3 DEALS✔

CHAPTER 2✔

~Those words cut deep.

But they don't mean.

You're all alone.

                   You're not invisible~                                          

         

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Waking up, the first thing I always do is remember what I've been through and where I am right now. I moved away from New York a long time ago. The place was just too painful for me. My little brother got adopted by a family who lived in New York at that time. They were so sweet that they adopted me with him too. And we all moved back to Mystic Rivers, California. It's a small town with the population of about 5000 people.

I left the person who I was there. But my heart is still there. Scratch that I don't even have a heart. I'm just a breathing corpse. Now I live with a family, I have an older step sister who's engaged to another guy and she is much better than my previous step sister and my little brother. I have people who I can call Mom and Dad. I have people who I can call family. And in order to never take them for granted, I remember what I used to be when they weren't in my life. And I'm thankful to everyday I wake up knowing that I'm loved by people who will stand by me whatever happens.

I kept staring at the ceiling in my room. I changed my identity. I didn't want to remember who I was in New York. Lucy Hale was the girl who was a singer. I no longer sing because it brings back memories of my time with the person I loved with my whole fiber and being. My actual name was Hailee Hale. But I took the name of my birth mother, Lucy for my singing career. My last name changed when I came into Erickson family. And since then I am Hailee Erickson, A new person.

No one in this town knows that I'm a singer. Even if people knew they wouldn't be able to recognize me, seeing as I had long black hair but I changed them. I cut my hair into a stylish bob with blonde and bronze colours. And no one in this town knows that I'm Lucy Hale. No one but one person, aside from my family.

Luke Langford. Landon's older brother. My ultimate tormentor. You see Landon also belonged from this town and he was buried here. And his brother blames me for his death. I can't understand his pain because I never lost my brother. But I lost the love of my life but he doesn't understand that. He is driven by vengeance. He takes it out by making my life miserable in every way he can. And I don't stand up to him. Because I deserve it. He have said I killed Landon so many times that I actually believe it. So I take blow after blow for everything. I mean, I was the one who wanted to go on that vacation.

He knows that I used to be a singer. But he never told anyone. I don't know why but he didn't. My previous step sister lives in this town. She wanted to make amends with me. I forgave her for what she did. Mostly because I'm lonely at school. And I have no one to talk to other than my step sister. But sometimes she leaves me for her own friends and I get that. Her life doesn't revolves around me.

I turned to my right side on the bed. I was met with a picture frame I chose to keep after everything. It was a picture of me and Landon. We were laughing and looked so carefree. I picked up the frame and hugged it to my chest. A few tears escaped my eyes. It's been only a year but it still hurts. I'm 17 now and I'm in senior year of high school.

"Honey can I come in?" Mom said from outside my bedroom door. I quickly wiped my tears, and placed the frame on my nightstand. "Yeah." I said, my voice croaking from dryness.

She slowly opened the door and smiled at me. She came and sat in front of me. I knew that she could tell I was crying because I do cry every morning.

"Are you okay honey?" She asked, a concerned look on her face. She wiped at a few stray tears that escaped my eyes and rubbed my cheek. She pulled me into a hug. I tried so hard not to cry.

"Yeah." I said, pulling away smiling. She knew that I will never admit that I'm not okay. So she just smiled and said, "Now get up or you're going to be late for school. I have made you pancakes so come down before your brother gobbles them up." She said, standing up and walking to the door.

"Hey Mom." I called. "Yeah." She replied. "Thank you." I said. She just smiled at me and left. It was a part of my routine to thank her every morning. She loved me and my brother as we were her own. She was not my mother but she never made me feel like an orphan.

I sighed and got out of the bed and walked towards the bathroom. I took a shower, brushed my teeth, changed my clothes and went downstairs. I saw my little brother, Mike sitting at the kitchen island. He saw me walking towards him and smiled at me. I walked up to him and ruffled his hair. He growled in annoyance and tried to mess up my hair but I ducked under his hand and went into the kitchen.

"Finally you're here. I was gonna eat every pancake mom made y'know?" He said grinning. "Yeah and if you would've done that I would've killed you." I said blankly staring at him.

Mom settled 2 plates of pancakes in front of us. I drizzled my pancakes with maple syrup and threw some strawberries on top of it and ate everything up. After I finished eating I swallowed down my pills, went upstairs and got my backpack and I threw on my converse and ran back downstairs.

I went to Mike, who was still sitting at the kitchen island. "Come on we're gonna be late." I said and went up to Mom who was standing in the kitchen and hugged her. "Bye Mom." I said. She ruffled my hair and said bye and I went out the door with Mike.

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Mike was a year younger than me and he was in junior year. We reached the school and I stared at the 'HELL' we called 'MYSTIC HIGH'. The big bold letters always seemed to intimidate me. I inhaled deeply and kissed Mike's cheek as we both went our separate ways. I pushed open the school doors. The hallways were bustling with students.

I tried to maneuver past the students without getting trampled on and got to my locker. I put in my combination and opened my locker. I exchanged my books and closed the locker door.

"Hey sis." Crystal said. "Hey big sis." I said. "How are you? You doing good? How is Mike?" She asked the usual questions she always do. "I'm fine. I'm doing good and Mike is also fine." I said in the same monotone voice. "Hey don't give me that robot voice. I'm your sister what am I supposed to ask you?" She said. I just shrugged and started walking towards my first class. I only took 2 steps then I was rammed into the locker.

"Going somewhere?" Luke said, smirking evilly. "Yes. To class. Y'know the place where people study." I said. Maybe sarcasm isn't gonna get me out of trouble. But I can't help it. Sarcasm is like a second nature to me. "Don't talk back to me bitch." He yelled in my face. By now everyone was watching. No one actually cared, not even my step sister. I mean who wouldn't be intimidated by Luke. He was like the Evil King of Mystic High. So I don't blame anyone.

"What happened Princess? Cat got your tongue?" He said sneering at me. "No you just told me not to talk so...." I said. My sarcastic response made him a fool in everyone's eyes. His eyes flashed with anger and he shoved me to the ground. "Don't be a smartass." He said and walked away.

I sighed heavily and got up from the floor. I dusted my whole body and picked up my bag from the floor and continued walking to the class.

Just another day in the life of Hailee Erickson. Oh how much I love it. Not.

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Okay this chapter got me thinking about bullying which is such a huge problem for everyone. I've never been bullied but a lot of people have. If you guys can't do anything about the bullying just know that there's more to life than just high school. It will all be over. Not every problem is permanent. That's why I added that song above. Must listen to it and give me yout thoughts on this chapter.

Don't forget to vote and share this story.

Until next time.

M.K 💖