The second the lunch bell rang and Haley stepped out of her classroom, she searched the hordes of students. It was a routine she had taken up after every class, looking for a set of glasses and blonde hair. Each time she had no luck. But as she waited just beyond her math class, she knew that she had to come across Isaac, knowing he visited Cal for lunch.
The minutes ticked by as students found tables and spots to spend their bit of freedom. The more the crowd thinned, the more Haley felt gnawing anxiety. When the main entrance was completely clear, Isaac still hadn't crossed her path.
Letting out a disappointed breath, Haley crossed over to her tree and sank down under it. She pushed aside the mixed emotions over Isaac, knowing for that moment she could do nothing to change the situation. She slipped her headphones in and let music distract her.
As she sat there taking in the scene she had studied for so long, it all looked the same yet somehow different. If wasn't as if she had seen things in black and white and now it was color, it was more than that. It was as if she were starting to see the facets of life, like a diamond shifting in the light.
The couple with their heads bent together were not simply a one-dimensional picture of teenage love, but a complex pattern of questions she didn't know the answers to. How did they get together? Nothing in life was perfect, so what troubles did they face? Did they deal with them together or alone? Did they see how their best friend looked at them?
The longer Haley watched the ever-changing tableau she could see how there was never a way for anyone to truly see and understand it all. What she had always thought she had been so smart about figuring out were the surface facts that anyone could see.
What she had missed were the underlining things that were kept too close to a person's heart to be seen from far away. It would take getting involved to truly see what was missed from the outside. Just as it had been for her and for the people she had gotten to know around her.
With that clarity, she began to write the essay she had failed to complete the day before. Everything from the previous weeks poured out of her, each revelation making her want to laugh. She had been so certain of how life worked but had only been seeing it from the sidelines. It was only once she had entered the race that she saw all the small aspects she had missed.
When the bell rang, she snapped herself out of her thoughts. She raised her head, realizing she had lost track of time and completely forgotten to eat. The essay was only half completed but what lay there was more than Haley had imagined she would ever learn.
Packing up her stuff, she slung her backpack on her shoulder and made her way to the office. The noise from outside was muffled as the door swung shut behind her. Dana emerged from the nurse's office, laughing, the remains of her lunch balled up.
Despite the months of working with the woman, Haley had never spared a thought for how she spent her lunch or with whom. When the older woman spotted Haley, she smiled. Before she could ask the customary question, Haley jumped in.
"How was your lunch?" she asked.
Dana's smile widened, her eyes crinkling.
"It was lovely. Nancy always has the best gossip," she said, pointing back to the doorway.
Haley laughed, surprised by the woman's teenage heart. As they both settled into their normal spots, Dana returned the favor.
"How was your lunch?" she asked.
Haley stared at nothing, smiling.
"Enlightening," she said, focusing on her companion.
"Oh?" Dana said, a playful smile tugging the corners of her mouth. "What made it so?"
Haley shook her head and shrugged. "It's hard to say."
Trying to sum up weeks of missteps, misunderstandings, and a lot of assumptions into one or two short sentences seemed impossible. Dana nodded, understanding without needing to be told. Before the two of them could find another line of conversation the counselor's door opened and Faith stuck her head out.
"Haley, do you have a moment?" she asked.
"Sure."
Faith stepped back as Haley entered and took the open seat. The door click shut and Faith settled behind her desk. The smile she offered up was the one she always wore, kind and relaxed. She leaned back in her chair and placed her elbows on the armrests like they were two friends there for a chat.
"I saw the Senior Day Fair," she said. "It was wonderful, you should be proud."
Haley beamed. "I am. It was a lot of work but in the end, it was worth it."
"So you're not still mad at me for making you work on it?"
"I wasn't-"
Faith raised her eyebrows, stalling Haley's denial. Haley fidgeted, not meeting the counselor's gaze.
"It's okay, I understand that you didn't want to do it, but I'm happy you still stuck with it. There is so much in life that won't be easy or fun to do but if you find the determination in yourself to make it through you'll be the better for it. Like now, you have something to add to your college application that will beef it up."
Haley nodded. "Thanks."
"Of course. If you find you need help with your applications I'm here."
"Thanks, I just might."
When Haley slipped back into the main office, she found Dana was on a phone call. Taking up her position behind the desk, she waited for something to do. It appeared in the form of Josie rushing through the front doors. She let out a breath when she saw Haley. Her hair looked a bit tangled like she had been messing with it too much and the smile she normally wore was strained.
"Hey, can I get fifty copies of these?" she asked.
"Sure, are you okay?" Haley asked.
Josie waved a frantic hand. "A couple of things have fallen through with prom and so everyone on the council is scrambling. If I don't spend the majority of my weeknights here I will be extremely shocked. Rachel and Kia are keeping level heads about it, but it's a lot of problems that appeared out of nowhere."
"Can I help?" The question popped out without a second thought and Haley found she didn't regret.
"Actually yes, could you just bring these copies to the Counsel room once they're done? It would be great if I could just get back now."
Haley took the sheet of paper. "Of course."
Letting out a sigh, Josie left with a quick wave. The copy machine whirred, the vibrations sending small tremors through Haley's hands. Despite all the times she had been annoyed with Ty and Josie for their constant chatter about people she didn't know, it felt strange not to have the hum of their voices accompanying the machine.
When the last page spat out, Haley collected the stack and headed out. The day was as pleasant as the morning had promised it would be, the sunlight warm but not overbearing. As Haley drew closer to the Counsel room, the rise of voices increased.
