Hailey

Chapter Three

Two weeks had passed since the party, and Hailey left the house to venture into the city only when it was getting dark. The sun was just a little too bright for her sensitive skin now that she had her secret; it felt just this side of too hot now. She had her pale blue dress on, and a slightly darker thick blue jacket wrapped around her over it for her venture into the city.
Hailey wasn't normal anymore. She hadn't been for years, her secret made sure of that. She still felt it was unfair her parents had welcomed her sister back with open arms and reassurances after she was forced to start keeping the same secret Hailey was, especially since Hailey had started keeping that horrible secret after Arabella. Though she had been pushed away from the family circle after her secret started, Hailey had still kept in touch with what was going on with her family. She had learned that her twin Julius had also been affected by the secret that was like a curse, but she hadn't been able to find him. She was lonely in her house all alone, and even having their portraits didn't help with the loneliness.
Hailey shook her head, pushing those thoughts away. She was going to the store to get food, not having an inner monologue about how unfair her family was!
Even though she wasn't even using her real name (and hadn't in a long time), Hailey had to admit it was a lot easier being this version of herself rather than who she used to be. She fit in with this time period much better. Hopefully the blonde would be able to reunite with Arabella and Julius soon enough, though Hailey doubted it would happen anytime soon. The way things were, her siblings would more likely never find her and she wouldn't have her twin in her life anymore. Hailey missed them, she was lonely living by herself without anyone around.
With a start, Hailey realised that the reason she was thinking of her siblings again was because Arabella's birthday was this month. It had been her and Arabella's tradition that for every birthday, they would make each other things that they almost always wore with pride. And Hailey had continued making those things every year on autopilot, so now there was a room full of birthday gifts her sister had never received.
The blonde wondered if Arabella had things she made for her as well or if it was just Hailey who couldn't let go of their tradition of creating for each other. The necklace Hailey always wore, of a little willow tree branch pendant with amethysts, was a 12th birthday present from Arabella that the older girl had worked on making with their father, who had been part of the high merchant class. Arabella had a near-identical necklace, except the tree was an oak and the jewels were emeralds which had cost just a bit more. Hailey wondered if her sister still wore it.