Fated

“Hearher was the most amazing woman in my eyes, and she was the light that paved everyone’s way. She was a friend, a mother, and once she was a wife. Heather Gilbert will always be remembered for the great woman she was, and for the beautiful daughter she raised. Hailey, I’m sure your mother is watching over you right now, and she’s proud of the woman you’re becoming. May her soul rest in peace.” Marina, Hailey’s aunt, finished her speech with tears in her eyes. Everyone applauded and stood up, and Marina thanked everybody for coming to the funeral before walking back to her seat. Hailey  was sitting in the front row, staring at her hands as she fidgeted while trying to find something to think about. Her mind flashes with the pictures of the investigations, the blood on her mother’s neck, her eyes still open as she was pale and dead. If she looked closely she could still see the huge bite marks, and they looked so uncanny for a wolf bite. 

She is sure that her mother’s death wasn’t an animal attack, and she’s starting to develop an obsession over it, over the hole she feels in her stomach Everytime she looked at those pictures, over the fact that she feels watched at all times, like someone, or something— might just come and kill her, just like it killed her mom. The drive to the cemetery with her father, Dean, was spent in an uncomfortable silence, as the rain fell heavily on the car’s window. Hailey wanted to cry, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t cry in front of her father, who would try to comfort her with cheap words and empty promises, and she couldn’t let herself cry as she was going to watch her mother’s body get buried deep in the ground, so she just looked out the window, observing the beautiful gray clouds that covered the sky, and the rain falling down like a cascate, while her hand rested gently over her lips for a moment, trying to contain herself and not bust into tears, screaming. 

"We gather here today in the presence of God to commit the body of our sister Heather Gilbert to the ground. We do so with heavy hearts, but also with the hope of the resurrection." The minister spoke proudly as the rain hit everyone’s black umbrellas in the fog and darkness of the cemetery. Hailey was shivering in her black, silk dress that reached slightly above her knees. Her father was right in front of her, looking right at his dead ex wife “You’ll be missed Heather,” He whimpered between his words, a single tear falling from his eyes “I love you…” Dean started crying, as he slowly let go of the white rose in his hand, letting it fall on top of her casket. That action, and his words made Hailey’s heart go black with anger. He never loved her mother, or her. All he ever did was act selfishly and only think of himself, and he closed her case calling it an animal attack, when that bite on her neck looked like a human—- or something—— bit right in her neck with force, hate, and hunger. She was angry, she felt the power  fall out of her hand, and she let go of the umbrella protecting her from the rain. 

But the water didn’t start pouring on her, and a hand grabbed the umbrella while another one touched her shoulder gently; it’s Simon, her childhood best friend “Hey…” he whispers gently to her “I’m here, it’s okay.” His voice reassured her, and made her feel safe. Since they first met that summer, right in this town, eight years ago, she knew she could trust him. Hailey pulled Simon in a tight hug, wrapping her arms around his neck, and closing her teary eyes “Take me away Simon, please.” She cries to him, her only escape from the pain she’s felt for all these years during her parent’s divorce. Simon was the end of a dark tunnel, her light in the darkness. He gently parted  from the hug and took her hand in his “Let’s get out of here,” He started running through the rain, letting the umbrella fall on the wet grass, and she followed him “Hey! Get back here! Now!” Dean noticed them leaving and he called after them, while everyone turned to watch them run through the mud. Hailey knew how they were looking at her, how they were judging her for her actions, but she didn’t care. None of these people actually knew her mother, they were all Dean’s relatives. So they ran, hand in hand, laughing at the stupid people standing at the funeral, faking tears and feelings, they laughed as her black dress got dirty with mud and as they both tripped on their knees. Simon took her home, and they both showered and changed into comfortable clothes. Simon sat down next to her on the bed with a bowl “Popcorn’s ready,” He hands it to her and she takes one “Thanks Si… for everything,” She says honestly, “I would have gone crazy there if you weren’t there.” 

