Morning
"How was your first day, Haley-bop?" said Lydia, pouring a glass of orange juice for her daughter.
"It was full of surprises," said Haley, going in for a bite of her mother's delicious homemade pancakes.
"Good surprises?" questions a cautious Lydia, praying that her daughter will stay out of trouble.
"Well, let's just say it's nothing that I can't handle. Don't worry your pretty little brain mother," said Haley, jumping down from the high stool chair and grabbed her bag, heading off to the door.
"Haley!" Lydia runs after.
"Stay out of trouble, I know," said an annoyed Haley, rolling her eyes.
***
Haley arrives to school, keeping a watchful eye out for possible creatures lurking the campus. All of a sudden, she hears distance footsteps coming closer and closer to her. She quickly turns around in a swift motion as the boy in fronts of her quickly hands her a note.
"What is this?" questions Haley.
"The principal wants to see you," the boy said.
"Why?" said a confuse Haley.
"Maybe you're in trouble," said the boy with a thought.
"Great," Haley said, plopping down on a bench, knowing that day would come.
***
Principal's Office
In front of the principal's office - yet again, she thought. While sitting and waiting for the principal to make his or her appearance, many thoughts run through her mind. Can it be expulsion she thought? It can't, she yells in her mind. Oh god, he knows I'm a freak, she thought loudly. Great. I have no friends and I'm going to be kicked out of school. Way to go Haley! Busy thinking about the many possibilities of why the principal wants to see her, Haley was unaware that Brooke was making her way to the principal's office as well.
"Oh great, every time I see you, I'm in some type of trouble," said Brooke, coming from the hallway.
"It's Iron Man," snickers Haley.
"It's B-r-o-o-k-e," she spelled.
"I like Iron Man better," shrugs Haley.
"Fine! Trouble maker," Brooke shot back.
"Who's the trouble maker?" Lucas interrupted.
"What is this? Some type of nerd outreach program?" said Brooke.
"No, in fact, it looks like someone needs an attitude adjustment class, to adjust one's attitude," Lucas shot back.
Haley breaks out in laughter.
"What are you laughing at, trouble maker?" said Brooke, still steamed from Lucas' remarks.
Haley breaks out into more laughter.
"Yeah! What are you laughing at?" said Lucas, getting annoyed.
"Oh, I'm sorry, do I need to ask for permission to laugh from iron man and a nerd?" said Haley with a smirk.
"It's Brooke, damn it!" shouts Brooke.
"And it's Lucas, and I'm not a nerd!" Lucas shouts.
"You're such a bully!" exclaimed Brooke.
"Say that again" Lucas agrees with Brooke.
"Look at the role reversal! Iron man and nerd join forces to fight the bully - how romantic!" said Haley sarcastically, trying not to laugh any further.
Lucas and Brooke gave each other quick glances and then shrugging off a possible thought of them being together.
"Yuck" said Brooke, trying to play it off as if she was nauseous.
"Don't fake gag me. What? I'm not good enough for you?" Lucas asked Brooke.
"Honey, you do not want to know the answer," smirks Brooke.
"Maybe I do," said Lucas, moving a little closer to Brooke.
"This has been a very nice morning, but excuse me, I'm going to leave now so you guys can continue whatever this is," said Haley, referring to Lucas and Brooke's love quarrel.
"You can't leave a principal's office, that's like class A violation," said Brooke.
"What? Are you the principal's security guard or something?" said Haley.
"You're not going anywhere, Haley," said a man with a deep voice, dress in sharp attire.
"And who are----I mean, what?" stutters Haley, turning around, recognizing the man from yesterday.
The man gave Haley "the nod," suggesting her to say no more until he begins to talk.
"Are you the principal?" Brooke asks.
"Yes. My name is Dan" Dan said firmly.
"What do you want?" Lucas chimes in.
"Well, someone's aggressive this morning," said Dan, cheerily.
"If this isn't going anywhere, I'm leaving," said Haley, getting a little anxious.
"No, please sit down, all of you," said Dan.
The trio sits down.
"Are we in trouble?" Lucas wonders.
"No," smiles Dan.
"Am I?" Brooke asks.
"Surprisingly, no" smiles Dan.
Brooke and Lucas look at Haley. She's in trouble, they thought.
"Well, trouble maker, asks if you're in trouble," Brooke nudges Haley.
"Haley is not in trouble. In fact, she's a champ. You should thank her, both of you," Dan said, smiling widely.
"What?!" said Brooke and Lucas in unison.
"You guys have no recollection of what happened yesterday, do you?" Dan questions.
"What happened yesterday? Did I miss a sale?" said Brooke, looking very clueless.
Haley shook her head.
"How was Biology class Brooke?" asks Dan, hoping to trigger a memory.
