[ 9 ] 2014

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"Your brother seems to be taking it hard. We can make him forget all his sadness and worried with just one command."

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Harleen was a mess when Aaron left. Though her one true love was Arthur Vega, Aaron Quinn had been her best friend, the man she had shared her entire life with. He was the person who had given her a home, and their beautiful children. The house felt empty without him, and it showed in everything that they did. When they had dinner together the first night, Harleen cried silently as she ate her meal, picking at the food on her plate aimlessly. She had eventually lost control of her emotions and disappeared into the kitchen where she broke out into full on sobs.

From the dining room, Billy and Harley could hear her blaming herself for what was happening. "Its my fault he's gone." 

At that point, Billy had pushed his chair back and raced to the kitchen to console her. He pulled his mother into his arms tightly and let her cry. Her tears quickly stained his shirt. Harley remained in the dining room. For one, she wanted to keep an eye on the twins who were only a few months old. Their care giver was taking a break in her bedroom to relax for a little while. And also, Harley didn't know what to say to her mother. Her own feelings about the situation were conflicted. She understood that Harleen and Arthur were separated by circumstances that had not been their fault.

But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a little bit of resentment towards them. Arthur had been married once in the past, to Michael's mother. Harley thought to herself that he could easily just find another woman who wasn't Harleen. He was a good guy, and he wasn't bad looking. Harleen was married to Aaron still and they had a chance to save their marriage if they could just talk things out. But that was also Harleen's decision to make. No one could force her to get back with Aaron if what she really wanted was to go to Arthur.

The care giver took the twins upstairs to get them ready for bed and eventually Harleen and Billy made their way out of the kitchen. Billy, trying his very best to make the situation better, or at least to distract his mother for a little while, had invited Cindy over. They were going to watch some movies together. He had invited Harley, but Harley declined, going up to her room for the night. Harley had never been the emotional kind. She never knew what to do when someone was crying. She cared about her mother and wanted to console her just like Billy was doing, she just didn't know how to. 

She stayed in her bedroom the whole night and didn't want to go to school the next morning. But she figured it would be better to go and distract herself rather than to stay at home and watch Harleen wallow in her sadness. 

School wasn't much eventful either, since Calum was no longer there. She spent the whole day with Niall, Andrea, and Dempsey. Paul was in one of the independent study rooms in the library preparing for a presentation he was to give after school. Despite him being absent from his job for more than just a couple of days, the principal liked him and was offering him a permanent position for the upcoming school year as a math teacher. Paul and Dempsey were still thinking about returning to Mexico to start a new life away from all the hunting and the organization. But he thought it couldn't have something to fall back on in case they decided to stay in Australia.

Cindy had talked to Billy and promised Harley that he would do the right thing. But up until then, Billy Quinn was unwilling to talk to the principal and come clean about the incident with Calum. He did not want to tell the principal that he had pushed Harley first and that he was just defending her from her older brother.

Her whole day felt longer than usual, but when the final bell rang, she was ready to head home. But she was stopped by Cindy Hemmings, who had a big smile on her face. "I know its not a good time." The blonde started, linking arms with Harley and placing her head on her friend's shoulder as she spoke. "But today is the quarter final match for the boys basketball playoffs. We're going to cheer for them. You should come."

Harley wasn't surprised that they had gotten that far. Billy was a good athlete and back at their former high school, they had been champions three years in a row. But Billy was really looking for a win this year. It was going to look good on his record, so that he could get that basketball scholarship that he wanted. 

Harley knew it was important to her brother, but she just didn't feel like going. She crinkled up her nose, ready to decline. "I don't think so, Cin."

"Please." Cindy begged, tugging on Harley's arm like a little kid in a store who desperately wanted a piece of candy. "Billy would really appreciate you being there. I know your dad used to go to every game whenever he had the time, and it won't be the same if he doesn't have at least one family member supporting him."

A sigh escaped Harley's lips. Cindy had a way of convincing people, just like her brother Luke seemed to have with everyone at that school. They were able to easily talk their way into having everyone side with them. That was exactly what was happening at that moment with Harley. Cindy had swayed her into going to the basketball game. "I didn't even bring my uniform with me."

"That's solved." Cindy grinned. She already had a solution for Harley's problem. "I had one of my drivers go to your house and get it."

"Thanks Cindy." Harley said, lacking enthusiasm.

But at least, she thought to herself, if she was going to have to attend the game that afternoon, Andrea and Dempsey would likely have to be there too. They needed all the practice they could get until having to go to the cheer competition in two more weeks. 

-

The cheerleaders stayed and practiced from three thirty to five thirty. At six, the bus arrived to take them to the venue where the game would be played and they arrived at seven. Harley was emotionally drained and wanted nothing more than to go home. But she continuously told herself that she was there to support her brother. She had invited Calum to the game and Andrea invited Niall. But both boys declined the invitation, saying that they wouldn't be able to sit with them, and that would make the game boring and pointless to them. Calum did offer to pick Harley up after the game so that they could get something to eat together. Harley thought to invite Billy and Cindy, considering that they would need some place to celebrate in the event that St. Genevieve's were to win.