 "No big deal. Your relatives are... a lot. I felt like they were judging my hair the entire time." Simon says with a small laugh "They judge everything," Hailey said, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I’ve always been the black sheep because I don't do the whole religious thing, and they look at me like I'm some project they need to fix. It’s annoying." She looked at the floor, picking at a loose thread on her bedspread. "The worst part was the service. My dad’s side is so intense about it, but my mom wasn't like that at all. She liked breaking rules. She didn't care about being 'normal' or whatever society wanted her to be. She was just... herself. She was amazing." She sighed, her voice getting a bit quieter. "And then they get up there and talk about her like she was just a 'wife' or a 'mother.' Like those were her only personality traits. It’s like they didn't even know her. She was a whole person, Simon."

"I know," he said softly. "I just feel like my dad failed her," she said, looking up at him. "He just sat there and let them bury this boring, fake version of her. He didn't even stand up and tell them who she really was." Hailey leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You have to help me, Simon. I need to find out what actually happened to her. Everyone keeps saying it was some animal attack, but I know it wasn't. It doesn't make sense." Simon looked at her, confused. "What do you mean? The police said—" She quickly interrupts him "The police are wrong," she interrupted again. She reached under her mattress and pulled out a thick yellow envelope. She pulled out the crime scene photos—the raw, unfiltered ones the public isn't supposed to see. Simon’s eyes went wide. "Are those...? Where did you even get those, Hailey?"

"I found them in my dad's room," she said, her hands shaking as she spread them out on the bed. "Look at this." She pointed to a shot of her mother’s neck. There was a massive, jagged bite mark, surrounded by so much blood it turned the grass black in the photo. Simon recoiled, his face turning pale. "This is... Jesus, Hailey," he muttered, looking like he was about to gag. "This is intense." She traced a shaky finger over her mother’s face in the photo’s "She was killed right there," Hailey said, her voice trembling. She felt a wave of nausea hit her, the copper smell of the room suddenly feeling real. "She was just driving here to come get me and then... something dragged her into the woods. Look at the marks, Simon. No wolf does that." She couldn't take it anymore and slammed the photos shut, shoving them back into the envelope. She felt like she was going to vomit if she saw another drop of red. Simon reached out, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, look at me. You need to breathe. You’re exhausted and you’re grieving... it’s normal to have these kinds of thoughts. Your brain is trying to make sense of something that doesn't make sense."Hailey shook her head stubbornly, tears stinging her eyes. 

"I’m not crazy, Simon. I know what I saw." Simon sighed, looking at the envelope and then back at her. He saw the desperation in her face and finally gave in. "Okay. Okay, fine. I’ll help you. We’ll figure it out." Simon was starting to worry about her, and he wanted to make her forget about these crazy ideas as soon as possible.  "Anyway, are you ready for tomorrow? First day at a brand new school. You gonna survive?" Hailey groaned and flopped back onto her pillows. "Honestly? I’m terrified. I’m just gonna be the weirdo in the back of the class again. New town, same Hailey." Simon rolled  his eyes. "Please," Simon said, kicking her foot lightly. "Whoever made fun of you at your old school was a total fool. You’re literally super cool." Hailey let out a loud laugh, looking up at the ceiling. "Yeah, right. I wish I was cool, Simon. I’m a mess." He sighed "I'm serious," Simon insisted, giving her a look. "You're easily the prettiest girl I know. If I was straight, I’d totally be going after you." Hailey broke out into a real smile, the first one all day. "Oh, shut up," she laughed, shoving his shoulder. Simon laughed too, the tension in the room finally breaking. "I'm just saying! The guys at this school aren't gonna know what hit them."

Hailey reached into the bowl, grabbed another handful of popcorn, and tossed one into her mouth. "What’s this movie even about, anyway?" she asked, glancing at the TV. "We haven't watched a single minute of it." Simon squinted at the screen, trying to figure out the plot through the credits. "I don't know, it’s something about vampires, I think," he said, sounding just as tired as she was. They stayed like that for a while, the blue light of the TV flickering over the dark room while the movie played on mute. After another hour of whispering and half-finished thoughts, their heads eventually loll to the side, and they both fell fast asleep right there on the bed.

