The Definition Of Love (Book 1) [Gxg]

Chapter 19

Her dad walked into school, his shoulders rigid, his chest puffed up, striding with pride. His hair was swept neatly to the side and he had his charming smile on. It was a good day. Good days meant that when he thought about Kira, it brought back happy memories. It gave him a sort of beautiful nostalgia. He'd usually be lost in these memories... priceless and infinite. Haley didn't know what love meant... but she knew one thing... what her dad had felt when he'd met her mom was love. That feeling he'd always tried to describe but never could (he wasn't good with words like Haley was), that feeling was love. So that's what Haley wrote about. For her love story. The one that she'd had to write for her English class. She'd based it off of her parents' love story. One of her favorite lines were:

He was her angel. And she was his human. She tied him down with the bonds of mortality. But she hated to be a burden. So as the sun was engulfed by the horizon, she reached out her hands as if to catch a droplet of light to mold it into wings of her own. And she did it. Because she was enchanted enough. They both were.

From the countless stories that her father had told her, she'd concluded that the moments they'd shared together had been heavenly. They had both been connected with each other on every level possible. Their souls had been entwined. If Death had a heart, Haley didn't understand how he could have ripped them apart.

Her love story was the reason her dad had to come to school today. Ms.Ross said that she had something to speak to him about. Haley had been proud of her story. It had infinite meanings both metaphorically and literally. It had been designed like a labyrinth, the way love was structured. To say the least Ms.Ross had been impressed. She'd said that Haley had brought life to the cliche that were long walks on the beach. Haley thought that she was going to have to read her story out loud or something but she was saved from that embarrassment by the bell.

And now here she was. Holding her dad's hand, outside the classroom that they were to meet Ms.Ross in. Her dad rocked from the balls of his feet to the tips of his toes, he was humming 'Deck the Halls' and as usual his eyes were wandering. It was as if he was Snow White. Haley half-expected birds to come out of no where and start flying around him and helping him brush his teeth or something.

Haley heard Ms.Ross before she saw her. She was wearing heels today, and the clipping and clopping could be heard from two corridors away. But as soon as she saw Ms.Ross, she knew that something wasn't right.

Her smile... it was strained, forced almost. Her brown eyes were masked but a single emotion prevailed, confusion.

"Hey Ms.Ross."
"Good afternoon Haley, and to you to sir," she said, nodding at her dad. Where was her sense of humor? Haley smiled and turned to her dad, but the color had suddenly drained from his face. He'd stopped rocking. He wasn't even humming! And what surprised her most was that his eyes were focused. They weren't wandering. And there was no easy grin on his face. His smile mirrored that of Ms.Ross'. And his eyes were focused on Ms.Ross' brown eyes. As if he felt that they were wrong... out of place.

"Umm... dad this is Ms.Ross."
"Pleasure Miss."
"All mine sir. If you don't mind, can we talk in the classroom?"
"Yes of course," her dad agreed and Ms. Ross opened the door and turned the lights on. Her dad pulled out a chair and Haley did the same. Ms.Ross made herself comfortable behind her desk.

"So Madam, what is it that you want to talk to me about?"

No charm. His voice had zero charm. There was an edge of iciness in it. Or was that something else?

"Please call me Daniella. Oh and umm, Haley this might sound strange to you, but with your permission may I speak to your father alone."

Haley looked at Ms.Ross skeptically, "Okay fine."

She walked... no trudged.. out of class, dragging her feet out unwillingly. She was met at the corridor with a shoulder bump.
"Crap, sorry," she muttered, still looking down, wondering what Ms.Ross could possibly want with her dad. And why they both were acting so suspiciously.

"Oh hey Hals, you okay?"

It was Rachel.

"Oh hey Rae, why are you still here?"

"I joined the drama club and we have an after school meeting today."

"Oh cool, have fun!"

"Thanks," Rachel said, flashing her a playful smile, displaying white, pearly teeth.

"Don't forget to invite me to your first performance," Haley added, as Rachel started to leave.

Rachel turned around and started walking backwards, shouting, "SATURDAY, Maddie's, be there...crap oww."

Oh Rachel! Classic. She'd bumped into the water fountain.

Maddie's was a theatre hall near the school. Little did Haley know, that Maddie's would be the last place she was going to be on Saturday.

"You okay," Haley called out, to Rachel's retreatig silhouette.

"Yeah but now i'm late," replied the dark blob that used to be Rachel.

Haley chuckled to herself and leaned against one of the lockers next to the classroom. Rachel always cheered Haley up. It wasn't like she felt with Linda. When she was with Linda it was almost as if feeling the pain until it couldn't be felt. Eradicating it by using it up. But with Rachel it was more of a temporary numbness. Just forgetting the cause of the agony for some time.

Haley's view changed into that of her world. She felt the breeze blow the strands of her hair on her face. The damp sand between her toes. The water drenching her ankles. Linda was there. A little far off. In the sea. And she was smiling. She held her hand out. Her healing hand. The hand that would brush away all confusion. Haley reached out her hand. But she couldn't touch Linda. She couldn't move her feet. Tantalizing. But not close enough. This was like her painting. But Linda's smile didn't fade. It had all the hope in the world harnessed in it. So Haley tried. One more time. Stretching her fingers...

The door slammed open and Haley's vision blurred back into focus. She was in the school hallway again. Her dad came out. His eyes were red. And his face was flushed. His hands were shivering. And there were hints of tears coming out of his eyes. The only remaining evidence that he was fine when he came here was his beautifully styled hair.

This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. Haley peeked into the classroom.

Ms. Ross was sitting at the teacher's table. She was looking at the back of the classroom. Frowning. There was something small, transparent and glossy in her hand and there was something wrong with her face but Haley couldn't place what it was because she could only see her profile. Haley frowned. She'd have to talk to Ms.Ross later. Her dad was first priority. He was always her first priority.

Definition #19: You can Love many people, but there are those who make you feel like you've grown wings and make u feel liberalised, and those who make you feel like they are ripping off your existing wings.
For the sake of your heart choose the ones who give you wings.
But human nature always makes us choose the other...