Haley Locke |Locke and Key]

2.

Kinsey was always the one to wake Haley. It was routine. And she didn't want to change it.

Something had to remain the same at least.

"Hal" Kinsey poked her sister's shoulder a couple of times, seeing the peaceful expression on her face shifting, scrunching her face in discomfort, fluttering her eyes open. Kinsey waved at her, motioning at her to get up. "Time for school"

Haley groaned, throwing the blankets up to her face making Kinsey lightly chuckle, ripping them off her face.

"No" Haley groaned, surprising Kinsey about the way she willingly talked. "Sleep. Better"

"I know" Kinsey whispered, feeling the same. She wanted to sleep and never wake up. In her dreams, her dad was still alive and Haley was able to comunicate with them normally. She began poking Haley, enough to make her get up.

Haley gave her an annoyed look, kicking away the soft and warm blankets and stood, signing and startling Kinsey for a moment, both sisters suddenly pausing.

"Sorry" Haley said, dropping her hands, turning to her closet to pick her clothes.

"No, it's my-" Kinsey began, but Haley wasn't facing her. She breathed out in sadness. "Right" Haley turned to face her. Kinsey pointed at her own eyes, then at Haley then downstairs "I'll see you downstairs"

Without another word, Kinsey left the room, leaving Haley to roll her eyes.

She wouldn't get sad anymore. They didn't want to try, she wouldn't care.

~8~

Ready for school, Haley walked down the stairs mentally reassuring herself.

At least she won't hear people talking about her and family. Too bad for her siblings who would be able to hear them.

She walked inside the kitchen, seeing her sister and brothers sitting at the kitchen island, pausing at their faces. She chuckled, surprising them, turning to her.

Haley wordlessly signed to them, "Ah, the fresh smell of omelet with eggshells"

Tyler whose sign language was better than the others, chocked a chuckle as he understood what Haley said, as well surprised that she signed to them. She hadn't done so in a while, preferring to communicate with expressions or not at all.

Snapping herself out of her shock, Nina smiled at Haley, offering a plate of omelet. "Want some?"

Haley simply smiled, shaking her head. "Can eat at the new and incredible school we're being shipped to. Thanks anyway, mom"

Nina nodded slowly, all she got from that was the no, eat and something about school. So, she mentally translated she'd eat at school.

Haley stood bored at the doorway from the kitchen as Nina talked to them, asking about what she was forgetting, checking through her bag.

Kinsey glanced at her mom, interrupting her bluntly. "Already turned it in. Also sent Hal's medical history" Nina turned to Kinsey surprised, "I forged your signature. And I sent an e-mail from your account to the Assistent Head so we can get caught up on whatever we missed so far. Also a request for a tutor or interpreter for Hal to help her with her classes"

"Great" Nina told her, trying to look calm, smiling "Okay. Okay, next time, I got it. Just ask me, okay?"

Haley looked impatient as Duncan walked to the kitchen with a bag in hand.

He was leaving. Haley waved at him goodbye, turning on her feet and walking out of the kitchen, having seen Tyler and Kinsey getting up from their chairs.

They followed Haley toward the front door.

~8~

Haley ignored her siblings all the way to the school, hands buried on her warm pockets. Tyler and Kinsey were walking at her sides, leaving her in the middle.

As they arrived at the school, the three Locke children could only look up, stopping before the stairs, two of them glancing at each other above Haley's head as she was smaller than them.

"Here we go" Tyler told her.

Kinsey smiled slightly, looking down at her sister who ignored them and began walking up the stairs, entering the long hallway of the school.

Before Haley could walk away, Kinsey grabbed her arm. Kinsey gave her a paper.

Haley glanced at it, seeing a summoning to the principal's office. She scoffed in disbelief. First day, and already in trouble? She hadn't even gotten to class yet! She looked at Kinsey skeptically, glancing toward where Tyler was supposed to be so he could at least explain but he wasn't there.

Kinsey gave her an apologetic look, also bummed their brother ditched them.

Haley pointed at the paper, making a questionable sound.

"Help" Kinsey made the sign for the word then pointed at Haley, "For classes"

Haley lowered her eyebrows in understanding, rolling her eyes. "No. Need"

Haley turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Kinsey alone, hurt both of her siblings left her.

~8~

Haley was too prideful right now to admit she really needed someone to help her understand the classes. The professors talked too fast for her to understand, and it wasn't like she was interested in any class anyway.

She dropped her pen, leaning backwards on the chair in disinterest. The boy at her side glanced at her and the lack of notes in her notebook, seeing she wasn't paying attention. Also, this was the first time he's ever seen her before.

As soon as class was over, Haley was the first one to leave, not realizing someone was calling out at her.