A plinking sound made Haley frown in her half asleep, half awake state. Rolling over, she opened her eyes trying to decipher where the sound had come from. It came again and the frown deepened.

Eventually, once her thoughts had straightened out, she clambered out of her bed and went to her balcony. Pulling back the curtain, she found Jace standing in his doorway. In his hand was a bag of M&Ms and the source of the noise. Smiling, he threw another piece of candy, adding to the collection.

Sleepily, she opened the door and leaned against the frame.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I wanted to be the one that woke you up at least once." He raised the bag. "I also wasn't in possession of a hacky sack."

"Are you admitting to the fact that you woke up before me just so you could be the one to wake me up?"

He shrugged. "Possibly."

Haley couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. Jace frowned at it mockingly.

"Careful, Haley Day. That smile might make me think that you mildly tolerate me."

"Well, don't get a swelled head, I only barely tolerate you."

Laughing, Jace popped an M&M into his mouth and turned back to his room.

"Jace," Haley said.

He looked at her expectantly.

"Put on a shirt."

In response, he flexed every muscle in his torso and arms. 

"Now why would I do that?" he smirked.

Fighting back a laugh, Haley closed her curtains and got ready for the day. The house was oddly silent as she stepped out of her room. Cautious of what she would find, she made her way to the kitchen. Instead of discovering her parents drinking coffee and ignoring each other as she expected, she found her mother alone. The coffee was gurgling and the strong scent filled the room. As Haley walked over to grab a cup, her mother looked up from her phone.

"Hi, honey," she said. "How'd you sleep?"

"Fine. Where's dad?"

Haley didn't know whether it was intentional or not, but her mother turned away from her, reaching for the coffee pot.

"He left early for work," she said, her back to Haley.

For a brief moment, Haley felt all her questions bubbling up to the surface, ready to explode into the air. But she managed to swallow down the torrent of words, stifling the emotions that occupied them. When her mother faced her again, there was a smile on her lips.

"So," she said, "April has a daughter that goes to school with you." Something other than worry and stress brightened her mother's eyes. "She said that prom is coming up soon."

Haley took a second to respond, her mind having a hard time shifting from the chaos of her thoughts to the simplicity of high school.

"Yeah, it's in three weeks."

"I know that you would have done this with Lettie," her mother said, something hesitant in her voice. "But since she can't be here, I was wondering if you wanted me to take you dress shopping?"

The question stumped Haley. She hadn't planned on going and she hadn't even thought about her mother wanting to be part of the prom process. Her rejection was on the tip of her lips but was halted at the smile her mother wore. It was hopeful.

"I hadn't planned on going to prom," Haley said, she glanced at the ground. "I haven't been asked and I don't think I will be."

"You don't need a date to go to prom, sweetie. A girl can be strong and independent even going to prom."

"Yeah, but..." Haley gave an awkward shrug. "I don't know who I would hang out with."

Something in her mother's face softened with understanding.

"Honey, I know Lettie was the main person you hung out with, but aren't there others you know? What about the kids you're working with on this school project?"

Jace and Isaac popped into Haley's mind.

"I don't know if we would be called friends, we just work together."

"I understand. Well, just know that if you change your mind about dressing shopping, I would love to take you."

Something in Haley's chest lightened. She found herself wanting to say yes, just for the simple reason she would have time with her mother. Before she could let the declaration out, her mother stepped towards her and kissed her forehead.

"I'll see you later. Have a good day at school."

She left, leaving behind the sweet scent of perfume. As Haley went through the motions of getting breakfast and eating, she played out what it would be like to go to prom. The image was not one she cared for, it involved her standing alone as usual.

Though there was something that sparked in her mind. One of the previous times she had been alone, Isaac had come sat with her. The thought of Isaac dug up the hurt from the day before and his lack of attention. Her mind seemed to spin from one thought to the next. Like a tornado spiraling down to a single point. The point was Jace's words, "There's a lot to be said for smiling."

Before she could let herself explore what his words even meant for her, Matt asked if she was ready to go. Shoving away her winding trail of musings, she followed him out.

