"Well done, everyone! We sounded amazing!"
The music club's president praised her bandmates with a huge smile. She received grins from them as well in return. They all took a moment to relax and loosen up their muscles from the hard practice session they just had.
"Of course we did! We're the best band there is here!" Milly cheered, holding her electric guitar high in the air, which had almost hit Zander in the face behind her.
"That was a lot of fun as well, everyone!" Sean added on, seeing many heads nod in agreement at his statement.
The entire club soon became engulfed in eachother's compliments and praises. As of now, they were having their daily band rehearsals that they usually have during lunchtime at 12:30pm. While the club started to converse with one another, turning themselves around to face somebody else who could be behind them, Hailey spaced out to herself for a little bit.
Truth be told, something had been on the back of her mind for quite a while now, though she hadn't mentioned it to any of her band members. Of course she wanted to. It wasn't anything bad anyways. It was just the reaction she would receive from them. Would they agree with her, or go against it? She didn't know.
However, she had plans to tell them today.
"Hey, um guys? Can I say something there..?" Hailey spoke up loudly enough for everyone to hear. All heads turned around to her with eyes blinking in confusion.
"What is it, Hails?" Luke broke the silence for them all. Hailey rubbed her neck nervously, showing them all a sheepish smile on her face.
"Well, this has been on the back of my mind for a while now. I've been meaning to tell you guys this for what feels like centuries. It's nothing bad though! It's more so..an idea, or maybe something we could try.." Hailey said for her starter. Nobody said anything afterwards. Instead, they remained quiet and waited for Hailey to finish off what she wanted to say and to show where she was going with this.
"Now..this may come as a surprise, and before I reveal this, I just wanna say that all of us are so strong and talented already on our own. There's no doubt about that. But.."
"But..?" Zander chimed in, raising an eyebrow suspiciously. He proceeded to fold his arms also as he stared hard at his sister. He could see how Hailey seemed to fidget in her place. She played with her fingers and avoided eye-contact.
"I think..we should get another addition to our band. More so..a lead singer preferably..?" Hailey admitted to her friends, finally looking back up at them. She could see the perplexed expressions on each of their countenances, which is what she was expecting to get anyways.
"A..lead singer..?" Zander muttered in curiosity. Luke scratched his head while Milly and Sean gave a quick glance at one another. "Hailey..you're an incredible singer yourself! Why on earth would we need a new addition to our band when we are fine being just the five of us? You have such a talented voice. Why would we need one..?"
Hailey blinked her eyelids, and didn't meet her brother's lavender irises. "Zander..you know me and my stage fright. I can't control this fear of mine. I think..somebody else out there would be better as the lead singer for this band. Not to mention, it would be beneficial for us all.."
"And..who out there in this school would be better as our lead singer..?" Sean popped in, readjusting his headphones that hung around his neck.
The room went quiet for a few seconds or so as everyone waited for Hailey to answer the question that was just given to her. The band could see how Hailey was taking these mere seconds to process, clearly thinking about how she should phrase her answer. They waited patiently and awaited for a response.
"So...I've been hearing some things about this particular student who is in the same year as Zander, Luke and I. I do know him as he is in some of my classes, but I've never spoken to him before. I've heard from our peers that this student sings to himself on the rooftop while he is alone, and he is actually pretty good. They know this because some have caught him singing up there.."
Hailey took a pause, just to see the reactions again from her club members. She could see how their facial expressions went from being puzzled to more intrigued which was definitely a step forward.
"Okay. So, what's his name..?" Milly asked the query everyone wanted the answer for. They all tuned in, watching Hailey fiddle and play with the two bracelets that she wore on her wrist. She did look up at all of them though whilst her fingers twisted and twirled around the bracelet's material.
"Well.." She begun, clearing her throat before she continued. "His name is Jake Sterling-"
"JAKE STERLING?!"
Hailey jumped in fright at hearing the entire club shout out that name abruptly in both unison and utter shock. It caught her extremely off guard. She definitely wasn't expecting that. It was a sudden jumpscare for her.