"I went to class. And I fell asleep for the entire period…I think. But when I woke up, my head hurts and then I saw troublemaker, standing across the room. It was dark. It was all a blur," said Brooke, patting the side of her head.
"What about you?" said Dan, directing his question to Lucas.
"…I remember I was in class and then suddenly a loud scream came from the hallway. All the students stormed out to see what the fuss was about. And someone told me to go to the bathroom to hide out. I fell asleep for a good hour…" said Lucas, his forehead crinkle, trying to think if he left anything else out.
"Who was that someone that grabbed your arm and told you to hide out in the bathroom, Lucas?" said Dan. "Think hard"
Lucas thinks and he came to a realization.
"Got an answer?" Dan asks.
"That someone was troublemaker," said Lucas.
"She's not a troublemaker," Dan corrected. "She's a slayer."
"A what?" Brooke and Lucas shout in unison.
"Look, why are you doing this?" said Haley, standing up.
"I'm your watcher and I'm here to protect you," said Dan, firmly.
"Look, you're not my anything. And I don't need you to protect me," said Haley loudly. "Your job is harder than it looks. You need me," said Dan.
"What job? This is not my job. My job is to be a daughter, a student, and a friend. Not some crazy freak that runs around fighting dead people," Haley shot back, heading towards the door.
"Haley, do not walk out that door," Dan demands.
"What are you going to do? Fight me?" questions an aggressive Haley.
"No, but I know those who wouldn't mind a great fight," said Dan, referring to the unnamed creatures.
"Look, you're wasting your time. I'm not the one you want. I don't have what it takes. This whole gig was just a hobby for me, okay? Let's drop it," said Haley, trying to remain calm.
"This gig is your destiny. It's your calling," said Dan.
"Stop it!" Haley shouts.
"The truth is Haley, I wish you didn't have to do this. But you can still be all those things – a daughter, a student and a friend on top of saving the world. You're the chosen one," said Dan, calmly.
Haley falls down on her chair, trying to breathe.
"I can't save everyone. I'm just a girl," said Haley, feeling that a million of things falling on her shoulders.
"Not any ordinary girl. A girl with extraordinary powers," Dan corrected.
Haley sits there quietly. While Brooke and Lucas sit there with a million of questions running through their mind. Powers? Dead people? This must be a dream, they thought.
"Can I say something?" Brooke questions.
"Shoot," Dan said.
"She has powers?" Brooke pointed at Haley.
Dan nods.
Brooke gets a little scared.
"Look, Mr. principal, I don't know what this is between you and this powerful girl but why am I here? And what's the nerd doing here? Not that I care…" said Brooke, rolling her eyes.
Dan remains silence. And then he finally finds the courage to speak.
"I don't know how to break it to you guys but first of all you guys should consider yourself---" said Dan, finding himself losing his train of thought.
"Consider ourselves what?" Lucas finishes.
"Special agents" Dan answers.
"What are you trying to say?" Lucas questions, feeling absolutely frustrated.
Brooke has a sudden thought then all of a sudden she goes into a hysterical state, knowing what Dan is insinuating.
"Oh my god! You want us to be secret agents for troublemaker!" Brooke shouts.
"Something like that" said Dan, giving an exciting nod.
"NO!" Haley shouts.
"They know. It's a rule. It's stated in the book," stated Dan.
"I am not going to ask them to sacrifice their lives for this because they know. I can handle this. This is my own problem. And it is not your concern," said a stern Haley.
"I'm your watcher!" shouts Dan.
"That's right. You are just my watcher. Not my father," said Haley, storming out of the office.
"Is she always that stubborn?" asks Dan.
"Yes!" Brooke and Lucas shouted.
"Look, Mr. Principal…I'm very flatter that you have consider me as one of troublemaker's secret agents but I can't accept the offer. I'm sorry but you would have to find an replacement," Brooke said seriously.
"Brooke, I would love to accept your apology but I can't. You were there when it happen. You witnessed it and now you know this other world exists, so you're apart of it now," said Dan.
"How much does it pay?" Lucas asks, curiously.
"It pays more than you can imagine," Dan smiles.
"How much are you talking about?" Brooke asks, suddenly interested.
"Good karma. Generous income huh?" Dan smiles widely.
"Karma, is that grave lingo that means money?" Brooke smiles.
***
Lunch period
Haley sits at the lunch table quietly; accompanying her was a bottle of water and a plate of salad. She takes a look around the cafeteria. All her peers are enjoying a life as a teenager whereas she has to make a choice. Not a normal choice like picking a dress to go to the prom but a choice to give up prom. While, Haley drifts off into her own little world, two shadows unexpectedly approach her and messed up her little daydream. Haley looks up, letting out an irritable sigh.
