It has only been eight hours since Haylie arrived at Mori Hills Prep and so far not many things seemed encouraging for her. Her classes so far has been challenging. Her teachers aren't the type who let's students off easy. There are projects for every subject all to be due by the end of the semester. She was not prepared for all of this. Moreover, her classmates seemed to be too attached to one another. It is as if they find better security when they are together. Like if one of them is missing, something was going to happen to them. And what Tia just said about her being a victim of bullying because of her figure, that doesn't seem to settle too well on her. 

Haylie has always been invisible. She didn't want to be noticed. She didn't want people to symphatizes her. She just wants to walk around freely without being judged and told what to do or how to be like. She prefers spending her free time just reading or writing about something. She knew people in her classes but most of the time, she walks around alone. She would rather not be noticed than being in a group of people that will be targeted. Which is why she is worried about hanging around the people in her class. During lunch, almost everyone seem to peek a glance at her table. 

After lunch, Haylie was escorted back to the Principle's office by Joshua to meet with her parents. "Well, see you tomorrow, Haylie." Joshua said before he turned and head back to whatever it was that he is supposed to go back to. Every student in Mori Hills Prep have to join a club or sport after classes are over. Those meetings are usually held after lunch. However, considering it was her first day in the school, Haylie has not yet registered to any clubs of her choice and she has yet to see her dorm. She stood in front of the wooden door of the Principle's office and she could laughter. Her stepfather's laughter was significant. He laughs like a younger version of Santa Claus. It is not that she hates him but sending her off to boarding school after marrying her mother in less than five months is not really the kind of 'I thank you for welcoming me into your family' gift. Mori Hills is not really the greatest place she has ever been in but it's not even the best. Haylie has yet to decided if this is really the place for her. Hesitantly, she pull up her hand and knock on the heavy wooden door.

"Come in." Principle Song chimed. Haylie pushed the door open and peeked her head in between the crack. She took a quick glance at the Principle and turned to see her mother and her step-father sitting across. "Ah, Miss Thorn. Come on in." Just a few minutes ago, Haylie had tried to reason with herself and decided to give everyone especially the school's faculty members a chance. But Principle Song is not making things easy. She turned and galred at her Principle, wondering if she purposely called her by her step-fatehr's name. 

"My father's name id Rick Ryan." She spoke, her voice threatened with malice. Principle Song looked shock and nervously she smiled recalling her previous mistake. 

"Forgive me, Haylie. I have yet to memorise your name." Principle Song recovered. Haylie slumped onto the armchair just opposite of her mother. She could see her mother frowning in concern at her. "Both your mother and step-father have seen your dorm. I believe, they have helped to unpack for you too."

"This place is lovely, dear. And your dorm looks lovely too. I think you're going to love it here." Her mother recommended.

"If you say so." Haylie pouted.

"I think it's time we take her up to her dorm." Gerard suggested. "Get her to settle in." Well, you can't wait to get rid of me, Haylie thought as she eyes Gerard who is happily chatting with the Principle. Just then both Gerard and her mother stood up together with Principle Song and Haylie reluctantly pushed herself off the chair. Just as they made their way to the door, Principle Song placed her hand gently on her shoulder. 

"Give some time, Haylie. I think you'll find your time her rather memorable." Haylie doesn't like Principle Song and her optimistic personality. She turned without acknowledging her Principle. 

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Her dorm is nothing like she had imagine. Of course at the time, she was imagining a more Harry Potter like dorm with five beds arranged in a circle and each have their own small chest. Mori Hills Prep dormitories are pretty basic. Every dorm has four beds meaning four people share a room and all beds are arranged on every corner of the room. She could tell that only three people, including herself, occupied that very room. Immediately she knew where bed was once she turned her head to look around. Her mother had set up her bed and just the way she likes it. She made sure all her belongings that she brought with her stayed inside the boxes. She would have hated it if her mother took put all the things out of its boxes. On the contrary, she quietly appreciated the gesture as it seemed like her mother still remember her.

"This is perfect, isn't it?" Her mother spoke. "And I did your bed as I know you would like it."

"Easy for you to say, Mom. You're not the one being left behind."