"Jake Sterling?! Oh hell no! Hailey, that guy is bad news! I don't trust him at all!" Zander immediately gave his opinion, which was surprisingly negative. This input made Hailey bewildered at her brother's pessimistic words at the name she had just mentioned.
"What? Why..?! What did he do wrong..?" Hailey questioned, glancing around the room to see if anybody else was in the same boat as her. However, they all seemed to be on Zander's side here.
"Hailey, that guy Jake is someone you should stay away from..I may not be in your year, but I know that he's someone that nearly everyone doesn't talk to, or even dare to acknowledge." Sean said to the blue-haired president. He had a worrisome look on his face, meaning that he wasn't lying in what he was saying. Even if he didn't, everybody knew that Sean would never lie.
"I'm sorry guys, but I don't understand your point.." Hailey replied and rubbed her collarbone. The club had already raised eyebrows at the idea of having a new lead singer in the band, and now they were all having negative thoughts on having a specific student as being apart of them.
Luke made the decision to step into the conversation and provide Hailey with more in-depth information.
"Hails...Jake isn't someone we would recommend being in our band. There's a reason as to why people steer clear from his path. He is just nothing but trouble. Jake has some bad temper issues, often gets into conflict with other students and teachers, doesn't have the best reputation, and isn't so nice to be around with. He doesn't have any friends either because of his uptight and rude personality. The only people he really talks to are his siblings and-"
"Siblings..?" Hailey interrupted Luke, arching an eyebrow. "Doesn't he only have one sister? I believe her name is Zoey, and she's in our year as well.."
"Yeah! Zoey is Jake's little sister!" Milly trailed up to Hailey, resting an arm on her shoulder. "But, Jake has more than just one. He actually has three, and Elliot is one of them! He's his little brother.."
Hailey's eyes went wide at this. "No way! I didn't know Elliot was related to Jake! Heck, I didn't even know Elliot had siblings, let alone them being Jake and Zoey. Who's the other..?"
"Jake's last sibling is Milo, who isn't in this school. He's only 12 years old. Milo's the youngest of the family.." Milly examined her fingernails, meeting Hailey's grey eyes afterwards. "Don't ask how I know all of this. I talk to Elliot a lot. He speaks about his siblings from time to time. But anyways, as we are all saying, don't go near Jake, Hails. It's not worth it! He's not the best person. I'm sure we're all perfectly grand the way we are.."
Hailey gained a small frown at this outcome, not feeling satisfied with the answers she was receiving. "But guys...what if Jake is just simply misunderstood? What if behind all of that 'rudeness' and 'unlikeable behaviour', is a person who is actually good at heart..?"
"Hailey, we all know you always wanna see the best in everyone, but sometimes..there is no best to see. I don't want that bastard hurting you.." Zander said softly, crossing his arms.
"Well, can I atleast give it a try? Let me talk to him. I don't wanna leave this be without giving it a shot." Hailey felt more determined than she was before. Her friends talking down on Jake only increased and added a boost to her encouragement to try and engage in a conversation with her perceived 'ill-mannered' classmate.
"Even still, there's no point, Hails. It's no use talking Jake into joining our band. Jake doesn't listen to anybody. The only people he listens to are his siblings." Milly bit one of her fingernails before resuming. "Jake has a major soft spot for his siblings. He can never say no to them, and rarely goes against their wishes. I've seen it before. One time, Jake got into a fight with this other student called Drew over something and nobody could get them to stop, not even the teachers. It was only until Elliot and Zoey stepped in and told Jake to stop fighting. Once he heard them, Jake immediately let go of Drew and walked away..."
"Look, I see where you guys are coming from, but I still want to give it a chance. Don't worry, though. If it turns out to be hopeless, I'll walk away from the situation, I promise.." It was clear to the band that Hailey had no intents on giving up. They could see the determined stare she held behind her eyes. Once their club president has made her mind up on something, she sticks to her decision. This, they knew.
