Chapter
One
Thirteen years later.
"Happy Birthday sweetheart!" Jane said placing a plate with a cake on it made from pancakes, topped with strawberry, whipped cream and fourteen lit candles in the middle, on the table. Flowers adorned the plate. Three black roses to be exact. A fly buzzed around the roses.
Hailey's eyes followed it. She raised her hand and smacked it bringing it to the wooden table. When she raised her hand again, the fly twitched a few times then died. Hailey put her hand to her mouth and ate the fly. She was licking the guts of the palm of her hand when Jane said,
"Now, now, now! Don't spoil your appetite!" Jane waved her finger at Hailey.
"I'm hungry." Hailey said dryly.
"That's why I made this big breakfast and lunch for you." Jane said pointing to the pancakes and a suitcase filled with food.
Hailey looked at the pancakes. (You've got to be kidding me.)
Jane handed Hailey a knife.
"Is this my gift?" Hailey asked getting excited.
"No, silly goose! You have to cut the cake with this!" Jane said patting Hailey on the shoulder.
(Send my world crashing to hell why don't you!) Hailey thought. Hailey cut the first piece into her "cake."
"I wonder who the first piece of cake is going to?" Jane said anxiously.
Hailey put the "cake" on a saucer and stared at it for a while. She had a hungry look in her eyes. Jane's hands were stretched out in front of her, waiting for Hailey to give her the plate. Instead, Hailey brought the plate to her mouth and started eating the "cake."
"You goddamn voracious mother fucker!" Jane exclaimed.
"Oh. Sorry, we're you hungry?" Hailey asked dryly.
"Forget it! Just get your ass in the damn car!" Jane said angrily.
(Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning!) Hailey thought.
"Hurry up! You can't afford to be late for your first day of school!" Jane argued
"Alright, alright!" Hailey said. She rolled her eyes as she threw her backpack on her back and picked up her suitcase full of food.
Hailey put her bags in the back trunk and sat in the front seat of Jane's old Volkswagen. Jane was having trouble starting the car.
"Start you worthless piece of shit!" Jane shouted
After Hailey had put on her seat belt, she saw Jane struggling. Hailey leaned forward and slapped the dashboard as hard as she could. Like magic, the car started. "Say it now."
Jane slowly turned her head towards Hailey. "Thank you." She muttered. Jane put the car in reverse and backed down the driveway onto the dirt road. Jane drove straight through the forest and into the city. Jane and Hailey hardly ever went into the city. They didn't mix with people very well. Especially Jane when she had her mood swings.
Traffic wasn't too bad. It was just a bunch of stupid machines polluting the air. Some were ugly, some kept braking down on the street, and others kept getting in your way. Hailey was brought back to reality by Jane's loud horn. At first she just thought the stupid thing had gone awry again. But Jane was honking madly at a car that had cut in front of them.
"This damn ass! Why the hell did he have to cut in front of me! And now the bastard won't move!" Jane shouted
Hailey sighed as she unbuckled her seatbelt. She got out of the car (on the freeway) and walked to the man's car. She tapped on the glass. The man screwed down his glass and asked,
"May I help you?" his voice was shaky. He had bushy eyebrows and big brown eyes. A few freckles on his white face, and a baldhead. He was short and had a horrible taste in clothes.
Hailey folded her arms across her chest, took a deep breath and said, "Hey."
"Do, I, know, you?" the man asked. Hailey could see the fear in his eyes. She was used to people being afraid of her. She liked it. "No, and thank God too!" she said "What do you want from me?" the man begged. "Nothing. But do you see my mom over there?" Hailey pointed to Jane who still rowing in the car. "She would really like it, if you moved into another lane, before she hurts me and you." "Why would she hurt you?" the man asked. "Because I'm there. Don't comment. So will you?" Hailey said. "And no she does not abuse me, but thank you for caring." The man closed his mouth. He was about to ask that, but Hailey had already answered the question before he could ask it. So he just nodded nervously and switched to another lane.
