"Hi."

"Hey."

"So... about last night..." I begin and he sighs, shaking his head, a loose tendril of his dark hair spilling across his forehead. My fingers twitch at my side to push it back, but I manage to control myself.

"Let's not talk about it."

"Talk about what exactly?" I ask with a frown, not understanding what even happened.

"Just forget the whole thing."

"Why?"

He whips his head to me, giving me a sharp look. "Ellie. You're annoying me."

I pout. "Sorry."

He rolls his eyes, suddenly looking relaxed. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"That cute little... thing," he gestures to my face.

I freeze. Did he just... say... cute?

I am going to faint. There isn't enough blood pumping through my body. I feel dizzy. Oh God. Haze thinks I'm –

"Breathe, Ellie." He gives me a crooked grin, looking at me in amusement.

"Did you just say..."

"Bye Ellie," he sighs with a head shake, before walking away from me.

I beam after him, my cheeks burning bright red.

My day has been made.

Haze thinks I'm cute.

***

When I arrive home, the house is much quieter than usual.

"Hello?" I call out.

I wander into the kitchen. By this time, Ma is usually busy cooking something delicious for dinner. I peer around, wondering where everyone is.

Before leaving the kitchen, I check the fridge and bench tops for a note of explanation. When I find none, I continue to scour the house. Pa and Callum have probably gone fishing. They do that at least once a week. I did get a message from the front office, saying I didn't have to get Callum, so that must be why.

I quietly pad up the stairs, my school bag feeling heavy on my shoulders. I walk past my parents' room, when I hear sniffling. I pause, pressing my ear to the gap between the door and the door frame.

When I confirm that it is someone crying, I poke my head inside.

Ma sits there, holding something to her chest, her eyes swollen.

"Ma?" I murmur quietly. "Are you all right?"

She startles, the photo – I think – falls from her grasp. She fumbles to pick it up hastily, an unusual look on her face. It's a mix of surprise, embarrassment and... guilt?

"Oh Ellie, I didn't hear you come home," she says in a shaky voice, dragging her slender fingers across her eyelids.

I edge towards the bed and sit down, the springs groaning underneath my weight. Her face is a blotchy mess. Ma is someone who is very composed, rarely showing feelings other than warmth and kindness.

"Why are you crying?"

"No reason," she shakes her head. "None at all. Just having a moment."

"Looks like a bit more than a 'moment'," I raise my eyebrows, my voice gentle. "Ma, you can tell me anything, you know that right?"

"Of course," she nods, not looking at me.

She gets to her feet. She pulls the top drawer open and shoves the photo into it.

"Come along now, I better put on some supper," she smiles at me and gingerly touches my face. Her eyes bore into mine with rare intensity, before she pulls her hand away.

I let her steer me out of their room.

"I have to go put my bag down," I tell her as she continues to lead me back to the stairs.

"Oh," she says distractedly. "Yes, of course."

I give her a weird look, before heading to my room.

"Oh and Ellie?" she asks as I hover at my doorway.

"Hmm?"

"Please don't tell Pa."

I stare at her for a moment before giving her a nod.

My thoughts whirl inside my head as I neatly place my bag on my desk. I withdraw my homework for tonight and place it around my desk in order of which I will do first. I stretch, before peeling my heavy leather shoes from my feet.

I spend the next few minutes swapping my uniform for sweat pants and a long-sleeve shirt. I pull my hair off my face and tie it in a knot on top of my head. Sliding my slippers on, I pad down the hallway. I stop at the tip of the stairs, hearing Ma banging around pots and cutlery in the kitchen.

Making the rash decision to snoop, I duck back into her bedroom. I make a beeline for the drawer. I snake my hand through the objects until my fingers enclose around the photo.

I stare down at it in shock. It's of a boy, around my age or a bit older. He has shaggy hair, an unshaven face and a big tattoo on his shoulder of a spider. I raise my eyebrows.

A boy with tattoos? Now that's something I never thought I'd find my Ma with.

The photo is extremely aged. The borders are frayed and the colouring is so faded, it's almost impossible to distinguish the identity of the person.

I squint down at the photo.

I have no idea who that person is. All I do know, he is not my father.

***

When I ring his number, I have low expectations that he will answer. When he does, I almost drop my phone from shock.

"Hi," I mumble.

"Hey," Haze replies coolly.

"What are you doing?"

"Lying in bed."

"Doing what?"

"Watching YouTube videos," he replies. "You?"

"Lying in bed..." I trail off with a smile. "Can we go for a walk?"

"A walk?"

"Yeah."

"Why?" he asks.

"Because I've had a weird afternoon and the only person I want to talk about it with is you."