"Alright fine, Hailey. Go ahead if you really want to do this. It's just that, what if Jake says or does something to hurt you?! That, I will not tolerate!" Zander put his foot down with a serious demeanor taking over his countenance. "If he does anything to my sister, I'll-"
"Zander, it's okay.." Hailey quietened him down, showing him a reassuring smile. "I'm a big girl. I can handle myself."
"No matter how big you get, you're still a baby to me.." Zander chuckled lowly at his own words. The club joined in on his laughter, finding it amusing.
"Excuse me, I am older than you!" The pianist's sister pointed out to him. Zander only rolled his eyes in reply, another remark entering his mind.
"Yes, you may be older than me. But mentally, you're not.."
Hailey groaned to herself under her breath. Though she wanted to argue back, she thought it would be better to just leave it and move on. There was no use arguing against Zander anyways. After a few minutes, it does become mentally draining and exhausting.
"Okay, you know what? Forget it. I'm going to head out there and find Jake. I'll just have a small conversation with him and ask if he would like to audition for our band and serve as our lead singer. Nothing more. Is everybody alright with that?"
Hailey saw all heads nod in agreement, although it was obvious some still weren't too sure about this. Nonetheless, Hailey's friends trusted her, and knew she wouldn't do something that she felt wasn't the right thing to do.
After everybody agreed, Hailey turned herself around to the club's front door, heaved it open, and headed outside into the school hallways. She closed the door behind her shut, leaving her bandmates all alone together in one another's company.
----
The ocean-haired teenager peeked around one of the school's corridors, taking a quick glance for herself. In the moment, she felt like she was some sort of creep or stalker who was watching a certain student's every move. Obviously, this wasn't the case, but Hailey had no idea on how else she was supposed to approach him. Jake Sterling.
There he stood at his own locker, storing his textbooks and other material away safely. Hailey eyed him carefully and noticed how the boy had a gloomy and dull expression on his face. Did it always stay that way? She didn't know.
For Hailey, Jake didn't seem or look like somebody who was unapproachable and that you should stay away from. Instead, he looked like a regular human being, just like everybody else in the school. Hailey couldn't understand why people wouldn't talk to him, even though she has been told about Jake's bad reputation with his peers, which is why rarely anyone would speak to him or treat him like he is apart of Rosemeadow High School.
From there, Hailey took a minute to examine Jake's physical appearance. She gazed at his shaved strawberry-blonde hair, his silver double earrings, and his navy-blue jacket that he had on him, followed along by his ripped jeans that showed off some skin. She wasn't judging though. It looked pretty good on him. Jake's clothing style did suit him, Hailey thought.
"Okay, Hailey...you can do this. You should stop staring at him like a weirdo from afar now. Just go up to him, introduce yourself, talk to him politely, and ask if he would like to audition for the music club. God, why do I feel so nervous..? I was so confident and determined earlier. It's just that Jake is so tall and..handsome as hell.."
Hailey immediately snapped out of her thoughts, and blushed a deep crimson red. Her eyes grew wide as she could feel her whole face burn. She couldn't believe what she just said to herself in her mind, but brushed it off afterwards. It was probably all just in her head anyways.
Forgetting her thoughts, Hailey set her dark grey irises back onto Jake. She saw him drop one of his books accidentally as it slipped out of his hands and fell onto the ground. This made a groan escape Jake's lips, along with a curse word that he mumbled to himself, though Hailey heard it.
"He doesn't seem to be in such a good mood. Maybe I should ask him another time..? But then again, this is what the band said he is like all the time. Perhaps all Jake needs is someone to talk to. There is a high chance he could be feeling a bit lonely. Alright, Hailey. No more talking to yourself in your head. It's now or never. Go up to him."
Before advancing any further, Hailey took a deep breath in order to relax. She wasn't the greatest when it came to meeting people but she would sure give it a try whenever she needed to, and this was one of those times. She was quite a shy person, and all Hailey hoped was that she wouldn't make a fool out of herself while speaking to Jake. That would sure as hell be embarrassing.