"If you guys are here to tell me, you guys don't want to be my secret agents, I completely understand. So…okay! Thank you! And goodbye!" said Haley, softly.
Brooke and Lucas sit down at the lunch table.
"What is this? An intervention?" asks Haley, a little confuse of why the two is still here.
"We would love to be your secret agents!" Brooke and Lucas said softly.
Haley is speechless.
"W-hh-aatt?" said a stun Haley.
"Dan explains it to us," said Lucas.
"Explain what? That you guys will get killed. Look, I'm pleased that you and Iron man want to do this but you guys don't have what it takes so I suggest you both ka-boom and disappear," said Haley firmly.
Brooke and Lucas bop their heads, signaling a no.
"What do you guys want exactly?" Haley said, giving in.
"To patrol," said Brooke and Lucas in excitement.
"Oh no!" Haley shook her head.
***
Tric's
"So that wrinkly thing we saw in Biology class? He was really a…" asks Brooke.
"Yes, Iron man. He didn't need sunscreen. More of facelift," said Haley.
"Wow, I can't believe I saw a…," said Brooke, still amazed.
"That surprise look isn't going to fight you demons, so toughen up!" said Haley.
"Demons?" Brooke gulps.
"Demons, vampires, goblins, ghosts," said Haley.
"So what is your job description exactly?" Lucas asks.
"Anything that looks like its from the dead, we ax!" Haley exclaimed.
"Got it!" Brooke and Lucas said together.
Sipping on fake margaritas, Brooke, Lucas and Haley are enjoying their time together. They were sophomores, embarking on a journey together to save the world. That must be some kind of an accomplishment. For Brooke, anyway. Even if she isn't really the one doing the fighting, she felt good knowing that she is helping in some way or form. Lucas believes this was a start of a wonderful friendship.
At Tric, everyone look like they are having the time of their lives when suddenly a loud horrendous scream comes echoing into the room. Haley's attention quickly sense there is trouble. She and the gang quickly bolt out the door to check for clues.
"Brooke and Lucas, check the alley that way. I'll go this way," Haley demands.
"Okay," said Lucas.
"Hey, she said our names!" Brooke said, joyfully.
"This is your concern right now? We get to slay some demons. Let's see some excitement," said Lucas, proudly.
"Nerd!" Brooke teases.
Haley patrols the left alley. All of a sudden, she hits the brake and stand there still. She senses someone is following her. She quickly makes a jump on the wired fence and hangs on there. Hanging on top, Haley sees a guy dressed in a leather jacket hoodie. It seems as though the guy is coming out from a hiding, as if he hiding from someone. Then, swiftly, Haley jumps down from the wired fence, landing in front of the guy, leaving him astonished.
"Looking for me?" said Haley.
"Don't flatter yourself, miss" said the guy.
"Well, you were looking for somebody," Haley said slyly.
"Not you," the guy said bluntly.
"If you're looking for a meal, here's the deal. I'm having a nice night tonight, and I don't want to get my hands dirty so I'll give you three seconds to disappear or else it is going to get ugly" said Haley, giving him a fiery stare.
"You have such a big attitude for such a little girl," said the guy.
He is indeed impressed by her confidence.
"I don't do small talk. So, let's start the countdown, shall we? 1-2…" said Haley, starting to count.
"What happens at three?" said the guy with a big grin.
"Trust me, you don't want to know," Haley smirks.
"Try me," he whispers.
Something about the way he leans in and softly murmurs those two words tingles Haley's spine.
"This…" Haley answers, tackling him against the wired fenced with tremendous force.
"Ouch. Is this how you treat people on a daily basis?" the guy asks, soothing his back.
"Hold on, aren't you ummm….like dead" said Haley, trying to figure out if he was human or the other kind.
"I'm about to be dead if you don't stop hitting me woman," said the guy.
"I thought you were…never mind, sorry!" said Haley, embarrassed.
"That's all I get? A lame sorry?" the guy asks.
"Oh c'mon. Don't be such a whiny. What do you want? Fries with that?" said Haley, making her way out from the dark alley.
"Not really. Something I can remember, like your name," the guy smiles, trailing behind Haley.
"Name is Haley, and stop following me, follow-er,"said Haley, playfully, finally making her way out of the dark alley.
"Mine's Nathan!" he shouts.
Nathan blows out a sigh of fresh air, wondering if his cover was blown.
"Whew…that was close!" Nathan sighs.
***
Author's Note:
Wow I am so happy to hear that everyone is liking the story so far! Thank you so very much to hottie23, saderia, Nathan VS Edward, Shelley, and RedRoom323 for all your kind and awesome reviews!!! It is deeply appreciated and hope you guys continue to review and tell me what you guys think =) I deeply apologized for the long awaited chapter. But I hope you guys enjoy as I have much fun writing it. Thank you again!