As usual, the car was silent as they drove. Neither of them seemed inclined to speak. Even if they did Haley felt like all she would have to say was tabooed. So she held her silence until she could find a safe topic. It came as she pondered over her mother's offer.

She looked at Matt. He didn't notice her gaze, his eyes fixed on the road. There was something in his expression that spoke of lists and plans being formed in his brain. It felt as if he were somewhere else completely. Somewhere far away from her. In hopes of bridging the gap between them, Haley forced her question out.

"Are you going to prom this year?" she asked.

"I don't know. Maybe." His eyes flickered to her. "Why? Are you going to go?"

"I don't know. I don't really have anyone to go with."

Matt nodded in understanding and didn't say anything, though Haley felt words building up.

"If you wanted to go...you could always go with my friends and me."

Haley raised her eyebrows. "You would be fine having your little sister tag along to your senior prom?"

Matt laughed. It was a sound Haley hadn't heard in a really long time. It was something she missed.

"You make it sound like you're a drag. Hales, you've hung out with my friends before. They know you. You get along with them. I don't think it would be a big deal."

For what felt like the first time in a long time, Haley imaged the distance between them shrinking. There was a hope that they could actually get back to the way it had been before. Before he had gotten a job and his time had been stolen from her. Before their parents started arguing and strain had pulled them apart instead of binding them together. She smiled, a small glow radiating around her.

"Thanks, I'll think about it."

Matt glanced over and returned the look.

"Good."  

They turned into the parking lot and were surrounded by the clashing sounds of music. Clusters of students gathered around cars, their voices sending out mixed tones. Doors slammed as engines were cut off. As Haley got out of the car and began to walk away, Matt called out to her.

"Stay out of trouble, Hales," he said.

"Try to get into some, Matty."

They shared a smile and split ways, Matt walking over to a crowd, circling a polished Mercedes. The sun beamed down on the school, bleaching the white pathways. Some early students were sprawled on the grass, dozing in the warm light. Haley tucked her hands around her backpack straps, the curl in her lips still remaining. The bell rang as she crossed the quad. The shrill ring stirred students, mixing groups together.

As she approached her first period, Haley spotted Rachel walking with Nick. A few feet away they stopped and he leaned close to her. He whispered something, then left with a kiss. The sight seemed as if it had been stolen from romance, the tableau perfect. A part of Haley wondered if anyone would ever whisper something to her. The image of Isaac's grin popped into her mind and before she could allow her brain to wander down that path, she nudged it aside.

Upon seeing Haley, Rachel smiled in greeting. In that small gesture, Haley pictured Jace nudging her to return the look. Just the thought of him egging her on made Haley's lips curl. 

At the small smile, something in Rachel's look shifted, softening. It somehow became more genuine in appearance, though Haley wouldn't have thought her smile had been false before. Without anything said, the two headed into the classroom. They parted and took their seats. The remaining spots filled and the second bell rang.

"Today," Ms. Henley said. "I want to touch on the subject of your author project."

Haley shifted in her seat, the state of her project was not where it should be.

"As you've taken the time to get to know more about the authors we know by name only, I'm sure you've discovered that they are more than merely a label. True, they are authors but they are more than that. They are humans with quirks and passions. Though we've seen them for so long from one aspect, you come to see them as a complex person."

As she spoke, she moved around the front of the class, her eyes roaming from one face to the next.

"So just as the people we look up to and admire are not simply an author as we have come to realize, I want you to write another essay. This is an essay that has to do with you. You are more than a student. More than a teenager. I want you to write an essay on how what people see is only a fraction of who you are. This will be due with the final project."

She grabbed a marker and walked to the board. "Now let's continue on with..."

Ms. Henley kept talking but Haley found she only heard pieces of it, her mind buzzing over what she had said, "more than merely a label."  For some reason, she found she couldn't get the words out of her head.