——————————————————————-----------------------------------------------------

“Hailey…” She heard Simon’s voice over her “Wake up, wanna leave before your dad’s up? So we won’t have to take his scolding this early in the morning,” The next morning, Simon practically dragged her out of bed, ignoring her tired groans. Hailey sighed, her stomach doing knots as she worried about what her first encounter with her classmates would be like. She eventually stood up and started getting dressed, pulling on a simple dark blue camisole under a thin, long-sleeve henley and her favorite pair of straight-leg jeans. She threw on a cropped black leather jacket to top it off, giving the look a bit more of an edge. After plugging in her curling iron, she worked her chocolate brown hair into soft, loose curls that hit just at her shoulders. She stood in front of the mirror and sighed, not seeing anything pretty in her reflection. To her, her skin looked way too pale, her chest felt too flat, she didn’t like her brown eyes, and she just felt like a mess. She stared at herself for a second longer, wishing she could just stay hidden in her room forever. Simon’s hands gently grip her shoulders “You look great, don’t get depressed dude,” She sighed and got her bag “Whatever, let’s just go.” She quickly ran out of the room, and Simon followed after her “Wait for me!” 

They get to her car “Are you sure you don’t want me to drive?” He asks as he drops his guitar in the backseat together with their school bags “I’m fine, Si, really, we’re not getting into a car crash because of me.” She says sarcastically before getting in the driver’s seat. Hailey drove to school with the windows cracked, the air outside feeling heavy and gloomy as always. It was so dark out that it almost made her sleepy, and for a few minutes, the gray sky actually helped her forget the pressure of the day. But the second she pulled into the school’s parking lot and saw the crowds of students, the anxiety came rushing back. Simon noticed her grip tighten on the steering wheel and reached over to give her arm a reassuring squeeze. "Hey, it’s fine," he said, trying to distract her. "You’re sitting with the band at lunch, okay? Jason’s been asking about you all week. I think he just wants an excuse to see you." Hailey rolled her eyes at him, a small blush creeping up her pale neck despite her nerves. "Shut up, Simon," He gently kicks her arm as he throws his gig bag over his shoulder, “Good luck!” He says before walking away. She took a deep breath, grabbed her bag, and walked anxiously toward history class. 

The second she stepped through the door, her leather jacket felt ten times too heavy and her jeans felt way too tight. She felt completely ridiculous, like she was wearing a costume that didn't fit. She realized everyone had already taken their seats, and for a panicked second, it looked like there was nowhere for her to go. Every head in the room turned to stare at her, and she could feel her palms getting slick with sweat. Her brain felt foggy, drifting back to the funeral and the dark photos in her room, making it hard to focus on the present. The teacher looked up and told her to present herself to the class. Hailey stood there awkwardly, trying to ignore the way the jocks in the back were shamelessly checking her out. "Uh... My name's Hailey Cross. I'm 17," she said, her voice sounding small in the quiet room. "I'm from New Orleans, and I just moved here... for, uh, family reasons." The teacher nodded toward the middle of the room and told her she could take the empty seat next to Aleksandr.

Her heart almost dropped as she saw the person she was going to sit with, because she knew what she knew or almost knew. Aleksandr was the guy she kept dreaming of since her mother died, he was in her dreams every night. As Hailey started walking, she could feel the atmosphere in the room shift. A few girls actually looked shocked, their eyes following her every step like she was walking into a cage. She sat down and caught a quick glimpse of him. He looked like a normal enough guy—built, but not bulky—with dark blonde hair that was styled in that messy, effortless way, with long layers swept to the side and slightly over his forehead. She didn't look at him for long, though, because the staring from the other students was making her skin crawl. One girl in particular was eyeing her down. She was really pretty and skinny, wearing something that looked expensive, with strawberry blonde hair that barely reached her shoulders. Hailey wondered if she was his girlfriend and if that was why she looked so bothered. Feeling awkward, Hailey quickly looked away and stared at her notebook as the teacher finally started talking.

