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Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with The Originals...I just like to play around with the characters at times. I only own the plot...mostly.

Chapter 9 - An Unfortunate Misunderstanding

The next morning, Hayley woke up to a glaring ray from the sun rise blurring heat onto her face and light into her eyes once she opened them. Hayley rolled over, running her hand over her face. Once she sat up the memory of all that had happened the night before came rushing back into her mind. It was all so intense and had her mind so confused.

She glanced around the room and realized quickly that she was in Keelin's bed. After what happened, she and Elijah had both agreed to sleeping in separate beds. Elijah being the gentleman he was still didn't feel right sleeping in Keelin's bed. So Hayley took Keelin's and she let him take hers.

Looking over to make sure Elijah was still asleep, she got out of bed and grabbed her keycard before making her way over to where Elijah had set his. After she picked it up she turned and tiptoed out of the room, heading towards the room that was supposed to be Freya and Elijah's. But was more or less Freya and Keelin's now.

Slipping the key card in the door, Hayley pushed it open and stepped inside. Making a beeline for Keelin's sleeping form, she kneeled down next to the bed, reaching forward to shake her awake.

Keelin's eyes fluttered open, blinking as she spotted Hayley there. "Hayley?" She yawned, covering her mouth. "What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk," Hayley whispered, standing up.

Keelin closed her eyes and snuggled back into bed. "Can it wait? I want to sleep longer."

"We almost hooked up last night!" Hayley exclaimed as quietly as she could as to not wake Freya.

"I'm up!" Keelin squealed a bit too loud, almost but thankfully not, waking up Freya. "Let me go to the bathroom and then we will go to breakfast and you will tell me everything," Keelin said excitedly, already out of bed and heading towards the bathroom.

Hayley shook her head and chuckled quietly as she made her way towards the door to wait for Keelin.

~AllAtSea~

"I can't believe you two almost had sex last night!" Keelin exclaimed between bites of her breakfast. "And that he stopped it when he did!"

Hayley shrugged. "I honestly don't get it."

"Neither do I," Keelin agreed. "He really seems into you from what I can tell."

"I know, right?!" Hayley sighed, using her fork to play around with the food on her plate. "Could he be hiding something from me?"

Keelin narrowed her eyes at her. "Don't even suggest that."

"Why not?"

"You know why."

"But what if..."

"No, Hayley! Don't you dare finish that sentence," Keelin threatened, pointing at her and waving her finger in a no pattern. "You will not let a past betrayal ruin your future. Not on my watch."

Hayley did not dare respond. She knew how serious Keelin was when she was in this mindset. Keelin wasn't always the best with her own relationships and such but she was always the best when it came to Hayley's. Hayley and Keelin both only wanted the best for each other and sometimes their selves didn't get as smart advice as each other because of it.

"You need to get yourself into check," Keelin told Hayley, breaking the small silence. "Otherwise, you could really end up messing up something potentially really good in your life."

Hayley sighed. "I know."

"I don't want to see you unhappy, especially not with yourself."

Hayley gave Keelin a brief smile. "Thanks."

"Anytime." Keelin smiled back. "You know I always have your back."

"And I you."

"I'm aware. And thank you as well."

A few minutes or so later, Freya and Elijah showed up at the table.

"Do you mind if we join you?" Freya asked as she was already pulling out the chair next to Keelin.

"Sure," both Keelin and Hayley answered in tandem.

Hayley took a deep breath and tried her best to remain calm as Elijah pulled out the chair next to her and sat down.

"I hope you ladies slept well last night," he said in greeting. Always a gentleman.

"I did." Keelin smiled. "And likewise to you."

Elijah hesitated for a moment before turning to Hayley.

"Good morning," she said giving him a small smile.

"Morning," he replied with his own small smile in return.

Hayley had to look away from him, the urge to look at his lips and then lick her own was almost too hard to fight. This was sure to be a long damn day. Why the hell did he have to stop them last night? She could've had her lust for him out of her system by now. Damn him. Seriously. Hayley was in the midst of the female equivalent to blue balls. Whatever that was. If there was even a term for it.