When she felt cool and collected, Hailey walked out from the corner she was hiding behind and began to walk over to the blonde-haired, rumoured to be singer. She gulped timidly once she saw Jake slam his locker shut, which startled her just a little. Now, Hailey was feeling more scared. Jake didn't seem to be in such a good mood. Was this his everyday mood? She had no idea. It was probably was though.
Jake sighed after putting all his belongings away into his locker. He then rolled his eyes, not wanting to be in the school any longer. He wanted to go home. He hated waking up early every morning just to stay in a building full of people his age and a bunch of irritating, nagging adults for seven whole hours. It felt like torture more than beneficial for him.
It didn't help that nobody would even talk to him. He had no friends that weren't his siblings. He was all on his own, and it had been that way for several years. Jake had grown accustomed to it all now. Due to this, Jake can't help but feel jealous of his siblings sometimes. They weren't lonely. They had friends. People weren't afraid of them. Jake wished his life would play out that way as well. He thought of himself as the 'unlucky Sterling sibling'.
"Um..hello..?"
Jake froze as he felt a tiny tap on his shoulder. His chocolate-brown irises went wide as he turned his head around towards the source of the meek voice he had just heard. There, he locked eyes with Hailey, staring at her for a good few seconds. A little grin formed on the corners of Hailey's lips as she played with her fingers.
"H-Hi there.." Hailey greeted him, tucking some of her hair behind one of her ears. She then cleared her throat, mentally yelling at herself for stuttering.
"What do you want, girl?!" Jake suddenly snapped at her, causing Hailey to take a step back. Jake's eyebrows furrowed while he glared at the teal-haired girl.
"God, is this how he greets everyone?! That was rude.." Hailey said in her thoughts. She didn't know what to say next. She knew that Jake was known as an impolite person, but she didn't think the first words he says to someone he is meeting for the first time would be that.
"Okay, well first of all, my name is..Hailey. Hailey Austin. You may know me. I am in some of your classes. Maybe you saw me every now and then. I know your name is Jake, since well...we share some classes like I previously said. It's nice to meet you..!"
Hailey held out her palm, and waited for Jake to shake it, except that isn't what he did. Instead, Jake just scoffed at the girl and turned his attention onto his phone. Hailey was stunned at his behaviour. She could now see why her friends were bashing Jake so much at the beginning. It's no wonder other students don't talk to him.
Hailey retracted her hand away and put it down. She stood still and remained quiet, while Jake did his own things on his phone, which was scrolling through and checking his social media. The silence between the two was becoming more and more awkward until Hailey chose to break it.
"So..I'm sorry if this seems a bit out of nowhere, but I..want to talk to you. I want to ask you something, if you don't mind..?" Hailey beamed shyly at the latter, and placed her arms behind her back.
"Ugh, just get to the point, girl.." Jake complained, switching his phone off and putting it away in his pocket.
Now, it was Hailey's turn to become agitated. She failed to understand why Jake was being difficult with her, especially since she did nothing wrong.
"Listen, I already told you. My name is Hailey. You don't have to call me 'girl'. The name is Hailey. Use that please." She pointed out to him quite sternly.
"Yeah whatever, princess.." Jake responded coldly, trying to brush Hailey off as best as he could. Hailey on the other hand, blushed profusely upon hearing the term Jake had addressed her by.
"D-Don't call me 'princess' either.." She managed to mutter out, looking off to the side. Jake smirked cheekily, finally turning his whole body towards Hailey's direction. He leaned himself against the lockers and folded his arms.
"Why shouldn't I? Judging by the look on your face, you seem to like it.." He teased the girl and chuckled under his breath. This caused Hailey to blush even more, much to her annoyance.
"Look, let's get back to the point!" Hailey raised her hands up, changing the topic. That was another thing that she didn't think would happen. A boy just flirted with her. That had never happened to her until today. "God, you're lucky you're attractive.."