"I'm so glad that we had this beautiful conversation." Hailey muttered, unfolding her arms. She walked back to the car and got in. Jane was still arguing. A line of cars honked their horns behind them. "The jerk is gone now." "Huh? What happened?" Jane asked. "I straightened him out. At first he was a jerk to me and he had an attitude, but I still stayed in the game anyway." Hailey lied. "That's my girl! Tough as nails! Never let anyone get you down!" Jane said patting Hailey on the back. "Can we go now? The people behind us are losing their patience." Hailey said. "Oh right." Jane said over the loud honking. Jane pulled off and drove smoothly until she came close to the man that was in front of her. The man was still in shock from his encounter with Hailey. Unfortunately Jane saw him. So she screwed down her window and honked her horn until she got his attention. The man was too afraid to look, because he knew who it is. "Hey! I'm this way! Learn to drive you road hog!" Jane yelled waving her fists out of the window at him. Then she sped up and drove in the middle of the road making it impossible for anyone to go around her. (Why the hell didn't she give me the knife when she had the chance?) Hailey thought. "I can't stand bad drivers." Jane said slapping the steering wheel. Jane swerved around another car and cursed the driver. Hailey thought she would never get to school, alive. Jane's foul mouth and bad driving, no air-condition, only one window can go down, (and even that was a struggle), and to add to the list of misery, there was only one radio station, which was in Spanish, would make anyone crazy, except Hailey. She lived for pain and misery. Hailey is not exactly rich. Her and Jane are quite poor, but she did not care. As long as she had clothes on her back and shoes on her feet, Hailey was satisfied. The car pulled to a stop in front of St. Mary's School. "Juvenile Hall looks better than this!" Hailey muttered. "Oh come on now Hai, Hai! It's not that bad!" Jane said rubbing Hailey's shoulder. "You're right. Medusa looks better than this hell whole that we're forced to call a school. The exact place where they rotten your minds with useless junk and try and they try to discipline you when they're actually torturing you day after day!" Hailey replied. "That's the spirit!" Jane rejoiced "Spirit?" Hailey accused looking at Jane. "Oh sorry. Anyway see you at 3:10." Jane replied. "Make it 3:00 and ten seconds." Hailey said getting out of the car. Hailey got her suitcase and backpack out of the back trunk. She slammed the door and the car cut off. "Just my luck!" Jane shouted "Sorry." Hailey called. "Oh well bye." Hailey threw her backpack and pulled up the handle on the suitcase. She looked up at her new school. It wasn't much different. Kids running all over the place, teachers and parents arguing in the parking lot, some kids were even sneaking a cigarette on the side of the school. Hailey trudged up the school steps. She stopped and sat on one. Then she dug into her backpack for her reading book. No luck. She was about to look again, when a short girl with medium length chestnut brown hair came up to her. "Hi. My name is Lila McDonald," she said. "Why?" Hailey asked looking up at the cloudless sky. "Well, that's what my parents named me." Lila replied. "No, I mean why did you bother me." Hailey said. "Well I've learned from experience that the ones alone are either waiting on their friends or aren't popular." Lila answered "Are you trying to dis me?" Hailey asked. "No. I'm just stating a fact." Lila said. "Is that so? Well you are right. I'm not popular, and I never want to be. I like solitude. I have no friends, neither so I see the need. DTA, I always say." "What's that?" Lily asked inquisitively. "Don't Trust Anyone. It's my motto." Hailey replied "True. So can I sit here?" Lila pointed to the empty space next to Hailey. "Whatever." Hailey said. "Just don't sit on my imaginary friend. Move Margie! Don't worry about it, I'll explain later." Lila looked at Hailey curiously. "Are you gonna sit or what?" Hailey asked with an attitude. Lila put her bag down on a step. Slowly, she sat down next to Hailey. "God your fat." Hailey commented. "Thanks. I didn't know." Lila argued. "You're welcome. "Hailey