"So..." Hayley cleared her throat. "Are you two joining Keelin and I today?"

"What are you two planning for the day?" Freya wondered.

Hayley shrugged. "Probably the more adventurous things."

"Which would be?" Elijah asked, raising an eyebrow as he stared at Hayley.

"You know, zip lining... rock climbing... I want to try out the crazy water slides, too. They're supposed to be really steep drops and long rides. There's also a carousel I want to ride. I've loved those since I was a kid."

"Sounds like fun."

"I'm sure it is."

"Shall we go then?"

"If you're up for it."

"Oh, I am."

"So am I."

"Let's go," Elijah said standing up.

"You first," Hayley replied, following suit.

"No, you."

"Alright, fine." Hayley turned towards and headed for the door with Elijah right in her heels.

"Apparently we aren't even here." Hayley heard Keelin say.

"It would appear not," Freya responded with a laugh.

~AllAtSea~

Later that afternoon after literally doing everything Hayley had wanted to do, and having a ball doing it, Hayley and Elijah were back in Hayley's room relaxing. Hayley was on her Facebook checking in with her friend and employee Camille, the only other person Keelin and Hayley trusted to watch their business while they were away. And Elijah was sitting in the chair in the room, reading one of his books he'd brought on the cruise with him.

"Do you have Facebook by chance?" Hayley asked curiously, looking away from her laptop screen to look at Elijah.

"Actually, I do," he answered followed by a small chuckle. "My sisters would not stop nagging me until I got one."

Hayley laughed. "I can definitely see that being the case."

"As it turns out, it's a good way to connect with my students as well."

Hayley raised an eyebrow. "You're friends with your students on Facebook?"

Elijah shrugged. "I'm not just any professor. I'm a cool professor."

Hayley laughed, almost doubling over in laughter. "Did your sisters force you to watch Mean Girls also?" she asked once she got control of herself again.

Elijah hesitated. "Maybe."

"Let me guess, you're the pushover sibling?"

"A little bit... I guess."

Hayley chuckled. "As always, you surprise me."

"My work for the day is done then."

Hayley shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You should send me a friend request. Or I you. I'm fine either way."

Only a few minutes later, they were friends on Facebook.

Unable to help herself, Hayley went looking through Elijah's Facebook. Not too far back that she was heading into crazy territory. Just a week or so before the cruise. Hayley felt like she'd be intruding if she went any farther. Especially with him right there in the room. That'd be a bit too awkward even for her.

Hayley smiled as she scrolled through pictures, working her way up towards the top. When she made it to the top of the page something caught her eye. Her eyes widened and her heart felt like it was about to drop into her stomach. Things with Elijah were apparently not as good as they seemed to be after all.

"You need to go," Hayley said, trying her best to remain calm as she stood up.

"What?" Elijah asked as he turned towards her, his facial expression one of confusion.

Hayley scoffed, shaking her head. "I thought you were different than other guys."

Elijah took a step towards her. "What are you talking about, Hayley?"

Hayley took a step back. "Your relationship status on your Facebook says you're in a relationship with someone named Celeste," she told him, letting out a fake laugh after.

"It shouldn't say that," Elijah insisted. "I'm very much single."

"Wow. Really, Elijah?" Hayley questioned, crossing her arms over her chest. "For someone who checks their Facebook at least a few times a week, one would think that you would have caught that and changed it if you really were single."

"Hayley, I swear to you that I am not in a relationship with Celeste. Not anymore. Not for a long time.

Squinting her eyes, Hayley asked him, "Then why does your Facebook say that you are?"

"I... I honestly don't know."

Hayley turned her head away from him, not wanting to look at him right then, running a hand through her hair. "Oh, just save it, Elijah. Seriously just go now!"

Elijah reached for Hayley, which she caught sight of out of the corner of her eye. "Hayley..."

Hayley quickly knocked his hand away from her. "No! Damn it, Elijah!" she exclaimed. "We almost had sex last night! And now I find out about this!" Hayley motioned to her laptop.

