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

Chapter 13 - Dangerous Games

Hayley woke up the next morning to an empty bed and faint noises that she couldn't quite place. As she rolled over, she caught sight of Keelin's back. She glanced over to Keelin's bed to find her suitcases on it and all open. Keelin was pulling her clothes out of the drawers and throwing them in haphazardly.

"What are you doing?" Hayley asked as she sat up in bed.

Keelin turned to her and smiled. "Elijah filled Freya and I in on what happened last night," she answered. "As well as about your proposition to him."

Hayley immediately knew exactly what she was referring to.

"Oh ok. So he agreed to it then?" she stated more so than asked, a small smile playing at her lips.

Keelin nodded, grinning widely. "Yep, so now we are switching rooms so that you two can keep up your dating ruse."

Hayley smiled and laid back down and Keelin turned back to her task.

"So I hear that you are falling for Elijah," Keelin said, smirking at Hayley in the mirror as she continued to pack her bags.

"What?" Hayley laughed. "Falling for? I don't know about that."

Keelin rolled her eyes. "So then you didn't tell Elijah that you were interested in someone... that he knows. Maybe... possibly."

Hayley stood up and put her hands on her hips. "How do you know about that?"

Keelin shrugged. "I definitely was not near by and listening in."

"Keelin!" Hayley exclaimed, shaking her head. "Nosy much?"

"We were walking by and I over heard you," Keelin told her, turning around to face her. "I didn't stay... for long."

Hayley sighed. "Oh, I'm sure."

Keelin giggled. "So as we were talking about first."

"Just because someone is interested in someone, it doesn't automatically mean they're falling for them."

Keelin nodded in agreement. "In most cases, yes," she replied, smiling widely. "But in your case, no."

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Hayley said, brushing past her to go to the bathroom.

"We both know that I very much do."

"Whatever. This conversation is over."

Keelin huffed. "Why won't you just admit your feelings?"

"Feelings only get you hurt," Hayley responded as she entered the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

~AllAtSea~

How she ended up in her current situation, Hayley did not know. One minute she was walking around the ship deck taking in the fresh air, and the next Jackson was there in front of her. It's like he was honest to god stalking her. Not just that, he was completely delusional. He was not just standing there... he was actually asking her to have lunch with him. What the fuck?

Hayley frowned, shaking her head. "What part of get away from me do you not understand?"

Jackson sighed. "Come on, Hayley." He flashed her a smile that made her shiver, not in fright but in disgust. "Just one lunch and that'll be that."

"As if I haven't heard that before," Hayley said, scoffing and rolling her eyes.

She knew it was stupid to agree to lunch with him. But unlike him she wasn't a total asshole. She'd have lunch with him to tell him to his face that he could go away for ever. She wouldn't drop down to his level and make him find out on his own. Not to mention, he'd most likely stick around. At least telling him off gave her a better chance of getting rid of him finally.

"Fine," Hayley said, making sure her voice conveyed her displeasure. "Just this once."

Jackson grinned.

"Literally, Jackson," Hayley hissed. "Just. This. One. Time. Once!"

"Yes, of course," he said, nodding his head before turning away to lead them to wherever they were going to eat.

Hayley immediately had a sick feeling in her gut. Somehow she already knew that this wouldn't end well. She'd regret this. Telling him to fuck off for good may not be worth whatever she felt would happen. Her gut was never wrong. But she was nothing if not daring.

Stupid at times. Like then. But daring.

~AllAtSea~

In hindsight, Hayley really should've taken the bitch route. What the hell was she thinking agreeing to lunch with her ex again? Telling him to fuck off for good to his face really wasn't worth this. Every single word that came out of his mouth pissed her off more and more. She now knew why so many people were assholes... so they could avoid bull shit situations like this one.

Pulling out her cell phone, Hayley shot Keelin a quick text telling her to meet her back in the room asap. Hayley was going to tell her all about this lunch. No secrets. It was best Keelin found out from her. She'd have a meltdown if she found out some other way.

"I only agreed to this stupid lunch to finally tell you to fuck off once and for all. I. Am. Done. With. You," Hayley hissed, glaring at him.

"Are you sure that's the only reason?" Jackson asked, reaching forward to place his hand on top of hers. "You know I still love you," he told her with a smile. "And I very much know you still love me."

Hayley scoffed and then broke out into laughter. "Love you? Wow. You really are delusional, Jackson."