*************

The racket of lunchtime antics filled the air as Haley left her math classroom. Already students were gathering on the lawn and congregating around tables. They spilled out of doorways tired eyes widening as they talked. Haley had her lone tree in her sights when she caught the glimpse of a familiar pair of glasses. Isaac was almost about to run into her when he stopped.

"Hey," she said, hesitant, still clearly remembering his disinterested look from the day before.

"Hi," he said, a wide grin cutting across his face.

All of Haley's worry melted away, leaving her feeling relieved. The feeling was so overwhelming she smiled back at him. Something flickered in Isaac's eyes.

"Where you off to?" she asked, suddenly feeling as if her smile was too wide, or too much and wanting to hide it again.

"I usually go hang out with Cal during lunch so he's never too lonely." A thought struck him. Nervous, he ducked his head and shuffled his foot. "If I brought him back here would you want to see him?"

The invitation made Haley hesitant, but the thought of all that waited for her was a lone tree made her answer.

"Uh...yeah, I would."

Isaac jerked his head up and that goofy look of his made an appearance.

"Yeah?"

She nodded, her lips curling again. Isaac held her arms, the touch surprising Haley, but he didn't seem to notice. His face was animated.

"Okay, wait here, I'll go get him. I can show you that new trick he learned. You won't leave, will you?"

His hold on her tightened ever so slightly as if he were afraid she would change her mind.

"I promise I won't leave." She looked out the gates and to the narrow strip of grass and trees that lay beyond them. She pointed to it. "I'll go wait out there for you."

"Okay! I'll be right back."

He let go and dashed off. Trying to control her bubble of amusement, Haley walked out of the gates and plopped down in the shade of one of the trees. The air felt cool under the canopy of leaves. As she waited, she began to pull at blades of grass, a tickle of nervousness starting to replace her amusement. The collection of grass before her crossed legs started building, her face slowly falling into a look of unease.

What she felt nervous about she couldn't say, but something of the past day and Isaac's distance still sat with her. Before she could think too hard and find herself running away, Isaac returned, his black puppy at his heels. The dog seemed to be unaware of the world around him, his gaze always focused up at Isaac.

"We're back," he said, settling on the ground in front of Haley.

With his master seated, Cal took this to mean he could climb onto his lap, which he proceeded to do. Isaac didn't seem to mind and automatically began petting the dog. As Haley looked at the pair, she couldn't see any of the distracted person that had been there the day before. She toyed with a piece of grass, fighting the words that were forming in her mouth.

"What was wrong yesterday?" she blurted out.

At Isaac's puzzled look, she felt stupid for bringing it up but found there was no way to take back what she had said.

"You didn't make any prison jokes to me...I just wondered..."

She shrugged and pulled apart the grass, her fingers needing something to do. An emotion Haley couldn't understand passed over Isaac's face. He bent his head and scratched Cal's ears.

"It was nothing. Just something with my dad."

Haley's own father swam around her head. She could easily imagine late work nights and distant conversations being the cause of Isaac's own state the previous day.

"I'm sorry," she said, feeling that if anyone was to know what he was going through it could be her.

Isaac shook his head and smiled at her, though the look didn't have its usual brightness.

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure everything's fine."

She nodded, knowing she couldn't share in that form of denial. All the evidence that there was something was wrong with her parents was too clear to ignore. Feeling a sense of uncertainty building between them, she scrambled for something to say. The distraction came in the form of Cal leaping up and licking Isaac's face. 

"So what do you usually do with Cal during lunch?" she asked.

The topic was all they needed. As the minutes slipped away so did the unwanted thoughts of their situations. Isaac's expression finally returned to its normal state when he showed Haley how Cal could hide. Seeing the puppy duck under a stone bench sent Haley into a round of laughter, which Isaac joined in with.

The bell ringing startled both of them, finding that they had been caught up in their own world to notice the one around them.

"I should hurry Cal back before I'm late for Calculus," Isaac said, rising and carelessly brushing off his shorts.

"Yeah, I should get to the office. Don't want to miss out on handing out slips."

For a moment neither knew what to say next or how to walk away. Cal jumped at Isaac, giving him his way out.

