Flashback :: Six Years Ago :: 10 Years Old.
"Hailey?" someone called, "Hail?" they called again. When my eyes fluttered open I saw that it was my younger sister, Michaela who was trying to get my attention. "Yeah?" I asked sitting up before I heard shouting. I gasped and held Kayla close to me. I held her close as she sobbed because of all the noise.
"Sh, it'll be okay. They'll stop soon." I kept whispering to her until soon she fell asleep. I slowly slipped off the bed and made my way downstairs where the commotion was. There was shouting and crying, lots and lots of crying.
When I got downstairs I gasped, Carrie was sitting by the wall and there was lots of blood. Then there was Mom and Dad who were standing, and yelling at each other. Dad pushed Mom and she fell on the ground, she was about to get up when he hit her.
I immediately let out a scream, "No!" I yelled, before I could stop myself. Mommy always told me NOT to stand up to Daddy. "Hey sweetie," he slurred slightly and I backed up against the wall. "No, Hailey!" Carrie and Mama yelled.
"Leave Mama alone." I spoke in my Russian accent, "Don't tell me what to do!" He snapped, grabbing my face with one hand and pushing my head back so it hit the wall. "Ow!" I silently cried, rubbing the back of my head.
I narrowed my eyes, kicking Papa between his legs and he crouched down in pain. "Hailey, run!" Mama instructed and I turned to run but Papa grabbed my ankle, pulling me down on the ground, my body hitting off the hard, cold floor. I cried out in frustration before kicking one of my feet back, into his face.
I had no problem in getting up and running over to my Mom, helping her up before going over to Carrie, who was eleven. "C'mon Carrie." I breathed, trying to help her up. There was still so much blood and it was hard not to slip.
"You!" My Dad grunted, charging at me and I dodged, pulling Carrie to the couch, sitting her down. I quickly ducked under my Father''s feet and kicked him down. "Hailey, get away!" Mama shouted and I ran to the stairs as I heard a glass shattering scream, I flicked my head around and gasped and let out a blood curdling scream as I saw Mama lying on the floor, a bullet hole through her heart.
By now everyone was standing behind me, horrified at the scene. My twin brother, Bradley and our younger brother, Dallas, ran out from behind me and while Brad went to help Carrie, Dallas started attacking our drunk father.
"Get Uncle Carter!" I heard Brad call but I was frozen, so Grayson quickly ran out of the house with Michaela and went next door to get Uncle Carter, who came back to the house with them. "Tatianna!" He yelled when he saw her.
I finally got the courage to walk over to her body and knelt down. Grasping the heart locket that was around her neck, holding it. I cried, touching my own locket with my other hand. "I love you Mama." I sobbed, quietly as everyone came around her and cried.
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Alexandra Maria Mallory Tatianna Konstantinov -- Alexander
Beloved Mother, Daughter, Sister, Friend and Woman
1979 -- 2008
I stood there, re-reading the tomb over and over again, before sighing and plopping down in front of it. I was wearing a big grey sweatshirt (With a hood, of course) and a pair of blue ripped shorts paired with black converse.
My sweatshirt had TBC Logo on it. (Thompson Basketball Clinic)
I ran a finger along the cold rock where my Mother rested and began softly singing,
"Somewhere over the rainbow way up high. There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue. And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true."
I took my phone out and scrolled through Twitter while I sang a bit of a song my Mom used to sing me. "Baby you're all that I want. When you're lyin' here in my arms. I'm findin' it hard to believe. We're in heaven."
I kept rethinking that night, when I found Carrie covered in blood and Mom yelling at Dad. And his breath that reeked of alcohol. I leaned forward and kissed the headstone, before standing up and dusting the dirt from my behind.
I turned around and started walking towards a small park that had picnic tables and a large oak tree. I smiled as I smelt the air of the park, it smelt familiar, it smelt like home.
I made my over to oak tree but stopped when I saw Hayden leaning against the tree, his headphones on and eyes closed. I sighed before continuing to walk over to the tree and sitting down next to Hayden.
His eyes flew open, but I didn't look at him. "Hi." He quietly spoke, and I saw him take off his headphones. "Hi." I replied, before my phone rang.
"My Happy Little Pill, Take Me Away, Dry My Eyes. Bring Colour To My Skies. My Sweet Little Pill, Take My Hunger, Lie Within, Numb My Skin." Troye Sivan's voice was cut off when I answered Leah's call.
"Hey Leah." I said and she greeted me. "We left. We just arrived back in NC." She said and I frowned, before my mouth formed an 'o' shape. "Yeah," I nodded, "-it's good that you left."
"I know." She agreed and she bid me a goodbye, saying that she needed to unpack and take a nap. "How'd you find me?" Hayden asked, "How'd you find this?" I asked back and he softly chuckled. "I was just walking 'round." He told me.
"I was just coming back from somewhere. I always come here." I told him and could see him nodding. "Rufus--" I instantly cut Hayden off, turning to look at him.
"Stay away from him," I said, "And keep your brother and sister safe from him as well."
Hayden nodded, staring at his phone, his lip trembling, "I'm sorry about yesterday. W-we didn't mean to snoop. We were just listening to you singing, and we were about to leave--" He apologized and I softly smiled.
"It's fine, you weren't to know," I told him as he slightly nodded, scrolling through his phone before unplugging his headphones and pressing play.
"In the crowd alone,"
Troye Sivan's voice sang and I smiled, as he nodded his head to the beat.
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"How was it?" Rae asked as soon as Hayden and I entered the house. "It was good." I smiled at her, "Did you cry this time?" Rocky asked hopefully, "Nope," I grinned cheekily down at her. "You never cry." they both muttered and I sighed.
"Just because someone smiles all the time or doesn't cry, doesn't mean they're not hurting." I told them as I tweeted just that. And checked my new text message.
I'M READY! --- Blaze
"Alright guys, Blaze is ready." I told the twins and they both immediately dismissed the TV and dashed upstairs to practise guitar with Blaze. "Hurry, Dallas is coming!" Carrie whispered, hurriedly as she pulled me to one couch and Hayden to one that was all the way on the other side.
I scrolled through my phone and pretended to be doing something as I heard footsteps coming from the basement. "Hey Hails, how was it?" He asked me and I locked my phone looking up at him, "I didn't cry." I shrugged and he softly grabbed my head in his hands and kissed my forehead, "Good girl. I'm proud of you."
A few minutes went by and Carrie and I were tired of the silence as we both sighed, "Dallas, please just say something." We whined. "Hi." He sarcastically grinned and Carmen and I rolled our eyes at our brother. "Dallas, I swear to--" He cut both Carrie and I off by groaning.
"Fine! Hello Hayden, how are you doing this fine afternoon?" Dallas asked and I narrowed my eyes at him, "Don't get cocky, D." I told him and he stuck a finger up at me before slipping on a jacket and walking out the door.
"Did he just do that?" I asked jokingly to my sister. "Rude." We both muttered before laughing. "So Hayden," I started, "Tell us about yourself." Carrie ended and I bet we looked creepy but he just laughed and nodded, proceeding to tell us a few details about himself.