As the teacher started the lesson, Hailey realized she had no idea what page they were on. The teacher had just told everyone to pick up where they left off last time, but she obviously wasn't there. She looked at the guy next to her, and he looked completely unapproachable. It wasn't that he looked mean, but he had this intimidating vibe that made her anxiety spike even higher. "Hey, sorry, what chapter are we on?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. He turned his head slightly “We’re on Chapter 5”  As he spoke, she realized he had green eyes—a green so bright and piercing that it was the first thing she noticed. "Thanks," she said quickly. A heavy silence followed, and the air between them felt thick and awkward. She felt a sudden wave of unease, like she was almost scared to be sitting so close to him. "I’m... Hailey, by the way," she said, her voice shaking just a little. She was trying to force herself to be normal, to shake off that inexplicable fear. He was just a guy in a history class like everyone else, so she couldn't understand why her heart was hammering against her ribs. He didn't say anything at first, just gave a slow, slight nod that felt heavier than it should have. As she looked back at her book, a weird thought popped into her head. She felt like she’d seen him before—not just around town, but somewhere specific. 

"I know, you said that earlier," he said, just stating a fact. His voice sent a chill straight down her spine because it sounded exactly like it did in her dreams—deep, smooth, and layered with a strange, old-fashioned resonance that felt far too heavy for a high school classroom. This couldn't be real. There was no way he was actually real. Her heart was hammering so hard she was sure he could hear it, but she tried to keep her face steady. "I’m Aleksandr," he added. Hailey swallowed hard, trying to mimic his bluntness to act normal. "Yeah, I know. The teacher said that earlier." He let out a short, dry huff of a laugh—But even with that small smile, there was something macabre about him.

—————————————————————-

Hailey picked up a tray and chose a salad and some fruit, sticking to the vegetarian stuff. Ever since the accident, anything that even reminded her of blood made her stomach turn, and the thought of eating meat actually made her feel sick. She scanned the cafeteria for Simon and was about to pull out her phone to call him when the blonde girl from history class approached her with a bright, plastic smile. "Hey! You’re the new girl, right? I'm Cassie," she said, her voice sounding just a little too sweet to be real. Her friend, a girl with dark auburn hair and a sharp gaze, stepped up next to her. "And I'm Sarah." They felt a bit fake, but Hailey figured it was better than being a total loner or only hanging out with guys. "I'm Hailey," she replied. "Cool name," Cassie said, looping her arm through Hailey's. "Come sit with us." They led her over to a large table, and Hailey realized with a start that it was the band's table. "Oh, hey," Simon said, looking up from his lunch. "So you've met them." Cassie beamed, sliding into a seat. "So you guys already know each other? That’s great!" Jason said, as he got up to walk to get “It’s good to see you,” He looked way hotter than she remembered. He was tall, with broad shoulders and smooth olive skin that seemed to glow even under the harsh cafeteria lights. He had deep, dark eyes and a strong, carved jawline that made him look a lot more mature than the last time they’d met. Hailey stood up as he approached, and he pulled her into a warm hug. “It’s good to see you too, J,” she whispered. The other two guys at the table, a tall, lean guy named Kai and a shorter, muscular one named Mako, both gave her a friendly wave. “You’re Hailey, right?” Kai asked with a grin. “The girl Jason met back in eighth grade? Man, he’s talked about nothing but you all week since he heard you were moving here.” Jason immediately shot Kai a look, half-laughing and half-annoyed as he nudged him. “Shut up, man. I was just excited to see her,” he defended, looking back at Hailey. She felt a genuine spark of happiness at that, her chest warming as she realized at least someone had been looking forward to her arrival.