said sarcastically. "So are you new here?" Lila said after a long period of silence. "Yea, what's it to you?" Hailey answered. "Oh nothing. I was just trying to make conversation." Lila replied innocently. Again they both fell into a deep silence. "Fine you want something to talk about? Tell me about yourself. Starting with your age and a little background information. Not like I really care but if it'll give you something to do." Hailey said. Lila fidgeted with her fingers, took a deep breath then said, "Well I am originally from Eastville, we moved to WestHill for a while, but it didn't work out so I ran away and came back to Eastville." "Wow a fugitive." Hailey laughed. "Ha, ha. Anyway. I got tired of them making fun of me so I left and that's why I'm here in Eastville." Lila explained. "You look really shy." Hailey said "I am" Lila replied looking a little embarrassed. "Look. I just never care for friends. Like I said before, I don't have any friends nor do I see the need for them. They're only trouble. Plus, just when you think you have them figured out, they change." Hailey said. "Who told you that?" Lila asked. "Jane." Hailey said. "Who's that?" Hailey asked. "My mum." Hailey said. Lila looked at Hailey appalled. She had never heard anyone call their mother by their first name before She was about to open her mouth to say something, when someone shouted her name. Lila spun her head around to see her best friend Lorene jogging towards them. "Lila you're back! Come on everyone's waiting!" Lorene exclaimed. "Go on I'm sure you're friends are waiting for you." Hailey said when Lila glanced at her. "Okay, you're a Goth aren't you?" Lila asked. "You already forgot rule one. I like solitude!" Hailey said digging in her bag for her book. This time she succeeded. She buried her nose in book and read while Lila got up feeling puzzled. "I only wanted someone to talk to." Lila said confused. "Well that wish came true. There is your friend. Go and talk to her!" Hailey said pointing to Lorene who seemed to only be interested in the return of Lila. Lila and Lorene left laughing and talking about old times. "Thank you Lord!" Hailey muttered.
One
Thirteen years later.
"Happy Birthday sweetheart!" Jane said placing a plate with a cake on it made from pancakes, topped with strawberry, whipped cream and fourteen lit candles in the middle, on the table. Flowers adorned the plate. Three black roses to be exact. A fly buzzed around the roses.
Hailey's eyes followed it. She raised her hand and smacked it bringing it to the wooden table. When she raised her hand again, the fly twitched a few times then died. Hailey put her hand to her mouth and ate the fly. She was licking the guts of the palm of her hand when Jane said,
"Now, now, now! Don't spoil your appetite!" Jane waved her finger at Hailey.
"I'm hungry." Hailey said dryly.
"That's why I made this big breakfast and lunch for you." Jane said pointing to the pancakes and a suitcase filled with food.
Hailey looked at the pancakes. (You've got to be kidding me.)
Jane handed Hailey a knife.
"Is this my gift?" Hailey asked getting excited.
"No, silly goose! You have to cut the cake with this!" Jane said patting Hailey on the shoulder.
(Send my world crashing to hell why don't you!) Hailey thought. Hailey cut the first piece into her "cake."
"I wonder who the first piece of cake is going to?" Jane said anxiously.
Hailey put the "cake" on a saucer and stared at it for a while. She had a hungry look in her eyes. Jane's hands were stretched out in front of her, waiting for Hailey to give her the plate. Instead, Hailey brought the plate to her mouth and started eating the "cake."
"You goddamn voracious mother fucker!" Jane exclaimed.
"Oh. Sorry, we're you hungry?" Hailey asked dryly.
"Forget it! Just get your ass in the damn car!" Jane said angrily.
(Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning!) Hailey thought.
"Hurry up! You can't afford to be late for your first day of school!" Jane argued
"Alright, alright!" Hailey said. She rolled her eyes as she threw her backpack on her back and picked up her suitcase full of food.
Hailey put her bags in the back trunk and sat in the front seat of Jane's old Volkswagen. Jane was having trouble starting the car.