As if he hadn't heard a single word that Hayley had said each time they crossed paths, Jackson said, "Come on, I'll dump Genevieve and you can dump your new boyfriend and we can finish the cruise together. Just like we should have all along."

"Last I checked, that could've been what happened, but you fucked it up!" Hayley hissed, shaking her head. "It's way too late for trying to tell me what I maybe once would've wanted to hear. I don't want that. I don't love you anymore. Move the fuck on!"

Something in Jackson and his demeanor suddenly changed. "As if that new guy could give you anything I couldn't."

"You're right."

Jackson smirked thinking he'd won.

"He can give me much more than you ever could!" Hayley told him, standing up and picking up her drink. "Stay away from me for the remainder of this cruise or I swear I will accidentally on purpose push you over board."

Extending her arm, she threw her drink in his face. She slammed the glass down on the table, offered him one last glare and then stormed off.

~AllAtSea~

After the bullshit with Jackson, Hayley took another walk around the ship deck to get her mind straight. She more than needed the fresh air. This time she meant it, she was not having any more contact with Jackson if she could help it. If he showed up, she'd turn and leave. She'd said her finally peace telling him to fuck off. That's it.

Hayley was in a horrible mood that she couldn't break out of. That is until she spotted Elijah walking her way. A smile lit up her face and she practically skipped over to him.

"Elijah! Man am I happy to see you." She grinned.

She was met with a frown from Elijah.

"Elijah..."

"I have somewhere I need to be," he told her, offering her no clue as to why he was acting how he was.

"Is everything okay?" Hayley asked, confused by how dismissive Elijah was acting towards her.

"It's fine," he replied, not sounding at all convincing.

"Elijah... what's going on?"

Elijah shook his head. "Nothing. I have to go," he said, turning and walking away quickly.

Hayley was left standing there completely clueless. What was going on? Why was he acting this way towards her? Everything was good between them after the night before. She couldn't think of any reason why he'd be acting this way. As far as she knew, nothing had happened. Had it?

~AllAtSea~

Hayley made her way back to her room wondering the whole way there what was going on. She and Elijah were on good terms one moment and then the next he was avoiding her? Something didn't add up. Seriously. What the hell was going on? She hated not knowing what changed all of a sudden.

Putting her key card into the slot, she pushed the door open and entered the room. She stopped in place when she saw Keelin there with her back turned to her.

Her bags were on the bed and she was rummaging through the drawers.

"Hey, Keelin."

She got no response in return.

"Umm... do you by chance know why Elijah is acting so strange and distant?"

Keelin turned to her and frowned, folding her arms over her chest. "I honestly can not believe that you are doing this, Hayley," Keelin seethed. "I thought you had learned your lesson and knew better."

"What?" Hayley asked completely confused, narrowing her eyes. "What are you talking about? What am I doing?"

Keelin rolled her eyes and huffed, pulling her phone out of her back pocket.

"Text? What text?" Hayley asked, sitting down on the bed.

Keelin squinted her eyes. "The one where you said that you were giving jackass another chance."

"WHAT?!" Hayley exclaimed, nearly falling off the bed; it was a good thing she was sitting down... if she'd been standing up she'd probably have fallen and hit her head or something.

Keelin frowned. "Why are you acting so surprised by this?"

"Because I am," Hayley answered, getting out of bed. "I never sent Elijah a text about getting back with Jackson."

"It came from your phone," Keelin said. "Did you lose it and Jackson got it or something somehow?"

It suddenly dawned on Hayley. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed, jumping up and running over to where her shorts she was wearing earlier laid on the floor. Picking them up and feeling in the pockets, she turned to Keelin. "My phone isn't here!"

"Where is it?"

"When I was at lunch earlier with Jackson..."

Keelin cut her off. "You were at lunch with Jackson?" she asked rhetorically. "What the hell?"

Hayley gave her a "not now" look and then continued. "When I was there with him he must've taken it from the table when I wasn't paying attention. He angered me enough that I didn't even think to make sure I had it when I stormed away."

Keelin growled, narrowing her eyes and shaking her head. "I never once believed that nice guy act of his. Not even for a second."

K growls: I never believed that nice guy act for even a second.

"Give me your phone," Hayley said already holding out her hand.

Keelin handed Hayley her phone. "What are you going to do?"

Hayley took the phone and put in Keelin's password. "Jack wants to play games like this..." Hayley hissed as she typed away at the key pad. "Let's see how he reacts when I fuck up his relationship!"

Keelin grinned. "That's my girl!"