"Okay, we're going home," he said. He looked back at Haley.

"Have fun in calculus," she said.

"Yeah, have fun doing that slip handing out thing." He gave an embarrassed chuckle and turned away. "Come on, Cal."

He started to walk off but glanced back at her. Again Haley could hear Jace's words like a constant loop in her head. Bottling up her hesitation, she sent him a final smile. It was instantly sent back to her. Spinning away from each other, they went their separate ways, grinning all the while.

The look had yet to fade when Haley entered the office and was greeted by Dana.

"How was lunch?" she asked.

Haley bit her bottom lip, trying not to give away all her thoughts.

"It was good," she said.

Dana raised her eyebrows, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "It was, was it?"

Facing away from Dana's obvious delight, Haley answered. "Yeah. It was."

"Well, I'm happy to hear that. I have some slips that need to go out."

Haley jumped at the chance to be out of the older woman's sight, sensing the teasing thoughts there were running rampant in her head. Collecting them and a list of classes, she left.

Unfortunately, the excursion didn't take as long as she wished and was back in the office once again. To her relief, Dana was on the phone and could make no comment on Haley's lunchtime activities.

Sinking into her chair, Haley carefully straightened the office counter. Her mindless tidying was interrupted when the door opened. Seeing Ty and Josie enter made Haley cringe, yesterday's interaction harshly vivid in her mind.

"I was looking at Reeve's posts from two years ago and this last year," Ty was saying. "You can clearly see the change in her face. Her cheeks look more hollow and her smile is stiff. It's all around the time of her second album."

"Which we both know was not her sound," Josie said. "So this solidifies our conclusion that her album was putting pressure on her to create an album that she didn't agree with."

The two girls stopped in front of the counter. When they saw Haley, their conversation was dropped.

"Can I get ten copies of each of these?" Ty said, handing over four different flyers.

There was nothing in either girl's manner that said they still held Haley's words against her. This made Haley feel worse for her careless declarations. Feeling her insides squirming with discomfort, she accepted the pages and moved away.

As the copier whirred, the girls talked again, but this time their conversation was over a student council decision regarding prom. Haley barely listened, her mind trying to find a way out of her situation. Though she knew that it was her fault, she couldn't bring herself to say it. The copier finished before Haley could settle on a solution.

"Here," she said, handing the collection of paper over to the girls.

They nodded their thanks. As they were pushing the door open, Haley shoved words out.

"I'm sorry," she said.

They both turned back, neither of their expressions saying whether they were surprised or not. When they didn't respond more than that, Haley fidgeted.

"I was wrong...about what I said yesterday."

Josie nodded. "You were." The words were said without any hint of anger, simply a statement. Staring at their calm expressions, Haley felt the need to say more.

"I'm sorry I called you fangirls and said what you talked about was stupid. Jace told me about how you study psychology and that's what you're really doing and so basically I was calling you dumb and I was really really wrong. So again, I'm sorry."

The girls looked at each other and then back at Haley.

"Accepted," Ty said, her expression lightening.

Josie smiled. "We'll see you around, Haley." 

They left and Haley sank back in her chair hearing Jace's voice echo again.

**********************************************************************

xin chào, Belle!
(Vietnamese)

Woohoo! Haley smiled! This is progress people! What are your thoughts on all of it? 👉🕳👈

This question is from Padillomajoy : What makes you keep on writing? That you always come up with a good and excellent literary work?

The first answer is quite simple, writing makes me happy to no end! ☺️ It's actually really ridiculous how much delight I derive from writing. For that reason alone even if no one read my work I would keep writing, simply for me and my happiness!

Second answer, I read a lot! Like a ton. I read outside of Wattpad. Though the books on here are fun they are all along the same sort of storylines so I read classics and a ton of different genres. This opens my brain to new styles, ways of describing the world and interesting characters and plots. It inspires me to be more inventive in my own work.

Okay, now I'm asking you a question back: what makes you happy?

What is something you do that is simple but seems to fill up your life?

As always and only if you want to: vote, comment, follow!

The Dark Knight!