"Start you worthless piece of shit!" Jane shouted
After Hailey had put on her seat belt, she saw Jane struggling. Hailey leaned forward and slapped the dashboard as hard as she could. Like magic, the car started. "Say it now."
Jane slowly turned her head towards Hailey. "Thank you." She muttered. Jane put the car in reverse and backed down the driveway onto the dirt road. Jane drove straight through the forest and into the city. Jane and Hailey hardly ever went into the city. They didn't mix with people very well. Especially Jane when she had her mood swings.
Traffic wasn't too bad. It was just a bunch of stupid machines polluting the air. Some were ugly, some kept braking down on the street, and others kept getting in your way. Hailey was brought back to reality by Jane's loud horn. At first she just thought the stupid thing had gone awry again. But Jane was honking madly at a car that had cut in front of them.
"This damn ass! Why the hell did he have to cut in front of me! And now the bastard won't move!" Jane shouted
Hailey sighed as she unbuckled her seatbelt. She got out of the car (on the freeway) and walked to the man's car. She tapped on the glass. The man screwed down his glass and asked,
"May I help you?" his voice was shaky. He had bushy eyebrows and big brown eyes. A few freckles on his white face, and a baldhead. He was short and had a horrible taste in clothes.
Hailey folded her arms across her chest, took a deep breath and said, "Hey."
"Do, I, know, you?" the man asked. Hailey could see the fear in his eyes. She was used to people being afraid of her. She liked it. "No, and thank God too!" she said "What do you want from me?" the man begged. "Nothing. But do you see my mom over there?" Hailey pointed to Jane who still rowing in the car. "She would really like it, if you moved into another lane, before she hurts me and you." "Why would she hurt you?" the man asked. "Because I'm there. Don't comment. So will you?" Hailey said. "And no she does not abuse me, but thank you for caring." The man closed his mouth. He was about to ask that, but Hailey had already answered the question before he could ask it. So he just nodded nervously and switched to another lane.
"I'm so glad that we had this beautiful conversation." Hailey muttered, unfolding her arms. She walked back to the car and got in. Jane was still arguing. A line of cars honked their horns behind them. "The jerk is gone now." "Huh? What happened?" Jane asked. "I straightened him out. At first he was a jerk to me and he had an attitude, but I still stayed in the game anyway." Hailey lied. "That's my girl! Tough as nails! Never let anyone get you down!" Jane said patting Hailey on the back. "Can we go now? The people behind us are losing their patience." Hailey said. "Oh right." Jane said over the loud honking. Jane pulled off and drove smoothly until she came close to the man that was in front of her. The man was still in shock from his encounter with Hailey. Unfortunately Jane saw him. So she screwed down her window and honked her horn until she got his attention. The man was too afraid to look, because he knew who it is. "Hey! I'm this way! Learn to drive you road hog!" Jane yelled waving her fists out of the window at him. Then she sped up and drove in the middle of the road making it impossible for anyone to go around her. (Why the hell didn't she give me the knife when she had the chance?) Hailey thought. "I can't stand bad drivers." Jane said slapping the steering wheel. Jane swerved around another car and cursed the driver. Hailey thought she would never get to school, alive. Jane's foul mouth and bad driving, no air-condition, only one window can go down, (and even that was a struggle), and to add to the list of misery, there was only one radio station, which was in Spanish, would make anyone crazy, except Hailey. She lived for pain and misery. Hailey is not exactly rich. Her and Jane are quite poor, but she did not care. As long as she had clothes on her back and shoes on her feet, Hailey was satisfied. The car pulled to a stop in front of St. Mary's School. "Juvenile Hall looks better than this!" Hailey muttered. "Oh come on now Hai, Hai! It's not that bad!" Jane said rubbing Hailey's shoulder. "You're right. Medusa looks better than this hell whole that we're forced to call