Chapter Eleven

                                    

                                          


                          
Jake was in awe. How could he describe this feeling? This feeling where his heart was beating so fast he was sure it would lung out of his chest. Where his thoughts had been wiped completely blank, tongue struggling for words.
                          
	He could surely mistake Hailey as an angel with that beautiful voice. It was the type where he would hear above crashing ocean waves - calling out to him to listen. He suddenly felt as if he wasn't in the center of his own world anymore.
                          
	"That was beautiful," said Zander after Hailey strummed the last chord. His voice was hushed in wonder.
                          
	"Agreed," said Milly with big eyes.
                          
	"You should definitely sing more," said Jake, finding his voice at last. "I can't believe... I  was the reason you stopped singing."
                          
	Hailey smiled softly.
                          
	"Well, who should share their story next?" Luke asked, looking around.
                          
	Jake bit his lip. "I'll go. I think I'm ready." Everyone looked at him expectantly and he took a deep breath.
                          
	Everything came pouring out at once. How he used to sing when he was younger, and the small talent show they had in the classroom in primary school. How he was teased for it, and he regretted singing. How all this regret and emotion built up inside him until it made him never want to sing again.
                          
	"But yet you still do," Sean pointed out.
                          
	"I think it's because... I felt comfortable with you guys. And seeing other people enjoy music as much as I do really created the bridge to help me cross to the other side.
                          
	"So you bullied us just because you got bullied before?" Hailey asked, stunned.
                          
	"Yeah, kinda... I always regret it though, but I didn't show it."
                          
	It was silent for a long time.
                          
	"You should've told us," Jake was surprised to see that it was Zander that had spoken. "You should've told someone - at least someone here." 
                          
	Luke said, "Yeah, we're your friends. You can trust us."
                          
	"And now I think we can trust you, too," Milly piped up. "We know how you feel now..."
                          
	"I just wish you would've told us sooner," said Hailey. "We're family, now. Aren't we?"
                          
	Jake looked around at all the band member's faces. He couldn't help but smile. Finally, he had found his home.
                          
	"Family," he agreed.
                          
    
                          
The sun danced in the brilliant blue sky, shining on the six friends as they walked towards Albama High. They were laughing at a joke a pink haired girl had said.
                          
	"Jake!" Jake stopped and looked over his shoulder to see Drew running towards him.
                          
	"Jake, where were you - scram, freaks!" Drew said as he looked at the band members accompanying Jake. The club didn't move.
                          
	"Hey, don't call them that!" said Jake angrily, making Drew step back, astounded.
                          
	"Excuse me? What do you mean? Exactly what are you doing, and where were you last night?! We were going to have a game night at Liam's house, remember?"
                          
	"I was at Hailey's house, having a sleepover with them," he crossed his arms, holding his head high. "And I've decided I'm leaving you guys."
                          
"What?"
                          
	"I'm leaving. I don't want to be friends with such toxic people like you. The time I spent with you was worth nothing. After all these years, I've realized that I belong here - with them. I won't regret leaving."
                          
	At this point, other students were looking at them, pointing and murmuring behind their hands.
                          
	"You... You can't just leave!" Drew spluttered furiously. "You can't think of becoming one of them! You'll be the laughingstock of the school - why do you even want to be with those freaks?!"
                          
	Jake was beside himself. "They're. Not. Freaks!" he shouted. "I want to be with them because they're my family, and I love hanging out with them! I've loved singing for as long as I can remember, but you tore that down."
                          
	Even the band was staring at him in shock now. 
                          
	"I don't want to see your face again," said Jake bitterly. 
                          
	Drew took another step back, and his face slowly twisted into an uttermost fury. He didn't say anything but left, giving Jake a withering look.
                          
	"Well," said Milly. "That sure was a show worth watching."
                          
    
                          
	"Hey, has anyone seen Hailey?" Luke asked. Sean looked up from his computer. It was noon now, and everyone in the club but Jake and Hailey had arrived.
                          
	"No, it's strange. She's normally the first one," said Zander.
                          
	"Did you say Hailey?" asked Jake, walking into the room. 
                          
	"Yeah... she's not here yet. Weird," said Milly.
                          
	Jake frowned. That really was weird. "Maybe she's getting something from her locker," he suggested.
                          
	"Or she got detention?" asked Sean.
                          
	"Nah, I'm in all her classes," Zander said. "What if something happened to her?"
                          
	Jake's heart skipped a beat at the thought of it.
                          
	"It can't be. Maybe she's surprising us with pastries like she did last year," said Milly hopefully. 
                          
	"But that bakery shut down ages ago!" Luke pointed out.
                          
	They ended up simply waiting. Waiting for a painstaking twenty minutes that seemed like an eternity. Jake paced up and down the room anxiously. What if Zander was right? Did something happen to her?
                          
	It had been nearly half an hour when Zander stopped chewing his nails and stood up.
                          
	"We need a party to go look for her. It's noon - the middle of the day. Students are practically everywhere, taking a break and eating lunch. Something must've happened to her."
                          
	"I'll go," Jake instantly volunteered. He didn't think he'd be able to stand waiting here if the others were looking.
                          
	"Same," said Zander, looking at Jake curiously. "Luke?"
                          
	"Hey, I wanna come too!" Milly jumped up. 
                          
	"We need you to stay here in case Hailey comes back," said Zander bossily. "But she has her phone, she could just call us...." 
                          
	"Let's not waste anymore time," said Luke hurriedly. Jake didn't need to be told twice. He ran out the door and bolted down the right side of the hall. He saw Luke's scarf swish out the doors to the school lawn, and heard Zander's footsteps going the opposite direction.
                          
	Jake darted through the Chemistry, Biology, English, Art classrooms with no luck. The wing of math classes had no sign of the green haired girl, and the gym was empty.
                          
	He was just about to give up, when he passed a hallway with dim lights and cracked window panes. This was the area which students called the "Summoner's Hall", referring to Sadie. A rumour had spread that she summoned demons here, and ghosts often floated in and out of classrooms.
                          
	Jake shivered. He really didn't want to go there. But what if that was where Hailey was? His heart pounded, and without thinking, he set down the hall. Everything seemed to grow eyes and he felt gazes on him even though he saw nothing. It grew darker and darker as he progressed further.
                          
	"Hailey?" he called weakly. And to his surprise, he heard a weak call from around the corner. A high voice hushed her. 
                          
	"HAILEY!" he shouted, fear overwhelming him. That high voice wasn't Sadie's. Who could it be? He turned the corner to where the voice was.