[ 2 ] 2014

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"Why should I help him? He hates me."

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Harley couldn't sleep again that night. She returned to her house and went directly to her bedroom. She didn't have the energy to talk to anyone. The only thin she felt like doing was to lay down on her bed. Ashton stayed by her side to hold her and comfort her, but he knew there were no words he could say to truly make her feel better. She had chosen him, but he knew she wouldn't be truly happy until she could see Calum again.

Niall and Andrea called that night, and she assured them she was okay. They didn't believe it. They could hear it in her voice that she was all but okay.

Still, they gave her the benefit of the doubt and told her they would pick her up for school the next morning.

Harley agreed because she didn't have a ride to school anymore, since Calum was no longer in Sydney. Or if he was, then he as being great at avoiding her. But the letter he left for them at his house assured them he was leaving.

The only place she could think of where he might have gone was Brisbane, with his uncle Cole. Harley didn't think that would have been an option for Calum. She head been told by Niall and Andrea that his uncle Cole wasn't a nice man. And Harley had seen it herself. He didn't like Calum at all, and treated him badly.

There were hundreds of thoughts and possibilities that plagued her thoughts and wouldn't let her rest.

Soon, she could see the sun rising through the glass doors of her balcony. Minutes later was when she heard her alarm ring, announcing that she had to get up and get ready for school.

Harley stirred in Ashton's arms and stretched her arms over her head, letting out a yawn.

"Good morning Ashton." She greeted him in a blank tone.

"Good morning, doll." He replied, but on his face was a look of concern. He knew well that she hadn't slept that night.

He loosened his arms from around her waist as she announced with a tired sigh, "Time to go to school."

"You didn't sleep at all last night." He pointed out, his lips turning into a frown. "I think you should probably stay home today."

She shook her head and sat up, propping herself up on her elbows. Turning to look at him, she explained, "I can't miss school today, Ash. Calum might show up today and I want to be there for him." Forcing a smile onto her lips, she added, "I'll skip cheer practice today and come right back home, then we can watch some movies together and just relax for a bit. I need a distraction, and you need to catch up on all the latest films. Disney has a lot of great ones."

Ashton smiled at that. "That sounds like a great idea, doll. I remember Disney films. Harry Lauren used to love the movie Pinocchio. And Lauren was a big fan of the three princesses."

"There were only three back then?" Harley asked, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

He nodded. "The French one, the German one, and the English one."

"Oh," Harley thought about it, "You mean Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. I think there are thirteen princesses."

"Thirteen?" He seemed surprised. "Since when?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "They added the two most recent ones like a month ago. You have a lot to catch up on. We'll watch those, and the next time we have a movie night, we'll watch something about cars since you're really into that."

"That sounds like a good plan." Ashton smiled at her. "I'll leave you now so you can get ready for school. But just call me if you need anything."

Harley nodded her head and Ashton disappeared, leaving her alone in her room.

-

Harley made her way downstairs to the kitchen about an hour later. She was already wearing her school uniform and her book bag slung across her shoulder. When she entered the kitchen, she saw her older brother was already finishing his breakfast and was already leaving.

He got up from his chair and said to his parents, "I have to go. There's a pre-calculus quiz today and Cindy wants me to help her study."

"Its the second day of school, Billy." Harley pointed out.

"Its a quiz to see what we remember from last semester, stupid." Billy said.

"Then why bother?" Harley shrugged her shoulders. "Cindy didn't learn anything. There's nothing to remember." Those were the benefits of being in the same year with her brother. She knew when he was lying. There was no math quiz that day. He probably just wanted to spend some time with Cindy before school started for the day. Harley didn't see why he couldn't just be honest about it.

"Why are you so mean to Cindy?" Billy wondered.

Harley shook her head. "I'm not mean to Cindy and you know it. I was trying to burn you." If Harley had to be honest, she was actually starting to like Cindy. She wasn't very smart, but at least she wasn't fake. Cindy had a good heart and she was honest. And she genuinely wanted to be Harley's friend. But as much as she was beginning to like Cindy, Harley had to admit that if there was going to be a math test that day, no cram session with Billy was going to save her from failing it.