a school. The exact place where they rotten your minds with useless junk and try and they try to discipline you when they're actually torturing you day after day!" Hailey replied. "That's the spirit!" Jane rejoiced "Spirit?" Hailey accused looking at Jane. "Oh sorry. Anyway see you at 3:10." Jane replied. "Make it 3:00 and ten seconds." Hailey said getting out of the car. Hailey got her suitcase and backpack out of the back trunk. She slammed the door and the car cut off. "Just my luck!" Jane shouted "Sorry." Hailey called. "Oh well bye." Hailey threw her backpack and pulled up the handle on the suitcase. She looked up at her new school. It wasn't much different. Kids running all over the place, teachers and parents arguing in the parking lot, some kids were even sneaking a cigarette on the side of the school. Hailey trudged up the school steps. She stopped and sat on one. Then she dug into her backpack for her reading book. No luck. She was about to look again, when a short girl with medium length chestnut brown hair came up to her. "Hi. My name is Lila McDonald," she said. "Why?" Hailey asked looking up at the cloudless sky. "Well, that's what my parents named me." Lila replied. "No, I mean why did you bother me." Hailey said. "Well I've learned from experience that the ones alone are either waiting on their friends or aren't popular." Lila answered "Are you trying to dis me?" Hailey asked. "No. I'm just stating a fact." Lila said. "Is that so? Well you are right. I'm not popular, and I never want to be. I like solitude. I have no friends, neither so I see the need. DTA, I always say." "What's that?" Lily asked inquisitively. "Don't Trust Anyone. It's my motto." Hailey replied "True. So can I sit here?" Lila pointed to the empty space next to Hailey. "Whatever." Hailey said. "Just don't sit on my imaginary friend. Move Margie! Don't worry about it, I'll explain later." Lila looked at Hailey curiously. "Are you gonna sit or what?" Hailey asked with an attitude. Lila put her bag down on a step. Slowly, she sat down next to Hailey. "God your fat." Hailey commented. "Thanks. I didn't know." Lila argued. "You're welcome. "Hailey said sarcastically. "So are you new here?" Lila said after a long period of silence. "Yea, what's it to you?" Hailey answered. "Oh nothing. I was just trying to make conversation." Lila replied innocently. Again they both fell into a deep silence. "Fine you want something to talk about? Tell me about yourself. Starting with your age and a little background information. Not like I really care but if it'll give you something to do." Hailey said. Lila fidgeted with her fingers, took a deep breath then said, "Well I am originally from Eastville, we moved to WestHill for a while, but it didn't work out so I ran away and came back to Eastville." "Wow a fugitive." Hailey laughed. "Ha, ha. Anyway. I got tired of them making fun of me so I left and that's why I'm here in Eastville." Lila explained. "You look really shy." Hailey said "I am" Lila replied looking a little embarrassed. "Look. I just never care for friends. Like I said before, I don't have any friends nor do I see the need for them. They're only trouble. Plus, just when you think you have them figured out, they change." Hailey said. "Who told you that?" Lila asked. "Jane." Hailey said. "Who's that?" Hailey asked. "My mum." Hailey said. Lila looked at Hailey appalled. She had never heard anyone call their mother by their first name before She was about to open her mouth to say something, when someone shouted her name. Lila spun her head around to see her best friend Lorene jogging towards them. "Lila you're back! Come on everyone's waiting!" Lorene exclaimed. "Go on I'm sure you're friends are waiting for you." Hailey said when Lila glanced at her. "Okay, you're a Goth aren't you?" Lila asked. "You already forgot rule one. I like solitude!" Hailey said digging in her bag for her book. This time she succeeded. She buried her nose in book and read while Lila got up feeling puzzled. "I only wanted someone to talk to." Lila said confused. "Well that wish came true. There is your friend. Go and talk to her!" Hailey said pointing to Lorene who seemed to only be interested in the return of Lila. Lila and Lorene left laughing and talking about old times. "Thank you Lord!" Hailey muttered.