Life Lessons(Hailie) “So what do you want for your birthday?” He asked.
I looked at my best friend. “I won’t accept anything from you.” I said with a smile.
“Hailie why not?” Jared asked me. He was sitting next to me on our couch. I leaned in real close, our lips almost touching. “Because.” I whispered. I then stood up and threw a pillow at him. He threw it back at me. He came over to me and said “I’m still getting you something.”
“No you're not.” And like I had done two seconds before he got real close to me and whispered
“Watch me.” I then pushed him back onto the couch.
*beep beep* (My phone goes off)
‘Babe where are you?’ My on again off again Boyfriend Matt texted me.
‘I’m at home’
‘I’ll be there in 5 minutes’
‘KK’
I walked down our hallway to my bedroom. I walked into my room and sat on my bed. I pulled out my cell phone and texted my best friend Lexi.
‘Hey love’
‘Can’t talk I’m at volleyball.’
I then put my phone on it’s charger. I put my hair up in a top bun and put some running shorts on. When Matt got to my house he came right to my bedroom.
“We need to talk.” He said.
“You know I hate those words.”
“And you'rr gunna hate why I said them.”
“What do you mean?”
“Hailie, I love…”
“Don’t, if you're breaking up with me don’t give me all that I love you bullshit. Here I’ll make it easy on you. Get out of my house.” When I said the last word I just started to cry, I couldn’t help it.
“Hailie I’m sorry.”
“Just Leave Matt.”
He left and I was alone crying. I layed down and curled up into a ball on my bed.

A couple minutes later Jared walked in.
“Hailie are you okay. What’s wrong?”
“Matt just broke up with me.”
He came over to me and layed next to me. “Babe you’ll be fine. you're better off without him.”
“You don’t understand. I do NEED him.”
He stood up helped me to my feet. “You're coming with me to my concert.”
I didn’t argue I just nodded my head.

He left the room because he knew I needed to get ready. I looked at myself in the mirror and said to myself, you look pathetic. I brushed my hair and curled it, i fixed my make-up and put on my favorite backless black mini dress with my black heeled ankle boots. I opened my door and walked down the hall to the living room. Jared, Caled, Debbie, Matt (Jared’s cousin), and Nathen were all waiting for me. “There’s the gorgeous princess.” Jared annonced.
He grabbed my hand.
“She’s riding with us.” My old best friend Debbie said. We haven’t talked since I started dating Matt.
“I think she’d rather ride with me.” Jared said.
“Well let’s ask her.” Caleb said. They all look at me.
“Um. I’d rather ride with Jared.” I said.
*Beep Beep*
‘Hailie I need to talk to you”
‘I’m hanging with friends’
‘Well can you reschedule with them?’
‘How bout we talk some other time.”
‘Hailie it’s important!’
I decided he’s not worth my time so I stopped texting him. I hopped into Jared’s black mustang. I grabbed my earphones out of my clutch purse and put on my music. The last thing I needed was to hear Jared talk crap about Matt and how stupid I am to go back to him constantly. But he had different plans. He grabbed the earphones and my phone and took them away from me. “Hailie. We need to talk about what has happened.”
“Why?”
“I want to tell you I’m happy you guys broke up.”
“Wow such a great friend.”
“You didn’t let me finish… because I like you. No I love you. I’ve always been in love with you. But you were always with that jerk of a boyfriend. But now that you guys aren’t together do you think we could try things out?”
“I’d love to.”
He grabbed my hand and kissed it. he then handed my phone back. He started the car and held my hand all the way to the concert.
*Beep Beep*
‘Hailie I need to talk to you.’ Matt texted me.
‘I’m going to Jared’s concert.’
‘KK I’ll see you there.’
‘No I don’t want to hear your bullshit.’
‘I’m still coming.’ I didn’t reply.

When we got to the concert, Debbie and I went backstage. While they were tuning instruments, Debbie and I talked.
“How have you been?” She asked me.
“Fine. I’ve missed you so much.”
“Same.” We hugged for what seemed like forever. “You're still my maid of honor.”
“Really?”
“Uhhh. Yeah.”
When the concert started we stayed backstage for 4 or 5 songs. Then I went to get us drinks. While at the bar I felt someone grab my arm and drag me outside. “Let me go.”
I turned around to see it was Matt. “Why the hell did you just drag me outside? If Jared saw you he’ll kill you.”
“I want to explain. I’m moving.”
“You’ve said that before. You always say that.”
“Hailie. I’m really moving.”
“I don’t care.”
“Well I didn’t want a long distance relationship.”
“How bout this Matt. Let’s end ALL relationships. We are NOT a couple and we are NOT friends.” I went to turn away but he grabbed my wrist and squeezed.
“OWWW. Matt you're hurting me. Let go.”
“Hailie That’s not what I meant.” He kept squeezing.
“Please let go. You're really hurting me.”
He let go. I looked at my wrists and could already see that they were bruising.
“Oh my god Hailie I’m so sorry.” I looked up at him. My eyeliner running down my face.
“How could you do this? Please don’t talk to me again. Move and forget about me and I’ll do the same.”
“Hailie I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Just leave me alone!” I yelled and went back inside.

When I got inside the concert was over. I wiped my face and made sure nobody could see the bruises on my wrist. I went backstage to find everyone looking worried.
“Why do you all look so worried?” I asked.
Everyone turned to me and yelled “Hailie!”
They all come and hug me. Jared noticed my wrists. I just crossed my arms. He looked at me. When we got in his car he wasted no time asking me questions.
“Who did that to you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“This.” He grabbed my arm and showed the bruises.
“How did that get ther….”
“Don’t play stupid. You know exactly how those got there. Now who did that to you?”
“Matt.”
“I knew it.”
“Jared please just forget about it.” He looked at me with the tears coming to my eyes.
“Forget about what?”
“Thank you.” I whispered.

