Haily Jones and the Orb of Endless Power (Editing)

1. Warning Claire (Part 1).

Welp, here it is! This is my mom's -unpublished- book. I tried to help out as much as I can. Since I'm a teenager she comes to me and I help try to make the characters more relatable. I had to split this chapter because it was getting too long, so part 2 of chapter one should be up really soon. I hope you enjoy it- if you do please don't forget to vote! :) Carry on ^-^

It all began on a warm, sunny April day in a small town in Ohio. Haily Jones, a small 15-year-old girl with curly, dark-brown hair and brown eyes to match, walked out her front door and paused for a moment on the large adjoining porch. As she took notice of the beautiful day, she looked out at her growing neighborhood and remembered when she and her family first moved here. Haily's father was one of the developers for this new community, so he was offered one of the very first houses to be built here. Like most of the other houses on this street, it was a large, 4 bedroom brick house with an adjoining front porch. All of the other houses had rather simple backyards, however, Haily's always appeared much larger to her due to it connecting to the woods behind her house. Her house was on a cul-de-sac which dead-ends into the woods. Haily worried that someday this community would develop and fill those empty woods with houses just as they had done to this neighborhood.

When she moved from Rosemont, Illinois, a small suburb outside of Chicago, she had been 9 years old. At the time, she was very fond of her new home and nearly empty neighborhood. However, that had changed drastically in the past six years. More and more houses were being built with new families moving in quite often.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when a blue convertible, one that she had never seen before, pulled into the driveway. As Haily slowly began to walk down the three steps that led from the porch to the driveway, her pace quickened when she recognized the pretty blonde girl behind the wheel. It was Claire Summers, her best friend. She was smiling at Haily as a breeze blew her long, straight blond hair in her face. She brushed the hair out of her face with the back of her and hand and asks "How do you like my 16th birthday present?"

Haily, who was still approaching the car, was thinking about how she'd never seen her friend look so happy.

Haily's birthday was only a few months away, but she knew she wouldn't be getting a new car. She would have to be content with her license and the use of her parents' cars.

"Are you surprised?" Claire asks. "I was. I knew I would get a car for my birthday, but now a new one and definitely not a convertible."

"It is beautiful," Haily admitted, taking a step back to admire the entire car. "When you texted and said you were coming over with your new car, I didn't expect a NEW car."

Despite Haily having hopes of getting a new car of her own, she was very happy for her friend.

"I have to be home by 6 to get ready for my party," Claire said. "That still gives us a few hours to go to the mall. I need a new dress."

Suddenly, Haily remembered Claire had failed her driving test.

"How were you able to talk your parents into letting you drive your car without a license?"

"Oh, you didn't think a small thing like that would keep me from driving my new car today, did you?"

They had been friends since Haily had moved here almost seven years ago. So she knew that despite Claire being very kind and selfless for the most part, she could be spoiled and irresponsible at times. She believed this was one of those times. She knew her parents would not be understanding at all if they found it she had gotten into the car knowing Claire didn't have a license.

"Claire, you know how angry my parents will be if they find out," Haily said. "I would be grounded for the entire summer."

"I told my parents I got my license after I finished Drivers Ed at school," Claire said. "You can tell your parents the same thing."