"Hallie"

Chapter 1: There's No Place Like Home

3 weeks earlier...

         "Are you sure you and mom are okay with this?" Mr.Mitchell asked through the phone talking with his older sister, Regina Kobswell. "We kinda have to Dez, Hallie's already here." Regina teased. She heard his 2 seconds of silence on the phone. "Nah, I'm just messing with you. We love her here already. She's gonna be fine don't you worry your little heart about a thing. Besides...she reminds me so much of you." Regina chuckled to herself forgetting she was still on the phone."I need a good reminder after 8 years." Regina said smiling and blushing. Regina looked over at Hallie Mitchell who was sitting at the dining room table working on a word search. "Yeah...um, may I please speak to her Regina?" Mr.Mitchell asked. "Uh, Hals your dad is on the phone." Regina informed walking over to her and giving her the phone. "Hey dad." Hallie said focusing on her word search. "Hallie bear! How are you?" Mr.Mitchell asked eagerly. "Dad I'm 18 turning 19 in 3 weeks. You know you don't have to call me that anymore. I'm practically grown already." Hallie teased. "Oh I see. Your mother and I are very sorry for this. Making you move in the middle of the school year. This change will only be for 8 months, I promise. You know our job is hard owning our business. I promise as soon as we get back I will make it up to you. We will call everyday we can." Mr.Mitchell explained feeling guilty about moving to Sydney, Australia for 8 months without Hallie. "You and mom don't need to make it up to me. I feel like I'm going to have a great time here in Hawaii." Hallie assured her worried father. "Okay sweetpea your mother and I love you very very much. As much as your mother would love to talk to you right now she is busy doing some desk work. But she'll call you in the morning." Mr.Mitchell said feeling bad. "Her being too busy for me is no surprise dad. But yeah I love you too. Talk to you later bye." Hallie hung up before her father could finish his sentence. "She's very sorry she loves..." "You've got to give her a chance baby girl. She means well. I know she does. Charity loves you and she is still your mother." Regina explained to Hallie while heading to the fridge. "Yeah, well she doesn't act like it."Hallie said harshly. "Hallie Heather, you keep holding grudges it's gonna ruin you. More so, your mother." Regina exclaimed trying not to get angry. "Oh really? Hmm, I didn't know! Is that why you and dad hadn't talked in 8 years?" Hallie said forming a sarcastic smile. Regina let out a frustrating sigh. "That has nothing to do with now!" Regina said while gritting her teeth. "How hypocritical you are. Do you know how hard it is not to be close to your mother at all? She can't even look at me when we are together. So don't stand here and tell me to get over it because I won't." Hallie said angrily. "And before you even say anything Aunt Regina, dad only called you after 8 years to ask you if you and Grams could take care of me while they're away. Nothing special. Now if you'll excuse me I have things to do." Hallie said while walking away without looking back. Regina just stood there in the kitchen thinking over everything that just happened in the last 10 minutes.

 ....

Hallie was in her unpacked room laying on her queen sized bed just staring at the ceiling. She gazed around the room bored out of her mind. "This is Hawaii. What the hell am I doing in my room?" Hallie thought to herself while jumping off her bed and putting her Nike shoes on. She fixed her lazy bun and headed downstairs to the front door. Hallie opened the front door but shut it when she heard her name get called from the kitchen."Stop Hal." Regina called from the kitchen.   "Wha-where are you going?" Regina hesitated to look at Hallie. There was 5 seconds of silence. Both of them not thinking of talking anytime soon. Regina was nervously pulling on a loose thread from the stool that was set near the island of the kitchen. Regina asked still tugging and pulling at the thread. "Where does it look like Regina?" Hallie asked harshly wishing she never even decided to go out. "Well from the looks of it I'm guessing for a jog, but anyway, maybe when you get back we could hang out? Until Grams gets back?" Regina asked forming a faint yet noticeable smile. "Nah I'm good. You do you though." Hallie said harshly while noticing her aunt's slight smile fade.  "Thought maybe we could...bond. To make-up for the 8 years we haven't seen each other. You are totally transformed from a jumpy 10-year-old to a wise and beautiful 18 year old. You are really..." "Save the bullshit Regina. I don't need you to try and be the mother I don't have. Please. Save your pity." Hallie said and walked out the front door leaving Regina aching to her eyes. After Hallie walked out she looked around squinting her eyes. The sun's rays of light hit Hallie's eyes before she could get them to focus on what path she wanted to jog. "I should go back and apologize. But was it really her business? She doesn't know anything about me." Hallie thought to herself. She saw houses of all different sizes, kids riding bikes, people walking, joggers jogging, and a tall Hawaiian girl walking her way.