"Haylie, that wasn't the purpose for this. You know that." Her mother responded. Haylie huffed and plopped down her bed.

"I don't. The only reason you and Gerard shipped me off to this school is because you don't me to be around like a third wheel." Haylie replied, bored of her mother trying to defend her new husband. She was done being angry and annoyed. There was no way to reason her way out of the situation.

"That's not true." Her mother answered, staring down on the floor. Clearly, her voice did little to rectify her statement. Haylie rolled her eyes at this. "Haylie,"

"Mom, you're happy. I get it. And Gerard makes you happy. I can see it." If only you can see how painful all of this is for me, Haylie thought to herself. "I'm not dumb but putting me into a boarding school doesn't really scream 'Best Stepdad In The World'.

"He's been to this school before. He said it was the best."

"For him. The best for him." Haylie noted. "He has no children to validate his statement. I don't think his personal childhood experience holds much support to the decision of sending me here. Besides, he comes from a well family." What Haylie truly want her mother to know is how little attention she is getting. She's not asking much but just enough for her voice to be heard. When her mother decided to get married, Haylie didn't argue. She knew it wasn't her place to oppose the proposal. Besides, it has been years since she heard her mother laughing and singing. She could see how Gerard made her mom happy. How he had changed her. But he did so little to impress the only daughter her new woman had. Even on their first meeting he had barely talked to her and he even took them out for dinner. At a fancy restaurant where all she wore that night was a simple cream lace dress and she was twelve at the time. No ice skating, a walk in the park or a movie night out. He never even brought anything for her. It was always for her mother. And the most they had ever conversed, only took them a share of more or less than twenty words. When he married her mother, he shipped them all off to his mansion and decided one day that Mori Hills Prep was the place for her.

"Haylie, this may all seem too difficult for you to understand..." Her mother began and Haylie knew what was coming.

"Mom, I think you better go." She won't deny the hurt that crossed her mother's face. "You both might miss your flight." Haylie continued not wanting to apologize for hurting her mother and not wanting her mother to get too deep with their current conversation. 

"You're not going to say goodbye to...Gerard?" Her mother stuttered. She could tell how hard her mother was trying to fight the tears. 

"I already did." Haylie turned and opened one of the boxes that was on her bed. "And it's not like I'm never seeing you again, right?"

"True. If you need anything, just...just give me a call. You know I'll be there..."

"Mom," Haylie turned and stopped her mother from speaking. She continued with a pleading and sorry tone, "don't make promises you can't keep. You've already broken one promise when you say you'll be there for me after Dad passed." Haylie was not always mean. She was honest even though most of the time she preferred to not say anything. But Haylie has always been vocal about her mother's inability to care for her only daughter. In a way, it was her way of telling her mother that she was hurt by her ignorance. She could tell her mother was trying and that she was trying even harder when she was still grieving but she's not grieving anymore. She's not hurting anymore and yet she was unable to provide the same love and support she had provided before Haylie's father died. Thinking back to those days got Haylie a little teary eyed. She blinked and sniffed before turning back to the boxes to unpack.

"Haylie, I love you you know that, right?" Now her mother is crying. She could hear it even with her face turned away. "You know that I'm trying hard. I'm still hurting too." Haylie took a deep breath and turned back to look at her mother. Her eyes pleading for this conversation to stop. 

"I know you are, Mom. But don't expect me to be jolly after packing and sending me off to nowhere four months after you both got married. And let's be honest, Mom. You won't be able to make it on time if I called. You're far off to God knows where. You made your decision to put me here. There's nothing else that I can do." It was true, there was nothing that Haylie could do. Her mother was resolute when she told her about sending her off to boarding school. Her heart breaks when she saw her mother's shaky shoulders, sobbing quietly into her hands. Haylie didn't want to say those words out loud but she has been keeping quiet for far too long too. She took a few small stride towards her mother and wrapped her in an embrace. "I'll be fine, Mom. I always have been." Her mother returned by wrapping her arms around her daughter, continue sobbing into her shoulders.

"I know you will." Her mother said. "And I'm sorry. I'm sorry for..."