"Okay, seriously. What the hell do you want?" Jake went back to his regular state. Hailey sighed to herself to order to calm down. She knew it would be wiser to be patient with this guy, no matter how much he may exasperate you.
"Alright, here's the deal. I am the founder and president of this school's music club. I've been hearing some things from other students about you being a singer yourself as many individuals have caught you on the rooftop singing, and you're actually good at it. So, I and my band are wondering if..you would like to audition for our club and serve as our lead singer.."
Hailey took out the club's signature lilac-coloured leaflet and held it out to him. She hoped Jake would take it from her and maybe even consider auditioning, but of course, the complete opposite happened.
"That's all you came up to me for? No way am I joining your club. I have way better things to do than that.." Jake gave his cold response, refusing the leaflet from Hailey.
"But, why?! Clearly, you love to sing if you sing to yourself on the rooftop alone. Why are you saying no?" Hailey frowned, feeling disappointed with the answer she had gotten.
"Simply because I'm not interested! Also, it's none of your business if I sing or not. I don't need or want to be in your club. Now, leave me alone." Jake said, being extremely straightforward and real with Hailey. He then started to walk away from her, heading straight for the hallways.
Hailey however didn't want to give up just yet. Yes, she remembered what she said about leaving the situation be if it seemed hopeless, but something inside her prompted her to keep trying.
"Jake, listen to me!" She called out to him, successfully causing Jake to stop in his tracks, though he didn't look back. "If you didn't sing while you were alone constantly, I would have dropped this! But the fact that you do means that you must have a passion for singing. You just don't have a place where you can really set your voice free and put it to use! I know how..nobody really speaks or associates themselves with you in this school. This can be your chance to change that! You don't have to be alone.."
"I said I am not interested in auditioning for your club! Our discussion ends here." Jake said as his final words before he continued to walk away until he was fully out of Hailey's sight. Once he was no longer able to be seen, Hailey sighed in defeat, glancing down at the leaflet in her hands.
"Well..that went fantastic. Why am I so surprised he said no? I should have seen this coming. Maybe the others are right. There is no use. I should probably give up. No matter how hard I try, Jake isn't going to listen to me. The only ones he'll listen to are his siblings, like Milly said.."
Hailey took a pause after hearing herself say the last sentence. She then began to ponder, and tapped her chin repeatedly at a rhythmic pace.
"The only ones he'll listen to..are his siblings!" Hailey nearly exclaimed, clutching onto her leaflet tightly. "That's it! Maybe that's how I can get Jake to audition for the band, and I know just the girl for the job!"
----
Hailey was sitting down on one of the benches in the school gardens. She fiddled with various strands of her blue hair that fell from her collarbone while gazing up at the bright sky. It was a beautiful sunny day to say the least. It was just the right temperature as well. Not too hot, not too cold. Hailey did think it was better being outside rather than inside the school where it was more congested and stuffy with little to no fresh air allowed in.
"Hey girlie!" A high-pitched voice called out to her, gaining Hailey's attention. She looked over, and saw none other than Jake's younger sister Zoey who was waving and trailing up to her with a huge, friendly beam displayed on her countenance. Hailey waved back in reply as Zoey made it to the bench.
"Hi Zoey! It's lovely to see you. Sit down.." Hailey patted the empty spot next to her on the wooden bench. Zoey complied and took a seat, resting a leg of hers over the other.
"So..you wanted to meet me here in the school gardens. What's up, girl..?" Zoey threw a question at the musician, placing both her palms on one knee.
"Well..I wanted to talk to you about something kind of important, which is the reason behind me wanting to meet you here for a conversation. It's..about your brother.." Hailey stroked the back of her neck, staring at the ground below her.
Zoey giggled, covering her mouth with a hand. It made Hailey look at her confusingly, wondering why she was laughing. "Which one, Hailey? I have two in the school. Is it my older or younger..?"