"Okay, enough." Harleen said to them. She walked over to her son who was standing by the kitchen door and gave him a hug. "Have a nice day at school, sweet heart. Here's some money for your lunch." She handed him twenty dollars.

Harley's mouth fell open in shock. "Twenty dollars? What? Is Saint Billy going to feed a village of starving children today?"

Billy stuck his tongue out at her.

Harleen shook her head. "Your brother plays sports, and boys who play sports eat a lot. Just the other day I saw him making a sandwich the size of the empire state building." Harley was surprised that her brother was so fit. Then again, he played three sports at St. Genevieve's and hardly ever spent any time at home, for the most part. Billy Quinn was always on the move.

"Why can't Cindy buy him lunch?" Harley reasoned.

That was when her brother crinkled up his nose as though she had just said something unheard of. "I can't let Cindy buy my lunch. She's my girlfriend, not my boss or something. If anything I should be buying her lunch."

"Cindy is so rich that she could probably feed the whole town for years." Harley mentioned. But she didn't have to prove it to her brother. He had been at Cindy's house even more times than Harley had. The Hemmings family were currently the richest people in their neighborhood, an the richest students at St. Genevieve's, probably even the richest people in town. Even with their shop-a-holic mother, and teenage kids that threw parties almost every weekend, Mr. Hemmings' work-a-holic ways were able to keep the family among the richest in Sydney.

"I can't take Cindy's money when our family is doing so well." Billy told her. "And I should really go now. Bye mum and dad, bye booger." He waved at Harley, earning her a glare from his younger sister.

Her father was the next to head out of the house. Aaron Quinn worked at an agency that directed and produced television commercials for popular brands. He was in charge of coming up with a creative concept and an interesting pitch for a committee who would have to approve everything before filming.

Harley sat down at the table while her mother washed some dishes at the sink. Aaron set his newspaper on the table and got up. He walked over to his daughter to say goodbye and knelt next to her. He got something out of his pocket and placed it on the table in front of her. "Don't listen to your mother and brother. She just wants him to eat well since he participates in so many sports." When her blue eyes looked down on the table, she saw fifty dollars there for her. "Buy anything you want, okay? Just don't tell your mother I gave you this much money." Aaron gave her a quick hug and then went to Harleen to say goodbye.

At least, Harley thought, something good came of her complaining that Billy was given twenty dollars for lunch. She was going to use that money to rent all the Disney princess movies, the Fast and Furious movies for Ashton, as well was buy snacks to eat during their movie night.

Halrey needed a pick-me-up, and a night of movies and junk food was just the thing.

-

Niall and Andrea picked Harley up from her house, just like they said they would and the three headed to school together. It was only the second day of school and Harley was optimistic, hoping that Calum reconsidered and had possibly decided to return. But she was wrong. Harley didn't know if he was doing it to mess with her, but she wanted it to stop. She only wanted to see him and to make sure he was safe. Even if he ended up decided he really wanted to leave Sydney.

All Harley wanted was a proper goodbye. But she hadn't even gotten that from him.

Harley lost hope from the very moment in which she got to her first class because it was a class she had with Calum and he didn't show up. Instead, she spent the class period talking to Cindy, or more likely hearing Cindy talk endlessly about how she wanted to get Billy something really nice for his birthday which was coming up.

Harley's birthday had already passed, she had been a Christmas baby, but her parents would celebrate her birthday on the same day as Billy's. When Harley was younger, she liked it because she would get double the presents, but now it wasn't something she really cared about. This year was no different. Her parents planned to celebrate their birthdays together, and they had invited Cindy, who was very excited about it. It was evident she had never spent her birthdays with family, only with teenagers who pretended to be her friend because she had big parties with food and alcohol.

Cindy was going on about Billy's present when the bell rang to dismiss the students for their first break of the day.