"Don't." Haylie pushed her mother's shoulder so she could look at her face and stop her from saying anything. "Don't start again." Haylie warned. "You better go. Really." Haylie nodded her head to the side to indicate the exit. Her mother took a deep breath and puffed out her cheeks. She tried to smile to hide the sadness away. As well as Haylie knew her mother, her mother knew her just as well. She knew there was no way she could urge her daughter to open up to her. Not when she has already turned her ears deaf. But words would not leave and all she did was wave her hand and blew her daughter a kiss before she turned and exit the room. Haylie watched her mother's retreating back and she stood next to her bed not quite sure what why she felt her heart being squeezed so hard that the pain resonated all the way to her chest.

Calmly she took a deep breath and settle at the foot of her bed. She turned to looked around the room and at her stuffs around her. She hoped and wished her roommates aren't crazy or psychotic because that would have been the icing on the cake on her eventful day.

Haylie has no idea what time it was or how long has it been since her mother left. All she did after that was unpacking all the boxes that she and her mother had packed for the new school. She was just about to add the few books into her shelf when her dorn room opened. A petite tanned skin girl walked into the room. Her face held a sweet smile as she entered. Haylie just stared at her as she made her way to the bed just opposite of her. The girl didn't notice her presence until she turned.

"Oh, Hi." The girl greeted, pulling her long braid to her shoulder. Haylie smiled back. "You must be Haylie. I'm Rose, your roommate. You're the new girl from Class 17, right?" Haylie nodded in reply. "How's your day so far?" Haylie thought back for a while.

"Pretty intense." Haylie answered. 

"A little different from your previous school, huh?"

"We never really had a project with every single subject before." Rose chuckled.

"You'll get used to it. Just give yourself some time. Besides, with Tia around, you won't have much problem."

"You know Tia?" Haylie asked.

"More than you think." She smiled knowingly and turned to look at the door. As if on cue, the door swung open and Tia walks in in her gym clothes, drenched in sweat but still manage to smile at Rose. 

"Hey roomie." Tia greeted cheerfully. Rose nodded. Tia turned and caught a sight of Haylie. 

"Haylie! Hey!" Tia cheered. "Oh, Rose this is Haylie, Haylie this is Rose, our roommate."

"We know. We itnroduced ourselves before you came." Rose stated. 

"Oh, of course." Tia replied. "Well, looks like we're roommies!" Tia threw up her hands and cheered. "I would love to hug you right now but I'm sweating like crazy and I am in a desperate need of a hot shower." Tia walked over to her closet and pull out her towel and a small basket filled with various toiletteries. "This is how it is here, Haylie. Class in the morning until lunch, then sports or other curicullar acts in the evening until now. Dinner will be at 6.00 PM. Wait for me and I'll take you there." Haylie nodded as Tia smiled and walked out of the room.

"I envy you." Rose spoke. Haylie turned to the petite girl who is busy folding some clothes into her closet. "You guys seem so close even though you had just started today."

"Don't other classes like hang out like the people in Class 17?" Haylie asked while returning to organize her things in her corner. 

"Not my class. But I don't mean it like I hate my classmates." Rose rectified. "It's just it's nice to see a whole class working together." Rose smiled. "You don't seem to like the fact that your classmates are close."

"More like I'm not used to it." Haylie replied.

"Well, you're lucky." Rose said and smiled at Haylie. Haylie returned her smile and thought back again about her classmates. 

The three girls were sweet and nice although slightly overwhelming especially Sara but she was never annoying. Minhee is actually cute when she's not in over her head and Tia is helpful. The boys were slightly hard to comprehend. The only ones who actually sat and talked to her were Joshua and Seungkwan but even so, none of them seem to pose any kind of harm or provocation towards her. As a matter of fact, none of them seemed to care about her. Maybe, just maybe, Mori Hills Prep is just what Gerard had said, a place good for her. But she still has a whole semester to really decided whether this is the place for her. 

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Author's Note

Thank you so much to those who have read, subscribed and supported this story. I wish to furiously apologize for the slow update but I'm trying my best to make sure that every chapter is completed with quality because this story is pretty much my baby. I'm working really hard to try and complete each chapter and I hope everyone of you could cope with the slow update.

Most importantly, I hope you will continue to follow every chapter and enjoy reading it.