"Oh, uhm..older. I'm talking about Jake.."
"Alright, what did he do this time? Look, if he did anything to you that hurt your feelings, I'm very sorry on his behalf. Jake tends to be like that with people. It's something he finds hard to control most of the time.." Zoey rubbed Hailey's shoulder, showing a comforting smile.
"Oh no, Zoey. It's quite alright. You don't have to apologise. That isn't the main point that I want to bring across with you." Hailey sat back into the bench, adjusting her pink cardigan. "I went up to Jake today...and asked if he would like to join the music club that I'm the founder of, and become our new lead singer..but..he said no.."
Zoey nearly gasped upon learning this information, but it wasn't long before a low chuckle came out from her. "Wow... Someone actually came up to Jake and acknowledged his talent for once.." She mumbled with a grin, and it made Hailey whip her head around to her.
"So...Jake can sing..?" Hailey questioned quietly, seeing Zoey nod her head in response.
"He is the most incredible singer I've ever heard. He sings so much at home, and for me and my brothers. He sounds like an angel. He has a huge passion for it. Singing means so much to Jake more than anything.." Zoey sighed dreamily, beaming at the thought of her big brother that she honestly looked up to a lot.
"Listen, Hailey. I know Jake. He may have said no, but I'm sure he desperately wanted to say 'yes'. Jake just has a hard time communicating with people outside of his family because..let's just say he dealt with a lot of bullying and harassment growing up. Since then, Jake never had any real friends. Trust me, I've tried introducing Jake to a few people I know because I don't want him to be alone, but nothing seemed to work. Jake can be as stubborn as a mule.."
Hailey fought back a heavy sigh after listening to Zoey. Looks like her instincts were right after all. Jake did have a passion for singing, as confirmed by his own sister. He just didn't know how to accept Hailey's offer earlier. It was now as clear as day that Jake was lonely and needed some friends.
"Is Jake..always the way he is..? I mean..is he always so rude and..cold towards others..?" Zoey immediately shook her head in reply to Hailey's question.
"Oh God no! Jake is such a sweetheart at home! He shows his true self when he's with his family. It's only at this school does he show his rough and hard exterior, you know? But trust me, Jake is a good person at heart..and I feel extremely lucky to have him as my brother. The same goes for the rest of my siblings. But you know what Hailey, I think Jake joining the music club would be really great for him! Jake has always dreamed of finding a place where he can sing to his heart's content.."
Hailey couldn't help but grow ecstatic with every word Zoey said to her. She knew that if Jake's sister was saying these things about Jake, then it must be true. She wouldn't lie about their own brother. Besides, Zoey and the rest of Jake's siblings know him better than everybody else in the school.
"If that's really the case, then..I was planning to ask him again actually. This is what is best for Jake, and I truly see a place for him in my band." Hailey took out the music club's leaflet once again and handed it to Zoey. The blonde-haired female accepted it from her and glanced down at it. "And..I was wondering if..maybe you could come with me this time? I know that..Jake listens to you and your brothers a lot.."
Zoey grinned warmly as she looked back up at Hailey, holding the leaflet safely in her hands. "You're a really good person, Hailey. It's so...heartwarming to finally see somebody actually care about my Jakey bear.."
"Aww, is that what you call him?" Hailey giggled as she found the nickname to be adorable. Zoey chuckled as well, blushing a bit in embarrassment.
"Yeah..I've called Jake that ever since I was a little girl. You see, Jake was the first brother I've ever had. He was there when I was born, and has always been there for me. I love him a lot..and the fact that you're willing to do so much for him even though you don't really know him means a lot. So don't worry Hailey, I will come with you..and we can try and convince Jake to join the club together.."
Before she could even react, Hailey was suddenly pulled into a hug by Zoey, which took her by surprise. Nonetheless, she hugged her back, giggling a little.
"Thank you, Zoey.." Hailey whispered, embracing her tightly.
