currently looking as attractive as ever spread out on a lounge chair in nothing but black boxers. His muscles were glistening in the sun as he was telling her about the Rams' chances at the Superbowl this year.

Alison was laying next to him on a lounge chair on her back with her head turned toward him. She was wearing a black bikini with her hair up in a messy ponytail.

Hayden paused his football talk and sat up. He motioned for her to do the same. Alison obliged.

"Can I tell you a secret?" he asked. "I've never told anyone this before."

"What is it?" she asked.

"I didn't just decide I wanted to go into engineering, I left training camp to be home with my parents when you and Brady went missing. It cost me my place on the football team in the fall."

Alison's eyes widened. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I'm not worth that."

Hayden looked over at her. He had a funny look on her face. An emotion she couldn't quite place.

"But don't you get it, Ali?" he asked. "I don't regret it. I'm glad that I'm home. I'm glad that I get to spend time with you."

She managed a small smile. "I'm glad you're here too."

He reached for her hand and he squeezed it. She smiled more fully and he leaned in a bit. He pressed his forehead against hers and Alison's heart skipped a beat. She tilted her chin up and parted her lips slightly, giving him permission.

Hayden's lips met hers and he kissed her once, then twice. Then again, increasing the intensity each time. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he began to kiss her more passionately. Alison moved so that she was practically in his lap. She had her legs around his waist and Hayden had just pulled her hair tie out, letting her hair come down when Fiona interrupted.

She coughed a bit at first and then a little louder the second time.

Alison realized her mother was standing there and quickly broke away from Hayden. She scrambled out of his lap and looked at Fiona.

"Er, sorry, what's up?" she said breathlessly.

"I have some free time, would you like to get lunch?" Fiona offered. "Just you and me," she quickly added when she saw her daughter side eye the boy she was just making out with.

"Uh, okay, I'll go change," she said as she licked her swollen lips.

Fiona nodded curtly and left Hayden and Alison. When she was out of sight, Hayden glanced up at her.

"Should I be worried that she might not like me?" he asked.

Alison chuckled and went back over to where he was sitting. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she smiled.

"Something tells me she doesn't really care," Alison explained.

"Why not?" he asked.

Alison shrugged. "I don't know, I guess she never cared to begin with. She's never really been a loving or caring mother anyway."

Hayden glanced up into her green eyes. "Does that bother you? Don't you wish you had a mom who cared sometimes?"

Alison sighed. "There's no point in getting upset about things that you can't change."

He brushed her dark brown hair out of her face. "You should probably go get ready," he said. "We'll continue this later," he promised.

Alison laughed and waved goodbye. She went inside and put on a black dress and sandals. Alison did light makeup and fixed her hair. She then met a driver outside where her mom was waiting. Alison followed her mother into the car. Once at the restaurant, they ordered and Alison waited for the inevitable conversation that was about to ensue.

"I wasn't expecting your father to call," Fiona said to her daughter.

Alison looked over at her.

"Is the new wife a skank?" Fiona asked.

Alison laughed. "She's the worst."

"Give her hell, okay?"

Alison chuckled, but then she realized her mother was being serious.

"So, I didn't pry when you first got here, but are you and Hayden serious?" she questioned as she sipped her wine.

Alison blushed. "I don't know, Mom. We only just started kissing. I don't even know what it is."

"What about the other boy?"

Alison raised an eyebrow. "Max? You knew about him?"

"Oh please, Alison," her mom said, rolling her eyes. "You used to sneak that boy into the house left and right. Did you really think I didn't know?"

"Well, what about him?" Alison mumbled.

"Did you two break up?" Fiona asked, pouring Alison some more wine.

Alison sighed. "It just got so complicated. He knows everything, Mom. He knows the worst parts of me that I try so hard to hide. With Hayden, it's like I can escape from everything. It's easy."

"Well, I know a thing or two about escaping," her mom said, nodding. "Have you thought more about my offer?"

Alison had thought about the offer extensively. It had been weighing on her mind since she had touched down in California. Her mother had offered to let her move here permanently.

"I don't think I can leave Brady, we've barely recovered," she explained as she sipped her wine.

Fiona nodded. "I hope you'll reconsider soon. The male dating pool here is to die for. I've been having such a good time."

Alison managed a small smile. Her mother had always been like this: self-centered.

When they got home, she found Hayden waiting for her in the guest room.

"Hey," she said as she knocked on the door that was already slightly open.

"Hey, Ali. How was dinner?"

"Fine," she said quietly as she sat down on the end of his bed.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

Alison nodded. "She called us a car."

"Are you going to say goodbye?" Hayden asked as he followed her out with their things.

Alison looked back at him quizzically. "I already did, at dinner," she explained.

"Ali, you probably won't see her again for a while," he pointed out.

She just shook her head at him. "It's different with her," she mumbled.

Hayden looked like he wanted to press the matter further, but he dropped it when they got in the car.

"Have you talked to your dad?" he asked as they arrived at the airport.

Alison shook her head. "He booked my ticket, he knows when I'm landing. What else would I say to him?"

"You think he's still mad?" Hayden questioned.

"Most definitely," she muttered. "Although I don't really see why. I mean what did he expect? That I would return home and just be happy to be a part of his new family?"

Hayden thought maybe he should try to comfort her but it was clear that she didn't seem to mind the lack of connection with either parents.

"I hope he kicks me out," Alison murmured. "Maybe it wouldn't be so bad."

Hayden glanced over at her. "Would you live with your mom?"

Alison chuckled. "They're both delusional. No, I would go somewhere far away. Somewhere that no one knows my name."

It was silent between them for a while. They had made their way onto the plane and were waiting for takeoff.

"I imagined you on the run, you and Brady actually," Hayden admitted. "It was easier than imagining the alternative."

Alison smiled faintly. "Where would we have run off to?"

Hayden glanced over at her. "Oh I don't know, somewhere relaxing. Maybe California actually."

"California?" Alison repeated with an amused expression on her face. "Why? Because of my mom?"

"No," he shrugged. "I didn't know your mom lived here, but I remembered you grew up here. I figured maybe you would trade in skateboarding for surfing. Maybe Brady would grow to love beach volleyball instead of basketball and you two were just out enjoying the sun, no worries, just living. Happy, you know?"

Alison smiled. "I could get used to a dream like that."