Hayley's Beginning

Chapter 1

"Hayley, you have to get up!"

My eyes slowly opened, and it was Monday morning. I dreaded today. Not because it's the beginning of the school week, trust me, I don't mind that school begins on Mondays, but because it marks the year point since my parent died. I was at home doing my homework, and my parents got into a car crash with a drunk driver. I was purely outraged and miserable after they died but slowly began to accept it. I miss them all the time, but I believe that they are happier now.

"Hayley!" Aunt Kate shouted at me, at the bottom of the stairwell

"I'm up!" I shouted back and got out of bed. 

I went through my closet, trying to pick out an outfit, but went with basic black tights and a cherry red long-sleeved shirt, along with my black jacket. I hurried downstairs after getting ready and ate breakfast,

"You have to listen better, Hayley. You're going to give your aunt grey hairs" Uncle John appeared from around the wall and sat my school bag beside me while laughing at his joke.

"Ha ha, very funny." Aunt Kate said sarcastically.

It was hard not to laugh, but once I did, aunt Kate looked at me with a "are you serious?" look. When I finished eating, I got my bag and walked to school. I connected my Airpods and played music on Spotify as I walked to school. When I arrived, Katherine and Amelia were staring at something but turned and saw me. 

"What were you guys staring at?" I asked suspiciously. Knowing them it was probably some guy.

"The new-" Amelia answered but was cut off by Katherine

"-Kid. He transferred here from some private school, which is kinda weird. I mean, why transfer from a highly educated school, and come to... this?" She waved her hand toward the school and its surroundings.

"Yeah, that is weird. Anyways, is Charlie here yet?" 

"Nope, not yet." Katherine answered, and then the school bell rang. 

We went inside and I went to my first class of the day, English. I took notes and before I knew it, class ended.

"Ms. Matthews, can you come here please?" Ms. Hall asked. I nodded and walked over to her desk. 

"Yes?" my voice crack, and I cleared my throat, nervous about why I was called.

"I enjoyed your paper on Wuthering Heights. It is quite easily the best I've read" 

"Thank you" She handed me my paper with an A+ written on it, and I walked out. I found Charlie at his locker and I rushed over to him.

"She loved the paper!" I half-shouted, and he looked confused.

"What?" I sighed and handed him the paper

"My submission about Wuthering Heights? Remember? The paper I was extremely over nervous about writing?" I think I could see the imaginary light bulb open over his head, open up.

"Oh, right! I told you it was nothing to worry about. You're a natural writer." He hugged me right when the bell rang for our next class. 

"See you after school, okay?" He nodded and left for his class, as I did.

I got into class but something was different. The mood felt off. When I sat down, I realized that my table had a new student. It's the transfer student, from the private school. I swiftly sat down, trying to not seem awkward. He seemed tense but also disgusted, and I felt weirded out by his behaviour. When Mr. Mason began his new chemistry lesson, I tried my best to pay attention, and not focus on the guy acting unnormal beside me. At times I felt his eyes peering a glance towards me and back to Mr. Mason. He assigned us five pages of homework and a note sheet for us to study our midterm on. We had half the class time to work on our work, but had to take the leftovers for homework. I was struggling a bit with the work but managed to figure it out. Once in a while, Mr. Mason would walk around the class to see everyone's progress, and ended on us. 

"Mr. De Luca, not doing any work I see," Mr. Mason said, with a hint of anger.

"No, I have already done it." De Luca replied with a smug smile. Mr. Mason went over his work and saw he wasn't lying, which surprised me.

"Ms. Matthews, did you have anything to do with the work?" He asked seriously

"Um, no. I was just about to ask him for some help. I saw he was done, and considered he might help me. That was all him." I lied about asking for help, but I knew it would save him from Mr. Mason's punishments for disobedience and respect.

"Oh, okay then. Carry on then" He walked away and I continued with my work.

"Thank you for that," The mysterious boy said, which had startled me.

"No problem, you should know to pace yourself when you're in Mr. Mason's class." I suggested

He half laughed and half smiled, "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."

I laughed and smiled as well, "What's your name?"

"Gabriel," He said as if he was embarrassed by his name. Gabriel De Luca. I liked that.

"I'm Hayley," I said

"Nice to meet you," He said smiling.

"Yeah, you too Gabriel" I continued my work without another word.

The day continued as normal, and by the end of it... I felt weird. School distracted me from the thought of my parent's death a year ago. I walked home and went straight to my room to begin my homework. I finished most of my science, English, math and art before dinner, and finished the rest after dinner and through most of the night. I went on my phone for a bit and put it away.

"I miss you guys" I whispered and closed my eyes and went to sleep.