HAILEY LAID IN HER bed with the laptop on her lap, a random romance comedy she's probably re-watching the hundredth time played on the bright screen. She stared mindlessly at the screen - as the loud muffled shouting of her parents downstairs was the only voice flooding her ears.

No matter how hard she tried to distract herself - she couldn't.

She fought back the tears that dared to spill, as the voices downstairs seem to grow louder and louder.

Suddenly she heard her phone ding as the screen lit up, her eyes didn't even flinch to look for the phone - she knew better that it must be a sales notification, no one put effort to text her.

Her blurry vision was fixed on the bright screen of the laptop as she heard the ding again and again - doubting if she's hallucinating, she paused the movie and fished for her phone.

Her fingers swiped hastily across the screen, curious to find out the source of buzzing, the corner of her lips tucked upwards as she recognized the name of the screen.

AeliaSandersxx requested to follow you.

AeliaSandersxx wants to send you a message.

She clicked on the screen as quickly as her finger could and accepted her request before opening the dms.

AeliaSandersxx started following you on Instagram.

Aelia: hey, you.

Me: how did you find me?

Aelia: Got some stalkerish qualities.

Hailey felt a tingling sensation in her stomach as someone spending time to stalk and text her first - was not something she encountered every day.

Me: Anxious for tomorrow?

Aelia: Very.

Aelia: Will you meet me at the gate in the morning? Would love to have you by my side.

Me: Of course, sunshine.

Aelia didn't reply but the message was seen. She bit the inside of her cheek, regretting looking up the meaning of her name on Google and worse, texting her that nickname. She stared at the screen like it will make her reply to the message quickly.

Almost a minute passed when Hailey sighed, thinking about how she always messes things up, now she must be thinking how desperate I am.

The moment she tossed her phone back - it dinged.

She immediately opened it to see an image attachment from her, it was the image of eating chocolate chunk cookies, one of the sweet specialties of Boston. The small frame of the photo had the majority of the chocolate delight and on the corner was half of her face, with just the peek of her chocolate-coated lips and hazel orbs which looked lazily towards the camera.

Aelia: look I found heaven.

Me: sharing is caring, send over some?

Aelia: pstt... In your dreams.

Aelia: about dreams, it's past my bedtime so before my dad comes to me with a pitchfork, imma begone.

Aelia: See you tomorrow.
sleep good, Hail.

She could feel her cheeks turn red and hot as her brown orbs peered at the nickname. Her heart was pounding loudly against his chest as she kept her palm on her chest in a useless attempt to slow it down.

Maybe this was the feeling she always hid from herself, maybe the crush she had on her neighbor in fifth grade wasn't a delusion.

She kept away the laptop and phone and pulled the duvet on herself. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Hailey felt something weird, different... After a very long time - she felt belonged, mattered...

And happy.