"Of course, Hailey...I'd do anything for my brother. I know he will be so happy being in your club.." Zoey replied, and broke the hug with the teal-haired girl afterwards. "You know..you'd make an amazing girlfriend for Jake!"
Hailey's face became an entire shade of red as she almost choked on her own saliva. "Zoey..! You d-don't have to say that! There's nothing going on between Jake and I!"
Zoey smugly grinned and raised an eyebrow in amusement. "You never know, Hailey. You never know. C'mon, let's go find Jake. I know where he is at this time of day."
----
The sun's afternoon rays shone itself down onto the peach-haired boy as he pressed his back up against the fence. As usual, Jake was all alone on the rooftop with nobody there by his side. He was sure his siblings were doing their own things, which was fine with him. Atleast they had people to talk to, unlike him.
Jake turned himself around to face the sun in front of him that was high in the sky, just seeping out from the fluffy clouds. As he zoned out, his thoughts traced back to the girl that walked up to him earlier. Hailey Austin. There was something about her that Jake couldn't stop thinking about. Out of everybody else in the school, why did Hailey go up to Jake to ask to audition? It could have easily been another student but it wasn't. For some reason, she chose him.
Thinking about that honestly warmed his heart a bit.
It made his heart beat a little faster than usual.
Jake took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and it wasn't long before he began to slowly sing a song.
"There once was a bittersweet man and they called him "Lemon Boy".
He was growing in my garden and I pulled him out by his hair like a weed.
And like weeds do he only came and grew back again.
So, I figured this time I might as well let him be..
Lemon Boy and me started to get along together.
I helped him plant his seeds, and we'd mow the lawn in bad weather.
It's actually pretty easy being nice to a bitter boy like him.
So, I got myself a citrus friend."
Jake finished the last note in a pitch perfect key, and took a moment to catch his breath. He grinned softly, and gripped onto the fence. Singing always made him feel better, no matter the circumstances. It was a way for him to express himself freely. Jake really felt blessed to have been born with this talent. His siblings had told him multiple times that God put him in this world to sing.
"You truly have a beautiful voice, you know..?"
Jake felt his heart stop. There was somebody behind him, and that voice he heard sounded all too familiar. Curiously, he turned his head, and from there, he met eyes with the same girl from previously before at the lockers. She smiled at him, while her luminous azure locks flew with the wind.
"Y-You..?!" Jake muttered as his face went red. He couldn't believe that another person had caught him singing to himself on the roof. Not to mention, it was Hailey this time. Out of everyone, this was definitely the most awkward encounter for Jake.
"What is that song called..? I've never heard it before. It sounds really nice.." She asked the boy a question, stepping a bit more closer to him.
"U-Um...it's a song..I wrote myself.." Jake rubbed his neck, feeling even more embarrassed than ever. Hailey has now heard him sing for the first time, and it was a song that he created. "Sh-Shut up...I know it sucks.."
"No no, Jake! It sounds..gorgeous.." Hailey giggled and held onto an arm of hers. This made Jake very surprised. Someone actually liked a song of his. Usually, people would make fun of him. "You see, Jake? You are not only an extremely talented singer, but you're also a good songwriter! You have a real passion for music. You deserve to have a place where you can really use your talents and express yourself..!"
"Oh my God...I already told you! I-I don't..want to..be in your cl-club.." Jake looked away from her, his arms folding themselves. "There's nothing you can do to convince me or change my mind! So, give it up!"
"I figured, but I know deep inside your heart that this is all you want, Jake. This is your chance. You're just too afraid to accept it because of the way people have treated you in the past." Hailey tried to meet Jake's hazel eyes but failed as he kept looking away. "Look, I won't be able to convince you, but I know somebody who can.."
Just then, Hailey stepped out of the way and behind her stood Zoey, Jake's beloved sister. Jake finally glanced back, his eyes widening once he saw the other person Hailey brought with her. Zoey weakly beamed at her brother, and brushed a strand of her hair away from her face.