In the doorway, she paused. The room that was decorated with school spirit posters. Two long tables were at the center of a storm of movement. Prom decoration littered the floor, tabletops and any space that wasn't holding a person. It looked like silver and blue had thrown up all over the place. Haley scanned the place for a familiar face to pass the copies off to.
"Jace have you heard back from the Whitley hotel?" Rachel called out over the noise.
She was standing beside the Counsel President, Kia who was calling out directions to other students. The pair looked like a force to be reckoned with, completely calm amid the chaos. Before Haley could locate where Jace was in the mass, Josie popped up by her side.
"Thanks," she said, taking the stack.
"Do you need more help?" Haley asked.
Josie looked around at the mayhem but shook her head.
"As of now we got things in hand, but I'll let Rachel know you offered help and if we need you we'll let you know."
Haley nodded. "Okay. I'll see you around."
Josie let out a bright laugh. "Maybe next week. This is our home until everything is fixed. Thanks again, Haley."
As Haley took a step back, she spotted Jace in a far corner. The usual happy countenance he wore was gone, instead, there was a line of concentration as he talked on the phone. Part of her wanted to offer to help again but knew without knowing exactly how everything worked she would be in the way. It would have to be enough that Josie knew she could be called on. After having been working alongside most of the counsel for the past weeks it felt strange to walk away, but she did.
As she was crossing the lawn to the main office, a little black dog trotting through the school gates stopped her. The sight of Cal made Haley grin and she jogged to meet the wandering pup.
"Cal," she said.
Recognizing either her voice or his name, the dog raced towards her. The tip of his nose was coated in dirt and his paws held the same evidence of his escape. Haley crouched down and scratched the dog's velvety ears, feeling like this was the connection she needed. Calling for Cal to follow her, she went to Isaac's classroom. Mr. Scholar's voice cut off, as she opened the door.
"Yes?" he asked.
Haley found Isaac but his head was bent, brow wrinkled.
"I need Isaac," she said.
At his name, he jerked his head up.
"Return with haste, Mr. Thompson," Mr. Scholar said. "History is about to take a turn for the worst and you wouldn't want to miss it."
Isaac nodded, but his gaze was on Haley. Though curious there was still a hurt glint in his eyes. Swallowing down a rise of nerves, Haley led him out of the classroom. Upon seeing Cal waiting, understanding lightened Isaac's face. Cal bounced forward, pressing dirty paws into Isaac's legs and leaving marks.
"He was really determined to find you," Haley said. "That makes two of us."
Isaac spared her a glance, but he remained guarded. Before his silence could choke her, Haley barreled forward.
"Look, Isaac about Saturday. What you saw wasn't what it looked like." She grimaced. "I know it looked like we kissed." She grimaced. "But we never actually did." She fidgeted. "It's stupid but...I was asking him how you know if you're a good kisser or not and well...he was talking about the lead up and demonstrating...it."
Isaac's face never changed. Swallowing, Haley rushed on.
"I know how ridiculous that sounds, but that's the truth. It was because I was worried that I might be a bad kisser even though the night before you...we...it seemed good but I got stressed out wondering if I was a good kisser and-"
Haley snapped her lips shut, realizing that she was rambling.
"That was what I saw? Jace almost kissing you?" Isaac asked.
Haley released her breath and nodded, relieved she had managed to get the explanation out. Cal jumped up at Isaac's hand but Isaac whistled and the dog sat back.
"You're telling me nothing is going on between you and Jace?" he asked.
"Nothing at all." She said it with as much conviction as she could. "I even came to your house Sunday to try and explain but you were on a run with Cal."
Isaac buried his hands in his pockets, something flickering over his face, but was gone before Haley could understand what it was.
"After you came over to my house what did you do?" he asked.
The question was strange enough that Haley didn't answer right away.
"I went home," she said.
Flashes of what had occurred when she had gotten there and what followed sparked in her mind.
"That's all?" he asked.
Haley nodded, not sure that she wanted to get into the details of how she had run away from her parents assuming the worst and how the night had been a tangle of emotions.
Despite what she had expected, Isaac's face crumpled.
"Why are you lying?" he said.
Haley's eyes widened. "What?"
"I saw you," Isaac whispered. "I was at the beach with Cal and I saw you and Jace looking more than friends."
Haley opened her mouth, but nothing came out. The events of the previous night felt too raw to even put into words.
"Isaac..." She swallowed. "That was..."
Cal barked and lept at Isaac, reminding him that he was still there. What emotions had remained drained from Isaac's face, leaving him depleted. "I need to get Cal home."
With a wave of his hand to Cal, Isaac walked away, the puppy at his heels. All Haley could do was watch him, feeling like the air had been sucked from her lungs.
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What the-! That son of -! GAAAA!!!!
*Grabs Isaac shakes him and then kicks him in the shin*
Look Isaac I know your butts hurt but I don't give a crap about your feelings! You need to go back and listen to what happened! She likes you, you stupid nincompoop! And she was doing so much better at the beginning of this chapter and you ruined it! GAAA! *shoves him away*
Go ahead, let's hear all you have to say about the chapter or the idiot currently known as Isaac! 👉🕳👈
I mean I get it, he saw Jace with his arms around Haley so it's hard not to read into that, but still he should have waited!
Whatever, I don't want to think about him right now. Let's think of happier things. Okay if you were going to spend six months in another city and you couldn't travel anywhere else, where would you live?
I would choose Paris cause I would hope in that time I would get better at the language. Also it's my second home!
Vote, comment, follow and try not to murder Isaac for being a normal boy.
Haha the difference between Haley and Jace!