Truth & Promises
On a day in the chilly and wet weather of September 2007, there was a girl getting ready to go to school. Her name was Haley Jans Hammer. She was 15 years old and was in her second year at Halifax High School. Her first class of the day was English. She loved English so she always got to school early to get the best seat in the class room. Once she got breakfast for her family and herself, Haley ate in a rush. She then went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and brush her hair.
"I look cute today," Haley said to herself while looking in the mirror in her bathroom.
"Why are you wearing that Haley?" Jacob, her brother, said in disgust when she came downstairs. Jacob always distasted everything Haley wore. That's what little brothers did.
"I want to, snob," Haley replied.
"Guys, come on now be nice to each other," their father, Helios said.
"You look very nice sweetie don't listen to your bother, like always," Cameron said, their other father.
"Thanks dad, I'm going to school now love you," Haley replied to her
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Truth & Promises
parents. She picked up her bag, went to go kiss her fathers on the cheek and headed out the door waving on her way out. She went to the end of the street where she always picked up the early #8 bus to go to school. Every day when waiting for the bus she wondered why she had two dads. All her friends didn't and none of the other kids in school did though Haley wasn't absolutely positive.
"I must ask them tonight why I have two fathers; it's bothering me because I always thought you needed a man and a woman to have a kid. I guess you don't have to, I'm proof of that, aren't I?" Haley thought to herself.
By the time Haley had finished her thought, the bus had arrived, so she got on it and went straight to the back like always so she could do her homework in peace. Fifteen minutes later she was putting her binder back in her bag and getting off the bus. She walked up the driveway where all the parents drop of their kids in the morning. Haley noticed that there were only a few cars in the lot this morning which was weird because most morning's there are a lot. She pondered this while looking for a teacher. After a minute or two, she found Mr. Miles.
"Hi Mr. Miles, how are you today?" Haley asked.
"I'm well Haley, thank you for asking," Mr. Miles answered
"Um, one question Mr. Miles. Where is everyone? Normally there are more cars here in the morning when I get here."
"Well Haley, it turns out that it's only eight o'clock not 8:30 like it normally is when you get here," Mr. Miles replied.
"Oh it is? I thought it was 8:30, I guess I'm off balanced today. But my parents didn't say it was 8. Oh well, thanks Mr. Miles, I'll just go play on the playground." Haley said, shocked also wondering why Mr. Miles would know the exact time she got there in the morning. She then skipped off to the playground hoping that one of her friends would come soon. By the time that she would normally be at school, her friends came off the late #8 bus. When the bell didn't ring five minutes later, her closest friend Jamie Kim asked:
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Truth & Promises
"Haley why didn't the bell ring, it normally does like five minutes after we get off the bus?"
"Because it's only 8:30, I guess all the kids and bus drivers are off balanced today ha ha ha," Haley replied.
"Oh okay, yeah I guess everybody is, ha ha ha," said Jessica Gabon, one of Haley's friends. "Great, now we have to wait for a half an hour. Swell. So what did you do on the weekend Haley?" Amanda Jodry asked, figuring that they might as well talk about their weekends to pass the time.
"Well Amanda, I didn't do much. I went to my practice and I, um, got something done. You?" Haley replied to her other friend Amanda.
"Sounds like fun. What do you mean that you had a practice?" Amanda said and asked, "You don't normally have ringette practices on the weekend."
"Well I had cheerleading practice, did I not tell you I do cheerleading."
"You do? Since when?" all three asked.
"Last year, I guess I was embarrassed to tell you but that's why everybody knows us. You should try out guys," Haley replied.
"What? Be a cheerleader?" Amanda asked.
"Okay, when are tryouts?" they all asked, thinking that it would be fun.
"Tomorrow after school," said Haley.
Jamie, Amanda and Jessica were all shocked that their best friend did cheerleading and didn't tell them. They felt sort of hurt because they thought they were best buds. But of course not many people knew that she was a perfect A+ student, especially in English. They were all thinking what they were going to do at the tryouts when Haley interrupted their thoughts by saying:
"Oh right, I'm also captain. I guess the coach thought I was really good."
"What you're the captain too?" Jamie asked. "I wish you told us this because I think I speak for all three of us when I say that we were wondering why everyone knew us and hang around us when you're so smart."
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Truth & Promises
"Awe thanks Jamie. Yes I should've told you, but now you know and you guys are going to try out, right?" Haley asked.
"Yes, it will be fun," all three of them replied at the same time.
"Wait a minute lets go back to when I asked you what you did over the weekend. I think I remember you said that you got something done. What did you have done Haley" Amanda asked in curiosity.
"Well, I, um, have a secret. Just don't tell anyone this okay?"
"Okay, we promise," they all said together wondering what on earth she had done that they would have to keep it a secret.
"I got my belly button pierced," she said
"What? You got your belly button pierced? Are you crazy? How'd you do it, don't you need an adult to have it done?" Jessica said. All three girls had shocked expressions on their faces, Jamie and Amanda agreed with Jessica that Haley was crazy.
"Yes I did and yes I am kind of crazy. Yes you do need an adult, I got Amanda to take me and say that she was my guardian and it worked but she didn't say anything to my parents," Haley replied, hoping that her sister would keep her promise too.
The bell rang then. They all went inside and went to their classes: Haley went to English, Amanda and Jamie went to History and Jessica went Biology. In English that day, the class wrote a short story and they had to stand up in the front of the class and read it out loud. Haley did hers on a dog that she found in the woods. The story was not real.
They got through ten more people after Haley went, then the teacher said that they could read for the rest of the class. Haley dug out her Harry Potter book and started reading. She got to the part where Harry, Ron and Professor Lockhart got to the Chamber of Secrets when the bell rang for them to go to their second class. She had Math with Mrs. Jones, who was really strict but everyone liked her because she was strict but she was nice at times too. One good thing about having Math was that the four girls had it together.
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Truth & Promises
They all sat together in the back so they could talk for once. They were talking about what routines they were going to do in the tryouts.
"There are a few moves that you have to do and I'll teach them to you at lunch but other than that make up the routine tonight and remember it, obliviously," Haley said.
"Okay I'm going to do mine to Fergalicious," Amanda said.
"I'm doing mine to Money Maker," Jessica said.
"I just want to get in. Your teaching us what we need today right?" Jamie asked.
"Yes, I will. See you guys tomorrow."
~ 8 ~