I close my eyes as I proceed to word vomit all over him, like always. Why do I have no filter?

"Okay," he murmurs quietly. "I'll meet you at the end of my street."

"Thank you," I whisper.

I change quickly into more presentable clothes, before trotting downstairs. Ma is back to her old self, humming to the radio while she cooks.

"You sure you don't need a hand?" I ask her, like I do most days.

"No, no," she replies the same line she always does. "I'm perfectly fine." She turns her attention to me. "You going somewhere?"

"Just going for a walk," I reply.

"That sounds nice," she smiles.

"Ma?" I ask her.

"Yes dear?"

"Were you holding a photograph earlier?" I probe, knowing full well she was.

She purses her lips. "It was just a photo of you two kids. It makes me emotional... you've both grown up so quickly."

My mouth falls open at her blatant lie.

Like you're lying, not telling her who you're going walking with, my subconscious taunts at me.

"Oh," I say, my voice noticeably thick. "Okay."

I stiffly turn from her and walk out the front door, my head feeling heavy with thoughts.

I wrap my jacket closer to my body as I briskly head to Pine Avenue.

Haze is leaning against street sign, looking bored. He pushes off it when he sees me.

"Finally."

"Sorry," I mutter, feeling drained.

He flickers his eyes to me. "You okay?"

"Not really."

He looks adorably confused as he looks at me, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.

"Um. Do you want to, like, talk about it, or something?" he asks me with a shoulder shrug, as if also saying "I have no idea what I'm doing."

"May I?"

"I guess?"

We begin to walk and our arms brush.

"I came home and my Ma was crying. Which is really, really bizarre. She was holding a photo up and I saw the photo was of a guy. It was obviously taken a really long time ago, but the guy wasn't my father. When I asked her about it, she claimed that the photo was of Callum and I, saying some stupid thing about us growing up too quick," I shake my head. "Ma is not one to lie to my face like that. I'm so confused."

Haze is quiet for a few moments. His shoes scrape against the cement much louder than mine do.

"This is the part where you share your thoughts," I urge him.

"What did the guy look like?"

"Young, edgy... attractive, I guess," I say, feeling odd saying that.

Haze nods. "Probably a good fuck from her young days and she's sad that she won't get that again now that she's old."

I gasp, my hand flying to my mouth. "Ew, Haze! That's disgusting!"

I feel gross at the images that suddenly bombard my mind.

"And don't say that word," I shudder, making a face. "That's just... ew."

He lets out a laugh and I peer up at him with wide eyes. He doubles over, pressing his large hands onto his knees.

"You... you are so innocent..." he continues to laugh, a wild, carefree look in his eyes as he straightens.

I glower at him. "This isn't funny."

"It's a little funny," he grins and my jaw goes slack.

That grin is the most handsome smile I have ever seen.

"Seriously though, don't worry about it," he shrugs as we continue to walk. "It's someone from her past who she misses. That's all."

"Could you have said that to begin with?" I ask him in exasperation, shaking my head.

"And not witness that horrified look?" he smirks.

I frown at him. "I'm still disgusted."

"I know," he smiles.

We walk a few metres, before he speaks again.

"So, why didn't you talk to your friends about this?"

"You are my friend."

He gives me a flat look and I sigh.

"I don't know... I just wanted to see you, I guess."

"Ellie..." he trails off, looking thoughtful.

"Haze, don't. Please."

I can't handle him trying to push me away again.

He averts his gaze to the ground, his shoulders slumped. We walk around the block and not long, we're back at the sign we met at.

"It's getting late," he says quietly.

"And cold," I add, zipping up my jacket to the base of my throat. "I'll see you tomorrow, right? For the horror party?"

"Maybe."

"Haze!" I exclaim. "You said–"

"I'm kidding, relax," he grins.

I snap my mouth shut and glare at him.

"You are so easy to mess with," he shakes his head.

I huff. "Yes. Apparently. I'm going now."

"Bye Ellie," he states sarcastically.

He turns to walk away and I practically throw myself at him. He stiffens as I wrap my arms around his body and bury my head into his chest. He stands there awkwardly for a moment.

"Nice Ellie. Real smooth," he chuckles, before tentatively wrapping his arms around me.

Oh God. His hug is even better than I thought it would be. I sigh into him, forgetting that I just humiliated myself. I forget that everything and let myself indulge in the feel and smell of him.

"Thank you," I mumble.

His grip tightens for a moment I release him. There's colour in his cheeks as we part.

"See you tomorrow," I murmur to him with a shy smile.

He nods at me, before beginning to walk back to his house.

I stand there, watching his black-dressed frame retreat from me.

I suddenly can't wait for tomorrow.