Harley told Cindy she had somethings to do and hurried out of the classroom. The seventeen year old weaved through the crowd of people in the hallways until she got to the foyer area. There were already students lined up to get breakfast. But Harley had no interest in the food they were serving. She went out to the pavilions where the seniors were allowed to eat outside.

There weren't many people there yet, but she spotted Michael with a very tall boy who had hazel eyes and tanned skin. They were both sitting near the back. The rest of their group of friends hadn't arrived yet. Harley assumed Michael knew the unknown boy, since they were sitting together.

"Hey Michael." Harley walked up to them and sat across from the two boys.

"Hi Harley." Michael smiled at her. Nowadays it was easier for Michael, to pretend he wasn't in love with Harley Quinn.

"Hello." The other boy greeted. "I'm an exchange student from Germany-"

Michael stopped the tan skinned boy. "You don't have to lie André, she knows everything about us."

"Phew," André laughed. "I haven't memorized my story yet."

Rolling his eyes, Michael repeated for about the millionth time. "Your name is Dieter André Jäger, and you're an exchange student from Germany. I don't understand what is so difficult about that. About seventy five percent of that is true. Your name is Dieter André, and you are from Germany."

"I'm assuming he's a hunter?" Harley raised an eyebrow at them.

Dieter nodded proudly, raising the red material of his uniform blazer slightly to show her his Diamond Rose, "Of course."

"Relax Harley," Michael began before she could complain. "He's not here to babysit you. He's here because he got a few days off for the holidays, and he wanted to visit us. And by us, I mean Dempsey, Paul, and me. He doesn't need to concern himself with you."

Harley sighed in relief. "Well, that's good."

"And you?" Michael wondered when minutes passed and Calum was nowhere to be found. Normally, he hardly ever left Harley alone. "Why so lonely?"

Harley looked down at her hands as she spoke. "Calum disappeared and no one knows where he is. He left a letter saying he ran away, but I feel like something's just not right. Would you help me find him?" Now she lifted her gaze to look at Michael. He was her brother, she thought that had to count for something. He had to help her.

"I'm not interested in finding Calum." Michael told her honestly.

"Please Michael." She begged, "This is serious."

"Why?" Michael challened. "Why should I help him? He hates me."

"Please Michael." She tried again, her eyes pooled up with tears at the thought of never seeing Calum again. "You're my brother and I really need your help."

Dieter nudged his friend sitting next to him at the lunch table. "Come on, Michael. Have a heart. Just look at how she's begging."

Michael glared at the two of them. "I hate you both."

"You break my heart, arschloch." Asshole, Dieter feigned being offended.

"I guess I'll help." Michael gave a shrug of his shoulders.

"Thank you!" Harley jumped out of her seat and threw her arms around her brother, pulling him in for a tight hug.

Harley thought the more help she could get, the better.

-

super long update today because i know i haven't updated in a while.

and now we have our two winners of the contest! thank you all so much for participating. i honestly wish i could give each and every one of you a free copy but i dont have money. im poor. lol.

anyay, here are the winners.

international winner: CHLOE (blaqskinnyjeans).

american winner: STEPHANIE (steppm12)

so if you are one of the two winners, don't forget to contact me. i am giving you a week as of now to send me a private message. failure to do so will result in you losing the book (sorry). and i will have to give it to someone else.

for those of you who DID NOT WIN and are still interested in purchasing a copy, the link is in my bio on here, as well as the 'conversations' section of my profile page. so you can find it on both those places. the book will cost ten dollars, and the shipping i believe is about 3.99$. i also think they ship internationally, but i am not sure what the shipping rate for that is, sorry guys. i live in america.

so yeah, thank you so much for participating. and thank you so much in advance if you chose to purchase the book. and if you don't then that's fine too. i still love you because you have all been amazing and super supportive.

and sorry for shameless self promotion, but PLEASE CHECK OUT MY NEW STORY CALLED "PARADISO". its about luke hemmings and i has a religious type theme, kind of like the ripper, but not really. so please check it out and tell me what you think.

blessings, clary. <3