At the game, Harley, Dempsey, and Andrea were mostly there for show. The other cheerleaders performed the routine, while Cindy had given the three girls the menial task of tossing spirit sticks filled with candy into the crowd. Andrea was still walking strange with her injury, and Harley's own injury hadn't quite healed, which made them exempt from doing too strenuous of an activity. With Dempsey, it was the fact that she just hadn't been to practices because she was taking care of Arthur at the hospital. 

The game was being held at another catholic school, St. Agnes Academy. If the boys of St. Genevieve's were to advance, the semi final would be played at home. The girls did a few warm ups and then sat down by the sidelines as the game started. From the very beginning, both Harley and Cindy noticed that something was off about Billy. He was always so pumped at every game. But Harley could see the way her brother's heart dropped when he looked in the stands and his father wasn't there. A small and sad smile formed on his lips when he spotted Harley, though, and she waved at him with a smile on her face.

The game had started out good for the boys of St. Genevieve's, despite Billy missing every shot, but their opponents had quickly turned the game around. With only seconds left, the game was at a tie. 

The crowd all collectively held their breath as a player from the other team took a long shot. The ball dramatically went around the rim and fell into the basket just as the final buzzer went off. The bench players of St. Agnes jumped out of their seats and ran towards their team mates, screaming and congratulating them on a job well done. The players of St. Genevieve's lamented themselves, some of them shedding tears and falling onto the floor in defeat.

Cindy jumped out of her seat as well and rushed to Billy's side, falling onto her knees next to him. But he had an empty look on his face. He wasn't crying, he was just expressionless, sitting on the ground in defeat. Cindy placed a hand on his shoulder and kissed him on the lips as a consolation. But he did not respond to her. That was when a sadness flashed in her eyes when she realized he was broken, and it wasn't just about the game. It was collectively about his father leaving the house, his parents possibly separating, and the most important game of his life going down the drain. 

Sports were Billy's life and Harley couldn't even imagine what he was probably feeling in that moment.

Pushing her awkward feelings aside, she knew she had to say something to her brother, anything to make him feel better. She wasn't affectionate, but she also knew it was important to show him that she cared. And that was probably what Harleen needed too. Despite the fact that her husband had left the house and she was probably in a jumble about her own feelings, Harley cared about her.

"Your brother seems to be taking it hard. We can make him forget all his sadness and worried with just one command." Andrea commented by Harley's side, and there was no hint of a joke or sarcasm in her words, like Harley was used to hearing. The two were now used to each other and could even say they were friends. She continued after the slightest pause to gauge Harley's reaction. "I can do it for you if you feel bad doing it yourself."

"Thanks Andy." Harley said to her. But then she shook her head. "But I think its normal for my brother to feel this way. We shouldn't take that from him."

"Wise words." Dempsey said by her other side.

Harley pushed herself off the bench and walked past the crowd of St. Agnes people still celebrating. She knew they were happy and all, but she just felt like all their celebrating was rubbing it in the faces of the St. Genevieve's players. Most of them were twelfth year students and were probably hoping on getting scholarships for university. Still, she knew she couldn't blame them and she knew Billy didn't either. 

She stopped where Billy and Cindy were sat on the floor. Cindy had her arms around him, and was telling him that everything was going to be okay. She was assuring him that the talent scouts from UCLA and USC who were there that night and had come all the way from America, weren't going to just take one game into consideration. He'd had a great season and that's what mattered. Harley coughed awkwardly and knelt by her brother's side, placing a hand on his shoulder. At first it was an awkward touch, because she had no idea how to comfort people. But as she started to speak, everything felt more natural. 

"Please don't feel bad Billy." She pleaded with him, swallowing the lump in her throat that was making her voice sound more like a croak. "You worked hard, and even though you guys didn't win, that doesn't mean your effort didn't count." She told her brother that it was okay to feel bad if he wanted to, but not about the game because he had been great all season. "If the talent scouts don't see that, then its their loss. You don't need UCLA or USC. They needed you."

The faintest hint of a smile formed on her brother's lips and he placed his hand above hers. "Wow booger..." He called her his childhood nickname for her. This time, Harley didn't fight him on it. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

Harley gave a shrug of her shoulders. "This is a one time deal."

Cindy threw her arms around both of them, pulling Harley in for a bone crushing hug as well. "You guys are so cute!" She gushed. But she was mostly happy that Harley had helped Billy snap out of his sadness. He still had his other teams to rely on. But some of the other boys on the basketball team weren't so lucky. 

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this chapter is also largely filler. but i wanted to show some of harley's high school life. things are uneventful. but they will get eventful again as the story progresses. 

next chapter will probably be them trying to cheer up billy because he lost the big game.

but please stay tuned anyway because this is the last book in the story. but afterwards i have a whole new series planned. this will be about harley's son. his name is still pending, but i kinda like the name lincoln and then he can go by link like the video game character. 

alsooo, please check out the spin off stories in this series when you have the chance. 

they are all in the reading list in my profile titled MITM. 

thank you.

-clary