Hayley's Beginning

Chapter 3

"I'm home!" I shouted as I closed the door, but no response.

"Aunt Kate? Uncle John?" I quietly placed my bag down and slowly crept around the corner of the room. Where could they be? I grabbed my phone and called them.

"Hello?" Aunt Kate answered

"Aunt Kate, it's me. Where are you? You and Uncle John aren't home, and it's pretty eerie in the house"

"John is on his way. I have to work a double shift today, so I won't be coming home" She said. Understandable, she is a nurse after all.

"Okay, thanks. Bye," I hung u the phone and set it down. I started walking up the stairs when I saw a dark figure standing around the wall, through the room.

"Hello? Who's there?" I half-shouted, overwhelmed by fear and nervousness. I see the figure start moving towards me and I run up the stairs and lock my bedroom door behind me. I paced back and forth in my room, gripping onto my keys, and fumbling with my phone to call Uncle John. I then heard the front door open,

"Hayley?" It was Uncle John. I left my room and rushed downstairs.

"What's wrong?" He said urgently, but I was focused on looking around the house for the person that was there in the doorway. When I walked into the kitchen, I saw the same necklace that Gabriel has. The gold chain with the red crystal. Was he the one after me? It was crazy for me to think of this, but he was the only person I know that has this necklace.

"Are you okay?" John asked, and I jumped.

"Yeah, don't worry. So what are we going to make for dinner?" I asked and shoved the necklace into my pocket. 

"How about we order a pizza and watch a movie?" I smiled and nodded

"I'll order, you pick the movie" I suggested and agreed.

I ordered a pepperoni pizza and two cokes for delivery and waited while Uncle John picked a show. I couldn't stop thinking about the person that was here, or I thought was here. Then the necklace felt ten times heavier, just by sitting in my pocket. The doorbell then ran and I went to answer it. I paid and brought the food into the living room. We ate and watched TV. Eventually, John fell asleep, and I went to do my homework and went to sleep. All during the night, I was restless. Trapped in the inescapable thoughts of the person I think was in the house. I couldn't tell John or Aunt Kate, because, what if I'm wrong?

After I woke up, I got dressed, made sure I have the necklace in my pocket, ate breakfast and sat on the couch for a little bit. Aunt Kate walked through the door and hugged uncle John and sat with me.

"Hayley, what are you thinking about?" She said as she sat next to me, with her work bag.

"Nothing important. You have more work to do?" I nodded my head towards her bag and she sighed.

"Yeah, just mostly charts. Say, don't you have to get to school?"

"Yes. Bye, love you" I hugged her and hugged John, and left for school.

When I arrived, my friends were waiting for me and usual, and I went to them. I noticed Katherine isn't here yet, at the time I need her.

"Hey, stranger!" Charlie called

"Where were you, we called you all night" Amelia added

"Sorry, my phone must've been off. Do you know where Katherine is?"

"Nope, didn't you guys hang out last night? At the party?" Charlie asked very concernedly, I shook my head. I whipped my phone out and called her number

Hey, you've Katherine James' voicemail. Leave a message after the beep.

I hung up and tried again but no answer. Amelia and Charlie began trying to call her but she didn't answer.

"Where would she be?" Amelia was beginning to get scared

"Maybe she had too much to drink at the party" I suggested, trying to calm her down. The bell began to ring and I still haven't seen Gabriel arrive yet.

"At lunch, I'll go to her house and check on her" Charlie said

"I'm coming with. It's my fault she was at that party by herself" Charlie nodded and we went to our classes.

I didn't see Gabriel at our chemistry or art class, and I was worried. What if Katherine and he are missing? Calm down, you'll find them I kept telling myself to help ease the worry I felt... but it didn't work. When it was lunch, Charlie was waiting by his car and when I arrived, we drove to Katherine's house. I was anxious for multiple reasons. 1) Worrying if Katherine is missing, 2) Worrying if Gabriel is missing, and 3) being in a car. Ever since my parents died, I couldn't bring myself to be in a car, until now. I knew it was the right thing to do. Once we arrived, I rushed up to the door and rang the doorbell twice. Finally, her parents answered the door, but Mrs. James and Mr. James were overwhelmed with worry. Katherine must not be home.

"Hayley, what are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for Katherine, she isn't at school" They looked at each other and Mr. James rubbed his wife's arms

"Do you know where she might be, Hayley? We are so worried" Mrs. James pleaded, with hints of agony and desperateness in her voice. I shook my head, I loved her parents, I can't handle seeing them like this.

"She was going to some party last night, I thought she cleared it with you" They both shook their head and my hand dropped to my pocket. It must be the person that was after me at home. 

"Do you recognize this necklace from anywhere?" I took it out and showed them.

Their eye's widened and they looked at each other, "It can't be! How?" Mrs. James shouted and I backed away. Charlie rushed over to me and stood beside me, "We have to get back to school, we'll let you know. Let's go Hayley" As we walked away I could overhear Mrs. James shouting They're back! They took her! and it sent shivers down my spine. We began driving back and I put the necklace away before Charlie could get a good look at it. Why was Mrs. James scared of it? What does she mean by "They're back"? All these unanswered questions made me feel uneasy. Where are you, Katherine? Why didn't you listen to me? Before the tear could fall from my eye, I wiped it away, but Charlie noticed. He put his hand in mine and held it.

"We'll find her. She'll come home" He tried to comfort

"But what if she doesn't? She could be lying dead in a ditch somewhere, Charlie"

"Don't think of it like that. She's not a stupid girl" He pointed out, and slightly made me feel better, but not completely. When we arrived, I saw Gabriel about to enter the school and I rushed out of the car to catch up with him, and when I did I pulled him away from everyone and confronted him.

"Were you in my house last night?" I said to him while trying to get a grasp on my breath

"What are you talking about?" 

"You, in my house, trying to come after me, doesn't that ring any bells?" I was getting tired of this game.

"Nope" Out of frustration I pulled out the necklace and put it in front of him

"How do you explain this then?!" He took it and examined it carefully and I went on with what I was saying,

"You're the only person I know with that distinct necklace. My friend's parents, her mother said something about 'They're back. They took her!' there is something going on and I need to know. Why are they so scared of your necklace?" I didn't realize I was rambling until I finished speaking.

"Hayley, there are things that you shouldn't be involved in, and this is one of them," He said seriously.

"It involved me because my friend is involved, what aren't you telling me?" I almost shouted. I realized Amelia, Charlie and some other people were staring at us. I sighed, trying to calm down.

"If you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be" He walked away and I went to class. What is he hiding from me?