"Hayley please, let us talk and try to figure this out without jumping to conclusions."

"Oh my god," Hayley whispered under he breath when something dawned on her. "Is this why you stopped us from going any further than second base?"

"No, of course not." Elijah shook his head. "As I said last night, we had both been drinking and it started as a kiss to get your ex off your back. It wouldn't have been the right thing to do last night."

Hayley rolled her eyes. "You know what? I have had more than enough of guys lying to me to last me a lifetime," she hissed, turning away from him to look out the window. "Seriously, Elijah, just go."

Moments later, Hayley heard Elijah sigh and then the sound of the door opening and closing. As much as it made her feel weak, she collapsed into a broken heap of herself on the floor. This felt very similar, if not worse, than going through a similar thing with Jackson. It sucked. Again.

~AllAtSea~

"Come on, Hayley," Keelin said, kneeling down and pulling Hayley up from the floor. "Up now."

Hayley reluctantly let Keelin pull her up into a standing position.

She frowned, wiping the wetness from her eyes. "I was perfectly comfortable on the floor."

Keelin gave her a "don't act like that with me" expression as she crossed her arms. "I heard what happened."

Hayley sighed. "Of course you did."

"And I think you should hear him out," Keelin said, sitting down on the bed. "You know, let him explain."

Jaw dropping slightly, Hayley put her hands on her hips and glared half heartedly at her. "Are you serious, Keelin? You are siding with him?!"

Keelin sighed, standing back up and making her way towards Hayley. "He did nothing wrong, Hayley."

Hayley's eyes widened and she backed away from Keelin, shaking her head. "Are you kidding me?!"

"You really need to talk to him and let him explain for crying out loud. It probably was some big mix up." Keelin groaned. "Every guy is not going to end up being like Jackson turned out in the end."

Hayley literally felt like she had just been slapped. "How dare you?!" Hayley exclaimed, turning away from Keelin with a huff. "I do not need this, Keelin."

Shaking her head, Keelin sighed. "You are so damn stubborn at times..." She paused for a moment before continuing. "I know that a part of you is still reeling from all that happened with Jackson, but that is absolutely no reason to cast every guy you fall for in the role of the eventual bad guy."

Hayley was momentarily taken back by Keelin's words. "What?" she finally asked. "What are you talking about?" she added to her question before Keelin could answer. Then she spoke again before Keelin could answer. "I have not fallen for Elijah." She laughed it off, waving her hand in a forget it, you don't know what you're talking about motion.

Keelin smirked. "Because one night stands are kind of normal for you, I won't bring you almost having sex with Elijah earlier in to this, but honestly, I just meant in general," Keelin explained, her smirk quickly turning into a wide grin. "I said guys. Never did I actually say Elijah." She laughed, staring at Hayley with an "I knew it" expression on her face and in her eyes. "I was literally just guessing, but not I have my confirmation for my suspicions."

Hayley was speechless. Damn it. Keelin had gotten her. Or at least it seemed she had. Hayley wasn't sure if she was falling for Elijah. She knew that she did like Elijah, but like that? She truthfully wasn't sure just yet.

Keelin huffed when she got no response from Hayley after a minute or so. "Fine," she conceded with a sigh. "If you won't stop being stubborn and talk to Elijah, then at least come have dinner with me and Freya later tonight."

Hayley shrugged. "I don't know about that," she replied. "I'd just be a third wheel."

"Third wheel implies this is a date," Keelin pointed out. "But Freya and I are not dating."

"Eh. I think I'll just stay here."

"The three of us can go as just friends. Come on, Hayley."

Hayley sighed. "Alright, fine. I'll go if it makes you stop pestering me about it."

Keelin grinned triumphantly. "Good!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together once. "I'm going to go tell Freya that I got you to cave and agree. I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, okay. Whatever," Hayley deadpanned as Keelin left the room.

Hayley made a beeline for her bed the second she heard the door close, falling down face first onto it. She really wasn't up for going out tonight, but she'd caved and told Keelin she would. She and Keelin very rarely took their plan agreements back. Hayley was stuck with this one whether she liked it or not.