When we got home there was a note on the front porch.
‘Hailie, I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I did not mean to hurt you. I swear. Please take me back and move to Nevada with me. I love you. So very much. Please text or call me.
Love You’
“What is that?” Jared asked.
“Nothing” I ripped it up before he could take it from me. He looked at me and kissed me.
“You don’t understand how long I’ve waited to do that.” He unlocked the door and opened it wide for me to walk in. He followed me to my room. He sat on my bed as I went into the Bathroom. I put my black and blonde hair into a top messy bun. I grabbed a face wipe and wiped off all of my make-up. I walked out of my bathroom. Jared was on my phone. “Can you help me undress my dress please.”
While he got off I took off my heels and grabbed some spandex shorts. When he unzipped my dress he kissed my shoulder. I took off my bra and put on a cropped top. I grabbed my laptop and sat on my bed. “What are you doing?”
“I haven't sang on YouNow in forever.”
“Oh.”
“Can you leave? I can’t sing in front of you.” He leaves.

* 2 Hours later. *

“Can I come back in?”
“Yeah.” I was laying on my stomach on my twitter. “Everyone keeps wanting to do a collab with me.”
“Well you are beautiful and you can sing. So why wouldn’t you.”
“Thank you. There’s this guy Austin That I agreed to do a collab with. He lives in South Carolina. But he’ll be in Cali for two months. I think I might do a collab with him.”
“That sounds fun. It’s almost someone’s birthday.”
“Thank you for reminding me.”
“You should be happy you're turning 21.”
“I am happy but it looks like my family isn’t going crazy trying to find me.”
“Babe just get some sleep.”

I woke up to Jared shaking me. “Babe.” he handed me his phone. “It’s your mom.”
“Hello?”
“Hailie?”
“Yes?”
“Happy birthday honey."
"What's wrong?"
“Um Lexi, Damion, and Kyle got in a car accident last night and they all died.”

I was so shocked I couldn’t even say anything.

“I’m so sorry this happened before your birthday.”

I still was too shocked to say anything.

“I’ll start packing tonight.”

“Ok i have to go pick billy up from school see you when you get here.” When I hung up the phone Jared came in.

“How was that?”

“My siblings are dead.”

“What?!”

“I need to go to Cali.”

“Do you want me to come with?”

“No you need to stay.” I stood up brought out my suitcase and my clutch purse. I went to my bathroom and packed my make-up and toothpaste. I walk back into my room and start packing. I put a pair of yoga pants, three pairs of spandex, three bra tops, a red and black flannel, high-waisted shorts, my black dress, black pump heels, and my black vans. I put on my black moccasins as i grabbed my laptop and put it in my suitcase I grabbed my phone charger and put it in my purse. I grabbed my keys to my black charger and started loading everything into the back.

“Are you driving?”

“Yeah it’ll take me 12 hours to get there.”

“Call me when you can so I know you're safe.”

“I got to go. I’ll see you on Friday.” I hop into my car plug my phone in and pulled out of my driveway.

*Tuesday morning*

I pulled into my mothers driveway. I grab my purse, phone, and keys. I go to the door and ring the doorbell. “Hold on! Billy don’t hit the dog.” My mom answered the door. “Hailie.”

“Hi mom. Billy.” A little 5 year old Billy ran and jumped into my arms.

“Come in. Do you need help with your stuff?”

“No I’m going to get my suitcase.” I go to my car and grab everything I brought with me.

“Guess who stopped by yesterday.”

“Who?”

“Gabe. I invited him to the funeral.”

“I need to get outta here.” I go to my room put on my high-waisted shorts my black bra top I tied the red and black flannel around my waist and put on my black vans. I curled my hair real fast and put on on my ‘Boss’ beanie. I grabbed my long board that was still in the garage i grabbed my phone and left. I haven’t been in Martinez since I graduated.

“Hailie?” I turned around to see who had called my name.

“Gabe?”

“Oh my god it is you. How are you?”

“I’m good. Well as good as you can be after losing my siblings.”

“Yeah I’m going to the funeral tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“Because they were like family to me. And I still care about you.”

“STOP! You walked outta my life. Do you know why I left the second graduation was over? It’s because I couldn’t stand to say goodbye to you. I couldn’t even look at you. Because even though we’ve been broken up for 2 years everytime I look at you I have to try really hard not to break down. Do you know how hard it is to look at my picture and see every memory every kiss? No because unlike me you deleted everything. I couldn’t. I loved you Gabe. I still fucking do.” With the last word I out my earphones in grabbed my board and ran up the hill. I threw open the door and slammed my bed room door shut. That's when I saw the present. The card read,

‘Happy birthday Hailie. We miss you so much. We hope you come

and visit soon. Kisses.

Love,

Lexi, Day, Ky’

I opened the present it was a picture frame with a picture of all four of us. I set it down and fell to the floor and started crying. All the pain I’ve held for the past few days. Everything was in those tears. Matt and I, My siblings death, and seeing Gabe. It seemed like just yesterday Gabe was over wrestling with my brothers but that was almost three years ago. I ended up falling asleep on the floor. The next morning I woke up and put on my robe. I went out to get coffee and the doorbell rang I answered it to see Gabe at the door I walked back to my room. I curled my hair and put on my dress I did my make-up and my shoes.

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