“Exam is in an hour!” One of the teachers announced to the students as he entered Hailey’s class. “Make sure you revise what you have been taught and ace this.”Hailey gave him a cold stare as he began to narrate the rules guiding the students. “No examination malpractice. Any form of malpractice will lead to an expulsion!” The teacher warned. “When you are done blabbering, could you leave?” Hailey asked him rudely with confidence. The other student mumbled among themselves with surprise. The teacher frowned. He wanted to scold Hailey so bad, but he knew he had no permission to. The principal had specifically warned every teacher to let Hailey be. She is facing a crisis at home, he said. She needs time to adjust. Adjust his foot! Hailey was showing no freaking sign to change. “Take you time,” the teacher said eventually before walking out. Hailey rolled her eyes and called someone with her phone, as she walked out of the class. “Meet me at the back,” a deep voice said. She nodded
The Fashion Show started later in the afternoon of that weekend. As usual, Lovelyn made a promise she wouldn’t keep. “I am going to be there for you dear,” Lovelyn promised with a friendly tone. Hailey took it as mere words. Lovelyn wasn’t going to be there. The lady was never there for her and might never be there for her. The person she instead saw was her father who waved at her from the seat she sat. It’s been a week since she saw him and his cute childish smile hadn’t left yet. Hailey felt excited by his sight even though she showed a serious face upfront. “Thank you for coming,” she said in her head before walking to the session for the students. “You look beautiful, my date,” Ryan complimented her long silver gown. She felt a bit disgusted and gazed around to be sure no one heard. “Don’t tell me that!” She snapped, as she gazed around in embarrassment. “You’re making me feel uncomfortable.” “I am sorry,” he apologized, turning away from her. “But you do look very lovely th
“Keep it low, Naya,” he advised her. “Those times were different. You acted crazy and I thought you wanted to kidnap her from me!” Brett defended.“How could I have kidnapped her? She is my freaking daughter!” Naya defended. “She was my life and my mother had died that time.” “I am sorry about your mother,” he apologized. “I supported your aunt in burying her.” Naya felt her heart shatter. She turned back to her side of the seat trying to blink back her tears. “I couldn’t even bury my own mother,” she thought. “I don't think anyone will understand all I have been through all my life.” “I am really sorry about this, Naya,” he said with a soft tone and drew her for a hug. She unconsciously hugged him back, since she needed someone to confide in. Hailey caught sight of them and fumed more. She clenched her fist in anger.“Your father and Naya know each other?” Ryan was being nosy. “I do not want to talk about it,” she brushed off the topic.The time came for the fashion queen to be
Naya gestured to Brett to be calm but he wasn’t. “Why would you talk to your mother that way?! She freaking shot someone just for you! Is this how you would repay her?!”Hailey was surprised. “She shot someone? What do you mean?” Hailey asked. “When you were three years old, some robbers came to our house and tried to kill you. Hailey risked her life to save yours. That’s one of the reasons she went to jail!” Brett informed her, causing Hailey confusion. “What?! She did that?” Hailey couldn’t hide her shock. “Did you really do that?” Naya nodded in reluctance. Hailey got deeply disappointed in Lovelyn. “All Lovelyn does is lie to you, Hailey,” Brett informed her. “She doesn’t love you. Do not believe any word she says. Believe us instead. Stay with us. We will make you happy. We care about you more than you can imagine.”Hailey gazed at them one last time before walking out on them. ***“Let me guess, you didn’t win the most fashionable for this session,” Lovelyn said to her as
The next evening, she grabbed hold of her school bag and jogged down the stairs. Even though it was a Sunday evening, and everyone was at rest, she chose to formulate a lie about study lessons which she hoped her mum would believe. “Hey, mum! I am off to Priscilla’s place for some lessons. She has some old notes I will love to borrow from her,” Hailey lied. “Sure, of course. As long as it is Priscilla I do not mind. Come home before 8pm,” Lovelyn ordered. Hailey nodded and left the house. She got into the car and rolled up the car’s windows hoping not to see her mum’s face.When the car drove halfway into town, she tapped him on the shoulder with a smile. “Could you help me, Frank?” Hailey asked. “I am going to a friend’s place and I do not want my mother to know about it. Could you not tell my . mum about this?”Frank was a nice person so he didn’t mind complying at all.“Is it a guy?” He asked with a smile. “It is just a friend. But he is a fun one. I just hope to have a bit of
The dinner was so fun that Hailey didn’t realize so much time had gone. She immediately hurried out to meet Frank who was waiting for her on the car. “Wait!” Ryan stopped her. She turned back to him as she was about to open his car door. “Thank you for coming today.” “Thank you too,” she smiled. “You showed what a healthy family looks like.” He smiled and nodded. “It’s fine. Your family can be healthy too. You’ve just got to recognize those who deeply love you,” he advised. “At this point, I am okay by myself. I do not think I can trust anyone at this point. Everyone in my life seems to be lying to me…except you,” Hailey informed him. “I know it can be tough,” he advised as he took her hands in his. “But you’ve got to recognize those to trust. Believe me, it’s not everyone who is lying to you. Some people really care about you. You’ve just got to recognize them.” She thanked him and gazed into his eyes for a while before leaning to peck him on the cheek. “Thank you for tonight
“How does seeing your daughter hate you make you feel?” Naya’s therapist asked as she sat before her contemplating Hailey’s coldness towards her. “It reminds me of how much I hated my father,” Naya confessed. “I used to treat him the same way because of how much he abused my mother. I even did worse than Hailey is doing right now. I spat in his food, applied graffiti on his car on a Monday morning before he went to work, I spoke out loud during his business calls.” “Do you think this is karma teaching you a lesson?” The therapist asked. Naya laughed. “I do not regret any of those actions. Hailey’s situation is different. I didn’t do anything to harm her. I am the one who is wronged here, but she doesn’t understand. My father wronged me. He was abusive towards my mother and normalized toxicity. That was just too painful to watch. I had to do something about it. I didn’t know how else to react to such a cruel man.” Naya explained. The therapist nodded. “Alright, I understand,” she
Hailey paced around her room wondering why it took so long for them to take her. She called her father hoping for an explanation but he wasn’t picking her call. “What happened? Why is no one answering me?” She thought. The door opened eventually and standing before her was Naya who looked emotional to see her. Hailey felt disgusted by herself and looked around for her father. Without any warning, Naya pulled her for a hug and Hailey rolled her eyes in frustration. “I really missed you,” Naya said, tightening the hug. Hailey said nothing. She waited for the hug to be broken before looking around for her father. “Where is my dad?” She asked. “He is coming up now to carry your bags,” Naya said, clearing the tears that flowed down her cheeks. “I am really so happy to see you.” “Whatever,” Hailey was an ingrate. She walked out of her and jogged down the stairs to see her father. On seeing her, she wrapped her arm around him for a hug. “You had to keep me there all morning,” Hailey n