"Zoey?! What are you doing here..?" Jake scratched his head as his sister steadily approached him.
"I need to talk to you, Jake.." Zoey gently spoke and took a palm of Jake's into her own. "You..should join the music club. This is what's best for you. I know for a fact that once you join, a smile will remain on your face for God knows how long.."
"But, Zoey..." Jake murmured lowly, only to see the girl silence him before he could speak any more words.
"Jake, you have to trust me on this. Hailey and I want the best for you. You should take this opportunity. It's calling out to you, so go for it! I promise that you will not regret this! This is your destiny, big brother. You are so talented, and you deserve to show the world what you can do.."
Jake bit his lip and thought hard to himself. He knew that he trusted his siblings more than anybody in the world. They would never lie to him, and Jake also knew that Zoey wouldn't be saying this without a good reason. Maybe she was right. This is what Jake needs in his life. Maybe the music club is a place where he can be himself and call home.
"O-Okay then...I will audition.." Jake breathed out, and it made both the girls' eyes brighten up with delight once his decision was made.
"You..You will..?!" Hailey exclaimed happily, trying her best to hide her very obvious excitement.
"Yes..I'll do it.." He huffed for the last time, grasping onto the fabric of his shirt. "I..do love to sing. Really, I do. Maybe this is what's best for me.."
"Aww, I am really happy to hear that, Jakey bear.." Zoey ran up to him and brought Jake into a massive hug. She wrapped her arms around his collarbone and squeezed him gently. "I love you so much.."
"I love you too, sis.." Jake hugged her back, humming in content. Hailey watched the two in awe, and realised on how similar Jake and Zoey's relationship was to her and Zander's.
The hug only lasted a few seconds before the both of them broke apart. Jake teasingly ruffled Zoey's hair a small bit, which made her giggle. The gesture was humorous to Hailey as well.
"Anyways, I will go meet some friends of mine now. I'll leave you two alone.." Zoey told the two singers and she started to then make her way over to the doors that would lead her back inside the school. Jake and Hailey watched her open the entranceway, walk through it, and then close the doors right behind her, leaving them to be the only ones on the school's roof.
"Well then, c'mon Jake! Let's go to the music club where I can introduce you to my bandmates.." Hailey said with glee, facing the direction of the two doors. She was about to start walking until something stopped her from doing so.
"Um, Hailey..?"
Hailey paused, and acknowledged the fact that Jake finally referred to her by her real name. She turned herself around, placing a lock of blue behind one ear. "Yes, Jake..?"
With a huge grin, Jake embraced Hailey tightly, and draped his arms around her back. Hailey went stiff, along with her countenance growing warm. She swore she could feel Jake's fingers gently play with her hair throughout the hug, and it made her go nuts.
"Oh my God! He's hugging me! He's actually hugging me! He smells so nice too! Okay, calm down Hails. It's just a hug.."
"Thank you.." Jake whispered in her ear, almost snuggling into her collarbone.
"F-For what..?" The blue-haired musician was absolutely taken aback. She could tell she probably looked as red as a cherry. It was a good thing Jake wasn't able to see her face at the moment.
"For...not treating me like I'm some outcast. You're the first person, besides my siblings, who actually...cares about me.." Jake replied, hugging Hailey even more.
With that, Hailey chuckled and finally hung her arms around Jake's neck. She cuddled him, and if she was being honest, was feeling good that Jake felt this way. Her friends always described Hailey as someone who looks out for others at all times.
"You're absolutely welcome, Jake.."
"Hailey...can we..be friends..?"
"I would be more than happy to be your friend.."
Both Jake and Hailey loosened their hold on eachother as they broke away. "Now come on, Jake. Let's get outta here. I'll show you the way to the music club! I know you'll get along just fine!" Jake laughed in awe once he heard Hailey's enthusiasm and faith in him.
"Lead the way, princess!"
-End-
AN: The headcanon of Jake, Zoey, Elliot, and Milo being siblings belongs to Bizzy1608.